The Mage of Orlon: The beginning (10 page)

Raising his hands the magic flowed out to the building the archer was standing on.
Fire, bright green with magic circled the building and began to burn it section by section causing the building to fall evenly to the ground.
There was no debris only the fire, and
the archer being brought down with the building.
The last level hit the ground and disintegrated leaving the archer standing before Nate.

The archer screamed,
“
No, don
’
t burn me!
”

The fire did not die out.
The green flames rushed towards the archer on all sides closing the ring to just four feet around the archer.
Flames licked up into a domed netting just barely missing the archer
’
s head.

“
Please, no more!
I am sorry.
”

The archer looked into Nate
’
s eyes, black orbs stared back from where Nate
’
s eyes had once been.
The voice that was not Nate
’
s replied back.

“
Murderer, there will be no mercy for you.
”

The calm flatness terrified the archer, quickly looking around the archer pulled back his hood to reveal long flowing black hair, the archer was a woman.

“
Please, I beg you not fire!
Kill me if you must, but not this way!
”

The fiery net began inching closer to the archer as it moved in the net began to shrink in height as well.
The archer screamed and began shooting arrows at the net which burned up as soon as they got close.

“
You killed my only friend in this world, you took her from me, I might have even been falling in love with her, and now I will never be able to tell her because of you!
”

The intensity of the heat poured into the archer
’
s body making her fall to the ground whimpering.

“
Enough, Nate, please.
”

The voice behind Nate caused him to falter.
Nate turned around to see Lela sitting up, she was alive!
Nate ran to her.
He was on his knees holding the princess close in his arms.

“
Please, don
’
t kill her.
It will change you, and not for the better.
”

“
She tried to kill us, I thought she had succeeded when I saw you.
”

Tears where threatening in Nate
’
s eyes.
Then his stomach knotted.

“
How long have you been awake Lela?
”

With a smile she replied,
“
Long enough to hear that you love me.
”

The blood rushed to Nate
’
s cheeks causing his anger to fade.
The fire net simply faded out of existence.
The archer stood up pulled back her bow an arrow appeared ready to shoot.

With a back handed motion Nate aimed one finger at archer.
Her eyes glowed red with the anticipation of such an easy target when her bow string snapped, burnt in half by the fire Nate sent her way
The string slid across her right cheek leaving a bloody cut in its path.

“
You are getting better at controlling you magic Nate.
”

“
Thanks Lela.
If you so much as string that bow again, you will find yourself back in my net, and you will feel the flames!
I know why it terrifies you so much, it
’
s because you see heat when firing your bow.
”

The demon archer gasped, he knew her secret, but how?

“
How do you know me that well?
”
She demanded.

“
It was your eyes, they glow red, not because you are possessed, but because you see heat!
”

Lela stared at Nate,
“
How are you so sure?
”

“
When you went invisible, she stopped firing to draw you out.
You thought she couldn
’
t see you, she waited for a clear shot then boom!
”

“
You did not answer me mage!
How do you know my secret?
”

“
That part was easy, where I am from we have devices that let us see in the dark, they see heat.
Your village was known for magic and hard to get items.
You made the fog so you could see us better, which is why you never miss, and why you freak out when surrounded by fire.
”

“
Lela can you stand?
”

“
I think so.
”

Lela stood up on wobbly legs.
As she began to walk forward she seemed to regain her balance quickly.
Lela stalked over to the archer who now waited quietly on the ground.

“
Why did you not run away while Nate was tending to me?
”

“
He burnt the bow string in half, I can
’
t see.
The bow has to be whole or I am blind.
I know this village well enough I could have tried to run, but being as he burnt down the building I was standing on without toppling me off the roof, where could I hide?
”

“
That is fair enough.
”

The fragile girl closed her eyes,
“
Go ahead, kill me, but be quick I beg you.
”

Lela looked at this beaten enemy, and had a strange thought occur to her.

“
What is your name?
”

“
Ileana.
”

“
Well Ileana, we are not going to kill you, but we do ask that in return for your life you allow us safe passage through your village.
”

Ileana was shocked,
“
Why do you want to pass through my village?
”

“
We are looking for Lex, we require his services, and unfortunately it has been a difficult trip to say the least.
”

“
I can help you find Lex, but it will require me to string my bow.
It is a hard path to find, but it is safer than the one you would choose.
”

“
I do not know if we can trust you.
”
Lela stated flatly.

“
I know I tried to kill you, but I have lived here for so long by myself, that people coming here usually mean they intend to steal something, and I have to defend myself.
”

“
Nate what do you think about us trusting her?
”

“
I understand the attack; sure we can trust her, because if she double crosses us I can always fry her.
”

“
So what are your names?
”

“
I am Lela, this is Nate.
”

“
Now we know each other
’
s names let us retire to my place and I will resupply you and you can rest.
The path is short, but I do not want to be caught out in this part of the village after dark.
”

Ileana gave Nate and Lela the guided tour of Santrose.
They passed by the mayor
’
s house, which was the first home that they had seen.
The house was grand before the village was deserted.
The sweeping stairs went up to a high door, the yard had been warm when people had lived there, but now only weeds resided in the grand landscape.
Bushes that had once emphasized the great stair cases, now had taken over the front of the once grand house.
A few more houses down and Ileana stopped in front of a huge structure.

“
This was the festival hall. Every year the village would put on a great feast, and dance.
This festival was to celebrate the crops and prosperity of Santrose.
Nate I know it is strange of me to ask, but would you dance with me for just a moment?
”

Nathan looked at Lela who only shrugged.
A dance wouldn
’
t hurt anything.
Nathan took Ileana by her hand and they approached the dance floor that was lit by the moon.
Nathan lead Ileana around in a slow dance.
Ileana put her head on Nate
’
s shoulder as they waltzed through the evening.
Ileana was over joyed, this was the first time she had ever danced on this floor with someone!

Lela watched the two dance, she noticed the smile on Ileana
’
s face.
It bothered her a little, it shouldn
’
t have, but it did.
A tiny voice in Lela
’
s head whispered It should be you dancing with Nate, not her!
Lela shook her head.
She was not going to fall in love with this human!
Zorn
’
s death had taught her better than the finest instructor, about the follies of loving a human.

The dance ended and Ileana took the two visitors to her deserted town, to her home.

The home was modest.
No wall hangings, a few sparsely placed candles.
The home seemed like a shack compared to the rest of the village.
The thatched roof seemed to let water in.
This seemed curious to Nate as the houses they passed seemed in much better shape than the hovel Ileana called home.

“
Why do you live in this house instead of one of the nicer homes in the village Ileana?
”

“
Nate, she is our hostess that is a rude question to ask!
”

“
No, it is okay.
The reason I live in this hut instead of the bigger homes is because when people do come here to rob the village the fancier homes are broken into first, as are the stores, but they leave my hut alone because what could possibly be in that little, poor place?
”

“
So if I am out gathering food, it is usually a safe place to be.
”

The table comfortably sat the three of them.
Ileana poured soup into three bowls and passed them out.
Nate watched as Lela poured a little of the soup in the vile used to tell if the soup was enchanted.
It was okay to eat and Nate began to eat.

The quiet over took them so they began to talk about the forest and other non-insulting things, finally Ileana sighed.

“
We have talked long enough about the weather and what not.
I will tell you my story.
It started with the spell that created Cravenwood.
All the survivors fled the forest except me and my father; my mother had died giving birth to me.
My father wanted to leave, but being a blind child my father thought the dangers outside the village would be too much for me, so we stayed here.
“

“
Life was simple here, now that everyone had left.
Our days were spent gathering food from outside bushes, growing gardens, and making whatever else we needed.
In the evenings while I slept father toiled away on a project, but he would never tell me what it was.
Every night outside this hut I would hear scrape, scrape, scrape until I fell asleep.
”

“
Then one morning came and my father said,
“
Ileana, hold out your hands, I have a present for you,
”

I held out my hands and the weight of the bow filled my hands, but so much more happened there was a faint glow of power and before I could say anything I looked up and saw a red outline of a face!
”

“
I startled and backed away until my father
’
s voice came out of the red outlined face.
It is me he said.
The magic worked you can see me!
”

“
The magic of the bow works when it is whole, when the string was burnt in half the bow was broken and the magic does not work.
”

Ileana held the two ends of the bow string between her fingers, slowly she inched the two pieces towards each other, but nothing happened.

“
Curious, normally all I have to do is get the string ends close to each other and the string mends itself, but where you burned the string in half seems like the magic has left the string.
”
Ileana said with her head cocked.

With a sharp knife Ileana cut the strings just below where they were burned, the two pieces fused back together as if they had never been burned.
Ileana restrung her bow, and the string seemed to thicken and lengthen until it looked like it had never been damaged.
The red hue filled Ileana
’
s eyes.
She smiled at her two guests.

“
I can see you again!
”

“
It took me some time to get used to seeing like this, my father told me it was the best he could do.
I never would be able to see like normal people, but this gift came in handy.
I could hunt at night!
Practice became easy after hours upon hours.
I could hit small coins from far away if they were heated.
”

“
I was practicing one day when I heard my father cry out.
I ran as fast as I could, and found two men standing over him.
They demanded the riches our village once had, but the people who left took all the gold and silver with them.
The sword made a horrible sound as it slid into my father
’
s chest and with a gasp he died.
I saw the fire fade from his body.
”

“
I screamed and fired my bow as fast as I could draw it.
Arrows filled the air three struck the man with the sword and he fell dead before he hit the ground.
The second man fled and I followed insane with grief and rage every arrow I released missed the man, he dodged between trees like a stag.
The last arrow I released hit the tree in front of him and exploded.
The man fell down, he wasn
’
t dead.
I stalked up to him he was holding his face.
I kicked him in the ribs so he would drop his hands and see the arrow that would finish him.
The tree had shot splinters into his eyes, he was blind now like me.
”

“
Get up I screamed, if you ever come back here again I will follow you to where ever you call home, I will kill everything you love before I take your life!
Now leave!
I let him go I followed him to the edge of the woods.
Through some miracle he lived long enough to spread the rumor of the demon archer.
”

“
I returned home, my father is buried on the other side of the village.
The last gift he gave me turned into my legend being born.
Not many people make it this far into Cravenwood, only seven ever made it this far and only three now can have the honor of saying they survived my attacks.
”

“
Lex is the other one?
”
Nate asked

“
Yes, he did something so unexpected When I met him it warrants being told.
”

“
When he first came here, I ambushed him in the same place I ambushed you two.
He called out to me saying he only wished to pass through the village.
I did not believe him at first.
He stepped out from behind the cart, and held up his hands.
By now I was intrigued.
What could this person want that was so valuable that he risked his life to get it.
I came down from my perch and asked him what is so important that he risked me killing him?
”

“
He told me he was in love, and to prove this love to his beloved he was going to meet her on the other side of this village in the heart of the most dangerous part of the forest.
I told him he was mad, no one could manage to come through anyway other than the village.
He said his beloved could, and if the mighty demon archer could spare his life he would introduce me to his beloved and all would be explained.
I agreed.
We walked through a section of forest behind the village that looked the most dangerous of all, but nothing happened.
No animals flew out at us, nothing attacked.
We walked this path until we broke through a clearing in the middle was a little pond of water, and nothing else.
”

“
You lied I screamed in triumph and drew back the bow.
The trident hit the ground a mere whisper from my feet.
”

“
That was a warning, kill him and I will add your bow to my underwater trophy case with your drowned corpse beside it!
”

“
She was beautiful; the water fell from her body revealing a brilliant radiance that danced in my vision.
”

“
Lex you came and sought me out.
You conquered the forest for me!
”
The sound of her voice was choked with emotions.

“
Kira, you knew you had my heart when we first met, this test to prove my love was a trifle compared to the prize of you becoming my wife.
”

“
A water nymph!
”
Lela nearly yelled.

“
Did I say something wrong Lela
”
Ileana was worried that somehow she upset her guest.

“
Ileana, we were attacked by a water nymph before we got to your village, she nearly cut my throat in the encounter.
”
Nate stated calmly.

“
It couldn
’
t have been Kira, she is such a nice person, Kira would never harm anyone.
”

“
She threatened to drown you Ileana on your first meeting.
”
Nate said.

“
You threatened to burn me alive on our first meeting Nate.
”
Ileana countered.

“
It seems that this area has a history of pointing weapons at each other and trying to kill one another.
”
Nate stated.

Lela only chuckled reminded of their first meeting.

“
Okay, maybe there are two water nymphs roaming around in the brooks here.
”
Lela said the words, but did not believe them.
It would be too strange of a coincidence for there to be two nymphs in this close of an area, nymphs would roam in groups, but they would fight to the bitter death if they were of different clans.
This meant that no matter how nice this Kira was she knew something about their watery attacker.

The night grew long and their hostess showed Lela and Nate to a house a short distance away from her hut. The house was slightly larger than Ileana
’
s hut.
The bedroom only had one bed in it.
The bed looked comfortable, but small.

“
Ileana your hospitality is greatly welcomed, but there is only one bed and it is small.
”
Lela said in a nervous voice.

Ileana smiled,
“
It is the only bed that is available I am afraid.
If you want, one of you can sleep on the floor.
I didn
’
t think it would be a problem being as you love each other.
”

Lela
’
s face turned red, Ileana noticed the heat change.

“
If I misspoke, forgive me Lela.
”
With a wry grin she said
“
Nate can sleep with me if he likes.
”

Nate
’
s face turned red, the thought of sleeping with either of the two women seemed thrilling and terrifying at the same time.
Most men would have jumped at the proposition.
Nate was struggling to figure out the best way to do this.
He had declared out loud he loved Lela, but she seemed to back away from him, maybe it was the memory of Zorn still haunting her.
Ileana on the other hand seemed a little too anxious to jump into bed with him.

Before he could answer Lela spoke up,
“
Of course you are right, we love each other, how else would we sleep?
”
The nervous tone was back in her voice.

“
Just remember, if you get lonely I am only two doors down.
”
The last part was said with a little more than friendliness attached.

Ileana left them in silence, after the door shut Lela let out the breath she hadn
’
t known she had been holding.
She turned to see a smile playing across Nate
’
s face.
The blood burned in her cheeks as she blushed.
How to stop him from getting the wrong idea?
Was it the wrong idea, anymore she didn
’
t know.
She did just say she loved him too.
Or was that just to keep him out of Ileana
’
s bed?
She shouldn
’
t have cared who he bedded, but she did.

“
So, you want to sleep together Lela?
”

“
Sleep yes, anything else no.
”

Confusion spread across Nate
’
s face.
Lela was hard to figure out.
One second he thought she was going to be a friend the next she seemed interested in him.
Figuring her out gave him a headache.