Rogue Magician (The Magician Rebellion) Read Free

green robe with a slightly darker green tree on the back.
Its roots spread across the rest of the fabric in deliberate swirls covering
the rest of the material in a design that was similar to the robes worn by
Ashura's priests as the sorcerer found it much easier to get around undetected
dressed in the garb of a healer. He cinched a bark colored leather belt around
the robe keeping it in place.
    He
grabbed a staff that looked to be made of intertwining wooden branches
culminating into two large loops at the top. Normally he preferred another
staff to the right of the one he chose with a steel blade on the bottom, but it
had an enchantment placed on it that would make the staff appear as an intricately
carved spear to any who could not see through the magic. However, the idea of a
priest carrying around a spear tended to cause more questions than a magician
in disguise would like asked and so he chose another staff that was more
fitting.
    The
door slammed behind Sane as he hurried down the hallway connecting to the main
castle. A few minutes later the sorcerer was standing outside of King Kale's
lavish bedchamber. He hoped that his lord would be awake already. Kale was
considered to be a tough, but fair ruler. However, having been an adviser to
the king for the better part of three decades Sane knew that waking him in the
early hours of the morning tended to make him a little more tough than fair.
    Two
guards were stationed outside the king's bedchamber door. When they saw Sane
approaching they immediately stiffened. “Greetings, Sir Sane,” said one of the
guards.
    Sane
thought the guard's name was Dernen, but was not sure. “And to you, guardsman,”
he said avoiding addressing the man by name, “Tell me is his Highness up and
about? I need to speak with him urgently.”
    As
if in response the door swung open. A man in his early fifties stood in front
of Sane dressed in a purple silk nightshirt. “Sane, what brings you to my
bedchamber this morning?” asked King Kale. His voice sounded rough as usual,
but not particularly cross and Sane felt a little lucky that the king was
already up for the day.
    “ It
is a matter of grave importance. Some information has come into my possession
that we must discuss,” said Sane with an eye to the guards.
    “ Of
course. Attend me,” the king said casually as he strode past Sane who could not
help noticing that even dressed in his night clothes the king still moved with
the grace and confidence befitting his stature. To the guards he added, “Keep a
good distance so we can talk openly,” not bothering to look back.
    Sane
hurried to catch up to his liege as they put distance between themselves and
the king's personal guard causing his green robe to swoosh back and forth as if
the root design was alive burrowing through the earth.
    “ I
take it you had another of your visions,” King Kale said as Sane caught up with
him.
    “ Yes,
your highness, although I must admit that my motives are personal in this case.
I had a vision of my old friend Kellen, the knight-captain in Colum. I believe
he will be dead before midday if I do not intervene...” The image of Kellen's
broken body still fresh in his mind drove the seer to silence.
    “ I
know Kellen is a very brave warrior, Sane,” the king put his hand on the
sorcerer's shoulder sympathetically; “It is hard to imagine him being defeated.
Is the foe magical in nature?”
    “ He
will perish in single combat with an ogre,” answered Sane, “but there is a
chance that magic is involved. Ogres do not usually attack cities without some
sort of provocation. After Kellen has been saved I intend to investigate the
matter further.
    “ By
your leave, of course, your majesty.”
    “ I
suppose I can deal with the bickering in the high court on my own for one day
without executing the lot of them,” joked the king hoping to lift his trusted
adviser's spirits. Sane flashed a weak smile and King Kale added, “You have my
leave. Go and aid