The Dark Path

by James M. Bowers

  "Have you brought me a meal?" The demon's voice grated on Gen's nerves.

  "Beth," Gen said quietly. "Meet Anhirath." He looked up at the demon. "Anhirath meet your daughter." He heard Beth gasp.

  "Very funny, little mage! I have no offspring in this plane!" The demon's tone was the same but it had lost its grin.

  "Beth." Gen turned to her. "What was your mother's name?" Beth didn't move her gaze from the demon's.

  "Her name was Mary." Beth's anger was beginning to grow. "So you mean to tell me that this beast was the one that raped my mother?"

  "Well you'll have to ask him," Gen said calmly. He could feel Beth's anger growing. He wondered if she would be able to do what needed to be done here.

  "Little demon!" Beth's voice shook with barely contained rage. "Was it you that raped my mother, Mary?" The demon had a look of terror upon its face now.

  "There have been so many! How should I remember one human woman over the centuries?" Anhirath's face had not looked away from Beth's gaze once. Terror reflected in his eyes. Gen had never seen such a look upon a demon before. It made him smile inside.

  "You would remember her. She was beautiful! She had hair like mine! Her eyes were a bright green! Her skin was pale and smooth." Her hands curled into fists. "Show me the form you wore to trick her. Show me how you lowered her guard so that you could rape her!" Her voice carried the tone of command she had used on the elementals. The demon lowered his eyes and bowed a bit.

  "Yes, Mistress." The demon shimmered and appeared in human form before them. He was a head taller than Gen and had a body that reminded him of Duncan's build. He shook his head. Now was not a time to remember Duncan. Gen could feel the anger pouring off of Beth in waves. He rewove the shield to divert that anger away from him. He couldn't afford to be affected by her emotion right now. The shield spell from the red book seemed to work well, though it was a terrible waste of energy in it's original form. Gen spent a few seconds to rework it. Beth was beginning to glow a faint red. Her hair was moving back in a wind that was not there.

  "You know what I am going to do to you?" Beth's voice no longer sounded human.

  "Yes, Mistress." The demon continued to look at the ground.

  "Gen leave us. This is between my father and I." Beth's command carried a force that almost hurt as it reached Gen. He turned and walked through the circle. Reweaving it as he passed. He stood outside the circle and watched as Beth broke the triangle prison that had held the demon. When the prison broke, Gen expected to see Anhirath change forms and destroy the teenage girl. Instead, he backed away to the edge of the sphere that contained everything. Beth floated slightly off the ground and toward the cowering demon. Her skin was starting to grow a covering of black and red scales. She reached out a now clawed hand and began to slowly peel the skin from the demon. Gen watched Beth torture the demon for the next few hours before she finally killed him, sending him back to his plane for the next five centuries. She finally walked back to face Gen. She stood on the other side of the circle.

  "Lower the circle." Her voice ripped at Gen.

  "Not until you return to normal."

  "This is normal now!" Her voice ripped through him again. He looked up at her face that was now covered by the small black and red scales. She was still lovely, though in a completely different manner.

  "No. This is just one side of you. If you want out of that prison, you must return to the other side of what you are." Gen's tone was flat. He would not fail in this. If she couldn't control her power then he would kill her here.

  "You do not follow my command!" Beth tilted her head back and roared. Other students began to gather at the sound. Gen glanced over at them. He didn't have time to deal with them.

  "If you do not control yourself, I will kill you." Gen's tone was ice. He saw Beth shudder despite the power she was filled with now.

  "So be it. Little mage! I will remember this though!"

  "I'm sure you will." He watched as Beth screamed in pain as her face turned back to normal. Eventually, her whole body returned. Everything but her right eye that still held a red glow and her right arm. It remained covered in the black and red scales, her hand still a claw. She looked up at him, panting.

  "Now will you let me out?" Her voice was human once more but carried a hint of the power.

  "Will you promise not to harm these students unless they harm you?" Gen's tone was flat and emotionless. He had to know how much of her remained human.

  "If they try to harm me, I will kill them without mercy. If they stay away from me, I will not touch them. They are no concern to me." Her eyes didn't stray from Gen's.

  "Very well. I will hold you to your word." He lowered the shield and flinched as all the extra energy of hatred rushed out of the circle. She stumbled out of the circle falling to her knees in the grass and stayed there with her head down as tears fell upon her hands. The tears that hit her right hand steamed a bit when they hit.

  "Get some rest. You will need it if you plan to go with me." Gen stood and walked away from her toward the Headmaster's office. He would see if someone else would suffer today as well.

  XVIII

  The Second War Begins

  Gen entered the Headmaster's office. The Headmaster was waiting behind his desk. There were no books upon it. He nodded slightly when Gen entered.

  "Have you found her?"

  "Yes. She is in a cave to the west of the tower of Invictus."

  "Thank you." Gen turned to leave.

  "What will you do?" Gen turned back around. His ice blue eyes filled with the anger of vengeance.

  "I will go to war."

  "You know that the Schola must stay neutral in this." The Headmaster's face looked pained.

  "I didn't ask for your help."

  "You will fail if you go alone."

  "Hmmm." Gen nodded slowly, his eyes distant. "Have you seen this?"

  "Yes. You must take three others with you."

  "Do you know whom I should bring?"

  "You know them."

  "Very well. Do you have anything else to add?"

  "Bring your army. All of them." The Headmaster's voice was filled with sorrow."

  "Will you help to bring them?"

  "You may use anything you want from the artifact room." The headmaster took a key that he wore around his neck and held it out to Gen.

  "I will leave soon." Gen took the key and walked to the door. He stopped before he opened it. "Oh. One more thing, Beth is now my apprentice. Please give me her journeyman's robes."

  "Why should I let you take her?"

  "She tortured and killed her father today in front of other students. If she stays here, they will eventually be killed by her. Their fear will keep them from acting correctly."

  "Very well." The Headmaster opened the wardrobe behind his desk and withdrew white robes. He handed them to Gen.

  "Now that won't do," Gen smirked. He chanted a few words and the robes changed to a deep blood red with black trim embroidered with silver arcane symbols along the hood and sleeves. "Much better."

  As the door closed, tears ran down the Headmaster's face. "May the gods of good save us all," he whispered.

  Gen walked out of the main building and toward the healer's building. He opened the door to find Thomas awake and talking with Marcus. He walked over and sat beside the bed.

  "Are you leaving now?" Thomas asked. His voice was one of barely contained emotion.

  "I have learned new information. It seems I am to take you with me."

  "What! Thomas can barely walk!" Marcus shot up straight.

  "I will heal him before we leave."

  "How? The healer has done all she can." Thomas' voice was tinged with fear.

  "Are you willing to sacrifice all the plants in your greenhouse?" Gen's tone was cold.

  "What?" Marcus exclaimed again. Gen ignored him.

  "To heal you, they will all die."

  "Then they will die." Thomas' gaze met Gen's, his voice low and stea
dy.

  "Marcus, pick up Thomas and follow me." Gen chanted briefly and Thomas felt the spell, that lessened his weight, take effect. Marcus started to object but Thomas laid his hand upon his arm. Marcus bent and picked Thomas up. The healer came out of her office and hurried toward them.

  “Where are you taking my patient?”

  “I don't have time to wait for him to heal on his own. We need to rush it.” Gen turned toward the healer. “Come along if you must, but do not try and stop us.” The healer opened her mouth to object but closed it again at the expression upon Gen's face. He turned and walked out of the healer's and toward the greenhouse. The doors flew open at Gen's approach. He walked in and directed Marcus to place Thomas down in the center of the building.

  "What are you going to do to him?" Marcus asked, his eyes full of fear for his love.

  "I'm going to heal him. We don't have time to wait for him to do it correctly so he must sacrifice. This will hurt, Thomas. Prepare yourself." He turned to Marcus and the healer.

  “You should leave the greenhouse.”

  “You know I can't do that,” Marcus' tone was a somber one. The Healer just shook her head.

  “So be it then. If you know any spells of protection. Cast them now, all of them. I don't have time to do this fancy. If you don't protect yourself, then you may die. If you feel you can't protect yourself, then leave. Decide now. We're running out of time."

  Marcus glared at Gen and began to summon strong protection around himself. The Healer followed suit. Gen waited till they were done. He turned his vision inward and found his anger. He opened the lid and let it out. He found his pain and opened it as well. Power flowed into him. The air turned cold in the greenhouse. Frost began to form on the windows. Thomas shivered. Gen threw his head back and screamed words of ancient magic. His hands formed complex symbols in the air that glowed with a red light before fading out. He drew a deep breath and again, screamed words of power fueled by his pain and anger he had been storing for years. All the plants in the greenhouse turned instantly to dust. A huge ball of green energy spun between Gen's outstretched hands. He chanted softly under his breath then threw the ball at Thomas. The ball of light impacted Thomas and threw him across the room, into the glass wall on the far side. The glass spider-webbed but didn't shatter. Thomas fell to the ground and pulled himself painfully up. His robes caught fire and burned off of him. Thomas threw back his head as if to scream but no sound came out. He tore at his chest with his fingers. All of his wounds healed, leaving ugly scars. Thomas stopped trying to scream and opened his eyes. A green glow came from them. He started to laugh. He laughed maniacally then suddenly screamed and fell to the ground. Marcus dropped his spell and ran to Thomas' side. He glared at Gen. The healer stood with her mouth open, tears streaming down her ancient face. She had felt the life as it was ripped out of all the plants around her. The magic had felt raw. She had heard of transference spells of course, but never anything like this.

  "What did you do to him!" Marcus screamed.

  "Just wait. He will awaken soon," Gen stated without emotion.

  "You've killed him!" Marcus screamed in anger.

  "Quit screaming Marcus," Thomas said softly. He stood up and walked to Gen. He drew back his hand and slapped Gen full across the face as hard as he could. Gen took the slap without comment. His cheek turned an ugly red. Thomas turned back to Marcus and ran into his arms. The two embraced and kissed. Thomas finally pulled back and looked into his love's eyes. "I'm okay now. You won't lose me."

  "Your eyes Thomas!" Marcus exclaimed. He reached into a pouch and pulled out a mirror and held it before his love's face.

  "It seems they have changed color." Thomas stared at his now deep green eyes. Then his vision went to his hands. They were still deeply scarred but they were no longer twisted and useless. He flexed his fingers full for the first time in years. “My hands, Marcus. Look!” He flexed them again at Marcus' look of astonishment.

  "Why did you slap Gen?" Marcus asked softly.

  "What he did here today was an abomination of nature. I felt every one of the deaths of the plants here. They gave their lives to me. No that's not quite right. Gen forced them to give their life to me." He looked to Gen once more.

  "I told you it would hurt," Gen stated flatly.

  "Where did you learn something like that?" Thomas' tone carried anger.

  "That doesn't matter. What matters is you are healed now and can come with me. We don't have time to waste. Get some new robes and meet me by the building behind the ritual circle."

  "There is no building there!" Marcus exclaimed.

  "Yes there is, Love. I will show you." Thomas patted Marcus on the arm. He glared at Gen. "What do we need from that building?"

  "We'll see when we get in it." Gen held out the chain with the key. "Despite what you are thinking, I have permission to take what I need from it." He turned to walk out of the greenhouse.

  "I will gather Beth and meet you both there." He walked out of the greenhouse and toward the dorms.

  "Was he always like this?" Marcus whispered with a shudder.

  "No. He was always a bit distant and I've seen him cold before, but never anything like this. I don't know what has happened, but I'm afraid things are going to get worse before they are over. Come, we must hurry. Bring a small pack and meet me at my room. Wear your armor and bring your weapon. I have a feeling you'll need it." Thomas walked out of the greenhouse.

  Gen walked to Beth's room. He could feel her sleeping on the other side of the door. He didn't knock. Opening the door, he lit the candles of the room with a wave of his hand. Beth lay upon her bed wearing nothing. Her raven hair lay over her small breasts. Her scaled arm was across her eyes.

  "Wake up!" Gen shouted.

  "What?!" Beth shot awake instantly and curled into the corner of her bed when she realized she wasn't alone in the room. "I'm naked!" She exclaimed.

  "I see that. Here put these on." He threw her the robes the Headmaster had given him. She looked them over suspiciously, then pulled them on. She stood up instantly awake.

  "What is this?"

  "Your new robes. Wear them with pride, Apprentice." He turned and walked out.

  "Apprentice?" she whispered as she rushed to follow him.

  Marcus and Thomas stood waiting when Gen arrived at the ritual area. Gen took the key from around his neck and spoke a command word. A small door shimmered into view to the south of the circle. Marcus and Beth gasped. Gen walked over and opened the door, motioning them to follow. As they walked inside, the place lit with magic. The room was the size of the entire school grounds. The ceiling towered above them. Beth and Marcus stood with their jaws hanging open. Gen walked through the piles of items and jewels toward the back of the room. He pushed some large tapestries out of the way. Then he saw what he wanted. It was a mirror that stood three times his height and was twice that in width. He turned to Thomas.

  "Help me guide this outside," he said to Thomas. They both chanted spells of levitation and floated it out of the building. How it fit through the door boggled Marcus and Beth. They set the mirror down and walked back inside. Gen turned to Beth.

  "What weapon do you use?" He asked her. The question caught her off guard and she stuttered a bit before she could answer.

  "Katars."

  "Let's see if there are any here, shall we?" He chanted a few words of magic and a few piles around the room began to glow with a green light. "Search each of those till you find the weapons in each pile. Pick them up with magic not with your hands. Pile them here. I have other things to find." He turned to Marcus, looked down, and saw the gladius at his belt. A sudden memory came to him. He shifted his view to magic and looked closely at Marcus. He frowned as he saw what he had feared.

  "Thomas, Marcus, come with me please." He walked out of the building. He tapped into a power he hadn't used in a long time and spoke directly into Thomas' mind. "Marcus has a spell of control around him. I found a similar one around Mina yester
day. I will destroy it without harming him if you will help to distract him. Also ask to see his weapon. He doesn't trust me enough to hand it over." Thomas looked at him with a frown on his face, but turned to Marcus and asked to see his blade. When Thomas held the weapon, Gen reached out and unwove the control spell. This one was thicker and more complex than the one on Mina. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he worked. The spell came undone and he opened his eyes to see a gladius point at his chest. Marcus held the other end of it. Thomas stood holding his arm in pain. The blade hadn't pierced his chest. Why? He looked back over and saw Beth's clawed hand holding the blade. Her eyes burned with hatred directed toward Marcus that stood as if in a stupor. Gen's mind slowly came back to speed.

  "Thank you, Beth. I owe you." He placed his arm on her shoulder. "Thomas are you alright?" Thomas nodded though his eyes held pain. Gen could see that his wrist had been broken.

  "Marcus do you know why you just tried to kill me?" Marcus looked down at his hand holding the gladius hilt. He let go of it and Beth took the blade away, though the blade was now melted and useless where Beth had grabbed it.

  "What have I done? What's going on?" He looked around with eyes wide with confusion and fear.

  "Thomas watch over him while I finish preparations." Thomas nodded and walked over and started to draw Marcus away. Gen reached out and stopped Thomas.

  "Give me your hand," Gen said calmly. Thomas obeyed though he had a look of fear in his eyes. Gen reached inside of himself and gathered the dark energies that resided there. He used it to reknit the broken bones of Thomas' wrist. He couldn't heal flesh very well on his own, but bones he knew well. Thomas flinched in pain but didn't pull his hand away. "That should help a bit." Gen released his friend's hand and looked back to Beth.