“You seem to know an awful lot about this.”
“More or less… just remember, there are three rules to magic. First, never tell details of your magic to anyone. Everyone has limits to their magic. They can be anything from range to not being able to use it on an odd day. They are key to killing people with powerful magic, so you never want to leak these about yourself. Second, your body can handle only limited amount of it. As will your ability to use it grow, you will be able to channel more than the body can handle. That triggers a thing called backlash. Backlash makes body temperature decrease to the point of literally freezing to death. In your case, it will likely work the other way around and heat you up instead, but still… remember that backlash will kill you if you overdo it. There is no avoiding it, no negotiating with it, no countering it with herbs, elixirs or other people’s magic. Overuse your magic beyond the limit, you die.”
“Ehhh….” Iowen made an awkward face.
“Third rule, magic is usually done in a direct line from the user to the target or the other way around. Anyone who can do it in more directions or angles is extremely dangerous and you should avoid conflict at any cost,” Lucas added.
“Why?”
“Because it’s extremely difficult, so whoever does it is appropriately powerful and also, it’s really fucking hard to avoid an attack that can come from any angle.”
“What’s your use of magic?” Iowen pried.
“Remember rule number two?” Lucas smirked.
“Oh, come on… I am not asking about any details,” Iowen pushed. Lucas smiled back. He flicked a finger and the meat that was getting roasted over the fire disappeared and instantly reappeared in front of Iowen.
“That was not in a direction from or towards you.”
“Indeed.”
5
Luna
Luna was furious, at herself, again. In retrospect, she should have inquired a bit more about prince Stallington’s champion. Where does he live, what does he do and similar questions.
Turns out he is a slave kept in a dungeon. The deepest dungeon Stallington has.
To demand a room next to him was an elegant way of imprisoning herself. That damn bastard Stallington was doing exactly his part of the deal so she couldn’t argue with him or be angry at him. No, only at herself. Again.
‘Maybe it’s for the best. Monsters are supposed to be locked away in dungeons,’ the monster inside of her whispered into her mind.
Shut up!
‘Oh, come on, where is that penitence you had back in Ulyssalon?’
Shut up!
‘There you were happy to be locked away in a cage. It’s not like moving between cities changes anything about what you had done.’
SHUT UP!
She wanted to bang her head against a wall until she loses consciousness.
‘That wouldn’t make the best first impression, would it?’
ARRRGH!
“I want to see my teammate, your highness,” she asked prince Stallington politely.
“Of course, lady Luna,” he replied as he handed her a ring of keys.
“That’s a lot of keys. Which one shall I need?”
“All of them.”
Interesting.
“By the way. If I go through all this trouble only to watch your champion die in the first round, I will beat it out on you,” she shot at Stallington.
He smiled. “Just follow the trail of the furniture, Raven’s cell is right next to your room. As promised.”
Luna swallowed the mean reply and walked into the dungeons of the Grand Arena of Illysaeas. She was surprised by the size of it. There were all types and sizes of cells and rooms. Some adjusted for men; some clearly prepared for larger beasts and monstrous creatures. Most were empty, but none seemed unused.
Looks like I will fit right in.
She kept advancing through the catacombs. As she was descending, she noticed a steady stench of death. It wasn’t a physical stench, more like a feeling. The monster inside her stirred.
Smells like a small graveyard.
Another set of large stairs. Now, she was at the ground level.
Medium sized graveyard.
The tracks of the people, who were moving things for her, headed further down, deeper into the dungeons. She has already passed so many guarded doors and passageways to get out of here would be a challenge. Most of the narrow corridors looked like they were made to hold traps.
They really want to make sure whatever is down here doesn’t escape.
She went down a ramp and took another set of stairs.
Smells like a large graveyard. Do they bury the corpses of fallen combatants down here?
She expected to be there already. Nope. Another set of stairs and then a long straight corridor. She advanced through it and started feeling little anxious.
Really, really large graveyard. How many people has this guy killed?
She stood in front of the cell. Cell covered by a massive iron door. The track of furniture went to the room to the right. The beast inside her hid deep within. It was afraid.
Interesting.
Luna took out the key and unlocked the door.
Second door.
Bars. Really?
Second bars. ‘Yes, really.’
Third bars.
She entered a room. At the far end of it, there was a man sitting on the ground. He had massive shackles holding his ankles, wrists, waist and neck. Shackles attached to equally oversized chains. He was naked aside from a loincloth. His body was muscular and covered with scars. Decorated with scars… they look like a collection.
He was dirty and had a long greasy black hair. The darkest shade of black hair. His face was…
By the heavens.
Saying he was handsome would be an insult. Dark midnight eyes, amazingly cut features, sensual lips and perfectly fitting nose. The symmetry of his face was stunning.
“Is there something wrong with my face?” he asked in a calm voice. Luna realized she was staring at him with her mouth wide open.
He looks like a living statue of a God. Really well-made statue of a truly magnificent God.
“Damn you are ugly! And you stink! Ever heard of soap? S.O.A.P. Soap!” she shouted sharply.
He stared at her, quickly catching red at his cheeks. He was at a loss for words. She noticed a large rat hiding in the free-flowing hair behind his neck. It ran away from her. All smart animals did.
Sorry… Didn’t mean that.
“What are you staring at? Creep!”
Sorry, sorry, sorry!
Luna spun around and smashed the bars behind her.
Way to go girl!
Her face was completely red. She slammed behind her all of the bars and doors. Hoping he wouldn’t hear her, Luna proceeded to smash her head against the stone wall. Again, again, again and again.
Fuck! Can’t even knock myself out.
ARRGH!
The rock was starting to crack and the steps of furniture moving people were coming close. Luna wiped the blood off her forehead and went to examine her room.
Didn’t know what I expected.
She saw prince Stallington’s men were actually trying to make it look like a nice room. They even put in a few paintings and flowers. At least the bed was large. There were two large barrels of soap next to them.
So they do know what soap is. Good. Time to go shopping.
“How much is a jar of this lavender essence?” asked Luna at the old alchemist.
“Two silver coins per jar, milady,” he answered politely.
“I will take it,” she smiled back.
“How many jars?”
“All of them,” Luna grinned.
The old man rushed to collect all she wanted. The shop was large, visibly prosperous and well-guarded. It still felt strange to Luna. In stories, alchemists were crazy men making poisons and explosives. Here, she was standing in a shop full of various perfumes, fragrances for anything and everything, things
to wash one’s hair and skin, so it looks and smells better and colors to paint pretty much anything to any color. Nothing even remotely dangerous or to be used for fighting.
I guess Jean wasn’t kidding when he said that it’s just stories and reality is very different.
“I always heard stories of how alchemists create black powder which can make entire castles explode… I don’t see anything like that around,” Luna inquired. He smiled back kindly.
“That is long forbidden, young lady. Alchemists of old went too far with the black powder and almost destroyed us all. Ever since The Upheaval, all the mines for the black powder parts are closed and any attempts to re-create it are punishable by death. In all cities.”
“Punishable by who?” Luna asked.
“The city lords and the holy orders,” the man revealed.
I guess the stories I read from the books James gave me to learn to read were a bit older than I had thought. Come to think of it; maybe they did look ancient for a reason.
“That sounds a little harsh,” Luna protested.
“Well, the legend has it that the demons came to this world because someone threw a barrel of black powder into a portal. Ever since then, both portals and black powder have been forbidden.”
That doesn’t sound like a legend at all.
Anyway, this should be about enough to make the place habitable.
Luna checked her cart, full of various jars and barrels, and got going.
This has been a long day. Tomorrow, I will go see how Mr. Pretty Face actually fights.
First night alone. Alone.
Alone!
Luna got up from the bed. She slept alone more than a few times. But here it bothered her. She didn’t know why.
Come on, Luna; you are a big girl. You can do this!
‘Can you?’
Fuck!
Luna dressed up and went to check the door to Raven’s cell. Locked. And she had returned the key to prince Stallington already.
Hmm… still got my gear for lockpicking.
The locks aren’t bad… but they aren’t good enough.
She picked the first door. Then second. Then third.
I hope he’s sleeping.
It got easier as she progressed and in a second, she opened the last set of bars and peaked in. Raven was standing up in his chains, most of his body had soap smeared over it and he was just trying to wash it off using a small barrel of water. Way too small to have any chance to succeed.
Luna burst into laughter. She laughed so hard that she had to hold herself to not fall. Raven just stared at her, utterly embarrassed and confused. Luna spun around and smashed the door behind herself. She only managed to cool herself down when she got back into her room.
Oh my God… Raven… I’m so sorry!
She had no idea what had gotten into her. Suddenly, she felt like she was the worst being to ever walk this world.
He is trying to be nice and I’m doing this.
Wait, how did he get soap?
Curiosity took over and she went to check on her soap supply. There were dozens of marks of the rat feet and half of the soaps were missing.
Did he send his rat to bring him some? How? How the hell did it succeed?
She went on to track the tiny prints the rat was leaving behind. They led to a small crack in the wall.
Aww! That’s so sweet! I might even not eat it.
Luna went back to her room, tore off a piece of cloth from the table and wrapped herself over the nose to dull her sense of smell. She picked up two jars of lavender essence and went back to Raven’s cell. He sat down by the wall, still visibly embarrassed and confused.
“Keep your mouth shut and don’t move!” Luna commanded him.
She proceeded to pour our two jars of lavender essence across the whole room. Luna threw the third one above Raven. The essence rained all over him.
That should make this place tolerable to smell.
Luna went back and pushed her bed into his cell, followed by carpet, table, chair and all flowers. She ripped the wardrobe apart and used its pieces to make a provisory barrier.
When she was finished, she checked on Raven. He hasn’t moved an inch and didn’t say a single word. His look was inquisitive and careful.
I’m so sorry, Raven.
She took out her short sword and used it to trace a set of lines on the stone floor.
“Everything beyond this line is MY part of the room. You won’t cross it; the little rat thief won’t cross it either! Nod if you understand!”
He nodded.
Oh God, why am I such a bitch?
Without finding an answer, Luna checked the provisory barrier she made.
Looks good.
“Now I’m going to change and sleep. You won’t move, won’t talk, won’t peak. If you need to shit or piss, you are going to hold it until I wake up! Understand?”
Raven nodded.
Luna went on to change and slipped into her bed.
“My name is Luna. I’m your new teammate!”
Raven was looking away.
Right, I told him not to look.
“Nod if you understand!”
He nodded.
I’m so, so, so sorry.
“What’s your name, by the way? You may speak now.”
“Raven; the rat’s Nibbles,” Raven replied calmly and motioned to the rat hiding in his hair.
“We start training tomorrow, good night.”
“Good night.”
“What’s the meaning of this!” shouted Prince Jonathan Stallington as he entered the arena, enveloped by his guards. Luna and Raven wore practice armors and were just stretching in the main arena.
“We need to practice,” Luna replied sharply.
“Hello, Jonathan,” Raven grinned viciously towards the prince.
The tone and smile made Luna’s blood freeze. Stallington turned pale and his guards fainted or ran. Only one of the twenty guardsmen managed to stay on his feet and in position.
“Alright, let’s calm down, everyone,” Stallington tried to regain his ground.
“I am calm, Jonathan,” Raven kept up a gentle voice.
“Is there… is there any way I can help you with the preparation for the tournament?” inquired Stallington, visibly afraid. Almost invisibly, Raven looked at Luna.
Right!
“Morning and evening food service straight to our room, lunch service here in the arena, lavender soap and bath supply for Raven! For equipment - heavy chain mail armor, full leather armor, kite shield, arming sword and six daggers. All from Jean Pierre Castagnet himself, everything top quality, made from black steel or elder bark. Leather armor and six daggers midnight black, rest fashioned in snow white! No symbols!” Luna announced, then signaled to Raven if he wants to add something.
“Some food for Nibbles.”
“How am I supposed to get all that? The waiting line for Jean Pierre’s crafts is over nine months and each piece costs a fortune!”
“Tell him it’s for Luna!”
“Our deal about the tournament is still valid, correct?” Stallington probed.
Raven just looked at Luna.
“Of course, it is!”
“Just checking. Very well then, I will get you both the equipment,” Stallington agreed and left.
They waited until Stallington and his remaining guard picked up the fainted men and left the arena.
“Alright! Time to get used to each other. I mean, to how we fight,” said Luna happily after they were left alone in the arena.
Raven just took his stance. Luna lunged at him. For the next hour, Luna kept attacking Raven and he was just blocking and dodging.
Is he just toying with me?
“OI! Start fighting!” she shouted at him.
“Afraid I would kill you,” he replied softly.
This soft, soothing tone is starting to piss me off!
“I can take a hit! Now move!” she ordered.
He didn’t. She att
acked him angrily, but he just kept dodging.
ARRGH!
“Fine! Watch this and don’t tell anyone!” Luna demanded as she took out her daggers and stabbed them both into her own eyes. She then pulled out the daggers, blinked and looked at Raven.
He stood there with mouth gaping.
“I will heal out of any wound almost instantly! Stop treating me like a little girl!”
For the next hour, they sparred normally. But there was this strange feeling creeping up on Luna, as if every time she got into a position where she could hit him, Raven would speed up the next move to get back into equal standings. He would slow down afterward. After another hour of sparring, she was sure of it.
“I’ve had enough!” she shouted.
“Hit me the strongest you can!”
“It’s going to hurt you,” he refused.
“I already showed you I would heal!”
“I hit really hard when I try,” he kept up in the soft, soothing voice.
“How do you expect this to lead to anything? How am I supposed to fight next to you when I don’t know how fast you are? How strong are you? You are just sabotaging this!”
And make me feel inferior! I’m not here to look pretty next to you! I don’t need you to protect me! I left from Jean and James exactly for this fucking reason.
Raven didn’t reply, he just bowed his head and paused for a second. He advanced to Luna with slow steps. His hands were slack along his body.
What the hell is this feeling? Is this… dread?
‘RUN!’
Shut up!
Luna overpowered the sudden urge of panic and took a defensive stance.
The feeling disappeared. Raven turned and went to sit by the side.
“What the hell was that?” Luna asked.
“Sorry, I don’t want to hurt you… and I would.”
“Fucking bastard,” Luna sneered. She dropped her weapons and her fingers extended into long vicious claws.
‘STOP!’ the monstrous spirit inside of her thundered.
What’s your problem!?
‘Are you so blind you can’t see how strong he is?’
I DON’T CARE!
Luna charged forward at lightning speed; she went traight for his back.
Her vision went black for a second. Pain burst through her head; she saw Raven was getting more and more distant. She hit something with her back. Her whole body filled with agonizing pain; it exploded through her body and her mind went blank.
Legacy of Dreams: Freedom Page 4