Broken Mage by D.W. Jackson Page A

so Thad tried to keep
himself busy by studying the rock formations around him closely. It
reminded him of his time spent as a youth watching the clouds. Most
of the time they were simply rocks but every now and then one would
look as if it had purposely been formed to look like something
else.
    As he studied the rocks he noticed one
section of rock that looked as if it were moving. Secure in his own
protection Thad let his curiosity get the better of him. The closer
he got the more apparent it was that the rocks didn’t simply look
as if they were moving but actually were.
    The memory of the large rock snake that
had nearly killed him shortly after he had entered into the depths
of the underground forced its way into his thoughts. Thad nearly
bolted but boredom mixed with curiosity won out over better
judgment. He continued warily forward each step coming less
confident than the last.
    When he was no more than a few paces
from the rocks it was easy for him to see that whatever was moving
was no larger than a large dog. He could also hear a slight whining
noise from the creature. Using his staff Thad cast a large ball of
light above the area where the rocks moved letting him see the
creature as if it was midday on the surface.
    The creature looked like a mix between
a large dog and a small horse. Its body while large had long legs
that looked as if they were meant for running. Its head looked
large and slightly off with sharp rows of teeth easily visible. Its
eyes were what really caught Thad’s attention. They were like two
large rubies that had been placed in front of a bright glowing
candle. If Thad had met the creature without a shield he would have
ran for his life. Even with his shield he still had the urge to
run.
    After the initial shock of seeing the
creature Thad let his view widen and take in everything. The animal
was obviously trapped by large boulders that had fallen around it.
The poor creature continuously tried to move but the boulders held
it fast in place. It was amazing that the thing could even stand
given the sheer amount of weight that must have been on its
back.
    Thad couldn’t help but feel sorry for
the poor creature. In a way he was in the same situation. He was
trapped though he was able to move he just couldn’t get out. He
wanted to help it, but was afraid that if he did so it would attack
and he would be forced to kill it. His mind warred with itself as
Thad forced himself to move closer.
    When Thad was no more than a foot from
the beast it took notice of him. It didn’t snarl or bite at him as
he expected. The creature simply looked at him and whined. As close
as he was Thad could see that the creature didn’t have fur or even
skin. Instead it looked as if the creature was completely made up
of rock.
    His mind made up Thad took a steady
breath and prepared for the worst. His staff glowed brightly and
the rocks holding the creature to the ground shifted and rose
slowly. Thad had lifted a lot of things with his magic including a
frog the size of a small cottage but the sheer weight of the rocks
atop the creature was staggering. He wasn’t sure how long he could
hold it but hoped the animal got the idea and ran the second it had
the chance.
    As soon as the weight was off the
creature it jumped toward Thad making him flinch. The creature
simply bounced off of his shield. Moving back it looked at Thad
cocking its head slightly to the side its ruby eyes glowing
brightly. Its ears moved slightly when Thad began to lower the
boulders slowly back to the ground. The creature turned quickly and
began to growl at the rocks.
    With his work done and the creature
safe Thad turned back toward the river. It didn’t take long for him
to realize that he was being followed. The creature wasn’t exactly
quiet it sounded as if an avalanche of rocks were chasing after
him. Stopping for a moment Thad turned to find the rock dog right
behind him its face contorted into what Thad figured was an off
sided