Chapter 4: Wizards At War

THANKS TO ANNE N. MOUSE FOR BETA READING AND EDITING. THIS INVALUABLE HELP MADE MY EFFORTS MUCH MORE READABLE.

Warren’s children were doing well in the school. The two older children were already Journeyman Wizards and the younger two would be soon. His oldest child Warren JR was only 9 years old but already knew more magic than Warren himself. Trixie, Tanya’s and his oldest daughter was almost as well trained. She would be elevated to Journeyman status at the end of the month.

Jr. was working as a teacher at the school, doing private research and doing most of the business for his father now, even at his young age. The entire family was busy expanding the breadth of knowledge magically and technologically. Warren tried to control the kinds of technology introduced, however, hoping to prevent many of the excesses that occurred in his reality/dimension. He still wasn’t sure exactly what to call it.

He limited introduction of knowledge and technology that could adversely impact the environment as much as he could. He stressed knowledge and schooling in the magical and healing arts for the magically inclined and for those who had no magic, he stressed general education and ethics.

Tommy’s Crossing and the surrounding area was growing and prospering as no other city had in this reality. Warren charged a fair price for his services and items (Magic and Manufactured) his companies produced and sold. He, his family, their retainers, and employees were very well off, some would even say rich, by any standards. Like many well to do people, self made millionaires and company founders they were admired and vilified. They were admired for what they had and vilified because they had it and others didn’t.

For most of the summer, news had been reaching Tommy’s Crossing about a band of Wizards and non magical people taking over small towns and their surroundings. The perimeter of the area they controlled continued to expand, seemingly more toward Tommy’s Crossing than the other directions. Warren was upset when he first heard about the rebellion or uprising. Now, he was upset and downright angry as well as worried about where it was going to end.

Finally, Warren decided to send some spies into the affected area to see what the true facts were. After several weeks, they came back to report troubling findings. In the conquered areas, the common person was treated poorly, many times barely allowed enough food to survive. Pretty women and girls weren’t safe on the streets, or even in their own homes. Between the followers of the wizards and the resident criminals, living in the lands taken over by the band was extremely dangerous. His spies reported the apparent leaders of the uprising were three young wizards. Two of them were the worst of the apprentices he dismissed from the school; Mortimer and Kincaid. When he kicked Mortimer and Kincaid out they vowed revenge on Warren and his family. It appeared as if this was the precursor to that revenge.

The day his spies returned they made a preliminary report Warren. After he received the abridged version he decided his immediate family, and Brenda should meet in his office with the men to get the details of their discoveries.

After the three men made the detailed report to everyone he asked, “How should we handle this? We can’t let it go on. Those two and whoever the third one is can’t be allowed to continue mistreating people and running wild like they are. I should’ve done something about those assholes sooner than I did. Maybe then they wouldn’t have enough magic to do what they’re doing now.”

Brenda said, “Warren, I’m willing to admit some of this is my fault. If I hadn’t asked you to keep them on you’d have gotten rid of them sooner. Even with my background I suppose I was too green to see possible outcomes like this has turned out to be. We have to stop them now, the sooner the better. I propose we move toward them and meet them as far away from here as we can. At least then we’ll protect our people better than if we wait for them to come to us.”

Gloria said, “I agree with Brenda. We need to take the battle to them as soon as we can.”

“I agree. Now, how do we do that? They seem to have a large contingent of what they call soldiers but they act more like a mob. All they know is how to rape, pillage and burn.”

After a lot of discussion they decided Warren, Warren Jr ... Brenda and Gloria would go on the mission along with about a half dozen of their men. They decided to set themselves up as a band of gypsies traveling the country. Hopefully by doing that they could pick up more intelligence as they traveled and be less conspicuous than just going as a group straight there.

It took them three days to prepare for their trip to stop the marauders. They left town early on the fourth morning moving slowly toward the oncoming hoard. They weren’t in any particular hurry, making only about eight or ten miles a day. They left camp late and stopped early when they could camp near a town or village. While they were camped they did business as if they were a gypsy camp. The women danced, they told fortunes, sold remedies and played music for the locals to dance to. The magically capable did spells, simple healing and sold magically infused items such as Warren’s magic lantern.

The closer they came to the advancing brigands the more refugees they met heading away from the danger. Finally, on the thirteenth day of travel they saw smoke in the distance. Later that day they came upon a small camp of people, many of whom were injured. They camped with them and provided what medical care they could while they tried to pump them for information.

Before dawn the next day Warren and his crew heard, and saw, the refugees pack up and leave, headed away from the danger. They traveled another day. That night after they camped Warren said, “I think we’re close enough for now. I want to head toward town and see what I can find out. Milt, will you come with me please? The rest of you keep the camp set up and go about your business as if we are a band of gypsies. Milt and I may not return until late tomorrow night or the day after depending on what we discover.”

Warren and Milt each loaded up a backpack and dressed in their rattiest clothes before heading out. They moved slowly, always watching for danger. Most of the farms they passed were deserted or, at least the farmers and their families were in hiding. They scavenged food as they walked. Occasionally they’d meet someone and exchange information, trying to get the location of Mortimer, Kincaid and the other wizard. No one seemed to know where they were, other than somewhere in the nearby town. They were running from the advancing brigands and didn’t care as long as they weren’t nearby.

Early that afternoon they came to the edge of the city. It was almost deserted but they did see a few people moving around and could see several people watching them out of windows, most of them armed in some way. As they neared the center of the city it was almost dark and they tried to stay in the shadows and darkness as much as they could.

From time to time they went into a pub or Inn ostensibly to have a mug of ale but really to see what the gossip could tell them. Most people were very closed mouthed and they learned nothing to help them. Usually they heard complaints about how hard life was now but nothing overt about the Wizards.

In the older part of town, near the center, they came to an Inn with a large common room and pub on the ground floor. There were many rough looking characters hanging around and the place looked sort of downtrodden. Warren and his group were not dressed in finery by any stretch of the imagination but they were dressed much better than those entering and leaving the Inn.

When Warren headed toward the door Milt moved beside him and said, “My Lord it might not be a good idea to enter this Inn. I trust not the folk that seem fond of this one. They have the look and manner of those not overly law abiding.”

“I admit they look rough Milt but surely it would be safe in the common room. Why do you think it wouldn’t be a good idea to see if they can answer some of our questions?”

“Sire, you forget how we met. Ralph and I spent much of our time in places such as this before we met you. I’ve seen guild sign here for the assassins and thieves guilds both. Neither of those occupations are forgiving of outsiders nosing around. Best we just pass on by and hope they follow us not.”

“Milt, we need information. I think my magic can protect us if it comes to that. If it worries you I can go in alone.”

“No! Not that. I’m your man. If you insist on entering, so be it. We need to be very wary and not let anyone get behind us or surround us if we can avoid it.”

They entered quietly and moved quickly to take a seat near the fireplace. After sitting a few minutes, a busty maid came carrying tankards of ale. She set them on the table without asking if they wanted them and said, “That’ll be two coppers Gents.”

Warren looked at Milt, shrugged and dug in his pocket for the coins. After he handed them to the maid, she turned without a word and headed for the man behind the bar where she handed the coins to him.

They sat and listened to the conversation for some time, nursing their ale. No one offered to speak to them and no one answered them when they spoke. Finally, a couple of men wandered up to the table, obviously looking for trouble. They started to speak when Milt looked them in the face and slowly pulled his shirt sleeve up on his left arm. He turned his arm over so they could see a small tattoo on his left wrist. They looked at it a moment and blanched before they turned, without another word, and left the table.

After finishing their ale Warren and Milt left. They wandered around the town a little longer then took a different route out, heading back toward the campsite and the remainder of their party. As they walked, Warren asked Milt about the tattoo and why the men left so rapidly when he showed it to them.

Milt looked slightly guilty and said, “It’s a Guild mark, My Lord. I was, I suppose I still am, a member of the Enforcers Guild. We are sort of a blending of Assassins and Thieves I suppose. Most of our work was like that we were involved in the night we attacked you. We do, occasionally take contracts to kill but mostly we only roughed people up, collected debts, defended our Master’s honor, that sort of thing.”

“Huh. I see. They decided maybe we wouldn’t be a good target for their attention then. OK, enough said about that.” After they were well out of town, they stopped for the night. After a quick meal of bread, cheese and sausage they rolled up in their blankets and went to sleep.

They made it back to the rest of their party just after noon the next day. They told them what had been discovered and gave them the general layout of the town. They decided to continue the next day, having verified the young wizards they were searching for were still in town.

Upon arriving at the town, late the next afternoon, the group broke up into two parties, agreeing to meet again at the Inn filled with the assassins and thieves later that evening. Warren, Jr, Milt, and the two women went directly to the Inn.

When they entered the Inn two of the characters lounging outside immediately followed them. All conversation stopped when the customers saw unknown men and women entering their Inn. A large, scraggly looking, roughly dressed man saw Brenda and pushed his chair back slightly. He grabbed his crotch and bellowed, “Hey Wench, you’re my woman now. Come on over here and sit on my pleasure pole. I’ll give you a seeing to those wimps you’re with can never match.” Most of the men and a few of the women in the room laughed and watched to see what would happen next.

Brenda looked over at the man, wrinkled her nose and said, “No, I see no reason to dally with rotten meat when I have prime steak already. Maybe you can find a diseased hog or something that’ll let you service her.” While this was going on the rest of Warren’s party moved into the room looking around for places to sit and potential threats.

With a roar the man stood and headed for Brenda as quickly as he could move through the crowd and tables. He yelled, “You smart mouthed CUNT! I was going to pleasure you gently. Now, you bitch, you’re going to get the fucking of your life and then I’m going to let the rest of these good men have a turn.” He reached for her, shoving Milt aside as he did so.

Almost before he knew what hit him he was flying through the air and slammed on the floor, knocking the wind out of himself. The Inn almost seemed to shudder and many jumped when they heard the loud thump of his landing. He lay there for a moment and slowly rose, still trying to catch his breath. “You bitch. You’re going to be sorry you did that.”

Brenda smiled and said, “Yeah, I already am. I think I got shit on my hands when I touched you.”

Another roar and the man charged again. This time he pulled a knife from the scabbard on his belt. Brenda looked at him and said, “Bad mistake.” She swept his arm aside, made one quick thrust to his throat and stepped back. The man dropped his knife and grabbed his throat as he dropped to the floor gasping and struggling to breathe. Brenda didn’t even look at him. She turned her attention to the other men in the room and watched them as the rest of her companions were doing.