2.17 Men's Rights: The Great Mage

And thus, when the two older men had resigned themselves to their fate to protect the younger ones, and when the Meridian Men's Rights Group seemed to have lost all hope of survival in the face of such substantial academic evil, there was a blinding flash of incandescent white light, and an enormous wave of pressure pushed everyone to the ground.

Thomas felt no crystal spike pierce his skin. He heard no cry of agony from the dwarf. When he opened his eyes, the green water monster was reduced to a puddle of liquid. And floating above the monster's remains, radiating golden light, was the Great Mage:

KYROS MAGNUS.

The great lord's eyes were two black pools, reflecting the primal darkness of the void and reminding Thomas of his own insubstantial existence. His beautiful face remained impassive as he scanned his comrades and seemed to take in their current plight. The majesty of the glorious lord, mightier than all mortal kings and as resplendent as a million suns, reminded Thomas of why so many people prayed to the great man. He looked like a hero straight out of legend. No, he was already that. This magnificent being could be nothing less than an angel, descended from the very heavens to save even someone as insignificant and unworthy as Thomas.

He looked at the tables on fire and pointed his hand in their general direction. A powerful wave of water materialized before him and crashed into the equipment, putting out all the flames in an instant.

And then, he saw the madman, still cowering behind his perfect shield.

The Great Mage floated down and stood before the spherical wall of light. He touched it with his finger, and the shield spell crystallized and shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.

The sewer mage, completely overcome with terror, tried to cast another spell, but his staff was violently yanked away by a flick of the Great Mage's finger, and the villain was unceremoniously lifted up in the air and slammed on the ground.

The Great Mage Kyros Magnus placed his right foot on the sewer dweller's chest and pressed down. The darkness of his eyes was gone, and it was replaced by a burning red light.

"You dare?" he thundered, his anger and his voice echoing throughout the cavernous room. "You, who are nothing, you dare hurt those who are dear to me?"

The sewer mage whimpered and started crying.

"Insignificant, irrelevant worm. I could snap you out of existence in a second. How dare a wretch like you presume to threaten what is mine?"

"Forgive me. Forgive me. FORGIVE MEEE," the sewer mage screeched. "One mole of calcium sulphide reacts with two moles of hydrochloric acid to produce one mole of calcium chloride and one mole of hydrogen sulphide. Waaaaaaahhhh! My funding is gone, stolen, lost. Ahhhhhhhh!"

The wrathful light in the Great Mage's eyes dimmed. He took his foot off the unstable academic's chest and knelt down to take a proper look at the weeping creature. When he gently grabbed the unfortunate mage's face and turned it left and right, he looked confused for a moment, and then there was surprised recognition.

"Mr. Shakleston, is that you?" Kyros asked the cowering figure.

There was no response other than the continued wailing.

"You know this crazy bastard, milord?" Master Stonebottom, who was now back on his feet, asked the Great Mage.

"Yes, I think so. If I am not mistaken, this is Mr. Shakleston. He was a TA at the Academy. Wasn't very good with magic, but decent in biology. He failed me in one of my labs in my second year. I still don't know why."

"Yeah, he was yelling something about failing you. That confirms it. Must be him," the dwarf said. "How in the hells did he end up here?"

"I... I am not sure. He became an assistant professor the year I finished my degree. Last I heard, he resigned and went back to his hometown after quarreling with some of his colleagues. But this was nearly ten years ago. Has he been living down here all this time?"

"Looks like it. He is completely off his rocker, milord. Clearly hasn't met another person in a long time."

"Hmm... very tragic," Kyros said thoughtfully. "Wish he would have come up and spoken to someone."

"What are we going to do about him, milord?"

Kyros placed a finger on Mr. Shakleston's head. A brilliant violet light emanated from the finger and spread around the former TA's forehead, and a few seconds later it was gone. "That should lock his magic for a few hours." The Great Mage then stood up and looked around the room at his companions. "Everyone alright?" he asked. "Valdek, how are you doing?"

The dark elf had just stood up and was wiping his tears. "I am good, my lord," he sniffled. "I am just happy that everyone is safe."

"The lad isn't hurt, milord," Master Stonebottom assured the Great Mage. "Just a little scared. Don't worry, I'll look after him."

Kyros nodded. "Thomas, how are you doing?"

"I am alright, my lord," Thomas yelled from the tunnel entrance. "Thokk is a bit hurt, though, and thinks he is dying."

The Great Mage quickly bound Mr. Shakleston's hands with a magical thread and teleported next to the veteran and the supine orc merchant. He knelt down and removed the makeshift bandage. "Nasty wound," he said after inspecting the damage. "But you'll live, Thokk."

"I will, Great Mage?" Thokk sounded a bit disappointed.

"Yes, you will." Kyros ran his palm above the wound. The bleeding quickly stopped, and some of the loose-hanging flesh reknit itself.

Thokk looked utterly surprised. But when he tried to move his injured hand, the Great Mage stopped him.

"Don't move your hand," Kyros told the orc. "I have just stopped the bleeding and healed some of the surface damage. The wound is still there. Healing is a slow and difficult business. If I try to do something with it now, I might heal it but mess up something else. You need to go to a proper physician, understood?"

Thokk nodded. "Yes, Great Mage."

Kyros then turned to the veteran. "What about you, Thomas?"

"Nothing major, my lord. I'll live."

"Thomas, your leg looks like it has been stabbed multiple times."

"It's just them little ice daggers, my lord. See, there is not much bleeding."

Kyros did the same thing as with Thokk and stopped the veteran's bleeding. "Thomas, you are going to get this checked."

"My lord, that's not necessary."

"That's an order, Sergeant."

"I... Yes, my lord."

"Who else? Master Stonebottom, everything alright with you? Any wounds or bleeding?"

"No, milord. I am perfectly fine," the dwarf replied.

"My lord, Master Stonebottom nearly drowned during the fight," Thomas said helpfully, unwilling to let the dwarf off the hook.

"Really? How is your breathing, Master Stonebottom?"

"Perfect, my lord. I'm healthy as an ox."

"Hmmm..."

"My lord, he was also bit by those large rats," Thomas added.

"You need to get that checked out, Master Stonebottom," the Great Mage said.

"Really, milord? They just grazed me hand. No bleeding or nothing."

"Don't ignore it, Master Stonebottom. I once saw a guy lose his hand after ignoring a raccoon bite."

"I already told him about that, my lord," Thomas informed the Great Mage.

"Really?" Kyros looked a bit annoyed. "Stop stealing my anecdotes, Thomas."

The veteran smiled. "Yes, my lord."

Just then Esmeralda and Bertie came running into the room. They saw all the carnage, a strange, tied-up man, and a slowly rising, injured Thokk, and they immediately ran to Thomas.

The veteran tightly hugged his daughter and comforted her while stroking her back. Then he pulled the awkwardly standing Bertie to him and hugged both the children.

"Esme, Bertie, are you two alright?" Kyros asked the kids.

Bertie nodded.

"I am, my lord," Esmeralda answered. "Thanks for saving my dad, and everyone else."

The Great Mage smiled. "You are very welcome, my dear. Alright, everyone, get close. It's time to leave this place. Master Stonebottom, can you bring Mr. Shakleston here? Valdek, do you need any help?"

Valdek shook his head. "No, my lord. I can manage."

Master Stonebottom pulled up the unresisting former TA and pushed him towards the rest of the group.

When everyone was close enough, Kyros said, "Get ready, guys, we are going to teleport out of here. If you have not done it before, don't worry. It's completely safe. I'll make sure you all arrive on the surface without any issue."

"I trust you, my lord," Esmeralda said.

"What in the hells is that horrible smell?" Master Stonebottom asked the group.

"I didn't want to say anything, but it's coming from the Great Mage," Thomas replied.

"Wait, what?!" Kyros smelled his tunic. "It's not my clothes."

"I think it's your hair, my lord."

Kyros smelled his hair. "Ugh... Yuck! Horrible! What happened to it?"

Everyone looked at Esmeralda.

The girl tried to hide behind her father. "Umm... my dad said to wake up the Great Mage."

"Esmeralda Bakersfield, what did you put in my hair?!"

"I just threw some water on your face, my lord."

"Then why does it smell so horrible?"

"Well, we are in the sewers, and there was only one source of water here, my lord."