The Elderien Chronicles

The guilt

Neither of them spoke about what happened.

As Alastair Led the way through the thick forest with Cara walking absentmindedly behind him, he wanted to bring up the conversation about the tremendous amount of power she had displayed earlier. He wanted to read her mind, to see what was going on there but that felt like a violation of her privacy. He couldn't do that.

They could have taken a horse, infact, Alastair had found one which belonged to a man named Osmond but he had insisted Alastair paid fifty gold pieces for it. It was a bloody rip-off but old Osmond was considering how desperate they looked and how late at night it was.

But Alastair refused to purchase the horse. They decided to walk instead. Besides, the gods were wise for creating mankind with a pair of legs.

So as they kept on walking, Alastair comforted himself with the chatter of the owls that filled the air. He'd always sort of loved the creatures, although most people found them extremely creepy.

Alastair took another path that led right across a little stream. The stream glistened against the light from the moon and it was captivating. Alastair wondered how Elle would be feeling at that particular moment. She was a really good healer and there was no doubt that she could take care of herself.

Back at the keep, it was rumored that she had nine lives due to her affinity with the cat. Although that theory had never been put to test, Alastair was not sure what he would do if it turned out to be false.

Behind him, Cara tripped and nearly fell. Alastair looked at her and sighed.

"You do not have to be ashamed of what you are, Cara. Especially not someone with wonderful gifts as you." He said to her but she did not believe a word he mentioned. They kept walking in silence for some time until she managed to gather her voice and broke it.

"How did you know?..." She began. He looked at her and reduced his pace to match hers. "...how did you know that you were destined for greatness? That you were supposed to be a great mage?"

Alastair sighed at the question. Gazing at her wounded shoulder which apparently, she had refused Elle from treating, he plucked a leaf from the surrounding trees.

"Well, to answer your question, I did not."

Cara looked at him. She needed more explanation.

"I was born in a small village just outside of Elderien's keep. My mother was a whore who did not want me. So after giving birth to me, an old lady took me in. I got to know her as my mother. But, you know how life goes? She died when I was about ten. So I took to the streets. I was mocked by my peers. They bullied me so much. I, like you, also took to stealing from people but I stole from the wrong person, or should I say, the right person? It was the head of the Elderien's keep, Orion. And I had taken his money."

Alastair chuckled as he seemed to have gotten engrossed in memories of the past. Cara still kept looking at him and when their eyes met, he realized the needy child hadn't had quite yet enough. So he continued.

"He saw my potential right there. He took me to the keep and he began to train me. Magic came easily for me. I learned all spells that took years to master in months. I began to do advanced spells. I leveled up quickly. I progressed so rapidly that the king himself asked me to become one of the palace mages. I jumped at the offer. But, that was the mistake I made."

He said, crushing the leaf in his hand and watching it turn to ash.

"What happened next?" Cara asked him.

"Dark magic. I found old and forbidden texts deep within the palace's catacombs and I began to experiment. It did not end well. And here we are." He rushed to the other side of the story and Cara was certain he was hiding something. She was not going to let it go, not when it could probably help her in figuring her own problems out.

"Elle told me you were a Dragonlord, the first in a hundred years. What happened to the dragon?"

Alastair was hesitant to answer. He feared getting judged by her. What if she runs away after hearing the story? What would he do? But he knew he needed to talk about it. One way or the other, she was bound to know.

"He left. I renounced him. The mistake I made was inviting a demon to pair with me. He told me he could make me all Powerful. I would not have to fear anything ever again. I would be the greatest of the. He promised me the world and I fell for his lies. He took control of my dragon, and he attacked Elderien's keep. He killed a lot of mages that night. Breaking my connection with Jaghryx-my dragon, was the only way to stop him. And I did not feel his presence within me for sixteen years, until yesterday when you touched that sword. When I touched the sword, I felt him. I was lucky to have severed my connection before the pairing became absolute. Or I would have become a sorcerer."

"That was why you came to find me. To know if he truly is inside me." Cara nodded.

"Yes."

"Well, is he?" She asked, looking at him.

"I cannot sense his presence. I did try to look but I was not able to sense him. I do not understand what is happening. That is why I am taking you to Elderien's keep."

Her eyes opened wide.

"Wait, you're taking me where?"

"You will be safe there. It's an entire clan filled with mages. Nothing will happen to you."

"But what if I do not want to go? What if I want to stay with you?"

"I cannot protect you for so long Cara. When I renounced my dragon, I lost the powers that made me the greatest mage. Who I am now might not be enough against an army of witches."

"But you are still very powerful to me. You saved my life countless times. I trust you. Doesn't that mean something? I will not go to that place. I will take my chances with you." Cara said. She was getting upset and Alastair did not know why. She was shaking at that moment like some terrible fright was upon her.

"Why are you like this..."

"Because only you can stop me if it ever happens again!" She suddenly yelled and Alastair arched a brow.

The child had secrets, terrible ones, he presumed. And he also knew forcing her to speak would not be a good thing. So he just stopped, closed his eyes, and as a soft wind blew, the leaves on the ground aggregated themselves around them. Then, a shield was raised and Alastair sat on the ground.

"You need to rest. We will stay here for the rest of the night. It is safe." He said to her and she nodded. She lay on the ground and not before long, she was fast asleep.

Alastair watched the child sleep and turned his gaze to the moon. He wondered if indeed she was better off with him. But he could not protect her or do much for her.

She was a powerhouse, and someone like him who already fell to the dark side could not be a good teacher to her. She deserved better, the mages at the keep could provide that for her. So, he also closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.