The Hedge Wizard

The air hissed as the ball of white fire grew hotter. A searing breeze radiated from it, surging through the room. It was so bright that it hurt Celaine’s eyes to stare at it directly, like looking at the sun.

She glanced at the crowd suspiciously as they used a hand to shield their eyes from the blinding light —she didn’t trust these wizards. Quinton had known the event would draw a crowd and hadn’t mentioned a word to them. She supposed it served Hump’s goals in a way. The more valuable he could make himself appear, the more the Wizard’s Society might give him.

She turned back to Hump, his face illuminated with flickering light. The heat radiated, forcing a few of the closest wizards to take a few steps back. Whispers of interest filled the room. A group of three wizards nearby discussed how the spell functioned. They could sense the power of Hump’s soul in there, but they didn’t know how that was possible when he hadn’t manifested his soul.

What would they think if they realised that he could wield this spell before he achieved Soul Manifestation? Celaine wondered.

The ball of white fire started to move, drifting toward the target before him. She hardly felt any strength from it now compared to when he’d wielded it against Lich Queen Irila. The suspense built as it drew closer to the target, until it erupted over its form. The heat exploded, uncomfortable against Celaine’s skin even from so far away. In seconds, the upper half of the wooden target was burned to nothing, before being extinguished by Hump’s closing fist.

There was another round of applause amongst the wizards, even coming from the viewing room above. Through the glass, she spied Wizard Lindle staring down with interest. A middle-aged woman stepped up beside him. The two were speaking but Celaine couldn’t make out the movement of their lips clearly enough to guess what it was about.

“It was very shiny, but not all that destructive,” one of the male wizards in the group said.

His own magic had been pretty weak, so Celaine didn’t think he was one to talk.

To Celaine’s surprise, the arsehole wizard blinked owlishly behind his glasses and said, “No, it is most definitely destructive. Wizard Humphrey simply demonstrated the technique, not the full application of it.”

“He’s strong,” Quinton said. “Stronger than me, that much I’m sure of.”

The rest of the group seemed surprised to hear that. From the looks on their faces, Celaine supposed being stronger than Quinton meant something to them. From what she’d seen of his shield spell, it was clear he had some skill.

***

The spell was well received by the group. Even the socially stunted Kabul seemed impressed by it. They asked him how he managed to put the weight of his soul behind the attack without manifesting his soul, and in truth, Hump didn’t know the answer. The fire seemed to draw it in, sucking at his essence and intent. It was both one of the reasons that made it so powerful and so draining. Even that little display left him feeling weakened. There were far more efficient methods to destroy a target like that.

“Ah, I think I’m going to need to interrupt.” Quinton pointed up at the viewing booth to where Wizard Lindle gestured for him to come up. “It seems my master is ready to speak with you now.”

There were only two people inside once Hump and Celaine arrived—Wizard Lindle and a woman in black garments that looked suspiciously like an inquisitor. Everyone else that had shown up for his demonstration must have been dismissed.

Quinton backed out of the room quietly, leaving just the four of them.

“I was hoping we might speak privately,” Wizard Lindle said.

“Celaine is a party member and close friend,” Hump said. “There’s nothing you can say to me that you can’t to her.”

“Of course, of course. No need to worry then. Ah, let me introduce you both to Inquisitor Latris. She’s been here ever since Inquisitor Abraxus and Eliana met their, erm… unfortunate ends.” He gave a nervous side-eye toward the woman.

“Good morning, Wizard Humphrey,” the woman said. There was an element to her voice that made Hump think ‘dangerous’. “That was an impressive display you put on downstairs. I hadn’t heard of White Flame until you. Quite unusual for such a technique to be possessed by a wizard so young.”

“Is that so?” Hump asked, not wanting to reveal any information. This woman worked for the same organisation as Eliana had—the woman that had killed his master. He didn’t trust her. “Well, I’m a hedge wizard. Unusual magics and random assortments come with being on the road.”

“That must be it.”

“How was your tour?” Wizard Lindle asked. “What did you think of the guild?”

“Interesting,” Hump said. “The facilities here are exceptional.”

Wizard Lindle nodded enthusiastically. “Precisely. Available to all of our inner circle members, I assure you. And this is only the beginning of what the Wizard’s Society can do for a budding young wizard such as yourself.”

“Do for me?” Hump asked.

“Well, yes. I’m sure you’ve guessed that the tour wasn’t simply organised for recreation. I brought you here to offer you a place in the inner sanctum. A seat amongst peers, just like yourself. You’ve had a generous offer come from Elenvine Academy in fact—a chance to complete your education.”

Now that was a surprise. Hump had expected some sort of offer, but a place in Elenvine Academy was not something an average wizard was ever offered. Yet at the same time, Hump was already a Rank 4 wizard. He didn’t need the help, and more than that, he didn’t want to be in a place that had already done so much harm to his master. It was clear to him that there was deep-rooted corruption in the guild, and he wanted to keep his distance.

“I see.” Hump considered the offers for a minute. “The resources you have on offer are indeed very valuable to me, but I could never give up my freedom as an adventurer. Studying at the academy was never something I considered.”

Wizard Lindle’s face twitched. “Of course, of course.”

“I told you, Lindle,” Inquisitor Latris said. “The Inquisition is a better fit for a talented young man like Humphrey here. You’ve shown a talent for handling warlocks. I’ll be leaving Sheercliff City and returning to Elenvine soon—I would like for you to come with me.”

“I’m… flattered,” Hump said, searching for an excuse to decline. “Truly. It’s an honour to be considered in such high regard, however… I must refuse.”

“You will not get another offer like this,” the woman said. “A chance to be a wizard of standing. One backed up by a hive of likeminded individuals. The world is a dangerous place for a wizard without support, yet it is far safer than it once was thanks to the Society.”

“I’m sorry, but I’ve already promised Lady Marcela Daston that I will go to the Fallen Lands with her. I couldn’t possibly back out now that she is relying on me.”

Inquisitor Latris persisted. “Why is it that you think the Inquisition exists?”

Hump paused at the questions, caught off guard by its simplicity. “To hunt down fallen and evil wizards.”

“Yes, however what we do is more important. We police the wizards of Alveron so that the Pantheon leaves the rest of us alone. More than that, we work to identify and destroy the monsters that live amongst us.”

“Like vampires and werewolves?”

“Exactly. And considering your work so far, I believe you’d be an excellent fit. I’ve heard of your exploits in Bledsbury Dungeon—a full picture has yet to be formed, but we understand there were some dark powers involved. And then there was Fishers Lake and its priest, along with the many warlocks in Sheercliff City. Our scouts have also confirmed the death of a lich queen. Very impressive, Wizard Humphrey. That’s just the sort of work the Inquisition was created for. I’m sure that you can see how you’re a perfect fit for our ranks. If adventure is what you wish for, we could find a role in which you can do that.

In a way, it sounded like he would be a natural fit. It was along the lines of what he’d been doing already, and it wasn’t like he enjoyed venturing into dungeons. But he could never forget the bad. Eliana had been in their ranks when she had killed his master and they had not realised. Gods knew what other traitors were amongst them. There was no going back from that. He did not trust them, and he never would.

But they could make for a good ally.

“Your consideration is truly generous, and I could certainly see myself at home amongst the inquisitors in another life, but I can’t leave my party behind. I’m on a path I’m happy with, and there’s no changing that.”

Inquisitor Latris let out an agitated breath. “A pity. And a mistake. You have done well to come this far without help, but talent can only take you so far.”

Don’t you think I know that? Hump thought. I’ve been partied with three bloody Chosen.

“Precisely,” Wizard Lindle cut in. “We would hate to see such a promising young wizard stall for lack of tutelage, and of course, you will need higher tier spells in time. Spells far too dangerous for us to hand out to just anyone.”

“Then perhaps we can come to an arrangement,” Hump said. “I’ve been distant from the Wizard’s Society all my life, and as you said, you have resources I need. In fact, one of the reasons I came here today was to acquire Tier 5 and Tier 6 spellbooks.”

Wizard Lindle clasped his hands behind his back and smiled pleasantly. “Ah yes, a vital step. I had heard you recently achieved Soul Manifestation. You will need such spells if you are ever to advance.”

“Fortunately, Countess Daston has helped me with that,” Hump said. “But I’d like to spread my wings.”

“You can already cast Tier 5 magic?” Wizard Lindle asked, his voice surprised.

“I can, yes.”

The two wizards exchanged a look. Hump knew it was impressive, but he hadn’t expected them to be so caught off guard by the fact.

“I didn’t realise you had already come so far,” Wizard Lindle said. “There are few amongst the Wizard’s Society that could rival you at such an age. I admit, I am impressed, however Tier 5 spells and above are restricted to only those of the inner circle. As much as I would like to, I cannot sell them to you.”

“What if I could make it worth your while?” Hump asked.

“That’s not how it…” Wizard Lindle trailed off.

At Hump’s side, Celaine withdrew a pouch of large heartstones from her Belt of Storage. They’d been given to them before leaving. If there was one thing Drakalyn had in surplus, it was the hearts of monsters.

“My goodness. Are those… Those heartstones are—”

“—Spectacular,” Inquisitor Latris interrupted. “Where did you get these?”

“In the Fallen Lands,” Hump said. “Where Celaine and I have been for the last six months.”

Celaine placed the stones back into her belt of storage.

“I take it you would be interested in an exchange then?” Hump asked.

He knew the value of such stones. They were powerful enough to craft Silver Tier equipment, perhaps even Gold if the enchanter was skilled enough. Such stones were rarely found and always sought after.

“I will see what I can do,” Wizard Lindle said. “I’m sure we could offer you incredible terms, if only you join our ranks. But I will need time. This isn’t something I can decide on my own.”

“I can only give you a week. Any more than that, and I will be leaving for the Fallen Lands. And this is only for an exchange. As I said, I am comfortable with the path I’m on.”

“Are you not listening, boy?” Wizard Lindle said, irritation in his voice. “You are a wizard, a member of our Society. You’re at a stage where you must join the inner circle if you wish to continue forward. These spellbooks are far too dangerous to hand out to anyone else, no matter what is offered.”

“Now hold on a moment, Lindle,” Inquisitor Lantris said. “While I agree that they are dangerous, Wizard Humphrey has more than proven himself worthy of trust.”

Wizard Lindle fixed her with a glare. “Don’t do this, Latris. We had an agreement.”

“That was before I realised just how much Wizard Humphrey here could bring to the table. The agreement was regarding a talented young wizard. Those heartstones have changed things.”

Wizard Lindle huffed, his nose flaring, cheeks reddening. “I see.” He turned back to Hump. “I pray you reconsider my offer, Wizard Humphrey. It would be such a shame if a talent like yourself didn’t meet their true potential due to… interference.”

He gave one last annoyed look at Inquisitor Latris, nodded a goodbye to Celaine, and then strode to the door, leaving the room.

“Don’t worry about him.” Inquisitor Latris took a notebook from a pocket in her robes. “He doesn’t like it when things don’t go his way—a common trait amongst wizards as I’m sure you’re already aware.”

She wrote something in her notebook before tearing the piece of paper out and handing it to him.

“Here’s the contact information for our Inquisitors in Fort Nordric. I respect that you have your own projects, but we’d love to talk and see how our interests can align. It is our second largest Inquisitor’s Hall, so if you find some time to visit, I’m sure it will be worth your while. And for the record, we do trade heartstones for high-tier magic… at least, with our allies.”