A Mage's Power by Brian Wilkerson

Author:Brian Wilkerson
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Urban, Science Fiction
Publisher: Brian Wilkerson
Published: 2013-01-01T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11 - What's in the Shrine?

Pants and tunic to replace the ones she lost; repairs for the shield that was damaged and a new one in case it broke again; gauntlets with retractable spikes; lots and lots of shoes. Before anyone asked, she justified them: steel toed for fighting, wide feet for walking in the desert, normal ones for normal walking, etc. No one dared say otherwise. When it was over, Tej was indeed broke. He held his coin bag upside down and lint fell out. Serves you right, pervert.

The Altar of Rebirth was aptly named: a pretty maiden entered the dressing room and a tough warrior walked out. Manically she threw the skirt to the floor and stomped on it. Nolien face-palmed.

“Hey, you!” He looked sourly at Tej.

“It's Nolien; Nolien from Heleti.”

“Yeah, yeah, what's Tiza to you?”

Nolien put a hand to his chin. “Hmm . . .how to put it best? Tiza is my foul-mouthed, dirty nailed, anti-feminine teammate.”

Tej sighed. “Oh, good she's unattached.”

What about me? Despite his lack of interest, Eric was still offended at the exclusion. He didn't think the healer was any better looking and he was the battle mage. A warrior mage in a warrior society should be the more likely boyfriend.

Nolien raised an eyebrow. “You're still courting her?”

“Oh yeah! She's hot and fiery and—”

“Wants to kill you,” Nolien drawled.

“Exactly!” He thinks that's a good thing?

“I fail to see what is so attractive about a girl that wants to kill you.”

“The attraction is the guarantee that our relationship will be passionate.”

“She hates you.”

“Of course,” Tej said as if it were obvious. “With a passion.” Eric's eyes crossed trying to understand that logic. “But I'll have to find some other way . . .”

Nolien pointed to Team Four's fighter. “You do see what she's doing to that skirt, don't you?” The spikes on her new gauntlets shredded it to slivers. “That will be you next time.”

Tej grinned. “Oh, I certainly hope so. What would you do?”

Nolien sighed. “Girls like gifts.” He recited it like a schoolboy.

“But she already spent all my money. How about a free brain burn antidote?”

“Antidote?”

“I help Grannie make them so I take a few for myself.”

“The healer's your grandmother?” His voice rose an octave with each word. “And you help her make antidotes?”

“Yeah, since I was little. Wanna watch?”

Eric had never seen Nolien smile before. “Do I?! Let's go!”

“First we need a Purple Poison Hill. They turn out best when the ingredients are fresh.”

The plains noble and desert warrior walked out of the Stone Pile, discussing remedies. Well what do you know? He made a friend. The word reminded him of his friend. The one in the jar in his pack who died because Nolien couldn't save him. For just one instant, hatred flared.

Then he remembered that Nolien was busy healing Basilard and his hate turned to shame. It's my fault Aio died. It was his fault Aio came and his fault for not knowing healing magic. He forgot, in all his self-loathing that it was his elemental magic that saved all of them.

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