The Battlemage

***The Battlemage*** is the third novel in the *Summoner Series* by Taran Matharu.

## Synopsis

Fletcher and his friends will find themselves fighting for their very survival as they traverse the ether in search of a way back to their world. Hunted by Wyvern-riding orc shamans and the savage demons that inhabit the alien jungles, the four intrepid warriors race against time before their dwindling supply of antidote for the ether’s poison runs out.

## Plot

The book begins where the previous book, The Inquisition, left off with Fletcher and his friends; Sylva Arkenia, Othello Thorsager, Cress Freyja and Fletcher's recently rescued mother, Alice Queensouth. Arriving in the Ether after being forced to enter, as the Orc's strong attack overwhelmed the team.

The team finds that the portal has left them on a floating island, which they soon discover is a Zaratan that they eventually named Sheldon, a giant turtle like demon. The group then proceeds to discuss the ambush which lead them to escape through the portal but are interrupted as the Zaratan is surrounded by Sobeks, alligator/crocodile like demons, Fletcher manages to save the group with a frost spell.

After the batlle with the demons the group tries to find a way to Hominums part of the Ether. They soon discover that they are being followed by Khan and his wyvern riders. They try to outrun them for a while. During that, there is a short, romantic episode between Sylva and Fletcher. This ends abruptly, when Sylva tells Fletcher that her people would not approve of a relationship between an Elve and a Human. Khan eventually confronts Fletcher and Sylva at a volcano. He and his shamans trap Fletcher under a shield spell as Khan interrorgates him, trying to find out, who has the other salamander. Ignatius transformes into a Drake, a dragon like demon, and manages to save Fletcher just in time. He manages to lure the Wyvern riders over the edge of the ether, where most of them are killed by the Ceteans. Fletcher regroups with Sylva and the others. They have an other battle with the rest of Khans Wyverns but manage to defead them. The group then continues onwards towards Homniums part of the ether. When they reach the wastelands they are again attacked, this time by shrikes. They quickly realize they can not beat them and try to escape. Sylva spots a portal in the distance. They fly through it and crash directly into Arcturus Summonig lesson.

Back at the Academy Fletcher and his friends are told by Arcturus, Elaine Lovett and King Harold, that Zacharias Forsyth framed them for the murder of Rufus Cavendish and that they are now wanted for treason and murder. This also resulted in new hatred and persecution towardes Elves and Dwarves. The group needs to go into hiding. Before they leave Lovett reveals that she and Electra have found a way to transmit sound over scycing stones. Old King Alfric now uses this invention to spred his anti Elve and Dwarve messanges. Alice is brought into a hospital to recover.

The friends hide in the Anvil Tavern and hatch a plan to catch the true murderes and stop the persecution. In disquise and with the help of Seraph Pasha the friends get into the palace, where a masquerade is taking place. Othello and Cress cause a distraction, by prepping the drinks, while Fletcher and Sylva sneek into the throne room, where Alfics Mite is located. The plan is to read from Jeffreys journal. In the journal Jeffry reveals, that Zacharias Forsyth and Damian Rook are behind Rufus murder and countless other crimes, wich were supposedly committed by Dwarves. Forsyth and Rook confront Fletcher and Sylva in the thron room and attack them in order to make them stop reading. Fletcher faces them, while Sylva continues reading. To agitate Fletcher, Fosyth reveals to him, that he was the one to betray Fletchers parents, resulting in Edmund Raleighs death and Alices madness. Enraged, Fletcher fires three attack spells at Forsyth, knocking him out in the process. Rook then fires a fire spell at Fletcher, hitting him, but doing no damage, discovering that Fletcher is imnune to fire, thanks to Ignatius. Rook gets knocked out as well and he and Forsyth are taken captive by Fletcher in Sylva. The two regroup with Othello and Cress and deliver their prisoners to King Harold, who, now having evidence thanks to Jeffreys journal, can now sententce them to prison.

Having proven their inocence and averted a new persecution of Dwarves and Elves, Fletcher can now take up his position as Count of Raleighshire. He offers the former residece of Pelt and a goup of 50 Dwarves, including Othellos sister Thassia and her husband Millo, to live in Raleighshire. With the help of Sir Caudler Fletcher also recruits 32 soldiers, a mix of humans, dwarves and elves. He later names them the Foxes.

When they reach the ruins of Raleightown the settlers start to rebuild it. Fletchers army is joined by Rotherham, Genevieve and Rory, who serve as his officers. There are some tensions between the different races in Fletchers troops, but he manages to resolve them. The peace in Raleighshire dose not last long however. Didric Cavell shows up, with his army, to escort the Forsyth soldiers, who, thus far, guarded the border to the orclands, out of Raleighshire. Didric imideatly initiates a conflict, but retreats as soone as Fletcher and his soldiers threaten to open fire. Fletcher decides, by himself, to send the Forsyth soldiers home.

Shortly after the confrontation with Didric, Fletcher and his troop march towards the border. When they arrive they find the Forsyth camp in ruins and the soldiers dead, the only surviver being Mason. Almost immediately after they found him, a huge army of Goblins attacks. Fletcher and his troop try to hold them of. They survive the first wave, but not without casualties. During this first battle a huge group of Gremlin refugees, led by Blue arrives. The Gremlin warriors help to fight the goblins from here on out. Seeing as they cannot beat such a huge army in a direct battle, Fletcher comes up with some traps, while Genevieve and Rory use their Mites, beetle like demons, to call for backup. They lure the goblins in a small canyon and shoot at them with muskets. They burn a manchineel tree to blind them and also manage to kill the Phantaur, an elephant like demon. Despite all that, they cannot manage to defeat the goblin army. Fletchers army suffers great loses, including Rory. Fletcher realises that they need to retreat and evacuate Raleightown. Caulder and Rotherham decide to hold the goblins off as long as possible, giving their live for Raleighshire. With the help of Berdon Fletcher tries to evacuate Raleighshire, but they are to slow and the goblins catch up to them quickly. Fletcher readies his remaining soldiers, prepareing to fight a losing battle, to buy time for the civilians to escape, when suddenly a Dwarf army arrives. The army is led by Cress, Othello and his twin brother Atilla, who recived Genevieves call for help. Atilla manages to put the goblins to flight, by setting off a huge, magical explosion, but gets killed in the process.

Fletcher gets no time to mourn the death of his friends and comrades, as he is told by Cress and Othello, that King Harold needs him at the frontline. Khan has appeared, riding on a Dragon, the final form of the metermorphosis a Salamander can go through. Seeing that Fletcher is immune to fire, he is the only one who can challenge Khan, without being turned to ashes instandly. Despite him and Ignatius being badly injured, Fletcher immediately leaves for the frontline. He and Ignatius are healed by Atillas Caladrius, which is carring out his masters last order.

When Fletche arrives at the frontline he finds less of a battle and more of a massacer. Hominums troops have been pushed all the way back to Vocans Academy and are terribly outnumbered. Fletcher quickly spotts Khan and taunts him, so that he will attack Fletcher instead of Hominums soldiers. It works and Fletcher finds himself face to face with the Orc leader. During the battle, Fletcher is aided by Sylva, riding on Lysander, as well as Lovett and Ophelia Faversham, the only members of the Celestial Corps that are still able to fight. They engage Khan in an all out attack. Lovett and Ophelia get knocked out of the sky by the Dragon, killing Ophelia in the process. Fletcher, Sylva and Khan, together with their respective Demons, crash through the glass roof of Vocans. Khans Dragon breaks his neck during the fall and dies, while the others are badly injured. Khan and Fletcher get back up rather quickly and begin dueling each other. At first Khan has the upper hand, untill Sylva rams a blade into his side. Fletcher uses the gained momentum to throw a lightning spell at Khan, knocking the Orc off of his feet, before cutting of his head. A barely conscious Sylva manages to heal the dying Ignatius, before they leave the Academy, to disover that the battle is won.

The book ends in an Epiloge, taking place one month later. Old King Alfric was killed by an Orc during the final battle, leaving Harold as the only ruler of Hominum. Harold uses this new found power to finally punish the familys Forsyth, Faversham and Cavell. All three have to pay heavy fines, which are used to rebuild the country. This leaves the Cavells so poor, that they need to leave towards Swazulu. The Beartooth Mountains, formerly owned by the Cavells and Favershams are given to the Dwarves, who start to bulid settlements there. All of that is told during the wedding of Arcturus and Lovett, held in Raleightshire. Shortly after the newly weds left for the capital, Berdon shows up, he is accompanied by Fletchers Mother, Alice, who has recovered from her madness. When he sees her, Fletcher bursts into tears, befor they enter the repaired Raleight mansion together.

## Characters

* Fletcher Raleigh
* Sylva Arlenia
* Othello Thorsager
* Harold Corwin
* Arcturus
* Elaine Lovett
* Zacharias Forsyth
* Damian Rook
* Didric Cavell
* Khan

## Special content

* Certain hardback first editions in English include:
	+ The Battle of Vocans

## External links

* The Battlemage's official site
* Excerpt