The Prodigal Sorcerer

The Prodigal Sorcerer is the sixth released Magic novel. It was published in October 1995 by HarperPrism and was written by Mark Sumner.

Plot
Human leader Tagard Tarngold devises a plan that could bring harmony to his war-ravaged home, a valley where three races—the Viashino, the Garan, and the Humans—have lived in perpetual strife for centuries.

Summary
Tagard Tarngold, his daughter Talli and his general Karelon climb up the mountain at the center of the Valley of Tamingazin to appeal for help from the Institute of Arcane Study. They seek the aid of a wizard to end the war that has been waged between the three races living in the valley. The human and Garan elves have already united. Tagard now convinces Alligarius Timni to accompany him to defeat Berimish, the largest Viashino city and the last city in the valley to fall. Timni first is reluctant, as the Institute of Arcane Study rarely meddles in the valley below, but Tagard reasons that the Magewall was an interference and that this is for the betterment of the valley.

Bored with 100 years of study, Timni agrees and uses magic to have the army sneak into the castle and take the city without bloodshed. The former city bey, Lisolo, is invited to sit on the city's council with Tagard, Talli, Karelon and the Garan leader Rael Gar. Karelon and Rael Gar do not approve of a Viashino on the council, but Tagard believes it necessary for the city's peace. The city boards tens of thousands while their military might that took the city is a mere thousand.

Talli recruits the Garan Elf Recin to be her guide around Berimish. Recin, his mother Janin and aunt, Getin, are exiles in Berimish and the only Garan family in the city. They operate a bakery and are well liked by the Viashino in the city. Talli is reluctant to hire an elf, but has even more tension with hiring a Viashino, as her mother was killed by a Viashino. During their tours of the large city, she warms to the elf boy (who is quite close to her age), and to the Viashino culture, especially the woodcarving in their temple.

Alligarius Timni becomes restless after helping them secure the city. He is sent to do minor improvements, such as using magic to aid in refuse removal or keeping the city streets clean. Ursal Daleel, ambassador to Hemarch Solin from the nearby country of Suderbod notices his menial work and befriends him. Meanwhile, he deviously hooks Timni up with drugs produced in Suderbod.

Tagard Tarngold is assassinated with a Viashino crossbow immediately after being declared king and bey, and Karelon assumes power. Karelon and her men find Recin with the crossbow and accuses him of being the assassin. Karelon is later revealed to have been part of the conspiracy to kill Tagard, and she starts an open xenophobic war against the Viashino in the city and against the soldiers from Farson Hold who are loyal to Talli. Talli teams up with Lisolo, despite her own prejudice towards the viashino, and eventually manages to defeat Karelon. During the fighting Rael Gar is killed and it is revealed that he had usurped Recin's mother's position as leader of the elves. His replacement allows Recin's family back into their community.

During this time Ursal Daleel and Alligarius Timni disappear. Talli learns that Timni has stolen the Magewall Hub and has defected to the nation of Suderbod. With the Hub Aligarius can turn off the Magewall and enable the Suder to invade Tamingazin. Talli sends Kitrin, a young wizard from the Institute, and Recin to find Timni in Suderbod. The two get captured by the Suder, but manage to escape with the help of the now drugs-befuzzled and repentant Timni.

The Suder army attacks with thousands of En'Jaga. Their first wave is met with fierce resistance. The En'Jaga and humans both suffer heavy casualies. The humans retreat to see another wave of En'Jaga emerge. Just as a rout of Talli's forces is imminent, the returned Timni manages to restore the Magewall and the advancing armies are stopped.