Reaching up and discovering more ice, I considered a moment, then brought my staff before me, centering. As I found balance, I heard the wind ask a question. Faena-like, I asked one in return. The wind shifted as it carried my query out to sea.
“You’ve three aspects, apprentice,” Kareste said. “Well, now so do I. Water.” He flicked his fingers again and a snow flurry appeared. “Earth.” He shoved the staff down, and the earth shrieked. “And fire.” He indicated Slevoic. “Talent-wise we’re matched. But I’ve more. More knowledge, more experience, and this.” The iced steam became denser and wings spread as the vapor shaped into a dragon.
“Hadn’t you wondered why you never saw the dragon or sprite’s ghosts, even though you had parts of their bodies?” Kareste asked. “They are mine, just as you once were, and will be again.” He gestured, and the haunt started in my direction, the ice shimmering with echoes of green, purple, pink, its eyes as black as the death staff’s. As it floated closer, it opened its mouth, showing the abyss. “Yield or be consumed, and I’ll have you anyway.”
The wind blew back with not only the sea’s response, but the wells, fountains, brooks, streams, waterfalls and rivers that ran through and filled the land, all murmuring, singing, babbling, laughing, crashing and thundering, as now they asked. Yes, I softly exhaled, and they rushed in, until I was full to overflowing. I raised my head to the sky and Kareste started to frown.
“What—” He broke off at the sound of hoofbeats coming closer and he shot a side glance to the edge of the clearing. “It appears we have company.” The dragon haunt hesitated.
A moment later, the Fyrst and Wyln, Jeffen, and the rest of the troop mingled with castle guards rode into the clearing, Javes, Groskin and Laurel loping alongside, and followed by Basel, Honor Ash, and the other haunts. There was the flap of wings and Dragoness Moraina, Suiden, and Harbormaster Lin landed, along with hundreds of butterflies that exploded into the trees.
Kareste brought up his hand, aiming it at me. “That’s far enough. Any closer, and he—well, I’m sure you know the rest.”
“Rabbit!” Suiden roared.
“No,” Moraina said, extending her wing to stop him. Her sapphire eyes moved between Kareste and the dragon haunt. “Let the young human prove his mastery.”
“I thought he already had,” Javes said.
“So he did, over earth, wind and fire,” Moraina replied.
Wyln and Laurel both snapped their heads to stare at Moraina, while Lin’s mouth rounded into an “Oh.”
“Sod mastery!” Jeff tried to ride past Laurel, but the Faena caught his horse’s reins. “There’s a wicked ghost coming at him.”
“My poet son,” Moraina rumbled. “What has been done to you?”
“Sirs,” Groskin said at the same time. “Over there.” He nodded at the rebel soldiers.
Javes turned his head to look. “Oh, I say.”
Also looking, Suiden signaled and, despite (or because of) being ordered by a dragon, several troopers started edging around the line of trees to where the rebels lay on the ground.
“What is that?” the Fyrst asked as he stood in his stirrups looking over at Slevoic, still burning. His brows drew together at the scorched trees. “Who dared use fire on my trees—”
“It’s enough nattering to drive one mad!” Kareste raised his hand higher and the snow eddied faster around him. “One more word and I swear I’ll call a blizzard down on all of you—”
He broke off at the sudden warm wind gusting over us, smelling of rain and sea. He looked up to see dark clouds rapidly filling the sky, and fat drops started to come down, quietly thudding into the frozen cover. The ones falling on Slevoic hissed as they hit the flames and the dragon haunt wavered.
“There seems to have been a weather change,” Lin said, holding her hand out to the rain.
Ignoring the faerie, Kareste yanked the death staff out of the ground and gestured at the sky. The snow spinning around him spiraled up and for a brief moment the rain became frozen flakes, and the ice dragon solidified. But the wind blew again and it was once more a gentle summer’s storm. The drops fell faster and faster, until they were a steady soft drumming, and the rime on the trees began to melt. They stirred, awakening.
“Can an air talent do this?” the Fyrst asked, also holding out his hand.
“No, Your Grace,” Laurel said, his ears pressed forward as he watched me. “Bring the storm, yes, but not control what falls from it. Only a water mage can.”
“Earth, wind, fire, and water” Wyln said.
I pushed at the wall in front of me, feeling it give, then shatter, and stepped out into the rain. Hearing the ice breaking, Kareste jerked his head down—and gaped. “What the—” His eyes frantically searched the clearing; then he spun around, looking behind him.
“Where did Rabbit go?” Groskin rumbled, other troopers crying out with him. They too searched the glade.
The warm rain came down harder and little rivulets started to run under the pine needle cover, carrying away the last of the frost. There was a tinkling crash as the rest of the box of ice collapsed. The ice dragon’s haunt began to dim as the flames around the Vicious flickered, then went out.
“I think that’s Slevoic,” Javes said, his good eye squinting through the rain.
“Who is now a feast for the Magus,” Wyln said.
“A pox on Slevoic.” Jeff tried to yank the reins from Laurel. “Where’s Rabbit?” Ryson joined Groskin as the black panther raised his head, trying to scent.
Kareste gestured again and the snowstorm around him expanded, the dragon haunt becoming solid once again. But the wind blew, the warm rain poured down, and the snowstorm shrank as the flakes melted. A raindrop fell on Kareste, darkening his hair, and he started.
“No!”
More drops fell on him.
“I’m the master mage!”
Kareste stared about the clearing, his eyes coming to rest on Moraina. He bared his teeth and waved Pru Oak’s body; the dragon haunt started in the dragoness’ direction. “Show yourself, apprentice, or I will let the ghost loose on his dam.”
“Uh, isn’t there something we can do to help?” Falkin asked, shifting in his saddle.
There was a cracking sound, like the breaking of a bone, and the dragon talon flew through the air to land at Moraina’s feet. She picked it up, gently closing her claw over it. The dragon haunt paused, then turned to Kareste. Its empty eyes started to fill.
Kareste took a step back, his own eyes widening. He then lifted Pru Oak’s body to slam it back into the earth, but it was wrenched from his hand and flung, landing beyond the clearing’s edge. There was another crack, this time the breaking of a branch, and a sprite haunt with oak leaves in her hair appeared at the clearing edge. The trees rustled, shifting.
“Stay back,” the Fyrst said to them. “Two Trees’son is proving his mettle.”
Soaked to the skin, Kareste scanned the clearing, his eyes skimming over Slevoic, but they snapped back, as I formed out of the rain next to the Vicious.
“You.” He raised his hands, his fingers crooked.
I dropped my staff to snatch up Slevoic’s sword from where it lay next to him. Lifting it double-handed above my head, I brought it down, severing the cord between the Vicious and the Magus. Kareste jerked and howled in astonished rage as whatever he worked up fizzled out in his hand. He grabbed at me, but I moved to the other side and brought the sword down once more, severing the threads to the rebel troopers. He jerked and howled again.
“All by himself, Kareste,” Moraina rumbled. “Without Faena, Enchanters, dragons or spheres.” Thrusting the sword into the ground, I stepped in front of Kareste, raising my own hand.
“Does Rabbit know not to kill with his talent?” Wyln asked.