A True Prince: Sanders Sides AU

Chapter 9: Several Years Ago; Part 2

***TW: physical abuse; read with caution***

As Virgil went to bed, he couldn't help but wince at his injuries. He knew he deserved them, but that didn't change the fact that they hurt like heck. True, the pain had lessened over the years, but it still hurt. Sometimes he wondered if it was all worth it. Then he thought about his hug with Patton; if he hadn't accepted that offer all those years ago, he never could've done that today.

As he drifted off to sleep, Virgil thought back to that day in the marketplace. The day that his life changed forever...

~~~~~~~

Virgil pocketed the few coins he'd just made from the baker. True, it was hardly enough for a full day's work, but if it could help Patton, it was worth it.

As he entered the town square, he noticed a large crowd of people dispersing. The Royal Adviser had apparently raised the taxes again, considering the overall mood of the crowd. Great. Just great. If I could give that jerk a piece of my mind...

Remembering his condition, Virgil stopped his train of thought. He could feel the tension building, wanting to escape, but he had to hold it back. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he continued through the square, trying to dodge the members of the former crowd. As he reached the outskirts, however, he felt a hand grab his shoulder.

Instinctively, Virgil stepped on the person's foot, attempting to run away. However, the grip was too strong. As Virgil turned around to yell at the stranger, he found himself face to face with the Royal Adviser himself.

"I'm so sorry to bother you," he said. "But I couldn't think of another way to get your attention."

Virgil finally shrugged off Dolos' grasp, but he didn't run away. He wasn't scared anymore; he was angry. "So? You could've yelled 'Excuse me?' Or maybe you could've just asked for all of my money, then I would've recognized you."

Dolos gave a thin smile. "Feisty, aren't you? Well, if you don't want my help, that's fine. I simply felt that someone with your...ahem, condition, could use some guidance."

Virgil's guard dropped. "You...you know?"

"Of course I do. I could recognize another Mage from miles away. I do have to admit I'm surprised, though. I haven't heard of a Mage in the kingdom in years. Even so, one would assume you would've started training already."

"Mage?"

"Oh." Dolos' voice filled with interest. "You didn't know. You suppressed it, didn't you? You were afraid you were going to hurt someone."

Virgil nodded. "Well," Dolos continued. "I could give you some guidance, if you would like."

"You...you would?"

"Oh, yes. Two times a week, at the castle. However, you mustn't tell anyone. If somebody does ask where you are going, tell them you are delivering a message to me. Understand?"

Virgil nodded. He wanted to control his powers more than anything. He was willing to do anything to protect those around him.

"Perfect." Dolos said. "Our first lesson shall be tomorrow. There's a secret entrance through the forest; make sure you use it. Secrecy, above all, is what you must practice."

And with that, Dolos left Virgil to digest all of this information.

The next day Virgil wandered through the woods until he stumbled upon the door. Once inside, Dolos greeted him, showing him the route up to his study. It was a confusing path of twist and turns, but eventually they ended up in Dolos' private study.

The room was dark, lit only by a few candles on the walls. There were a few books on a shelf, as well as several birds and snakes in cages strewn about the room.

As Virgil took a seat, Dolos shut the door, taking the seat opposite Virgil.

"Before we begin, I would like to lay out a few rules:

"First, you must do everything I tell you without hesitation. You're already starting late; I certainly don't want to have you fall behind even more.

"Second, as I've already told you, these lessons must be kept completely confidential. You cannot tell anyone that you are coming here. If you are caught, which you should not be, use the messenger excuse. After today I will no longer meet you at the door, so you'll have to find your way up here by yourself.

"Finally, in exchange for these lessons, I am going to require some favors of you. They won't be very large ones. I might need you to run an errand or pick up an ingredient from time to time. However, I will reward you for your efforts. Putting in all of this effort with me will surely take away from your time working in the village. I will compensate you accordingly. Understand?"

Virgil nodded. "Yes, Sir."

"Perfect." Dolos grinned. "Let's get to work."

As the lesson progressed, Dolos taught Virgil about the nature of his powers. As Dark Mages, they had abilities others only dreamed of. To prove his point, Dolos twisted his wrist, clamping his hand in the process, and was able to teleport a snake from a cage into his hands.

Putting the snake back, Dolos explained how Mages, especially Dark Mages, were quite a rare breed.

"Years ago, most Mages were twisted and taken in by the Light, and they were never taught the ways of the Dark Mages. It's no wonder most of them disappeared. Before light, there was darkness. We posses the purest form of magic, Virgil. There's no need for potions or complicated spells. We simply will," Dolos said, concentrating. Soon enough a small, black flame formed in his hands. "And we create."

At the conclusion of the lesson, Virgil's head was already buzzing in anticipation for the next one. In fact, he was so distracted that by the time he was ready for the next lesson, he couldn't remember how to get to Dolos' room.

He turned left. He turned right. He walked forward, looking up, looking down, and not looking where he was going, so that he crashed right into a suit of armor. He was afraid that it was going to tip over, but there was another boy in the hallway to help him straighten it. He couldn't have been much older than Virgil, but he was wearing the royal crest on his outfit. Clearly he must be someone important.

Virgil's head was racing with fear, but the boy...Roman. Roman made it easier for him to talk, even joking around with Virgil sometimes. Sure, Virgil let slip the location of the secret passageway, but this kid was clearly bored out of his mind. Besides, who would he tell?

Footsteps down the hallway startled Virgil out of his conversation with his new friend. After making Roman promise not to say anything, he sprinted down the hallway and up the nearest flight of stairs. By some miracle he was able to find Dolos' room again.

That was when he learned about the true way to channel Dark Magic. The reason Dolos had his scar. The reason Virgil kept accumulating bruises and welts along his arms.

"True power is derived from pain." Dolos told him that day. "My...mishap, opened the path for me. Your past helps you channel your power, but it isn't enough." He took out a piece of wood that Virgil immediately recognized as a ruler. Motioning for Virgil to roll up his sleeves, Dolos quickly smacked Virgil across the wrists with the ruler, leaving a stinging red mark.

"Consider this part of the lesson," Dolos said. "You should arrive on time from now on, or you should expect consequences." Virgil winced, almost tempted to cry under the pain. "I know it hurts now," Dolos said. "But trust me, this will make you stronger. I promise."