Chapter 19

She woke she knew not how many hours or even days later, to find the dark mage not leering over her as he was so often want to do, but instead peering ahead into the distance. The length of rope that bound her waist was clutched tightly in his grip.

She followed the direction of his gaze. There, no more than a mile or so from where they stopped, a small village sat atop the crest of a large hill. "This I suppose will be as good a place to start as any," he said finally, turning to examine his prisoner. "Come along my girl there's killing to be done."

Phae resisted as best she could but the dark mage was too strong. In a matter of moments, the mage was looking her directly in the eye. "Now my child," he said slowly, "now you must search deep within yourself for that fountain of power your parents knew nothing about. Open yourself to the spring of magic coursing within you. Take it my child take it and mould it. Seize it my child, for today we will reap our revenge upon the old world!"

Phae tried to scream, but no sound left her mouth. The mage had already seen fit to steal her body, and now he had stolen her voice as well.

He will not have my soul!

She struggled every step of the way as Varrus dragged her along towards the village, screaming into his mind even if she couldn't scream out into the physical world. She could feel him inside her, laughing at her helpless struggles, savouring in the power he seemed to be drawing from her.

As they approached the village they caught sight of a young man hard at work gathering his crop. He looked up as the first bolts of lightning shot out from the dark mage's hands.

The young farmer died without a sound.

Another villager stepped out from behind an outbuilding. She too died in an instant.

"Now girl: your turn."

Phae felt the presence of Varrus inside her, manipulating her magics to build a fiery hailstorm for the villagers gathered round the southernmost building. Though she could not stop him directly, she fought through gritted teeth to send the attack off course.

The fiery comets missed the villagers by a few feet and instead caught the building they were standing by and sent it up in flame. The villagers ran for cover, screaming and shouting at their loved ones to escape. Men with buckets ran for the burning building, but even as they did so, more of the dark mage's cruel lightning struck them down.

It was a massacre. The villagers were helpless against them.

Varrus cackled wildly as the fire spread and more souls were caught by his deadly bolts. After Phae's first thwarted attack he decided to ignore her and attack solely on his own. Phae was grateful for this one small mercy.

In a matter of minutes, the village was no more. Tears streamed down young Phae's cheeks.

"Stop your whingeing girl," Varrus scolded. He pointed to the blazing village. "If that doesn't get your father's attention, I don't know what will!"