Recruited Mage Read online

  “Get back down now!” I yelled and they looked at me before understanding I was serious and started turning to jump down.

  It was too late and I saw the ground around me erupt in puffs of dirt then I felt a shearing pain in my back and I yelled in pain, falling backwards.

  I rolled on the top, two more wooden balls striking my stomach.

  Suddenly I was falling and I smashed to the ground. My head erupted in pain and my vision went blurry. My head, where the wooden balls had hit, throbbed with pain.

  My headache seemed to envelop my mind and I curled up as tightly as I could, whimpering in pain. My head stayed throbbing but slowly I tried sit up.

  Donal and someone else was standing over me; asking if I was ok.

  What happened?

  “Hey Samuel?” said Donal. “Can you hear me?” I nodded a reply. “You just rolled off the top, are you ok?” he asked but then suddenly ducked down and dived next to the step, pulling me with him. Once we were up against the step I tried to stand up but my vision broke into many colours and I felt a wave of nausea rush through me. After a few seconds my head started clearing and I looked around. Our entire group was cowering behind the step barely daring to do anything.

  I tuned to ask Donal, “what is happening?” .

  Donal turned to me and spoke back. “What do you think? Everyone is scared of being hit by those wooden balls so no one is going anywhere. I mean look what they did to you.” I looked at the back of my shoulders where the wooden balls had hit and huge bruises were already forming there.

  “But we need to do something!” I said to Donal. We can’t just sit here until we are punished.

  “Well I am all open to ideas.” he replied. “I can’t think of any.”

  “Well you could just hold up the shields whilst we climb up and then take turns with the shields to get to the next step.”

  “Ok then, let’s do it.” Donal then spent the next few minutes explaining the plan to everyone.

  I was chosen by Donal, a “great” friend, to be the first. I spent a few moments preparing myself then took a shield and placed it on the top of the step. Then, careful to keep the shield upright I was helped up onto the top behind it.

  Almost instantly the shield was peppered with shots, each one shaking the shield. I crouched behind the shield and looked to see who I should help up. Donal took the lead, stepping forward and grabbing the hand I stretched out to him. As I pulled him up I accidentally raised the shield and a wooden ball scratched my leg.

  I yelled and lowered the shield back to the ground, suddenly feeling tiny behind it. As Donal climbed onto the top I realised there was barely enough room for both of us.

  Donal crouched behind me and I nodded to him before we ran. I held the shield in front of me, trying to keep it between the whizzing wooden balls and us. We reached the next step, which was this time only a metre high, and we had to crouch down on our hands and knees to avoid being hit.

  The next part of the plan was for Donal to go back with the shield to get someone else, which he did. As he ran back, the other boys with shields were helping others across.

  The plan seemed to be working and soon there were ten boys by my side. Then came the hard bit of getting the logs across; three boys with shields formed a shield wall as another two boys dragged one of the logs behind them. They way to the step when one boy holding a shield was hit in his legs twice and fell down, leaving him and the boy behind him dragging the log exposed.

  The boy on the ground was hit five times in the stomach and cried out loudly before another boy carrying a shield protected him. Then another two boys ran back and helped them get across.

  Getting the next log to the new step was even worse because when the boys were climbing the first step, the boy holding the shield was hit and dropped the shield leaving the boys open to a hail of wooden balls, which drove them back behind the step. Then for the next few minutes the boys were unable to get on top before being hit. Finally someone managed to climb up behind a shield but he was hit, like the first boy, and jumped back down under a rain of wooden balls.

  “We have to draw the boys with the crossbows attention to other things,” said Donal and I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms.

  I really hate him, why can’t he do it himself?

  “We need someone to go up ahead and draw all the attention to him” he said.

  “And I guess you suggest me don’t you?” I sneered.

  “Well, yes,” he said smiling slyly, “was it really that obvious?”

  I ignored his question and asked one myself. “So why won’t you go?” I complained.

  “Well I have to help everyone else by leading them and this way you have a way to help to.” he stated bluntly before his smile turned to a grin. “And, you don’t want to be a selfish boy who does nothing now, do you?” he said in a patronising tone and I was about to punch him when I realised how much like Billy he was. I turned away, my body suddenly feeling heavy and I was shocked to feel tears rush to my eyes.

  To avoid letting Donal see my face I grabbed a shield and ran. I left myself no time to think about anything but getting to the next step, which was a relieving two metre high. I ran as hard as I could over the short distance and only two shots flew past me before I dived under the step.

  A few shots hit the ground behind me but they could not get me.

  I peeked over the step towards the second last step we had to cross over but as I was closer now the boys with the crossbows were more accurate and almost instantly a one hit right next to my face and I ducked down. After another few seconds I peered over the edge and the boys were waiting for me, they all fired in unison and the dirt above the step was thrown up into the air as at least five of the wooden balls hit.

  There is no way I am going now. I thought but then I had an idea; I crawled slowly along behind the step to the other side, trying my hardest not to be seen.

  Once I was at the far side I had to make the choice of going or not. I could not look to see where the boys were as that would give me away.

  I took a deep breath and grabbed the edge of the step before throwing the shield onto the top as it would slow me climbing up.

  I rolled onto the top as quick as I could, grabbed the shield and pulled it up in front of me just as the first shots were fired; they were deflected painlessly away by the shield.

  The size of the shield still left me exposed, so I had to run.

  Suddenly one of the wooden balls hit the shield where my hand was and broke through, hitting my hand. I yelled in pain and accidentally dropped the shield and stumbled over it. Every boy with a loaded crossbow saw me with no shield, took aim, and fired. In a final burst of strength I leapt forward towards the step, which my mind only now registered as being half a metre tall. As I leapt, for a moment time seemed to almost stop, and I saw every shot mid-air seemingly still as if suspended but then, in another moment, I crashed into the bottom of the step.

  I pressed myself against the step, spreading myself out as much as possible. Shots rushed past, landing just in front of me and I heard many hitting just above my outstretched body on the top of the step. None of the shots hit me but I still pushed myself into the step as much as I could to stay away from them. I could not see anyone following me at all.

  Where are they? I am only one step ahead. Then suddenly I saw a shield poke above the step then a boy climb up behind it. Then all along the step shields were raised and boys climbed up behind them. They must have got across.

  A boy ran forward with a shield and I saw it was Donal. He ran up and grabbed me urgently.

  “We have to keep going” he said, so I scrambled to my feet behind him and grabbed my shield with shots flying past me only inches away. We ran together to the next step, which was the second last, but as it was only a metre high Donal rolled on top of it and kept going. I hesitated for a second but then I realised that at the range of the archers we would have difficulty to move forward and I vaulted with one hand on
to the step. In one movement I was on my feet and running again beside Donal but suddenly he cried out and tripped over, rolling on the ground in front of where I was running; I tripped over him and fell to the ground myself. I rolled onto my front and pulled my shield over me and it was simultaneously hit by a shot. A shot was fired at my exposed legs, where the shield did not cover, hitting right in my shin, and I sharply drew my leg back gasping in pain. I knew I could not stop though and rolled onto my front before crouching myself behind the shield and looking over at Donal. Shots were hitting all around Donal and some hit his legs. Donal was crying out in pain and struggling to hold up his shield as his arms were shaking.

  I got over to him, trying to block all the shots fired at me and I grabbed one of Donal’s arms and pulled him to his feet behind my shield. As I did so a shot hit in my left shoulder and my left arm went numb. I almost dropped the shield once again but Donal regained his balance and I grabbed the shield with my now free right hand.

  I ran for the last step half pulling and half dragging Donal behind me. Once again Donal was hit and so was I, again in the shins, and the last few metres we half stumbled and half fell before we sat against the step panting. Everything seemed hazy and I had a splitting headache. Donal whimpered beside me panting harder but he stopped when he saw me looking at him, and scowled.

  Then the other boys came over the steps. They had arranged themselves into a shield wall that was two shields high and behind it they carried all the logs at once.

  The shield wall came under waves of shots but it stayed strong and whenever a shot went through a gap the boy did not drop out but kept going.

  After manoeuvring over the step behind us the wall easily made its way over to us and in less than half a minute the other boys were spread out beside us and thanking us for drawing attention away from them.

  The last stretch was still there. However with a line that was to be our final target still there, we turned our attention back to it. The step we were behind was just under head height so we had to crouch, especially now that the boys with the crossbows were only metres away.

  “Do we even need to keep going?” I asked Donal. “It is insane to go any further.”

  “Of course we have to keep going it is only a few meters and if we charge them and stop them firing,” he said in a matter-of-fact way. “Then we can bring the logs at our own pace.” Donal went along the line once more telling everyone the plan.

  In just a minute we were ready. Six of us were to run forward and stop the archers then everyone was to follow after with the logs. My heart beat was racing and everyone else looked wide eyed. To stop the archers being ready one boy, who had bravely volunteered, was to jump up opposite us and distract them.

  The boy climbed up behind his shield and instantly came under a hail of shots and I felt sorry for him for a second before Donal finished a quick countdown and we climbed up.

  On the top I saw that the archers were just metres away and were nearly all loading like we had hoped. As quickly as we could we sprinted forward with our shields help in front of us.

  A shot hit my shield but there were no others and in seconds we reached the boys who had now lowered their crossbows to the floor and shuffled about avoiding our looks of annoyance when we started worrying about our injuries. The other boys quickly brought over the logs and a few engineers walked over to congratulate us.

  “Well done to all of you,” said an Engineer. “Those of you up here were good shots.” At this we stared at the boys who had been armed with the crossbows and they grimaced and looked at their feet. “But also to the rest of you of course, not many get all the way up. You all did well and especially you.” He said and pointed to Donal. “We saw you pulling everyone together, what is your name boy?”

  “Donal, Sir,” he said and the man nodded.

  “Well done then Donal, I might mention you to some other people. In the meantime however you will stay with the rest of us. Whoever was using the crossbows will be coming with me. The rest of you can go with that man over there.” This time I he pointed to the other engineer who had walked a few metres away and was observing the hill we had just been going up.

  At that the engineer took the rest of the boys away and we went over to the other engineer. The Engineer ignored us for a few seconds and I started to think about our injuries again. I reached down and touched where the wooden balls had hit my shins, and winced as I felt where the bruises were forming.

  There was a sudden bang in the distance that sounded like thunder, which made us all jump. The bang was quickly followed by a few others, each one seemed to be echoing around. I decided that the sound was coming from the opposite direction to where the compound was and peered through the tall pine trees even though I probably knew I would not see anything.

  Whilst listening for more of the bangs I heard a robin singing in the trees and I felt it was out of place against the loud bangs that were echoing through the entire hillside.

  Eventually the Engineer turned to us, “get climbing.”

  We paused, deeply confused. The Engineer gave us an exasperated look. “Do you see trees with red paint on?” The engineer asked and we looked around and saw a few metres away a group of about ten trees with red paint on them so we nodded, however we were still confused at his seemingly pointless question. “Then get climbing! They are all almost the same height and get as high as you can.” We finally understood and wanting to find the best tree to climb we ran to where the trees were and quickly made our choices of which ones to climb.

  I chose a pine which, despite being one of the thinnest had branches which seemed to not only be far enough apart to climb between but close enough to easily climb from one to another. Also only one other boy chose to climb my tree as well but thankfully I got to the tree first.

  I reached up for the first branch and grabbed it before putting a leg in a hollow and pulling myself up. I pulled myself up to the branch but did not linger on it as it was, like most low branches, quite thin and bent beneath me.

  The next branches held my weight better and did not move beneath. There was easily enough room to climb between them. I climbed a few more metres up before I came to a gap that I had not spotted from the ground. The gap was big enough for me to be able to stand on a branch and the next branch was above my head. The bark was clear of hollows and knots as well so I would not be able to support my feet. The next branch was high enough however that I could not pull myself up. I stood on the branch for a few seconds before realising that I would have to jump and would probably slip of and break my legs. It’s not worth it. I thought.

  “Those of you that do not get above the green marks on the tree, you will get a punishment,” said the Engineer and I saw that he was looking at me as he spoke. “You have to go for a ten mile run with a man on a horse following, making sure that if you stop you will be beaten. I hope you understand I am not joking.” I looked around and saw the green mark on my tree was about two metres above the gap and I swallowed.

  I braced myself and, trying to keep as near to the tree trunk as possible I jumped up and pulled my arms over the top of the branch to pull myself up but suddenly I slipped back down onto the branch.

  For the next try I stooped low and launched myself up and got my elbows up on to the branch but my legs were swinging precariously around. The bark on the branch dug into my arms through my shirt and I almost let go but straining with the effort I pulled myself further onto the branch that then started digging into my stomach.

  I swung up my left leg and turned myself so I was lying on the branch and then, trying not to slip off, I swung my other leg up and with my legs shaking I slowly stood. Then I climbed up the next few branches, trying to tread as lightly and as close to the trunk as possible as the branches were getting perilously thin and a few almost snapped beneath me.

  I reached the green mark on the trunk and congratulated myself silently. Then there was a crack beneath me and I looked down to see the other boy who had c
hosen to climb the tree had passed the gap and was coming up behind me.

  Dam! I have to get out of his way so he can reach the mark. I took a deep breath and continued up. Each branch was now only just thicker than my thumb so I stopped standing on the branches and wrapped my arms around the pine.

  There was enough space beneath me for the other boy to reach the green mark and he did. The boy gave a whoop of joy which was loud and drew annoyed glances from everyone especially those who had not yet reached the green marks on their trees.

  A minute later the branch beneath me started creaking and quickly moved to another branch. I was just in time as the branch gave way right at the trunk where I had been standing on it and it hung, swinging on a few green strands.

  Soon the Engineer gave the order to climb down and I looked to see that, thankfully everyone had reached their mark. To start down the tree I slowly threaded myself between the branches that had seemed easy to get past but now blocked my way and I lost my footing several times and slipped.

  When I reached the gap I had to pause to think it through. Should I slide down the trunk or lower myself from a branch until I almost reach the next branch and then drop the last few inches? I thought for a few more seconds then decided to lower myself down.

  Spread slowly out along the branch that I had used to get up then steadily, I turned sideways so I was on my stomach with my legs dangling down. Then I grabbed as tightly as I could to the branch and slid of it so I was now suspended by my arms as planned only inches from the next branch.

  I looked down and waited until I had stopped swinging and dropped down to the branch. I landed on the branch and almost slipped right out of the tree but I flung my arms out and only just grabbed the trunk. I steadied myself, and then continued down to the ground to join those who had already climbed down and we waited for everyone else.

  The Engineer ignored us again until the last boy joined us on the ground. “Well done I think, none of you failed to reach the marks so none of you are to be punished.” The Engineer said stressing the “none” too much, giving me the impression that he wanted it to be otherwise and I watched him closely as he said the next sentence. “You will now follow me to your next station for today.”