The (sort of) Dark Mage (Waldo Rabbit)

by Nelson Chereta

  The young Dark Mage immediately walked around the table to the far side of the room. There, etched into the stone floor, was a circle. Surrounding it was a complex formula of runes and magical symbols. As soon as he stepped inside, the markings, as well as the circle itself, began to glow with a murky bluish white light.

  Whenever someone was brought here to deliver a report, be questioned, or to be tried they were made to stand within the circle. The enchantment carved into the floor did not actually compel anyone to speak the truth. Rather it inflicted pain on those who spoke any sort of falsehood while inside its confines. The council had discovered long ago, that truth spells that forced subjects to speak could be defeated simply by making irrelevant statements that just happened to be true. It also tended to cause its subjects to resist and reveal as little useful information as possible. By comparison, this method permitted a person to lie, but the lies were obvious and were instantly punished. Whereas speaking the truth was rewarded. It encouraged subjects to be more revealing.

  Once he was inside the circle and the carvings were glowing at his feet he tried very hard to appear calm, but the way his eyes kept darting to the floor gave his true feelings away.

  “There is no need to be nervous grandson,” Dante said in a soothing tone. “Confirmations are routine and nothing to be feared. Simply speak the truth; you will only suffer if you lie. Each member shall ask one question, all you need do is answer truthfully. Should you lie we will know and the council member will be free to ask an additional question. Once you have answered seven questions you will be a true Dark Mage of Alteroth. Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” Nunca said with only a slight shake to his voice.

  Nodding Dante looked about the table inviting someone to be first. All council members were equals and no one was permitted to act as leader. The questions would be asked in no particular order. It was tradition though that the head of the candidate’s family would be permitted to ask the final question. Each member was free to ask anything they wished, but was limited to a single inquiry unless lied to.

  “What is your name?” Darius Heartless asked.

  “Nunca Poisondagger.” He answered with obvious relief.

  “Where did you travel to?” Xilos Souldbreaker asked.

  “I went into the Barrens in northern Rutenia, near the Kyrtos Pass.”

  “Did you kill anyone?” Baldwin Blooddrinker asked.

  “I killed three shepherds who crossed my path.”

  The idiot actually sounded proud of that. As if killing poorly armed shepherd boys were any sort of accomplishment for a Dark Mage.

  “Did you take any spoils?” Gawreth Wormwood asked.

  “Yes, there were no coins but I took five iron daggers from my victims along with a coat I liked.”

  Typical Poisondagger, Lilith thought. They just want to survive the damn quest, they don’t care at all about coming back with a reputation.

  “What is your favorite color?” Tiberius Blackwater asked with a straight face.

  Nunca blinked before answering. “Black.”

  That was five.

  Lilith smiled affectionately at the young man. “Do you like staring at my chest?”

  “What?” Nunca said startled. “No! Of…”

  His denial was cut off by a sudden shout of pain. The runes and symbols throbbed an angry red and sparked, sending energy into the fool’s body. He instinctively tried to get out, but ran into an unseen barrier at the circle’s edge. Seeing the look of startlement on his face as he bounced off brought a few unexpected chortles from around the table.

  The punishment lasted only a few seconds, then the aura changed back to a tranquil bluish white.

  “Obviously you were not paying attention when your granddaddy explained to you what would happen if you lied.” Lilith informed him, trying to be helpful. “What you just suffered was the minimum punishment the Circle will inflict, if you tell another lie the pain will grow worse, and it will continue to increase with each additional lie. Tell enough lies and it can even be fatal.”

  Nunca looked down fearfully. He then bowed his head. “I apologize, please forgive me.”

  Lilith just sat there and smiled.

  As she did so the sweat on his forehead began to shine.

  “Well, since you did not answer me truthfully I am permitted to ask you another question. Tell me, has your grandfather ever said he would like me dead?”

  A look of terror covered the boy’s face. “No!”

  The light bathing him shifted to red and there was a crackling as magical energy coursed painfully through his body. It lasted noticeably longer, perhaps for fifteen seconds or so. When it ended he was bent over and his legs were shaking. They could all hear him gasping for breath.

  Lilith waited patiently to allow him to recover. “Would it make you happy to see your grandfather with his throat slit?”

  His gaze jerked from her to Dante, his fear obvious. “No! I wou…”

  Once more his words were swallowed by howls of pain. His body twisted and spasmed, his arms and head jerked about like a string puppet in a child’s hands. It drew laughter from all around the table, from everyone save Dante.

  “He doesn’t learn very quickly does he?” Tiberius quipped.

  “Well he is a Poisondagger, you know.” Gawreth said.

  The light remained red for perhaps half a minute.

  This time when it stopped poor Nunca dropped to his hands and knees. Tears were leaking from his eyes and there was a stream of drool from a corner of his mouth. The way he was trembling Lilith half expected him to start begging.

  Lilith turned her attention over to Dante. His expression was utterly blank.

  “Is this really the grandson you were bragging to all of us about?” Lilith asked him. “The one you said was brilliant?”

  He said the same about all his children and grandchildren. Dante refused to acknowledge that anyone with a drop of his blood could be anything less than exceptional.

  “Brilliant?” Tiberius turned to Dante. “Did you actually say that?”

  Dante answered as if each word were being dragged out of him. “I may have been mistaken.”

  “Obviously,” Tiberius said with a chuckle.

  Dante turned those cold eyes towards him. She wondered if a brand new feud had just been started between Poisondagger and Blackwater.

  Dante then shifted his gaze towards her. She just smiled back. It gave Lilith the deepest satisfaction to know just how much this had to be hurting him.

  Revenge really was sweet.

  The fact this would only worsen the problems between their two houses did not bother her at all. She didn’t want to make peace with him. She only wanted to injure him as much as she could, before one of his children finally got up the nerve to stick a knife into his back.

  She had to wait about five minutes for Nunca to finally climb back to his feet.

  “So, do you think your grandfather is a vain, greedy, small minded, petty, vindictive ass that the family would be better off without?”

  The poor boy turned a frightened face to his grandfather and opened his mouth.

  “Just answer the question truthfully you fool!” Dante snapped.

  Nunca shut his mouth and nodded obediently. “Yes.”

  The light surrounding him remained tranquil.

  “Amazing, who would have thought a Poisondagger could actually learn something?”

  That produced a fresh series of laughs.

  Dante sat rigid in his chair, eyes locked on his grandson. When the laughter finally died down he asked the final question. “Do you know you are a disgrace?”

  The young man lowered his head. “Yes grandfather.”

  The aura remained unaffected.

  “It’s over,” Dante said voice hollow.

  Nunca flinched.

  The council members all quickly agreed that Nunca Poisondagger had indeed successfully completed his First Quest and was now a Dark Mage of Alteroth. Th
e newly recognized Dark Mage was given leave to go and did not waste a second. Shortly after that the meeting was adjourned. Dante was the first to exit, storming out without a word.

  Lilith was in a fine mood, humming and singing all the way home. It had been years since she’d enjoyed a council meeting half so much.

  XXX

  When a couple days later it was announced that Nunca Poisondagger had suffered a fatal accident Lilith was anything but surprised. The news made her a bit sad.

  After all, getting rid of such an obvious incompetent would make Poisondagger stronger.

  Chapter 26

  A Favor

  “I take it the meeting went well Mistress?” Hollister inquired in a respectful voice.

  “It was surprisingly entertaining.”

  Her steward did not ask for details. “I wish to remind you that Andris will be attending dinner tonight.”

  “I haven’t forgotten. Is Walter still sulking?”

  “He is somewhere in the north tower. He killed one of the slaves and is likely eating her.”

  “So long as it was one of the general slaves and not one of the staff it’s fine. He should be out of the way at least.”

  Many of the slaves in Castle Corpselover had no specific task and were essentially here to be eaten or killed off. Walter, Enver, and certain others were free to do with them as they liked. Other slaves like her steward or her cook or her maids were off limits. It kept her from having to replace important servants and also kept the slaves divided. The ones who knew they were safe were not inclined to help the others.

  “I want Andris to enjoy his visit.”

  Hollister bowed low to her. “It shall be done Mistress.”

  XXX

  No one in Alter ever saw the sun rise or set.

  When the day ended twilight simply bled away until there was only blackness.

  There was no moonlight or stars, no street lights, and most windows were shuddered tight and gave off no flicker. The only illumination came from the Forge.

  Lilith sat by one of the open windows high up in the south tower. She looked out into the blackness and felt at peace. She was a creature of darkness as much as her father or Enver.

  For a moment she wondered about Waldo. He was not like her. No matter how hard he tried he would never belong to the darkness. She had known that for a very long time. It had surprised her that rather than make her despise him, it had only made her love him that much more.

  He truly was his father’s son.

  Lilith had loved all of her children, but Waldo had always been especially dear to her. Was it because when she looked at him she saw his father? Or was it the natural affection a mother felt for the child who was different from all the others? She couldn’t tell the reason; she only knew that she would do anything to assure his survival.

  When Walter had died Lilith had realized that Waldo would need a great deal of help if he were to survive as the next head of Corpselover. If any of her other children had survived she would have found a nice quiet place for him where he could be the head of his own branch family. He would visit for the festivals and weddings, but otherwise be forgotten.

  When he became her last child things became much more complicated. She could not have set him aside in favor of someone else even if she had wanted to. Any relative she elevated to replace him would have had Waldo killed the moment she died. Waldo would have a stronger claim to be head of the family than anyone else. He had to become head of the family or perish.

  If he were going to rule Corpselover and sit on the council he would need a great deal of help. That was why Lilith had come up with her plan. The council’s action in sending him on his fool’s quest had forced her to begin things years sooner than she’d wanted. There was no helping it, she would begin to put things in motion.

  Plots within plots, wheels within wheels, I’ll tear all of it down if I have to. My son will rule after me no matter the cost.

  Out in the darkness she saw a light approaching from down below.

  It was bright enough to reveal several forms shuffling through the empty streets. It had to be Andris.

  “Is someone coming to dinner?” A playful voice spoke.

  Lilith continued to look out the window without bothering to turn around. “You do know it’s pointless to sneak up on me when I always know where you are.”

  “Forgive me, you know how I am.”

  “Yes. Be grateful you are so useful or I would be rid of you.”

  “Such cruel words for your most devoted servant.”

  Lilith laughed softly. Devoted? Except for kind or maybe merciful she couldn’t think of a word that described him less.

  She didn’t hear his approach but could sense it through their bond. “The servants tell me someone is expected for dinner but they don’t know who. Found a new lover have we?”

  “I am a little too busy for lovers at the moment.”

  Enver stood just a few feet behind her. Their bond had grown very sensitive over the years and they could both pick up the others’ emotions easily.

  “I can feel that little spark of excitement you have whenever you start a plot. What is it you are scheming?”

  “You don’t actually expect me to tell you do you?”

  “Of course not, but one can always hope.”

  “Never mind who is coming, I expect you’ll get the information from the staff soon enough. I’ll have a task for you soon.”

  Enver did not look pleased. “Is this going to be one of those pointless errands you like to annoy me with?”

  She shook her head. “What I have in mind will be important.”

  “Like the treasure map I provided your son?”

  Lilith nodded.

  Enver gave her a bloodless smile. “Will I at least get to kill someone? Slaughtering helpless slaves gets boring after a time.”

  “Oh yes,” she promised.

  “Well that is pleasing to hear, but it hurts that you won’t share your plans with me.”

  “I will tell you your part, that is all you need know.”

  “Walter has been very upset with you lately. His mood has been black as night.”

  “I know.”

  “He killed one of the sex slaves, pretty little thing, name of Deena or Deelia I think. He beat her to death. Probably taking out his frustration; probably imagining it was a certain other woman.”

  “If he is unhappy it is because he wants more than he can have.”

  “Well don’t we all?” Enver leaned a bit closer to her. “Why don’t you end him? There is no happiness for him you know. His entire existence is pathetic. Why don’t you put him out of his misery? Or were you hoping Waldo would do it? Was that your plan? Did you bring Walter back just to teach your youngest how to hate? How to kill? It would have worked if Waldo had any sort of spine. Too bad your last child is such a coward.”

  No one else would ever talk to her like this. Enver loved to mock her and point out her failings.

  “Kneel.”

  His legs trembled as he tried to resist. They soon bent, he kneeled before her on the stone floor.

  “Beg my forgiveness and ask me to punish you for your rude tongue.”

  His lips twisted and she could feel his resentment through their bond.

  He clasped his hands together and bent his proud neck. “I beg your forgiveness Mistress. I beg you to punish me for my insensitive remarks.”

  Lilith knew he didn’t mean a word of it.

  “Remain exactly as you are for the rest of the night, and thank me for my compassion.”

  He clenched his teeth before speaking clearly. “I thank you for your consideration Mistress.”

  She walked past, leaving him to remain there on his knees until the dawn.

  XXX

  Andris Corpselover was dressed in black robes and was being guided by the castle’s steward.

  Within his heart a tiny portion of fear mixed with excitement and expectation. He was the head of one of the m
any, many branch families of Corpselover. His family lived on a small estate about twenty miles from Alter. They would visit for the Solstices and if there was a wedding in the main family. Lilith would spare him a few moments for some idle chatter and a polite question or two, before moving on to the next family and doing the same. Nothing at any of the get togethers had ever suggested she held him in any sort of special esteem. So when he’d received this invitation he’d been taken by surprise.