บท 21: The Other Mage

Kurt, the only living mage that lived since the day his kingdom fell, had found there was another. If it was who he thought it was, then he would need preparation to stop her madness just like his forefathers.

A knock roused him from his thoughts.

Standing up and reaching for the door, he opened it to find Christian with Lynn. Stepping to the side, they walked in as he closed the mahogany door.

Lynn.

She was quiet and her eyes were heavy with sadness. Even her exuberant aura seemed to have been extinguished since she left the prince's room in tears. Now she gave no smile nor any word at all.

"Have you told her?" Kurt questioned to see Christian bristled before sitting on the bed.

"You would be better off telling it," the knight admitted rubbing his beard as he looked at his child.

Lynn sat beside him as if she were a puppet being led by a string.

Kurt nodded and walked toward them to sit on the lone chair before the bed. Wincing slightly from the pain against his ribs, he cleared his throat to avoid being noticed.

"The arrow was dipped in black magic and it could have killed you," the mage started, and Lynn blinked at him with her brows lifted.

A reaction. He waited for her question.

"Are you not… the only mage left?" she whispered.

'Good. Still curious,' Kurt found himself smiling.

"I should be," he nodded and glanced at her father, "The lost kingdom was once called Kingdom of Yamaste, my home."

He still remembered the laughter of the people there and the friendships he had made. Such vibrant colors it once was with it's ivory walls and rich greens. Festivals and celebrations were held in his kingdom where other nobles would come enjoy. His kingdom, the Kingdom of Yamaste, was the place to ease your soul.

Until it wasn't.

He could still see the fires in his dreams, dancing and domineering over him as his shadow wavered about. The screaming and crying still echoed, beating against his mind repeatedly so he could not escape the torture.

Kurt still remembered the chains wrapped around that woman, the one who dared betray them all. Wrapped so tight, he could see the marks burning her skin as his elders chanted a spell he hadn't heard of before. Then a burst of pure light engulfed them and he could not look any longer.

When Kurt opened his eyes, he was being held up by a man from the Kingdom of Fiemyr. His dark brown eyes and clashes with his silver armor etched with his house name. Looking around him, he saw his elders on the ground and the woman encased within a stone. None were moving from where they were, and Kurt knew that they were dead.

"Are you alright?" the man asked as they stood up.

Kurt stood on wobbly legs as he led the man holding him up and nodded.

"Sir!" another knight shouted out and ran over to them with a large book in his hand.

"What is it?" the older knight questioned looking at the item.

"This is all that is left that we could find. No other survivals," the knight bowed as he announced those words.

Words that would continue to pierce him to this day.

Shaking his head to clear is mind of the past, Kurt continued his explanation to the female.

"There was a woman who craved power and though she was known as the strongest, she wanted everything. In doing so, she killed her own people and sacrificed whatever she needed to achieve her goal," Kurt leaned forward, "Somehow she escaped her imprisonment and seems to be helping King Valor."

"We need to find out how she escaped and why is she helping King Valor," Christian added crossing his arms with a sigh.

"If…" Lynn started and tilted her head for a moment, "If it took many mages to imprison her… how do we stop her?"

Kurt knew this question would come up. How do they? He was the only known mage living and he is too weak to use the type of magic against an elite. Leaning back, his breath stuttered as the pain shot up his spine. Letting out a breath, he looked at his scrolls on the shelves and then his herbs to his left.

"It would require black magic," Kurt looked back at the Lynn, "I will complete it."

She did not look convinced with the way her lips dipped into a frown and her fingers wringing one another. Her mouth opened and closed with words she wished to speak, but none came out of her lips.

"We do not have much time Kurt," Christian spoke up, "I will be escorting the royal family of Harte soon."

"Then let us prepare before we speak with his highness," Kurt stood up, but stopped when he felt fingers wrapped around his wrist.

"Mr. London," Lynn looked at him with wide brown eyes, "What does she want?"

At this moment, the sound of calligraphy would be heard in the quietness of the room. The flickering of the candle's flame echoed in his chamber as he closed his eyes.

"What was once hers," Kurt broke the silence with his words as his eyes drifted to the large item full of pages, "Her book."

Lynn blinked in that information. If this mage was after her book, that would mean the book of spells use not just light magic, but dark magic as well. She looked back at Kurt who had pulled his wrist free from her hold. He looked pale and though he normally hid his braided white hair, she could see the strands slipping past his hood.

The usual smell of sage was barely noticeable, and his once filled herbs were running low. Some of the scrolls were rolled sloppily unlike before when it was neat and untouched.

"You've been using dark magic," Lynn stood up angry at not seeing the changes.

"Yes," he didn't even hesitate or lie to her.

"Why? When you know-" she stopped herself as she felt her eyes watering.

He was going to die. She could feel it knocking on her bones that Kurt was not going to live long. It was her fault! Why was it always her fault!

'Stupid!' she berated herself as she covered her face.

"Lynn," her father spoke up and took her face in his hands, "Focus! We need to prepare what we know to the king or he would go through with the marriage. Is that what you want?!"

Her father's tone and words shook her as she blinked at her father.

"No…" she admitted.

"You must fight for him. Was that not what you wanted? Are you going to give up?"

"I want to be with him, but-"

"Lynn Marie Esterly," her father stated loud and clear, "If you desire him as yours, I will no longer stand idly by again. You are my daughter and your happiness is mine."

Lynn stayed frozen for a few seconds after what her father just told her. When did he get so… supportive of her wants? Was it when she got hurt? When she almost died?

A warmth as hot as the furnace melted her tension away as she enveloped her father in a tight hug. Thanking him repeatedly as tears, happy and joyful, slipped down the corner of her eyes.

"Okay," she pulled away wiping her eyes, "Where do we begin?"

Like the wilted sunflower, she could feel the sun again.