Birth of a Wizard

by MJ Schutte

  ‘I don’t know,’ Brighton replied worriedly.

  Brighton rode into the village. He sensed Yli and a few elves on the far side. It seemed that they were on their way out of the forest with at least twenty wagons. Brighton spurred the horse on. As he came up to the nearest wagon, the driver looked back.

  ‘Who is the leader of this caravan?’ Brighton asked.

  The elf pointed towards the front wagon.

  ‘What is his name?’

  ‘Marion,’ came the reply.

  Brighton passed the wagon and continued to make his way to the front of the line. None of the elves tried to stop him. He noticed that there was a definite line between the forest and the desert here, unlike further north where it was a gradual transition. A line of trees marked the edge of the forest, beyond which there was only sand.

  The first four wagons were already rolling over the sand. Yli was on the first wagon, along with a driver and another elf. Brighton assumed it must be Marion.

  ‘Marion!’ he shouted.

  The elf looked back, spoke briefly to the driver and jumped off the wagon. He did not come closer but rather stood waiting on the hot sand for Brighton. Brighton raced forward, walking stick in his right hand. He was not interested in conversations or arguments. This man would tell him who was responsible for imprisoning hundreds of people and forcing them to work in the mine, even if he had to beat him to a pulp.

  As Brighton passed the last tree, it felt as though a knife entered his chest. He tried to hold on to the saddle, but he had no strength in his arms. His left shoulder hit the ground first. Brighton heard rather than felt the bones break. The pain in his chest was so intense, he almost blacked out.

  ‘It isn’t so much fun being master of the forest, is it?’ Marion mocked as he walked closer.

  Brighton tried to reach the walking stick but Marion quickly picked it up. He looked at the oak with surprise on his face.

  ‘Well, this is quite a find,’ he smiled.

  Slowly he pulled his sword from its scabbard. As he brought the blade and the cane closer together, a thin lightning bolt jumped between the weapons.

  ‘Now I have two of these. How marvelous!’ Marion laughed.

  Brighton tried to get up, but simply moving his arm was too difficult. For a moment, he wondered why Marion spoke like a human and not an elf.

  Marion jabbed the point of his sword into Brighton’s broken shoulder and twisted the blade. A grunt escaped Brighton’s throat as the darkness threatened to take hold of his mind.

  ‘I suppose I should thank you. For hundreds of years, I was master of this cursed forest but you have freed me. I can now take my gold and go live anywhere I want,’ Marion said slowly.

  Brighton desperately tried to connect to the forest, but it was as if his talent simply did not work anymore. Even though he was delirious with pain, a small piece of his mind recognised that this was the man responsible for all the evil in the forest.

  Marion looked at the walking stick.

  ‘Not quite as formidable a weapon as my sword, but it feels powerful nonetheless,’ he said, mostly to himself.

  He yanked the sword from Brighton’s shoulder. Another pained grunt escaped Brighton’s lips. Marion pushed the bottom end of the walking stick into the wound. Brighton’s energy started flowing through the cane into Marion.

  As the darkness started closing in on Brighton, he felt a gentle energy prodding his body. He could just make out Yli in the distance on the back of the wagon.

  She stood looking at him, her one hand slightly raised. Brighton felt the strange energy connect to his mind.

  El not be sad, Yli Brighton help popped into his head.

  A small amount of energy entered him. It was not much, but it cleared his mind. Yli tumbled off the wagon.

  Brighton grabbed the walking stick with his right hand, but he had no strength in his arm. He could not wrestle the weapon from Marion. The elf took a step back, yanking the cane out of Brighton’s hand.

  ‘Well, you’re a strong one. I remember the pain of being outside the forest,’ Marion sneered.

  ‘Time for you to die,’ he said as he lifted the sword.

  Two swords flashed simultaneously from behind. One connected with Marion’s sword, the other with the cane, sending both flying out of the elf’s grip. Before Marion could react, Lance slipped the looped wire over his head and pulled it tight.

  Carlia landed a crushing blow to his lower back to discourage him from resisting. She quickly took the wood at the end of the wire from Lance and gestured to Brighton. Lance rushed to his friend.

  ‘Forest,’ Brighton whispered.

  Lance heaved the big man onto his shoulders. He carried Brighton back to the trees as quickly as he could. As he passed the first tree, huge bolts of energy jumped from everywhere into Brighton’s body.

  Lance stumbled and went down. He quickly crawled away from his friend. Slowly Marion came closer, Carlia still holding on to his deadly leash.

  ‘Lance, please get the walking stick and sword. We can’t let anyone get hold of them,’ Brighton whispered.

  Lance rushed back onto the sand to retrieve the weapons. He glanced over to the wagons. All the drivers had fled and the wagons were standing still. Carefully he picked up the cane, expecting some sort of reaction from it. When nothing happened, he bent over and picked up the sword. It felt like ordinary wood and steel in his hands. Lance quickly returned to the others.

  Brighton slowly got up, fighting against the pain that still remained in him. Lance stepped forward to help, but quickly retracted his hands when he saw small energy bolts still jumping from the grass to Brighton’s fingers. The wound in his shoulder was almost healed.

  Adri and Peter came rushing out of the woods, leading three horses.

  ‘Who are you?’ Marion whispered.

  Brighton ignored him, turning to Lance.

  ‘What took you so long?’ he asked.

  ‘You were supposed to give us time to sneak around the wagons, not rush up to this person and challenge him,’ Lance complained.

  ‘Yes, you are right. I am sorry. I did not see him as a threat, but that was clearly a mistake,’ Brighton replied.

  Turning back to Marion, he said, ‘My name is Brighton. I assume you are Marion.’

  The elf just nodded.

  ‘Why do you speak like a human?’ Brighton asked.

  ‘I taught myself how to so that I could fit in better once I leave this forest and live between the humans,’ Marion answered.

  ‘Why do you want to leave the forest?’ Brighton asked.

  ‘It held me prisoner for hundreds of years. If I could burn it down, I would!’ Marion spat.

  ‘How did you become master of the forest? I do not detect any talent in you,’ Brighton frowned.

  When Marion did not answer, Carlia yanked on the wire around his neck.

  ‘It’s the sword. Anyone who controls the sword can be master of the forest. The forest keeps its master young,’ the elf choked out.

  ‘Where did you get the sword?’ Brighton asked.

  ‘Erostagnos gave it to me.’

  ‘He is lying,’ Adri said.

  Brighton took the sword from Lance. It was a beautiful weapon.

  ‘Where did you get the sword?’ Brighton repeated the question.

  ‘Erostagnos gave it to me,’ Marion repeated.

  Carlia delivered a heavy blow to his already bruised back. Brighton had to fight hard against the pain in his chest. He drew more energy from the forest. Marion sank to his knees, but Carlia yanked the wire around his neck upwards forcing him to stand up.

  ‘Carlia is itching to end your life for what you’ve done to the forest. One more lie and I will walk away, leaving you to her mercy,’ Brighton growled.

  Marion’s eyes went wide with fear.

  ‘Now, tell me where you got this sword. Adri can see when you’re lying, so think carefully about your answer,’ Brighton said.

  Panic replaced the f
ear in Marion’s eyes.

  ‘I stole it from Erostagnos,’ he admitted.

  Brighton looked at Adri.

  ‘It’s the truth, but he is still hiding something,’ Adri said.

  ‘No, please…’ Marion started begging but Carlia’s fist slammed into his back again.

  Marion sank to the ground. Not even Carlia’s firm grip on the wire around his neck could persuade him to remain standing. Like before, Brighton felt a sharp pain shoot through his body as Carlia’s fist made contact with Marion’s back.

  ‘When Erostagnos wanted the sword back, I killed his wife and child to teach him a lesson. He fled when he realised that he was not the master anymore,’ Marion whispered.

  ‘Erostagnos was married?’ Brighton frowned.

  ‘Yes, to an elf. They had a daughter together,’ Marion confirmed.

  Brighton remembered his conversation with the old wizard. He understood now why Erostagnos told him that it is better to find a secluded place to live and leave the people to sort out their own problems.

  ‘You killed them in front of Erostagnos, didn’t you?’ he asked.

  Marion did not answer, but the expression on his face was all Brighton needed.

  ‘You are responsible for so much evil. For the rest of your miserable life, you will work to repay the debt you owe the elf nation and this forest,’ Brighton said.

  ‘I stole the sword from a wizard once, I can do it again. I will escape and do to you what I did to Erostagnos,’ Marion said defiantly.

  Brighton’s fist came down on Marion’s face. As the elf’s nose broke, another sharp pain shot through Brighton’s heart.

  ‘Nobody threatens my family,’ he whispered to the unconscious elf.

  Five of the twenty wagons were sent across the desert to the Mountain Kingdom for more supplies. Marion’s gold was to be used for the purchases. Peter had quickly volunteered to lead the five wagons as it gave him an opportunity to get home. The other fifteen wagons slowly rolled into the former prison camp. They were all loaded with food supplies. Marion sat on the driver seat of a wagon, Carlia right next to him.

  On the way to the prison camp, he tried to escape numerous times, but Mischief chased him down every time.

  ‘Off,’ Carlia ordered.

  Slowly Marion got off the wagon.

  Mischief jumped off the wagon, growling softly at Marion.

  ‘Keep that panther away from me,’ he said fearfully.

  ‘Don’t run,’ Carlia replied.

  Brighton dismounted.

  ‘Start unpacking the food. Remember to give some to the Enshindi tribe inside the cave,’ he ordered.

  Marion quickly scrambled to do as Brighton said.

  ‘Mischief, watch him,’ Brighton said to the cat.

  White eyes followed Marion’s every move.

  ‘It’s like that panther understands him,’ Marion mumbled as he started offloading.

  Brighton walked into the cave and climbed down the ladder.

  ‘El?’ he called.

  There was nobody in the pit. A bright glow started coming from the tunnels leading into the mountain. Moon people came streaming towards him, greeting him in whispers.

  Keeping his voice low, he greeted back a few times and then asked, ‘Where is El?’

  One of the females gently slipped her small hand into his and said, ‘Wizard follow.’

  She led Brighton down one of the tunnels. In a smallish cave, El and five others were sitting next to a female lying on the ground. Twelve hands hovered over the female, a soft glow flowing from the hands into her body.

  When El saw Brighton, he got up.

  Ini took El’s place.

  ‘Omi with child be. Omi plenty of life need,’ El smiled.

  Brighton watched wide eyed as the six Enshindis gave Omi some of their energy.

  ‘How long does this continue?’ he whispered.

  ‘One moon. New life join Enshindi,’ El answered.

  ‘Do you mean she will give birth thirty days from now?’ Brighton frowned.

  ‘Less. Yli rejoined mother many days before,’ El answered.

  ‘I’m sorry I could not save her. She gave her life for me. I hope she rests peacefully with her mother,’ Brighton whispered.

  El frowned, pointed to one of the Enshindi and said, ‘Yli’s mother that be.’

  ‘But you just said she rejoined her mother,’ Brighton replied.

  El shook his head and laughed softly.

  ‘No, Yli rejoined mother,’ he said as he scooped up a hand full of soil and let it run through his fingers.

  For a moment, Brighton did not understand, but then snapped his fingers and said, ‘Oh, you see the earth as the mother of your tribe.’

  ‘Small sky light, Enshindi father be,’ El said.

  ‘The moon?’ Brighton asked.

  El nodded enthusiastically.

  ‘Mother food provides, father light so that Enshindi food can find,’ he explained.

  ‘You are an amazing tribe,’ Brighton whispered.

  El led him back to the pit. Marion was just coming down the ladder with a rucksack full of food.

  ‘We’ve brought you some food,’ Brighton said.

  El did not respond, he stood staring at Marion. His small body was shaking with fear.

  ‘El, what’s wrong?’ Brighton asked.

  ‘Evil in our home be,’ El whispered.

  ‘This man will never hurt you again. He is working for you now, making sure you have enough food until mother can provide again,’ Brighton said gently.

  El still stared at Marion, fear dancing in his eyes. Brighton walked over to the elf. He put his hand on Marion’s lower back and shoved him forward.

  ‘Go pay your respects to your new master,’ he ordered.

  Marion stumbled forward, slipped and landed face first on the ground. As the elf tried to get up, Brighton stepped on his back, keeping him down. A sharp pain shot through Brighton’s chest.

  ‘From down there,’ he said, trying to hide the pain in his voice.

  ‘Uh…I…uh…’ Marion stuttered.

  El turned away and covered his ears.

  Brighton lifted his foot and said to Marion, ‘Go fetch more food.’

  He waited until the elf was out of the pit before he spoke.

  ‘El, he will never hurt you again, I promise.’

  ‘Brighton not hurt any of mother’s children,’ El said sadly.

  ‘He kept you prisoner for years and made you work like slaves for him,’ Brighton gasped.

  ‘Still mother’s child be,’ El said.

  Brighton kneeled down so he could look the small Enshindi in the eyes.

  ‘There will never be any form of violence in your home. That is my oath to you,’ he whispered.

  ‘El Brighton believe,’ the Enshindi replied.

  The wagons were sent back for more food. Brighton travelled a short way with the wagons before he and Adri turned north. Lance and Carlia offered to stay with the convoy. The elves that drove the wagons to the camp were relieved of their duties and some of the former slaves took over from them. Lance felt it would be easier if he and Carlia only had to watch Marion and not his former workers as well.

  Brighton could hardly believe how fast the forest was recovering. As he and Adri travelled north, he noticed that there seemed to be a lot more life around them.

  When he mentioned this to Adri, she smiled and said, ‘You drove the evil from the forest. Now Lilian will come back to us.’

  ‘Yes, she will,’ Brighton smiled.

  Brighton did not want to travel too fast for fear that Adri might get tired, but she set a blistering pace through the woods.

  ‘I want to see my sister again,’ she said when Brighton commented on it.

  They reached the house a few days later.

  Clarissa stormed out, shouting, ‘Pappa! You’re back!’

  She jumped into Brighton’s arms and refused to let go, clinging onto him like a little monkey.

&n
bsp; ‘I missed you, my angel,’ Brighton said as he hugged her tightly.

  ‘Where is Mamma?’ Adri asked.

  ‘Inside,’ Clarissa said with a frown.

  ‘Is she resting?’ Brighton asked.

  ‘Pappa, she has not woken up yet,’ Clarissa answered.

  Brighton rushed inside to check on Lilian. She was still on the bed, just as he left her.

  ‘Lilian?’ Brighton said softly.

  He used his sense. Lilian’s energy felt as frail as before.

  ‘Brighton, is she…’ Adri asked from the door.

  ‘She’s not back yet,’ Brighton whispered.

  A hard look crossed his face.

  ‘I’m going to fetch her,’ he said.

  He closed his eyes and willed himself to the spirit world.

  ‘Evangeline! Lizia!’ he screamed into the void.

  ‘Here we are,’ Evangeline’s soft voice came from behind.

  ‘Why have you kept Lilian here? The forest is growing again, the evil is gone,’ Brighton growled.

  ‘She does not belong in Livia Farasnei. Her talent is dark, evil,’ Lizia answered.

  ‘I told you, if you go back on your word, I will finish what I started,’ Brighton screamed as he threw an energy bolt at Lizia.

  It hit an invisible barrier and exploded.

  ‘Did you really think you can destroy a spirit?’ Soltar asked from behind.

  Brighton spun around.

  ‘It seems I underestimated you, but it won’t happen again,’ Brighton sneered at the elf.

  He gathered almost all the energy in his body into a big white ball floating just above his hand.

  ‘If you do that, you will die,’ Soltar warned.

  ‘So will you. Give Lilian back or we all die,’ Brighton threatened.

  ‘There is no need for that. If you do one more thing for us, we will keep our promise,’ Lizia said.

  Brighton turned and looked at her.

  ‘Lilian can not live in the forest. Take her out of Livia Farasnei and her spirit will return to her body.’

  ‘I can’t leave the forest. How am I supposed to do that?’ Brighton asked.

  ‘Kesh, Clarissa and Adri may come and go as they please. Ask them for help,’ Lizia answered.

  ‘Lilian is not welcome in Livia Farasnei and I can’t leave. This is cruel beyond comprehension! You know how much we love each other, yet you make it impossible for us to be together! Maybe it is better to unleash this energy ball. Even if I only take one of you with me, it will be worth it!’ Brighton screamed.