A Wizard's Tears (26 page)

He spat at her feet, but she did not take offence by this, and merely smiled at the man. “I have been wrong towards you,” she stated matter-of-factly, “and for that I am sorry. I leave you a gift.”

“W-what?” stammered the tramp, glaring at her suspiciously. “Why are you talking to me, for I am not worthy. I do not believe in Untaba, don’t you remember?? I curse your god!”

“It does not matter,” replied Vergail. “He is not my only god.”
Leaning forward, the priestess touched the fevered brow of the man, and her healing powers showered down through him, easing his pain and stopping his coughing. Blood and colour returned to his pale face, warming it, setting it aglow with life. The man looked at her, amazed.
“You have cured me!” he sputtered. “Why, priestess? You would not even speak to me before. You always looked down on me. Why did you use your powers to heal me?”
Vergail smiled at the man warmly. “Let me just say I have been taught a few valuable lessons, recently.” With a curt nod, she turned and walked into the gardens, towards the standing stones that the mages had used not that long ago to summon the sorcerer’s whereabouts.
As she walked through the gardens, the normal contentment she felt from this place was no longer within her. This place was much the same as the rest of Malana, a city of gold, a city more interested in money and self than more important values. Her life before had ended, of that she knew. She would travel from here, soon, take a spiritual journey away, to where she could not say, but somewhere else in Elrohen, maybe, she would be able to find a place she could call her home.
As she walked, sunlight ebbed and moonlight and stars shone down onto the standing stones. This was still an impressive site, filled with wonder, but she came here simply to see the stars. Here, in the gardens, the lights of the city could not diminish their beauty.
The stars seemed to wink at her, and she thought of Keldoran, the young man who had saved her. Perhaps, now, his star shone down on her, even now, guiding her on.
Then she thought of Lorkayn, and her heart filled with love. She thought of the world of Mincalen, somewhere out there, in the endless void, and smiled. There, now, at least, there would be peace, at least for a while.
Vergail reached down, and plucked a flower from the garden. It was a black orchid, and the fragrance reminded her of her first dream with Lorkayn. The aroma warmed her being, made her feel…safe, somehow. She tucked the flower into her robe, wearing it and enjoying its scent. It was time for her to leave on another journey, but this would not be as spiritual as the journey she had already travelled. Her soul had changed, forever, and she was a better person for it. The worst evil the world of Elrohen had faced, and it had improved her being.
Shrugging, laughing at the irony, Vergail turned and walked from the standing stones, and to her new destiny.

Craig Gilbert was born in Scotland and currently lives in Fife. Always interested in writing, he begun his first novel,
A Wizard’s Tears
, when he was 16 years old. Well, it seemed a good place to start, with Craig’s interest in fantasy apparent from a young age.

Since that time, Craig has gone from strength to strength, writing a plethora of different genres, including poetry and lately, a humourous short story book about his life.