awmaher

Chapter 60 - A Discussion Between Wizards

“Sit down,” Vivienne said.

It was a large kitchen with plenty of counter space near the stove and a small round table tucked into one corner. There were two chairs, one where Vivienne was sitting, the other directly opposite her.

Just like an interrogation, Hump thought, as he sat down. He was nervous, as much as he tried not to be. He knew Vivienne well enough that he ...

Chapter 59 - A Steaming Pot of Soulbrew

“You will not touch us with your dark magic, Witch,” Albry spat. He was shaky on his feet, his skin pale, the damage from the spirit was showing. He was in no condition to argue.

“Don’t make yourself any more of a fool than you already have,” Vivienne said. “You look halfway to heaven. Those spirits attack the soul, Albry. Wounds like that don’t heal without proper treatment...

Chapter 58 - The Witch of Fishers Lake

Panicked footsteps sounded throughout the inn as Hump followed Celaine outside, a tired Bud stumbling along behind them. They stopped at the doorway, staring up at the sky as other townsfolk did the same around them.

“Do you have any idea what they are?” Celaine asked.

Hump shook his head. He’d grabbed his spirit detector on the way out to check if anything was wrong with it, ...

Chapter 57 - The Haunted Town

Tambria was a region of green grass, rolling hills, and farmland, with stone walls made of piled rocks marking the boundaries between the fields. Out here, no users of magic could have made them, meaning that each of them was painstakingly constructed by hand.

They followed the narrow path through the fields and over the hills, passing the occasional trader or farmer as they went, but for...

Chapter 56 - Burden of Legacy

Hump stared at Bud with all the intent that he could muster, scrutinising him from head to toe, including the increasing awkward expression on his face.

“How much longer are we going to try this?” Bud asked.

The three of them were sitting around the campfire, concealed within Hump’s Hidden Veil. Combined with the small rocky cliff at their back, Hump was confident nob...

Chapter 55 - Bloodshadow

I will never take you for granted again, Hump thought, as he stared up from where he huddled on the floor at the fading rays of sunlight that filtered through the window. His hands stung with cold, his lungs burned as if he’d choked up a bucket full of water, and every muscle in his body felt as if it had been pushed to its limit.

“What on earth happened while I was gone?” ...

Chapter 54 - Favour from the Countess

Bud knelt on the floor of a private prayer chamber in Kelisia’s temple. He took a moment to calm his mind, feeling the flame at the core of his being flickering with cold blue beauty. He clutched his hand to his chest and reached for that flame with his mind, drawing it out. Blue light burst from him. The air turned cold and misty. Ice crusted his clothes and the floor around him. The world l...

Chapter 53 - Accidental Thievery

They were only a few steps from the enchantery when Hump felt his spellbook shake. He froze mid-step, heart thumping in his chest as he stared down at the book on his belt.

Celaine stopped and glanced back at him. “Everything okay?”

He looked at her, barely containing the massive grin on his face. “Better than okay. My book shook, and I can only think of one reason why.”

Chapter 52 - Next Stop, Magic Shop

From the moment Hump stepped into the enchantery, all sense left him. Hundreds of artefacts surrounded him, made of all sorts of precious metals encrusted with heartstones. Swords, rings, amulets, shields, wands—everything that an adventurer might need.

Almost everything Hump owned was on his person right now, yet all around him he saw items of that were incalculably better quality than...

Chapter 51 - Sheercliff City

It was six days later when the white rock of Sheercliff finally came into view, almost three weeks since they’d left Blesbury. A splendid white cliff—the city’s namesake—rose from the ground and formed a plateau that towered over the city. Surrounded by nothing but flat farmland, there was no missing it, even from a distance. The rockface was a perfect white and shone with the sun’s r...

Chapter 50 - Blessings and Magic

They were two days from Kelwoth when the storm struck, and dark was fast approaching. Shelter was few and far between on the Tarlak Plain, with grass in all directions and only the occasional tree. Hump shivered and wrapped his cloak around him tighter, not that it did much good for him. He was already soaked to the bone. Hump was beginning to accept that they would spend a few sleepless nights...

Chapter 49 - No More Secrets

“What are you doing?” Celaine asked, sheathing her dagger. She’d removed the heartstone of both trolls and temporarily stored them in a second cloth pouch. Until they were cleaned off, none of them wanted them anywhere near the rest of their gear.

“What does it look like?” Hump snapped.

“It looks like you’re fondling the dead body of a troll,” Celaine said. “I was ...

Chapter 48 - Troll Hunt (Start of Book 2)

There was nothing like a troll hunt to wake you up in the morning, or so Hump had thought. So far, their hunt had consisted of camping atop a small slope that overlooked its cave while Celaine tried ceaselessly to pound in the lessons that every Dragon Keeper must know, as she had done for the two weeks since they left Bledsbury.

Today, that lesson was working on developing an em...

Book 1 – Afterword (and Book 2 Blurb)

Note: If you haven’t read the final chapter (Chapter 47) that was released today, read that first.

Book 1 is now concluded! Thank you all so much for your support, and I hope you continue to enjoy The Hedge Wizard moving forward into Book 2.

This is just a small collection of my thoughts on the project so far, and if that doesn’t interest you, the important thin...

Chapter 47 - Departure

Part of being a hedge wizard was making do with what supplies you could find locally, and slowly building a collection. A place rarely had everything one needed, and the field station was no exception.

Hump skipped the essence elixirs this time and purchased the ingredients to make them himself instead. He would have plenty of time on the journey to brew them and it was barely a fifth of ...

Chapter 46 - Overseer

Seven bright and shining gold coins—more money than Hump had ever had. They glistened in his hand like suns, and he stared at them gleefully. Was it worth almost dying? Yes. Absolutely. He’d need to replace much of his equipment of course. Wizardfire alone would cost almost half that, and then there were a few other useful bits he’d rather not do without: his essence elixirs, the healing ...

Chapter 45 - Decisions for the Future

Hump awoke to chatter outside his tent. He couldn’t help but smile at the sound of familiar voices. Bud, Celaine, and Vamir had come to visit. He sat up and leant against the bedrest, putting his egg back into its basket. A minute later, his party entered. The three of them were out of their armour and in ordinary clothes. It was a bit odd seeing them like that. After travelling and fighting ...

Chapter 44 - Dragon's Gift

Hump’s body slumped weakly, and it took everything he had just to stay perched against his staff. Everything hurt. His skin felt raw and burnt, his core as cold as ice. The power from the formation was gone and all that remained was an empty void where its power had once been. But he still had things to do. The egg had to be protected. He couldn’t let the others take it.

He felt hands...

Chapter 43 - Dragon's Legacy

Essence poured into Hump. It came in waves; the dragon’s heartstone still brimming with power. Pulse after pulse filled him, a heartbeat of essence, rekindling what his previous spells had cost him. In an instant the cold of a day’s fighting was gone. Infused with essence, he felt rejuvenated. His pains healed and his strength returned. What essence remained smoked off Hump in blazing red t...

Chapter 42 - Dragon's Heart

As suddenly as the white light took him, Hump was floating through clouds. He felt the warmth of the sun beat against his back, and wind brushed his face, cool on his skin. Down below, a luscious green forest stretched out across the land. On and on it went, further than he had thought possible, across hills, and rivers, and mountains. Untouched by civilisation.

Am I dead? he won...

Chapter 41 - Last Hope

Half a dozen straggling undead stood between them and the nest. They wandered back and forth like ants that had lost the trail, their bodies savaged by bloody wounds that no living creatures could have survived. If it was just them, Hump might have felt confident. But with the horde and dragon on their right, and Kassius on their left, he felt trapped between a rock and a hard place.

“H...

Chapter 40 - Battle for Bledsbury Dungeon

Hump helped Celaine to her feet and together they retreated until they were firmly behind Bud. He stood with his back to them, facing Kassius head on, his sword at the ready. Hump glanced at the Black Paladin, who dragged himself along the ground, seemingly without direction. Across the chamber, the tide seemed to have turned in the fight against the undead. Their numbers were dwindling, but it...

Chapter 39 - The Chosen

As the veil faded, a golden aura shimmered around the old priestess of Lady Light. The same one that had greeted them with her powers when they had escorted the villagers to the surface the day prior. She was positioned at the rear of the group, defended on all sides by the encampment’s strongest dungeoneers. Thirteen of them with Vamir included. The number of the fallen god showing itself on...

Chapter 38 - Beyond the Veil

“What?” Hump’s heart stopped. He glanced at Celaine, who stared at him with wide and terrified eyes. “I… I can’t do that.”

“It’s a shame, I know,” Kassius said. “You’re clearly quite fond of her, but you must understand my predicament. Talk is one thing, but I need you to prove your commitment through action. Kill Celaine. Take the first step on the path to eternit...

Chapter 37 - False Gods

Celaine scurred back as the paladin stomped closer like a demon of black steel.

“Leave her be, Kassius,” Hump shouted. “She’s done. She can’t fight anymore.” He forced himself to stand, practically pulling himself to his feet, using both his staff and the wall for balance. “Don’t do this,” he pleaded.

The Black Paladin’s armour rattled as he stepped forward, his ...

Chapter 36 - Wolf Dragon Rampage

The dragon propelled itself at the kobolds with a violent sweep of its wings, leaping through the air and crashing down amidst them. Now free, the dragon unleashed its fury. It snapped its jaws shut on the closest kobold and shook it like a dog, before tossing the limp body aside. It sailed through the air, landing in a pile of broken bones that not even death magic could make up for.

2021-07-10 11:19:59 +0000 UTC View Post

Chapter 35 - Guardian of the Dungeon

Hump found himself standing in front of Celaine before he’d spared a thought for what he was going to do next. Heat singed at his face the moment the dragon’s breath exploded from its mouth. The air howled, and a wave of searing hot wind surged forth.

Instinctively, he planted his staff into the ground and raised his left hand toward the jet of flame, fingers outstretched. He drew a d...

Chapter 34 - Unexpected

The tunnels grew warmer as they descended into its depths. Celaine’s idea of a brisk walk clearly didn’t match up with Hump’s, but each time he tripped, she caught him without complaint, dragging him on into the darkness.

Hump still felt the effects of his time practicing River and Waves. He no longer felt like he was freezing, and the uncontrollable shivers had stopped, which was a...

Chapter 33 - River and Waves

Hump instinctively placed his free hand on his spellbook, as if somehow that would keep the bloody thing from shaking. As if it could sense his thoughts, it chose that moment to shake again. He sighed. “It shakes when it wants me to open it.”

“What do you mean?” she asked. “It’s sentient?”

“Somewhat,” Hump said. “It doesn’t talk to me, but it definitely has a s...

Chapter 32 - The Pit

Celaine’s eyes vanished into the darkness and Hump’s heart raced as he stared at the spot where she had just been. It was hard to think. His ribs ached, his arm ached with a sharp pain, his head pounded—he must have knocked it on the way down. He tried to get his bearings, but the only light came from the small hole that they’d fled through, where kobolds gathered. He breathed, panic ri...