The Forgotten Mage's Diary

Part Twenty Seven: Misjudged

(A/N: This book is getting so long! I've never written a story this long before so I'm sorry if things get boring. This chapter-thingy gets really cheesy and dramatic so I'm warning you! I'm trying to spice things up so don't be afraid to give suggestions and story ideas~)

Now that they were back home everyone felt safe and secure. Monica had already prepared dinner for Cole and Elena. Just as everyone was sitting at the dinner table a loud creak resounded through the cottage. Before anyone could react a shadowy figure made its way down the stairs. "I'm ready to talk now." is all it said.

Elena let out a small gasp but Cole only frowned, "How did you get into our house? Elena's dad enchanted it to stay locked right when we moved here." Monica grimaced, "He died...that means the enchantment did too." The figure swiftly approached the trio, "That's right, honestly I assumed The Young Mage would've realized that sooner and would just redo the spell but I guess I overestimated you." Elena was puzzled, "Young Mage?"

Karzen nodded, "You've earned yourself tons of nicknames in Areagore. Word sure spreads like wildfire." Cole asked, "Didn't you want something?" Karzen chuckled, "You are one impatient little dragon! Yes, I came to...talk." his voice showed obvious distaste towards the word 'talk'. Monica furrowed her eyebrows, "But I thought you were with the Dragon Resistance, there's no way they would let you give out your information!" He gave a sigh, "They don't."

"But you are with them right?" Monica asked. Cole grew impatient, "Yes Monica but we told you all of that stuff already." She quickly responded, "I'M JUST A LITTLE SLOWER THAN YOU GUYS! JUST GIVE ME SOME TIME YA' DINGUS!" Karzen covered his ears, "I-Is she always like this?" Both Elena and Cole replied in unison, "You have no idea..."

He let out another sigh, "Enough chit-chat, my brother will grow suspicious if I stay for too long. So...let's start at the beginning. I was a young dragon who had just learned how to fly when my little brother was born, you've all seen him before, Azmend. He was always...off. He was either always scared or...no, I won't say that, he was a good brother. Yeah. Our parents were killed during The Dragon Revolution. No dragons had a choice, our king sent everyone he could get his hands on to the battlefield. He even resorted to training children. My brother and I ran away from our clan and hid in the forest so that we wouldn't be forced into the military. "

He shakily continued,"In that forest we met Evelyn, she was my best friend but Azmend hated her, no, he was scared of her. Like I said earlier, my brother was always scared and it would make him act irrationally, because of that he saw other  races as inferior because of what they did to dragons. Dragons were always looked down upon due to the fact we were so powerful but couldn't control our emotions very well. After a while I noticed my brother was growing more and more distant so I started to rely on Evelyn."

"She helped us survive out there and only ever showed us kindness. One day while I was with Evelyn making a treehouse my brother ran back to our clan because he wanted to join the war to kill every other race. I wanted to stay but...Evelyn was a pixie and they would kill her on the spot. Azmend was going to give away our location if I didn't join him in the Dragon Resistance and the military. If he gave it away then our clan would murder all of the other creatures that lived there-including Evelyn. So I joined him...he was too scared and weak so he always worked behind the scenes but as a result it forced me to become a war machine, I became too powerful...I wasn't safe. I think that was the moment when I realized I could never go back to who I used to be, I could never go back to Evelyn. Like she said, I left to live with Azmend and we grew up around war and hatred. The Dragon Resistance made me do terrible things, and they treated me just as bad. It all led to me doing this, killing your father, hurting Areagore's king, and losing the one I loved...I'm going to die...and I'll never get to say I'm sorry."

Everyone sat in silence, this man wasn't a ruthless murderer...he was used and manipulated. Elena started to cry, this person she hated for the longest time because he took her father away wasn't any better off than her. He was forced into a position because he cared for his loved ones and wanted to protect people. Karzen sighed, "I never wanted this, I never wanted to hurt people...they took away my parents, they took away Evelyn and the brother I used to love. I should've known from the start that the real enemy was the Dragon Resistance. I was naïve and oblivious! I know that this may sound far fetched but please just believe me...and tell her that I'm sorry." Elena jumped out of her seat, "It doesn't have to end this way! We can just tell the authorities and-" Cole stopped her, "Tell them what? We just got a confession about how he did the crimes not an alibi. He did all of those crimes, he's a criminal."

Karzen nodded and gave a weak smile-it looked just like the smile Elena's father wore before he died. "I've already given my location to the Royal Guards, I can't take back what I've done." Elena sat back down, "I-I'm so sorry...can't we tell them that Azmend was behind it? None of this was your fault!" Karzen immediately shook his head, "I want you all to keep a secret. Let's pretend like Azmend's innocent, you guys never heard what I said okay? Azmend doesn't need this...he's my little brother, I just want him to keep living. He's just scared but I know deep down he's still that young dragon that I loved, " he gave an empty laugh, "He's a good kid. He's just afraid of the world, I want you to teach him how to be stronger. Please, I know it's a lot to ask...but please, help him."

Cole patted Elena's back and replied, "Of course." Elena let out another sob, "I-I can't...it's n-not fair! D-Dad would never let this happen...what w-would he do?" Monica looked at the floor, "The world's not fair, if it was...then I'd still have Claire and Bernard." Elena looked at Monica, "Y-You mean Mom and Dad?" Monica nodded, "Karzen, I'm sorry that I - we misjudged you." He smiled, "You didn't misjudge me at all you all saw me for what I was, a killer. I don't deserve your pity." Cole then said, "What about Evelyn? Does she know this?" "She doesn't need this, I don't want to see her sad-ever." he replied. "She blames herself for your crimes." Cole added. Karzen covered his face with his hands, "I can't believe myself...I...I want to...no. Tell her-" 

"You two need to talk before you go. This just seems so...unfair." Monica remarked. Karzen had his face in his hands still,

"O-Okay..."