Fanfic Archive: Into the Light, 11
May. 28th, 2009 12:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
texchan(Written: 2004)
Warnings: Bad Language. Violence
Summary: Badly injured while protecting his companions from a magical creature the Heavenly Ones sealed away centuries ago, Orphen has no choice but to call on Childman for assistance and protection. Will the sorceror who was once his master come to his aid, or is Childman really bent on Orphen's destruction?
Legal Stuff: As always, this story is intended to express one fan's genuine appreciation of Sorcerous Stabber Orphen and its characters. It is just for fun and not for profit. If you have any rights in the anime described here and find the posting of this fanfiction offensive or harmful, please contact me, and I will be happy to remove it.
Into the Light
CHAPTER 11
Majic pushed the door open slightly and peered into the darkened room. It was very small, containing only one bed and a chair within its four plain, white walls. There was one window, directly across from the door and above the bed, but this portal was tightly shuttered against the sunlight outside. As a result, the room was dim, illuminated only by the soft, grayish light that leaked in around the shutters and the small shaft of light that came in through the partially open door. The light from the doorway slid across the floor, fell in between the chair and bed, and then ended its journey in the far corner of the room, where it landed on a small pile of blankets marking the spot where Majic had been sleeping for the past seven days. In the dim light, the boy could barely make out the two figures in the room --- one sleeping on the bed and the other sleeping sitting up in the chair.
Majic slipped into the room. He was carrying a tray of food, so he had to balance precariously on one leg to push the door closed with his foot. He bounced up and down slightly, trying to maintain his balance as he moved the door toward its resting place on the jamb, but, as he pushed it forward, he felt the tray shifting in his hands. Majic succeeded in shutting the door, but he could still feel the tray sliding out of his hands, and he bounced across the floor juggling the tray full of dishes and food. About halfway, he managed to regain his balance, and he continued across the room, on two feet now, frantically trying to keep the dishes from crashing to the floor. He gritted his teeth as he listened to them clinking together. It wasn't a loud sound, but, in the silence of the small room, it seemed almost deafening. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, his crazy trip across the room ended when he bumped against the wall across from the door and managed to get a firm grip on the tray. He sighed in relief when he realized that he wasn't going to drop it, and, suddenly exhausted from his uncontrolled dance across the room, he slid down the wall onto the floor, still holding the tray.
Majic looked quickly toward the bed and chair, and felt relieved to see that both Orphen and Childman were still asleep. He slid the tray forward so that it was on the ground near the chair. Once he had finished, Majic returned to his position, leaning against the wall. He glanced over at Orphen, who was sleeping on the bed. He could see the rise and fall of the older boy's chest and hear the soft, gentle sound of his breathing. He could hardly believe the young sorcerer was alive. He could still remember his master dying in his arms --- the sound of his breathing slowly stopping, the feeling of his heart beating slower and slower, until there was nothing. Majic felt a lump rising in his throat at the memory, and he quickly wiped away the tears that suddenly appeared in his eyes. Somehow, Childman's spell had poured life back into Orphen's dead body. That had been seven days ago, and Orphen had not yet awakened.
Majic looked over at Childman. The older sorcerer was asleep, sitting, slumped over slightly with his legs crossed, in the chair next to Orphen's bed. His arms were crossed in front of him, and his head rested on his chest. Majic could see his hair moving slightly in time to the steady rhythm of his breathing. The boy frowned slightly as he watched Childman sleeping.
Things were far from normal with the older sorcerer. Childman had been exhausted after casting the spell seven days ago. He had managed to help Majic carry Orphen to the small house that had become their resting place, explaining to the bewildered boy that the cottage was his --- a place he kept as a retreat from the Tower, and, possibly, the only place the Tower's Council knew nothing about. But, he had collapsed almost immediately upon entering the dwelling. Childman had slept for the first three days after casting the spell, and, once he awakened, he had remained at Orphen's side, dozing off and on in the hard, wooden chair next to the bed. Majic had begged Childman to rest, but the older sorcerer had curtly replied that he was fine and dismissed Majic with a wave of his hand. Majic had recognized the look in Childman's eyes. It was the same look Orphen got when he had set his mind on something, and the boy had known it was useless to argue or try to reason with him. Majic had immediately realized that he would never convince the older sorcerer to leave Orphen's side. Trying to do so would have just been a waste of time. During this journey, he had seen proof of Childman's devotion to Orphen, but he still didn't understand it. Wasn't this the same man who had been pursuing them for months --- who had been trying to kill Orphen for five years … ever since the young sorcerer had left the Tower of Fang? Why would such a man go to such lengths to save the very person he was trying to destroy? Wouldn't it have been easier for Childman to just let Orphen die? All of these questions crowded into Majic's brain. He had decided that he would probably never understand Childman, but he had learned enough about the older sorcerer to realize that he was just like Orphen. And, Majic knew enough about his own master to know that he would probably never get any answers to his questions. Majic had quickly learned that Orphen always had a reason for the things he did, no matter how foolhardy his actions seemed, but the boy had also learned that it was useless to question the young sorcerer. Orphen always kept his reasons and motivations to himself. It seemed that the same was true for Childman.
"Don't just sit there staring at me, boy. Pour some of the tea."
Majic jumped involuntarily at the sound of Childman's voice. "Y … yes, M … master," he stammered as he scooted across the small distance separating him from the tray. He poured the tea and handed the cup to Childman. His hands were shaking, and it caused some of the hot liquid to slosh out of the cup and onto the sorcerer's hand. Childman winced at the burning sensation, but he took the cup without saying a word. "S … sorry, M … master," Majic muttered.
Childman blew on the hot tea to cool it and then took a sip. The quiet slurping sound filled the room for a moment. He peered over the cup's rim and regarded Majic silently for a moment before commenting, "You're afraid of me, aren't you, boy?"
Majic couldn't meet the sorcerer's steady gaze, so he looked away, down at the floor, and muttered, "Yes."
Childman laughed softly and took another sip of tea as he replied, "There's no shame in being afraid, boy." He turned his attention back toward the figure sleeping on the bed and continued, "That's something Krylancelo never learned. If he had, we wouldn't be here now."
Majic knew he shouldn't even bother responding to Childman's comment, but he felt anger boiling up inside him. If Childman really was like his own master, the boy knew that he wouldn't be able to say anything to change the older sorcerer's opinion, but he still felt compelled to defend Orphen. "That's not true!" he snapped, jumping to his feet, his fists clenched in anger. As the words left his mouth, he realized that his voice was more shrill and louder than he had intended, and he looked at the ground and muttered, in a softer tone, "You … you think you know it all. But, you don't know anything, … Master." He looked toward Orphen's still body, "You don't know anything about him."
Childman had been surprised at Majic's outburst. Normally, he found this boy to be too quiet and mousy for his tastes, and he had begun to think that Majic had no spirit at all. But this … this was a refreshing change. If the boy really was like this normally, he could almost understand why Krylancelo had taken Majic under his wing. He smiled into his cup and replied, "Well, then. Why don't you explain it to me?"
Majic sat back down in his spot on the floor and leaned back against the wall, his knees drawn up against his chest, and his arms resting across his knees. "He … Master is afraid. A lot, I think, but he can't show it. He just keeps it hidden inside --- I think because of me and Cleao. He always has to protect us, so he doesn't let fear stop him from doing what he has to do. I know that his actions seem foolish sometimes --- like he doesn't have any kind of plan, or like he hasn't even thought things through. But, he always has reasons for doing the things he does. He just doesn't show it. He keeps everything to himself." Majic sighed, and laid his forehead against his knees. When he continued, his voice was muffled, but Childman could hear that he was crying. "As for being here," Majic said softly, "That's not his fault. It's … it's mine. He didn't even want us to go into that cave, but I … I said he was just being silly. We needed water to cook, and it was the closest source. He … he wouldn't even … follow us in. He just stood at the entrance and yelled at us to … to get out. I … I was the one who … who woke that Morph thing up … when I … touched the water. He … he did it to … save me. That thing was going to … kill me, and Master … he … he fought it … to save me." Majic's voice dissolved into loud, choking sobs as he remembered looking back as he ran from the cavern and seeing the look of terror in Orphen's eyes. He would never forget that look --- not even if he lived for a hundred years.
Childman sat for a moment, the cup of tea resting against his lips, as he quietly considered what Majic had just told him. "I see," he finally said, taking another sip, "that seems most unlike him. The Krylancelo I knew was a foolhardy boy, and he has shown me nothing in the past five years that would have made me change my mind. But, what you have just told me. Now, that's interesting. Interesting, indeed. I wouldn't have expected it. Not from someone as foolhardy, stubborn, and selfish as him. But, even so … even if he did fight that creature for your sake, boy, it was still foolhardy, and what good did it do? He saved you and that irritating girl, but what about the others that creature will feed upon now that it's free? It's just as it has been his whole life. Someone has always had to come along behind him and fix his messes. First Azalie, and, now that she's gone, I'm the one who will have to do it."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Majic snapped. "Maybe he was like that when he was at the Tower with you, but not any more. It's been five years since you were with him. That's a long time, and things change. There's no "mess" to fix. There never has been. He defeated that Morph thing. He killed it. There's nothing for you to do. If you hated picking up his messes so much, why did you even come when he called? Why didn't you just let him die and leave it at that? Wouldn't that solve all of your problems? Isn't that what you've been trying to do all along --- destroy him so that he can't save Azalie? That's all you've wanted --- to save yourself and your precious Tower of Fang from embarrassment by destroying my master!"
Childman leaned forward, grabbing Majic's arm in a vise-like grip that made the boy cringe, and hissed angrily. "What do you mean, boy? When you say he "killed" it? That creature. It was made by the Heavenly Ones, and even they couldn't control it. That's why they sealed it away in the mountain tunnel. There's no way he could defeat it." His voice lowered and he released Majic's arm when he saw the way the boy cringed away from him in fear.
"Well, he did," Majic replied in a quiet voice, rubbing his arm. "He destroyed it. I saw the burned skeleton. The whole cavern was burned, and even all of the water had burned away." Majic looked over at Orphen, who was still asleep, despite all the noise he and Childman were making. He muttered, "I don't know how he did it, though. That creature … it seemed … seemed to suck his power … as if it was feeding off of him. So, that means he didn't have all of his power when he fought it, but, still, he killed it. I just don't know how."
Childman also looked toward Orphen's sleeping figure. He stood and stretched to ease the cramped muscles in his back. "I'm getting too old to sit for days on end in a hard chair like that," he commented absently. He walked over to the bed and gently placed his hand on Orphen's head. "You've grown strong, Krylancelo. So much stronger than I'd ever imagined," he said, smiling. Majic was surprised at Childman's reaction. It almost seemed like the older sorcerer was proud of his pupil. He turned to face Majic, still smiling, and continued, "I could never harm him, you know. Or Azalie." As if that was the end of his explanation, Childman picked up the tray Majic had just brought in, and swiftly carried it from the room.
Majic watched, open-mouthed, as Childman left the room. "What the hell does that mean?" he asked, turning to look at Orphen. He sighed and shook his head, commenting to himself, "Oh, yeah. Like you're gonna be any help, Sleeping Beauty." He looked toward the door, which was still open. Just beyond it, he could see most of the outer room. Half of a small wooden table, which sat in the room's center, was visible through the doorway, and Majic could see Childman setting the tray down and pulling up a chair so that he could enjoy his meal. The boy sighed again and mumbled, "Guess I'll just have to go and ask him myself." He paused for a moment and, placing his hand on Orphen's head, he leaned forward and whispered into the young sorcerer's ear, "Please wake up soon, Master. I miss you."
"So," Majic said, as he pulled the other wooden chair up to the little table so that he sat across from Childman, "what did you mean?"
Childman just gave Majic a blank look, as if he didn't understand what the boy was talking about, and continued to spread butter on the slice of bread he held in his hand. Slowly, still without saying a word, he added jam to the bread and began to eat. He paused for a moment, and Majic leaned forward, thinking that the older sorcerer was finally going to answer his question, but Childman only gave the boy a questioning look and reached for the teapot to pour a second cup of tea.
Majic couldn't stand it any longer. He stood up and banged his fists on the table, which made the dishes clatter and clink together. "I can't take it any more! You're just like him!" he yelled, jerking his thumb over his shoulder, in the direction of the inner room. "Always with the mysterious, sorcerer mumbo-jumbo! Cleao is right! It's all just a bunch of crap to hide the fact that neither of you are able to even give one straight answer when you're asked a question! Is it because you don't know the answer, or do you just like to play with our minds? Doesn't matter! Either way, it's a pretty crappy way to act!" His anger spent, Majic sank back into his chair and slumped onto the table, his head resting on his crossed arms. "I don't even know why I bother," he mumbled.
Childman's laughter drowned out Majic's words. The boy looked up, shocked, to see the most powerful sorcerer of the Tower of Fang drop his bread and fork and lean back in his chair, laughing. His laughter was warm and full, like the sound of a church bell ringing, and Majic once again found himself thinking, in amazement, that the older sorcerer sounded just like Orphen. If he had closed his eyes, he would have been able to picture his own master sitting across from him, laughing at some joke or some stupid thing he or Cleao had said or done. Majic couldn't help but smile at the memories that came flooding back to him, but his smile slowly faded as he remembered that Orphen was still unconscious in the other room, as he had been for the past seven days, and that, if he did awaken, Childman would likely capture him and return him to the Tower of Fang.
"You don't have to worry, boy," Childman said softly as his laughter died away. "I have no intention of taking Krylancelo back to the Tower when he awakes." He smiled at Majic's shocked, questioning look. "I can tell what you're thinking, boy. You think I've only saved him so that I can return him to the Tower … to face whatever punishment the Council desires to visit upon him," he said softly. Majic noticed, with curiosity, that Childman practically choked on the words "the Council". He said them like they left a bad taste in his mouth. He placed his fork on his plate with a decisive clink and looked directly into Majic's eyes. "You are so much like him. Impatient. Foolhardy. Reckless. Like the Krylancelo I remember. Like the boy I raised," he commented. Majic was surprised at the warm glow he saw in the sorcerer's eyes.
"You … you care about him, don't you?" Majic commented in a surprised, shocked tone.
Childman merely shrugged in response to Majic's question and returned to eating his bread and sipping his tea.
"But," Majic stammered, almost at a loss for words, "You … you've been … ch … chasing us. All this time … you've been after … my master. I … I don't … understand."
"If you expect to understand everything in this life, boy, you'll only go through the rest of your days disappointed and dissatisfied," Childman mumbled around a mouthful of bread and tea.
"Yeah," Majic replied, almost to himself, "That's what Master always tells me."
Childman regarded the boy for a moment, one eyebrow cocked in a questioning look, "So, he did listen to me," he muttered, turning to glance quickly toward the inner room, where the young sorcerer slept. "I never would have thought it," he continued. He shrugged and turned back to look at Majic. "Being around you … and even that irritating girl … has shown me things. Things I wouldn't have known … otherwise … about Krylancelo," he muttered absently. It was as if he was talking to himself, even though Majic heard each and every word. He shook his head slightly and gave Majic a strange look, as if he had just realized that the boy was still in the room with him. "Very well," he said, placing the teacup on the table with a small little clank, as if he had just come to a decision. "Very well," he repeated, "I'll tell you, then. I know Krylancelo would never believe me. He's too stubborn. But, you deserve to know the truth, whether you choose to believe it or not." He pushed the plate of half-eaten food away from him before continuing, "Yes. The Tower … the Council … ordered me to pursue them … to kill them to preserve the Tower's reputation. Yes. I have pursued them both … pursued all of you. This you know. What you do not know is why. There are many on the Tower's faculty who would distinguish themselves and attempt to take my place as Headmaster by destroying Azalie and Krylancelo to curry favor with the Council. But, instead, I went to the Council and volunteered for the assignment. They gave it to me so that I could save face. Because Azalie and Krylancelo were my students, the shame they brought to the Tower was, in the Council's opinion, visited upon me. I accepted their orders, but I have never had any intention of carrying them out. Had it been anyone but me, Krylancelo would already be dead. Azalie, even in her human form, was very powerful. As the dragon, she probably would have been able to withstand their attacks, but…" His voice trailed off, and he leaned his head onto his open palm. There was a far-away look in his eyes, as he remembered the painful memories from those days. The days after Azalie first transformed into the magical beast and Krylancelo first ran away from the Tower had been the darkest time in his life. In the blink of an eye, all he had worked for --- his power, his position as headmaster at the Tower of Fang --- was at risk. But, worse than that, Azalie and Krylancelo --- the woman he had come to love and the boy he had raised --- both seemed lost to him.
"Master?" Majic prompted, seeing that the older sorcerer was lost in thought. He hated to interrupt Childman's memories, but he really wanted to hear the rest of the sorcerer's story.
"I'm sorry," Childman replied, as Majic's voice dragged him back into the present. "Bad memories. Nothing but bad memories from those days. Anyhow, as I was saying, Krylancelo wouldn't have been able to survive. He was such a small boy when he left, and his training wasn't complete. Had any of the others gone after him, your master would be dead now. I agreed to pursue him because it was the only way I had left to protect him from the Tower. As long as they believed I would bring him back, the Council wouldn't trouble themselves further with him."
"Protect him?" Majic asked.
Childman nodded in response. "Yes. He doesn't know it, but I've watched over him, as well as I could, ever since he left me. I haven't always been able to keep him out of trouble, but the ruse worked long enough for him to complete his training and gain full control of his powers."
"So, you were never trying to kill him? To kill Azalie?" Majic asked.
Childman sighed and rose from the table. He returned to the inner room's doorway and stood, leaning on the doorframe watching Orphen sleep. "Krylancelo has certainly chosen a dim-witted pupil," he said softly. "I could never harm him. I raised him, boy. Azalie … I loved her, but she always had a darkness about her … a thirst for magic … a hunger for power. She always wanted to have more power than anyone else. That was what drove her to succeed in her studies, and, ultimately, to use the Sword of Baltanders to transform herself into the dragon. It may yet be her downfall. I have the power to save her, but, I'm afraid the darkness in her soul has grown too strong. If so, she is beyond anyone's help, and I will have to destroy her. But, Krylancelo … he was different. The most gifted student I'd ever seen, but so timid and afraid of his own powers. I can see that's changed. But, there was never any darkness about him. Innocent … compassionate … and … beautiful." Childman looked down at Majic, who had come to stand next to him in the doorway, and said, "I can see that some things never change." He smiled and, placing his hand on Majic's head, he gently ruffled the boy's hair, just as Orphen always did. Majic felt a lump rise in his throat and tears come to his eyes at the familiar gesture. Childman pulled his hand away when he saw the boy's reaction. "I'm sorry. I … I didn't mean to upset you."
Majic shrugged, and replied, "It's OK. It's just that Master … he always does that. It always makes me feel so … stupid. Like I'm just some dumb little kid. I always thought I hated it, but, maybe, from now on … well, maybe I'll feel differently."
Childman turned his attention back to the still figure on the bed. "I could never hurt Krylancelo," he said softly, "No matter what has passed or will pass between us, I love him --- as if he was my very own son."
Majic grabbed the sleeve of Childman's robe. "Will … will my master … will he be OK?"
Childman wanted to look away from the fear and the pleading expression in the boy's eyes. He knew that Majic desperately wanted reassurance. The boy only wanted him to say that Orphen would recover, but he knew he couldn't lie. He looked back to the figure on the bed and replied, "I don't know, boy. I've done all that I can. The spell that I cast transferred some of my life force to him. It was enough to bring him back, but I don't know if he'll ever wake up. That's up to him. He's strong, but all we can do is wait."
Warnings: Bad Language. Violence
Summary: Badly injured while protecting his companions from a magical creature the Heavenly Ones sealed away centuries ago, Orphen has no choice but to call on Childman for assistance and protection. Will the sorceror who was once his master come to his aid, or is Childman really bent on Orphen's destruction?
Legal Stuff: As always, this story is intended to express one fan's genuine appreciation of Sorcerous Stabber Orphen and its characters. It is just for fun and not for profit. If you have any rights in the anime described here and find the posting of this fanfiction offensive or harmful, please contact me, and I will be happy to remove it.
CHAPTER 11
Majic pushed the door open slightly and peered into the darkened room. It was very small, containing only one bed and a chair within its four plain, white walls. There was one window, directly across from the door and above the bed, but this portal was tightly shuttered against the sunlight outside. As a result, the room was dim, illuminated only by the soft, grayish light that leaked in around the shutters and the small shaft of light that came in through the partially open door. The light from the doorway slid across the floor, fell in between the chair and bed, and then ended its journey in the far corner of the room, where it landed on a small pile of blankets marking the spot where Majic had been sleeping for the past seven days. In the dim light, the boy could barely make out the two figures in the room --- one sleeping on the bed and the other sleeping sitting up in the chair.
Majic slipped into the room. He was carrying a tray of food, so he had to balance precariously on one leg to push the door closed with his foot. He bounced up and down slightly, trying to maintain his balance as he moved the door toward its resting place on the jamb, but, as he pushed it forward, he felt the tray shifting in his hands. Majic succeeded in shutting the door, but he could still feel the tray sliding out of his hands, and he bounced across the floor juggling the tray full of dishes and food. About halfway, he managed to regain his balance, and he continued across the room, on two feet now, frantically trying to keep the dishes from crashing to the floor. He gritted his teeth as he listened to them clinking together. It wasn't a loud sound, but, in the silence of the small room, it seemed almost deafening. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, his crazy trip across the room ended when he bumped against the wall across from the door and managed to get a firm grip on the tray. He sighed in relief when he realized that he wasn't going to drop it, and, suddenly exhausted from his uncontrolled dance across the room, he slid down the wall onto the floor, still holding the tray.
Majic looked quickly toward the bed and chair, and felt relieved to see that both Orphen and Childman were still asleep. He slid the tray forward so that it was on the ground near the chair. Once he had finished, Majic returned to his position, leaning against the wall. He glanced over at Orphen, who was sleeping on the bed. He could see the rise and fall of the older boy's chest and hear the soft, gentle sound of his breathing. He could hardly believe the young sorcerer was alive. He could still remember his master dying in his arms --- the sound of his breathing slowly stopping, the feeling of his heart beating slower and slower, until there was nothing. Majic felt a lump rising in his throat at the memory, and he quickly wiped away the tears that suddenly appeared in his eyes. Somehow, Childman's spell had poured life back into Orphen's dead body. That had been seven days ago, and Orphen had not yet awakened.
Majic looked over at Childman. The older sorcerer was asleep, sitting, slumped over slightly with his legs crossed, in the chair next to Orphen's bed. His arms were crossed in front of him, and his head rested on his chest. Majic could see his hair moving slightly in time to the steady rhythm of his breathing. The boy frowned slightly as he watched Childman sleeping.
Things were far from normal with the older sorcerer. Childman had been exhausted after casting the spell seven days ago. He had managed to help Majic carry Orphen to the small house that had become their resting place, explaining to the bewildered boy that the cottage was his --- a place he kept as a retreat from the Tower, and, possibly, the only place the Tower's Council knew nothing about. But, he had collapsed almost immediately upon entering the dwelling. Childman had slept for the first three days after casting the spell, and, once he awakened, he had remained at Orphen's side, dozing off and on in the hard, wooden chair next to the bed. Majic had begged Childman to rest, but the older sorcerer had curtly replied that he was fine and dismissed Majic with a wave of his hand. Majic had recognized the look in Childman's eyes. It was the same look Orphen got when he had set his mind on something, and the boy had known it was useless to argue or try to reason with him. Majic had immediately realized that he would never convince the older sorcerer to leave Orphen's side. Trying to do so would have just been a waste of time. During this journey, he had seen proof of Childman's devotion to Orphen, but he still didn't understand it. Wasn't this the same man who had been pursuing them for months --- who had been trying to kill Orphen for five years … ever since the young sorcerer had left the Tower of Fang? Why would such a man go to such lengths to save the very person he was trying to destroy? Wouldn't it have been easier for Childman to just let Orphen die? All of these questions crowded into Majic's brain. He had decided that he would probably never understand Childman, but he had learned enough about the older sorcerer to realize that he was just like Orphen. And, Majic knew enough about his own master to know that he would probably never get any answers to his questions. Majic had quickly learned that Orphen always had a reason for the things he did, no matter how foolhardy his actions seemed, but the boy had also learned that it was useless to question the young sorcerer. Orphen always kept his reasons and motivations to himself. It seemed that the same was true for Childman.
"Don't just sit there staring at me, boy. Pour some of the tea."
Majic jumped involuntarily at the sound of Childman's voice. "Y … yes, M … master," he stammered as he scooted across the small distance separating him from the tray. He poured the tea and handed the cup to Childman. His hands were shaking, and it caused some of the hot liquid to slosh out of the cup and onto the sorcerer's hand. Childman winced at the burning sensation, but he took the cup without saying a word. "S … sorry, M … master," Majic muttered.
Childman blew on the hot tea to cool it and then took a sip. The quiet slurping sound filled the room for a moment. He peered over the cup's rim and regarded Majic silently for a moment before commenting, "You're afraid of me, aren't you, boy?"
Majic couldn't meet the sorcerer's steady gaze, so he looked away, down at the floor, and muttered, "Yes."
Childman laughed softly and took another sip of tea as he replied, "There's no shame in being afraid, boy." He turned his attention back toward the figure sleeping on the bed and continued, "That's something Krylancelo never learned. If he had, we wouldn't be here now."
Majic knew he shouldn't even bother responding to Childman's comment, but he felt anger boiling up inside him. If Childman really was like his own master, the boy knew that he wouldn't be able to say anything to change the older sorcerer's opinion, but he still felt compelled to defend Orphen. "That's not true!" he snapped, jumping to his feet, his fists clenched in anger. As the words left his mouth, he realized that his voice was more shrill and louder than he had intended, and he looked at the ground and muttered, in a softer tone, "You … you think you know it all. But, you don't know anything, … Master." He looked toward Orphen's still body, "You don't know anything about him."
Childman had been surprised at Majic's outburst. Normally, he found this boy to be too quiet and mousy for his tastes, and he had begun to think that Majic had no spirit at all. But this … this was a refreshing change. If the boy really was like this normally, he could almost understand why Krylancelo had taken Majic under his wing. He smiled into his cup and replied, "Well, then. Why don't you explain it to me?"
Majic sat back down in his spot on the floor and leaned back against the wall, his knees drawn up against his chest, and his arms resting across his knees. "He … Master is afraid. A lot, I think, but he can't show it. He just keeps it hidden inside --- I think because of me and Cleao. He always has to protect us, so he doesn't let fear stop him from doing what he has to do. I know that his actions seem foolish sometimes --- like he doesn't have any kind of plan, or like he hasn't even thought things through. But, he always has reasons for doing the things he does. He just doesn't show it. He keeps everything to himself." Majic sighed, and laid his forehead against his knees. When he continued, his voice was muffled, but Childman could hear that he was crying. "As for being here," Majic said softly, "That's not his fault. It's … it's mine. He didn't even want us to go into that cave, but I … I said he was just being silly. We needed water to cook, and it was the closest source. He … he wouldn't even … follow us in. He just stood at the entrance and yelled at us to … to get out. I … I was the one who … who woke that Morph thing up … when I … touched the water. He … he did it to … save me. That thing was going to … kill me, and Master … he … he fought it … to save me." Majic's voice dissolved into loud, choking sobs as he remembered looking back as he ran from the cavern and seeing the look of terror in Orphen's eyes. He would never forget that look --- not even if he lived for a hundred years.
Childman sat for a moment, the cup of tea resting against his lips, as he quietly considered what Majic had just told him. "I see," he finally said, taking another sip, "that seems most unlike him. The Krylancelo I knew was a foolhardy boy, and he has shown me nothing in the past five years that would have made me change my mind. But, what you have just told me. Now, that's interesting. Interesting, indeed. I wouldn't have expected it. Not from someone as foolhardy, stubborn, and selfish as him. But, even so … even if he did fight that creature for your sake, boy, it was still foolhardy, and what good did it do? He saved you and that irritating girl, but what about the others that creature will feed upon now that it's free? It's just as it has been his whole life. Someone has always had to come along behind him and fix his messes. First Azalie, and, now that she's gone, I'm the one who will have to do it."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Majic snapped. "Maybe he was like that when he was at the Tower with you, but not any more. It's been five years since you were with him. That's a long time, and things change. There's no "mess" to fix. There never has been. He defeated that Morph thing. He killed it. There's nothing for you to do. If you hated picking up his messes so much, why did you even come when he called? Why didn't you just let him die and leave it at that? Wouldn't that solve all of your problems? Isn't that what you've been trying to do all along --- destroy him so that he can't save Azalie? That's all you've wanted --- to save yourself and your precious Tower of Fang from embarrassment by destroying my master!"
Childman leaned forward, grabbing Majic's arm in a vise-like grip that made the boy cringe, and hissed angrily. "What do you mean, boy? When you say he "killed" it? That creature. It was made by the Heavenly Ones, and even they couldn't control it. That's why they sealed it away in the mountain tunnel. There's no way he could defeat it." His voice lowered and he released Majic's arm when he saw the way the boy cringed away from him in fear.
"Well, he did," Majic replied in a quiet voice, rubbing his arm. "He destroyed it. I saw the burned skeleton. The whole cavern was burned, and even all of the water had burned away." Majic looked over at Orphen, who was still asleep, despite all the noise he and Childman were making. He muttered, "I don't know how he did it, though. That creature … it seemed … seemed to suck his power … as if it was feeding off of him. So, that means he didn't have all of his power when he fought it, but, still, he killed it. I just don't know how."
Childman also looked toward Orphen's sleeping figure. He stood and stretched to ease the cramped muscles in his back. "I'm getting too old to sit for days on end in a hard chair like that," he commented absently. He walked over to the bed and gently placed his hand on Orphen's head. "You've grown strong, Krylancelo. So much stronger than I'd ever imagined," he said, smiling. Majic was surprised at Childman's reaction. It almost seemed like the older sorcerer was proud of his pupil. He turned to face Majic, still smiling, and continued, "I could never harm him, you know. Or Azalie." As if that was the end of his explanation, Childman picked up the tray Majic had just brought in, and swiftly carried it from the room.
Majic watched, open-mouthed, as Childman left the room. "What the hell does that mean?" he asked, turning to look at Orphen. He sighed and shook his head, commenting to himself, "Oh, yeah. Like you're gonna be any help, Sleeping Beauty." He looked toward the door, which was still open. Just beyond it, he could see most of the outer room. Half of a small wooden table, which sat in the room's center, was visible through the doorway, and Majic could see Childman setting the tray down and pulling up a chair so that he could enjoy his meal. The boy sighed again and mumbled, "Guess I'll just have to go and ask him myself." He paused for a moment and, placing his hand on Orphen's head, he leaned forward and whispered into the young sorcerer's ear, "Please wake up soon, Master. I miss you."
"So," Majic said, as he pulled the other wooden chair up to the little table so that he sat across from Childman, "what did you mean?"
Childman just gave Majic a blank look, as if he didn't understand what the boy was talking about, and continued to spread butter on the slice of bread he held in his hand. Slowly, still without saying a word, he added jam to the bread and began to eat. He paused for a moment, and Majic leaned forward, thinking that the older sorcerer was finally going to answer his question, but Childman only gave the boy a questioning look and reached for the teapot to pour a second cup of tea.
Majic couldn't stand it any longer. He stood up and banged his fists on the table, which made the dishes clatter and clink together. "I can't take it any more! You're just like him!" he yelled, jerking his thumb over his shoulder, in the direction of the inner room. "Always with the mysterious, sorcerer mumbo-jumbo! Cleao is right! It's all just a bunch of crap to hide the fact that neither of you are able to even give one straight answer when you're asked a question! Is it because you don't know the answer, or do you just like to play with our minds? Doesn't matter! Either way, it's a pretty crappy way to act!" His anger spent, Majic sank back into his chair and slumped onto the table, his head resting on his crossed arms. "I don't even know why I bother," he mumbled.
Childman's laughter drowned out Majic's words. The boy looked up, shocked, to see the most powerful sorcerer of the Tower of Fang drop his bread and fork and lean back in his chair, laughing. His laughter was warm and full, like the sound of a church bell ringing, and Majic once again found himself thinking, in amazement, that the older sorcerer sounded just like Orphen. If he had closed his eyes, he would have been able to picture his own master sitting across from him, laughing at some joke or some stupid thing he or Cleao had said or done. Majic couldn't help but smile at the memories that came flooding back to him, but his smile slowly faded as he remembered that Orphen was still unconscious in the other room, as he had been for the past seven days, and that, if he did awaken, Childman would likely capture him and return him to the Tower of Fang.
"You don't have to worry, boy," Childman said softly as his laughter died away. "I have no intention of taking Krylancelo back to the Tower when he awakes." He smiled at Majic's shocked, questioning look. "I can tell what you're thinking, boy. You think I've only saved him so that I can return him to the Tower … to face whatever punishment the Council desires to visit upon him," he said softly. Majic noticed, with curiosity, that Childman practically choked on the words "the Council". He said them like they left a bad taste in his mouth. He placed his fork on his plate with a decisive clink and looked directly into Majic's eyes. "You are so much like him. Impatient. Foolhardy. Reckless. Like the Krylancelo I remember. Like the boy I raised," he commented. Majic was surprised at the warm glow he saw in the sorcerer's eyes.
"You … you care about him, don't you?" Majic commented in a surprised, shocked tone.
Childman merely shrugged in response to Majic's question and returned to eating his bread and sipping his tea.
"But," Majic stammered, almost at a loss for words, "You … you've been … ch … chasing us. All this time … you've been after … my master. I … I don't … understand."
"If you expect to understand everything in this life, boy, you'll only go through the rest of your days disappointed and dissatisfied," Childman mumbled around a mouthful of bread and tea.
"Yeah," Majic replied, almost to himself, "That's what Master always tells me."
Childman regarded the boy for a moment, one eyebrow cocked in a questioning look, "So, he did listen to me," he muttered, turning to glance quickly toward the inner room, where the young sorcerer slept. "I never would have thought it," he continued. He shrugged and turned back to look at Majic. "Being around you … and even that irritating girl … has shown me things. Things I wouldn't have known … otherwise … about Krylancelo," he muttered absently. It was as if he was talking to himself, even though Majic heard each and every word. He shook his head slightly and gave Majic a strange look, as if he had just realized that the boy was still in the room with him. "Very well," he said, placing the teacup on the table with a small little clank, as if he had just come to a decision. "Very well," he repeated, "I'll tell you, then. I know Krylancelo would never believe me. He's too stubborn. But, you deserve to know the truth, whether you choose to believe it or not." He pushed the plate of half-eaten food away from him before continuing, "Yes. The Tower … the Council … ordered me to pursue them … to kill them to preserve the Tower's reputation. Yes. I have pursued them both … pursued all of you. This you know. What you do not know is why. There are many on the Tower's faculty who would distinguish themselves and attempt to take my place as Headmaster by destroying Azalie and Krylancelo to curry favor with the Council. But, instead, I went to the Council and volunteered for the assignment. They gave it to me so that I could save face. Because Azalie and Krylancelo were my students, the shame they brought to the Tower was, in the Council's opinion, visited upon me. I accepted their orders, but I have never had any intention of carrying them out. Had it been anyone but me, Krylancelo would already be dead. Azalie, even in her human form, was very powerful. As the dragon, she probably would have been able to withstand their attacks, but…" His voice trailed off, and he leaned his head onto his open palm. There was a far-away look in his eyes, as he remembered the painful memories from those days. The days after Azalie first transformed into the magical beast and Krylancelo first ran away from the Tower had been the darkest time in his life. In the blink of an eye, all he had worked for --- his power, his position as headmaster at the Tower of Fang --- was at risk. But, worse than that, Azalie and Krylancelo --- the woman he had come to love and the boy he had raised --- both seemed lost to him.
"Master?" Majic prompted, seeing that the older sorcerer was lost in thought. He hated to interrupt Childman's memories, but he really wanted to hear the rest of the sorcerer's story.
"I'm sorry," Childman replied, as Majic's voice dragged him back into the present. "Bad memories. Nothing but bad memories from those days. Anyhow, as I was saying, Krylancelo wouldn't have been able to survive. He was such a small boy when he left, and his training wasn't complete. Had any of the others gone after him, your master would be dead now. I agreed to pursue him because it was the only way I had left to protect him from the Tower. As long as they believed I would bring him back, the Council wouldn't trouble themselves further with him."
"Protect him?" Majic asked.
Childman nodded in response. "Yes. He doesn't know it, but I've watched over him, as well as I could, ever since he left me. I haven't always been able to keep him out of trouble, but the ruse worked long enough for him to complete his training and gain full control of his powers."
"So, you were never trying to kill him? To kill Azalie?" Majic asked.
Childman sighed and rose from the table. He returned to the inner room's doorway and stood, leaning on the doorframe watching Orphen sleep. "Krylancelo has certainly chosen a dim-witted pupil," he said softly. "I could never harm him. I raised him, boy. Azalie … I loved her, but she always had a darkness about her … a thirst for magic … a hunger for power. She always wanted to have more power than anyone else. That was what drove her to succeed in her studies, and, ultimately, to use the Sword of Baltanders to transform herself into the dragon. It may yet be her downfall. I have the power to save her, but, I'm afraid the darkness in her soul has grown too strong. If so, she is beyond anyone's help, and I will have to destroy her. But, Krylancelo … he was different. The most gifted student I'd ever seen, but so timid and afraid of his own powers. I can see that's changed. But, there was never any darkness about him. Innocent … compassionate … and … beautiful." Childman looked down at Majic, who had come to stand next to him in the doorway, and said, "I can see that some things never change." He smiled and, placing his hand on Majic's head, he gently ruffled the boy's hair, just as Orphen always did. Majic felt a lump rise in his throat and tears come to his eyes at the familiar gesture. Childman pulled his hand away when he saw the boy's reaction. "I'm sorry. I … I didn't mean to upset you."
Majic shrugged, and replied, "It's OK. It's just that Master … he always does that. It always makes me feel so … stupid. Like I'm just some dumb little kid. I always thought I hated it, but, maybe, from now on … well, maybe I'll feel differently."
Childman turned his attention back to the still figure on the bed. "I could never hurt Krylancelo," he said softly, "No matter what has passed or will pass between us, I love him --- as if he was my very own son."
Majic grabbed the sleeve of Childman's robe. "Will … will my master … will he be OK?"
Childman wanted to look away from the fear and the pleading expression in the boy's eyes. He knew that Majic desperately wanted reassurance. The boy only wanted him to say that Orphen would recover, but he knew he couldn't lie. He looked back to the figure on the bed and replied, "I don't know, boy. I've done all that I can. The spell that I cast transferred some of my life force to him. It was enough to bring him back, but I don't know if he'll ever wake up. That's up to him. He's strong, but all we can do is wait."