Dark Mage (Avalon: Web of Magic, Book 11)

by Rachel Roberts

  “Adriane, Kara,” Emily tried to call out, but her voice was so weak. She knew no one heard. Bright patterns and shapes rocketed through her mind until she could see nothing but chaotic swirls of magic. She tried again to speak, but only managed a hoarse whisper. “Help me.”

  Suddenly, in the sea of kaleidoscopic colors, one bright orange glow seemed to separate from the blur. She grabbed for it like a lifeline.

  Ozzie rushed toward his friend. “Emily, hold on!”

  “Ozzie,” she cried, reaching blindly for him. “I can’t see you!”

  “I’m right here.”

  Emily tried to explain. “I have to get this magic onto the Spider Witch’s web.”

  Ozzie felt a chill go up his spine. Had he heard her correctly? Emily was going to help the Spider Witch?

  Ozzie planted himself in front of Emily, ferret stone blazing. There was no way he would let his friend fall to the witch.

  Colors flashed and warped in Emily’s mind as she grabbed Ozzie’s magic. “Don’t leave me, I’m so scared.”

  “I’ll never leave you.” Ozzie entwined his magic with hers. He would never let go. “You take care of me. I take care of you.”

  Time and again, the brave ferret had saved Emily through the power of his friendship. And no matter how bad he felt about himself, about his life as a ferret, she would always find his golden aura and make it sparkle.

  But this time it was Ozzie who saw Emily’s aura. Avalon’s magic was so powerful, she had begun to shimmer, her true colors visible. A beautiful rainbow cascaded around her like summer rain. But it was being washed away as darkness swirled over her eyes.

  “Emily,” the ferret rasped as the healer locked onto his stone. Still Ozzie stood strong, refusing to let Emily go, even as he knew his friend was slipping away.

  All at once Emily saw everything with crystal clarity. The Spider Witch’s web lay before her. It was beautiful, perfect, each newly formed strand carefully laid in place. All it needed was magic.

  With a final pull, she ripped the last shreds of her best friend’s magic away from him.

  Everything was surreal, as if happening in slow motion, as Ozzie’s jewel exploded.

  The weaver raised her rainbow jewel to the skies and summoned the dark creatures who would spread Avalon’s magic.

  Across the ring, Adriane and Kara still struggled, oblivious to the danger, and to Emily.

  “Adriane, stop it!” Kara screamed. “The portal’s open!”

  “You killed him!” Adriane cried.

  “Oh no! Who died?”

  The warrior and the blazing star froze as Drake sat up, staring at them both with worried golden eyes.

  Adriane could barely speak. “Drake, you’re alive?”

  “Yes, Mama, I’m fine.”

  Adriane turned to Kara, stunned. “I don’t understand.”

  Kara gasped for breath. “There was a shadow creature inside him, I tried to tell you! I used its magic to finish the crystal, not Drake’s.”

  “The shadow dragon! Why didn’t you say something?”

  “I didn’t know for sure until the last minute. You really think I would have killed Drake?”

  The sound of hooves suddenly filled the air as hundreds of unicorns surrounded the ring, stomping and snorting.

  “The unicorns!” Adriane exclaimed.

  Kara’s face lit up. Then she saw the red magic swirling from their horns. “Wait… something’s wrong.”

  Portals exploded open in blinding flares. Adriane and Kara shielded their eyes from the intense light as, one by one, the unicorns leaped, trailing the magic of Avalon behind them.

  Frantically, Emily wove, feeding dark magic to the unicorns.

  At her feet, Ozzie’s body lay still on the cold ground.

  “Ozzie?” Adriane called out nervously.

  “Emily, what happened?” Kara was almost afraid to find out.

  Ignoring them, the healer stood over the small, furry figure, her fingers glowing red.

  The sound of clapping echoed across the ring

  “Bravo.” A tall, cloaked figure stood behind them. The Dark Sorceress smiled.

  Adriane and Kara leaped to their feet, bondeds by their side. Silver and diamond white magic shot from their jewels, smashing into their enemy. But the magic failed to touch her.

  Ghastly creatures burst from thin air, wings, claws, and teeth glinting with malice. The shadow creatures latched onto the mages’ magic, absorbing it with voracious hunger. Kara and Adriane were pulled to their knees as they tried to control their jewels. Dreamer, Lyra, and Drake roared in pain.

  “Adriane, stop!” Kara cried. “They’ll take all our magic!”

  With a scream, Adriane yanked her magic free. She scrambled to her packmate, soothing him as Kara hugged Lyra.

  “The three mages. The grand hope of the Fairimentals.” The sorceress walked toward the Gates of Avalon. “The Prophecy of Three has come to pass. It always ends with one mage turning dark and betraying the others. It has happened over and over again. You know why? Because Avalon is dark, it has always been dark. And the only real chosen ones are the dark mages.”

  The sorceress pinned Kara with her animal eyes. “Kara, join me now.” She extended a pale hand. “Become the blazing star you were meant to be.”

  Kara glanced at Adriane. The warrior watched her warily. Emily stood over Ozzie, as if she were trying to heal him.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you,” Kara said firmly. She walked over and stood next to Adriane. “I’m staying where I belong, with my friends.”

  The sorceress’s evil eyes looked deep into Kara’s, searching. “It seems I still can be surprised.”

  Adriane glanced at Kara suspiciously. “What does she mean one always turns dark and betrays the others?”

  “I guess the wishing crystal went to my head,” Kara said in a rush. “All I could think about was replacing the power crystal I lost. But I’m not dark. Are you?”

  “No,” Adriane answered firmly. “I was trapped by the power crystal but I’m okay now.”

  “I am so relieved,” Kara cried, hugging her friend.

  “Me, too.” Adriane threw her arms around Kara. Neither of them had turned dark. And Drake was alive!

  “Keep your friends, blazing star, it doesn’t matter.” The Dark Sorceress swept her cloak around her and turned to the portal. “Your time has come and gone. Whereas mine is just beginning. Oh,” she swept her hand through the magic snaking from the portal, “don’t worry about all this magic, my shadow creatures will take care of it—and the unicorns as well.”

  Followed by her monstrous creatures, she stepped through the Gates of Avalon. One by one, the nine prisms of light vanished until nothing was left, not even the key.

  The mages had been shut out.

  Adriane and Kara looked at one another in disbelief.

  “Wait,” Kara said. “If you didn’t turn dark and I didn’t, then…”

  Emily swayed back and forth over the ferret’s body. But she was not healing her friend. Caught in the dark weaving spell, she directed the unicorns along the magic web—the Spider Witch’s web.

  “Ozzie, get up,” Kara ordered.

  “Ozzie?” Adriane’s voice wavered.

  Ozzie’s chest was still, his body limp.

  Too shocked to speak, Adriane and Kara rushed to the ferret.

  He wasn’t breathing.

  “Emily, do something!” Kara screamed.

  Lyra nosed her friend, mewling in pain.

  Dreamer howled an anguished cry.

  “Please, Ozzie! Don’t leave us!” Adriane sobbed.

  But the ferret was already gone.

  The mages huddled on the stone floor, grief stricken.

  But that meant little to the healer now, for the Prophecy of Three had come to pass, just as the sorceress said it would.

  One will follow her heart

  Adriane had followed her heart. She’d found her home at Ravenswood.

&nbs
p; One will change utterly and completely

  Kara had changed many times to become the blazing star.

  One will see in darkness

  Tears streaming down their faces, the warrior and the blazing star gaped at Emily—the one nobody ever worried about, the most constant, the most compassionate, the one always ready to help.

  And now, when she needed her friends the most, they had failed her.

  “Emily, can’t you see us?”

  “Emily, we’re right here!”

  It was too late.

  Emily had seen in darkness. She had seen dark magic. And now she had become the dark mage.

  Bear-like creatures with coarse black hair, kobolds live in the cold, misty bogs of the Otherworlds. They are territorial and fiercely protective of their race. Kobold Shamans have a rich tradition of using magic to make talismans and amulets that identify individual tribes.

  Gwylrrtrwrx (Gwyx) is a young dragon on a warrior quest to save Dragon Home. He is about Drake’s size, but has rich black scales and deep purple slashes zigzagged across his leathery wings. Dragons have shunned the worlds of humans, preferring to stay with their own kind. It is forbidden for dragons to bond with humans, so Gwyx is extremely surprised when he meets Adriane and Drake.

  A magic hungry parasite from the most foul regions of the Astral Plains. These deadly creatures possess a mouth full of disgusting fangs that penetrate the skin of a magic user, rendering its victim paralyzed and helpless. A shadow leech will only release its host once the magic is completely drained.

  The Spider Witch controls a vast army of giant spiders. These web weaving arachnids serve their mistress by spinning dark magic into whatever pattern she desires. The witch is using thousands of them to weave a powerful tapestry of her own design, a new magic web only she will control.

  SHE BASKED IN the glorious magic. Red, yellow, orange, and green fairy dust swirled through a clearing of wildflowers.

  Her sister, Lucinda, had told her to come here, promising to give her something that would enhance her magic tenfold. Lucinda was the blazing star. She knew all about enhancing magic. If she had something, Miranda was eager to get it.

  Lucinda appeared in the glade like a vision, magnificent golden magic emanating from her slender figure. One year younger than Miranda, yet she was the Fairy Queen, adored by all who laid eyes on this extraordinary young mage. Why should she have been chosen to lead the Fairy Kingdoms? Because she was always more beautiful, more powerful than Miranda, just by the magic of her blazing star goodness. No matter what Miranda did, Lucinda had always eclipsed her without even trying. A second figure trailed after Lucinda, the healer mage. Envy dug at Miranda as she saw the look of adoration Sylvan cast toward the blazing star.

  Lucinda smiled, excitement making her blue eyes even brighter. “I know how you long to bond with an animal, sister.”

  Miranda nodded. She lacked the connection her sister had with animals. It was her greatest wish to experience the real magic only a true bonded could provide.

  Lucinda’s delicate hand reflexively touched her unicorn jewel. “I searched the magic web, and Sylvan agrees, this is the right match.”

  “You will make great magic, warrior,” the healer murmured shyly. “Together you will be complete.”

  Lucinda gestured, and a large black cat padded from the forest.

  Deep green eyes shone from the panther’s face, powerful muscles gleamed under lustrous black fur.

  “My name is Faylinn,” the cat spoke.

  Miranda gasped, she had never seen a creature so incredibly beautiful. The sound of Faylinn’s voice was an echo of her own. They were like two hearts living in separate worlds. Until this moment.

  She knelt to touch her forehead to her bonded. The emerald on her bracelet blossomed with light as the large cat’s wings spread in a deep purple fan.

  Colors melted around her as the chirping songs of birds warped to a mournful dirge—

  They stood in the ancient circle of the island, the Gates of Avalon before them.

  The mages were about to complete their quest.

  Nine jewels of amazing power floated in a circle.

  Lucinda stood on her left, unicorn jewel of the blazing star radiant upon her necklace. Sylvan took position on Miranda’s right, pearly blue healing jewel glowing on her silver ring.

  Lucinda’s luminous light pricked at Miranda’s eyes. Lucinda, pure of heart, worthy of Avalon’s magic, basking in the adoration of the blond boy standing behind them. Miranda’s heart wrenched as Lucinda reached for his hand. Henry Gardener’s kind blue eyes would never look at the blazing star’s less beautiful sister.

  No matter. They would all serve her.

  She had learned that the Prophecy of Three was really a Prophecy of One. It existed for one purpose only: to create the dark mage who would rule Avalon. Her journey down the dark path would begin here, now.

  None of them suspected a thing; not Lucinda, not Henry, not even clever Sylvan. Least of all Faylinn. Miranda had learned long ago how to hide her true feelings.

  Clenching her fist, Miranda released a torrent of deep red fire into the nine crystals as she tore open the portal to Avalon. Her bonded saw what she was doing and jumped to stop her.

  Without remorse, Miranda fired.

  The look in Faylinn’s confused eyes ripped through the warrior. Cries of betrayal echoed across the circle, washed away like tears in the rain.

  A cold steel cloak locked over her heart and she felt nothing. In that moment, Miranda was no more.