The Mage of Orlon: The beginning (23 page)

“
Come in Ezra!
”
She called as cheerily as she could.

Ezra was dressed in robes that burned of the morning sun, proof of her ranking in the priestess
’
s clan.
Ezra
’
s face split into a grin as she took in the princess, but she stopped half way across to embrace her childhood friend, and a frown replaced her gentle grin.

“
What has happened Lela?
”
Concern slid over Ezra as she tried to find the wound that now plagued the princess.

“
I have been having feelings for the new mage, and I don
’
t know what to make of them!
”
Lela exclaimed.
“
It is as if the world has been drained of life.
I no longer see the colors of nature, or the splendor of life, it is only grey now.
What has he done to me to change me so much?
”

Ezra looked at her friend; she studied her as if deducing a new strain of plague.
After a few minutes of scrutiny, which felt like a lifetime to Lela, Ezra began to smile again.

“
You silly thing you had me worried, but I see what is wrong with you.
”

“
What, what horrible plague have I contracted?
”
Lela begged.

“
You have fallen in love with the mage silly, but why are you so distraught?
”

Lela told Ezra of all the discoveries they had made about Nathan, and the choice he made between her and the demon archer.
Every detail poured from Lela
’
s lips like fine wine into crystal goblets.
Finally she was done, empty of all the fiendish thoughts that circled and bit her in her mind.
Lela watched Ezra as she took in all the details, and with a puzzled look she asked the first question that popped into her mind.

“
Do you love him Lela?
Truly, do you love him?
You allowed him to touch your ears while kissing you, so you have feelings for him, but do you truly love him?
”

“
I don
’
t know Ezra, and it is driving me insane!
”
Lela cried.

Lela began shaking, her hands tightening and releasing, tears began to flow again. She had no control over herself!
Lela began sniffling; this only caused her to become frustrated.

“
Look at me Ezra!
No one has had this much control over me, not even Zorn!
Why does Nathan?
”

Ezra looked at her friend, pity filled her eyes.
She had to tell her friend what she saw.
Lela could never see things the way she could. At an early age Ezra could see auras, what she saw now was Lela
’
s love chakra was flooding the rest of her chakras.
This imbalance was putting her at odds with herself, and only because she was denying her heart
’
s desire.

“
You love this human very much Lela. You denied him the pleasure you two nearly had in the tent, and this is your body punishing you for not giving in to what your heart wants.
”

“
A boy, my heart desires a boy?
Ezra I
…”

“
Not a boy, I have seen him roaming the halls.
He is a man now through experience in all your adventures.
He grew to love you, he chose you when another offered herself to him. Even though he learned all these bad things about you and the elves along the way he still wants you.
If that is not love, I do not know what is!
”
Ezra spoke with the certainty of the ages, and she was never wrong about Lela when she spoke.

Lela crumpled to the floor, Nathan loved her and she loved him, but he wanted to leave.
How was she to survive this loss?

“
Why are you wasting time trying to figure out how to ruin your feeling Lela?
You have found what people search their entire life for and have never found. Somehow you found it twice!
Go to him, tell him you are sorry for pushing him away. Tell him that you will help him find a way home.
Enjoy the time you two have together instead of mourning the time you won
’
t have together!
”

Lela dried her tears, Ezra was right of course.
Lela stood up and hugged her friend.

“
Thank you Ezra, you always know what to say when I need you.
”

“
Of course silly, that is why we are friends.
”
Both women giggled.

How did the second chance with the scythe mirror go?
”

With a frown Ezra answered,
“
It swiped at me again.
Kata said I had to start four levels down from the top.
”

“
You are only in your seventh month!
That is quite an accomplishment!
”
Lela exclaimed.

“
Thanks, but I was really hoping to master that stupid scythe mirror at six months.
Now it looks like another six months has been tacked on because of my mistake.
So what are you going to do about Nathan, Lela?
”

“
I will go straight to Nathan and enjoy every moment we have together!
”
Lela said reaching for the doorknob. That was when the first boulder hit the castle wall.

“
We are under attack!
Battle stations!
”
The lookout cried.

The Dark Queen
’
s army had arrived at the elven castle.
Catapults flung heavy rocks into the forest castle walls which shook violently.
The boulders seemed to do little to no damage, which is when the archers lined up.
With a single swipe of a sword the air filled with arrows, Nathan
’
s stomach knotted it was his dream, the one where he would die.

Nathan held up his hands as words he had never read or spoke slipped from his lips.
The arrows slowed and hung in the air.
Through the darkness Nathan saw the lone archer on a black steed.
The mage slayer was then knocked and Nathan could feel the arrow
’
s magic lock in on his heart.
The arrow flew from the bow like silent death parting the still hanging arrows in the air.
Nathan screamed
“
Take cover!
”

Mordock smiled, his broken black teeth gleamed in the moon light.
The mage would die as all of the others had, saving someone else.
The Dark Queen would take the elven castle and rid all of Orlon of the pointy eared freaks once and for all!

Nathan was scared, he had seen this dream so many times he could barely believe he would not wake up in the morning at home this time.
Then an idea sprang into his head, maybe he didn
’
t have to die after all.
Mustering up all his courage he had time to say the only spell that came to mind.
“
Ragnin!
”

The arrows burst into flame, for a brief second the air was on fire.
The heat whooshed, but the Mage slayer slid through the arrows determined to hit its target, but the fletching had caught fire, and the shaft quickly followed, as the fiery remains of the feared arrow headed down its path, it began to spin end over end the shaft had completely burned up and only the arrowhead was falling down.

“
Noooo
…”
Lela screamed as she tackled Nathan. The arrow head slammed into the door where he had been standing sticking firmly into the wood.
Across the battlefield Mordock screamed in agony, he burst into flames, the horse bucked the rider who now landed on the ground still.
The orcs looked at the leader that had led them into countless battles, the armor was charred and only a silent screaming corpse looked back at the army.
The army of darkness panicked at the loss of their leader and fled into the woods.

Nathan sat up laughing, he was alive!
Lela began echoing his laughter.
The two laughed together and began to stand.
Lela began her talk to tell Nathan she loved him.

“
Nathan I
…”
Lela stopped cold and had a strange look on her face.

“
Lela, I am okay!
What
’
s wrong?
”

Lela only pointed to Nathan
’
s shoulder, it was bleeding. The arrow had grazed him.
Nathan smiled and was about to tell her he was fine when the poison took effect.
Nathan
’
s world began to spin, and then everything went dark.

The darkness lightened into shadows, light bled through the darkness to illuminate a lone woman.
She was tall with flame red hair. Her skin was pale and highlighted by the black leather she wore.
She turned her green eyes towards Nathan and smiled a crooked smile.
She turned showing Nathan the v cut that parted the black leather all the way down to her hips.
The white skin of her perfect breasts seemed to want to burst out of the tight dress that she wore.
The white of her front shown in sharp contrast to the darkness that enveloped the rest of her body, a sharp studded collar snuggly held its place around her neck.

“
Hello Nathan, I am Tirana the Dark Queen.
”
She purred.

Nathan could only stare as she floated over towards him effortlessly.
“
You destroyed my favorite magical trinket, that wasn
’
t very nice.
”
She pouted with blood red lips.

“
You were trying to kill me.
”
He stammered.

“
And you are going to try to kill me, so we are even.
You survived the first attempt, but the archer wasn
’
t so lucky, he is dead now.
The arrowhead only grazed you, and after its flight through all that fire its poison was weakened enough for us to have this little chat, but not enough to kill you.
Nathan I can tell you want to touch me.
”
She smiled.

“
I am sorry if I stared and made you uncomfortable.
”
Nathan said as he tried to look anywhere but at her breasts.

“
I am used to being lusted after.
”
She countered, seeing him trying to look away from her breasts she inhaled deeply causing them to move bringing his attention back to where she wanted it.

Nathan
’
s mouth went dry, his palms sweated, and he began to get hard.
A wicked smile played across Tirana
’
s face.
She was had him right where she wanted him.
She moved closer to Nathan, her breasts threatened to spill from their leathery prison.
In a sensual voice she nearly whispered.
“
You can touch me anywhere you want to, and we can see where it goes from there.
”

She was every teenaged boy
’
s fantasy, sex turned to flesh and blood.
Beauty clad in leather, a wicked smile that promised forbidden pleasure and pain in such a way that he would no longer be able to tell the difference between the two.
All he had to do was touch her to begin this descent into maddening pleasure. It was a black hole that not only would swallow him whole, but would make him beg for it to.

Nathan began to reach out to touch this sexual goddess when he noticed her smile.
The smile caused him to hesitate, it spoke volumes as to what hells she planned for him, and he was willingly walking into her trap.
The hesitation caused Tirana
’
s smile to vanish.

“
What
’
s wrong, am I not beautiful enough to deserve your caress?
”

Nathan stammered,
“
You are so beautiful all I want to do is caress you.
”

“
Then why do you not?
Is it that forest tramp, is she the one you desire?
”
She nearly screeched.

“
I
…”
Nathan wasn
’
t use to this, a woman that looked like this accusing him of not wanting to touch her.
It was crazy.

“
I know what to do.
”
The Dark Queen said in a seductive tone.
With a hand motion a black cloud arose around her when the smoke cleared a taller version of Lela stood before Nathan, except her hair was red and her breasts where still large.
“
Does this form please you? I can look like anyone you want me to.
Nathan, we could be lovers.
I know why the princess reacts the way she does when you touch her ears.
Well there is no place you can touch me that is off limits Nathan.

Chills ran down his spine, his body betrayed him.
He felt the rush of lust hit him.
At this moment he wanted this redheaded version of Lela.
She wouldn
’
t push him away.
She would do things to him that would make him weep with tears of ecstasy.
Then he thought of Lela, he loved her.
She was going to tell him something before he went into this dream.
Nathan was hesitating again and Tirana
’
s eyes grew wide as she misread Nathan
’
s reaction.

“
Again you hesitate!
”
She shouted,
“
Men have crawled to me on their open bellies just to touch me before they die, and you still hesitate!
”

The moment she said it she realized it was a mistake.
A flash of memory assaulted Nathan
’
s mind.
Men in graves clamoring over each other racing to the top of an altar where Tirana was sitting on a throne of bones!
Nathan gazed in horror as he saw men and women willingly allowing her to twist and change their forms until they emerged as orcs.
A revelation hit Nathan, her army followed her not because they wanted to, but because she had used potions to seduce them and cause them to fall in love with her!

Nathan backed away in horror at what he had just seen.

“
Don
’
t look at me that way!
”
the slutty princess screamed.
The form fell leaving Tirana once again facing Nathan.
“
So you reject me?
The one who could make your most fevered dreams come true!
Why do you resist?
”

“
I don
’
t know why!
”
Nathan said.

Tirana looked down at Nathan.
She shook her head, how could this mage resist her, she decided to change tactics.
In a calm voice she began again.

“
We don
’
t have to be enemies Nathan, it
’
s not my fault I am the way this world sees me.
I will show you my past.
”
Tirana waved her hand and a mirror appeared.
“
It is a window to my past, please watch, and know me for the person I once was.
”

The window fogged up and then cleared.
It did not reflect Nathan
’
s image, but showed him a small thatched hut, barely big enough for the occupants.
Inside there were three people hard at work the father and mother were both busy grinding herbs and mixing different colored formulas.
The young girl who looked to be about seventeen began talking, suddenly Tirana spoke.
“
I wish I had only listened to my parents and tried to be happy with the lot life had dealt me.
The sound came in on the image.

“
There is no shame in being a potion maker.
We live a humble life, but a good life.
We sleep well at night, we have food on the table, and clothing on our backs.
Anything more would just be excessive.
”
The mother chimed.

“
Mom, do you not wish for grander things than just the necessities?
What of great feasts, ballrooms, noblemen and women and their beautiful clothes?
”

“
These are fanciful things, and yes they all seem very alluring, but beware the entrapments of these fanciful things.
Have you not wondered why most of those who come here for love potions keep their faces covered with dark hoods?
It is because they are the very people that you envy so.
They pay us to deliver them a potion for something that even the poorest couple is capable of.
Yet they need to try to snare a mate as if they are some sort of animal.
It is a disgraceful state to find yourself in, when no one can return love to you!
They find themselves in this dark place because, they are too worried to see if you are more interested in the amount of coin in their purses, instead of the love in their hearts.
”

“
The young girl is you Tirana?
”
Nathan asked.

“
Yes, but I didn
’
t listen to my mother
’
s words.
I did not realize the day the Duke came to town that it would be my descent into a prison of my own devising.
He seemed so elegant, so handsome, but he was cruel.
I fell for his trickery and was sold as a slave girl to the Dark King.
It was bad enough that I had my heart broken, but to be sold into slavery was too much to handle.
So I made a vowel to manipulate my way to the king
’
s court, I had enough experience with making love potions that I could make the king fall in love with me and become queen.
My plan worked, too well.
“

The image changed, a slightly older Tirana appeared in ragged clothing holding a tray with a goblet on it.

“
Your majesty, I have brought you a special drink for you to try for the next gala you have planned.
”

“
Leave it on the table slave, and be gone from my sight!
”

“
As my king wishes.
”
The image faded, and Tirana began to speak again.

“
What was supposed to be my way out of slavery and poverty only became my newest prison.
The potion was given to the royal taster to see if it was poisoned, but the potion was made for the king only.
Anyone else who drank it would not feel its effects.
The king drank the nectar deeply and fell under my love spell.
The potion worked to well though. What should have been infatuation, became blinding obsession.
The king had me pulled from the slave quarters that night, and ravished me over and over.
If he was a man drowning at sea, then I was the air he so desperately needed to live.
”

“
Night after night we had sex over and over.
Then it happened, the king
’
s heart stopped beating.
The stress had been too much.
The king was dead and I his queen was expected to take another to replace him.
”

“
What mom said all those years ago was true, how do you know if the person loves you for you or if they are just after power and money?
Then it occurred to me just put the kingdom under a love spell, it would solve all my problems.
Once again I was wrong.
No one wanted me to marry after the spell.

“
I thought about removing the spell, but then I found the prophecy about the mage that would bring my downfall.
After that all I could do was defend myself from my unknown assassin.
In order to do this great feat, and protect myself from this terrible threat I created the orcs.
I used dark magic to twist my soldiers into a visage of evil, something that to look upon one would freeze a person
’
s blood.
”

“
The prophecy wasn
’
t the end of my troubles; King Ackerios had cursed me on his death bed. If the empire did not keep expanding the curse would kill me.
At first, I did not believe the curse existed. Three months went by without expanding the boundaries.
It started as an annoying headache, but then the real pain came.
It felt as if my entire body was on fire.
The burning sensation only relented when the small village of Tien was captured.
The curse was real!
”
Tirana said in a subdued tone.

“
You see Nathan, I must conquer the lands or I will die.
”

Nathan didn
’
t know what to think now.
The elves were not as good as the stories he remembered as a child.
The Dark Queen had tried to seduce him, and then showed him her past.
Tirana was a victim of her own bad decisions, but now how could he kill her?
The sides of good and bad were blurred by what each side did for survival!