If Geinn had understood what it was he was asking for he might, merely out of love for what the Examiners believed and stood for, made a different choice. She had been subtly playing at his mind since he was a boy, driving him to darkness and loneliness in equal measure. That was why Geinn was so good at his job. An Examiner needed a small part of cruelty to condemn those whose only crime was to have witnessed something the Examiners wanted kept secret. They also needed a small part of pleasure at the pain of others to keep from becoming useless at their job. It was the loneliness that set men like Geinn apart.
Most Examiners had, at one time or another, taken lovers. Some had even had families that they believed were hidden from their fellows. They never were. Almost all of them had found some fraternity in the fellowship of their mission. Not Geinn. He desired neither love, nor family nor friend. He thought it was because he was so completely dedicated to the importance of their task. The truth was that he already had a lover, a friend who never left him even for a moment. She whispered in his ears and shared his dream life, showing herself as a everything a man could want.
So when the King of the Western Kingdom denied Geinn's demand to be given a fleet of warships to 'forcibly apprehend the heretic Aeronwyn from the Sessailaine pirate, Thugard', Geinn was furious. His spies in Forsyth had been quite clear that it was her. Somehow she had managed a closed mountain pass and arrived in Forsyth only to depart on the Sessailaine vessel Nereus, captained by one Thugard. Furious that she had eluded him so easily, he had requested the assistance of the king.
"Are you mad? Declare war on the Sessailaine to capture one woman you Examiners failed to apprehend, who is no longer in my kingdom and as far as I can tell, poses no threat to us? Mark my words, Chief Examiner, it would be war to arrive at Sessailaine with a fleet and demand they surrender her! The last time anyone took on the Sessailaine at sea, their entire fleet was lost!" King Alvin was adamant. "We have the Island Kingdom looking for an opportunity to expand on the west, Mornan and Grale on our east and the security of our borders to be concerned about. You will not have my ships to chase one woman of no consequence to me!"
As Geinn made his way back to the Examiners Hall he thought, I must not be denied. Whatever it takes, even my own soul, I would give to have the power to accomplish this task. That was the moment Geinn decided. That was the moment the thought crossed his mind, Didn't she say all I had to do was invite her in? Fine. I welcome her. It was fleeting, almost thoughtless but it was enough. She rushed into the vessel. Within seconds Geinn was gone, his life force eaten and his flesh became hers.
Triumphantly the Morlac flooded through what was one the man called Geinn. He was she now, although no one would know that but her. Once she had gathered herself completely, she considered her power. She had surrendered so much, given it away to insure her survival. She still had more than anyone of this age, she decided. An age without magic! Even this Aeronwyn, who Geinn had obsessed about had not shown any ability to use magic that Geinn had seen. His Examiners, found on the mountain path to Forsyth, were clearly killed by swords. A mage would never use steel when fire and ice would kill quicker and at a distance.
Eagerly, hungrily, longingly the Morlac reached out to find the magic she had surrendered. As powerful as she was even now, it was only a fraction of her former strength. Now she was flesh again, she could regain it! She reached deep into the earth, high into the skies. Nothing? That's impossible! She reached again, further, depleting her remaining strength that remained from occupying this flesh.
All gone! All of it? How? Time? The spell? There is no magic. No one has any. None of those I gifted with it passed any on to their children! None of what I stored remains! Impossible. I am weak! Standing on the road, a few hundred feet away from the Hall of the Examiners, witnessed by the guards and a few others who dared the night, the Morlac screamed into the sky
