Chapter 15 - The Bloodmagus

            From the entrance of a large stone archway, Keira watched as her brother assembled a team to escort them to the borders of Durnshire. Ten armored guardsmen covered in plate armor, swords, and shields, and ten wielders, their faces nearly invisible from beneath the shadows of a hooded cloak. Only the glare of their shimmering eyes lit aglow in florescent shades of sapphire, topaz, silver, and jade. To her amazement it was the first time she had seen anything like it. She could only assume that the colors of their eyes represented the powers they bestowed. She focused her gaze upon the grains of the floor, but curiosity stole her attention as each man filed pass and another flicker of brilliant color shimmered through the veil of a hooded shroud. 

 

 

            “What is this place?” Keira whispered curiously to her brother as he approached her.

 

 

 

 

           “The dormitories. Sleeping quarters where the students of the sanctum take refuge.”

 

 

 

 

 

            “And these men, there...yours?”

 

 

 

            Rozlend nodded. “And Maedoc's. We teach them how to use their powers... to harness it. Control it.”

            “But their eyes?”

            “Their eyes?”  Rozlend questioned, a smirk stretched across his face.

            “They're glowing.” she whispered.

            “Ohh...” Rozlend chuckled. “Elements.” he replied bending over to hoist his gear from the floor.

            “Elements?”

            “The colors represent the powers they control, a transformation all wielders experience when they've begun to master their skills.”

            “And me?”

            “I don't know... you're different from the rest, angelic blood doesn't run through their veins. Keira look...,” Rozlend spoke, stopping abruptly in the path of a tunnel entrance. His face suddenly covered with concern. “I don't think you should come with us.”

            “What? Why?”

            “Just hear me out.”

            “Rozlend you can't protect me from everything! Eventually I will have to learn how to deal with this life one way or another!”

            “I know! But it's not that.” he gestured with his hands.

            “Then what?! That's my family out there! You can't seriously expect me to just turn around and walk away!”

            “I just don't think it would be wise for you to go right now! You're not ready yet!”

            “Then when? When will I be ready?! This is something I've been thrown into; I don't have much of a choice! My family is out there and put at risk because of me!”

            “Ugh! For once would you just stop and listen to me, instead of assuming that I'm trying to hold you back! I understand your reasons I do, but there are some things you need to understand yourself first! Things that you need to learn to take seriously! You know as a wielder your emotions will rule you, but are you really ready for that? Honestly?! When the time comes will you be able to set them aside? Or will you let them control you? The powers you harness Keira... they were meant for good, but it's just as easy for them to be used against you in darkness! If you don't take control of yourself, if you don't learn to put the emotions you feel aside... you could let them take over, and then all of this will have been for nothing! Whatever happens out there... whether we find your family or not, alive or otherwise, you need to ask yourself... will you allow yourself to set your feelings aside when the time comes? Or will you let them take you over and consume you? Thomas warned you to avoid this, but do you really think you can handle it?”

            “Rozlend these people are my family, they are my home! I have to at least try!” Her expression grew solemn. “You can't expect me to just sit here and let Azazel or whoever is doing this just take them. If you had a chance to save what was yours, what would you do?

            “Fine... but you will promise me this... whatever happens out there good or bad; promise me you'll stay close.”

            “Fine, you have my word.”

            Rozlend stomped off, and Keira watched as her brother continued to lead the men down the walkways of the tunnel. Still, regardless of their heated discussion she couldn't help but wonder how the difference of their lifestyles had left the two of them so different from the other. Twins of the same mother, yet in so many ways unlike that of the other.

            “Is everything all right?” questioned Maedoc.

            “Huh? Oh...yeah. Just...,” Keira rolled her eyes, and cleared her throat. “Having a discussion.” she sighed.

            “So I heard.”

            “Maedoc?

            “Yes?”

            “I wonder... could I ask you something?”

            “What is it child?” 

            “Than why is it that his attention was so attuned to me alone? As if he had no idea that Rozlend was even in the room. Doesn't he know...?”

            “It's because he doesn't.” Maedoc interrupted.

            “What? But why?”

            “Narias is a powerful man, and there are some things that even the most powerful should never know. Keira...the best kept secret your mother ever made was the existence of her two children. It was well known she was with child, but not with twins. The only reason you and your brother survived the attacks... was because your mother entrusted your care with those she trusted the most. To keep you safe, until your time would come.”

            “But Maedoc... why us? Why two infant twins?”

            “Prophecy. Your paths were foreseen from the beginning. Two infant children, born of both human and angelic bloodline. Callynndria's blood was nearly bathed in the life-force of Evo from a time even before birth. The two of you meant to fight on the side of good...to restore things back in balance.”

            “Then why separate us? Why not leave us together as a family, to be raised together as brother and sister?”

            “There were several reasons the two of you were separated. The obvious reason was your safety. In order for the two of you to remain alive, your mother had to give you up, and eventually sacrifice her life, for the sake of yours. Or the two of you would have been hunted down and destroyed or worse twisted and tortured enough to use your abilities for evil. The two of you simply could not exist under the conditions of the old world. You needed to be raised as a normal child, learn the balance of life through the eyes of normal human. While Rozlend needed to live a life of discipline, and order, a militaristic lifestyle to better hone the skills he possesses. Your mother could not provide for those needs without putting your and her live in danger.”

            “Then why all the secrecy now?” Keira questioned. “And after all these years…why hide Rozlend's past from the eyes of the elder and not mine along with it?”

“The demons of our past would have stopped at nothing to possess the bodies of our leaders.” Maedoc answered. “It was the only way they could seek to control of our world. Rozlend knows who and what he is, and for now… that is good enough for him. But you must remember Keira, Rozlend's gift is a complicated one, and something that is not to be taken lightly. His abilities cannot be trusted in the hands of just any man, Narias included. And though Rozlend is descendent of angelic blood, his gift can be easily used for evil, just as much as it can for good, and if he is not careful his powers could consume him.”

            “What is he?”

            “Rozlend is what some refer to as a Bloodmagus. Near the same abilities as a wielder but only slightly different.

            “How so?”

            “Instead of conjuring magic out of thin air, he's abilities require more than the mere thought of just water, and fire, but the touch of another's life-force. Unlike a wielder who can simply conjure spells from the elements around them, Rozlend requires the use of his enemy life-force to cast magic. His body absorbs the elements within them and utilizes it to conjure spells. But in combat, these skills can prove dangerous even to him, and the ones he loves. To a Bloodmagus, blood is a deadly addiction, a power with the ability to rule you... and overpower you.”

            “That's why he never likes talking about his gifts isn't it?”

            “Yes, and had the elder known that under the possession of a demonic force, Rozlend....”           

            “Would have been used as a weapon.” Keira interrupted.

            “Exactly… it is something your brother has never been able to be proud of, and it has taken him several years to cope with the possibilities of what he could become had he given into his powers. Still it is something he has learned to live with, and take control of. Your brother has had to remain hidden from the eyes of the Elder's knowledge for a majority of his years, and very reason a lifetime of discipline, and order was a necessity for his survival.”

            “Now I understand...” Keira whispered softly.

            “What's that child?”

            “What he meant when we were arguing earlier. I thought it was just his ego getting in the way but it wasn't. He was worried that I might let my emotions get the best of me... control me... he said “the powers you harness were meant for good, but it's just as easy for them to be used against you in darkness”. I know what he was trying to tell me now.”

            “Your paths child... have been foreseen from the beginning, but it is your decisions and actions that will determine your futures. Remember that, and when the time comes perhaps you will find it easier to set aside your emotion from what you know to be right.”        

 

 

   

 

            “Narias. I was curious about something he mentioned earlier in the chamber.” Keira and Maedoc continued their walk down the paths of the tunnels. “When Narias mentioned about the demons attacking before, he sounded so...disturbed...involved. Narias isn't just any elder is he?” 

 

 

 

            Maedoc smirked. “No, he is not. Narias is one of the last few remaining leaders of the lost kingdoms. A leader like your mother.”

 

            “A wielder?”

 

 

  

 

            “Yes.” 

 

 

 

 

   

Author's Note

Very rough draft. I'm thinking about extending this chapter, it seems way to short. But I'd like to hear what the readers think, so I can gather some ideas for improvement.

Reviews

[Aekmy]

I hope you don't mind me correcting grammar...?

To her amazement[,] it was the first time she had seen anything like it. She could only assume that the colors of their eyes represented the powers they bestowed.

"And these men, [they're]...yours?"

"Fine[.] you have my word."

You needed to be raised as a normal child, learn the balance of life through the eyes of normal human[s].

Still, regardless of their heated discussion[,] she couldn't help but wonder how the difference of their lifestyles had left the two of them so different from the other.

Unlike a wielder[,] who can simply conjure spells from the elements around them, Rozlend requires the use of his enemy life-force to cast magic.

Other than these mistakes I found, this first draft is lovely. (:

[Nataliya Maize]

Sorry I tried enlarging the text and the editer program isn't letting me for some reason, but I'll try to fix that asap

[Frederick E. Conkling]

I liked it a lot. the length seems fine to me. The ending makes me want to read more. The one problem I had was the size of the text was a little small and hard to read, but that could be just me. All in all its well done, great job.