Withering Ambition

Unwanted Martyr

Lanthrop's thoughts took him back to that fateful day...

Banging and pounding was heard on the door as his mother hid him under the bed and grabbed her spellbook. She was going to die, he thought. There is no way that she could take on whatever was on the other side of that door. 

Slowly, but carefully, Lanthrop emerged from his hiding place and took from his nightstand a spellbook of his own. He carefully walked from the bedroom to the front hall, and saw his mother standing guard with the door in her sights.

His memories became fuzzy as his mind fought against remembering. The door broke open, and from the outside emerged a wither skeleton. It could barely fit into the doorframe, and its sword dragged along the ground. It raised its sword, and his mother put up a defensive spell.

It wouldn't hold. No way. He had to do something. He charged at the beast, knocking it to the ground. Adrenaline flowed through his veins, allowing him to do things a normal human could never dream of. He had to protect his mom. She was the only thing he had. 

"Lanthrop, what are you doing? Go hide!"

He shook his head, and turned to face the foe, who was standing up once again.

"No, mom. You won't fight this alone. I'm almost 16, I can fight with you. I can protect you."

His mom looked at him with sorrow on her face. But there was no time to share a moment together. Their foe had regained its footing and was wasting no time.

Without hesitation, Lanthrop opened his spellbook and cast forth a spell to immobilize the skeleton.

Sparks sprayed out from the onyx bones of the skeleton as Lanthrop's mother slashed her sword against them. A near miss occurred as the skeleton swung its sword towards her, only stopped by a protective spell.

Lanthrop's mind raced, he was having trouble remembering his spells. He thought about how he should have paid more attention in class, because now, both his life and his mother's depended on it. Blow after blow was exchanged, and Lanthrop could see that his mother was weakening. He needed to focus.

Speaking his incantations out loud, Lanthrop continued casting all of the spells he knew, desperately trying to distract the skeleton from his mother before it was too late. Beams of magic were shrugged off. A fireball couldn't char what was already withered away. Magic spears couldn't pierce something this tough. His voice became more and more panicked, but eventually, he managed to draw its attention away with a well-placed beam in the eye socket.

He froze as the skeleton stared at him. His knowledge seemed to flow out of his mind as its harrowing gaze petrified him in fear. A horrible sound echoed out as it began to step forward, its bones scraping against each other. 

No longer was 16 year old Lanthrop there, his fear had reverted him to a small child, hoping for his mother to save him.

And of course, like she always had been, she was there. Whisking Lanthrop away from the skeleton just as its sword swung where he would have been. The sword struck the ground with great force, and crumbled the foundations of the house. The ceiling cracked, and in a desperate effort, Lanthrop attempted to hold it up with a magical barrier. His mother shoved him out of the front door and yelled for him to run away. 

But he couldn't let go. He couldn't let her die. His hands shook as the barrier held, but only barely. His mother resumed her duel with the skeleton, but it was clear that she was fatigued. His hands shook more and the barrier vibrated as it flickered in and out.

"Get out! Mom! You have to be with me! Please..." 

Lanthrop's screams were shrill and sharp, filling the air with desperation and premature grief. His hands were failing him, the house would collapse. 

"Mom! I need you! Please get out!" 

Tears fell down his face, his mother gave him a look that said goodbye. With one final snap, the barrier broke and rubble crashed down upon the house, surely bringing both the skeleton and his mother to their demise.

Lanthrop dropped his spellbook and sprinted with all his might to the pile of rubble, heaving chunks as fast as he could to reach his mother. 

"I can't fail you, mom. You told me I could do anything! I will prove you right!"

Lanthrop's voice choked on his tears as more and more rubble was removed from the pile. After minutes of frantic digging, he found his mother's body. All he could do, was hug her, and cry. Her eyes were lifeless, not even the love that was always there for him shone through. She was gone. 

Lanthrop collapsed, unconscious, on top of his deceased mother. He had failed.

https://discord.gg/Y6P8fc3wgQ