Mage- The Guardian's Oath

by S A Edwards

  “No.” The paralyzing fear clenched my body, preventing all chance of flight. Tears welled. “Please. Don’t do this.”

  “Have you ever wondered why there are no corrupt Seekers in the world? If corruption holds you, leaving the darkness is impossible.”

  The violet light inched closer.

  “Wait, you mean they’re still in there?” Terror scraped my voice raw.

  “This is your test,” he said. “Master the gift of a Seeker. Escape the darkness. Conquer the corruption.”

  A bright flash obscured all sight of the tower room, and blackness closed in.

  “Cupitor!” Fear coursed through me. I spun round, searching for anything in the blackness. The sense of nothingness strangled me, forcing me to my knees.

  I called on the billowing smoke of the Shade within me, pulling the forest to mind.

  Nothing happened.

  “Then, I’ll burn my way out.” Not even a spark flickered in the dark.

  The same applied to the other gifts, too.

  Days passed in deafening silence. Sleep did nothing to counter the weakness and fatigue coursing through my body. Thirst plagued my tongue. Hunger tore at my tummy.

  Lying still, my rage expended, my fingers traced the fraying string Charlie had given me, feeling nothing. I desperately hoped he was safe, that the Council hadn’t caught him, even if the Charlie I knew no longer existed.

  How would they ever be stopped? Perhaps it was already too late. Maybe they had already harnessed the magic from the collision. I didn’t even know when it would happen.

  Something blurred in the shadow, drawing me to stand. Grey light brightened, until a mirage of myself, lying on my stomach on a mat, emerged. My flames flickered in front of the image-me.

  I straightened, brow furrowing at the expression on her face. Her eyes were fixed on the flames, obsessive desire shining in them.

  “Time to finish this.” Griff’s voice echoed behind me. He stood in combat position, his focus on another image of me.

  Her pale face scowled, eyes burning with fury. Then, her expression smoothed, and she knelt.

  My hand reached for her shoulder and plunged through it. The image rippled, solidifying in time for Griff to march forward and reach for her hair.

  Her speedy reaction sent satisfaction flooding through me, and I smiled when he slammed to the ground. Dust appeared through the darkness, curling around him.

  My image looked crazed, furious. She punched once, twice. Sparkling, razor-sharp ice extended from her fist.

  The image faded.

  I folded my arms. “What’s the point in this? I got carried away. Big deal. He’s still alive.”

  “Where are you going?” Charlie’s words tugged my attention toward his bright image. His brown eyes focused on another vision of me. The same anger was etched into my features, but somehow seemed enhanced.

  “The Intrigue.”

  His eyes widened. “To the Corrupted? Clara, you can’t!”

  “Yes, I can.”

  “But the darkness –”

  “Has no hold on me!” I stepped toward him. “I’m not joining them. I’m using them. And I’m not even sure they’re really bad.”

  “What?” He grabbed my arm. “Listen to yourself.”

  I jerked away. “If you can’t stand by me, then leave. I don’t need you anyway.”

  He stopped in his tracks, hurt in his eyes.

  Pain tore through my heart.

  The image faded.

  “Oh, Charlie,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

  Cold brought goose bumps to my arms.

  A wall materialised from the blackness, and a figure crashed against it. Spears of ice extended around him, pinning him to the stone. One reached toward his neck, pressing into the skin.

  Blue flames whipped up some distance from him, illuminating another shadow of myself. Black markings ringed the shoulder of the Mage in the centre of the swirling whirlwind of heat. He cringed away from the fire, hands at his throat, and sank to his knees.

  The illusion of me gazed ahead, expression dark.

  My stomach churned, and a dry lump filled my throat.

  The vision vanished to reveal a Seeker standing behind. Wooden fragments littered the ground before him.

  His face paled, and he dropped to his knees, his life nearly gone. The pillars of the Guild flickered into view. Water drained through his pores.

  “He’s working for the Council,” I shouted. “I’m fighting for freedom, for justice. That doesn’t make me Corrupted. You hear me? I’m not Corrupted!” I held no mark. That was proof. Sure, I had only planned to destroy the Council at first, but the Seeker worked for them, helped them. Like the villagers who grew food for the Main City, the villagers who were attacked….

  The vision faded.

  “He deserved to die.”

  My head snapped toward the familiar voice, and I stared at the reflection of me.

  “Is it really so wrong if we kill the guilty?”

  “I don’t remember saying that.”

  The reflection cocked her head and laughed. “That’s because you didn’t, silly. But you’re thinking it.”

  “No, I’m not.” The Council were guilty. Anyone else might not know of their wrongdoings. Perhaps the Seekers figure they’re doing right.

  “If you weren’t, I couldn’t say it. Just think of me as your inner voice.”

  “So, what? We just kill everyone that’s guilty?” The Corrupted looked at it that way. I wasn’t like them. I couldn’t be …

  “We kill everyone that gets between us and revenge.”

  I stepped back. “Revenge? That’s not –”

  “Not what? That’s the point, isn’t it? For Lallana.”

  “Well, yes, but … no. The Council are going to harness the collision’s magic.” And I nearly killed a man to stop them. But killing him wouldn’t have stopped them.

  “It wouldn’t. But we will.”

  A shadow flickered in my periphery, and my gaze fell on the Council Refiner. Her long red robes and waist-length blonde hair contrasted the darkness.

  My cheeks flushed with anger.

  “She was responsible for Lallana’s death. Don’t you want to kill her?”

  My fists clenched, and I staggered forward.

  A Beast burst from the blackness and skidded between us. The huge bulk of long black fur almost covered the Refiner from view.

  “Charlie?”

  “That’s not Charlie. That’s a Beast. A traitor. It’s protecting her.”

  “You can’t be sure.”

  “Yes, I can. And anyone that gets in our way is our enemy.” She crouched.

  “Wait.” My voice shook. “That’s not how this works.”

  “It’s no different than the Seekers. Their friend is our enemy.” She sprang.

  “Stop!” I raced after her and leapt, slamming into her back.

  The image rippled, and I crashed into the black floor. Pain shot through my arm and side.

  The Beast roared. The sound pierced my ears, shook my bones, and then silence fell.

  46

  Without the Beast and the double of myself there, an emptiness overwhelmed me. Tears poured down my cheeks and became lost amongst the blackness. “The Beast wasn’t protecting the Refiner.” My words echoed, and then faded in the silence. “It was protecting me from the corruption.”

  Everyone had seen my descent to corruption, except for me. I’d been so sure that control was mine, that I was right, so sure the Corrupted had been mistreated, marked as Corrupted when they weren’t. They were fighting for justice. And that was right. “But not this way. Not like this.”

  I straightened. “Killing isn’t the answer.” The treatment of the Corrupted needed to change, but in the right way. And the Council needed to be stopped. My oath to be the Guardian took precedence. I had to protect the comet’s magic from the Council. “The covenant must be fulfilled.”

  A light appeared in the distance a
nd spread like an arch. Hope in my heart, I shuffled over to it, stretching toward its warmth.

  It flashed, engulfing me in its light, and the tower room emerged around me. The torches had been extinguished, and sunlight streamed in through the window. The whoosh of waves welcomed me, and the salty air made my tongue tingle.

  The skin below my crystal prickled, and the pendant glowed violet, and then faded.

  My knees buckled.

  Cupitor caught me and lowered me onto a chair whilst I struggled to catch my breath. “I was beginning to think you wouldn’t emerge.”

  “How long?”

  “Eight hours.”

  My eyes widened. “It felt like days.” Or a lifetime. How could I have slipped so much toward corruption and not realised?

  He slid a cup in my hand. Water glimmered under the sunlight, and the familiar pull of power crept along my spine. I swallowed the urge to purify it and downed it in one.

  “You didn’t use it to replenish your strength,” he said.

  “No. It makes me feel …”

  “Like the corruption grows with every use of your gifts.”

  I nodded.

  “You are aware of it now,” he said. “Use your gifts for good. Leave no room for evil. You cannot just stop using them.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because you will never complete your oath.” He waved his hand, and a wooden door appeared and swung open. He led me on to a narrow staircase.

  My legs shook, but the draft in the room set shivers across my arms, and the thought of a warmer environment was welcome to me.

  “The purpose of a Seeker is to hunt the Corrupted,” Cupitor said.

  Unlit torches lined the walls, and my fingers itched to light them. I balled my fists, fighting the desire.

  “There is a list of the Hunted,” Cupitor said, “and each Seeker chooses one of them. Usually, there is one Seeker to a Hunted, but in your case, of course, things are different. From the moment they make their choice, they are drawn to their target. The fear of the Hunted is magnified in our minds, and we can hear their thoughts of terror. We can speak to them, see them. And the moment they see our eyes, we have them. Our light paralyses them and drags them into the dark, where they remain until we release them in the Council chambers to await their consequences.”

  “Then why did they attack me with rope when I first broke their staff? Why not draw me in?”

  “Each gift is like a personality. They can only draw in one person at a time, and with seven personalities of sorts within you, seven gifts, it was impossible for them.”

  “But you –”

  “Are far stronger.” He reached the bottom of the staircase and sauntered into a circular room with large double doors. Picking a cloak from a row of hangers, he handed it to me.

  “What about people like me or the Corrupted that haven’t done anything wrong?” I asked. “They told me the Seekers persecute them for merely having the mark.”

  “If a crime hasn’t been committed, they are not the Hunted. As for the persecution, I cannot control the actions of others.” He gestured to the exit, and the doors parted to reveal a narrow trail and the scent of dirt and dew-covered grass.

  “It can’t be left the way it is,” I insisted.

  “What is needed is a change of heart in all the people. Focus on your oath, and you may find the change comes with it.”

  I nodded and slipped the cloak around my shoulders. “Thank you. For pulling me back.”

  “Take care. I may be your ally, but that won’t prevent the others from the hunt.”

  My stomach fluttered. It seemed the test was the easy part. Now, I had to get through the territory of the Seekers.

  A strong wind blew outside, calling me to the cliff edge. My feet didn’t stray from the trail, and I shrugged deeper into the cloak, fighting the desire to call my flames.

  The woodland provided shelter from the wind. The downward slope made my legs ache, and the moisture in the air cast its fresh taste on my tongue. One little use of my gift would purify it and restore my strength.

  “Stop it,” I said. It wasn’t worth the risk.

  The path remained empty, despite being so far into Seeker territory. They were bound to turn up before long. The thought had my heart thudding and sweat pooling on my back.

  The sun rose to its peak, clouds gathered, and the woodland thinned. Rain drizzled through the canopy cracks and covered the ground in a light mist.

  Voices sounded ahead, and a village came into view through the trees.

  Perching on a branch, I studied the scene.

  No wall surrounded this village. The woodland simply ended at the first cottage. A well-kept, cobbled road stretched from door-to-door, and the scent of cooking food sent pain across my stomach. Cloaked Seekers wandered in all directions, far outnumbering me. I could never slip past them unnoticed.

  Tugging on my hood with a shaking hand, I lowered myself from the branch and shuffled down the road. Water splattered on my nose and cheeks, growing heavier, and the hair raised on my arms. Heavy footsteps pounded on the stone behind me, and my shoulders tensed.

  A strong hand whirled me around.

  A scar trailed the cheek of the Mage, and his dark eyes narrowed. He yanked back my hood, exposing me to the increasing downpour. “You!”

  Shouts cut through the air, and within seconds the Seekers surrounded me.

  My power surged, tingling through my body, screaming for release. I held my breath, locking it back. I wouldn’t hurt them. I couldn’t take that path.

  “The Council wants you alive,” the scarred Seeker said, “but if you try anything, we’ll kill you.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  He huffed. “Never stopped you before.”

  “Things were different then.”

  More Seekers joined the circle, ropes in their hands.

  All the power within me flashed through my mind.

  An idea struck.

  I pulled on my flames. My heat struck at the rain. Stream erupted through the air, hissing in the cold, and I dropped to the cobbles.

  They attacked. The force of their strike cracked above my head. The strength of their magic fizzed through my blood.

  My eyes adjusted to the obscured vision, thanks to the Beast within me. Weaving between two bodies, I raced down the road and ducked between two cottages to avoid the oncoming hunters.

  I pressed against the wall. My chest heaved. There was no way out. Without some way to get to the forest in an instant, like the Percurrere or … Or the Shade gift. Why didn’t I think …

  The darkness of the Shadow Realm leapt to mind.

  The scarred Seeker appeared at the opening between the cottages, his face contorted with rage. He leapt forward.

  Purple smoke surged around me, obscured the scene, and blackness pressed in.

  I stood in the Shadow Realm. It felt like a year had passed since my first encounter here after the arch opened. Whispers slithered around me, and the ghostly features of the dead drifted closer.

  Lallana’s voice drifted through the shadows. “She’s here. I’ve been waiting.”

  Fear knotted in my throat. “No. No, I can’t.” She died because of me, because of my foolishness in pursuing the Council. How could I face her?

  The image of the Percurrere in the forest, identical to the one in the Dark Capital, and the ivy-covered pillars filled my mind. Smoke billowed, the surroundings lightened, and the whispers ceased.

  Pillars surrounded me, the white marble flawless in the afternoon sun, and the silver top of the Percurrere glinted.

  I forced back my rising smile. I had no choice but to use the gifts, but the thought of the growing corruption scared me. I wasn’t sure I could control it.

  A deep chill set in my flesh, and the back of my neck prickled.

  Shadow shifted in my periphery.

  I twisted, but only the forest filled my vision. “I know you’re there.”

  Icy fingers
brushed the hem of my tunic, thick shadow gathered, and Zantos appeared.

  47

  Zantos stood so close to me that the tiny black flecks in his eyes were clearly visible, and the musky scent of his breath overwhelmed that of the forest.

  I stepped back, rubbing the goose bumps on my arms.

  He flashed his crooked smirk and cocked his head. “Bad day?”

  “What are you doing here, Zantos?” I snapped.

  “Now then, is that any way to greet an old acquaintance?”

  My lips tightened. “Sounds like you were more than an acquaintance.”

  He chuckled, and his eyes skimmed my body. “True. You’re looking rather serious. May I offer any assistance?”

  “No, not after the last time.”

  He shot me an expression of innocence. “Did you not find the hidden passage?”

  “Oh, I found it.” My eyes narrowed. “It suppressed my powers. Or didn’t you know?”

  He shrugged. “Consequences. Couldn’t be helped. It got you in, didn’t it?”

  “I could’ve been killed.”

  “But you weren’t.” He stepped closer, and his fingers grazed my cheek.

  I jerked away. “The passage wasn’t what I meant.”

  His eyebrows rose. “You’re not still referring to the incident with the Seeker?”

  “You refused to help us. If they had caught us we could be dead now.”

  “I couldn’t have helped even if I’d wanted to. I’ve told you before. I am bound by the laws of magic.”

  “So, suppressing their gift is beyond your ability?”

  “For now.”

  I shook my head. “I was referring to your claim of food being in the fields, when actually it only led to Seeker territory.”

  “You didn’t find the field?”

  “There was no field.”

  “Of course, there was. Perhaps you simply didn’t follow my instructions properly.”

  I turned back to the Percurrere. Some friend. He claimed we were close, and then tried to betray me in my time of need. It didn’t matter. I didn’t need help from someone like him. The sooner I reached the Dark Capital, the sooner the final gift could be mastered.

  “Your problem is you don’t have enough power,” he said. “With more, you could have avoided the protections in the passage and made the Seeker’s gift dormant.”