The (sort of) Dark Mage (Waldo Rabbit)

by Nelson Chereta

  So he had contacted his grandfather and made a pact with him. He was to arrange for him to enter the castle and eliminate his mother. In the end though Walter had been the one betrayed.

  “I should have been head of the family.”

  “You were never strong enough or clever enough for that. Just as importantly you lacked patience. Your mother would not have removed you. You had time to grow your strength and lay your traps. You should have waited for your moment, even if that meant waiting for years. That is how a true Dark Mage would have acted. Instead you turned to me to solve things for you. You trusted me and put yourself in a position of weakness.” The skull shook from side to side. “You were never fit to rule the family.”

  “I will rule the family!”

  The skull's jaw opened and closed in laughter. “Even in death you remain a fool. I see you have learned nothing.”

  “I’ve learned a few things grandfather. For instance I know where Waldo is questing, the last living child of your daughter Lilith. Would you be interested in that information?”

  “So that’s why you contacted me. Once again you want me to do what you are too weak to.”

  “Do you want the information or not? Your last grandchild is wandering about vulnerable.”

  The shadowy skull chuckled.

  “Tell me.”

  XXX

  Tramping through the woods Waldo was patiently whittling down a foot long piece of soulwood.

  “Is that really safe darling?”

  “No ghosts are going to start haunting me if that’s what you mean.”

  “You’re really not afraid?”

  “A Dark Mage is never afraid.”

  “You know you’re not a good liar darling.”

  Part of making a contract meant being free to share truths with your familiar that you wouldn’t with anyone else. Even if they hated you, the binding meant they were yours.

  Usually, Waldo thought.

  ‘Trust is a dagger pointed at your own heart.’ Trust did not come easy to him, but she had saved his life and was bound to him. It was hard, but he would try and be as honest with her as he could.

  “All right, I fear a great many things. Carving a wand isn’t one of them though. White Mages prefer to use soulwood for their wands. While it’s not as good as using a thigh bone it should be a decent substitute for now.”

  “Your old wand was from somebody’s bone?” She asked with obvious revulsion.

  Waldo nodded. “It was a birthday gift from my mother, she carved it herself.”

  “Don’t expect anything like that from me.”

  Chapter 17

  The Greater Evil

  “Alice Corpselover. Mrs. Alice Corpselover. Mrs. Corpselover. Lady Corpselover.”

  “What are you doing?”

  The two of them were on the road heading north. They had already gone a few miles and it was getting towards midafternoon.

  “Practicing, I never had a last name, I wanted to see what it was like. I always dreamed about getting married and taking my husband’s name. Though I have to admit I never imagined it would be something like Corpselover.”

  “Corpselover is a proud and honored name known in every corner of Alteroth.”

  “Of course it is darling, and when we are in your country I will be more than happy to use it. Until then though maybe we should go by something else? It might make things a little easier if you didn’t tell people you were a Corpselover.”

  Alice saw his back stiffen and knew instantly what his answer would be.

  “No.”

  “Is it because you don’t want to be dishonest?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, if anything I need to practice that. Telling convincing lies is a very important skill.”

  “So you actually want to be a liar?”

  “No, I want to be a convincing liar. Any idiot can tell the truth. It requires skill, a good memory, and a talent for improvisation to invent a story and make people believe it.”

  “Everyone lies darling, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone be as enthusiastic as you.”

  He shrugged. “We all have room for improvement.”

  “Well since you don’t object to lying why don’t you just give people a fake name?”

  “I want them to know who I am. I want the name Waldo Corpselover to fill my victims with dread. When I return home I want to leave behind a reputation, not only for myself, but for my clan as well.”

  “I see.” She let out a sigh.

  “What?”

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “You obviously want to though.”

  She smiled at him. “You’re starting to sound like a husband.”

  “I am your master not your husband.”

  “I will remember you said that the next time you need directions.”

  “What are you thinking?”

  “Well… I was just wondering why men always want to pretend to be something they’re not. You talk about doing terrible things but you’re not that sort of person. You don’t have an ounce of cruelty in you.”

  “What a terrible thing to say! How can you even say that when we’ve only known each other for two days? There are a lot of things about me you don’t know.”

  “That’s true darling, just like there are things about me that you don’t know. Being a barmaid though, you learn how to see through the lies and empty boasts people love to spew. Every barmaid is an expert at separating the real from the fake, and I can see clear to a man’s heart. Most men pretend to be what they’re not. Cheaters want to tell you how faithful they are, even as they’re trying to get you into bed. Cowards talk about being brave. The dishonest will thump their chests and swear they are truthful.” She smiled at him warmly. “You always want to talk about how evil you are.”

  “I am evil! I am evil to the core!”

  “Of course you are.”

  “You are making fun of me.”

  “Am I?” Alice asked sounding much too innocent.

  “I am a Dark Mage. Obviously I am a frightening and horrible man.”

  “No you’re not. Even if I have only known you this short time, it’s obvious that you are kind and gentle and very, very caring. You are a good man.”

  “I can’t believe you would say something that terrible to me.”

  Alice sighed and gave a weary shake of her head. “Fine then, since you are so evil just how many people have you killed?”

  Waldo looked about. “None.”

  “What sort of things have you stolen?”

  “My family is the richest in Alteroth. All my needs were attended to and I had a host of servants to look after me.”

  “In other words you have never stolen anything in your life.”

  “Well… not yet, but I am going to.”

  “You mentioned before that you can’t do, ah what was it, necromagic?”

  “Necromancy,” he corrected. “And no I can’t, I have no talent whatsoever for it.”

  “Right, so even though you are a Dark Mage and all, you have never made skeletons or undead or anything like that. Right?”

  “True.”

  “I think we’ve established you’re not much of a liar. So just what is the most evil thing you have ever done?”

  Waldo was surprised by the question and needed a moment to think.

  “When I was a child I cared openly for some of my servants.”

  “How is that evil?”

  “It caused Enver, the vampire I told you about, to kill them right in front of me. Causing the deaths of servants isn’t much of an evil I know, but it’s the worst I’ve done so far.”

  “Did you do it deliberately to try and have them killed?”

  “No, and once I understood it would always happen I stopped being kind to any of them.”

  “Did you… did you enjoy seeing them killed?”

  Despite it having been so long ago the memory made his stomach turn. “No, I never enjoyed it. I have never liked see
ing anyone die, not even the slaves or the sacrifices. It’s one of my weaknesses. Mother has told me that it will be different when it’s someone I hate. She swears it is one of the great joys in life.” He paused. “I think I would enjoy killing Enver.”

  “My darling, please don’t take this the wrong way, but your family sounds monstrous.”

  “Thank you.”

  “That wasn’t a compliment! Can’t you see that you’re a good man and that everything you’ve been taught is wrong?”

  Waldo shook his head. “I like you Alice, but you know nothing of what it means to be a Dark Mage or one of the Seven Great Families. You cannot raise a wolf to be a sheep. I was raised to be a wolf that preys upon the sheep. I will admit that I may be a poor wolf, but that doesn’t mean I want to be a sheep.”

  “What if you were born a sheep though and were raised as a wolf?”

  “That is not the case. I am a Corpselover and we are all wolves.”

  “But what if…”

  She was interrupted when a small furry brown creature with long deformed hears hopped out onto the road.

  “Gah!” Waldo leapt back and took another couple steps away from the horrid little thing.

  Seeing his reaction Alice laughed. “You’re kidding right? You’re scared of a rabbit? Some wolf you are.”

  “I am not scared! I just think it’s a disgusting beast with its ears and twitching nose.”

  The rabbit was patiently waiting in the middle of the road eying them both.

  Alice dropped slowly to her knees and motioned towards it. “Come here little bunny, come here cute little mister bunny.”

  “Alice what are you doing?”

  The rabbit hesitated before hopping over to her.

  “That’s a good Mr. Bunny!” She expertly picked up the rabbit and held it against her chest with one arm and she slowly petted it with her free hand. “What a good bunny you are.”

  “Alice we are not keeping it as a pet.”

  “Oh, I know that darling.”

  She put her hand by the rabbit’s neck and gave a sudden sharp twist.

  There was a clear snap. The rabbit gave a twitch and then went limp.

  “I just took care of dinner. The pelt will also be worth at least five copper traks.”

  Waldo stared at her in surprise.

  “Do you not like rabbit? It’s good meat.”

  “You just killed it.”

  “So? I also killed the squirrels and fish we ate. You know, since you've never killed anything, does that make me more evil than you?"

  “I guess I’m surprised that you could kill so easily.”

  Alice smiled at him. “It’s just a rabbit. I think you’d be surprised at the kinds of things I am willing to do for you. A good wife takes care of her husband even if it means doing things that are unpleasant.”

  Waldo took a good look at the lifeless rabbit.

  “Good to know.”

  Chapter 18

  Shopping Trip

  Alice borrowed one of his knives.

  She slit open its belly then reached in with her hand to yank out its guts and other organs. She then skinned it. hacked off its head and cut off its skin. When she was done she tied the animal’s carcass to her hip.

  All the while singing a happy tune.

  Waldo was no stranger to bloodshed or sudden death. The fact Alice had killed an animal disturbed him less than the casualness of it. Somehow, given her shyness and innocence, he had come to assume she would have a very delicate nature about such things.

  Clearly he’d been wrong.

  As they continued down the road he whittled the piece of soulwood as his mind wandered. Even if it had surprised him, having a succubus who didn’t mind killing could only be a good thing. There was no doubt that there would be killing in his future. That was something every Dark Mage took for granted. He was unusual in that he had never taken a life and never felt the desire to do so. (With the exception of Enver.) That didn’t mean he was unwilling. He wouldn’t take any pleasure in it, but he would do it when it was called for. Just as he was willing to steal should the opportunity arise.

  As his knife sliced off another thin sliver of wood he thought about just what it would be like and how it would happen.

  The spells currently at his disposal were a long way from lethal. Even if he still had his spellbook and his full complement of magics it would not have been much better.

  That meant he would have to use Alice as his weapon. He remembered the long lethal claws she’d displayed when in her true form. Recalled just how easily they had sliced through his robe and straps. He could easily imagine what they would do to flesh.

  “You’re really good at that.”

  “Hmmm?”

  “Your carving, it’s starting to look like a wand. How did you learn to do that?”

  “Making magical items is another of the skills I was taught growing up. It’s really not hard, so long as you have a steady hand and patience. I have always been very good with my hands.”

  “Maybe I’ll have you help me in the kitchen some time.”

  “Kitchen work is for servants.”

  Alice pretended not to have heard him. “So will you be able to make it work? Even though you don’t have your spellbook will you be able to make it work like a regular wand?”

  “Probably, wands are just focus items. They don’t require a specific enchantment to activate.”

  She looked at him questioningly and it was obvious she had no idea what he meant. Sighing he began to explain.

  “Most magical items are divided into two types; focus and effect. Focus items such as wands, rods, and staves act as an extension and magnifier of a mage’s own power. They focus magical energy much the same way a lens will focus light. They tend to become very personal after a long period of use. They will match their master’s mana exactly, so that another mage may not be able to use the item at all, or else use it only a fraction as effectively.”

  “Sort of like having a favorite carving knife that fits perfect in your hand?”

  “I suppose. The same way only certain people can use magic, only certain materials can be used as a focus.” He frowned at the piece of wood in his hand. “To be honest, I’m not sure why I’m even bothering with this. Soulwood is ideal for White Mages. They say in Avalon they keep whole groves of soulwood trees just for that. I could barely use the wands my mother gave me, so I don’t imagine I’ll be able to use this at all.”

  “Why are you making it then?”

  “A mage is supposed to have a wand, just as he should have robes and a spellbook. Even if it’s worthless, I’d at least want it for appearance sake until I can make a proper replacement. That may take a while, until I can get my hands on the necessary material.”

  “Is it hard to get?” Alice asked. “As hard as soulwood?”

  “In Alteroth no, here it might be more difficult.”

  “What is it you need to get?”

  “It requires a bone from someone who was able to cast magic, preferably a thigh bone.”

  “Ick! You use human bones?”

  “Usually, but not always, any creature able to cast magic will usually work. Elven, half elven, okuri bones will all work just as well. Obviously sprites and fairies are too small to be practical. It has to be a creature able to actually cast spells, monsters with magical abilities like medusa or unicorns won’t work. Wands made from dragon bone though are said to be the most powerful of all.”

  Alice stared at him. “The wand you had before. Where did it come from?”

  “My mother gave it to me as a gift, she carved it herself. It was made from the thigh bone of Caston Poisondagger. He was an old rival of hers and she saved his bones especially to make wands for me and some of my siblings.”

  “And you were all right with that?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be? He was a powerful wizard and his bones made excellent material.”

  “But… but… how could you be okay with touching a
dead person’s bones? Didn’t it disgust you?”