The Battle Mage by Ben Hale

Author:Ben Hale [Hale, Ben]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Snowlight Publishing
Published: 2017-12-10T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 27: Willowbrook

Avoiding villages and travelers, Raiden led the way to Willowbrook. Raiden had always seen the townsfolk as allies, but now he could not shake his doubt. In the homeland of friends, he had never felt such fear.

Several times Jester or Red slipped into a village in order to hear the tales, and from them they learned that Alydian had reached Herosian with the rebellion forces. But word had spread that Elenyr had disappeared, and rebellion forces were beginning to riot.

Raiden felt the press of time. If the tales were true, the plague of loyalty was spreading through Alydian’s army, and unless he found a cure, Alydian would witness her forces turn against her. Setting a blistering pace, they reached Willowbrook as night fell and settled into the treeline to examine the village.

Small but well ordered, the settlement boasted a single inn and tavern, the latter occupied by the fishermen that lived in the village. Like most villages situated on the inland sea, Willowbrook forged a living on the water. Fishing vessels bobbed at the end of short docks, their sails furled for the night.

The main street contained homes on the landward side, their roofs obscured beneath the great limbs of the oak forest. Between the street and the sea were places of commerce. A blacksmith, shipbuilder, salting warehouse, and other businesses bordered the docks.

“Looks normal to me,” Jester murmured with a shrug.

Red nodded. “A simple fishing village. There are dozens along the coast. Why would Elsin come here?”

“She says the villagers have dirty souls,” Marrow said with a frown.

“What does that mean?” Winter asked, but Marrow was arguing with the tree about its roots, prompting the roots to move so she could be more comfortable. “Lorth,” Winter whispered, and the body mage joined her.

Lorth leaned into the tree beside her. “What do you need?”

“Scan the village,” she said. “See anything out of order?”

Lorth blinked and his eyes narrowed. “Fisherman in the street.” He pointed to a couple striding down the road and then sniffed. “He still reeks of his daily catch. The woman beside him seems to be his wife. They’re talking about the children.”

“What about the tavern?” Raiden asked. “Hear anything out of the ordinary?”

Lorth extinguished his vision charm and enhanced his hearing, cocking his head to the side. “They’re worried about the Empire and the rebellion’s invasion.” Then he frowned. “Someone’s practicing with a sword, a duel, it sounds like. No, there’s more than two . . . a lot more.”

“I don’t see a training hall,” Jester said.

“Perhaps it’s in a basement?” Red asked.

Raiden shook his head, his eyes on the village. On the outside it seemed completely normal, yet he sensed an aura of falsehood that set him on edge. He would have liked to simply walk in and listen to the tales at the tavern, but caution required a different tactic.

“Winter,” he said. “Take your Verinai and check out the houses. See if you discern anything out of place and meet back here by dawn.

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