The Chosen Spacemage

by Dan Oakley

  As always, when Zarak’s name was mentioned, I felt my blood grow hot. “He’s a devious murderous weasel. There’s nothing much else to say about him.”

  “But he can’t harm you now; you’ll probably never see him again.”

  My grip tightened around the crystal. “I will,” I said through gritted teeth. “If it’s the last thing I do, I will see him again and make him pay for what he did.”

  “Tomas!”

  I turned to see Valletta looking with concern at my hand, and when I glanced down, I saw I was grabbing the crystal so tightly it had cut into the palm of my hand, and blood was dripping onto the floor.

  I carefully uncurled my fingers and removed the sharp crystal.

  Valletta handed me a section of ragged cloth. I bunched it up and pressed it hard against the wound.

  “Be careful,” he said.

  I didn’t know whether he was telling me to be careful how I attended the wound or whether he was warning me to be careful with my anger.

  Valletta tutted under his breath and began to clean the crystal. No concern about my injury, he was more concerned about a lump of crystalline rock.

  “Is this all your magic is good for?” I asked hotly. “You just mark down the different colors. I can see why you hide yourself down here. The others probably think you’re too boring to spend time with.”

  I was out of line and angry. I felt trapped and frustrated so I lashed out. Immediately, I regretted it. Valletta hadn’t done anything to hurt me.

  “Oh, I can do other things,” Valletta said with a smirk.

  “Really? Well, why don’t you give me a demonstration before I die of boredom,”

  He watched me silently for a moment and then shrugged. “Very well.” He walked towards the bookshelves, and from a hidden drawer in the wall that I hadn’t noticed, he pulled out a huge sword and a tray of sharp knives.

  Then he turned to face me.

  “Kill me.”

  I blinked. “I’m sorry?”

  “You heard me, Tomas. Kill me.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I can’t kill you.”

  “No, you can try to kill me, but you’re quite right; you can’t kill me.” He pushed the tray of knives towards me. “Try. Throw one at me.”

  I looked around, expecting someone to stop this madness, but there was no one else in the room beside us.

  I stood up and grasped one of the knives by its carved handle.

  Chapter 14

  “Well, what are you waiting for?” Valletta’s eyes glinted, and he seemed to come alive with energy.

  I threw a knife in his general direction. There wasn’t much weight behind my throw, and even if it had struck him, it wouldn’t have done much damage.

  To my surprise, Valletta moved his arm in one smooth sweep, producing a bright blue layer around half his body. The knife collided with the blue aura and then fell harmlessly to the floor.

  Frowning, I stared at Valletta, but in an instant, the glowing blue substance had disappeared.

  Before I could ask him what he’d done or how he’d managed to deflect the knife, he snapped impatiently, “Put some more effort into the next attempt. It’s insulting.”

  I grabbed another knife and threw it under arm again towards him. This time, with a little more force. He moved quickly, producing the same blue aura that acted as a shield.

  The knife clattered to the floor.

  I had to admit I was impressed.

  “How are you doing that?”

  “It’s an energy shield,” Valletta said. “Once you master the basics, I’ll teach you how to do it.”

  I didn’t even want to ask how long the basics would take to master. Being able to generate a shield like that would be very helpful.

  “Does it only work with knives?” I asked, wondering whether it would be powerful enough to deflect laser weapons.

  Valletta grinned, seeming to enjoy himself for the first time since I’d entered his dark lair.

  “Try something else,” he said gleefully. “You might find something in the chest.”

  He pointed to a large, wooden chest with brass fastenings, tucked beneath the wooden bench.

  It was too heavy to move easily, so I left it where it was and lifted the lid a fraction.

  Inside, I found a long sword. As my fingers closed around the handle, I felt a warmth and a flood of energy. Was this a magical weapon? I pulled it out of the chest, and Valletta nodded approvingly.

  “Try that,” he said. “Take a run at me.”

  I gripped the sword in my right hand and moved towards him quickly. I didn’t run because I didn’t really want to hurt him, and though the shield had been impressive, I wasn’t sure how it would stand up to a much larger weapon.

  Just as before, Valletta generated the blue shield, and this time, rather than merely falling to the floor, the sword appeared to melt in my hand. The metal blade flopped to one side, and the handle grew too hot to hold. I dropped it, looking down at my red palm.

  “That hurt,” I said, trying to look stern, but I was impressed and wanted to learn how he could generate the shield so easily.

  I looked up and noticed Valletta’s expression darken as he looked at the burn mark on my hand. The blue glow of the shield faded, and he said crisply, “There’s something else I need to show you. Wait here.”

  I remained standing, flexing my fingers and trying to ignore the tingling burning sensation. I was tempted to go back to his stock of crystals and see if I could find a healing rune.

  Valletta disappeared into a dim corner of the room. He slid behind a screen which was engraved and painted with exotic-looking birds. They were brightly colored, and nothing like I’d ever seen on Terrano.

  When Valletta emerged from behind the screen, I looked up, only to see it wasn’t him.

  I stared in horror.

  Instead of Valletta, I saw the dark hair and haughty expression of Zarak. He watched me with a smirk.

  “I hear you’ve been looking for me.”

  I took two steps closer, just to make sure my eyes weren’t deceiving me. Where had he sprung from? Had Valletta somehow magically summoned him here?

  “Yes, I’ve been looking for you. You must be surprised to see me again after leaving me for dead.”

  Zarak’s smirk widened. “Not really. Dirtbags like you are hard to get rid of permanently,” he said with a shrug.

  “You stabbed me. I was a member of your team. That is high treason. You should be put to death for that crime.”

  “That will never happen,” Zarak said. “Who would believe the word of a mage from Terrano over mine?”

  He was right. With his powerful family backing him, there was no way I would see justice in the courts, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t get my own version of justice. Since I’d last seen Zarak, my magical skills had improved. Perhaps he’d like to see a demonstration? I felt a coldness run through my veins and wrap its tendrils around my chest. I lifted my right hand and generated an energy ball. It glowed blue in my hand.

  Zarak didn’t look worried. He just stood there smirking, which annoyed me even more. Furious, I sent the energy ball hurtling towards his feet, wanting to make him jump out of the way. I wanted to fill him with terror and make him experience half the fear I had when my life had been ebbing away.

  But Zarak moved with startling speed, surprising me. He didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. I tried again, this time sending the energy bolt straight at his chest. He raised a hand, as though he could brush it away, but then looked shocked when nothing happened. He shifted just in time, moving out of the way before the energy bolt collided with his fragile human body.

  A flicker of fear passed over his face.

  I felt a rush of energy, pleasure, and satisfaction. But I wasn’t done. He wasn’t about to get away with it that easily. I sent another energy bolt crashing towards him before he had a chance to regain his breath. He raced around the room, and I followed. My aim wasn’t true. Glassware sh
attered, and scorch marks appeared on the floor as I kept missing Zarak. He was more nimble and faster than I remembered.

  I remembered the look on Zarak’s face as he’d seen me bleeding out, remembered his gleeful expression as he left me to die. He’d shown no remorse and not a hint of regret as he’d left us on planet Tor.

  Fury gripped hold of me as I threw an energy bolt, quickly followed by another. It amazed me that Zarak had so far escaped unscathed. He hadn’t been so athletic when we were training back on the KSS Morellic.

  The lights flickered, and the wind picked up around me, whistling around the room, tugging at my shirt, and blowing my hair out of my eyes. I’d never felt so alive. I grinned at the look of panic on Zarak’s face as he ran from me, terrified, desperately seeking shelter. But he couldn’t escape from me now. I’d waited a long time for this.

  My next energy bolt hit its target, colliding with Zarak’s shoulder. He screamed like a stuck pig and clutched his singed shirt as it slowly turned red.

  Before I took aim again, Zarak ducked into a metal cage, constructed from a copper-colored metal. I flung another energy bolt at him as he huddled inside the enclosure, trembling. This time, the bolt was deflected by the cage. Before I had a chance to strike again, there was a noise behind me, which caused me to turn.

  The door to Valletta’s quarters had opened, and there in the doorway stood Zarak. I blinked in disbelief. How had he moved so quickly?

  Rage gripped me. He would not escape. My whole body trembled with anger as I reached out towards him, though I didn’t move my feet, or get any closer to him; nevertheless, I felt myself grip his throat and lift him bodily from the ground.

  I wasn’t sure how I’d managed it, but it was very satisfying to see him lifted almost to the ceiling, his hands scratching at his throat.

  Tightening my grip, I watched his face turn purple as he spluttered. His words weren’t audible and were choked off before they left his mouth. Behind me, I heard a voice begging for me to stop.

  I turned a fraction to see Zarak peeking out of the metal cage. I blinked and turned back to the Zarak I had pinned to the ceiling. How was this possible? He couldn’t be in two places at once… It had to be some kind of magic. But Zarak was no mage.

  “Let him go, Tomas. This isn’t Zarak. Neither of us is Zarak. It’s merely an enchantment. Listen to me! It’s me, Valletta. If you don’t put him down, he’s going to die.”

  “You deserve to die,” I said. My head felt muzzy. A moment ago, it had been crystal clear, but now my thoughts weren’t lining up straight in my head. Everything was muddled. Nothing made sense.

  “Tomas! Let him go!”

  I took a deep breath and forced my fingers to uncurl.

  The Zarak that was pinned at the ceiling stopped scratching at his throat and drew in large gulps of air.

  I lowered my arms slowly and let the Zarak by the door crumple in a heap on the floor.

  I turned back to the Zarak in the metal cage.

  “Valletta?”

  “Yes, it’s me.”

  “Enough with this trickery. Turn yourself back if you’re really Valletta.”

  “I would if I could believe me. It was a simple enchantment to make you believe anyone you saw was Zarak. I wanted to show you that it was dangerous to have this anger lurking within you. But I can’t reverse the enchantment.”

  “Why not?” I asked, rage still churning through my system.

  “Because your magic is blocking it.”

  “I’m not using my magic to block anything,” I said, lifting my hands to my face and rubbing my eyes. A sharp pain built at the base of my skull.

  “Maybe you weren’t doing it intentionally, but you definitely blocked me.”

  “Well, I’m not doing anything now so change back.”

  Valletta gave an exasperated sigh and stood on tiptoe to look at the crumpled man on the floor.

  I watched in horror as Zarak’s features disappeared, to be replaced by Toddo’s.

  I walked quickly over to him to check how severely he was injured. Red marks crisscrossed around his neck, but he was breathing.

  I reached out to touch his shoulder, and his eyes snapped open.

  He sat up abruptly and pushed himself back from me, scooting along the floor, propelling himself with his heels. “You’re crazy! Keep away from me.”

  Behind me, Valletta appeared. “It’s not his fault. It was my enchantment. I wanted to show him how destructive his desire for vengeance could be, but I didn’t take into account the fact he could block my magic.”

  Valletta looked around his quarters, eyes wide, and for the first time, I saw the damage I’d caused. Had that all been me? The wind…the flickering lights? There was barely anything left intact. Chairs were overturned. Books had been thrown out of the bookshelves. All the glassware was smashed, and crystals were scattered over the floor.

  “I didn’t know it was you, Toddo. I’m sorry.”

  Toddo looked up at me warily and rubbed the red marks on his neck.

  I held out my hand to help him to his feet, but he wouldn’t take it and brushed it aside, getting up on his own.

  “I don’t know who to be angry with,” Toddo said. “We heard the noise from upstairs, and I came down to investigate.” He shook his head. “Tomas, you need to control yourself, and Valletta, you should know better. I don’t even know what to say to you. But I only hope it was worth it.”

  Valletta licked his lips and then nodded slowly. “Oh yes, it was worth it. He is what I suspected.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked, trying to massage away the headache that made it feel like my head was about to burst.

  But Valletta paid me no attention. Instead, he picked his way through the broken items on the floor and muttered. “May the Mage Queen save us. May she save us all.”

  Chapter 15

  We used some of Valletta’s crystals to heal the injuries.

  When Valletta removed his shirt to show the burned skin and open wound caused by my energy blast, I felt sick.

  “I didn’t mean to hurt you,” I said. “I didn’t realize it was you.”

  Deep down I must’ve had some idea, though. How had I been so caught up in my anger that I didn’t put two and two together? I mean, it was implausible Zarak was going to show up here suddenly. It had been a trick, and I should have seen through it.

  But Valletta didn’t even notice my apology. He seemed lost in a world of his own, muttering to himself.

  Toddo was still furious with me, which was understandable. The crystals had faded the red marks on his throat, but his voice still sounded a little raspy when he spoke.

  “There is a strategy meeting in ten minutes. The admiral has requested that you attend.”

  I looked up and realized Toddo was talking to me. “A strategy meeting about Trella?”

  Toddo nodded. “Yes, things have had to be rearranged a bit. She thought you might like to be involved.”

  “I would,” I said hurriedly. “Thank you.”

  I looked around at the mess in Valletta’s quarters. “Where should we start?”

  “You can start where you like. You needn’t think I’m going to help,” Toddo said. “This mess has nothing to do with me.”

  “Just leave it. I’ll sort it out when I get back,” Valletta said, pulling on a clean white shirt and walking towards the door.

  “When you get back? Where are you going?” Toddo asked with a frown.

  “To the strategy meeting, of course,” Valletta said with a small shake of his head.

  “But you never go to the meetings.”

  “I sometimes do.”

  “Only if the admiral demands your presence.”

  “Things are different now.” Valletta paused with his hand on the door and gave me an odd look.

  By the time the three of us got upstairs, the rest of the mages were already gathered for the meeting.

  “Where are my friends?” I asked Toddo.

  “Finn is
over there,” Toddo said, pointing at the corner of the room where Finn looked to be exchanging angry words with Jonno. “Your other friends are in the kitchen. Non mages are not permitted at these meetings.”

  Before I could answer, Toddo turned his back on me. He wasn’t going to forgive and forget easily.

  Valletta had simply disappeared, slipping amongst the other mages in the room. I pulled up a chair beside the synthetic fire and waited for the meeting to begin.

  I tuned out the chatter around me and tried to make sense of what had just happened. I’d clearly lost my temper, and more worryingly, lost any ability to reason. It should have been evident that Valletta was playing a trick on me, but I’d been blinded by my hatred for Zarak.

  Perhaps Valletta had a point. Anger was destructive.

  When the admiral walked into the room, the other mages fell silent. Her wavy dark blonde hair bounced as she walked to the front of the crowded room.

  She turned to face us with her hands on her hips.

  She was more observant than I’d given her credit for. Her eyes scanned the room, lingering on me for a second before looking over my shoulder. She frowned.

  I turned to see she was staring at Valletta. I guessed the short man attending meetings really was an unusual occurrence.

  “Thank you all for attending,” the admiral said, and nodded at the man to her right. “Please act as meeting secretary, Gaio.”

  The man nodded and pulled out a roll of parchment from under his seat and an old-fashioned quill pen. I guess paper had the advantage in that it couldn’t be hacked like comms devices and other electronics.

  “We are gathered here today to reassess our strategy. As you know, we had planned to make an attack on the Kingdoms prison ship, the Bloodhurst, freeing seven resistance members.”

  Seven? That was news to me. I only knew about Trella and her sister, but this rescue mission was apparently more extensive than I’d realized.

  “Now that we know our resistance cells are being closely monitored by the inquisitors, I propose we keep our heads down for a while and remain in hiding. After two weeks, we can reassess. All those in agreement say aye.”