The Rise of a Dark Mage

by D. L. Harrison

  I’d never wanted to rule there, I’d hated it. What was the point in leaving to somewhere I liked if I couldn’t enjoy it?

  I still wanted to take a powerful position, and make my mark. Use the power I’d earned, and continued to practice with, at the very least in my mind. But out here, away from Zual, I was coming to believe I didn’t have to be cruel and cold hearted to rise to those heights.

  I wound up buying some more jewelry, which was ironic since I could just make anything I wanted. Then I couldn’t help but pick up a gorgeous blue dress. The opaque soft dark blue material hugged my body from neck to ankle, it would have been scandalous, except that it also had another layer of sheer light blue fabric that flowed down my body, which had the effect of just offering teasing and momentary views of the curves below.

  I just had to have it.

  It wasn’t until I’d bought it that the reason I’d had to have it occurred to me. I wanted Daniel to see me in it. Was I being pathetic? No, this wasn’t weakness, though it was dangerous.

  We returned to the palace before it got dark, and we were stopped by the apprentice mage outside the door. He looked right at me and I tried not to panic.

  “Excuse me miss, I’m apprentice court mage Thomas. My master, mage Niall would like to speak with you a moment?”

  Marie frowned, “About what?”

  Thomas turned to her, “I’m sorry, he didn’t tell me his purpose, and his words are only for Cassandra.”

  I touched Marie’s arm, “It’ll be fine, I’m curious what he wants to say to me.”

  And I was, why would the master mage want to talk to me. I was almost positive it was impossible to see past a hidden magic spell, so what did that leave?

  Marie nodded, “Fine, but I’ll come with her.”

  Thomas didn’t argue, he just gestured, “This way,” and led us toward the mage quarters.

  The mage wing was much nicer here, and well appointed. I was led to one of the rooms and gestured inside. I walked in and Thomas shut the door behind me, leaving him and Marie outside.

  I felt a privacy ward go up, and looked at the master mage.

  “What is this about Master Niall.”

  He frowned, “I am not your master. You may address me as Niall, or mage Niall if you insist on formality.”

  I nodded, “Niall then, I’m Cassandra.”

  He gestured me to sit and sat across from me. I couldn’t help but notice he had an impressive library of magic books. My ambition sat up and took notice, I really wanted to browse. It was hard to keep my eyes on Niall and not the stacks of knowledge and power behind him.

  He said, “What I’m about to tell you does not leave this room. And I will also keep your secret young lady, despite what I think about what you’re doing. As long as you leave me and mine alone, understood?”

  I thought to prevaricate, but changed my mind at the last second, “Understood.”

  He casted an illusion of a glyph, it was a glyph I’d never seen.

  He said, “This glyph should never be written down, or passed on to anyone you aren’t specifically instructed to pass it down to. That’s how I know you’re a mage by the way, for some unknown reason they decided I was the one to give you this knowledge. I can only assume your master doesn’t know it.”

  I shook my head in confusion, “Who are they?”

  He smiled, “The gods of light, neutrality, and darkness of course. They don’t want themselves to be known to any but the mages who can handle it and have mastered their craft. Again, you will not speak of it to anyone else.”

  When I nodded, he continued, “The glyph is the commune spell. It will allow you to commune with the gods, although they don’t speak back for the most part, only when they want you to pass on this knowledge and to whom they want it known, understood?”

  I was intrigued, but confused, “Why would I talk to them?”

  He smiled, “Good question. You do all the time you know. The glyphs are a language of sorts, that’s why they work. What you can do now is create shortcuts of sorts. Create your own glyphs, and use the commune spell to show the gods what it should do.”

  Immediately, the image of Sylvia’s glyph came to mind, that seemed to be a shortcut to casting a spell with four glyphs and fourteen thoughts. That… would come in handy.

  He continued, “The last thing is a contingency of sorts. You can specify a spell to happen if certain conditions are met. You only get one of those.”

  I frowned, “How is that different from a spell hooked into a ward?”

  He replied, “Wards can be dispelled. This is like… casting a spell, and then asking the gods not to grant it yet, to wait until this, this, and that happens. When those conditions occur, your spell will take effect. So say your bleeding and knocked unconscious in battle, if those are your conditions a spell would be cast, assumingly one that would help you escape.”

  “I think I understand. Why don’t the gods wish to be known?”

  He shrugged, “They get more powerful depending on how many mages there are, worship isn’t required. Maybe they believe they’ll have an undue influence if they’re known. They haven’t told me. Remember, mention this to no one, and don’t record it in books. Even many master mages have no idea the glyphs are the language of the gods. I don’t know what would happen if you disobeyed the one thing they asked of us, but I’m not willing to risk finding out.”

  I laughed, “Me either. So you won’t say anything to Daniel or Marie? I am going to tell them who I am, what I am, but not yet.”

  He nodded, “I will keep it a secret, even my apprentice doesn’t know you’re a mage. Go ahead and cast it now if you want, we’ll tell them I casted a truth spell on you because we thought you were a spy?”

  I grinned, the deception was both a suggestion, and an implication.

  “That works, although I’m really not.”

  I casted the commune glyph.

  I felt… small, and insignificant before the powers in front of me. I really couldn’t think of a contingency to ask for, except perhaps what he’d just suggested. As for shortcuts, I just had one right now, though I may think of more. I used the same glyph Silvia did since I was already familiar with it, and created the shortcut for the four elemental glyphs, with the intention for fire to support air and earth, and air to support fire and water, and water to support air and earth, and lastly earth to support fire and water.

  Something seemed to click in my mind, and I knew the glyph would work for me now.

  I left off the last two thoughts, for when I casted the glyph. So I could choose the shape, either an elemental or the raw energy of the spell, and what I wanted it to do. So in essence, it was now a simple single spell, just like summoning a water elemental, or starting a fire.

  I decided to leave my enchantments alone, it was keyed to me so it wouldn’t hurt to just leave it the way it was. It would be easier to make the next one with the shortcut, and maybe if I found something new to add or change I’d do it then. Still, this was very cool. I also got the idea that time wasn’t passing right now, I was here in this limbo and could create new glyphs all day, and not a second would pass in the real world.

  “I don’t suppose you’d teach me the glyphs I don’t know?”

  It had been a throwaway line, and kind of a nervous joke. My voice sounded strange here as well, like a hollow echo.

  I heard a dark laugh, undoubtedly from the dark god, and then my mind was overloaded with images…

  I was still in limbo when I came too. I was also shocked. Had no one thought to ask before me? No, that’s ridiculous, some must have, but not all, and maybe not even many. I’d been intimidated and felt small, most wouldn’t be brave enough to ask such an impertinent question.

  My mind was full of new spell glyphs. There was one called mind sharing, which though still a dark spell would allow a person to share a full memory. Another glyph to calm and focus my own mind, or that of another’s. Silly things as well, cause someone to be stuc
k to the ground, or trip, or even make them sneeze. New elemental magic, earth magic, a glyph that would make a flower grow, or air magic that would allow one to fly. Transformation magic that would change one thing into another.

  I searched many ideas in my mind, and it seemed if the concept was simple enough, there was a glyph for doing it. Not surprising, it was a language after all.

  More than that though, I understood the glyphs that weren’t spells in and of themselves, which meant I could build my own rites and rituals. It wouldn’t be easy, but if I wanted magic to do something badly enough, and spent enough time on it, it could be done.

  It was as if I was a child that just learned the alphabet, and if I studied and worked, I’d be able to build sentences, paragraphs, and then full stories. Stories which were the rites and rituals.

  Did other master mages know about this that had been given the glyph of communion? Maybe the gods never talk to them because they never ask questions? Granted, even I hadn’t really expected a response, it was like asking for everything I’d ever wanted and to please give it all to me wrapped up with a bow.

  And I got it.

  Ironically, I still didn’t know what to do with it. I bet I could come up with a ritual that would fix Lethia’s weather problems though. Now why did I think of that? I sincerely doubted they’d thank me for it. Maybe I was going soft, I kept picturing Marie and her passionate speech about her people dying because of it.

  But it wasn’t my problem. Was it?

  I couldn’t think of any more combination spells I needed to shortcut. The rest were at most eight thoughts including hidden magic with a protection and elemental spell. I didn’t want to get mentally lazy. I had no problem with those as it was, and was proud of that fact. So I dismissed the commune spell, and the library came back in view.

  As soon as the books came into view I understood that some mages had obviously asked for understanding before. Because how else were the rituals and glyphs known in the first place? Someone had to design those rituals, write those stories. Now I could write my own.

  Obviously, I wasn’t tempted by the books that much anymore. But despite my knowledge there were probably advanced techniques, combinations, and even rituals that might be useful. Eventually if I need them, I could create them anew. But why recreate what was already there?

  Still, I highly doubted he’d let me peruse his library, not today anyway.

  “Thank you Niall. I am grateful.”

  He smiled, “Just remember what I said and we’ll be even. It wasn’t me, it was the gods who thought you were ready. So if you haven’t been acknowledged before, let me be the first, master mage Cassandra.”

  I returned his smile and stood up. I considered asking him if he’d ever asked them a question before, but decided not to. It felt like learning that glyph, with a few useful things to induce a mage to use it, had been a test of sorts. One I passed by being brave enough to ask a question of gods themselves.

  The true gift was knowledge.

  I left, and Marie looked relieved as she saw I was okay.

  Marie asked when we were down the hallway, “Everything okay?”

  I nodded, “He just asked me a few questions, I think maybe they wondered if there were ulterior motives in my presence.”

  She looked offended by that.

  I shrugged and said, “You have to admit, treaty talks are a strange date.”

  She seemed to relax at that, and so did I as we got back to the rooms and changed for dinner.

  Chapter 16

  “How are things going?” I asked curiously.

  Dinner had gone well, and Daniel and I had gone off on a walk. He’d grabbed my hand not that far into it, and hadn’t let go yet.

  Marie had followed as usual, but was chatting with Elidy pretty far back, they were trying to give us some privacy.

  Daniel replied, “So far so good. We won’t have a problem getting the food, it’ll just take time to work out the particulars. Delivery schedules, troop movements to protect it, cost, all that stuff.”

  He didn’t sound that happy, I wondered if the king had offered magical help as well but didn’t ask.

  He asked, “You have a good day?”

  I squeezed his hand, “Yes, Elidy and Marie are pure fun and trouble.”

  He frowned, “I heard the mage questioned you?”

  I shrugged, “He was pretty nice about it. Respectful. Just keeping the king safe, I didn’t mind.”

  “They don’t bother you at all do they?” he asked.

  “Only the ones that want to hurt me.”

  He frowned, “That simple?”

  I replied cautiously, “Nothing simple about it. People are complicated, and a mage is just a person with magic. Just like a thief is just a person with a knife that wants to take your stuff. Hating all mages for the actions of a few is what’s simple, and ultimately wrong. In my opinion.”

  He sighed, “I don’t think I’ll ever believe that, but I won’t argue with you. That dress is amazing by the way.”

  I smirked, “Just got it today. Glad you like it Danny, I’m wearing it for you,” I said with a tinge of sultry heat in my voice.

  He groaned, “You know courting generally lasts six months, I don’t think I can make it.”

  I giggled and added in an innocent voice, “Really, is it too hard for you?”

  He coughed and blushed at that question, it was cute.

  I’d imagined that I was probably the most not innocent virgin in existence.

  He whispered, “We could always knock my sister out and run for it.”

  I faux gasped, “Are you suggesting I’m a woman of questionable virtue?”

  He smiled and shook his head, “I think I’m in love with you.”

  I looked up into his eyes, and I believed he really was. Damn, I needed to tell him the truth, soon. I think I loved him too, but the words stuck in my throat.

  I cocked my head to the side, “Well, when you’re sure let me know.”

  He leaned down and gave me a quick and soft butterfly kiss, but we moved on before his sister could clear her throat meaningfully at us, again…

  The next few weeks went by quickly. I spent a lot of my days out with Marie and Elidy shopping and exploring the city. My nights after dinner were spent with Daniel until bedtime, and apparently I had two chaperones now instead of one.

  Despite Marie’s obvious attraction to Sandoval’s prince, he didn’t seem to return it, so that went nowhere but led to lots of girl talk before bed.

  I also spent a lot of time working on a weather ritual. I didn’t think there was anything in it for me, but I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t get the concept out of my mind. It was long, and complicated after the first week, and still not nearly finished. It had to be able to control the weather, pressures, how much rain, limit the wind, sample the soil on farms to see if it needed more water or not, and a bunch of other things. Complex was an understatement.

  I think that was part of the reason why, it was a challenge, and would help me learn the syntax and flow of the language of magic, as opposed to speaking one word at a time like an infant.

  It required earth, air, water, and fire magic, which made sense, the weather was very elemental. Earth for the farms and land, to check how much water it needed, water for the rain itself, air to direct the rain clouds where the spell detected the need, and fire for heat, to create the pressure the storm needed to grow and to make sure it didn’t grow too much and harm instead of help. I barely understood it, but I was making progress.

  If nothing else, I gained a sense of accomplishment, and I started a spell book of my own, and this was the first ritual I was putting in it.

  At the end of three weeks, it was a longer ritual than the gate travel spell, and I still wasn’t completely done. I also hadn’t told Marie or Daniel what I was yet, and the time was coming quickly when I’d have to, we were leaving within a day or two.

  As for me, I was pretty sure I loved him. I wasn’t p
ositive though, I had no idea what love was supposed to feel like. I had no reference, my childhood hadn’t been all that nurturing after all. All I knew was it was more than friendship, and more than the lust that his simple presence ignited in my body, it was both of those things, and much more.

  And I was running out of time…

  It was the night before we were to leave when I finally decided it was more than past time. Marie and I were sharing a glass of wine on the couch outside of our rooms, and I’d just given Daniel a chaste good night kiss.

  “Marie, I have to tell you something. I’m pretty sure you’re going to be angry.”

  Marie asked in a concerned voice, “You’re tired of my brother?”

  I shook my head and took a sip of wine, “Nothing like that no. I’ve been lying for… months. I came out of the woods and into Rockbend and everyone looked at me strangely. So… I made up that story to explain why I was a woman travelling alone. I’m not a jewelry merchant, although I could be. We weren’t ambushed though, it’s only ever been me.”

  Marie frowned, “But… you mean all of it, the factor, getting a business license, do you even have a family?”

  I winced, “No, my parents are dead.”

  Marie asked, “But why?”

  She’d sounded more confused than angry.

  I sighed, “Because if I’d told people the truth, I wouldn’t have been welcome in Lethia. Then I met your brother, and he slowly made me fall in love with him. So I’ve been stuck in the lie for so long that I’m not sure how to come clean.”

  She frowned, “Why are you telling me instead of him, and what do you mean you wouldn’t have been welcome in Lethia.”

  Wow, I had her completely fooled, she still hadn’t figured it out yet.

  “You first, because you don’t hate mages. I figured if I didn’t explain it to you first, instead of your brother who’s going to kill me, then I wouldn’t ever get the chance.”