She lifted her old mentor as if he weighed no more than a child.
Ember called to Nebin, who remained standing near the entrance, "When I finished off the mummy, I shook lose a few rings and scrolls. You may want to take a look."
The gnome's expression turned from diffidence to eager anticipation as he rushed forward.
She turned to Hennet and said, "Watch for more creatures as we retreat. At least one more lurks nearby, the one Brek Gorunn chased away."
Hennet nodded, but continued to look at Kairoth, draped in Ember's arms.
"What did he say, when you woke him?" the sorcerer asked.
"I'm not sure," responded Ember. "Something about 'the Oath'."
8
The Duel Arcane was the biggest event in New Koratia. Held every three years, it afforded the city a wonderful influx of business as wizards, sorcerers, hedge wizards, shamans, and not a few charlatans and fakirs descended on the city. Inns were full, and business in the bazaar was brisk. Outfitters of all types expected booming sales. The city welcomed the wizards with open arms (especially particularly famous, and rich, mages). Many shops and temporary carts greatly expanded their magical inventory of reagents, arcane focuses, ingredients, and spell components while the duel ran. Inflated prices for especially rare components was a form of profiteering expected by every attending mage.
Hennet and Nebin approached the coliseum beneath the Floating Crystal, which hovered like a solid cloud. This time, the press of people on the streets was almost impassable. Everyone with an interest in the duel moved toward the half-bowl seating, and that seemed to include most of the city. In fact, a holiday atmosphere was evident. Sweetmeat vendors with tiny carts were everywhere hawking delicious snacks. Children rode on their parents' shoulders as they moved toward the coliseum while apprentice mages not much older, apparently from the college itself, passed out minor charms and firecrackers. The crowd was primed and excited to see the magical contest.
With the help of green-robed duel officials-wizards from the sponsoring College of Wizardry-Hennet and Nebin made it through the press to the edge of the field where dozens of other competitor mages waited. The stands were full. Thousands of people yelled, cheered, talked, and screamed. The crowd came to see magic, and they would not be disappointed.
Over thirty "casting circles" were marked out on the field, denoted by colored stones. Nebin guessed that each circular area was twenty feet across. Most of the casting circles already contained dueling mages. Each duel was attended by a judge in green robes. Clerics of Pelor, a beneficent deity, stood along the sidelines, ready to grant the grace of healing to those who lost a bout particularly badly. Flashes, explosions, strange smells, phantoms, and summoned beasts ran riot in and around the field.
Nebin was so excited that it felt as if his hair was standing on end-perhaps because of all the magic in the air, he thought. He raised his arms, trying to feel the magical flux. A blast of energy nearby hurled a man in a camel-brown suit from a ring. He'd lost his match to a woman in silvery clothing, but Nebin missed the spell she'd used to send her opponent sprawling. A duel was over when one contestant was magically forced out of his circle, either directly or indirectly, or if a judge called the bout one way or the other after a preset amount of time. If even part of the competitor's body left the circle, the bout was over. Losers did not advance in the competition. Nebin mentally promised himself, for the hundredth time, that he would not be a loser.
The gnome felt a tap on his own shoulder.
"Nebin Raulnor?" a judge said. "You're up. Come with me." Hennet gave him the thumbs up sign for good luck. The gnome gulped.
Nebin followed the judge, who wore the symbol of the Floating Crystal, out to a casting circle near the center of the field. Already a diaphanously robed human woman stood in the circle, her eyes closed and hands clasped. Close up, the gnome could see that the circles were already scored and discolored from earlier spells. The judge ushered him into the circle. Sand and gravel crunched beneath his feet as he walked to his position.
Nebin greeted his opponent with a pleasant, "Hello!"
She narrowed her eyes.
So that's how she wants to play it, he thought.
"Nebin Raulnor," called out the judge in a remarkably loud voice, "wizard, novice, faces off against Filiseethra, wizard, novice. You have three minutes to duel, and they begin…now!"
Wh-what, now? mentally stuttered the gnome.
He tried to ignore the increasingly boisterous crowd, which was easier than ignoring the magical flashes and booms of other matches.
Like a striking snake, his opponent Filiseethra grabbed a wand from her belt and pointed it toward him. He cursed himself, just then remembering that wands and lesser magical items were allowed! Her wand crackled, and a cold wind surged against him. Outside the casting circle it was little more than a breeze, but against Nebin, it was a gale. The wind pushed him back toward the circle's edge. He leaned into it, trying to brace his feet against the rough ground, but he continued sliding. His goggles protected his eyes from the blowing sand, and he was thankful he'd remembered to pull them down. The woman, her wand outthrust, slowly advanced.
Nebin carefully felt for his own wand. With the wind interfering, he doubted he could cast a spell, but not so the wand's power. The woman's eyes widened as he brought it up and pointed it at her.
Not so tricksy, now, eh? thought the gnome, as a stream of flashing, multicolored light flashed from the wand and into Filiseethra's face.
She gasped, throwing one forearm across her eyes.
The wind abated instantly, and Nebin stumbled forward. His competitor groaned, then fell face forward into the sand.
"The bout goes to Nebin Raulnor!" exclaimed the judge.
The woman, unable to see anything but swirling colors, was pulled from the circle by a Peloran cleric. Nebin strutted to his next match.
Hennet's first competitor was a salt-bearded fellow called Harper. Harper stood in the circle across from Hennet, darting glances to and fro. Sweat beaded on his brow, and he rubbed his hands incessantly. Hennet's own nervousness faded somewhat on seeing his competitor so shaken. He restrained himself from offering the man encouragement. This was a competition, after all.
"…begin now!" bawled out the judge.
Hennet was ready. A puff of sulfurous smoke from a nearby magical duel half-occluded Harper, who actually mewled in terror.
What's up with this guy? wondered Hennet.
Rather than attacking his already intimidated opponent all-out, he decided to gamble on conserving power for a later match. Hennet opened his mouth and crooned a whispery sound. Infused by magic from his waving fingertips, the sound was transformed. A low growl, as of a lion catching scent of its prey, issued from the center of the hazy circle. When Hennet heard the man take in a deep breath, he knew he'd won already. As his hands moved farther apart, the low growl increased in volume, quickly becoming the ear-shattering roar of a charging lion!
The judge stepped back, nearby competitors stumbled in the midst of their spells, and Harper wet himself as he fell out of the circle. The round was Hennett's. Even better, he'd won with the first spell that he ever mastered, one that stole into his mind on the eve of his thirteenth birthday. He'd used it often since then, but never before with such perfection. It was going to be a good day.
Walking to his second match, Nebin realized something important. In order to win the last matches of the day, he'd need to conserve spells and tricks. The more spells and wand energy he used early, the less he would have available for the final match. And, logically, each new opponent would be more challenging than the ones who came before, as the weakest were weeded out first. Nebin glanced around, looking for Hennet. He wanted to share his revelation, but the constant flash and dazzle of spells restricted his view to only the closest duels.