Rough ideas for my work-in-progress novel ‘Wanderer.’
Walking up the final set of stone steps, the robed man arrived at the top of the fortress wall overlooking the valley. The orange sun bathed the wide walkway, the worn stone glowing mystically as it had for centuries. A short distance away, standing right against the parapet, was a human figure, silhouetted against the setting sun. The robed man walked forward and stopped several meters away from the figure. It paid him no heed.
“There is no use hiding.”
The figure turned his head towards the man, his face shadowed by the sun behind. He smiled. “Who said I was?”
“Once you leave this fortress, you will become unstoppable.”
“There are plenty of powerful mages in the world who can stop me.”
“You are the strongest among them.”
“The Mage of the Hills in the east.”
“That is a myth.”
“It is not. She exists. There are records.”
“Existed. That was two centuries ago. The Mage is gone now.”
“The Bookkeepers believe she is still alive.”
“Those are naïve fantasies.”
“Do you believe it so?”
“Emile Kraus, son of Engel Kraus! You are the strongest mage of the Korr Empire! When will you accept your responsibility to your people?!”
“You are not my king.”
“I convey to you the orders of the High Lord Zephielle!”
The mage turned his head back towards the sunset-lit mountains. “He is not my king either.”
“How dare you speak of the High Lord in such a manner!”
“What has he ever done for me?”
“The High Lord has brought glory to the Empire! Vanquished enemies that once terrorised our people!”
“Your king has ignored us. Isolated us because we would not do his bidding.”
“At the dawn of war, you still hold your duty as a soldier.”
“I will not participate in this act of mass destruction.”
“The High Lord commands you!”
“He cannot. And neither will I change the outcome of this war against the east if I participate.”
“You underestimate yourself, Mage of the Iron Fortress.”
“I do not. A single mage may be able to change a kingdom. But a single mage cannot change the world.”
“I cannot take ‘no’ as an answer. You will answer to the High Lord.”
“And if I don’t?” The mage turned his gaze back to the man. “Will it be war, then?”
The robed man did not answer.
“If the empire is at war, surely your king has more dire problems to address than go to war against a neutral kingdom within his sovereignty.”
The robed man turned around and marched back towards the steps, stopping at its brink. “You will answer to the High Lord, Kraus.” His voice was menacing. “He will not take ‘no’ as an answer.” With that, he marched down the steps, out of sight.