Blue Mage

by Amber Morant

  “Stop! Thief!”

  Elona laughed at the guards running behind her. There was no point in them chasing her down when she was going to get away like always. She had that sort of luck which only amounted to her being able to survive, but never flourish. Usually this was due to the population being just a poor as she was or even worse off and refused to take from them.

  Today was different. People from all over Tore had come to the capital to see the great Blue Mage, Elindel. It was the perfect time for her to be alive as she stole from the pockets of wealthy merchants and nobles alike. Even now she had obtained a new bracelet off of an unsuspecting woman. The bracelet shined from the bright sun overhead, but adding a little dust on it would make it look like any other false bracelet the thieves around town wore.

  Elona saw an alley up ahead and turned into it. No one walked down this way as the ground was filled with trash and homeless lying in the rubbish. She counted her steps this time. One. Two. Three. Four. She stopped at the ninth step and turned around. The guards were halted at the entrance of the alley, still trying to catch their breaths.

  “There’s no escape from this way, thief. Now, give back the bracelet and we won’t hurt you.” Despite the claim of non-violence, the two were grabbing for their sword at their sides to attack.

  “See, that’s where you’re wrong.” She kicked the ground underneath her left foot. “By taking this fine piece of jewelry away from me, I can’t exactly fence it and make some money now can I? So I would be pretty hurt from that.” She kicked the ground again, harder this time. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’ll be taking my leave now.”

  Before the guards could respond, Elona felt the ground drop beneath her feet as she plummeted. Her eyes were engulfed in dust, but knew the area was surrounded by a slip stone that had been smoothed out over a millennium. What was once an escape route for nobles out of the city was now a haven for thieves like her. Even the entrances were impossible to enter unless you knew the exact spot to hit or face a trap killing you on the way.

  One of the guards learned the hard way as she heard someone else falling behind her. She wiped the rest of the dust out of her face only to be welcomed by the severed body of the guard. His face was twisted in anger and fear, but the life in his eyes no longer existed. His partner was still above ground, fearing that he would also die if he tried to do the same as his partner.

  A taller male walked up beside Elona and shook his head. “Looks like he tapped too far right. Better than the other ones though, at least he went quick.” He turned behind him and snapped for someone to come clean up. “So what did you bring this time, Elona?”

  She pulled out the bracelet and handed it to the man. “Got some fancy jewelry that looked like it was worth something.”

  “Wasn’t worth your troubles.” He bit into the bracelet. “It’s just gilded iron. Next time, maybe you should actually grab something worth more than a few copper coins.” He pulled out a few coins and pocketed the bracelet.

  Elona’s shoulders drooped in disappointment. It would have been far better to have just kept the bracelet instead of the coins that might buy her a rotten fish in the markets. At least the bracelet looked nice and an idiotic merchant might have purchased it off of her for a much higher price. She shoved the coins into her bag and walked over to the bed chamber, now frustrated with her own luck once again.

  The thieves den was filled with people buying and selling stolen goods. Despite everyone being a thief, there was a code not to steal from one another or be punished. It kept the peace amongst all of them and allowed a civilized world for each to live in that was away from the law above. There were some who didn’t abide by these rules and were sent through the tunnels and sealed in to fend for themselves. Without a map or knowledge of the passageways, the tunnels were a labyrinth of darkness where someone was lucky to even escape before being spotted by a guard and locked away in prison for the rest of their life. What was worse was the idea of monsters actually living beyond in some passageways such as overlarge rate and man eating alligators.

  The bed chamber was lit by only a few candles hanging from the low ceiling. Each bed was only an insert into the walls with a small pillow and blanket in each. There were no gender separations when space was limited leaving Elona in a room filled with predominately males and children. Her bed was close to the door, a blessing in the dreary world she lived in. She was the bottom inlet with two more beds above her. Only the one was occupied by a young elf whose ear were just too big for his own body.

  “Elona, heard you got swindled out of another great swipe today. Luck’s not exactly in your favor, huh?” The elf asked with a chuckle.

  “Shut it, Roland. Not like you get anything good ever. Besides, I’m still lucky if I didn’t die because of that cheapskate merchant. Now, if you don’t mind. I’d like to sleep, unless you prefer I sell you off to one of the troupes like the other elves out there.” Elona curled up onto the hard stone, listening to the candles crackle in the distance.

  “Don’t mind me. Just trying to offer you a new job that my ears actually do hear about. You know, like stealing from the Citadel of Hours.”

  Elona jumped up, bumping her head and cursing before coming to again. “What sort of job are you offering, Roland? That place hasn’t opened up to the public in years. I can’t exactly just stroll in there.”

  “You could, if you became an apprentice.”

  “An apprentice? Me?” Elona burst out laughing. “I’m a dirty thief, the Blue Mage wouldn’t even give me a second glance if I even tried. How am I supposed to become his apprentice?”

  Roland climbed down from his bed and pulled a small cloth out from his pocket. “With this. I nicked it from some drunkards claiming it let a person hide their most precious items. Couldn’t get it to work, but with your sleight of hand skills, I’m sure Elindel will think it was actual magic and never be the wiser until you were gone.”

  Elona snatched the cloth from Roland’s hands and tossed it in the air. It was lighter than it looked, potentially silk and worth a lot more than just parlor tricks. “Why not just sell it then if it didn’t work?”

  Roland shrugged. “I thought it looked cool and gave me some suave in front of the ladies.”

  “Don’t make me laugh again. You know no one will look at you with those larger than life ears of yours.” Elona shoved the cloth into her bag next to the coins. “Either way, if it can get me into that mage’s house I will be all for it.”

  ***

  The streets were a lot thicker now than they were when Elona had last stepped out. She had to wait before emerging back on the streets in case the guards were still looking for her. After a few days, so long as it wasn’t a big item, most guards forgot her face in the sea of thieves that roamed the capital. This time around, if she was caught, Elona prayed it was for something worthwhile and not another cheap fake. Stealing from a merchant was one thing, but stealing from the most powerful mage in the country was another.

  Roland had explained everything about the application process. Most people were there to simply view the spectacles of different mages performing on stage and potentially hire them as servants. So even if they didn’t make it as an apprentice, there were chances to make it out with a livelihood for many. However, Elona wasn’t aiming for the many people looking to bid on the outcasts, but to be chosen directly by Elindel himself. All Elona had to do was get onto the stage and bring forth a gem from the cloth. Simple enough tricks that involved distraction of attention.

  Elona pushed her way through the crowd with many glaring at her in disgust. Everyone in the front area was wealthy, meaning she stuck out even more so now. Those on stage, preparing for the application process squirmed in their freshly clean garments of reds and greens. Most lo
oked not a day over 5 while others were on their death beds just standing there. Each one was from a higher class than herself, but that just made it easier to pick out an item to provide for the spectacle.

  She could see all of the faces of the crowd staring at her in disbelief. She was dirty, with clothes that may have been a blue hue at one point, but were now so tattered and covered in mud that they were simply brown. Compared to the other applicants, she was a fish out of water that no one wanted there.

  Another old decrepit man walked up onto the stage. He sniffed a few of the younger applicants then handed them a small item. He reached the original old man and smiled as if seeing an old friend. Finally, he turned to Elona and furrowed his brow. He examined her, picking at pieces of her clothes in disgust.

  “Just because I’m not like them doesn’t mean you can judge me. Bet I can out magic you any day,” Elona growled at the man before pulling away.

  The man raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “That I would like to see, young one. That I would.”

  The old man walked to the front of the stage and collapsed to the ground. Everyone on the stage backed up in fear, unsure of what had befallen him so suddenly. His body burst into bright blue flames and then transformed into a blue phoenix before disappearing. In its place was a younger, not much older than Elona, male robed in silken blue cloth. They all knew now who the old man was: Elindel the Blue Mage.

  “Silly tricks. I apologize, but it’s been too long since I did anything like that. Especially for a crowd. You can’t exactly do big entrances when you live in the Citadel of Hours by yourself,” Elindel announced to the crowd. “Now, shall we begin the applications?”

  Elindel lifted a hand in the air and shot a stream of golden fireworks from it, announcing the beginning of Elona’s biggest trial of her life. She gulped, looking out at the crowd. If that entrance was a simple trick for him, she wondered what the other try outs would actually be like.

  “First, you. Young one. I gave you an item, what was it?”

  The youngest of the applicants stepped forward and held up a small stone. “You gave me a stone.”

  “What kind? Do you not look at items people hand you nowadays?”

  The boy froze in fear for a moment then examined the stone. “It’s a rune. Symbol of magic in all life.”

  “Good. Now use it.”

  “But, I brought my own equipment to use magic-”

  “Rubbish, use what I presented you or you’re disqualified.”

  The boy nodded and clasped the stone tightly. Sweat beaded down his forehead and muttered a few words under his breath. A few minutes passed and nothing changed about the stone or the surroundings. The boy closed his eyes and squeezed the stone tighter until his knuckles grew white.

  Elindel put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “That will be all, my boy. Go back home with your bag of tricks and come back again when you have learned to truly harness your power.”

  The boy shoved the stone back into Elindel’s hands and ran off into the crowd. Those who were next were now just as concerned. Elona realized now that she wasn’t the only one who had planned to fake magic and Elindel saw through this before it had begun. Each time, another person would attempt to perform magic with the stone, and just as the last would fail to conjure anything spectacular for the mage. The crowd began to dissipate in disappointment as their chance to purchase a real magician for themselves was gone.

  Elindel stood before Elona and eyed her. “So you also believe you can perform magic, child? You’re not exactly the high born type like the others, and most certainly haven’t seen a bath in some time either.” He handed the stone to Elona before she could retort to his insult. “Now, harness the power in the stone and show us what you can do.”

  Elona gulped and looked at the stone. It was cold to the touch with an engraving of a rune on one side. She flipped it over and felt the smooth stone. It didn’t feel magical in any sense of the word. Perhaps it was a trick, but if she called him out and he told her it was indeed magical then she would lose her chance. If there was indeed a god out there, Elona prayed she could be blessed with just a spark of magic in this one instance.

  She took a deep breath and pulled the stone close to her chest, imagining her own energy flowing between the stone and herself. The noise of the streets muted in her mind as she concentrated on the stone and her own life that was now on the line.

  A voice whispered from the air into Elona’s ears. “He is evil. Don’t do this.”

  Despite this strange warning, Elona continued her focus. Perhaps it was a test Elindel set to push away applicants and it was what they had heard as well. Despite this, she continued to push her own energy into the stone. She could feel it vibrate in her hands and then exploded into a brilliant blue light. Screams of agony escaped from the light with the message that had been whispered in her ears before. The crowd stared in amazement and fear as the light grew brighter and larger until the entire stage was filled with the light.

  “It seems you are the one. Though not what I had in mind of a simple trick to perform with that.” Elindel grabbed the stone from Elona and placed it in a pocket on the inside of his robes. The lights soon dimmed and the screams were only echoes.

  “What the hell was that?!” Elona snapped, breaking the silence of those around her.

  “Souls of the departed who were enemies to the crown. Nothing more.”

  “They said you were evil.”

  “Ah yes, well to them we are all evil aren’t we?” He turned back towards the crowd. “Ladies, and gentlemen. Today I have chosen my new apprentice for her high leveled connection to the stream of magic. Please let us welcome her as she protects the realm with her new skills that I will teach her while under my wings.”

  The crowd erupted into applause. The screams from the light were now a distant memory for those in front of Elona. Yet she still wondered if Elindel had told the truth. She had to push this thought to the back of her mind. Her job was to get into the Citadel and steal the goods that were in there, not to worry about whether the man she was stealing from was morally good or not. After all, a thief had no place to judge morals and ethics while stealing from that person.

  Elindel held his hand out for Elona. “Now, if you don’t mind, we have much to discuss and train you for. You are older than I would prefer an apprentice to be but we can speed the process up.”

  Elona grasped Elindel by the hand. The idea of learning any magic while also stealing everything the mage owned was exciting. If the stone reverberated with her because she had some form of magic in her that was a bonus in itself that would lead to more ways to steal from nobility later on.

  She expected them to turn around and walk to the Citadel or travel back by carriage. Instead, the blue flames that had engulfed and transformed Elindel before were now engulfing them. The wind howled past them and felt herself being pulled in multiple directions at once. Elindel’s robes were whipping around his body, but he stayed still despite the movement. Elona attempted to let go of Elindel’s hand, but she was trapped by a magic tension between the two of them that rendered her useless in the violent winds.

  Beyond the flames, Elona could see familiar buildings of the city. Some they travelled inside of and could see the prison cells, the sleep quarters of the knights, and even the brothels within the slums. They seemed to not be traveling in a straight line but stopped at every corner of the city before their destination. She wondered how hard this magic would be to conquer, making it easier to appear in certain buildings and then disappear before anyone sees her. She smiled to herself, knowing Elindel had just brought a thief into his care and would train the most successful thief in all of Tore.

  She could now see the Citadel of Hours in the distance. They were nearing it at a speed she couldn’t comprehend fully, launching through the walls, and stopped in a central room filled with candles. The flames were now gone and Elona could let go of Elindel’s hand. She rubbed in, trying to get feeling back into her ar
m after being whipped around for so long.

  “Sorry. But when you come in with a big entrance you should always leave with just as large of one. Not to mention, I like seeing the city when I go out, which can’t exactly be done in a carriage now can it?” Elindel took his robe off and hung it on one of the hooks on the wall. He wore a simple brown shirt and slacks compared to the striking appearance he had for the others.

  “So you’re not usually that... Flashy?”

  “Of course not. Again, all for show to make the people feel better about themselves. I prefer the quiet anyways.” He sat down in the center of all the candles. “You’ll soon understand that. Not many people can come into the Citadel without my permission, so be glad you have mine.” He patted the ground in front of him. “Now sit.”

  Elona sat down in front of Elindel, making sure to avoid any of the candles. “So we’re gonna learn some magic already?”

  Elindel didn’t respond, instead he swept his hand through the air, causing the candles to snuff out. Elona was left is silence, knowing Elindel was in front of her, but not able to see him. They sat there for hours in silence and darkness, neither interrupting outside of a soft sigh or adjustment in how they sat. At one moment Elona wondered if Elindel was asleep and she would be able to sneak out of the room. But without knowledge on getting to the door without waking him or even knowing if he was asleep, it would be hopeless.

  The silence was broken finally as Elindel created a small flame in his hands. It flickered and danced despite a lack of kindling to feed it. He grabbed Elona’s hand and poured the fire into her own. It floated above her palm, still dancing as he held his hand close. Slowly, he pulled his hand away, but the fire also died with it. He let out a sigh and performed the trick again. They did this pattern multiple times and each ended the same with the flame dying in Elona’s hands.

  “If you would just tell me what you’re doing I could try and make it stay.”

  “There is no telling how to do it. Magic is a feeling, not a chant nor a ritual. Remember how it felt with the stone. Do that.”