by Amber Morant
She could hear his footsteps growing closer, stopping, then continuing again followed by more taunts. If only she had chosen not to go along with Roland’s plan, then she would be safe outside of the city and finding a new home with him instead of facing death’s door. He was only feet away from her now and she could feel the heat emanating from his magic. She used the last bit of her own magic and brought forth the flaming dancer again to attack with.
Just two more steps. He inched closer slowly and then Elona jumped around the corner, shoving the flames in his own face as the figure danced across his eyes. At the same time Elindel enveloped the two of them into target flames that singed her skin and burned away pieces of her clothes. Both screamed in pain from the fire, but neither let down from their onslaught.
Elona returned to her right state of mind for only a second, but it was enough to grab the dagger that was in her hands and stab it into Elindel’s heart. The heat from his own flames weakened as his mind focused on the dagger that hung in his chest. He grabbed the hilt, but didn't pull it out. The dagger had a tip that was curved, making it impossible for him to pull it out without bleeding to death. Yet if the dagger stayed in it would soon puncture his organs and still would die.
“Stupid girl. I never should have taken you on as an apprentice. All of you filthy street rats don't know how to behave in proper society or accept the judgements of your crimes. To think I trusted you.”
Elona ignored the insults Elindel spat at her. Instead she gripped the dagger and yanked the dagger out of his chest. A soft crunch was heard and then she saw the blood flowing out of the newly opened wound. Before Elindel could respond or retaliate, Elona thrust the dagger again into Elindel to permanently stay in.
“Next time, I would say never trust someone you have to tell not to steal from your own home. You might just get everything taken away from you including your credibility after I show the entire kingdom what you and the king did to protect them.”
Elindel fell to the ground and began laughing weakly. “No, there won't be a next time for me. But looks like you won't get your chance either. I came back because Kastron had won. They will be here any minute and you are trapped here like a pig to the slaughter.”
Thunderous roars echoed through the streets followed by the sound of horns. If Elindel was right, there would be no way for her to escape. A few rogue knights and cavalry were now walking through the streets. She could hear Elindel wheezing in the distance. She squatted down, hoping none of them would hear Elindel and come to investigate. After only a few moments, Elindel’s breath stifled and then went silent.
***
More knights arrived in the streets. Elona crawled closer to the streets, examining if they were friend or foe. She could see the red scarves of the Kastron army. They looked into buildings, dragging anyone out that they found. Some were young children and mothers who had stayed behind while their husbands went out to fight. Others were members of the thieves’ guild who had stayed behind to loot instead of leaving as well.
All of them were being lined up in the center of the street and ordered to kneel. Elona gulped and wondered if they were to be decapitated and turned into just another sacrifice in the war. Despite her fears, none seemed to have their swords out to attack anyone. A select few had their hands on their hilts but beyond that there were no signs of blood lust. Even those captured seemed confused at what was happening.
A man who looked to be a captain with a crimson cape and helm that was shaped like a dragon stepped forward. “I will not ask again. Where is Elindel and his apprentice? By order of your new king, the Blue Mage is to be sentenced to death. Any that purposefully without information from us will join him in death.”
The citizens squirmed uncomfortably but didn’t answer. They were protecting who they believed would save them all right now. Elona wished they knew who Elindel truly was or none of them would be silent and want to help. She wanted to step out and reveal Elindel was dead, but they were looking for her as well. Being associated with the Blue Mage now wasn't a title that held protection.
“Elona? Elona where are you?” Elona recognized the voice as Roland’s but didn't see him amongst the kneeling citizens. She then saw the young elf push his way through the Knights, holding a red cape wrapped around him followed by the fairy in human form. “Elona, they know what he did. They are here to help you.”
The captain placed a hand on Roland shoulder. Roland looked up at the knight and then broke down in tears. Elona wasn't sure why he was crying, but seeing him now meant Kastron was not planning to kill her for now. She couldn't let Roland be alone like that and the fairy wasn't going to last in his human form forever before ruining his disguise.
Elona stood up amongst the rubble of the citadel and faced the Knights. “I am Elona. Apprentice to Elindel the Blue Mage of Tore and necromancer of the king.”
Everyone looked up at Elona in surprise. Even the captain had an amused smirk across his face. Roland tried to run towards Elona, but the captain held him back until more Knights could stop him. Instead, the captain now stepped forward and grasped his sword tighter in case of an attack. So long as Elona didn't try to do anything aggressive, she prayed the captain would provide the same favor for her.
“So you knew he was a necromancer and trained under him to learn his secrets?” The captain stopped, just out of reach of any sudden attacks Elona might have.
Elona shook her head. “I was his apprentice, but I only just learned he was a necromancer. He had intended on killing me before I put a stop to him.”
“Put a stop to him? You, a child? Why do I not believe-” his voice trailed off and saw Elindel’s body peeking out from behind the necromancy room. “Lieutenant, go to the last room and report back.”
“Yes, sir.” Another knight from the crowd ran off into the rubble and pulled Elindel’s body where everyone could see. Elona could see he had a face of disgust at touching a corpse and chuckled to herself at the irony of someone who had most likely stained so many bothered by just one body.
“He has keys on him. One is an older key. It opens that room with all the proof of what he had done.”
The captain nodded to the lieutenant who found the keys and scrambled to unlock the door. The smell of decay floated through the air. Elona didn't know why she hadn't recognized it before. She assumed while Elindel was alive he protected any smells from escaping so he wouldn't be caught. After a few short moments of the lieutenant being inside the room, he pulled out the body of the most decayed corpse Elona had first seen.
“The princess!” The captain yelled and kneeled as the lieutenant stepped forward.
The other Knights followed suit, giving Roland the ability to run up to Elona and embrace her. “The captain was here on a mission to save the princess to Kastron. She had come here apparently long ago as an apprentice for Elindel but never returned. Then there were rumors that Elindel killed her for some necromancy magic. Your friend confirmed that Elindel did practice necromancy and we led them here to the citadel.”
Elona looked at the skeleton remains of the princess, now more terrified at how evil Elindel had truly been. This was a sign of peace for the two kingdoms yet Elindel and the King used her for their own gains. She wished there was a way to bring the princess back to life but was clueless. Bring to life a skeleton was necromancy and reanimate it would do nothing of bringing the true princess back.
The fairy walked up to Elona and handed her a small stone. “I believe Elindel used this when you were being tested?”
Elona grasped the small stone, shocked at the find. How did you manage to get this? I don't remember you having it when you left.”
“Another thief was roaming the streets after I retrieved your companion. He didn't seem to need it much more where he was going anyways.”
Elona nodded, knowing that the fairy meant the thief had died in his attempts to stay in the city. “I might be able to use this at least to find the princess’s soul.”
Elona held the stone close to her body, feeling the connection between herself and it's just as they had done the first time. The stone grew warm and she could hear the voices whispering in her ear of Elindel being evil again. She wondered if she had listened if things would have turned out differently. However, because she didn't listen, the fairy was alive and she had stopped a murderous man from continuing with his life.
She held up the stone as it vibrated in her palm. It began to jump rapidly into the air and hover for a few seconds each time. Elona sent more energy into the stone until her knees felt weak and stumbled. Roland and the fairy caught her until she could steady herself again. One final push and the stone were flying above everyone. Light flashed from the stone with figures forming in the shadows it created.
“Is that the princess? What happened, what are you doing?” The captain snapped, but was pulled away from Elona before he broke the connection.
The stone floated down to the captain. The light it created formed into one mass of a small child that smiled up at the captain. It grasped his hand and stroked its fingers across his palm. Elona didn't recognize the girl, but the captain had gone still when he saw her meaning the stone was permitting the soul of at least the princess to manifest itself.
“Thank you for saving me, Bimandil. I know we were to wed, but Elindel had other plans for me. At least protect the two kingdoms like we promised, ok?” The captain nodded, sniffling. “Don't cry for me. My power will be given to the girl now. She will help keep you and the countries safe where I could not. Also, judge their King not with your heart, but the law. I don't want another war.”
The captain knelt down next to the princess and embraced her. “He took so much from you. I still remember the young maiden who left, but you are just a child now. I won't forget you, princess.”
The princess smiled. “Elindel sapped me of much of my life, leaving only this left of me. I trust she won't do the same. Though I don't believe it would be wise for me to appear again. Death calls me back to the stone now and I cannot fight it back anymore.”
Her form began to flutter back into the rays of light. The captain, Bimandil, looked up into the stone, waving farewell to his princess. The other Knights watched as their princess finally passed on to the other world, now fulfilled in her last wishes to join two countries as one and see her beloved one last time. The stone grew dark and floated back into Elona’s hands. All the adrenaline that had kept her going until this point disappeared in an instant, leaving her body collapsed on the ground.
***
Elona awoke to the murmur of people surrounding her. Underneath was no longer the hard stones of the collapsed citadel, but a soft feather bed that was covered in silk sheets of which she had never experienced. She opened her eyes and saw handmaidens walking through the room preparing dresses and other necessities. One stood at the side of her bed with a damp wash cloth that she patted on Elona’s forehead before straining again.
“Where am I?”
“The Mage awoke! Quick, someone call sir Bimandil in! He will want to speak with her at once.”
Elona could hear the maids scurrying out of the room, leaving only one who was still straightening out a dress and the one who held the cloth. She tried to sit up, but felt a sharp pain in her side and reached down. Wrapped around her abdomen was a cloth and she could feel on the side was the wound. She didn't recall getting injured yet she didn't exactly remember getting into a place like this before either.
“Am I dead? Am I in heaven?”
The one next to Elona laughed. “Gracious no, child. You were just hurt during the battle was all. Sir Bimandil carried you all the way into the castle saying you were the one who saved them all. You were a true hero.”
The other maid interjected. “Stop exciting her. She injured herself when she fainted was all. Lord knows why she was out in that battlefield and so small to boot. These soldiers need to find more warriors elsewhere and not expect children to fight for them.”
The two continued to argue about what had happened to Elona for another few minutes. They stopped immediately when the doors slammed open followed by the voices of other older men lecturing on etiquette. Elona turned her head to see the captain of Kastron approaching her bedside. Behind him were two older gentlemen who seemed perturbed at the sight of Elona being awake.
“To hell with etiquette unless you expect me to start bowing as well whenever a damn noble comes strutting across the lawn too in which case will make a simple walk through the courtyard take hours instead of minutes. You people fill your castles to the brim with all that rubbish I'm surprised it doesn't smell.”
Elona chuckled when she saw the faces of the two older gentlemen grow red in anger. She looked out the window and could see the countryside which she immediately recognized as her own capitals countryside. During her sleep they had transported her into the castle, but Roland and the fairy were nowhere to be seen, only Bimandil who shouldn't even be allowed in the castle for being the enemy. Judging by his own statement about etiquette earlier, she knew he didn't care if the law told him he couldn't go anywhere.
Bimandil sat next to Elona on the bed. His weight lifter her side a few inches up and almost rolled off from the momentum. “Sorry but we couldn't exactly wait for you. You've been asleep for almost a week now. Tore’s King was sent to the dungeons after his people learned what he and Elindel had done.”
One of the older gentlemen coughed to get everyone's attention then handed Elona a parchment and quill. “We just need your signature here, miss.”
“Forget that damn paper for once!”
Elona glanced down at the paper. So much of it was written at a higher reading level than the fairy had taught her so far. A few words jumped out at her such as her own name, Mage, and Kastron-Tore alliance. She looked at the signature line at the bottom and then the quill. As a thief, she knew at least one thing to still never trust which was a contract that you didn't know about.
“What is this?”
The older gentleman who had handed the parchment to her answered. “You are agreeing to become the next high Mage as a sign of the new alliance as you are a war hero after stopping Elindel.” He pushed his glasses up his nose. “If you don't mind me saying, that was extremely impressive of you.”
Bimandil laughed and elbowed the gentleman. “It was more than impressive. Though I am sorry for my gruff outlook when we first met. After a battle can get to you like that.”
“Gruff outlook is an understatement…” Elona mumbled, still trying to decipher what the contract fully meant. “I don't see how I can be a high Mage. I can only do simple magic.”
“I highly doubt that.” The other gentleman who had been silent, stepped forward and in an instant turned into the small furry fairy.
Bimandil answered the strange behavior. “After we learned you had a fairy as a familiar there was no way you were weak.” He stroked the fairy’s fur. “Familiars are only attracted to those who are highly in tune with magic. You have a fairy as a familiar.”
The fairy curled up on Elona’s lap and fell asleep making a deep purring sound. “So what, you want me living in some great big citadel of hours by myself? Or do I get a secret underground dungeon where I plot evil schemes to control the King’s decisions?”
The remaining gentleman let out a mixture of a cough and laugh. “As high mage, you will be expected to attend any and all meetings of the council pertaining to the kingdom and magic. Other than that, yes we will be rebuilding the citadel and connect it between another in Kastron. You also can invite others to live there with you if you wish.”
Elona looked at the quill in her hand and the contract in the other. She could live a life without wondering when she could steal her next meal, but she also missed the excitement of that life. Even now standing in front of a knight and knowing other guards were walking outside her room that didn't want to arrest her made her anxious. Not to mention, working on a council meant forcing people to respect her despite having
been a lowly street urchin not long ago.
She set the contract aside and looked around, now realizing one of her friends was still missing. “Where is Roland? Shouldn't he be here as well?”
The older man shifted his weight from one foot to another, trying to figure out how to phrase his answer. “Well, he is a thief…looks bad letting him in the castle even if he does help us.”
Elona made a mixture of a cough and laugh. “You realize I'm a thief too. Or is it because I know magic that you are giving me leeway?” She handed the contract over. “Look I get it and it's flattering that you want me as a high mage, but won't live a life without him. So you will just need to find a new high mage to take my place instead.”
Bimandil grabbed the parchment and quill and nodded. He placed the paper on the bedside table and looked back at Elona with a smile. Once a thief always a thief, eh? If that's the case, don't expect us to let you off easy if we catch you stealing. Especially using magic to do your dirty work.”
“Don't worry, you won't catch me.”
The older man sputtered, unable to retort on what was going on for a few moments. “You won't take the position? How could you refuse? We fought to get this written specifically for you. Do you realize how many rules we bent to make this happen? The king will be furious to hear this!”
He tried to storm out with the contract in hand but Bimandil stopped him. “Don't bother reporting it. She may not be the high mage, but she is still potentially the most powerful. Do you really want her as an enemy?”
The man tensed up in anger, still holding the contract against his chest. “The king will learn soon anyways, even if you stop me.”
“Then I will deal with it. Until then, how strong are you feeling?” Bimandil stood up and opened the curtains of the window to see the many steppe style roofs beyond. “I hear thieves are great at free running in the streets. Perhaps that may be a great example that you don't belong here and gives you a head start before the guards start going after a female thief who just stole…” Bimandil looked around and grabbed a necklace that was meant for her to wear as the new high Mage. “Who just stole a crown jewel of the kingdoms worth the wearer’s weight in gold.”
