Mage- The Guardian's Oath

by S A Edwards

  “Now,” Yithan said, “who are you, and why does Sil want me to bring you in?”

  “Sil what?” I asked. “You were going to leave us. Why did you change your mind?”

  “The sign you saw back at the beach.”

  I thought of the pattern of swirling water between us and the boat, flawless, almost red with the sunset. “That wasn’t you?”

  “That was Sil. Now what does the Seeker want with you?”

  I opened my mouth to speak but closed it again.

  A huge compound, blue as the water, towered ahead. Almost like a castle, its size more than doubled that of my home village, the turrets at the back half-hidden by the immediate bulk. The same symbol we saw back at the shore twisted across the sides, glittering under the early moonlight, and foam like the waves shifted across the surface. A tall, narrow arch opened before us, the bottom disappearing in the sea.

  The boat slowed, sliding beneath it like water on marble.

  A short way inside, intricate patterns covered the edges of a thick dock, and a male figure stood on smooth floor.

  Clothed in a long, navy cloak, the Mage clasped his hands in front of him. Mesmerising eyes of the deepest sapphire-blue sparkled with the energy pulsing around him. His dark skin reflected the colour of the sea, and a single crystal the colour of his eyes hung round his neck.

  The boat touched the edge of the dock and came to a standstill.

  Yithan stepped out. They placed their hands on one another’s shoulder, and Yithan briefly bowed his head. “Sil.” He lowered his hand. “What is going on? These children are not Healers and a Seeker –”

  “I am well aware of the situation, Yithan. I thank you for bringing them here.”

  “But –”

  “Please. Give me a moment with them.” Sil’s eyes settled on me.

  Yithan glanced between the two of us, incredulity etched into his expression, before shifting away into the Capital.

  “Welcome back,” Sil said.

  I staggered onto the dock, the ground clear like the water and twisting like the waves. “You sent the sign?”

  He nodded. “It was the only way Yithan would give you his aid.”

  “But, how did you know –”

  “You were out there?” Sil beamed at Charlie clambering on to the dock. The boat rocked wildly, but a wave of Sil’s hand brought it steady. “There is more to being a Healer than merely healing people. When you didn’t arrive at the shore the other day, I worried. You must have been through a great deal.”

  “You could say that.”

  His crystal flashed in the moonlight.

  “You’re like Vitora? An Elder?” I asked.

  “That’s right. I am sure you have questions, but we can address them tomorrow.” He rested a hand on Lallana’s shoulder. “I am glad to find you safe, Lallana, Charlie.”

  Charlie glanced at me. “Thank you.”

  “You know their names?” I asked.

  Lallana tugged on her hair, her attention fixed on the bobbing boat.

  “Custos told me they were travelling with you,” Sil said. “Come now. Rest. You are safe here.”

  *

  Watery swirls curled and twisted of their own accord in the walls throughout the Capital. The moons shone through the open roof over the silent courtyard, and my footsteps tapped on the smooth ground. The place seemed empty in my exploration, much like the Refiner Capital, but I couldn’t sleep with the knowledge of the waiting Seeker nearby. Not even Yithan turned up again, and I wondered if he had left.

  Sil had swiftly provided me a clean blue tunic with brown belt, black trousers, navy cloak, and fresh boots, and separate green and black outfits for Charlie and Lallana. Based on mine being different, I guessed they were made of magic, too, designed to work in harmony with my gift.

  A tree rested in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by black chasma: the strongest material in the land. A large fountain stood some distance from it. Water tumbled from the centre, dropping into a pool far below, the bottom impossible to make out. I sat on the smooth edge of the fountain, enjoying the soft feel of my new clothes, and watched the pool rippling like the waves, like the sea.

  Each separate drop had its own glimmer and unique shape. Their splashes in the pool rang out like music.

  “It’s mesmerising, isn’t it?”

  I jumped and whirled.

  Sil sat beside me, an amused smile tugging on his lips. His cloak hung from his shoulders, sleek against the smooth ground.

  My cheeks flushed. “I didn’t hear you.”

  “You wouldn’t, not once the water has you.” He took my hand and pulled me away from the edge. “The same happened last time you were here.”

  I frowned. “And … How many times has that been exactly?”

  “This will be the seventh.”

  I pulled my hand back. “Right. Because I’ve died six times.”

  “Still hasn’t sank in?”

  My lips tightened, and I didn’t reply. Seven lives weren’t an easy tale to believe.

  “Give it time. Things will get easier.”

  My eyes flickered back to the fountain. “I doubt it. The Seekers are constantly hunting. I’m not sure they’ll ever stop.”

  Shivers carried along my arms. My scene blurred, and the fountain melted away. I gasped, staring at the new stars reaching across the sky. High-rising rocks framed them on all sides, eerie under the moons’ crimson glow. Seven glowing balls rushed toward the centre, glowing trails of colour burning behind them.

  My breath caught in my throat.

  They crashed together, the sound resounding in my ears. Blinding light filled the scene.

  Splashing cut through the explosion, and the fountain’s drops drifted back into view. I stared at them, breathing heavy.

  “Clara?”

  I staggered back, sinking down on the fountain’s rim.

  Sil’s sapphire eyes bored into mine, reflecting the water. “You had a vision.”

  I gaped at him. “You saw it, too?”

  “Nay. But I recognise the Sight when I see one.” He perched next to me. “Tell me about it.”

  I studied his features, wondering if he could help me make sense of it. “I was in … I don’t know. There was rock everywhere, and a hole in the roof, and the moons … they were red –”

  “The Crimson Moons,” he muttered, gaze shifting to the pool. “You saw the Collision.”

  “I … Yes.” My brow furrowed. “How could you know about that?”

  “The Alignment has only happened once before, and only then, have the moons turned crimson.”

  “The Alignment?”

  “That is the true name of the Collision, but many refer to it as The Darkening because of the dark potential it holds.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “The glowing balls you witnessed. They are the comets: pure magic. The very land we live on was created from parts of them when they last collided. When the Alignment takes place, the comets’ magic becomes more tangible than ever before. With the right knowledge and with great power, it can be harnessed, wielded. With it, the possibilities are unending, and in the wrong hands, the consequences would be devastating.”

  “But what has this to do with me?”

  “The last collision occurred back in the Dark Ages when we lived in the old land. It was then that the Dalrene, or the Ancients as some call them, travelled to this land and gained their gifts: one each. But as the Guardian of Magic, you were given all seven when you took your oath. If you are seeing visions of the Alignment, then they are linked. The Collision will mark the end of your covenant.”

  “And when is that?”

  “A couple of months.”

  “Then will the Seekers stop hunting me?”

  He shook his head, and any hope I held diminished.

  “You had two thousand years to complete your oath, reborn three hundred years after you were killed. You were bound to make mistakes in that time. Even once i
t is complete, you cannot undo the past.”

  “I want nothing to do with it,” I said. “It’s killed so many that I love. I just want to go home and have a normal life.”

  “You don’t have a choice.”

  “I always have a choice. This is a new life. I have new desires.” I stared at the water, refusing to meet his eyes.

  He ran his hand through his short, black hair. “You weren’t this reluctant last time.”

  “Well, I – Wait,” – my gaze snapped to his – “if this is the seventh time we’ve met, with three hundred years between each life, then you must be … How old are you?” I had guessed early thirties.

  He laughed. “Oh, much older than I care to count.”

  “So, you’re saying I’ve got the rest of my life to run from the Seekers or get killed, as well as fulfilling a covenant I have no memory of taking?”

  His lips tightened.

  “The Council control the Seekers,” I said.

  “No one controls the Seekers. They just present them with the list.”

  “But they can call off the hunt.” I stood, hope blossoming again.

  “Clara,” – he grabbed my wrist – “they won’t give you a pardon. You’ve had five lives since the incident, and no matter how many generations of the Council pass away, none of them have agreed to release you.”

  “But –”

  “Your best chance is to figure out what the Collision has to do with your oath and act on it. Have a look in the library. Books contain more wisdom than you could gather in one lifetime.”

  “Yes, well, seven lifetimes haven’t made a difference there, have they?”

  21

  “Yithan tells me he offered to be your mentor.” Sil said. “Did he show you how to use your gift?”

  “No. Well, kind of. I watched him a bit and could sort of sense how weak people were, but I still don’t know how to use it.”

  “Look at the water,” he instructed.

  I obeyed.

  “What do you see?”

  “Everything. The droplets … they …” They were distinct, cascading to the sea and dancing on the surface before merging in the ripples.

  “Every gift is controlled by an emotion,” he said.

  “Which one?”

  “You tell me.”

  I peered at him.

  He gave me a gentle smile but revealed nothing. Then, he pushed me.

  The water drowned my scream. It was freezing and gripped my muscles, constricting my chest. The current pulled me further down, toward the depths. I flailed, trying to reach the surface, but couldn’t separate myself from the flow. My lungs strained for air.

  Why? The Capital was a haven. We were supposed to be safe.

  I fought harder. Water whirled around me, stinging my nose, my eyes. I couldn’t go down like this. Whatever that crazy Mage’s game was, I would not leave Charlie and Lallana to his mercy. I would make them safe, by giving my life if need be. I loved them too much to –

  The water slowed.

  Light streaked through the sea like a new world, illuminating the drops spinning round each other like a dance. I could sense every one, every molecule that didn’t belong. Water pulsed around me, caressing my skin.

  My lungs relaxed, and my hand stretched out. The droplets shimmered at my touch, vibrating with energy, moving under my thoughts.

  Water swirled before me, mimicking the patterns that adorned the walls above. The current released its hold, and with a flick of my wrists, propelled me upward.

  My head broke the surface. I inhaled deeply and continued to rise, secured by the grip of the water. It released my hair, my cheeks, my clothes. Warmth flooded me, dragged in from the air. Droplets from the fountain peak soared toward me and circled my body.

  Sil stood at the edge, hands clasped together, a smile on his face.

  Realisation dawned on me.

  “The emotion is love,” I stepped to solid ground once more, and the liquid plummeted to the sea, merging once more with the current.

  “You always picked up this gift quicker than the other six, but I think that’s because you were a Healer originally, before the covenant.”

  “I was?” Something surged within me, confirming his words. “Did you have to push me in?”

  He smiled. “How else were you to figure it out?”

  “You could have just told me.”

  “It doesn’t work like that.”

  I gritted my teeth. “Well, maybe it’s about time the rules changed.”

  He led me away from the fountain, to the tree in the centre of the courtyard, and settled on the black chasma. Every leaf shimmered with strength and health, a deeper green than any I had ever seen. Seven interlinked rings were carved into the trunk.

  I pointed at the symbol. “I’ve seen that a lot.”

  “The rings are dependent on one another,” Sil said. “If one is removed, the entire chain will fall. So it is with this world. Every gift relies on another. We must work together, as equals, if we are to succeed.”

  Pure white petals of blossoming Lallanas stretched out on the damp soil beneath the tree and fragranced the air with the scent of home.

  “You like the Lallanas?” he asked.

  “I’ve only seen them once before, in the pond in Matriarch’s garden.”

  “They are not a common flower. A Healer’s flower, they are usually found in areas cared for by that Mage, which is fitting considering the poison of the lotus bugs. Your Lallana was named after the plant, I believe, in honour of her father.”

  “Her father was a Healer?”

  “Indeed.”

  She had never known her father. He’d died before she was born. What would she think when she found out he was a Mage?

  Sil raised his hand, and tingles shot through my body, pulsating against my skin. Water floated from the fountain and swirled before us, mimicking the familiar pattern that covered the walls. I could sense the individual droplets circling together, and something else, something that didn’t belong there.

  “Water is the purest element you can find,” he said. “Though most of it is contaminated with other toxins. We cleanse it.” He twisted his hand. The water shifted into a ball, and then scattered, the elements separating, drawing the foreign substances out until only water remained. It slid into the soil around the tree.

  “Without the contamination, it provides energy, strength, and even healing.” He smiled at me. “We can heal anyone of anything, physical or emotional, but it takes a lot of strength on our part. How much energy we use depends on the extent of the damage.”

  “I know. Yithan was pretty tired after healing the land workers.”

  Sil nodded, the creases on his face deepening. “As with all things, everything must have an equal and opposite. As we have the gift to heal, so water has potentially destructive properties. Great care must be taken when using it.”

  “Why?”

  He frowned. “Healers can control water, anywhere, at any time. It resides in everything, living or dead. It isn’t hard to imagine the potential harm.”

  I had to agree. I could sense every molecule in the water, separate them, or just remove the water altogether. Deadly dehydration. After all, without water, nothing could survive.

  *

  I tiptoed across the floor, tugged on my cloak hood, and slipped onto the dock. The gentle shift of waves cut the silence and tinged the air with salt. The boat still bobbed lightly by the edge of the dock, and water lapped against the sides.

  I clambered in, staggering when it rocked, and called on the element.

  Water gathered against the rear of the boat, leading me silently out to sea. I straightened against my nerves when the boat passed under the arch. There was no going back.

  A cold breeze stung my skin, and I shrunk further into the folds of my cloak. The Praesidio monster that lurked beneath made my neck prickle. It hadn’t caused harm before, but now I was alone.

  Mist curled from my mouth, and
my body trembled. I was strong. Stronger than any Mage out there. In just under a month, I’d mastered three of my gifts. The blood of a Shade, a Refiner, and a Healer ran through my veins. I didn’t care for the ancient oath. Only freedom. It was time to end this, once and for all.

  I planned to confront the Council, convince them – by force if necessary – to call off the hunt.

  The boat wobbled, and I grabbed the edge, breath hitching.

  If I could just get safely to shore.

  The moons’ light reflected off the sea’s surface, warped in the slight waves. A small flock of birds circled overhead, their cries piercing the cool air.

  I sat still, knees to my chest, watching for a disturbance in the water and along the shore. The icy breeze stung my nose and cheeks. I didn’t dare move, worried about the Seeker, perhaps hidden in the trees.

  The land drew closer, and I turned my mind to my last meeting with Sil. The knowledge that nothing could survive without water played on my mind now as my gaze raked the shore’s shadows, searching for the Seeker, but all was still. I understood the danger, the weapon water could become, but if it came to it, could I really use it to hurt someone?

  The boat slowed with my silent command, and then stopped just short of the dry sand.

  I leapt out, splashing in the waves. My high-rising boots prevented the water gaining access, but the hem of my cloak dipped below the surface.

  Across the sand, leaves rustled with the sea breeze, and moonlight streaked through gaps in the canopy. Fireflies still drifted, glowing in the shadows, more dazzling than during the day.

  Guilt nipped at my chest. Charlie and Lallana were safe and warm in the Capital. They would worry upon awakening.

  Blue flames sprang to my palms, lighting the foliage with warmth, and my boots crunched on wayward stones.

  Beyond the clearing, the path narrowed, and I brushed past bushes and low branches until it disappeared completely beneath a tangle of weeds.

  “This isn’t right.” I retreated, spinning to double back, and staggered to a halt.

  The path had vanished.