The light of the trodden

Magic and Science

"He came, he saw, he conquered." Strange how it applies to every king. He comes, asserts his dominance and dreams of conquering the world but always is thwarted. He never succeeds. He is poisoned and assassinated and he never achieves his dreams.
Wise men say that what we desire shapes us and when we achieve what we desire then we never achieve satisfaction. All of it is rubbish. Blatant rubbish is fed to people who didn't achieve their goal. I realised long ago that power was the only thing that mattered and I would go to any lenghts to fullfill it. No one would get in my way.

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"What are you looking at, Zandaria?" A man asked the child.
" The sea." answered the child.
" Want to hear a story about the sea." The man asked, smiling.
With shining eyes the boy replied
"Yes"
" It has been nearly a million years since it happened. Man arose from the sea and started to live on land but his heart always went out to sea but the sea felt betrayed and felt that man had insulted him so the sea tried to drown every man who tried to walk back to the sea. The sea constantly flooded the land and killed many men. To save themselves from the sea's wrath man built the first boat and ever since then man has always felt close to the sea whenever he is in the boat."
" That is a stupid story." The child said " Why can't the man forsake the sea. Why does man feel the need to go back to the sea?"
" True many people believed in what you say and went back to live on the land but a few handful of people still loved the sea and in today's times we call them Voyagers . They feel the need to be closest to the sea and so they travel in ships and boats. They always feel attached and in the end they are just nomads waiting for the sea to take them back to themselves."
" How does one lose himself?" The child asked, innocence in his eyes.

The man smiled indulgingly at the child " When a person loses all his morals or when a person lies so much that he forgets the truth and lives the lie at that time the person is lost. Every person is lost until they start to understand their purpose."
" What is my purpose?"
" Only you will decide that."

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A dark city, devoid of light, which even the strongest of knights choose to overlook, where even the darkest of the dark choose not to go, a man was seen clutching his bag like it was his lifeline. Seeing the shadows behind him anyone could guess that he wasn't going to live very long.
The dark figures continued to follow him, blending in the dark. They were born in the dark and thier cat-like eyes had completely adapted to the dark. The darkness was their ally and thier worst enemy for darkness suddenly swallowed each and every one of them.
The man seemed to know the figures weren't following him anymore for he stopped. "I did everything you asked." The man said, fear radiating from every word. " Let my family go."

"Now, now" a cold voice was heard. Even the darkness seemed scared of him for he had an aura around him that indicated that he had not adapted to the dark. He was the embodiment of it." You have persevered long enough. You have acquiescence and might I say that it's exactly what I want in people. Do what you want, no questions asked."

" This is not acquiescence. This is oppression, plain and simple. I do not accept this, it is being forced upon me." The man replied, his hunched fearful form suddenly gaining confidence.
" Hush, you never spoke out until now you have a perfect record. You don't want to damage that, do you?" The voice chuckled, a cold, harsh chuckle which sounded like a raspy cold wind which blew through a partially open window. The figure moved so that light could behold his face and said "You should never have spoken. And hence you shall never speak again."

***************
"Another scientist is gone and another magician too." The man who was assistant to the general said.
" Are they alive or are they dead? If they are dead where is he taking them." The General asked, the question which had no answer. A man burst into the General's camp and hurriedly spoke a few words to the assistant and immediately went back out.
" Who was that impudent person? He didn't even acknowledge me." The General asked, enraged at not recieving respect.
" Sorry, sir but some urgent news has come to light."
"What is it?"
" The scientist was last seen going into the dark city, holding a box." The assistant then suddenly went still.
" And? What Happened To You?" The General shouted.
The assistant slowly turned his head, realisation finally seemed to come to him " All the scientists were very close to a breakthrough in energy derivation or in simpler words they were close to creating energy. And there is also another theory in science that states that magic is a way that creates energy or converts energy into other forms of energy."
" Where are you going with this?" The General asked, afraid to know the very answer
" Whoever is doing this is not doing this just for fun. There is a larger motive here and I don't think it's just to threaten a country. It's on a global scale."
" I have overlooked the dark city for far too long but now I have to do this."

" Yes sir, today might be the day." The assistant said in anticipation
" Yes today is the day." The General ordered " Order a raid to the dark city. Mobalise as many soldiers as you can. We attack at night."
As the country moved to launch a massive attack on the unconquerable city, a person laid back and watched in the dark city. "Sir they are moving to attack. What are your orders?" His assistant asked.
" Engage all defences. Stall them, whichever way you can. When the last shipment has left you can blast this city to oblivion but take care that most of the army is in the city." The person replied.
The fight was about to begin and there was not a single one in the country who was prepared to be a bystander.