Sorcerer Bait

Chapter 1
Party of Three

"Sorcerer Bait"

by Dark Oni

Party of Three

The ’Mace and Sword’ tavern was dark and noisy. Since the time for harvesting had just ended the large room was filled with locals as well as the groups of travelers that normally frequented it. Farmers bragged about their seasonal harvest alongside warriors and mages boasting of great battles won. There were few times when the place would be filled with such a variety of individuals.

Despite the amount of happy and boisterous conversation, a voice could be heard above the din. A high and somewhat whiny one.

"What are we waiting around for? We can do this ourselves!" spoke a young girl who seemed to be just a couple of years into womanhood. She wore a dark blue cloak, it’s hood pulled back from her innocent face as her long black hair fell freely down her back. Underneath its folds could be seen a simple white tunic with long sleeves that completely covered what must have been her just appearing breasts. Her outfit was completed with a tan pair of pants and long brown boots.

The individual she had spoken to sighed heavily and replied in a tone that suggested he had explained this more than once. "Alyna, please. While you are an impressive apprentice you have nowhere near the firepower we’ll need to pull this off." The man who spoke looked as though he’d had a lot of experience in pulling off the difficult. His face was strong and had a visible scar running from his left eyebrow to the back of his jaw, cutting between his brown hair and short beard. His clothing was black, all the way down to his boots, including the sheath of his sword. From the bulkiness of his outfit one could tell he wore chainmail under the cloth of his tunic.

Alyna’s features grew angry in response and she actually seemed to pout. An impartial eye would have guessed she was the man’s daughter but her response was anything but respectful. "Well then, hurry up dammit. We’ve been at this for five days and haven’t found anyone. I’m getting bored just sitting in this stupid town. I want action!"

The man stared right at her and spoke in a soft tone. "Patience Alyna, rushing off into a fight we can’t win won’t solve anything. Haste is for fools and children."

Alyna’s face softened and seemed to take on a sad expression. This wasn’t the pout of a few moments before but seemingly deep sorrow. "I’m sorry Raithe, I lost myself. It’s just that I’ve already been so patient."

The man smiled and replied "I know Alyna and I’m very proud of you. Your training has gone very well and you’ve progressed quite a bit in the last couple of years. However, we still need another."

The girl seemed to brighten at the compliments and asked "So, any luck?"

Raithe sighed again. This night had been very much like the others. He needed a mage and he needed a powerful one. There had been a handful of possible winners but each of them either had a party they were traveling with or some urgent quest that had to completed. Raithe needed someone alone who could leave with them immediately. His reasons were simple. The information he had was valuable and he didn’t want to chance someone letting it slip while they were on some other mission. He didn’t want too many partners because he frankly didn’t want to split the prize. Needless to say, finding the perfect partner had been difficult.

Raithe started to say "No, I don’t...." when suddenly he felt a strong vibration. Looking to the door of the tavern he saw a single woman enter. Raithe could sense she was awash with power, almost as strong as he. She was tall as well and as she pulled her red cloak back from her head Raithe could see the close cropped blonde hair and bright green eyes. He could see something else too, a point to the woman’s ears.

"She can’t be an elf." he thought. "She’s much too tall. Perhaps she’s half or a quarter elven, that would explain the power for such a young woman."

The sorceress appeared to be in her early twenties and was quite beautiful. Her breasts were large and were barely contained by the red and gold armor that bared her flat midsection and navel. Her long legs were bared up to her crotch, a red sash hanging between them held up by a leather belt. The top of a pair of red leather hunting boots came to just below her knees. What impressed Raithe even more was that he could sense no enchantments on that beautiful body. It was completely natural.

He also noticed that she wasn’t wearing a sword or a weapon of any kind. "Arrogant as well as powerful." he thought. "Perfect."

The sorceress paused in the doorway for many seconds. Whether it was to take in the atmosphere of the room or show off her presence, Raithe couldn’t decide. She then grinned widely and strode haughtily over to the center table in the tavern where two large warriors were arm wrestling.

Alyna noticed Raithe’s head follow the woman’s movement and asked "Is she powerful enough?"

"Most definitely." Raithe replied happily.

"Good." Alyna said simply, though the statement had more than one meaning. She was happy they’d found a candidate but she was even happier that Raithe hadn’t been staring at the woman purely for her body. Even so, she knew it was probably why he stared so intently. Secretly she hoped that this new arrival would prove as unsatisfactory as the others had.

As he watched the elven sorceress move, Raithe mentally cast a focusing spell on his senses so he could keep track of what she did and said.

The sorceress walked slowly to the table, swinging her hips and flaunting her wares. There was a decent sized crowd around the two warriors, most were cheering, some were wagering. A few men on the outside noticed the elven woman first and simply stared, taking in her beauty. She smiled at them but continued to walk to the center of the group, people letting her through as they noticed her. When she reached the table she placed her hands on the edge and leaned over the competitors, her large breasts hanging a mere handswidth from the warriors’ grappling appendages.

A large, black bearded barbarian, who almost had his opponent’s hand against the table looked up suddenly at the new presence. His eyes immediately fixed on the large mounds directly in front of him and with a startled expression he looked into the woman’s eyes. Winking seductively the sorceress asked "Are you boys going to be done soon? I really like the view from this table."

The barbarian’s brow furrowed and he uttered a surprised, "Wha..?"

Taking advantage of the momentary distraction the dark skinned warrior at the table’s opposite side smashed the barbarian’s hand against the table top. The warrior immediately threw his arms into the air and was embraced by his comrades. An equal number of cheers and groans could be heard as fans and gamblers alike reacted to the outcome.

As the warrior and his friends continued to celebrate the barbarian simply sat in his chair stunned.

"Oh, good. You’re finished." the sorceress said, pulling a chair from the table.

This statement seemed to snap the barbarian out of his shock. "Finished?! Finished! It is you who are finished woman! Bartok does not take kindly to those who interfere in his affairs."

With that, Bartok rose to his full height of seven feet, about a foot taller than the sorceress, and grabbed the great axe by his side.

The sorceress simply watched him, unconcerned with this potential threat to her well being. Noticing her lack of fear the barbarian became a bit confused. "This is not a jest woman, I will slice you in two if you do not beg for forgiveness." Bartok said, grinning evilly with the last statement. There was no doubt in Raithe’s mind what the barbarian wanted as payment for that forgiveness.

Seemingly bored the sorceress yawned and said "Well, get on with it then. I’m parched from the road and would really like to get some ale into me."

Bartok’s eyes grew wide and he screamed in rage, swinging the axe down over her head. Just inches before the great weapon would have split the elf’s head it suddenly stopped. Sparks arched out from under the blade as a clear white sphere seemed to appear around the sorceress’s body, bending slightly where the axe pushed against it.

Raithe was impressed. It was easy to use a force shield against magic because energy had a simple time of deflecting other types of energy. However, to use it against physical attacks, especially one as forceful as that one, took great skill, concentration, and most of all, power.

Bartok seemed surprised as well and quickly discovered his axe was stuck. As he hopelessly tried to pull the weapon back the sorceress calmly refocused energy from the rest of her shield and shoved it with great force into the stomach of the barbarian. The blow caused Bartok to fly across the room, sans axe of course, and land with a crash against the far wall, shattering a table along the way. After a sudden shift and groan, the large figure became still.

Smacking her hands together the sorceress actually seemed disappointed that the battle hadn’t lasted longer. Pulling out a chair she plopped down at the table and promptly began banging her fist against it. "Hey! What does it take to get some service around here?"

Raithe could see the tavern’s owner, a thin man known as Sereth, wave one of the serving wenches towards the newcomer’s table. In the time he’d spent in the tavern, Raithe had noticed that as long as a customer paid, Sereth pretty much ignored whatever scuffles occurred in his establishment. Raithe felt it was a prudent, safe and utterly spineless way to do business.

An older woman Raithe had come to know as Josephene approached the sorceress’ table nervously, her eyes down. "M-may I get you something ma’am."

Putting her feet up on the table the sorceress looked closely at her server. Snidely she remarked "Aren’t you a little old to be waiting tables grandma?"

Josephene’s long black hair was speckled with gray and the wear on her face and the droop in her chest were easily apparent. She looked hurt, but not terribly so, as if this had been mentioned to her many times before. Quietly she responded "Perhaps ma’am. May I still get you something?"

Smirking the sorceress responded "I suppose. I would like two mugs of ale with plenty of froth. I like froth. And don’t spill them."

"Yes ma’am. I-I mean no ma’am." she responded then hurried away to get the drinks.

As Josephene passed by Raithe’s table he signaled to her and asked a question. When the wench returned with the drinks she also carried a message.

"Ma’am. The gentleman at that table would like to pay for your drinks and invites you to speak with him." she said, pointing in Raithe’s direction.

Raithe could see the sorceress’ gaze follow Josephene’s hand to him. A surprised look came across her face which Raithe knew was her reaction to not having noticed a mage as powerful as him in the tavern before now. True to arrogant form she covered her surprise quickly, swiftly rose from her chair and walked to where Raithe was seated.

Raithe rose and bowed slightly. "Greetings sorceress. I am Raithe and this is my apprentice Alyna. Please, sit down and enjoy your drinks. I have a proposition that you may be interested in."

The sorceress had an angry look on her face and immediately spit out "How did you hide yourself from me? Tell me now."

Raithe allowed his face to go cold. He liked the attitude in this one but he was not about to take abuse from her. In a commanding voice he said "If you hear me out you’ll discover the secret. Now please, sit." A staring match proceeded for a few seconds until the sorceress slanted her eyes and sat down.

As he returned to his seat Raithe noticed Alyna looked a little disappointed, as if she’d wanted him to put the newcomer in her place. "One thing at a time." he thought.

Josephene proceeded to place the mugs on the table but before she could leave, the sorceress grabbed her by the arm. "What is this? This ale is completely flat. I wanted froth."

"I-I’m sorry ma’am, but that’s the best we have." Josephene replied. She seemed scared and simply wanted to get away.

With her other hand the sorceress reached out and took a sip of the ale. After making a face she spit the liquid out on the floor. "Ugh, this stuff tastes like piss!"

"I’m sorry. P-perhaps I can get you something else." the poor server said in a very weak voice.

"What you can get me is a bucket to pour this piss into." she said, a light coming into her eyes. "Better yet..." Taking her hand from the wench’s arm she grabbed her by the front of the dress and picked the mug up from the table.

Just before she was able to pour it’s contents down the front of the poor woman’s dress Raithe forcefully yelled "Enough!" The sorceress froze with the mug in the air. Looking back at Raithe she seemed to challenge him again. Raithe, for his part, held his left hand in a claw and allowed sparks to snap loudly between his fingers as he generated a lightning spell.

Angrily he said "I invited you over here to discuss business. Kindly put your petty pleasures aside for the moment."

Again the sorceress hesitated and again she relented, releasing Josephene from her grip and putting the mug back on the table. Josephene gave Raithe a look of thanks and hurried away. Alyna could be heard giggling, pleased with her master’s forcefulness.

The sorceress shot a look of contempt at Alyna and said "Do not mock your elders child. It isn’t healthy. Now, run along and play while the adults talk."

Before Alyna could respond in kind Raithe said "This ’child’ is my partner as well as my apprentice. She is also an important part of the business I wanted to discuss. In other words, she stays."

As Alyna sniffed in the sorceress’ direction the woman responded "Of what importance could one as weak as this be?"

"Well, for one thing, she’s the reason you couldn’t detect my power until I wanted you to. She is a natural magic nullifier." Raithe remarked.

The sorceress’ eyes widened at the mention of that. Nulls were highly valued individuals. Their bodies naturally created a jamming field that pushed magic away, creating pockets void of magic. Creating such a field around any mage caused the mage’s power to be blocked from the senses of other magic users and vice versa. The fact that Alyna had been able to turn her abilities on and off attested to her skill. Raithe had trained her well. Selene guessed that the girl probably could even select whose senses she blocked. A highly skilled null could even block a magic-user from recharging or disrupt any spells that came within the field, though Alyna was far too young to be able to do that.

It was now obvious to her why a magic-user as powerful as Raithe was wasting his time training this girl. A sorceress who was also a null could be extremely powerful.

Grinning widely the sorceress said "My apologies to you both. We seem to have gotten off to a bad start. I am the mighty Selene. What did you have in mind?"

Raithe almost laughed at Selene’s about-face but kept his face expressionless. At least she knew a good opportunity when she heard one. Finally grinning himself Raithe asked "Do you know of a sorcerer named Tarek?"

 

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