The Mage

Chapter Three

The great snake moved through the hills. Regnash was annoyed as he slithered, there was a lack of substance for him to sate his taste for flesh. The old man had been nothing, and he had only managed to snag a few of the shepherds before the rest fled into the mountains.
He had decided not to eat most of the village, lest he draw attention to his whereabouts. The new King was wary of magic and wizards, Ratheke had brought rumors of a blood mage in the new King's army. Blood mages were of no concern to him for their power was weak and required the life forces in order to perform magic.

Tobin had always been wary of blood magic, he feared it would be a means to destroy him. He laughed to himself, Tobin had been a fool and a weak man. Blood magic did not kill him, it was the headsman axe and four other wizards preventing any spells. He knew Tobin could have stopped it all if fear had not ruled his heart. It was a shame though he had to die. He could have used Tobin's strength along with the others he had sacrificed to increase his power.
Tobin's parting gift had been the weakling of a child he had made the mistake of thinking it was Tobin's first blood heir. Thus the poison slowly creeped up his body. It will be I, Regnash the Great who will have the last laugh. I have three of the seven parts you so foolishly scattered Tobin. And with all seven I will cure myself and rule this pitiful world.



***

She sat there in the corner of the tavern nursing her drink. The patrons had ignored her for the better part of the evening, though few had thrown curious looks as she raised the piece covering her mouth. The door opened as a patron left for home, she noted the gathering darkness.
"He's late," she grumbled to herself as she drank her beer. All the note said was a place and time. How will I even know who he is, she thought. A wizened old man stopped by her table, without even asking he sat down.
"Found you at last. It was good of you to come."
"What do you want from me." She growled.
The old man shook his head, "Not here. To many ears." He slid a piece of paper over to her. "Come when you have finished your drink." Rising, he shuffled off towards the upstairs rooms of the establishment.

She watched him leave, he was old and stooped for his age. He kept his hair cut short and his beard long, yet there was something in his eye. Something she could not place, she pondered over this as she toyed with the dagger up her sleeve. Glancing at the piece of paper she downed her drink and headed for the door.

Outside she headed down the alley next to the tavern. She could see the rope dangling from the window. Making sure no one was following her she quickly climbed up into the dark room. Pulling the rope up she closed the window and drew the curtain. Light from the match gave her some view of the place as the old man lit the lamp.

"I'm sorry for having to arrive this way, I did not want to attract suspicion." He said adjusting the brightness of the lamp on the table. "A person who dresses as you do attracts many eyes."

"It would be worse if I didn't wear this head wrap." She sat down opposite of him. Pulling out the pipe, he fussed about with it as she waited patiently.

"You are the blood mage of the King's army, are you not."

"I am. However, I have left the King's service."

Puffing on the pipe, the old man looked her over. " Since I can only see your eyes, I can not be sure you are his daughter. Would you indulge me by lowering the scarf covering your face."

She hesitated, with her right hand she pulled a dagger from her sleeve and set it on her lap. She reached up and tugged the scarf from across her face. Watching his eye's she waited to see how he reacted when he saw her metal jaw. It was she who reacted to the calmness he showed.