Emerald- Good and Evil

by M. D. Grimm

  “Where are they?” Morgorth demanded.

  In finely stitched, purple robes cut from the finest cloth in the world, Elder Elorn stalked toward us, his expression a thundercloud, his posture arrogant. “Thou hast no right to be here, villain. Get thee gone from this place before thou spreadst thy foulness any farther.”

  My gut burned and my fingers tightened on my bow. I felt Morgorth’s magick pulse around him, and I risked my hand as I gently laid it flat against his back. He was drawn as tight as my bowstring, but I knew what effect I had on him when I touched him in such a way. He had to stay in control. He had to keep his head.

  “I’ll get myself gone”—Morgorth’s voice was barely more than a growl—“when you release my brother and his daughter to me.”

  Elder Elorn stopped walking, not far from where we stood. He looked down his nose at us, and his expression adequately revealed what he thought of us, specifically Morgorth: revulsion.

  “That won’t happen. I have need of their assistance.”

  “You had no right to take them, to set their home on fire. The Council of Mages would never approve of such tactics.”

  “I am council.” Elder Elorn’s rose in volume. “And it is not their concern until I make it so. Thy brother and his daughter are my guests.” He narrowed his eyes. “Thou hast been keeping secrets, Morgorth, which proves where thy loyalties lie.”

  What in the Hunter’s name does he mean?

  “What do you mean?” Morgorth asked.

  “Don’t pretend ignorance, Villain. Why else would thou travel back here?” His voice lowered, his gaze darkened. “He has already destroyed two towns in my kingdom. I won’t allow thou to ally thyself with him, Morgorth. Ellegrech will never belong to thou.”

  The emerald, so that was its name. Master Elorn thought...rage and disbelief flashed inside me.

  “Morgorth doesn’t want the stone!” I yelled, stepping out from behind Morgorth. “He doesn’t want to ally with his father. How could you even think such a thing?”

  “Aishe—” Morgorth started.

  “Know thy place, Dialen!” Elder Elorn flung his hand up and pointed a finger at me. But whatever spell he had in mind for me was never created.

  Morgorth flung the older mage off his feet. Elder Elorn smashed violently into the stained glass window covering the end of the corridor. It overlooked the courtyard below, and the mage hit so hard, he nearly fell through it. The glass cracked, a few pieces fell. He crumbled to the floor but rolled forward on his knees, his eyes bright with pain and indignation.

  Morgorth stood right in front of me, his right hand outstretched. He was trembling, but his voice remained steady, emotionless. “Should the very thought of harming him come into your mind, I swear by the Mother and the Hunter I will tear you apart. With great pleasure.”

  I didn’t recognize Morgorth’s voice. For a moment, he sounded like someone I never wanted to meet. Someone he’d once been.

  “Thou willst regret that.” Master Elorn stood and straightened his robes, flicking off debris. His eyes held old rage, bright with magick. “It was a mistake to let thou live so long. Thou shouldst have been destroyed while still in thy mother’s womb.”

  “You spawn of a revenai!” I nocked an arrow in my rage but Morgorth’s hand suddenly latched onto my wrist. His skin was freezing, his fingers like steel. His grip hurt.

  “Stand back. Stay back.” His tone had fear quivering in my guts. He released me, and I stepped back despite the urge to stand by my mate. I knew it was smartest to listen to him. I was training on how to survive a mage attack but there was still a lot to learn, and I wasn’t ready to stand against a master; an elder of the Council of Mages. Was Morgorth? He’d fought against Master Ulezander and won, but I wasn’t sure where this elder stood in comparison.

  “You say my father has Ellegrech,” Morgorth said. “And you, what? Plan to use Olyvre as bait for him? I’d say you missed your mark, Elder. My father doesn’t care about his family. Never has and never will.”

  “Mayhap not, but it worked on thou. I have the right bait, only the wrong quarry. After I deal with thou, I shall deal with thy father.”

  Morgorth pointed a finger at the older mage. “I challenge you, Elder Elorn. For crimes against me and mine.”

  “Crimes?” Master Elorn laughed bitterly. “Pray tell, what crimes have I committed to warrant such a reckless challenge?”

  “Kidnapping. Destruction of property.” Morgorth took a step forward with each crime spoken. “Spying. I’ve seen the bird, Elorn, the one following me.”

  I saw a flicker of surprise cross over Elorn’s face before he hid it. I wondered if Morgorth had seen it...I also wondered what he was talking about. What bird?

  “You had no right to spy on my doings,” Morgorth continued, “in my old home, with my brother. You’re interfering with family business.”

  “Family business? Thy disgrace of a father has a major stone of power. He has caused destruction in my kingdom. It is a matter for the council.”

  “Commandment five, section eight.” Morgorth’s voice rang out like thunderclap through the hall, and it struck Elder Elorn silent. “In case you’ve forgotten, it clearly states that should a family member of a mage be deemed a danger and/or should find a stone of power, that mage is tasked with bringing said family member to justice. Should said mage have trouble in doing so, they are allowed to ask for assistance from the council. But neither the council nor any other mage has the right to interfere until such a request for assistance has been made.”

  I blinked in shock. So did Elder Elorn. Did Morgorth, rebel and self-professed villain, just recite a subsection of a law?

  Morgorth stood straight and tall, his stance firm. “That section clearly trumps your claim on him, despite his destruction of villages in your domain.”

  “How did...” Elder Elorn murmured.

  “It’s good to know the rules of my people,” he said bitterly. “Just in case they decide to accuse me of breaking one of them. Knowledge is power, Elder Elorn, wouldn’t you agree?”

  The older mage’s face flushed and his eyes sparked. He’d been beaten, technically, but he apparently wasn’t ready to surrender. “Those rules don’t apply to villains.”

  I gaped.

  “Are you saying those rules for all mages, set down by the first seven mages are, in actuality, only applicable to those you deem worthy?”

  “It matters not!” Elder Elorn shouted. “I will not be brought to task by a fledgling dark mage, nor will I allow Ellegrech to fall into the hands of a seventh son of a seventh son. We all know what thou art, Morgorth. Thou art a mistake of nature, a test from the Mother, one we failed miserably. Master Ulezander betrayed us all when he protected thou.”

  My nocked bow quivered in my hands. It was all I could do to keep from putting an arrow through his eye. I seethed, my muscles tightening with the desire to fight. Of all the battles I’ve fought, the monsters I have killed, Elder Elorn was worse than all of them. I could only imagine Morgorth felt one hundred times worse.

  “You sent the dogs after me.” Morgorth’s voice was calm, flat. But I could sense the storm inside him.

  At first I didn’t understand, but then his words sunk in. I gasped. Dyrc and Nanna. The manipulation of the king of the Cwaylin kingdom. Two attempts had been made to try and force Morgorth to declare war. He’d managed to defeat both and retain possession of Rambujek, a major stone of power. Was this the mage who had orchestrated all that?

  “I don’t know thy meaning.”

  I didn’t need my “sight” to know he was lying. He was nearly frothing at the mouth, his hatred quite obvious.

  “Aishe was right,” Morgorth said softly. “You are a spawn of a revenai.”

  Elder Elorn bared his teeth. “Thou challengst me, Villain. Thou named thy charges against me. I accept.” His eyes flickered toward me. “I suppose thy pet will be thy witness?”

  That wasn’t the first time I’d been called Morgorth�
��s pet. I distinctly disliked it, but I doubted it would ever change. It was impossible for many to believe he would have a mate. My fingers twitched on my bow.

  “I have no pet. My mate will be my witness,” Morgorth said stonily. “And who will be yours?”

  I was surprised I could still smile. It was small, but genuine.

  Elder Elorn’s mouth twisted up at the corners—it distinctly wasn’t a smile—and snapped his fingers. Out from the room the mage had come from, floated Olyvre and Lyli. They were unconscious, their heads lolling on their necks. I jerked in shock. They didn’t look harmed in any way, but it was risky to be a witness since we had to be near the action to accurately recite what we’d seen.

  “Let us see if thy dear brother and his innocent daughter will want to admit any kinship to thou when they see thou for what thou really are.”

  “They know what I am,” Morgorth said softly. “The only thing they’ll see is what your insides look like.”

  Elder Elorn chuckled. It sent a shiver down my spine.

  Let the games begin.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Morgorth

  “He’ll fight dirty, Aishe. Watch yourself.”

  “I will, Morgorth.”

  “And watch Olyvre and Lyli.”

  “I will.”

  “And—”

  “Morgorth.” He gripped my face. “Watch yourself.”

  I smiled, gripped his wrists, and kissed him. My magick still bubbled at the surface, and I still roiled like a whirlpool inside, but I needed a counterbalance to the rage. I needed to remember what Aishe tasted like, his scent, and his touch. I needed to remember what I was fighting for, what I wanted to return to. I had to return to him. I had to win. A lot was riding on my survival.

  I rubbed my nose playfully against his. He grinned. “I love you,” I said.

  He pressed his forehead against mine. “I know.”

  I snorted. Then I let go and turned around. We stood on a windy cliff with a large river below. There wasn’t a chance for a random creature to become a causality as we flung magicak around because there weren’t any homes for kirons. I had confidence in Aishe’s ability to dodge and resist becoming a distraction, but I couldn’t say the same about Olyvre. He stood not far away, holding Lyli. He was incredibly pale and looked scared out of his wits. Lyli had her face buried in her daddy’s chest. I think she was crying.

  My gut burned.

  Aishe went to stand next to them as I walked over to stand in front of Elder Elorn near the cliff’s edge. His stance was solid, his hands dangling at his sides. He’d watched my interaction with Aishe, and he eyed me with scorn and obvious disgust. I readied my stance, my own arms by my sides. Then we bowed, never taking our eyes off the other.

  “After I kill thou”—Elder Elorn lifted his hands and set his left foot slightly behind his right—“I believe I shall have a long talk with thy pet. I’d greatly like to know what sort of creature would bind himself to an abomination such as thyself.”

  I knew he was trying to make me angry. He succeeded. But I didn’t rise to the bait. My hands fisted as I set my left foot behind my right. His conversational tone, light and airy, didn’t help matters. He seemed to be already celebrating his victory. I would be only too happy to bash that smirk off his face.

  “Try it, old mage. He’ll puncture you so full of arrows, you’ll resemble a pin cushion.”

  His mouth twisted in indignation. “Thou seemst rather confident in thy pet’s meager abilities.”

  I forced myself to smile, making it pleasant and incredibly insulting. With it, I let him know I had secrets, that Aishe and I had secrets. It would provoke him more than anything. He loved secrets, but only if he was the one keeping them from others.

  His eyes narrowed. “Enough talk.”

  “Read my mind.”

  He tried force first. A bolt of it shot toward me. It glanced off the shield I formed and flew into the sky, harmless. At the same time I’d formed the shield, I also gathered earth magick. Harnessing it, I thought a word and made the ground buckle and groan. A section of it lifted in front of me, like the mound of a mole, and rolled swiftly like an incoming wave at Elorn. He leapt away, and I shot a bolt of pure force at him, my words clear and distinct in my mind. Somehow, he managed to split my force in half with his own and the two halves passed on either side of him. He dropped to the ground, and I released the rest of the earth magick.

  “Pitiful,” he said mockingly. “Perhaps thou art nothing more than a rodent that needs exterminating.”

  I gritted my teeth. “Stop talking!”

  The fire in my gut became flames on my arms, and I shot them at Elorn. The fire roared like a live beast, and he had to put up a shield to block it. While it remained red and orange, the lowest intensity of fire, the amount of it and the ferocity of my force was such that it didn’t matter how hot the fire itself was. Endurance was the key for this spell, and my magick strained to retain the force. I realized his stance was slipping since the fire not only burned but the force behind it was awesome. I took a step, then another. I had only one clear goal: shove the bastard off the cliff.

  The rage sustained my fire, the pain made it bright. Fear made it strong. I was always good with fire. It had to be melting Elorn’s shield. It had to be doing some damage.

  Suddenly, a mighty wave from the river below rose up like a mountain and rushed toward me. I didn’t have enough time to change the fire to a shield, or to even use wind to send me into the air, before it crashed into me. I slammed into the ground and extinguished my flames as I rolled over the dirt and grass, unable to breathe. I was drowning as the water, commanded by Elorn, persisted to contain me. I rolled harshly over the ground, flailing, trying to find some way to breathe. But the water became a bubble and it pushed and pulled against me, as if I was in a riptide.

  Closing my eyes, focusing my mind, I conjured a vivid image of the cliff outside the water. I saw it clearly in my mind’s eye before thinking the word. I teleported out of the water, existed for a brief instant in the nothing between, then staggered onto the ground. I coughed and gasped, regaining my balance. Elorn cursed and the water simply dropped formless onto the ground as he released his spell. He spun to me but had to fling up a shield again when I formed that water into ice spikes. A few grazed his arms, drawing blood. His eyes flared as he met mine. I was the one to draw first blood.

  With a sharp word, I dried myself and ran toward him. That threw him enough he didn’t know how to counter it. He flung up a shield but I used a move Aishe had taught me. His shield protected his face, chest, and torso, not his legs. I dropped to the ground, slid a short distance, and with force behind me, my boots slammed into his tibias. He’d moved his shield enough to make the blow glancing instead of critical, but I still nailed him hard.

  He howled in pain and staggered back, nearly off the cliff. I sprang to my feet and grinned wide.

  “Wasn’t expecting that, were you, old mage?”

  His fist shot out and a bolt of fire aimed for my face. I dodged to one side and as I was still close to him, my own fist shot out. I popped him in the nose and I felt it crack. His head snapped back, and I followed it up with a punch to the gut. A mage’s duel was supposed to be strictly fought with magick, but I bent the rules as I had magickal force behind every one of my blows. He straightened after my gut punch, and I kicked out, enjoying the savagery of hand-to-hand. But even as my foot connected with his stomach and knocked him off his feet over the cliff, he grabbed my leg. I could only gasp as he pulled me over the cliff with him.

  I heard Aishe shout my name but I couldn’t respond. We fought as we plummeted down the tall cliff. The wind screamed past my ears as we spun and tumbled, each trying to form a spell but the other always distracting him. Then Elorn managed to get his hands around my neck and squeezed painfully. My eyes bugged as I instantly struggled, becoming dizzy. I reached up and gripped his broken nose. I tweaked it. He yelped and let go of my neck. I kicked away from
him, gasping for breath. Now we fell separately, and I waved my arms around, summoning the magick within the air. It entered me and I created a wind tunnel underneath my body, slowing, then stopping my descent. I saw Elorn doing the same. But before he could fully form his wind tunnel, I shot toward him like a falling star.

  I slammed bodily into him, and my hands gripped his robes. I sped up, the river coming ever closer.

  “What are you doing?” he screamed. His terror made his speech common.

  The river was suddenly before me, and I let go a second before it was too late. Elorn slammed into the water as I pulled up and sped across it. Then I turned and came back to the sight of his touchdown. Vanishing the air tunnel, I staggered to the ground and ran over. I stood at the water’s edge, searching for any sign of him.

  In hindsight, I probably should have slammed him into the ground. That would have killed him. But a part of me was enjoying this. I hadn’t had a real mage fight in a long while—and never one where the stakes were so high. And, I admit, I wanted to hurt him. Mangle him. I wanted to tear him apart. I was petty enough to inflict as much pain upon him as possible.

  The water surged up and split into multiple tentacles. They tried to grab me but I was too quick, my magickal speed activated. They aimed for my neck and my arms, but I dodged and turned, my eyes peering at the water whenever I could. He was down there. He was still alive. Why wasn’t he showing himself? The end of the tentacles suddenly became sharpened blades and sliced at me. I sped away, beyond their reach.

  “Come out and face me! Or are you proving you’re just the coward I always thought you were?”

  A roar, like from a great beast, echoed through the surrounding area as Elorn flew out of the water and landed on the ground. I had to say this for Elorn: he was a tough bastard. But he lacked the grace and elegance of Master Ulezander’s spell-casting.