Kapitel 14: Shadow Mage

Amidst the static noise wrapping my mind, a reminder from an old teacher echoed. This conversation had happened from a few years ago, but her words stuck to me with clarity. "Your Highness, you are a Light Mage. Though rare and only shows up every few hundred years, such mages are almost entirely useless except for shows and displays. But that does not mean that you are not special—"

"Am I special or am I useless? Make up your mind, Elvira," I had replied, unsure if she had been complimenting me or insulting me.

The old hag had grinned. She always took pleasure in seeing me annoyed. But that also meant that I was her favorite amongst her students. "Those two things can be together in one, Princess."

"Where are you getting at?"

Her expression had turned dark, something I was not used to. "I am telling you that there is an opposite, as does white has black, and fire has water. The Shadow Mage, as useful as a Light Mage is useless. It is said that they are children of Vox, the goddess' arch nemesis. And there has been talks that a Shadow Mage had been discovered a few months ago along the southern coasts of Cygnus."

Vox, the god of corruption and dark magics, he had died by the hands of Laevis, goddess of wisdom and balance. She's the goddess that we, the people of Orion, worship. Basically, it was said that Vox's servants still sought revenge against the goddess and her worshippers despite their master dying thousands of years ago. I was not so adept about the details, but this was a story even kids in Orion knew of.

Elvira was telling me to be wary of this Shadow Mage, as their power came from Vox himself. And as for me, my magic was the exact incarnation of Laevis' magic—light. It didn't take too much brain power to realize that we were meant to be enemies, as well.

My face had scrunched up, unsure what I was going to do with the information she was giving me. "And so?"

"Should you encounter this Shadow Mage…"

"Elvira, we are in the capital city of Orion," I had told her, "if the Shadow Mage was sighted near the coasts of Cygnus, they'd be thousands of miles from here. The chances of an encounter happening would be close to none."

"It is not like you to be so lax, Your Highness," my teacher said. "You may have a point, but it is not wrong to be prepared if the worse ever comes to be."

"You just said that my powers were useless minutes ago."

Elvira had cackled. "Indeed I did. But that does not mean that I can't teach you a thing or two."

"Rosie?" Ras' voice was muffled as he kept repeating my name. "Rosie, you can open your eyes now."

I snapped myself from the memories, returning to the present. Returning to a Ras with a worried look, those deep black pools like starlight trying to shine on me.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Ah, yes." I blinked, pretending to take a look at the surroundings. "Are they gone?"

"Seems like it," he said, sheathing his swords at his back. "I managed to do it somehow."

I glanced at him sideways, making a convincing act of teasing him. "I guess it is not my place to ask how you did it."

He smiled faintly, and I saw that there were signs of exhaustion on his face. "You may ask, but I will not answer."

"Fair enough."

I was beginning to worry for him. His shoulders slumped, no matter how he might try not to make it obvious. Beads of sweat rolled down from his brows, his chest rising and falling deeply as his breathing became shallow.

Ras was a Shadow Mage. It was not right for me to be around him—

By the goddess! Was I really thinking of those things about the person who had saved my life multiple times? Wasn't that too selfish of me?

I had expected for every inch of my body to protest when I walked up to him, but I felt nothing but the urge to put my arm around his waist.

"Woah there," he said, chuckling but not backing away.

"Shut up and just lean on me," I said, "I don't know what miracle you pulled off but I know you're tired. So lean on me and don't say another thing."

He did as I said, but he was laughing loudly as we walked to the end of the branch. "Is this how you thank your savior, Rosie?"

"I can save the gratitude for later when you're well." I helped him settle down against the tree, carefully and gently.

He couldn't stop the groan that escaped his lips the moment he sat and extended his legs. His forehead tightened as he shut his eyes, his lips clamped together in some unbearable pain he was feeling. Whatever magic he released, it was evident that it took quite a toll on him. I didn't understand what was happening to him but I was sure as hell on what I was going to do.

Ras helped me, and now I was going to help him.

I folded the skirt of my gown, crouching to level with him. I put the back of my hand above his brows first, trying to assess his condition. Thank the goddess, it seemed he was not running a fever. I would not be able to do anything about that.

"I'm fine, Rosie," he said, panting. "I merely need to rest up a bit and we can go to Lirajane."

"You are not fine, Rasvien."

At that, he stared at me with disbelief and delight both.

"Your energy flow is in shambles, there's chaos and contamination," I told him, reaching into the surface of his magic. Wariness dawned his features, and it seemed as though he put up his guard slightly. But I continued. "I can fix you, Ras, if you'd let me."

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