The general, her first rank mage and the wizard stood around the tall, parchment covered table peering at the small markers that represented armies on both sides.
“Are you sure the seer was accurate?” The mage looked up when no one answered, frowned. “Well?”
The general, a white sling strapped around her dark leather body armor and a scarlet knitted scarf tangling in the wrappings, stopped with one hand in the middle of the little figures of a medical reinforcement unit. She looked between them. “Wizard?”
The wizard looked up. “What?”
The mage’s left hand tightened into a fist and the bones of his fingers glowed white out of his dark skin. “I asked you a question, wizard! General, I cannot work like this, I cannot take directions from a sniveling, know-nothing wizard.”
The wizard looked blankly at the mage. “That’s not very nice.”
The mage wore thick green robes lined with thick white fur, suitable to the cold, and his dark hair had small brown bead woven into it. He pulled it closer. “I don’t give a damn what you think.”
The wizard had short blond hair spiking over his head, like a dandelion about to fly away, and sky blue eyes. His battered jeans and white t-shirt were completely inappropriate to the weather. “That’s kind of sad.” He looked at the general. “Yes, the seer is reliable, General. I mean, generally. They are as reliable as any prophetess, more so because they don’t see things that matter. I mean, to specific people.”
“As reliable as a prophecy? What the hell does that mean? General, what does that mean? How reliable are prophecies.”
The wizard fidgeted. “Well, they always come true. They just don’t always make sense.”
“They don’t make sense? What the–? Are we basing our entire offensive plan on fallacious information? General, how do you expect me to react to this? Why do you work with wizards?”
The general smiled. “They work for peanuts, unlike yourself.”
“I don’t see how paying nothing for incompetence is a good bargain.”
“Peanuts?”
“Wizards aren’t incompetent, just eccentric. That would be good distinction for you to learn.”
“I really like peanuts.”
The mage and the general turned to look at the wizard. “Beg your pardon?” the mage said.
“General, you’re going to give me peanuts? I love peanuts. I mean, I thought I was just helping you out because my bro says you’re a fantastic woman and likely to do amazing things if your prophecy ever comes through the translator right, but if you’re going to give me peanuts.” He smiled brightly.
The woman stared at the wizard. “You like peanuts?”
The mage made a disgusted noise. “You don’t need to eat. You can live off sunlight and good luck.”
“I love peanuts.”
“I’m confused.” The general fingered her scarf. “When did you try peanuts? And why?”
“A year or so ago my bro and I helped out this prophecy, that is, a woman who had a prophecy about her, and we kind of had to eat, so she gave me peanuts and they were really salty and delicious, and I’ve been wanting some since. I would love some peanuts! Do you have any now?”
“No.” He kind of drooped and the general sighed. “But I promise that if we get out of this, I will do my best to find you some. Would that be okay?”
The wizard brightened immediately.
The mage scoffed. “Children.”
“Wizards should never be underestimated.” The general smiled and wrapped the edges of the red scarf more firmly around her neck.
Red fire flashed against the cloth of the tent and then they heard the roar of fire hitting the hill. The general went for the sword stored on her bed and the mage reached into his engulfing green robes, dragging out a handful of white powder and flinging it through the room. The words that ripped out of his throat were ancient and sounded like the earth breaking.
But the wizard only straightened and advanced, outstretched hands glowing. When the missile, wailing through the air like a bird, came through the cloth and collapsed the whole tent on top of them the wizard stepped in the way. His hands glowed and he brought them before him and bowed his head.
The missile hit him and blew. Fire ripped out of him, rippling through the tent, but the simple glow of blue, leaking from his hands and eyes into the air created a fog that kept the fire from his skin.
He walked over to the general and pulled her out of the tangled smoldering blankets. “Are you okay, General?”
She slapped out a coal on her scarf. “They moved faster than expected. We need to respond. Where is the mage?”
The wizard scanned, closed his eyes and pushed the rest of the fire out of the tent. The mage pulled himself up and glared at them like a scorched cat.
The general sheathed her sword beneath her bad arm. “Come along, we have a war to win.”
“Yes, General-ma’am.” The wizard saluted brightly, his glowing hands leaving afterimages in the air.
She tucked the edges of her scarf into the armor and pulled on her steel edged glove with her teeth. “Mage, stay behind me and be ready to counter the deathmancy on their side. Wizard, clear me a path. Let’s assault the enemy and see if he’s nuts enough to come against us.”
The blond man with blue hands almost bounced in happiness. “Yes, ma’am!” He turned in the direction the missile originated and spread his hands. His power ripped out like a blue wedge cutting through the enemies arriving at the top of the hill.
The general drew her sword again and laughed, eyes blazing. They hit the enemy forces and their weapons began to burn in the light of their powers.
As he disappeared in the wake of the general and the wizard, the mage pulled back his hair and shook his head.
“Wizards.”
