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, they’re...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 everyday 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 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 control of you, 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 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 one another. Twins of the same mother, yet in so many ways unlike that of the other.

            “Is everything alright?” 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?”

 

            “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.” 

            “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 to fight this war.”

 

            “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 into a time of 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. Without that sacrifice the two of you would have been hunted down and destroyed or worse twisted and tortured until the use of your abilities were used 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 a 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 yours lives and hers in danger.”

            “Then why all the secrecy now?” Keira questioned. “After all these years, why hide Rozlend’s past from the eyes of one of the last remaining elders in existence, and not mine along with it?”

            Maedoc paused in thought. “The one thing you must understand Keira, is that the demons of our past would stop at nothing to possess the bodies of our leaders... nothing.” He urged. “No one was safe from the possession of a demon, not man nor child. It was the only way they could seek to control of our world. Secrets had to be made, alliances had to be mended. It was the only way to ensure the sake of our very survival. Rozlend knows who he is, and for now that is good enough for him. But his gift is a complicated one, and not something to be taken lightly. His abilities cannot be trusted in the hands of just any man, elder alike. And though he is descendent of angelic blood, his gift can easily be used for evil, as much as it can for good, and if he is not careful, it will consume him, and everyone he touches.”

            “Consume him? What is he?”

            “Rozlend is what some refer to as a Bloodmagus. Near the same abilities as a wielder, but with one slight difference.

            “What?”

            “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 enemies’ life-force to cast magic. His body absorbs the elements from 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, Rozlend....”        

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

            “Exactly. It is something your brother has never been 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 the 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 genuinely 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.” Keira focused her eyes upon the ground beneath her.

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

            “But Maedoc, what if this time isn’t the time to set aside my emotions? What if this time my family needs me, is it truly the right then to walk away?”

            “Only you will know the answer to that child, and I feel in this case... you already do. The question is... when the time comes will you do what’s right if needed?”

            “I hope so.” she whispered. “I really hope so.”

 

Author's Note

Second draft, please be honest. Free feel to correct any grammar issues, etc. I was wondering if this chapter seemed a bit short. I was considering making it longer, but I wanted to see what the readers thought first. Anything constructive criticism welcome.

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.