Phantom Campaign Read online

  Card Mage

  Phantom Campaign

  Eden Redd

  Card Mage: Phantom Campaign

  © copyright 2020 Eden Redd

  All Rights Reserved

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  “If comrades that you trust gather around you, hope can take a physical form and become visible. That’s what I believe…”

  ~Kakashi, Naruto

  Card Mage: Phantom Campaign is Book 2 in the Card Mage Series.

  Please follow the link to Book 1.

  Thank you for reading!

  Card Mage

  Phantom Campaign

  One

  The murmur of voices drifted on the air as thick shafts of afternoon sunlight painted the pristine floor. Bodies filled the small and beautiful ballroom. Regal guests stood in clusters, speaking with smiles and interested eyes. Servants moved about with silver trays topped with full wine glasses. Fingers gracefully picked up the glasses by their stems and handed them out to waiting hands. In the corner, minstrels played a peaceful melody while the guests glanced about, looking for the guest of honor.

  Dax stood by a dark curtain, gaze down on his glass of red wine and a deep need to be anywhere else but here.

  Memories poured over his mind as he tried to distract himself so he wouldn’t have to interact with the very people who came to meet him. The last month played out of Dax and Symon spending their time on the Shieldbrook estate. There was a lot of drinking, faux sword fighting and laughter. Dax didn’t know a thing about swords, but Symon was more than happy to share his knowledge. When Dax brought up that mages didn’t use swords, Symon nodded and said now was the perfect time to learn so he could be more dangerous to anyone who would challenge him. Dax remembered smiling as he didn’t believe what his dear friend said. It sounded more like an excuse for Symon to use Dax as a practice dummy.

  The mage didn’t realize just how useful a dummy he was. Symon’s skill with a sword was well beyond average, his family spending a considerable amount of gold on his training even before he attended Kinarth Academy. Now, the spellsword seemed to only get better. Symon would disarm the mage in single moves, but Dax was improving too, and in time it took two moves to disarm him. Dax was proud of himself until he was disarmed and the flat side of the blade struck his shoulder, sending him stumbling to the ground. Symon laughed, but would reach down and help him up every time. Dax tried to even the odds by having his friend drink before practice. It was yet another miscalculation because the drink would relax Symon and make him even better, knocking Dax to the ground a few more times without breaking a sweat.

  Those were the good moments. The rest of the time, the best friends spent their time dodging Norman Shieldbrook. Symon’s father was a hard, disciplined lord with considerably difficult routines and standards. Dax often watched as the elder Shieldbrook would train with Symon, their practices almost appearing like a battle of life and death. Symon’s entire demeanor changed around his father, becoming serious and focused. Norman’s expression would become hawkish around his son, pushing his son to always improve. It was in those times, Dax was glad to be there, if only to make sure Norman didn’t push things too far.

  On the opposite side of the spectrum, Symon’s mother Maria, was the perfect example of grace and hospitality. She ensured everyone was fed, comfortable, and enjoyed relaxed conversation when the moments arose. She was the cool touch to her husband’s fiery personality. In small moments Dax was able to witness, Maria would counsel her son on how to use magic for attack and defense. She detailed the flow of mana and how to harness it. It was enlightening, Dax making his own mental notes and bowing to the beautiful lady of the Shieldbrook estate.

  Dax swirled his drink, lost to the memory of knowing he had nowhere to go for the month-long Academy break and Symon suggested he stay with him. The mage was hesitant, but when he saw the concerned look of going home alone in Symon’s eyes, Dax smiled and accepted. Little did the two friends know, Norman would be very pleased to have the famous card mage staying with them for a time.

  Dax sighed. With Lord Shieldbrook’s hatred for magic, Dax thought he might have an uncomfortable time on the estate. Instead, the elder Shieldbrook welcomed the mage with open arms. It caused Dax and Symon to glance at each other in odd concern, but over time, the true intentions for Norman’s pleasant demeanor began to show. Nearly every other day, visitors would come to the estate to meet the young mage who changed the very nature of spellcasting. At first, Dax was unsure of himself as regal lords and ladies came to meet him. They didn’t ask too many questions, instead, they poured compliments and praise on the mage, offering for him to visit their lands when he was finished with his studies at the academy. Some even went as far as to offer their homes for him to stay during breaks. It was strange at first, but Dax quickly saw through their pleasant expressions. They wanted to lay the foundations to tempt him to be a champion at their various courts and kingdoms. They made grand offers, almost in passing, but their eyes and smiles showed a greedy intent.

  A shadow touched Dax’s senses and he looked up from his wine glass to a beautiful woman in a long, white dress approach. The woman was stunning with a welcoming smile and bright eyes. Her hair was tied back into a braided bun, but she had a single lock of hair gracing her right temple. She moved with nearly divine ease as she approached the mage in the corner.

  “Emily Seastone. I am pleased to finally meet you, Lord Sage,” the beautiful woman smiled and bowed her head.

  Dax quickly recovered from his stunned expression and hastily bowed his head. “Pleased to meet you Lady Seastone. Please, call me Dax.”

  Emily kept her kind, bright smile. “Forgive me for such late introductions. Travelling here was slowed by a broken wheel to my carriage, otherwise Symon would have had a chance to introduce us sooner. Symon spoke of you, but it never truly does any justice when you finally meet in person.”

  Dax nodded uncomfortably, “I’m not sure what you mean, my lady?”

  Emily’s smile dimmed a bit. “I must apologize. I thought Symon would have told you, I’m his betrothed. And please, call me Emily. We are all friends here.”

  Dax gave a small smile. “It is good to meet you, Emily. I must admit, I haven’t had much experience with these kinds of gatherings.”

  Emily nodded and leaned in a little, “They can be quite boring and a little drab. I’d much rather be in the kitchen with the staff, drinking straight from the bottle.”

  Dax blinked a few times. Emily winked at him and the two let out quiet chuckles.

  “I’m not surprised Symon hasn’t spoken of me. He can be very private about some things, but he is not private about your friendship. I have to thank you for helping him come out of his shell a little more. He is an amazing man and will be a great lord, but his personality needs a little push at times.”

  The mage nodded. “I think we all need that sometimes. Symon helped me to become a better person, taking others into consideration and informing me I am not an island surrounded by a vast sea.”

  “He is good at that. His letters to me speak of your grand adventures on Mist Haven Isle. I must admit, I am envious of your times together, but not jealous in any way. Symon always wanted a brother and I’m happy he found it in you.”

  Dax smiled and took a sip of his wine. “When will you both become one?”

  “After he finishes his training at the academy. Our families have already prepared the date and ceremony. Time is the only thing keeping us apart.”

  Emily’s gaze shifted downward. Dax could see she was preparing herself, choosing what she wanted to say before she said it.

  “Dax, I know you and Symon ret
urn to the academy this evening, but I have a favor to ask.”

  Dax kept his gaze on Emily as she seemed to gather her words.

  The lady continued, “Symon is very dear to me. He is dear to many and I know he is dear to you. The academy can be difficult, as I’m sure you know, but please, watch over him. My heart would shatter if something happened to him. Symon would protect all, sacrificing his life for the many, but he doesn’t understand that there are those who would be lost without his kind and strong light.

  “I would be lost,” Emily finished.

  Dax bowed his head and came up with a warm smile. “Symon is my brother and I will protect him and all those he loves with my life. I would be honored to fulfill such a promise.”

  Emily bowed deeply. “Thank you from the depths of my heart.”

  When the lady stood up, Symon stepped over with a wide grin.

  “I see a lot of bowing over here. I’m sure you both are getting along?” Symon looked to Emily and then to Dax.

  Emily nodded. “Yes, we were just getting to know each other.”

  Dax nodded and smiled.

  Symon kept his smile and leaned in a little closer. “I’m happy the two people I care about could finally meet. I wish it could be longer.”

  “Is everything okay?” Dax asked.

  Symon’s smile slowly faded. “It will be, when we are on the ship back to the Academy. My father is planning to praise you again to his rich friends and I’d rather get an early start back before…” the spellsword stopped when a voice filled the chamber.

  “Master Dax Sage!” Norman bellowed with Maria at his side.

  Symon sighed. “Our packs are already loaded on the carriage. Just endure it for a little bit and we will be on our way to the docks. Also, I’m sorry.”

  Dax lifted an eyebrow, but couldn’t get a word in edgewise as Norman marched over, put his arm around the mage and guided him to the middle of the room. All heads and eyes turned to the lord and mage, the Lady Maria standing not too far away with adoring eyes. Symon and Emily stood, side by side, hands entwining and fingers curling together.

  Norman kept his firm grip on Dax’s shoulders as he turned and spoke to everyone gathered.

  “Master Sage has been a friend to the Shieldbrook family for some time now and we welcome him back any time he wishes,” Norman said before he stopped turning and put both strong hands on Dax’s shoulders, facing him.

  “I wanted to say, in front of our dearest friends and neighbors, you are part of our family. We Shieldbrooks take care of each other in times of need, peril and success. You will always have a home with us. Thank you for being here and we look forward to your next return!”

  Hands lifted up and clapped. Dax simply gave a small smile, his inner thoughts laughing at himself for putting up with this display.

  They clap like I’m some prized pig at the market. I should have drunk more wine.

  Norman looked to Dax and the mage had a difficult time looking away. The elder Shieldbrook’s bald head, sharp nose, and intense eyes, sent a shiver down the mage’s spine. It was almost like Lord Shieldbrook respected and honored Dax, but his eyes gave away a sliver of distrust and foul hatred, Dax assumed because of the lord’s well-known disgust of magic.

  Lady Maria stepped closer, gently pulling Dax from Norman’s grip. The lady faced the mage and gave him two kisses, one on each cheek.

  “My husband speaks the truth. Come back any time you wish and fear not, I’ll be sure to keep my husband in line so he doesn’t bore you with talk of swords and battles,” the lady smirked.

  Chuckles and small laughter filled the ballroom. Even Norman smiled, much to Symon’s relief.

  The crowd of guests moved in closer, each eager to speak with the mage when Lady Shieldbrook immediately took Dax’s hand and pulled him away. The mage was slightly confused as Emily stepped closer. The lady let go and Emily took Dax’s hand, further pulling him away.

  Lady Shieldbrook turned to the crowd with her arms out to her sides. “With terrible regret, the two students must return to the Academy. Please, everyone, stay and enjoy the wine and company. We will miss Symon and Dax and await their return!”

  Emily let go as Dax stood next to Symon. The spellsword looked to his friend and they both nodded to each other.

  Emily stepped closer, kissing Symon on the lips for a long moment before pulling away. The pair embraced before the lady pulled away, one of her hands taking Symon’s hand and the other hand taking Dax’s hand.

  “Be safe and learn well in your second year at the academy. Know this, you both will be missed,” Emily smiled.

  “Thank you, my love,” Symon smiled.

  “Thank you,” Dax said as he glanced at Symon, seeing him shine like never before.

  Emily nodded. “Now go, before they come for you.”

  The two young men nodded before they turned. Emily gave Symon a quick smack to his rear. Symon let out a chuckle as he and Dax rushed to the main hall and stepped quickly to the front doors.

  Outside, a carriage waited with an open door and the driver standing by it. Symon rushed ahead and Dax followed. The two men stepped into the carriage. Door shut, the driver climbed into his seat and whipped his crop at the horses. The carriage began to move as the horses pulled. The main gates opened and the carriage set forth, the sound of hooves on cobblestone echoing out in all directions.

  Dax and Symon both let out a deep exhale the moment they left the estate and made it onto the main road of Hydale.

  Symon leaned back, hand on his head. “I’m really sorry about that. I barely had any time to give you a warning. My father likes to show off to his friends, but I didn’t expect him to make you an honorary member of the family.”

  Dax sat back, an amused smile on his lips. “For a man who hates magic, he sure liked making me part of the family.”

  Symon nodded as his hand fell to his side. “You’re the talk of Hydale. Even his hatred for magic isn’t enough to stop his love for opportunities. I understand if you never want to come back to my home again. I thought we would spend the month just sitting around and my father trying to make your life miserable. I didn’t expect what happened.”

  “We are family now. I have no choice,” Dax grinned. “I just hope Lord Shieldbrook doesn’t balk when I ask for large sums for gold. I wouldn’t want to tarnish the family name by wearing simple robes and eating rat meat.”

  The carriage filled with laughter for a long moment. When the laughter died down, Symon leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

  “Thank you again for staying with us. If you weren’t there, I think my father would have worked me to the bone and maybe spilt some of my blood during sparring lessons.”

  Dax shook his head. “I was happy to come. Besides, I didn’t really have any other place to stay. If I didn’t come with you, I would have been haunting the academy grounds until the break was over.”

  Symon nodded. “Twelve months of training with only one month for rest. It’s a grueling schedule, but I’m happy we are entering our second year. I miss the others and can’t wait to see them again.”

  Dax nodded, images quickly filling his mind of Fern, Zarra, and Vance. A few letters were exchanged during the break, but words couldn’t convey how much they missed each other. The mage could read between the lines, how they enjoyed being back in their respective homes, but an underlying desire to be back together glowed. The first year of their training opened their eyes, giving them a glimpse of what it meant to be a champion. Now, they all hungered to know more and at the same time, be at each other’s sides.

  Symon watched his friend as he was deep in thought. “Thinking about the others or your card magic?”

  Dax blinked before he looked up to the spellsword. “Thinking about our friends.”

  Symon nodded. “I thought maybe you would be concerned with going back to the academy, now that other champions may be using your card technique.”

  Dax nodded. His card magic technique was now out
there in the world, but it hadn’t taken off like he initially thought it would. There were many who were interested in the new kind of spell casting, but over the last few months, the initial excitement died down after some people tried to create their own magical cards and the cards exploded in their faces, killing several. It was a sobering moment as inexperienced people tried to cut corners to make magical cards. Many of the ravens with the technique were stopped, but some managed to make it into the public eye. Several kingdoms placed a ban on such magic until it was further refined. Despite the ban, it didn’t stop those who knew the technique from trying.

  Thoughts shifted to the academy. Dax wondered how different his second year would be now that the playing field was a little more even. Mages had already taken to creating cards. Some would stop Dax and demand answers to their questions while others tried to bribe him with gold or carnal delights. The mage respectfully declined, but it didn’t stop those eager to emulate Dax’s success. It added a wrinkle to his training and he wasn’t sure what to expect for his future and the future of his friends.

  Focus on your training and let the cards land where they may.

  “My only concern is our friends mobbing us when we get back,” Dax smiled.

  Symon grinned. “I look forward to it! It will be nice to hang out and not worry about my father judging me. I will miss my mother and Emily.”

  Dax nodded. “I’ll miss them too. It was nice to meet Emily.”

  Symon’s cheeks glowed with heat. “She is special.”

  Dax nodded and smiled. “She is. We have to make sure you make it back to her in one piece.”

  Symon lifted a brow. “She spoke to you, asking you to watch over me, didn’t she?”

  Dax looked out the carriage window to the passing buildings, “I’m a gentleman and will not speak of what was said between the lady and I. Honor demands it.”

  “I’ll buy you a barrel of mead when we get to the academy if you tell me,” Symon smirked.