The Last Mage

Chapter 8: To Be Still

Months had passed since her decision and Brielle wished perhaps for the hundredth time that she had refused. Her friends hadn't reacted at all like she had feared they would. They'd stayed serious and had not tried to influence her one way or the other, just lent support for whatever she would decide. That's what real friends did. Nathan on the other hand had talked nonstop of legendary battles, and great mage who turned the tides and saved the world. Of course the mage always won and Brielle had a sneaky suspicion Nathan had made up all those stories just to keep her excited.

She was so tired. Every night she rode to the field to meet with Morvin and whoever he brought along. And every day she worked in the fields under the hot sun. It was all beginning to catch up with her. Morvin had told her any night she didn't feel like coming she didn't have to. Had even told her she should take a break. But Brielle couldn't bring herself to skip a night.

She was learning so much about the world that she hadn't even wondered about. And some things she had wondered how they worked were now being explained. The world was put together so precisely so that everything worked together but now she noticed little detailed things that Zarlo had changed. The weather for one thing.

Also Morvin was teaching her a bit more about moving her consciousness. Brielle figured she would soon try to go other places. Like the docs. Morvin seemed to know what she was planning. He had warned her in a roundabout way not to try too much at once. Then he hinted he might know something that would help. But then he had refused to tell her anything more. Sometimes mage could be downright annoying.

"I can't wait till you learn more magic! Then you can make it rain!" Eryn was scraping at the rockhard soil around the plants trying in vain to get rid of the tiny redroot weeds poking up. The new plants looked a bit withered in this heat. They had already finished watering the other three fields and now they worked hard to get the weeds out of Brielle's field so they could water it. Of course they could skip weeding it and just put the water on but then those tiny insignificant weeds would be doubled in number and height the next day.

"I told you Eryn. I can't use any magic they teach me unless I'm in that field. Otherwise the demons will find me and that'll be the end!"

"But how are you supposed to defeat the demons and save the world if you can't use the magic yer taught?" Brielle sighed in exasperation then answered between gritted teeth.

"I'm not ready yet. When I learn everything there is to know I'll do something about the weather. Till then I'm not doing anything dangerous."

Eryn looked around quickly then whispered, "Where's Nathan?"

"Nathan's not here today. Someone else is. Don't know who and I'm just too hot to care." She wiped the sweat from her forehead knowing she had a dark smear of dirt in its place. Looking back on that first night in the field in that beautiful dress she had to laugh. She could only look that way in her dreams. Her dad had again given her hair a whack, as uneven as ever but the best he could do with the dull one inch knife they used for everything. She had considered asking Eryn's mom to trim it up but she wasn't supposed to have any contact with her friends and figured it bled over to their parents, too. Besides her dad always did his best and she didn't want him to think her ungrateful.

They still had a couple hours till quiting time when they finished watering her field and they were all grateful for the tall cornstalks shade though it only helped a little. The heat discouraged conversation and she found herself falling asleep in the still heat. The other girls voices became quiet buzzing and her thoughts drifted this way and that until the voices disappeared and the dream began.

She was with the girls in the field but they couldn't see her. Trying to get their attention did no good, they were busy burying something. A body? Yes, a man's body. They had blood on their hands and their eyes looked dark. Then she realized it wasn't her friends at all but three demons and she knew the dead man. Her father's eyes stared in the dead's gaze, anger screwing up his face. Brielle backed away from the demons as they continued their work. She felt sick. Knowing it was just a dream didn't help. She turned around to look toward the city but the city wasn't there. Instead a screen of trees blocked her way and dread suddenly seized hold of her. She turned toward the hill where she knew the Center would stand. The Center was there but no defenders were on the hill. The wind blew icy cold, a sickening smell filling her nostrils.

She jerked awake hearing people around her talking but she couldn't understand them. A hot hand was placed on her forehead and she glanced over at the man walking beside her. He looked familiar. One of the Keepers. Sherman. Why was he in the corn field? No she was on a stretcher carried by two of the RedSuits.

"She's awake." The stretcher was lowered and they crouched over her, checking her wrists and neck and trying to pour water down her throat. She pushed the can aside and sat up feeling just as though she'd been asleep.

"Hush now, not too quickly." They tried to push her back down and she knew something had happened. "This cursed weather has knocked out six people in the last two days. You're lucky those two girls found you."

"What?" This time Sherman answered. He was all business now.

"Those two girls from your building were going to fill their water cans when they saw you laying in your field. They reported it and now you're on your way to the Red Wing." One of the RedSuits interrupted here.

"Not now. Everything is checking out fine. No sign of further shock, how does your head feel?"

"Actually, I just feel like I've been asleep and now I'm awake." The men nodded confidently, writing on a paper and tearing it off his notepad.

"My prescription for you is to go get something to eat and take the rest of the day in your quarters. Tomorrow you'll report here not your field," he handed her the paper and looked to Sherman. "You get her to the Food Court and then you back to work."

She slid off the stretcher and the two RedSuits continued on toward the Red Wing. She sighed in relief. She'd heard storied of that place and not many were good. It wasn't called the Red Wing for nothing. She was quite glad she had woke when she did. Sherman ,on the other hand, looked rather put off.

"You and your friends are going to get caught one day and you'll all wish you had stuck to the rules." With that he turned her about and started at a brisk pace toward the East Food Court. Brielle stumbled trying to keep up.

"Well why don't you just turn us in, huh? Oh yah, cause us getting our work done makes your job easier. Or maybe it's because you like the extra time with a certain young woman..." She glanced up to see how he had taken that and was surprised to find his face pale. They had also stopped and she followed his gaze down the street. She took a breath to calm herself but it didn't work.

A rather large dog like creature sat in the middle of the shaded path. She could hear its rasping breath and her heart pounded all the harder. She looked around for the Guardian and saw him peacefully sitting in the saddle of a thick brown horse, one leg resting casually across the saddle horn. She was sure he was eating an apple. Totally relaxed not even slightly interested in their situation. At least the other three would have been paying attention while they bugged her but this guy just bugged her.

Sherman pulled her slowly back the way they'd come. He didn't like the prospect of closing with the demon either. She knew immediately this was the wrong move and she pulled him forward trying to look confident. Of all those nights of learning, one thing she knew from the mage Reanne was that one did not try avoiding demons once you were spotted. The game began when you showed fear.

Sherman looked at her incredulously, dropping her hand. Then the sound rose piercingly into the air and she looked ahead just in time to see the demon launch itself toward them. She couldn't think to do anything but drop and wait for the end. She hadn't been taught any battle magic yet so there was really nothing she could do. The waiting was terrible.

When the end didn't come she peeked at the street, thinking one fleeting second the demon was standing over her. The street was empty and she looked behind her wondering if she weren't being played with. A slight bit of relief came on hearing Sherman yelling for help and numerous other things she would have cared not to hear. Then she felt bad for being so relieved Sherman was in danger not her. But his cries were of fear not pain and she really didn't care to get its attention back on her. Maybe for the Sister's Secret Circle but not for him, Eryn forgive.

She looked back to the spot where the Guardian had been and found him still there in the same position maybe not even caring that she had almost died. No she didn't like him.