Acolyte of the Tempest

By Kenath Moffat

Rhunal and the survivors of the battle of the crypt set out on the road to the town of Refuge. A fierce storm arises from the marsh as if chasing them. Fleeing from the cyclone, they are blown off a cliff into a sunken, ancient forest.
Rhunal faces the storm with her magic, emboldened and strengthened by it. In the end, the storm speaks to her in words she can’t understand and carves unknown words across her arm with magic.
The she-orc is beset by nightmares as they set off across the dark forest. But more physical creatures oppose them as well. They are pursued by a hybrid horned bear, the first Chimera the fledging party has ever encountered. And deeper in lies an ancient manor defended by skeletons with amethyst eyes. Staying away would be the safe choice, but ancient places have rich rewards.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenath Moffat
• Release date: Mar 3, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005714345

Kenath Moffat

Kenath Moffat is the writer and artist of The Turbulent March. He hails from Western Canada writing whenever he gets a spare moment. His first published works are a medieval fantasy series about the struggles of an collapsing kingdom.The plan is for at least three books in this trilogy for now, then he has an idea for a fantasy-like novel set in the backdrop of the devastating end of an interstellar war.

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Kenath Moffat

Acolyte of the Tempest

Copyright © 2021 by Kenath Moffat

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Kenath Moffat asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

Kenath Moffat has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

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Contents

1. Consequences

2. Voice of the Tempest

3. The King

4. The Poachers

5. The Clarity of Hindsight

6. Amethyst Eyes

7. The Invader

8. Prince of the Western Woods

9. Conversation with a Prince

10. Battle with the Past

11. The Mausoleum’s Keeper

12. The Lord’s Farewell

13. The Prank

14. Lies Told to a Friend

15. A Sacrifice for a Life

16. Bron’s Duel

17. Hand of Tempest

18. Scaling the Walls of the Conquered Castle

About the Author

Also by Kenath Moffat

1. Consequences

The end of the marsh came into view at last. The giant man and the diminutive she-orc were nearly done their trek down the narrow path surrounded by water. They could see the hills on the other side that marked the beginning of solid ground.

Both were bloody and bruised from their battle in a crypt full of a gang of thieves. Bron’s mail hauberk was broken in several places, where he had been mortally wounded. Rhunal’s leather vest and segmented skirt was scorched and curled by fire from her hip to her collarbone.

Rhunal, an orc female an underwhelming six feet tall, twisted around to look at her human companion, Brondulf. He was a pale giant of a man, seven feet tall and half that broad, with a short black beard and steel-gray eyes.

About the only thing they shared in common was similar jet-black hair. Rhunal’s was half burnt off on one side, but with her impressive regeneration was growing back quickly.

One day ago, Bron had lost his left hand during a duel against Taino, mercenary, thief, and bandit. Neither was ready to talk about the two members of their party, Lovell and Hugh, that they had buried there. The first part of their trek through the swamp had been silent, but the sight of the end energized her.

When we get to Refuge, what do you think it will be like? she asked.

Bron shrugged. I am sure I passed through it, but I do not remember any specifics. According to Hugh, it had three hundred people. His deep bass voice carried out across the marsh.

So few? I’ve only lived in Greihold. I don’t know how many people lived there, many thousands I guess.

Three hundred seems almost on the big side for the villages out here. But Hugh mentioned that Refuge was manned as something of a strong point to protect the villages further south of it. That is the only reason a small place like that has a chapter of The Adventurer’s Guild. The road we took to get here was a long one, so it can’t be easy for them to get supplies.

Do you think they see many orcs in Refuge? Rhunal asked as her jovial expression dimmed somewhat, What if I’m not welcome there?

Bron pondered that for a moment. I guess we would have to deal with that when we get there. We did bring some of Hugh’s personal effects back with us. Perhaps we can make an accord with some of his relatives.

And what will we do for money? We’re both penniless right now.

I’m not penniless.

Unless you go back to your father you are. she pointed out with a smirk. What kind of pay would we get from the Adventurer’s Guild of a small town?

Bron raised his one remaining hand and his arm, missing a hand, in a shrug, We will have to figure that out when we arrive.

Her golden eyes narrowed, she was not satisfied with the answer. Now that I told you about my master, and my former life as a slave, why don’t you tell me why you really fled your home. Hugh asked you before and you wouldn’t answer. It’s just the two of us now. We should be truthful to each other. I told you I was a slave of Carinus the Archmage.

Bron frowned, she had him cold, I should not tell you. It is not something anyone should know.

Look at me. Look at who I am, she scoffed. What makes you think your petty secrets would interest me? Even if I told anyone, who would believe an orc about the secrets of a noble?

He lowered his head, I know I owe you, but this is something that would put you in danger. Even more danger than your old master coming after us. I will pay you back for saving my life, but not by telling you this.

She fumed at him. I’ll hold you to that, she said. But she wasn’t quite done yet. Can’t you tell me anything at all? she snapped.

Fine! I am engaged. And I will not tell you to who. He crossed his arms.

She broke out in a broad grin, teeth and tusks shining in the sun, Someone important! And… Someone you didn’t choose?

Stop guessing, you will never get it correct anyway, he said, glancing sideways nervously.

She smirked for a moment, When I said your secrets didn’t interest me? I lied. I can’t leave a mystery unsolved. I will figure you out.

Bron sighed, Well, good luck. I told you my big secret, most of it anyway. Have you got something else on your mind? I can not promise I have the answer, but ask anyway.

Where are we going to sleep? We won’t have money for lodgings at first.

Bron chuckled, We do not have to be concerned about that. Where are we going to sleep tonight?

On the ground?

Exactly. When we get there, we may have to camp just like we are now. Surely you didn’t expect your own room and a fresh mattress right away? What kind of slave were you anyway?

I had my own room and three meals a day, anything I wanted to eat. I paid for the nice room and fresh meals with many tough lessons. Even after Taino left, Master Carinus was not exactly kind to me.

So he was a cruel man himself?

He never cared much for other people. He wasn’t cruel though, more like indifferent. He didn’t try to hurt me. But, unfortunately, the first spell I showed him was my ability to heal.

Ouch.

"It wasn’t a goal to get me hurt during training, but he wasn’t too concerned about it either.

Still, it never bothered me too much. No matter how much it hurt, I was getting stronger every day. Those first years were amazing."

So even after Taino left, you still ended up with bruises all the time?

She shrugged, Broken bones plenty of times too. I threw myself into magical training and Carinus never held back either. But it was different than before. Taino wanted to beat me to keep me down. In his rough way, Carinus always wanted me to get up.

And then your manor was attacked and your friends were killed. That is why you left is it not?

I stopped getting stronger. I pushed myself more and more, but I hit a wall. I hurt myself more than Carinus ever did, while trying to learn master level spells. It did not work, and he lost faith in me. ‘Just another failed experiment’ he called me. When he told me my training was over, I told him I was leaving. I refused to go back to being a house slave.

How did that go, Bron asked with a grimace.

He tried to throw me at a wall. He didn’t even hesitate. Of course I knew all along that is how it would play out.

Damn. Bron whistled. Your master was a cold man.

He was, but I expected that move from him. I lunged off that wall with my fist raised. I meant to knock him out and escape. He carried an iron-staff for five years, waiting for me to try something like that. Despite being a mage, he should not be underestimated in a fight. That’s ah, what I did. I woke up chained in the basement behind a magic barrier. And that was the day the manor was attacked.

So now that you are free, is it worth it?

Rhunal tapped the bedroll on her back. I wouldn’t trade it for the biggest, softest bed in any locked room. What about you? You gave up a lot as well.

I don’t like a soft bed myself. Bron said.

She narrowed her eyes at him. That’s, not what I meant, at all.

He smiled wearily as his eyes wandered. It was a joke. Probably not a great one. But I never put much stock in the comforts of noble life. It was always boring. Mother always said I was a nightmare child. Especially after putting so much effort into saving my life.

Bron’s eyes closed for a moment, his knees buckled, and he toppled directly into the marsh.

She shucked off her pack and jumped into the water. Bron’s heavy pack was pulling him to the bottom of the marsh. Rhunal grabbed her knife, slashed the straps on the pack, and threw it to solid ground. Then she grabbed Bron under the arms and dragged him towards safety.

The water didn’t wake you up yet? she yelled. His dead weight confirmed that it hadn’t. It was a struggle to drag someone his size to shore, but she managed. She shook him aggressively until he woke, soaked and feverish. Rhunal realized that his recovery from his many wounds was far from over.

What happened? he asked.

You took a bath. Not a bad idea, but this water probably won’t make you any cleaner.

Bron looked at her in confusion with swamp water dripping down his face.

All right, no jokes. You’re sick. You haven’t recovered from your wounds and me healing you with orc magic. We need to make camp somewhere, but obviously we can’t do it here with only a foot wide path of flat ground to work with. He looked over at the drenched pack. What about the food?

She shrugged, It’s preserved, a little water can’t hurt it too much. We might need to cook it some to get rid of the swamp taste, though. You need to get up and we need to get to shore and set up camp.

She helped him to his feet, and they began a long trek over a short distance. They had to walk carefully or repeat Bron’s dunk into the marsh. When they finally reached the bank, she sat him down and climbed to the top of the hill.

She spotted the remains of the old campfire where the four of them had slept, before the battle at the crypt. Looking at it made grief tug at her heart again. She hadn’t had time to mourn Hugh and Lovell, but she knew they would be missed on the frontier by their kin.

Almost on cue, rain fell. Rhunal glanced skyward suspiciously. As much as she wanted to set up camp anywhere else, she needed a fire going as soon as possible to warm up Bron. The wood for a fire was already gathered there; it would be foolish to move camp.

She led him to the campsite. The sky was already turning gray, the rain would not be over quickly. She set up the tent over Bron’s head. It was a single support tent, but it would be enough to keep him dry. She threw some branches on the old campfire, channeled flames through her fingertips, and ignited the blaze.

She unrolled her bedroll, not for sleep but because she had a map on the reverse side. She added a mark labeled as the crypt. Something about that name wasn’t enough, so she renamed it Hugh and Lovell’s Crypt.

She lifted it to show it to Bron, but he had already passed out. She stared at the part of the map showing the road. Somewhere to the south-east, further down the road, was the town of Refuge. She resolved to add that to her map once they got there.

The food in the pack was drenched with marsh water, as expected. She took a small pot from her own backpack and threw some wet preserved food into it. Lightning cracked in the distance and rain poured down harder. The small fire sputtered and died from the onslaught. Damn! Give me a break here, she cursed.

The pot filled with the water. Rhunal stared at the food in the water and got an idea. She channeled her flames and started heating it through the water in the pot to boil it. When it took too long, she torched it with fire from her second hand simultaneously .

It took her a few moments to realize it, but she had just cast a spell with both hands at the same time. Most mages could manage that, but she never had before.

She stood up and stared at the lightning approaching from the distance. If I can duel cast, then that means… She put her palms together experimentally and started channeling twin lightning spells. She remembered everything her master had taught her about the creation of focused spells. She stepped outside to experiment with it.

For the first time in her life, she felt the energy of a master level spell build up in her body. She unleashed it from both hands towards the sky. The lightning bolt that shot skyward was so bright she had to close her eyes. Thunder from the bolt she created boomed in her ears, but following the rule of magic, did not harm her hearing.

She grinned ear to ear at this breakthrough. Nearby, a lightning bolt shot down from the sky as if in acknowledgment. More crashed down and thunder boomed in acclaim. She knew it was silly, but it was like a salute to her magic. She grinned even more and blasted another bolt skyward in response, despite the powerful spell, she wasn’t tiring at all.

Wind tore across the hilltops, bending the curved trees further towards the earth, churning waves across the marsh waters. Rhun was only knocked out of her gleeful trance when the sky turned a nasty shade of dark gray to match it. In the distance the dark clouds moved too fast and in the opposite direction of the rest of the storm-front.

The she-orc climbed to the top of the hill and looked down towards the marsh. The winds were stirring the waters of the marsh into a frenzy of waves, but in the distance something worse was happening.

The waters were twisting around like a giant whirlpool, a whirlpool that was drawing closer. The source of the whirlpool resolved itself as a series of massive tornadoes. They massed together in a group so powerful that they were pulling the marsh water between them skyward.

The massive storm was aimed right at their campsite. It was so powerful that it was ripping the large marsh trees into the air. She judged the speed it was approaching by the rate it was eating up the trees in front of her.

She needed to wake up Bron, and quickly. Rhun wasn’t sure how he had stayed asleep with her thunder booming right beside the tent.

2. Voice of the Tempest

Rhunal scrambled down the hill and flung the flap of the tent open. Despite the lightning and the roaring wind, Bron was still out cold. When she shook him and he didn’t respond, she slapped him across his granite-like face, grabbed him by his mailed collar, lifted him up, and shook him. It only occurred to her a moment later that she shouldn’t have the strength to hoist all seven feet of Bron right up off the ground.

What are you doing? he said groggily.

The much shorter she-orc shook him again for good measure. "We