The next day Tadier and Pops were saying goodbye to me and Mathra just outside the town gates."See ya teacher!" The kid, confident in his new found power was waving gleefully back at us. I returned it with a brief wave of my own. I only hope that he can at least control his power.
"I really look forward to- OH LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU" As soon as Mathra said that I became aware of footsteps; heavy footsteps,rapidly approaching. I quickly turned my body and saw a large brawny man charging at me with an axe, one could say he was trying to RAM his axe into me. But not before I stepped back and Mathra parried his axe and riposted with grace, sending the man stumbling backwards a few paces.
I got a better look at his face and it was..."Oh no! It's Ramlin! The Ram!" Pops said and he was right, this was the same bandit who injured my horse.
"You know this scoundrel?" Mathra said surprised.
"Everybody in this town knows him. He used to be a woodcutter but he broke the law and now he's a fugitive. Gods knows why."
"Ay that's right" Ramlin, cut in after waiting for us to finish our conversation. Very polite of him. "I'm Ramlin the Ram and I've been waiting underneath that tree for two days, waiting for you to leave this town so I could cut you down without anyone noticing" Two days? Is nobody going to question that? "At least that was my plan until that little shit ratted me out! Now my only choice is to either run back to that purple fella and die or kill all of you!"
"Wait what do you mean?" I asked.
"Doesn't matter! you'll be dead soon enough"
"No! I won't allow it!" Tadier shouted as a continuous burst of flame spewed from his hand, stopping Ramlin in his tracks before he could use his signature ram attack.
"AHHHH IT BURNS OH IT BURNS" Ramlin screamed as he burned to death. Tadier stood there with terrified look on his face and looked at his hands, now stained with blood (metaphorically speaking). I remember the first time I took a life. It was some sewer dwelling ruffian. I killed him easily, with an ice arrow to the head. It was like a hammer smashing a melon. He didn't even stand a chance. I don't even remember his face. Just his headless, bloody body, lying on the stone. It was the first time I realized just how easy it is to kill someone with magic. Uncle had always warned me of that. It was his first lesson. I never took it to heart until I first took someone's life. I didn't seen anything wrong with it. Killing monsters and killing people are very different things. Only after that day did I see the truth in that. I now realize that I never taught Tadier how easy it is to take lives with magic. That's a mistake I will never forget. I only hoped that he understood, when he stared at the ram burning alive.
The screaming stopped and there was a moment of silence. From behind Tadier there was a whoosh sound and flash of light. A shadow then loomed over him. The shadow of a man 8ft tall with red skin and a pair of horns "Ha ha ha ha, well done, well done my boy" He applauded
"Wait don't tell me is that Mephilies?" Eeuna was as surprised as I was.
"By the gods! It's a devil! Get back everyone, if he tries anything I'll-" Mathra gripped his rapier, even though he knew his chances of fending off a devil were slim.
"Calm down, he wouldn't dare do anything against the law and harming mortals without reason is against the law, right? Besides, we wouldn't stand a chance against him." I said.
"You would be wise to heed your friend's words. I am not here to start trouble but rather to fulfill a contract and to collect what is mine. Trust me, harming you mortals would be bad for business and my reputation so you've nothing to fear." Mephiles said, trying to assure everyone that he wasn't a threat. It worked. Mathra sheathed his sword, though his expression was still skeptical.
"I thought you weren't allowed to visit the material plane. What kind of contract are you here to collect on?" I said.
"Up until now, I was forbidden from visiting the material plane. However, my contract here" The devil pulled out a sheet of paper with a block of text and Mephiles' signature at the bottom "states that if little Tadier here becomes an adult or takes a life, I will come down here and take custody of him. For little Tadier you see, is my one and only son" Mephiles' words hung in the air for a few seconds until Tadier spoke.
"But.. I look nothing like you. There's just no way that you're my father..." Tadier seemed more confused than anything else.
"Oh no, you inherited your looks from your late mother. What you inherited from me however is far more important than anything else. You've inherited magical powers that even a mage like Sorace here couldn't dream of."
"Wait do you know this devil, Sorace? How does he know your name?" Mathra asked dubiously. I... I don't want to lie to Mathra. But at the same time, I don't think he would approve of me having done business with him. I could never live with myself if he disliked me. Gods, I sound like such a fool. Why am I being so emotional right now?
"I'm afraid that... I've never met this man in my life. He must be using some kind of magic to read my mind" That last bit was completely made up, but technically I haven't met Mephiles before today. That is, if you don't count someone visiting your dreams as actually meeting them. Still, Mathra seemed to buy my bluff and didn't ask any questions. That is one thing I'm eternally grateful for.
"Now then, come along my child, we have much to discuss." Mephiles moved his hands and specks of colourful glitter flew onto Tadier. Tadier then fell to the ground unconscious and the devil picked him up and teleported back to Hell.
"Hey come back here! You can't just steal some kid!" Mathra shouted but it did no good. I wasn't too concerned about it though. Mephiles would likely give Tadier a life of luxury. I know he certainly treated me well enough (at least when he visited my dreams) so I can't imagine him abusing his one and only son. Besides, Pops who was standing beside me had a contented smile on his face. It seemed he knew more than just brewing tea.
"So that was his plan" Eeuna said.
"What do you mean?" I asked"Mephiles planned all of this out from the beginning. He knew you were a mage and he knew that you'd have to stop at this town. So to keep you from dying in the sewers he gave you that spellbook which gave you just the right edge to keep you alive. It all fits into place now" She explained.
"Wait. You're still forgetting one important detail that bandit let loose just now. He mentioned someone wearing purple. Now where have we seen someone who might fit that description? Why the man who worshiped Zaleu back at the cathedral. Don't you think that's a little odd?"
"Hmm now that you mention it I remember him mentioning that. Whoever this other person in purple is we'll have to keep an eye out for him and remain vigilant. Because it might mean the end of us if we don't."
YOU ARE READING
Chronicles of a Mage, Book One
FantasyAbout a year and a half ago as of when this story is being uploaded I had the random inspiration to start writing a book. At first I only wrote for fun but now I realize that there's no reason not to share my stories with the world. Granted, this wa...
