by M. D. Grimm
Then he looked at me with contempt, and I could see he didn't know who I was. There was no recognition, barely enough care that one would give a fly buzzing around their ear. He flicked a hand at me, and a large gust of pure force, like a large boulder, slammed into me. I didn't have a chance to cry out as it punched me through the air and into a wall. And then through the wall.
Ow.
That hurt.
I lay there, dizzy for a moment, before I began to move and shift, shoving aside the pain, scrambling to overcome the dizziness and sharp pains I felt all over. My muscles wept, and my head pounded. I gasped for breath as I searched for my bow. I staggered to my feet, stumbling over the half-charred cottage. I fell once, grazing my knees and palms over something sharp. But I gritted my teeth and managed to climb out of the cottage.
Just in time to see the murderer fling another fireball at Morgorth. He dodged agilely and rolled back to his feet. He readied his own. I nocked an arrow and sent it flying. Morgorth had given me just the distraction I needed.
The arrow lodged eagerly into villain's leg. I hurriedly nocked another. Morgorth sent his fireball at the villain, setting his clothes on fire. He flailed, trying to put out the fire with little luck. But before I could send another arrow to end this once and for all, with a gust of some strange, invisible force, Morgorth sent a pile of wood at him, sending him crashing to the ground once more.
Morgorth streaked to him, faster than my eyes could track, and grabbed the murderer's hand. They struggled for several moments before the beast surged into the air. Morgorth was shoved back and staggered when a piece of wood hit his shoulder.
I sent another arrow at the murderer. But then he was gone. Poof.
I screamed in anger. No! No!
Without the murderer for a target, the arrow tried to lodge itself into Morgorth. He managed to dodge it, glaring at me. I glared back and jogged toward him. My emotions were barely under control. Rage, joy, relief, grief -- they all clamored for control. My thoughts felt disordered, like there was a mess inside me, one I had no idea how to clean up. I tried hard to shut them down as I approached Morgorth.
But as I did, he closed his eyes, lifted his hands, and something wonderful happened. I stopped and stared. Magick flew through the air, strong and controlled. The fires were doused, houses rebuilt themselves, but the charred wood remained. The merchandise that had been trampled in the panic, reformed, flawless, and was set on stands that seemed to set themselves back up.
Morgorth just put to rights the ruin the villain had caused.
Oh, my love. My rage eased as some of the disorder was straightened out. My relief and joy took charge. I was here, with him. He would help me. I would make him help me.
Morgorth opened his eyes, and that was when I noticed that everyone was staring at him. He just stared back, then said, "Boo."
The citizens scattered.
They were really afraid of him. But, considering what I had just seen, I was a little wary as well. But I remembered what he told me. He told me to stand up to him, not to cower. To challenge him.
I swallowed hard. I would try.
But first... I walked to the flayn. Her feathers were charred, her pain evident. She continued to whimper, and the few townsfolk around her couldn't help her the way she needed to be cared for. I couldn't stand her pain. I knelt beside her. Closing my eyes, I allowed my life force to flow gently out, to wrap around her wounds and regrow what she had lost. I murmured words to direct the healing magick. It was easier than it used to be. I must be controlled when I heal, or I could accidently give too much of myself, my spark of life, to the wounded. I breathed carefully, and soon, the flayn was healed.
I stood, grabbing my bow. I took a deep breath and allowed the anger to rise up again. I remembered Amyla, my sweet, younger sister; I remembered the anguish I felt as I stared upon the ruin of my blood. My tribe. It was just as intense now as it was then. I turned and stalked toward Morgorth, ready to challenge him. Ready to love him and know him.
This was my chance, I realized as I came closer to where he stood. This was my chance for him to see me as a warrior and adult. He didn't know me as a child. I was a stranger to him. I would use that.
I would have him.
Chapter Three
Present day
I only knew healing magick. Dialen were more adept than most in that sort of magick. It wasn't a separate thing like with mages. Morgorth always described his magick as a separate force inside him, one put there by the Mother. My healing magick came from my very essence. I used my own life force, or soul or spirit, to heal those wounded. It had been the hardest thing for me to learn. The body and mind of the healer had to be completely relaxed and focused to be successful. Healing magick sped up the natural healing processes of the body. For example, if someone had a deep cut that was bleeding without stopping, I could use my magick to cause the skin to fuse back together in a matter of seconds instead of days or weeks. I could "gift" that life force to another creature to heal them, which meant I had to be careful how much I gave. I could replenish what I'd lost over time, as long as I kept myself healthy and happy.
Maybe that was why I'd struggled so much with healing magick after Morgorth had left when I was child. I'd fallen into a deep depression. Despite his words and promises, I'd taken his departure, what I'd seen as abandonment, very hard. My mother had set me straight. She hadn't allowed me to stay in my darkness for long.
And now I was here. With him.
Morgorth was now flinging magick at Master Ulezander and giving as good as he got. Colorful lights burned my eyes, and some whirled while others whizzed. My mate ran and dodged, shielded, and used the ground to throw his mentor off balance. Or tried to. The ground lurched, and Master Ulezander simply turned it against Morgorth. He caught my mate off balance, and Morgorth was flung to the ground. I winced.
"Do you know why you become so exhausted when you try and control the elements?" Master Ulezander asked.
Morgorth stood, panting. "Because I try and use my magick to control them, instead of using the magick already in them."
"Exactly. You should work on that."
Morgorth grumbled. I smiled in amusement. Then I saw Master Ulezander looking at me.
"But we're going to try something new before we break for lunch."
I realized then that it was midday; I'd been watching Morgorth train the entire morning.
"What are we going to do?" Morgorth asked.
"I call it 'remote shielding'," Master Ulezander answered. I frowned. I wondered what that meant.
Without warning, Master Ulezander flung a small fireball at me. I was so stunned that I only managed to shove myself off the stump to the ground, but my legs didn't seem to be working. I couldn't stand. I should've known I was in no danger from Master Ulezander -- it was instinct that moved me, but you try staying still when a large ferocious blue fireball comes charging at you. I should've remembered, however, that I had my own personal guardian. Morgorth now stood in front of me, his shield up once more and his right hand cupped, a glowing green ball floating above his palm.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Morgorth roared. Master Ulezander looked... amused.
My heart pounding, my legs shaking, I managed to stand. I gulped in air and touched Morgorth's shoulder to find it as stiff as stone but quivering with rage and possibly fear.
Oddly, though, I could still appreciate his use of the word "fuck." It was one of my favorite words brought over from Earth. It was so versatile, could be used in almost any occasion. And when Morgorth said it... there was something arousing about that word said in his fierce voice.
"That is exactly what I don't want you to do, my student," Master Ulezander said, his eyebrow raised. "In a battle will you really be able to lose your position to save your mate and still hope to win?"
"I'll do whatever it takes to keep him safe," Morgorth said immediately, his voice taking on a sharp edge.
While I warmed inside
at his words and it made me want to stand tall with pride, I knew Master Ulezander's point. It was because of Morgorth's devotion to me that Master Ulezander was using me. While I hated to be used as bait, I also hated that I was a liability for my mate in a fight. From experience, I knew just how much Morgorth would risk to keep me safe. He would protect me against anything, anytime, anywhere. He would use his own body as a block against a magickal attack. His focus was always on my safety, and that had to change.
That was another reason I watched Morgorth train. I had to know more about what mages could do, what we might find ourselves up against in a battle. Knowledge was power. I had to learn everything I could to keep myself safe, which would in turn keep Morgorth safe.
I was a warrior. I hated feeling helpless.
"Good," Master Ulezander said with a slight smile. "Then you'll take this lesson to heart. There is a way to shield your mate and keep your position in battle. Would you like to learn?"
Morgorth lowered his shield, and the green ball of light disappeared. My hand was still on his shoulder, and while it was still stiff, he was no longer shaking. My heart had mellowed, and my legs were still. I could do this. I could cooperate.
"Over there." Master Ulezander pointed to where Morgorth had originally been standing.
Morgorth glanced at me, and his expression said it all: Trust us. Forgive me.
I gave him a look that I hoped said: Don't kill me.
Morgorth winked. He walked to the other side of Master Ulezander, and I tried not to run.
"It's the same process as creating a shield for yourself," Master Ulezander explained. Morgorth's eyes were intent on his mentor, and I admired his dedicated focus. "But instead of protecting yourself, you project it away from you, to the one you wish to protect."
Morgorth frowned. "I can't have it freestanding in front of him."
"It won't be freestanding -- it will still be tethered to you by force. Do you understand?"
I didn't, but I could see Morgorth nod and widen his stance. I learned early in my own training that good archery and sword craft demanded a solid stance that allowed you to handle any blow that came your way. I was glad that Master Ulezander was focusing on that with Morgorth. Despite whatever skill a warrior might have in battle, if he had a weak stance, he would lose.
Once more, without warning, Master Ulezander flung a fireball at me. I nearly ran, I was nearly turning to do just that, but I fought it. I fought the survival instinct ingrained inside me and put my trust in Morgorth. He would never let me come to harm.
But my bravery only stretched so far -- I closed my eyes and hunched my shoulders, bracing for impact. I felt the heat of the fire as it approached me; sweat formed and ran down the sides of my face. But that was all I felt. A snap of energy flickered in front of me, and I cracked my eyes open just a little. A translucent shield hovered right in front of me and bent over my head, effectively protecting me. The fire tried to devour it, but it had no luck and soon disappeared, since nothing sustained it. I gaped. I looked at Morgorth who had his left hand flung out to me, and his right was held in a position that threatened force if he was provoked.
Master Ulezander nodded. "Good, good. For a first attempt, that was impressive."
Suddenly, as if Morgorth held the shield with an invisible pole, he swung it through the air, away from me, and smashed the shield into Master Ulezander. Caught off guard, the powerful mage flew through the air with a cry of shock, and his impact with the earth was hard, spraying up dirt and snow. He rolled a little way before lying still.
My mouth opened wider. Did Morgorth just... to his mentor?
Morgorth was suddenly beside me, and he gripped my arm.
"I'm sure he thought that was impressive as well." He turned toward Vorgoroth and pulled me along behind him. "Come on, I'm hungry."
***
Master Ulezander seemed to find the entire incident hilarious, and I had to wonder about mages.
"A mage is taught to expect the unexpected," Master Ulezander explained as we all settled in Morgorth's largest parlor. The fire in the hearth warmed me pleasantly as boygles silently brought us food and drinks on large golden platters.
Master Ulezander gulped down some water before eyeing Morgorth. "And I believe my student was paying me back for attacking you. Weren't you, Morgorth?"
My mate shoved a large piece of bread into his mouth and gave his mentor a sharp look. I'd never have considered attacking one of my masters, but that was just one more difference between dialens and mages. Yet, I had to stop and wonder if Morgorth's relationship with Master Ulezander was the standard for all students and their mentors in the mage world, or were they unique? I considered the latter was more likely.
"Your stance has much improved," Master Ulezander said, standing. "I'm going to explore more of this home you have created. Get your second wind. We will finish your training on stance this evening before moving to channeling elemental magick tomorrow. I will see you then."
He inclined his head toward me, and I returned the respect. Then he turned and left the parlor. Two heartbeats later, after the mage's footsteps disappeared, Morgorth fell back on the couch as if all his bones had gone to mush. He sighed deeply.
"It's not fair that he should be so spry at his age, and I feel like I'm dying."
Swallowing a chuckle, I popped the rest of my roll into my mouth, and finished my water before walking over and looking down at Morgorth.
"You smell, Morgorth. You'll feel better after you bathe."
Morgorth tried to glare at me, but I could tell his heart wasn't in it. "Sorry he used you as part of his training."
I shrugged. "It makes sense that he would. Like you said yourself, you'd do anything to protect me. And in a battle your enemy can use that against you. Besides, if I hadn't come to watch, he couldn't have used me. It's partly my fault."
Morgorth smiled. "Yeah, but maybe you shouldn't come anymore."
I frowned. "Why?"
"If I keep getting my ass kicked like this, I'll just humiliate myself, and you'll think I'm weak."
I rolled my eyes. "You're anything but weak."
"If I didn't feel so crappy, I might believe you."
"Come on, a good soak will help." I slid my arms under his legs and across his back before lifting him, holding him close to my chest. He wrapped his arms around my neck, and I knew he was extremely exhausted because he didn't even put up a token protest. He'd never admit it, but I think he liked it when I carried him. My muscles strained and my legs protested, but I ignored the discomfort, relishing the sensation of my mate in my arms. Despite him being only slightly shorter than myself, he was still tall and lanky, which meant he had some solid weight to him. I shifted him slightly before climbing up the grand staircase and carrying him to our bedroom. A large bathing chamber was connected to it, and while Geheimnis was filled with bathing chambers, I thought this one the best choice for complete privacy.
Morgorth suddenly mumbled something. I looked down to see his eyes closed, his face pressed against my shoulder. Tenderness overtook me.
"Did you say something?" I asked.
"I said, I wonder how I ever managed to get through my first phase of training without you."
Smiling, I entered our bedroom and proceeded into the bathing chamber. I set him on the corner of the large tub. He just sat there as I turned the knobs that made the water come out of the... what did Morgorth call it? A spigot? A hose? I couldn't remember. The process was called "plumbing," I remembered that. It was a fascinating invention.
"Is this phase of training more difficult than your first?" I asked.
Morgorth scratched his chin. "I wouldn't say more difficult. The first phase is no walk in the meadow for sure. You have to learn everything from scratch without any knowledge or experience to draw upon." He paused. "But, maybe, that's what does make it easier."
I frowned. "I don't understand."
Morgorth met my eyes. "Mages tend to get stuck in their ways, espec
ially as we grow older. I had no preconceptions about magick before Master Ulezander found me. I learned everything about magick from him, what it is, how to do it, you know. But once I got out on my own, I made my own discoveries. I tweaked what I knew and found my own ways."
I nodded, thinking I was beginning to understand. "So now that Master Ulezander has come back, he has his own way of doing things, and you have to change your own."
He smiled and nodded. "Exactly. So, this phase of training is difficult in a different way than my first, but both are challenging. And both leave me physically and mentally fried."
"But you wouldn't learn anything if your training was boring."
He grinned a little self-consciously. "Yes. You and Uzzie know me well enough to know I get bored far too easily."
I happened to like it when he was bored. It made him far easier to seduce. I also didn't miss the blatant affection in the nickname he'd given his mentor, one that he and another apprentice had made up as children.
"You know," Morgorth said suddenly. "You should be careful. I'm in danger of getting used to being taken care of."
Chuckling, I knelt in front of him as the tub filled and unbuttoned his jacket completely, sliding it down his arms. I'd enjoyed taking care of him during his magick fever. Of course I hadn't enjoyed the fact that he'd been ill, but I had felt needed. Being a mage, he had a tendency to make me consider my skills superfluous. The only thing I was better at than him was healing.
Pale skin met my eyes as I dropped his jacket to the floor. I resisted tracing his scars, as I often did, mostly with my tongue. Some of the scars were thin, ropey, caused by a thin blade. Others were thick, round, caused by whips and ropes. He also had burn marks from his father's pipe. They covered his body, a map of all he'd endured. He'd told me a little about his childhood, but never went into great detail. The few specific tortures he'd spoken of were salt being poured into his wounds, starvation, and his face being pushed into a bucket of ice water, his father nearly drowning him. I knew all of it was to demonstrate Lazur's power over his son's life. He wanted Morgorth to fear him, to be obedient, so when his magick came upon him, Lazur would have control over that as well.
