Chapter 8

Nathan and Ariel were at the city of Lake's End walking around and speaking with the various people who lived there as they waited for their contact to get in touch with them.

Someone had sent a work request notice to the guild about a two person job that needed to be done, and they requested the two of them by name. It was a simple escort job, but the request that accompanied it asked that both of them come a few days early before hand and discuss the job, as it was private and sensitive in nature.

While they were a little nervous to be requested for a job like this, because most jobs they took were for whoever replied first, and they really didn't want too much publicity.

Rory and Terrance laughed at their nervousness and told them that having their name so well known was a good thing, but they still were unsure that they wanted it out there like that. They were supposed to be just run of the mill fighters.

The two of them took their time as they looked around the small city and as they decided to ask about any leads about the man pretending to be Nathan.

In the past few months Nathan had heard that once again he had fleeced a few other nobles of their hard earned money while using his name. It was starting to irritate him that this man seemed to be eluding him so easily.

Unknown to both of them, a man stood in the shadows and watched them as they spoke to various people. He smiled as he watched the frustrated look on Nathan's face with each new response that said the person questioned knew nothing about what he wanted to know.

Following them to their Inn, he let them have dinner before he finally approached them. But they had the last laugh as he approached them, when before he could even speak Nathan asked, "So have we kept you entertained the last couple days or is there something else we can do for you?"

"You know if there was something you wanted to know about us you could have just asked," smiled Ariel as she gave him one of her a brilliant smiles.

Taken aback, the man looked confused a moment before he smiled, pulled back a chair so he could seat himself, before he said "I heard you two were good, but I guess seeing it for myself first hand makes me wonder if you both aren't magicians or something."

Working hard Nathan tried very hard to keep his expression neutral as Ariel continued to smile at the man.

"So I'm going to assume you are our contact. So where is the person who would like to hire us?" asked Nathan changing the subject.

"You should get a good rest first. We'll start out late in the morning for the island about six hundred yards off the shore of this town," said the man.

"That's an island? I was wondering if it was, an island I mean. It's huge and takes up most of the visible coastline, but I can see the ocean were it obviously come in from the sides as well. Is it a kingdom?" asked Nathan curious.

"No it's a free land that is ruled by the people and has been like that for centuries," smiled the man. But both Ariel and Nathan felt he smiled a little too easily.

"We thought we were supposed to meet our benefactor here in Lake's End we weren't aware that we're to meet on the island," said Ariel.

"Well the benefactor wanted to make sure that this job and its discussion would remain as secret, besides what are a few more yards to meet the one who wants to pay you to work for him" asked the man with a easy smile as he leaned back in the chair.

Excusing himself, he rose from the table and quickly disappeared out the door.

Turning to look at Nathan, Ariel said "Hmm that seemed a little shady. My second sense is acting up again and I feel we're missing something. A lot of something."

"Standard rules apply. If you want us to skip this job we can just head home," smiled Nathan.

"No, I don't feel it's dangerous what ever we're missing, but I do feel that we need to watch our step here," said Brianna smiling.

"Well I guess we should get ready for bed, it seems that it may be a busy day," smiled Nathan as he started to rise.

Quickly reaching out Ariel put her hand over his and when he looked back at her she smiled as she said "We should at least top off the tank before morning so we're prepared for anything."

Smiling Nathan turned his hand over and took her hand in his and led her to their room. It was such an intense night that Ariel lost consciousness at least twice through out most of it. It was a good thing that they had a late appointment because as soon as Nathan had his eyes open she was again relieving some stress

By early afternoon they both felt they were prepared for anything as they met with their contact.

But they couldn't have been more wrong...

As they headed for the dock they could see various ships and skiffs on the dock. There were a few deep sea boats on the dock that chanced coming further in-land, but the guide said that most of them were on the far side of the island opposite them as it made more sense to launch from there.

But as they looked around they noticed that there seemed to be numerous skiffs around for anyone to use. The guide said that his employer made sure that they were available for free for anyone's use. The only thing a person had to do was provide the man power to use it.

As they went across the water they could before long see a manor house that was a short distance from the dock on the island.

Once on the dock, they could see various things that seemed to escape the imagination.

Instead of gravel or dirt roads, the road was wide that led up the manor, and past it, that seemed to be made of some form of hard off white substance. Nathan and Ariel both stomped hard on it a few times trying to figure out what it was.

As they walked on they noticed that the building they were heading to was made of small regular shaped "red" stones. They were evenly spaced and used uniformly. This was different than the normally irregular shaped ones that they were used to seeing in walls that made up stone houses or the large irregular bricks that were used.

There was a large tank next to the manor behind and off to the side of the house marked in large white letters Natural Gas. Nathan was still trying to puzzle out what "Natural Gas" was.

Once they reached the door to the manor, the men were standing off to the side of the door bowed, and one of them turned and opened the door. They were both puzzled by that response but said nothing as they headed further inside.

As they passed the door Nathan couldn't help but realize that the lock on the door was much "smaller" than he was used to seeing. Most of the keys he'd seen before were large ones, and someone with patience and time could eventually pick the lock with a small knife, but one must be easily be able to palm the keys he saw that must go with this lock.

He also had a good look around at the perfectly manicured lawn before he entered and he was surprised at all the things he had seen up to this point.

Even as well advanced as Galicia was they didn't have things like the road they traveled up to get here. Nathan was starting to wonder just who was this benefactor anyway?

Nathan and Ariel were shown deep into the house and then to a den.

Continuing their slow walk through this wonder house they passed various things they had to force themselves to walk on past that they saw on the floors or on the walls.

The man must be very rich indeed.

There was an odd device in the hall that was easily six feet high and it made a ticking noise as they passed it with numbers and little sticks on its face. While they could tell days and months easily, this things function escaped them. They were curious what the pulleys were for inside the exposed window.

As they walked on they noticed that the carpet was plush like nothing they had seen before and seemed to resist staining from their boots.

Walking into the den once they arrived, they could see more of the rich environment.

The curtains in the windows were of a thick heavy material. The carpet was of the deepest shag. And there were numerous books on bookshelves all around the room. Some were in languages that Nathan didn't recognize. They couldn't miss the cream colored plush furniture, matching the carpet, all around the room.

Startling them out of their wonder, their guide asked them to take seat on a large couch that was about ten to fifteen feet away from a single chair that faced it that had two coffee tables on either side of it.

While seated both of them noted various pictures hanging around the room that appeared to be similar in style to the one that Keith had in his book long ago. Nathan had a passing thought to ask the prospective employer who the mage might have been who created them if he had similar pictures on his wall.

Still looking around them as the different marvels Nathan and Ariel were both caught completely off guard when a door in the wall behind the chair swung silently open. The door so well made that it was concealed extremely well into the wall.

As the door swung completely open, a young man stepped through, followed by two older men and they walked into the room and headed for the single chair facing them.

The shocking thing about the young man was the shock of white hair he had. He was far too young to have hair as white as it was.

The other thing Nathan noticed was that the man had a very thick folder under his arm, and once he sat down, he opened it across his lap, read for a moment, then looked up and smiled at them both.

Both of the older men stood just behind, but on either side of the chair he was sitting in. It was hard to read their faces, but they stood passively by.

"So how are you both doing today Nathan and Ariel Michaels. Oh, excuse me. I should have said Aric and Brianna Griffith. I believe Aric is the current Battlemage that so many have talked about," said the man as he smiled warmly at them.

"What, how, who are you? And what makes you believe I'm the Aric Griffith or this Battlemage person?" demanded Nathan as he started to rise.

Brianna was also staring at the man hard, but she remained seated.

"Oh, where are my manners? I am surprised you've not heard of me before. I am Wolfgang Duvall, but my friends just call me Wolfgang. Please, have a seat and don't worry your in no danger from me.

"I just wanted to meet with you and talk about a great opportunity to be a member of group that could use a man of your talents. With your abilities you could do worse. But I just want to talk today, nothing more," smiled Wolfgang as he waved him back to his seat.

Both Aric and Brianna looked at Wolfgang in shock as he lightly chuckled as Aric resumed sitting.

"Folks I'll be honest here for a moment, there isn't anything about either of you that I don't know. And I've been scouting young Aric here for a long time," smiled Wolfgang.

Both Brianna and Aric seemed taken back by him referring to Aric as "young". He looked almost the same age as Aric did.

"So tell me friend, what you believe you know about us. And while you're at it tell us who you are and why you are so interested in us," said Aric as he grimly watched the men.

"As a show of goodwill, let us first talk about a few things of interest to everyone, shall we? Have you been aware of the fact that I'm not the only one watching what you do? Didn't you know that the mage's council has been watching you and all your actions as soon as your powers manifested? And that they are still to this day?

"Or that they were grooming you to be used against me secretly? There are a lot of things going on that you just don't know about, but I wanted to get my oar in the water by putting all my cards on the table first.

"But I will tell you now that most of our discussion is primarily to make amends for my part in what you have been through Aric, and to show you that I am honest in my desire to have you join me.

"First let me tell you about the scourge called Battlemages and how you fit into it," said Wolfgang as he smiled at Aric.

Smiling at the pair as they both gave him confused looks, Wolfgang started talking. He starts with the first Battlemage and the need to remove him from the world.

After hearing his story the two of them continued to look at him in shock as the abridged version of his life at war with all the different Battlemage sunk in.

"You talk about what happened as if you were there for each of the moments of their lives," said Aric as soon as Wolfgang finished explaining what happened to Athol.

Wolfgang didn't mention anymore than at the end of the first Battlemages life someone else from his group was responsible for his death. Only that he tried his best to stop him, but Athol put him out of commission during their face to face fight.

"For the others I was there. My hair used to be jet black. But as a parting gift from the worlds first Battlemage he used self created attack, one that I still have no idea what it was, and it turned my hair snow white. It also seems to have extended my life," smiled Wolfgang.

Suddenly both Brianna and Aric realized why he referred to Aric as young earlier. For some reason, as crazy as his story sounded, they felt that they could believe him. He was a perfect stranger, and they had no reason to, and yet they still felt he was telling them both the truth.

"But still, you couldn't have had a part in the other Battlemages downfall," said Brianna in shock.

Something that almost appeared as irritation passed quickly over Wolfgang's face, before he passively and neutrally addressed Brianna.

"Actually I did have a hand in it. I've always had a hand in all their downfalls," said Wolfgang before he turned to smile directly once again at Aric.

"But why, why would you do that?" asked Aric quietly.

"Because they were evil. They all kept oppressing the people. Because all they wanted to do was force the people to work for them for their own selfish gain and to do it they terrorize them.

"They often killed people without a seconds regard for their lives and they all felt that those people's lives were worthless. They were all greedy, self absorbed beings, and all were people who couldn't be allowed to continue on, wouldn't you agree?" asked Wolfgang as he looked hard at Aric.

Brianna looked at Aric in confusion as he looked thoughtful for a moment, but he didn't answer. She was surprised that Aric didn't refute that statement.

But Aric was lost in thought because he had said something similar to Keith before he killed him because of his actions. Wolfgang couldn't possibly know that he said that to him, could he?

As Aric sat there thinking, Brianna bridged a different question.

"But we always heard from everyone who knew about things like this that it was the work of a curse that did them all in. That's what everyone has always said, they were cursed because of how they abused their power. How do you explain that?" asked Brianna looking at him.

Suddenly Wolfgang appeared to be laughing at Brianna, and she clearly bristled as he answered her.

"Only the simple minded fall for believing in curses for what they can't explain. It was easy to make them believe that. All I needed to do was having a few unexplained accidents and eventual deaths and the rest fell into place," smiled Wolfgang.

Whispering as a stunned Aric then said "You were the source of the curse? How can that be? That's not possible. There was no way that you could have screw with my life the way you did. The lives of my children. There was no way you could have possibly be responsible for all that."

"I can't take credit for it all, because a few times the mages council themselves helped throw a few wrenches in the works. Oh excuse me you don't know what a wrench is do you? Then let's just say they also stuck a few sticks in the wagon spokes of your life, and let's leave it at that.

"Like I said earlier I'm holding this recruitment meeting to make atonement and to own up for my part. I find it hard to believe that the mage's council would ever do the same," said Wolfgang as he smiled at them.

Opening his thick file he started reading to them his earliest records for Aric.

Flashback:

"And so I believe he may be a Battlemage based on the fact that before he left with Daven he held my globe in his hand and it showed the pattern for a quite powerful Archmage," said the glowing form Quinlan as he addressed the mages council.

He was using a communication crystal to present his case directly before the mages council.

"What makes you sure he could possibly be a Battlemage?" asked Percival, current leader of the Mages council.

"He was previously training under Aaron as a foot soldier with a sword and he is undefeated in that as well as in hand to hand combat. And he decided to use a two handed bastard sword in their training and the reports are he's pretty vicious with it.

"Aaron also started teaching him tactics so that he could help the prince one day. And I personally verified earlier that he can read and write when he asked about magic before.

"I didn't detect any magically ability before when I tested him or I would have reported it. But now I'm quite sure that he possibly has some based on the detection globe," said Quinlan

"Well we need to take care of him soon as possible. Is there any hope he'll die on this battlefield?" asked Galen as he looked around the table before looking back at Quinlan.

"No he was only supposed to only go on an inspection tour," answered Quinlan.

"That won't do. There is no way we can fight a battle on two fronts if he really is a Battlemage. We are still trying to figure out what we need to face off with Wolfgang again at some point when he decides to wipe us out, and it won't do to have to fight a raging Battlemage who is trying to conquer the world at the same time," said Maxine as she shook her head while looking at her fellow mages.

"If the council pleases, Aric isn't like that. He's a quiet boy who lost both of his parents at an early age. He worked with his uncle who cared for him until his uncle moved and then he lived alone.

"One can often find him volunteering in the kitchen without the expectation of getting anything out of it. He runs errands for the aging wine steward because of his joints so he doesn't have to. He trains with the men and never uses his strength or ability to belittle them, and they seem to genuinely like him. And he always seems to be helpful to Aaron, so much as Aaron views him as the son he never had.

"And when our foolish young Prince runs out into the city to sleep with anything that moves, it is young Aric who brings the drunken fool back while trying to maintain his own chastity. He has yet to ever use his connections with the Prince to get anything out of it for himself, if anything he rarely brings it up unless someone else does first, and even then he down plays it. It appears as if he prefers to obtain anything he receives through his own hard work.

"As hard as it is to believe the boy wants nothing to do with power it seems. You would be hard presses to find anyone in the city with anything but praise for the boy," said Quinlan smiling.

"Are you sure? We really can't take a gamble that he wouldn't one day turn rogue and try to kill everyone that doesn't do what he wants," said Deborah, as she peered hard at Quinlan over the connection.

"I've asked around and it seems that he often protects the virtue of not only his girlfriend, but sometimes the ladies on the water front, markets, and taverns. Really it's no matter where he goes. But to the best of my knowledge, and unless he is the best actor alive, he is still a virgin at his age," said Quinlan still smiling.

That forced everyone to take stock in the conversation for a moment. It was unheard of for a strapping young man to still be a virgin at eighteen when there were so many available young women around.

"The table is open to suggestions," said Percival as he leaned back and thought on this new information.