Carl’s Merry Men was indeed the name of the mercenary band, and Joshua turned red every time he thought of it. The leader had no sense of shame. Joshua couldn’t even bring himself to say the name aloud.

  They had left from the inn after the fight. Carl was noticeably wary about turning his back on Elaine, but he was still jovial as he led them to the caravan. He told them about his band and the caravan along the way.

  “I run about twenty men on most jobs,” Carl said as he led them toward the gates. “The job is getting more dangerous, and the caravans are even larger. Twenty isn’t enough anymore.”

  “We never did settle on pay.” Joshua pointed out from the back.

  “Five silver coins a day, minted in the Virin Empire.” Carl turned his head and smiled. “Supplies are covered by the caravans.”

  “We’re heading beyond the front lines as well, right?” Logan asked.

  “Aye,” Carl said. “There are very few mercenaries crazy enough to cross the ravines. Fortunately I’m one of them.”

  The ravines or the front lines, Joshua had never been to either. He didn’t like the sound of the ravines. They sounded like something that monsters could easily hide in and use to ambush an unsuspecting person.

  A crowd was forming as they neared the gates. A group of five men in plate armor stood in front of the thick wooden doors. Their leader held a sheet of parchment before him, covering all but the spike that adorned his helm as he read from it.

  “We are looking for a fugitive,” he said in a crisp tone. “We’ve heard reports that he entered Atria earlier today.”

  There were murmurs in the crowd, and Joshua grimaced as he looked over to Logan. Logan’s eyes were wide in fear, but his hand was already gripping the hilt of his sword. Joshua prepared himself as well, drawing energy through his runes.

  It was there and ready, like a familiar friend. He didn’t feel the overwhelming surge again. It was in his control. He held it close, keeping his eyes locked on the five men. If they noticed, he would be ready.

  “There they are!” From behind them, two women knights ran up, their swords already unsheathed.

  Logan and Elaine drew their swords in a quick flourish. They stood in between Joshua and the knights. Even Carl stood ready to fight, drawing his axe from his side and leaning forward.

  Yet, they couldn’t cover everywhere. The crowd parted, stepping behind corners of the buildings or inside the homes. From behind them, the guards formed their own half circle. There would be no escape without a fight.

  “These friends of yours?” Carl asked.

  “You could say that,” Logan said.

  Flames licked Joshua’s hands as he picked his target. He knew that with one move, he could take out at least one of the knights. The remaining guards wouldn’t be a threat once he killed them.

  “Joshua, wait.” Logan turned back, but it was too late.

  Joshua let loose the first torrent of flame from his hand, concentrating the burst on the first knight. Her name was like Elaine’s, but he still couldn’t remember it. It wouldn’t matter in a moment.

  He smiled as the flames wrapped around the knight. He didn’t know if he could stand the smell of burning flesh, but the elation overpowered his thoughts. The ground around the knight charred and smoke billowed through the air.

  Stunned silence held the air still. None of the guards or the other knight made any move in the presence of his power. Joshua smiled as the smoke cleared into the sky. This would be far too easy.

  “Is that it?” The knight asked as she stepped out of the smoke.

  She held her sword before her. The blade burned a bright orange, as if it had absorbed the flame. Not even a single singe marred her armor. Joshua’s mouth thinned to a tight line as she swung her blade through the air, dissipating the heat.

  “Take them out Nell,” the knight ordered her comrade. “I’m going to have that mage’s head.”

  It happened so fast, Joshua wasn’t able to keep track. He didn’t know how to fight, not like Logan or Elaine. He knew many destructive spells, but using them in an active fight was something completely new.

  From behind them, the guards charged. Carl was there in an instant, his axe clashing at their swords in big swipes. The other knight, Nell, charged forward as well, clashing with Logan before Joshua could even blink.

  Elaine charged at the other knight, but the knight wouldn’t have it. With a strong shove, the knight pushed Elaine aside. She stepped calmly toward Joshua. There was no fear reflected in her eyes, just bloodlust.

  Joshua withdrew from his fear, blinking once and preparing himself. He called frost to his hands, willing the air to freeze. He was ready for her first attack. As her sword swung down, he solidified the air, bringing a wall of ice up with his outstretched palm.

  A horrifying crack split the air. His defense held for a moment, but that was all it would do. The ice splintered before Joshua’s eyes as the knight forced her sword through it. It shattered and shards flew through the air.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Joshua clumsily dodged the end of the swing, rolling to the dirt and stopping face down. Before he could recover, the knight was on him, hacking at the ground as he tried desperately to roll out of the way. Joshua’s heart skipped a beat each time the sword hit the dirt.

  Luck would not be with him forever.

  He cursed at the savod. It had done nothing to help him. If only he could access its power, he could easily handle the knight. He needed its strength. That power was the only way for him to succeed.

  A heavy boot crushed into his stomach, and Joshua gasped for breath. The knight pushed her heel hard into him, grinding down as she pointed her sword’s tip at his chest. Her eyes burned with visions of Joshua’s death.

  But, it was not to be.

  Elaine tackled the knight, sending her rolling to the ground. Both of their swords clattered in the dirt. Joshua shuffled away on his back, dragging his body away from the fight. He just needed a moment to recompose.

  He willed the ground up, forcing a barrier to rise around him. It blocked the fight from sight, but he could still hear the clash of blades. He gathered himself up, standing and calling the power into his hands.

  The air itself curled in his hands. Winds ripped in two spirals in both of his outstretched palms. It had been a long time since he had used the element of air. It was a tricky one, almost like a playful child.

  With a single wave, he knocked down the barrier. Two slabs of rock fell to the ground as he stepped back into the fray. He had to be precise in his movements, or else the wind would play out of his control.

  He took aim, not at the knights, but at the men.

  Five bursts of wind stretched out of his hands, like whips lashing through the air. They caught the men in bursts, each one whipping them into the air and away from the fight. In one instant, Carl was free from his fight.

  Joshua tried to turn the wind on the knights, but one of them was free from Elaine. Her sword cut into the whirling wind and dissipated the magic. Before Joshua’s eyes, his spell broke apart and the wind became inert.

  He didn’t know how the knights were doing it. He needed to know. Magic shouldn’t dissipate so easily. The elements were stronger than steel, stronger than any person.

  Finally, it talked, at the worst possible time. One of the knights, the crazy one, charged at him, her sword held high. There would be no one to save him this time.

  Joshua held his ground.

  She would have to be close to him for his spell to work. There couldn’t be time for her to intercept his spell with the sword, or time for her to dodge out of the way. If he made one mistake, he wouldn’t survive it.

  She was twenty steps away. Then fifteen steps. Then ten steps. Then five steps. With one downward strike, she could strike him down. He could see the blade gleam as it cut through the air toward his neck.

  Joshua was ready. The ground beneath them rumbled and four giant hands formed from hard rock erupted around the knight. They wrapped around the knight in a single grip, pinning her before she could bring her sword to bear.

  “Elise!” The other knight broke off from Logan and charged toward the rock.

  “We need to go, now!” Logan yelled, pointing toward the gate doors. “Joshua, clear a way through.”

  Joshua complied, running forward and placing his hands against the wood. There was water hiding inside the wood. He called it to freeze, and sent cracks ripping across it and through it. Within moments, it shattered and shards of wood tumbled down.

  The way was clear. Joshua smiled as the freezing air nipped at his skin. He turned and motioned to Logan. Logan was already running towards Joshua, pushing Elaine and Carl ahead. If they were going to run, they needed to go now.

  “Go!” Logan yelled, pointing the way out.

  They ran out in a hurry, quickly following Carl as he led them away from Atria. The walls were far out of sight by the time they reached the camps. Joshua’s lungs burned as they finally slowed to a stop. He couldn’t run anymore.

  “This is our caravan then.” Carl seemed completely unfazed by the battle. “Run by a nice merchant family from Limn.”

  There were twenty wagons in all, with at least fifty people surrounding them. They weren’t the mercenaries though; those were likely still in town. They were dressed in an odd flair, wearing billowy white dresses and shirts.

  Joshua wasn’t sure if that was typical of merchants. He hadn’t seen many during his years at the Tower. The Tower always kept them away from the main grounds when they came to trade. The mages were mostly self-sufficient. They had plenty of serfs to work the land and magic to supplement everything else.

  “You need to see more of the world,” Richard had said before they left for the investigations.

  Joshua had seen far more than he had ever expected.

  “We still have some time, before the others come here,” Carl said as he walked into the camp. “If you keep your heads down, I doubt those guards will find us.”

  “So you’ll be okay if I step away for a moment?” Joshua asked, stopping at the edge of the camp.

  “Why?” Logan turned back, raising an eyebrow.

  “To relieve myself.” Joshua smiled as he walked away.

  He had his hands in his pockets once he was out of sight. He ran his hand across the rune-covered surface of the cube. He wasn’t sure of himself, whether he should use it or not. Questions ran through his mind and they needed answers.

  “You, savod,” he said aloud. “Why didn’t you help me today? I nearly died.”

  “I thought you were going to teach me what you know,” Joshua said.

  “We are the most advanced workers of magic in Nelim.” Joshua stamped his foot down. “I can turn the world to ash with just a thought.”

  “No.” Joshua shook his head. “Magic needs to come from me. I cannot project my will without touching it myself.”

  Joshua wanted to say something, but the creature’s words stuck in his mind. He had studied at the only place to study magic. The men of the tower Tower knew more about magic than anywhere else on Nelim did. Yet, they were wrong.

  Joshua smiled.

  Adrian breathed the wet air of the outpost deeply. The green hills north of him were shaking with the gentle cold wind of the oncoming winter. The outpost was both far enough north to enjoy some of the northern mountain’s cold and far enough south to enjoy the warmth of the plains.

  He smiled at the scenery. The job was done, his men were paid, and they were in an outpost of the Virin Empire. That meant that they had plenty to spend their money on. Life was glorious. But soon, that money would not be enough. The Crows would need another job to sate the monster called greed that lived in every man’s soul.

  What type of leader would he be if he didn’t cater to his men’s souls?

  The thought recalled Logan to him. It was unusual for Logan to step out in the middle of a job. Ever since he first joined, Adrian was sure that the boy had never declined a job either. Most men had something to live for, something that they strived to accomplish in their short time, but Logan didn’t seem to have a life outside the band.

  Adrian had seen it before and it was no surprise considering the boy’s tale. Logan didn’t have a goal. He had lost what he wanted to live for. But, perhaps something changed then. Adrian grinned a bit to himself.

  He walked back into the outpost, past the wooden walls that surrounded it. It wouldn’t do any good to worry about Logan now. The boy was on his own path. All Adrian could do was what he did best.