Rune mage

Chapter 67: Legendary

"The stories seemed fantastical," Fredric said. "Prisoners spoke of ghosts and haunting music, of men being killed by unseen forces. Then we heard there were men with glowing runes."

"I knew what that meant," Luna said. "As your rune upon me would glow faintly at times. And a few times, every rune at the school flashed brightly. Steph said it happened with her runes and everyone talked about the flashing. What did it mean, we all wondered. At least we knew you were alive."

"The general," Fredric said softly, "was a traitor. He intended this fort to fall. Every message you sent was found bound in his chest of drawers, unopened. The king- you know we have a new king? Yes. The king had the general executed and in his place, a familiar face: Fa Mai."

My shock was absolute. "He had retired!"

"When the king asks you to be general, you get unretired." Luna muttered.

"He read through your messages and we found ourselves some glowing men who kept insisting the fort was likely still standing, despite half the mountain range being crumbled by quakes." Fredric said.

"You've told the story all out of order," Luna sighed. "And your lieutenant is bound to be causing troubles."

Fredric sighed. "Was I ever that stupid?" He stood. "I better take care of my men. Is there any where they should not go?"

"Stay on the front side away from the prickly bushes. Those bushes mark the start of runes that are instantly deadly. I've pulled power from them for now, but just in case."

Fredric smiled at me and then left.

"I'm glad to see you," Luna said. "You really are a legend. Because of you there was an investigation at the school. They learned that some of the board and instructors were indeed sabotaging mages. Fredric's father is now the president of the board, and Lutsel and his cronies were removed forcefully, sent to battle fields as mages, never heard from again."

Jess set down some bowls of stew. "You two know each other."

I looked around the table at my men. "Luna and I were at the school together. It was her first year during my final year and I vowed to myself that whatever I could do to make things easier for any rune mage that followed me, I would. But my final year was a disaster. I was nearly killed twice, at the hands of the professors. I began to doubt everyone's intentions, everyone, except Luna. I knew Luna was trustworthy." I paused. "If we have time, I have some damage to the web rune along my back. Perhaps we can fix it."

She shrugged, "we aren't in a rush, since we expected to be battling. You should have heard the lieutenant trying to order mages to attack your barrier. After the first one fell off his mount and slept, no one would try. Of course, Fredric countered the order. That lieutenant is going to get himself killed."

My men all nodded. They knew the type.

"You men can go if you'd like to talk with others, get the latest news. I have a feeling the fort will not let me leave so easily again."

Archer shook his head. "I will stay here. My head knows Jess is safe, but having all these men around makes me nervous."

It was making me nervous too.

"Please assign the others guides. I didn't want anyone falling into a trap."

Archer didn't have to say anything, he simply looked at men and they finished their meal and darted off.

"Fredric is the worst at telling stories," Luna said. "So let me start by saying, most of our army didn't realize the fort was still ours. That's why supplies stopped. It was reported the fort had fallen by Swartz. But he disappeared with his men. No one thought about his report until there was an investigation into where he went."

I squinted. "A captain? Rather short among men?"

She nodded.

"I knew him," I said. "He tried to kill me. Almost succeeded except the knife he used couldn't hold my power. The knife exploded and when he tried to choke me..." I looked at Levi, "I was saved." I looked to our healer. "My men saved me."

Luna didn't ask if the captain had survived.

"Then as we found more men with glowing runes, we heard rumors that the pass was haunted. The rumors were wildly inconsistent and...as Fredric said, hard to believe. The king's spy master began to collect information for himself."

"Was he the merchant?" I asked.

She shook her head, "No. Maybe. No one really knows who the spymaster is. His reports indicated that the fort held, but then the quakes happened up and down the mountain range. There was complete devastation. And your runes almost went dark." She chuckled. "They glowed bright like fire for a full day, but then they went quiet. I was brought it to see if they were inert. I could barely feel any power in them."

"I was a while recovering from holding up our mountain," I said softly.

"When we got word the enemy army was going to send its largest remaining devison this way, Fredric and I proposed to General Fa Mai that we come. Surely with so few men, you would need help?" She laughed. "And we were useless. You don't need an army to hold the pass."

I shrugged. "I needed it to start. And I need the men I have, and it turns out also Jess and Ivan and Ian and"

Levi tackled me with a hug, almost toppling me out of my chair.

"Don't send me away!" He said.

I chuckled and returned his hug. "My mage students, as well. They fought with their magic today. They work well together and with me."

"They should be at school," Luna said slowly. "But" she held up a hand to stop protests, "things have changed. There is no longer a compulsive attendance. There is no fine for not attending. In fact, there is a stipend if you go, and a place within the army where they pay mages decently. There is no risk of death at school- when the king heard our tales, he was outraged. There is a reason why he is called the just. Everything has changed."

"Everything does," I said into Levi's shoulder. "Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse, but always changing." Then I looked to Luna, "this young man came from a caravan that regularly passed through, until it didn't any more."

"I can look into what happened to them," Luna said.

"I think it's time to get my mage students working again," I said as I extracted myself from Levi. "Let them show you some of their abilities."

I Listened as Levi and Red and Isabella took turns telling Luna what they had learned to do. Then I watched them walk out of the fort to show off their magics, brimming with confidence.

I leaned against the entrance wall and pushed a wave of contentment and power through the fort.

There was still work to be done, still a war to be won and young mages to train...a baby to be born...more runes to create.

But we had not been forgotten.

We were a legend now. The fort that refused to fall.

And I its commander.