The One They Call Dark One

13) A Deal

Rising into the field of battle, he watched in horror as one by one his knights were put to stone. In the distance, a black hooded man blasted them off, keeping King David's army protected from the darkness he kept sending. He clutched his fists together, ignoring the pain of his armour piercing his own skin. "My kingdom, my knights, my family...will not loose to such ignorance." He plucked a twig from a nearby tree, using magic as it formed a strong blade.

Running into the fields, the Mage saw him coming, continuously throwing blazed of fire and might. Each blast he dodged, and each knight he killed. Soon enough, he stood face to face with the man who killed off his army. "Who are you to trespass through my kingdom without permission?" He smirked, the tip of his sword grazing the mage's throat. "I'm here to kill you, as ordered." He replied desperately attempting to raise his sword, but the Dark One had different plans.

He slammed down his foot against the mage's arm, the sword slipping from his thin hands. He chuckled, "You're too weak to have such bravery. Tell me, why are you really trying to kill me? It's a mage's first rule to why you shouldn't even be near me, mate." He stuttered, "M-My heart...I want it back. The King h-has it. Please...my daughter. S-she'll die if I kill you." The Dark One raised a brow, tilting his head and removing the blade from his neck, "A daughter you say? What will become of her if I am gone?"

"My wife couldn't bare children, and so she committed suicide. Being a Dark Mage, with sorrow I created my daughter Skotádi. If I kill you, her magical properties will be gone, and she'll die. Just kill me, please! I don't want to watch my daughter die by my hand..." He wept, gripping at his armour, shaking and begging for his life to be over. The Dark One kneeled down towards him, resting his heaving hand over his frail shoulder, "I won't kill you, for I understand. My family won't see the light of day again until the king is gone- a man we both hate."

Still in tears, the Mage with magic raised his other arm, holding a dagger of dreamshade from behind, "I've been ordered to kill you. With all the dignity and honour I have left; I'm sorry, but you must die." The Dark One didn't respond quick enough, but only a gasp escaped his mouth as the dreamshade pierced through his armour, impaling his heart. "You should've killed me when you had the chance..." The Mage cried, as he pushed the Dark One's sore body off of him.

"A dreamshade's branch can merely wound me, but a stab to the heart with dreamshade..." He chocked, "...can only skin me." He looked up at the Mage, anger in his eyes. "Do you realize...what drastic measures I must take?!" The Mage nodded, "I want my heart back, as well as my daughter. Killing you is something I never wish of." Flipping to his side, the Dark One gasped, ripping the dagger from his chest. "I don't want to die...not yet. The princess, my son, everything. I'm not giving that up yet."

With the strength he held left, he shoved his hand into his heart, ripping out a black heart, only with a speck of red left. "I can live with the dreamshade inside of me, as long as my heart stays out." The Mage back off, raising a brow, "You have a family to care for, without a heart how can you?" He chuckled, and with magic he sent his heart away in a locked box, deep with his castle. "Even without a heart, I can care for the princess better than that dastardly king with one. He's corrupted, drawn into revenge."

"Still, I must kill you. It's an order from the king which by all means I wish it weren't true." He replied with guilt. The Dark One cautiously stood up, fixing his balance from the amour, "I know it is not your fault for this act, but you must be punished in a way. Hm, from this day forward if I find you working for that King you'll be killed on sight. In return, I shall fetch your heart. Deal?" The Mage nodded, a deep smile upon his face, "Deal! Except, you're still alive. I can't, well, leave you here until you're dead."