Author's Games: Magi

Task Six Semi-Finals: Ruling a Kingdom

All his life, Vaxon had been weak. Powerless. He had been born before his brother Jahad, and both had been born without Magic.

His father, Mathas, had always had magic. He was looked up to by all of Castre. He served the late king faithfully, and helped anyone he came across. Mathas often told stories of the times as a child when he had been the Ancient Magi - had learned magic from them himself.

All the years of being surrounded by Magi, being overlooked, neglected and made fun of for not being as good as his father, eventually hardened him. At age nine, when one of his friends was teasing and making fun of him as usual, Vaxon finally had the final straw.

He murdered the boy.

When that happened, he realized that he loved power. Craved it. Needed it.

He didn't stop until he found the dark monks, the evil sorcerers. They were the last remnants of an ancient evil, one that had nearly consumed the entire dimension nearly a century ago. Desperate for a pupil to continue their evil, to ensure it would not perish, they agreed to train Vaxon. They gave him his magic using an Ancient Spell, one of the Blood Magics.

When darkness consumed his soul, he was never the same.

He overthrew the king, taking over the kingdom for himself. Spending his entire life as a powerless, weak human in a world full of Magi who acted better than him only fueled his hatred. He did not stop until they were all dead.

Now, it was his last chance.

"Destruction!" For the first time, Vaxon felt as if he truly had enough power. It called to him, whispering to his mind, poisoning his soul. It did not possess him nor did it control him - no. He allowed it inside of him as his own choice.

A light magic unlike anything he had ever felt before resisted his spell, pushing against it, holding forth. The bond between the remaining Magi was a stronger bond than any type of magic in existence.

Love and devotion are the most powerful magics in this world, my son, Mathas had often told him. Vaxon had never truly understood what that had meant.

Not until now.

As he gazed back on his life, on all his memories and all the evil deeds, he knew a normal man would regret it. He did not regret any of it. All he wanted was a life without Magi... a life where everyone was equal and no one had to feel as weak as he had.

He had only wanted to spare others of his pain.

Yet no one understood. No one knew just how far he was willing to go. Sometimes one had to make sacrifices for the greater good... even if that meant sacrificing one's own soul. Vaxon had been willing to do that and more, to ensure that everyone was equal.

No one would ever feel weak again.

In that moment, Vaxon's eyes rested on his father's. Jahad was behind him. Mathas nodded his head once, shortly. His expression was as it usually was - full of hope and compassion.

"It's time, son. It's time to let it go." Despite that Mathas' voice was a whisper, it resonated through the spell directly to Vaxon's ears.

"... I can't! I will never let it go! I need this power! Everyone with magic has to die! No one will ever feel weak again!" Vaxon screamed.

Mathas shook his head and tears made his eyes glisten. "No, you don't need power, Vaxon. Look at where power has gotten you. It made you want to do things - horrible things, that the Magi never did to you. I am sorry that I did not do my part as a father to you, Vaxon. It is because of me that you felt unloved, and weak. I should have... done something. But no more. Do not let these innocent young children pay for my mistakes."