Legends Reborn Ch. 02

Merle

I already talked about my awakening. Now, I will begin writing of the second part of my life. Of my ignorance, which nearly damned the world, time and again. Thus it is that I will make sure that none who come after make my mistake. My penance, like the penance of William, will not be over for a long, long time.

******

I didn’t wander alone for long. Power like mine tripped a few wires, it seemed, and brought the authorities down on me. I never liked authority, but in this one situation, it seemed like a good idea to cooperate.

And no, of course I don’t mean the police. The police would never, I’m sure, hear about this incident. I didn’t particularly want to go and explain how a paramilitary organization of witch hunters had captured me until I had destroyed their facility with my mind and escaped.

No, this was the magical authorities.

I was introduced to First Wizard Marcus Nerillus, and his apprehension squad. Formed of two War Wizards, a Shadow Adept, an Empath, and a Healer- not to mention being led by the First Wizard himself- and they were all there because enough power had been released to subdue a small nation. Apparently, they had thought to find more people there than one naked, euphoric young woman. I can’t say they were all disappointed, as they did get a free peep show (I would have thought wizards were more in control than normal men, but hey, what did I know?), leaving the two women, one a War Wizard, the other an Empath, to throw them disgusting looks, clothe me, and spirit me away to prevent me from being ravished right then and there. I may be slightly exaggerating there, but really.

So anyways, I didn’t give much thought to doing anything except going with them. Maybe I should have, as there I knew nothing about them whatsoever, but they were wizards, and I figured they could make me go with them, one way or another. I walked myself into one of their cars, sweeping regally into the back seat. Or, at least in an attempt at regality. In reality, I was probably about as regal as a street walker, as I was desperately clutching the cloak I had been loaned in an attempt to keep my nakedness covered. I fell asleep in the car, and remember little else until I got to the Acadamy, more officially known as the Conclave of Light and Shadows.

******

His roar sounded like a thunderclap in the small room. He was panting hard, blood covering his claws, more pooling on the ground. A slim creature, shaped as a man, but with a red skin, and a heart, that was warm and tough as a diamond, walked up to Colonel William Estacade. He stood beside the Colonel, and, without raising his voice, said, “And now, there is a new competitor in the tournament to decide the Alpha Male.” He turned to William. “Congratulations.”

And just like that, William Escatade, witch hunter, fanatic, and murderer, was given a chance to command an army of werewolves. Just like that, another nail was driven into the coffin of humanity. Just like that, the fate of a single, lonely witch, newly awakened to her powers, was decided.

******

Merle

Upon arrival, I was immediately bathed by a few attendants who looked strangely mindless. Their eyes looked dead. They obeyed orders, but were incapable of doing anything else. With a chill, I realized how deep the power of these men and women truly was.

They had robbed these people of all will and intellect? Could they do the same to me? Would they?

I rubbed my head as I reclined in the tub. Lost in thought. Unconsciously, my hand slipped down to my breasts. I began to rub them, playing with my nipples, biting my lip as my worries began to slip away. My other hand went lower, and more worries fell off my shoulders. What was there to be concerned about? They had even said that I was extremely powerful. Maybe they couldn’t subdue me. Maybe they’d train me.

I found my clit, and with a gasp, began to rub it. Water sloshed over the edge as I writhed, trying hard to stay at least relatively silent as I continued to stimulate my breasts and pussy. My gasps increased in frequency, depth. My mind went fuzzy as I went faster, harder. Two fingers, all I could fit, were sliding in and out of me as I pinched my swollen nipples.

I couldn’t help it. I screamed out, “Oh, God!” A young man, probably about nineteen, burst into my room. My face was flushed, my eyes closed. I was trembling, and my orgasm was so intense that I neither felt nor heard him enter.

It was with extreme embarrassment that I realized I was no longer alone. I jerked my hands away from myself, then quickly realized my mistake and brought them back to cover myself back up, as best I could. “Out!” I screamed, torn between a terrible anger and a suicidal embarrassment. The young man threw his head back and burst out laughing. He continued laughing as he closed the door on his way out, and I heard him laughing for a few moments more.

I do not think I had made a good first impression with those I hoped would teach me.

I dressed quickly, and prayed that I would not run into the young man on my way to the Council Chambers. A mindless young man led me there. I shivered once more, glad that my little exercise in self-help had made my troubles go away, at least for a time.

I had no idea what I would expect, but somehow, the Council chamber met most of my expectations, and exceeded a great many more.

After entering through the fifteen foot tall oak doors, smoothly polished and practically gleaming, I entered a dome shaped room, nearly fifty feet high, depicting famous scenes of magic from various mythologies. Merlin giving Excalibur to Arthur. Medea, saving Jason’s life, time and again. Math, Gwydion, Morgan La Faye, Taliesin, Arianrhod, Blaise. All the world’s many masters of magic, in some of their most famous (or infamous) moments. Here, I was surrounded by the lost past of the Conclave of Light and Shadows, of the world itself. I was breathless.

It took me a moment to realize that the Councillors were all sitting around a black glass table, and that Marcus was speaking. I hurried to listen, both eager and fearful to hear of my fate.

“…and so, we would like to offer you a refuge, for the time being. A place, as it were, to study as you would, to learn a modicum of control. We must investigate this matter more fully, yes, but until the matter of the witch hunters is over with, we would offer our Guildhouse up as sanctuary.” He smiled expectantly at the finish, hoping I would accept. I was ready to accept before he even gave the reasons.

I smiled back at him, as sweet as could be, and said, “Sir, I accept.”

And that was that.

******

Two months had passed before William had been given his next fight. This one against a werewolf who was known for his cruelty. William was not a stupid man. Thoughtless cruelty would set the werewolf down to the level of an actual wolf. William would not. His new body was a tool, nothing more. It was not a new mindset. It was not a way to debase himself, to lower himself to the level of the beasts. He would remain a thinking man.

He stood like a man, tall and proud, while his opponent circled him, prowling around on all fours.

The fool.

The werewolf leapt at William from behind, going for his throat. Faster than the eye could see, William ducked, spun, and caught his opponent by the neck. He tightened his grip.

The werewolf was gasping for air after about thirty minutes. William knew that his kind were exceedingly difficult to kill, but this was just getting ridiculous. Thoroughly bored, he slowly snapped the neck of his opponent, allowing the crack to reverberate through the silent room.

He dropped the body to the floor, and awaited for his next orders. He only spared a moment to wonder where most of the werewolves were at.

******

Merle

In the third month of my studies, I made my first new friend. Most people kept their distance from me, and I did nothing to correct that. I was there for one reason, and one reason only: to learn the magic that would allow me to defend my loved ones, not to mention myself. I couldn’t count on another uncontrolled outburst to save me.

Anyways, she helped me out when I needed it. She told me all she knew about all the students on the premises (and she knew just about everything there was to know about just about everyone there. She was a divination major, junior year). She told me what the teachers expected, how things were done, the works.

The thing is, she had very little innate talent for magic. She was very scholarly looking, always pushing her small glasses up on her nose, wearing completely form concealing robes (not unlike the ones I had adopted). While I was mastering spells left and right, learning to shape the elements to my will, she was struggling.

Some don’t take kindly to those who fall behind. Might makes right, and all that.

So, I walk into the Gardens one day, (which, by the way, are exquisite. While the war destroyed them all, they were definitely a sight to behold) and I heard a scream.

Now, I know for a fact that a great many people would just ignore the scream. Some would keep walking. Some would start to whistle, and immediately turn the other way. What I’m trying to say is, if you ever find yourself in a situation like this, don’t be one of those assholes.

I immediately rushed over to the garden maze. Not having the time to worry about the niceties of the situation, I formed a lance of flame, one of my two better elements, and charged straight through the maze, burning the hedges as I went.

I was very, very angry at the sight that greeted me upon reaching my destination. My friend, Teresa Alcondair (Tess to her friends), was on a bench in the garden, sobbing. Her face and breasts were streaked with cum, some was stuck in her lovely blonde hair, and it wasn’t hard to tell from whence it came. A group of men, laughing, patting each other on their backs, were standing around her. A man was crawling between her thighs, preparing to relieve her of her virginity, and, consequently, what little power she had.

A wordless snarl tore through my throat. “What is it, exactly, that you think you’re doing?” I asked softly. The man turned around, and I gasped in recognition. It was Aaron Nerillus, son of the First Wizard. It was also the man who had walked in on my in the bath tub. And now it was the man who was trying to rape an innocent girl.

He mistook the deadly softness in my voice for fear, and smiled. He never was overly intelligent, or so I had heard. Now I knew. He turned to his friends. “Hey, this is the chick I was telling you about earlier.” That sparked a round of laughter. I merely raised an eyebrow. This, for some reason, prompted the moron to continue. “She was soaked when I saw her, last time. I bet she’s pretty hot right now.” He leered at me, and asked, “Well, bitch, aren’t you hot? Need some cock? Lemme just finish up here, and then I’ll help you out with your ‘problem’.”

And that was the last straw. The ongoing laughter of the goons was background noise. I couldn’t even really hear it. I could feel the power, again, welling up inside of me.

I smiled.

******

William Estacade was nervous. For the first time in a long time, he felt unsure of himself. It was not a comforting feeling.

One of the more powerful wolves in the pack, he was preparing to go on a secret mission, or so he had been told, acting under the current Alpha Male. He knew every move would be judged, his every reaction watched. He swallowed a lump in his lupine throat as he felt a very human reaction.

He needed to relax before the mission. A feral smile came over his wolvish features, then, as he remembered his “gift” for winning the next battle, for a step up the ranks.

While this second promotion had come with very little real power, it had warranted him two things: Respect that he both craved and needed, and a woman of his own.

He hadn’t wanted Natalia to die. Or even to suffer unduly. So, he had chosen her as his prize, and had tried to bring her out of the shock that she was in. He had been succeeding admirably.

No, he couldn’t just walk in there and rape Natalia. No. He wouldn’t. That would undo all his hard work with her.

He would have to put forth all his energy into completing the task set before him. He would just pray that nobody noticed his jitters, and decided to take advantage.

******

Merle

I showed up at the Council Hall the next day, and was faced with a number of very angry men and women.

“Merle, you are charged with the murder of Aaron Nerillus, as well as seven other students. How do you plead?”

I grimaced. “I plead self-defense, of course.” I was woefully ignorant of the laws of the magical community at that time. I did not understand, properly, what I had done. Everyone else did, though.

The First Wizard stood, glaring at me. “From her own mouth comes the admission of guilt. For self-defense, she will not be slain. However, she is to be stripped of her power and sent from this place, never to return. She is anathema. She is not welcome.”

And just like that, my life changed once more.

******

William Estacade, formerly a servant in the United States military, threw up in the bushes.

He had not been sure how throwing up would feel as a werewolf, but it was every bit as unpleasant as it was as a human.

He had not known what he was going to have to do. He did not want to think about it. He could not stop himself.

He had killed dozens of innocent Americans, the kind he had once protected. He and his brethren had descended on the defenseless town like the wrathful hammer of God he had once considered himself to be.

Only now, he was playing on the opposite side.

He realized that now. This army, these creatures, they were the evil. But how could he stop this evil? This would not be as simple as kidnapping, questioning, and raping young women, one by one. There was an army of beasts.

He knew he had another fight coming up. This would put him at third in line for the position of Alpha Male. It would take time, yet. Could he do this again? Slaughter innocents? Murder babies, mothers? Could he watch a town corrupted by rape and murder over and over?

A soldier must be prepared to make sacrifices. He knew that; had all his life. And he was prepared to sacrifice everything to stop the army that he had joined.

But he needed help. He recognized that now. Someone had to be in a position to help him.

A grim, feral smile crossed his lupine features as he realized the only real choice he had.

He called for Natalia. “I need you to deliver this message,” he said, smiling at her eager to please face.

Maybe he could be salvaged after all.

******

Merle

I walked slowly into the sunset. I didn’t really have any possessions, so I carried only the clothing that I wore, my pristine white robes blowing in the breeze as I walked.

“Merle!”

The shout stopped me. I recognized that voice. I would anywhere. Tess.

I turned, a friendly smile on my face as I prepared to hear her apologies, her excuses, whatever she had to say.

And froze, when I saw her dressed for travel, a pack over her shoulders and a big grin on her face.

“Merle! I was hoping I’d catch you,” she called, breathing heavily after her slight jog to reach me. “I’m coming with you,” she stated, more determined than I had ever heard her before.

I didn’t question her. What had happened couldn’t have been easy for her, and I respected her right to leave her problems behind. I smiled at her to show my appreciation, and together, we walked.

******

The war had started, and I hadn’t even known it. Blinded by fear, pride, and ignorance, I had never bothered to check after what I had done to the military facility. And so, I left the only people who could possibly have helped me, forced out for murder, with the weakest wizard there. My own powers were bound; I could not use them, possibly forever. Had I known of the war, I may have just given up then and there.

I guess, in a way, ignorance truly is bliss.