Spirit of Vengeance - 14. Ch 14: Chosen

CHAPTER 14: Chosen

War had broken out against the Seven Cities. Non-mages, humans without magic from the Northern Kingdoms, had come into the Mage Lands and attacked the city of Arantiva. The battle was almost lost if not for the heroic deeds of a few of the city’s inhabitants.

“It’s getting bad out there, isn’t it?” Matty asked. His hands were intertwined with mine. Despite everything that’s happened, I found myself liking Matty more and more, especially through the many weeks I spent nursing him back to full health. His experience in the Hoarfrost Caverns had left him weak but he had recovered well enough and looked like his old self again.

We decided to give things a shot and ever since then, it was like I always had a reason to smile. I promised to myself before that I would protect Matty. Now, I promised to myself that I would treasure him too.

We were once more at our favorite spot, at the cliff surrounded by waterfalls and overlooking Malden. Matty continued to speak when there was only silence. “I heard from one of the journeymen that a lot of people died in the attack against Arantiva last month. I think one of the trainees in my form actually had family who lived there. She’s worried about them.”

“You say that man was asking for aid from us to help Arantiva?” Nathan asked me.

I nodded. “He was. He was sent by that Magister Aenhol fellow who helped Matty when he first arrived in Malden.”

“I liked that Jorik fellow,” Ernie said with a smile. “Matty kept pestering me to go with him to visit you down there at the cave. He seemed to be under the impression that I could charm the sentries up top to letting us through – like that’s ever gonna happen. I went with him anyway just to keep him out of trouble. It was quite a surprise when that man came bursting out of the water screaming. Best day I’ve had in awhile.”

“Don’t remind me,” I said with a groan. “He was screaming the entire way up. I sincerely wished the water drowned out his voice but if anything it felt like it was louder.”

“He must not be used to magic,” Ernie mused. “I remember how pale he looked when you finally surfaced with him. He was clutching his heart like he was about to faint. And you were cruel. You could have at least maintained the spell that would keep water off his clothes.”

“I was trying to,” I said with a laugh. “But he kept shouting and thrashing about. I was focusing on keeping him breathing underwater without choking him myself just to keep him quiet.”

“He must be the first non-mage to ever enter Malden,” Nathan wondered aloud.

“Probably the last too,” Ernie said with a frown. “I heard The Lady wasn’t pleased at all when he came to the Arborium.”

“Where do you hear these things?” Matty asked with a laugh. “None of the people in my form know anything of what happened.”

“I’ll tell you a secret, Matty,” Ernie said as he leaned in conspiratorially. “Journeymen are the world’s biggest gossips.” I chuckled at the truth of those words. “Well, I’m right, right? I mean they have this whole secrecy thing when you’re a trainee, never allowed to know more than you should, blah, blah, blah. When you become a journeyman, it’s like they give you permission to finally talk about anything as long as it hasn’t got anything to do with the Rites or tasks assigned by The Lady. All those years of pent up silence just comes back with a loud vengeance.”

“I still can’t believe we didn’t help though,” I said with a frown. “I thought we would. Aren’t we here to combat the Darkness?”

“Well they weren’t exactly Undead, were they?” Ernie asked, probably not noticing my emphasis on the word Darkness. “Our purpose has always been to keep the forces of the Dead at bay. From what we’ve heard, Arantiva was attacked by non-mages. Humans and their machines. It really had nothing to do with us.”

“Still though…” I persisted.

“Besides,” Ernie said. “News from our scouts show that Arantiva managed just fine.”

“If you consider thousands of people dying and entire plains getting scorched as fine,” Nathan said.

“They’re alive and that’s what matters,” Ernie insisted.

“Not those thousands of people,” Nathan replied calmly. He was twisting a blade of grass in his hands as he often did. “Even I wonder how much of a difference a few hundred Water Mages would make in a fight like that. We’re few in number, yes. But there is a huge difference with us especially once we’ve taken the Rites. Like Sam said, he’s never felt stronger than before. What was it you said again exactly? You feel unstoppable? Like you can lift the seas and move them elsewhere if you wanted?”

“We’re not given our powers so that we can help everybody,” Ernie said. “The Lords of the Dead are also gaining power. They say dark clouds are now persistent over their citadels in the Eastern Territories. Ever since the battle at Arantiva, magic has been pulsing from their lands. That’s a sure sign that they are planning something, and probably very soon. We need to prepare for their arrival. If we weakened ourselves before that time, we might lose.”

Nathan shrugged like he’d had enough of the conversation.

I was the first one to notice the subtle change in the air – a pulse in the water indicating magic at work. My heightened senses were a product of having received The Lady’s blessings. Ernie and Nathan looked towards the same spot I was staring at a few moments later though I wasn’t sure if it was because they sensed the magic or if they just noticed me looking towards a different direction.

“Is that your uncle?” Ernie asked. “If he asks, tell him I was practicing all night in the courtyard, alright?”

“What?” I asked, having no idea what he was talking about. Again, I felt the subtle change in the water in the air.

“I think he wants us to come down,” Nathan said.

“How do you guys know?” Matty asked with a frown.

“You’ll get there, Little Man,” Ernie chuckled as he ruffled his hair playfully. Matty just pulled away annoyed.

“Stop calling me little,” Matty said with a frown.

“Aww, did I hurt your little feelings?” Ernie taunted.

A third wave came, this one stronger than before. I could even see the subtle changes in the waterfalls around us – the way they slowed as though to get our attention.

“I think we should get down there,” I said as I stood up. “I think something important is happening.”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Samuel, pack a small bag with food and clothes for two days,” my uncle said immediately once we’d reached him. “Meet me immediately at the stables once you are ready.”

“What’s wrong, master?” I asked. With others around, I could not call him uncle.

“Don’t ask questions now,” he replied sternly. “Do as you are told and quickly please.”

I looked at my friends who seemed lost as to what was happening. Matty was looking worriedly at me. “I’ll see you all later, okay?”

It only took me about fifteen minutes to get everything I needed and to meet my uncle in the stables. He was there with Devon who was preparing two horses for travel.

“Devon,” I called out with a smile. “What are you doing here?”

“Sam,” he greeted with a nod but something about his gesture seemed forced. It was like he was trying to maintain a smile to hide his worry. “You’re going on a little trip with Master Archer. Are you ready?”

“What’s going on?” I asked. “Something happened, didn’t it?”

“Not here,” my uncle said in a way of an answer. He mounted his horse and prepared to head out of the stables.

“You best hurry,” Devon said indicating I should do the same.

“Devon,” I whispered. “What’s going on? Master Archer is behaving strangely.”

Devon looked around like he was making sure no one was listening. “Your uncle will explain everything once you’re out of the city, okay?” His use of the familiar term for my uncle instead of the more formal one meant he was worried. “Just go with him for now. Take care of yourself.” He helped me onto my horse. “And take care of your uncle. Be safe.”

The way they were behaving made me nervous. It was compounded when we reached the swirling lake that was the only way into and out of Malden. According to the sentry stationed there, Devon and I were supposed to leave as was advised to them by Grand Master Assero. My uncle dismissed it saying there was a change of plans and that he was the one to accompany me. As the Master of the Academy, the sentries did not question him.

We headed out of Malden and my uncle wasted no time as he hurried away. Even as we exited the lake at the bottom of the mountain, he barely lingered for two seconds before he led our horses out of the cave and into the bright sun. We made our way through the trees until we reached the familiar road that connected mage cities and towns. He broke into a gallop and I forced my horse to keep up with his. No words were spoken the entire time as he led me farther and farther away from Malden.

“Uncle!” I shouted to him. “Please stop!”

He slowed his horse and turned to me with a frown. “What is it?” he asked.

What is it? I had half a mind to glare angrily at him but knew that would have gotten us nowhere. Still, I maintained a calm demeanour as I spoke to him. “Uncle, what are we doing? Why are we forcing the horses like this?”

“They can handle the strain,” my uncle said as he continued riding, albeit at a much slower trot.

“Pardon me but I’m confused,” I said. “I have no idea what’s going on. If you could just explain it to me then I would have a much easier time riding with you. As it stands, I have no idea where we are going or why.”

My uncle remained silent as our horses trotted side by side. It seemed to take him forever to think and I wondered if I had somehow offended him in some way. I wondered if he was perhaps returning me home because he was unhappy with something. We were after all moving in that direction. But then again he hasn’t given me the slightest indication that he was unhappy with my performance. As far as I knew, everything was fine.

“Devon has just been informed by The Lady that your brother has been chosen,” my uncle finally replied. “He was to leave with you today in order to take your brother back to Malden.”

“Little Joe? Chosen?” I asked with excitement. “To be a Water Mage? Well, that’s great news!”

“Think about it, Samuel,” he said sternly and it felt like he was reprimanding me for not seeing the obvious. “Do you not find anything strange about that?”

I stared at him for a moment wondering if he had some kind of prejudice against Little Joe. Then again, I didn’t think he did. His stoic behavior was simply the way he was. So, I thought about it and I realized that some things were… unusual.

“It’s a very unusual time for new trainees to be brought to the Academy,” I said after a moment. As far as I’ve heard none of the other journeymen are preparing to make a trip anywhere.”

My uncle nodded. “What else?”

“It’s also strange that he would send two to get Little Joe,” I said. “As far as I knew, it’s always just one journeyman coming to get a new trainee unless it was with a family that knew nothing about us. That had always been tradition.”

My uncle nodded again. “Anything more?”

More? I thought about it. What else was there? And then I frowned at the biggest thing that was wrong in the situation. “Little Joe is not a Water Mage,” I said. My uncle nodded confirming my thoughts. “He told me before that he wanted to become a Runesmith. He’s good at Earth Magic but he’s never been that good, much less exceptional, in Water Magic.”

“Which worries me,” my uncle said. “Why would The Lady have said that you must accompany Devon on this trip? Why not just send Devon? And to go to someone who clearly has insufficient aptitude for Water Magic? Something’s wrong with the entire situation.”

“The Lady doesn’t know you are here with me, does she?” I asked quietly.

“She probably does by now,” my uncle replied. “The fact that she hasn’t done anything yet to stop me makes me wonder if I am meant to be here with you.”

I frowned. “You think something bad has happened back home?”

“Yes,” my uncle said bluntly.

“My apologies, uncle,” I said. “I know I asked for us to slow down but now that I understand the situation, could we please hurry?”

My uncle nodded and without responding pushed his horse into a gallop. I followed him and rode hard down the road. We encountered a few people on horses also but most of them just got out of our way. I could feel some of them giving us disapproving stares as we pushed our horses hard. Of course, they didn’t know that our horses weren’t just ordinary horses.

We rode through the night, ignoring everything but our need to reach our destination as quickly as possible. The more time passed by, the more worried I was. My uncle clearly worried about it and he was never the type to act rashly. He was always calm except for a few times I could remember. To see him agitated like this doubled my concerns.

It had taken us a few hours less than when we travelled to Alba before to visit my family. Nonetheless, it was well over a day’s travel by the time we started reaching the borders that led to my village.

“Hold,” my uncle said as he pulled his horse to a stop. I stopped mine just a second slower than his.

“What is it?” I asked and answered my own question through my own eyes. “Is that a man?”

Someone was coming towards us. He was still a long way off but I could see his distinct shape at the end of the road. The trouble was it looked like he had three legs.

“Stay close to me and be ready for anything,” my uncle said as I felt him gather magic. I did the same and strengthened my body against any blows which may come. I also extended my senses testing the water in the air for any changes that might indicate movement around us. There was nothing moving near us as far as I could tell except for the three legged man.

We approached him on a steady pace. The closer I got to look at him, the more the sense of dread filled me.

The man was splattered in blood. The front of his shirt looked like someone had slashed blood across it. His face and hands were covered in dirt like he had rolled in the mud. He was bleeding from several spots that clearly looked like his wounds. He was leaning heavily on a crutch which was a branch that had fallen from a tree. The reason he was leaning on a crutch was because he was missing a leg which just ended in a stump right where the knee should have been.

He was staring emptily forward. I wasn’t sure if he could even see us. It was like his steps were mechanical.

“Are you alright?” my uncle called out when the man was within hearing distance of us.

The man stopped and turned his head towards us. He half-opened his mouth, moaned and collapsed on the ground.

My uncle turned to me with a stern look. “Be ready for anything,” he said just before dismounting. He carefully approached the other man who from what I could tell was also a mage. He looked too weak to do anything though.

My uncle assisted the man so he could sit up. He offered a drink but the man just shook his head no. “What happened?” my uncle asked.

“He came,” he said, his voice wheezing like he was sick. “The Dead King came.”

“The Dead King?” my uncle asked with a frown. I listened attentively while maintaining my senses on the surroundings. There was still nothing anywhere near us that was moving.

The man nodded slowly. “He came. He destroyed everything. He killed everyone. He made me watch,” the man looked up at my uncle with hysterical eyes. “He made me watch like I had to see.” The man wept and shook as my uncle tried to support him.

“Where did you come from?” my uncle asked in a soft voice as though he did not want me to hear.

Nonetheless I heard the man’s response. “A village not far from here,” he replied. “Alba.”

I released a gasp prompting my uncle to look at me. I stared at the man trying to see if I heard correctly.

“Alba,” the man repeated as he stared at me in despair. “He came. The Dead King came and killed everyone.”

“Samuel,” my uncle said as though he was warning me. “Don’t do anything foolish.”

Foolish? Of course I wouldn’t do anything foolish.

I turned my horse and fled towards Alba.

“Samuel, stop!” my uncle shouted. I felt the magic in the air as though it was condensing, thickening to impede my progress.

I slashed my hand forward, the one on which The Lady’s bracelet was on. I felt the magic emanate from the bracelet as everything got pushed away from me. The shield my uncle was trying to create to slow me shattered. The trees all around us splintered and flew in every direction. The injured man moaned and hugged the ground to shield himself from the debris.

Still I rode forward, only slightly impressed by the magic the bracelet had done. I needed to get to Alba. I needed to see what happened.

I saw the smoke before the village itself and my heart grew heavy. As I cleared the forest, I nearly fell off my horse as I saw my village.

It was flattened. All the buildings in every direction were gone, nothing but their foundation and debris left. Some houses still burned and everywhere I looked, I could see corpses – bodies strewn everywhere. Many of them looked uninjured but their open, pained and unmoving eyes gave testimony to what they had endured.

I rode through, trying to control the growing feeling in my stomach. I rode through ignoring the smell of smoke and death. I released a strangled gasp when I saw my home.

It was in ruins. The chimney that was used to filter the smoke from baking bread was lying on the ground. The barn had been completely obliterated and some parts of the house were still smoking.

“Mother!” I shouted as I entered what was left of my home. “Father! Little Joe!” I rummaged through the debris. Everything was totally destroyed. The kitchen seemed to be the most unaffected so I headed there first.

I fell to my knees when I saw who was lying on the floor. “Mother… no…” I said as I saw her staring up at me, her face contorted in pain. Tear tracks still stained her cheeks as her eyes looked up at me, so very still. I held her in my arms willing her to move, to say anything.

I heard footsteps behind followed by my uncle’s voice. “By the Lady’s will… what happened here? Samuel, is she?”

My tears wouldn’t stop. “She’s gone.”

I heard my uncle walk over and he knelt down beside me. I couldn’t look up at him. My uncle’s voice was choked as he continued. “We will give her a proper burial later, Samuel. There’s nothing more we can do for her now.” He closed my mother’s eyes. “Have… have you seen your father?”

I shook my head no.

“Then there’s still hope,” he said as he stood up and looked through all the debris.

I wanted to block out my emotions. I wanted to rid myself of the pain like I had back in the Hoarfrost Caverns when it was becoming too much. And then I realized something odd. Through my empathy, I could sense the tendril that led to my uncle. He was furious. Despite his almost calm and empathic demeanour, he was furious underneath. I had never seen him or anyone that angry, not even Lance. His fury provided a balm for the wounds I was feeling inside.

And then, there was another. A very faint tendril leading from me to…

“Little Joe’s room,” I said as hope sprouted within me. “Someone’s alive in Little Joe’s room.”

My uncle stared at me for no more than a second before he rushed through the house. I followed him quickly making my way through all the fallen pieces of the roof.

“Sam, come quickly!” my uncle said just as I reached what would have been the doorway to my brother’s room.

My father was there. He was bleeding from several spots. It looked like he had been in a fight and had lost badly. A large chunk of the roof had fallen and impaled him through the stomach. It was a miracle he was still alive. I could feel magic at work, as though something or someone was keeping him alive.

“Father!” I shouted as I knelt down beside him.

His eyes flickered weakly. Slowly, they opened and they turned to me. “Sam,” he whispered.

“We have to get him help,” I told my uncle.

When my uncle looked at me, there was despair in his eyes. He shook his head as though to say it’s too late.

“Sam,” my father said again.

“I’m here, father,” I said as I knelt down beside him. I took his hand in mine which were changing color already as though it had already started rotting. His fingers were so cold.

“They took him, Sam,” he said.

“What?” I asked.

“They took him,” my father whispered. “Little Joe. They took him. I tried to…” he coughed and blood trickled from his mouth.

“Brother,” my uncle said. “You must… you need rest.” His voice betrayed what he really felt.

“Get him back,” my father whispered. For a moment, he squeezed my hand with his cold fingers and then he was gone as though the magic keeping him there was released into the air.

“Father,” I whispered, shaking the hand that was clasped in mind. He was staring up at me, no life left in his eyes. “Father, don’t go.”

“Sam,” my uncle urged. His tears were flowing freely now. His voice was strained like he didn’t really believe what he was going to say. “Sam, it’s going to be okay.”

“No!” I shouted as the pain in me grew. “No!” I shouted as I felt anguish and despair. “No!” I shouted as the earth began to shake.

“Sam,” my uncle called urgently. The house was shaking. The ceiling coming lose but instead of falling down upon our heads, they were floating upwards as though some force was suspending them up into the air.

“No!” I shouted as I felt my skin burn and magic surge through every pore. “No!”

The house splintered. The earth broke as water started rising from the very ground. Trees all around us tumbled and broke, floating, flying into the air as though the whole world was turning upside down.

“Control yourself, Samuel,” my uncle said sternly. It was the voice he always used when disciplining a student. But, I didn’t care. All I cared about was the pain, the loss.

“No!” I screamed as the world rose before me, fury surging within like a dam waiting to burst.

Something cold spread across my chest just before I was hurled backwards through a weakened wall. Suddenly, the whole house fell in on itself as everything returned to the earth. The trees fell showering everything with leaves. The roof finally gave way and fell over us all and I slumped to the ground, uncertain what I really felt.

“Samuel!” my uncle called out. I heard him moving debris around before his face appeared before me. “Samuel! What happened? Are you alright?”

My breathing was oddly calm. The tears on my cheeks had stopped falling. I stood up.

“Samuel,” my uncle said uncertainly.

“Something’s different,” I said. It was like I was empty and hollow and then something suddenly filled the void that had been made within me when my father and mother died.

“What’s different?” my uncle asked.

“There’s something…” I whispered, “inside me.” I could hear it, whispering, calming, and inciting emotions that felt foreign, yet familiar at the same time.

My uncle frowned. “What do you mean?”

I blinked and it was gone. I turned to him. “We must head back to Malden at once.” I started making my way through the debris.

“Samuel,” my uncle called in a confused tone. “Your… your parents. We must give them a proper funeral.”

“They are gone now,” I said, feeling oddly calm. “And we have things to do and not much time to do them.”

“Do this properly!” my uncle shouted, anger evident in his voice. “You can only do this once. You do not want to look back on this day and regret it for the rest of your life.”

I looked back at him. It was obvious he was furious. Somehow, I didn’t feel anything for what he said. I didn’t care if I had to bury my parents or not. Yet, my uncle was a powerful man that could make things difficult for me if I didn’t cooperate.

“Okay,” I agreed.

The burial was simple and in all honesty took longer than what I would have wanted. It was like my uncle didn’t want to let go of my father. It’s not like my parents were still there in the ground. They were gone now, taken by an enemy I knew only as The Dead King.

You have things to do…

“I have things to do, uncle,” I whispered in as comforting a voice as I could manage. “The Lady must be told of what has happened.”

My uncle stared at me as though he was seeing me for the very first time. It looked like he wanted to say a lot of things. Nonetheless, he nodded and we made our way back to Malden.

NEXT CHAPTER: Ch 15: Vengeance
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