"Tales of a Mad Mage"
By: themadone
Part 9: Manic
Staggering through the magical blue portal, Higgson swore he could still smell the stench of that rotting corpse. It wouldn’t leave his senses, and he could almost taste as if it coated his tongue with a thin film of its foulness.
The portal flashed behind him, and a large furry hand slapped Higgson upon his back and shoulder, making it ache terribly. He rubbed it carefully checking for broken bones as he glanced up at Norch, the mage’s minotaur servant and his smiling visage.
“You get use to it human. The first time I went through a Voltari portal I nearly lost my lunch. Now…I swear it makes me hungry.”
Shaking his head vaguely, Higgson decided not to try and explain the magical travel was not what was bothering him at the moment. He hid his true thoughts by changing the subject suddenly with an idea he had been playing with since his encounter with the witch and her Mistress.
“I saw only a little of you in action Norch. I have heard since I was a child a Minotaur Bodyguard’s fighting prowess is legendary. I would welcome a time to test my sword against your trident when you have the time. I am a little rusty and I could use the practice.”
The minotaur’s surprised look was lit blue-white as the portal flashed again revealing the Blue Mage in deep conversation with his Raven familiar.
“No, no, no, no… She said only at High Sun would the door be revealed. Not noon. ‘High Sun’ is a place. The High Sun Tower was the name of the lost tower of the Unnamed Mage.”
The familiar’s first response was to squawk argumentatively, “You don’t know that! She could be miss-directing you on purpose! You can’t trust that…that…whatever she is!”
“She’s a lady, highborn of an era long past. She’s also a mage of great power and wisdom. If I can’t trust someone of those credentials, then who can I trust?”
Without batting an eye, the Raven quickly replied, “Me. Norch. Even Higgson has at least one trustworthy bone in his body, I would bet, compared to that thing!”
After his tirade, the Raven flicked his feathers at the Mage’s face and took off from the Mage’s shoulder and flew into the darkness of the large underground chamber. A snapping sound and a familiar bellow of a hungry Hydra sounded from a nearby black-curtained brass-barred cage.
“Thrice-damned, bird-brained, black-feathered buffoon of a familiar! You have no idea…”
At that moment the Blue Mage seemed to notice the staring minotaur and fellow human.
“Ah…Yes. Well.” Stroking his bushy white beard and grinding the base of his mage staff into an old rug of faded wool, the mage calmed himself visibly.
“Norch, would you be so kind as to show Sir Higgson to one of the guest quarters, and point out the areas for him to avoid please? I would hate for him to plummet to his death or get burned alive in a Hell-Fire trap…” With his glance already vague and distant; the mage waved his hand subtly to encourage the two to move on so he could think more without distraction.
The minotaur smiled gently and replied with deep respect, “Yes master.”
Higgson would not be discouraged however. This was the first time he had a chance to bring up what happened in the Fenne, and find out what the Mage intended for him.
“Sir Mage?”
The minotaur, dismissed and already moving away, looked back a little alarmed and furrowed his brow at the fallen paladin.
“I mean no disrespect, but what are your intentions toward me? Am I a hostage now?”
Looking a little surprised, and a lot angry, the mage only stared at Higgson.
The silence grew uncomfortably.
Finally as Higgson was about to speak again the Mage finally replied, ice in his voice.
“You are my temporary guest, Sir Higgson. I assure you, I have no…intentions toward you…despite what you may have heard of my kind.”
Confused, Higgson started to reply, “Thank you Sir, but…”
“HOWEVER. I can also assure you, your services to me and mine are complete. You may leave any time you wish from here with your life. Norch, show him out the secondary gate if he wishes to leave immediately.” The blue mage was already walking away, past the Hydra cage and into the further darkness of the tower’s basement, his mage staff making a loud clacking sound on the cobbles as he walked.
Higgson knew he was putting his life into this crazy mage’s hands again, but he felt he had no choice. The gentle feeling of a small hand on his non-injured shoulder allowed his courage to grow suddenly. “STOP!”
Halting, the mage turned slowly. His features were hidden by the concealing shadows; nonetheless his eyes were a-blaze with eldritch blue light.
“Sir! I only…want…”
The mage’s voice was nearly a hiss: “Spit. It. Out.”
The invisible hand squeezed lightly.
“I want to accompany you, on your journey of course. I feel…obligated to help, since you spared me my life.”
Higgson was sweating more than when he was in the Darkfenne at the height of summer, and felt like his head was about to explode. He suddenly considered it may be about to if he wasn’t careful.
The mage approached again, and the eerie light left his eyes.
“You wish to accompany me? On my…Quest?”
A bushy white eyebrow was raised in disbelief. A glimmer of a hidden smile on his lined face allowed Higgson to let out the breath he was holding.
“Yes sir! It would be an honor.”
Cackling wildly, the mage turned suddenly on his heels and laughed continuously back into the shadows.
Higgson and Norch glanced at each other in amazement and curiosity.
They then looked back to the spot where the mage walked away. Fresh laughter erupted again from some distance in the dark basement.
“…’would be an honor’...That is so rich!”
After a few minutes when silence came again, Norch finally spoke, and uncertainty dripped in his voice.
“Welcome…to the family? I guess?”
Higgson felt the gentle hand again. It squeezed his shoulder in encouragement and disappeared.
“Yeah. I guess so.”
