The Apprentice Ch. 03

Magnus held her gaze for a while, then nodded solemnly. Before this week was out, he would have to kill people... probably many of them. The thought was gut-wrenching. But the alternative... He had to trust Fiona's judgment in this. She was a good person and she would never suggest violence or lethal magic even unless it was absolutely necessary. That didn't make things much easier though... He reclined back, fixating a point on the ceiling. Captain Henrik had said the enemy vanguard would probably reach Sunwallow as early as tomorrow.

"Tomorrow, I will need to fight... to kill maybe... After centuries, no, millennia of civilization, we are still so eager to kill each other, so eager to resort to violence, only to take what the other person has. If humans were created by gods as many religions preach, then I fear for the fate of this world..."

Spurred by his own restlessness, Magnus went for a walk in the town. Walking through the streets and the town square, Magnus noticed a change in the townspeople's demeanor. They went about their business in a hurried and fearful manner. The news had undoubtedly reached all of them, and now their minds were spinning all possible outcomes and theories. What had been just some general sense of unease due to the army leaving, was now almost a full-fledged panic. They needed leadership and reassurance...

"You need to address them, Your Ladyship..." Magnus said, a look of compassion on his face. He had returned to the mansion and decided to go straight to the Lady's chambers and tell her of his impressions from the town. She was grieving, but the town needed her, more than ever.

"What can I possibly say? It was always my husband who addressed them... I would only join him on special occasions and I would rarely ever say anything..." Lady Rastok said with an emotional sigh. The burden of her position was weighing down on her.

"It doesn't matter what you say... They just need to hear that someone is leading them, that someone is taking care of all this. They just need some reassurance, truthful or not."

"Captain Henrik can do it... Or you can even go and talk to them..."

"Your Ladyship, with all due respect, Captain Henrik is just a soldier, a good one I don't doubt, but this is not something he can do for you... and neither can I. I am still a stranger in their eyes. They lost their Lord. Their Lady is all they have now. You need to give them their Lady."

"I don't know if I have the strength to speak to them..."

"You have to find it... for the sake of us all."

Tomorrow morning there was a mass of people at the town square. Magnus gazed around and saw worried faces everywhere. They needed some hope. He turned to look at Lady Rastok who was about to climb on top of a small platform. Magnus saw the apprehension on her face... She was about to address them and she was still trying to find her confidence. Magnus gave her a reassuring look. It was time. Walking slowly and unsteadily, yet still showing elegance, Lady Rastok took the place on the platform and gazed at her people. There were murmurs everywhere. Could she give them the strength they needed? She was about to speak, yet the murmurs could still be heard. Magnus waved his hand, creating a small, flashy light above Lady's head. The murmurs died down.

"My good people..." Lady Rastok said, her voice unsteady," I have come to speak to you, to let you know of our situation, and to reassure you I am doing all I can to resolve it peacefully, if possible."

She looked around the mass and after a brief pause, continued.

"You have heard of the death of my husband and Lord by the hand of the treacherous Lord Sarane," she said, her voice slightly steadier now. Anger was giving her strength.

"I won't lie to you... His army is probably marching towards Sunwallow as we speak. We will need to stay strong if we are to prevail. We will need to stay united. Captain Henrik is in command of our troops and has my authority in leading our defenses."

"How many of them are there?!" a man shouted.

"Do you expect us to fight? We are no soldiers...?" another one chimed in.

"What of our families?" a third added.

"I... I promise you that-" Lady Rastok replied in a shaky voice.

"We need to know what will happen to us!" a voice shouted.

"Yes! We have the right to-"

The sound of the town bell interrupted a choir of voices that were expressing their fears and doubts. Everybody fell silent.

"Saved by the bell..." Magnus thought as he raised his hands.

"People! You are in good hands. Our Lady is grieving but she is strong and she will lead us through this. Go back to your homes and your work. This town will not fall!" Magnus shouted, extending his hand to Lady Rastok and she descended the platform gracefully. It was obvious she was agitated but she had maintained her composure. Magnus was standing next to her, giving his best to project confidence.

"If they only knew how afraid we all are..."

After a long moment, the townsfolk started dispersing and returning to their jobs.

"We should go to the town gate Your Ladyship... There are developments there probably."

"Yes, let's go."

Magnus and Lady Rastok arrived at the town gate to find Captain Henrik talking to Fiona. His face looked worried even if he was trying to speak with confidence.

"Captain, what is going on," Lady Rastok asked.

"Your Ladyship, you better look for yourself," he said motioning them up the stairs. When they climbed to the top of the gate they could see relatively far outside. Lady Rastok gasped.

The enemy's vanguard had arrived.

Magnus watched intently, trying to discern the numbers. It was hard to say, but he thought the defenders were outnumbered by at least two to one. And this was only the vanguard. Magnus took a deep breath. It was happening, after all. Today, or tomorrow at the latest he would have to fight, he would have to kill. His gut churned at the thought, some silent desperation taking hold. But he had to play with the hand that had been dealt to him. The only other choice he had was to turn his back on these people and walk away from the fight, and he wasn't going to do that, no matter what.

"Captain, I assume you have a plan of defense?" Magnus asked, turning towards Captain Henrik.

"Yes. They saw us retreat in small numbers. They think we are cowering in fear. I can bet my sword that the vanguard will try to take the town by themselves, so they can grab the loot and... other things before the main army arrives. They are in for a surprise," The captain said, looking at Fiona and Magnus.

"How and when do you expect them to attack?"

"It is hard to say when... It depends on their fatigue... Today in the early afternoon or tomorrow morning. We should observe if they are making ladders already. As for where... I'd say they are counting on the fear effect so they will simply storm the town gate, trying to scare us with their numbers and war cries. They are seasoned mercenaries mostly and they are confident in their strength. I will also post a minimal number of guards on top of the battlements and add several townspeople in their civilian clothes, holding pitchforks as weapons for them to see. I hope they will not see through the ruse. Luring them to attack the town gate and not somewhere else will make your part of the job that much easier."

"All right, captain."

"Your Ladyship, it would be better if you returned to the mansion. It is not safe to be here," the captain said, turning to Lady Rastok.

"No, my dear captain. My place is here. These soldiers are defending me and my people. I will not hide in the mansion," Lady Rastok replied with sudden determination.

"Your Ladyship... What if they manage to break through and-"

"Then you better make sure that they don't. If they do break through, I will hardly be much safer in the mansion. I will not be in your way. I will stay behind, but I will be present here as much as I can be."

The captain nodded reluctantly.

"Magnus, we need to talk," Fiona said, pulling him to the side. "We are severely outnumbered, but we have the element of surprise. We must use the opportunity to cripple them as much as we can. That means we need to be ruthless when they attack. No pushing or cuddling them. We need to use lethal magic and instill fear in their hearts," she said, looking him in the eyes.

"I understand..." Magnus replied.

"No, you don't. You have never done this. I have. I know you will try to do the least possible harm to them, at least subconsciously. I need you to understand that every life you spare is that much less of a chance for these people to survive, to avoid being raped and murdered."

"You are asking me to intentionally aim to kill every one of them..."

"That is exactly what I am asking!" Fiona said, putting steel into her voice, "...and if you are not ready to do it, you might as well leave. You wield great power and you will take many lives in your lifetime. Many lives. But I know you will save a hundred times more lives by taking the lives that you must take. That is what a good person must do. You need to make your peace with that. Not acting, in order to avoid killing someone, will always result in far greater misery. The human race is violent and there is no helping that. Violence can only be met with violence of your own. We need to shatter this army. The more we kill the first time, the less likely it is that they will attack again. We need them to be afraid. We need them to transfer their fear to the main army once it arrives."

Magnus watched her silently for some time and then nodded.

"I need to become a killer in order to do what is right. So be it," Magnus thought, finding some resolve.

***

Later that day, Magnus was having lunch with the soldiers, while Fiona was talking to Lady Rastok. The Lady was wearing simple black of mourning, but she still managed to look elegant. Fiona was wearing pants, a shirt, and a coat, yet she still managed to look attractive. He could see soldiers eyeing her from time to time.

"Captain! There is movement among them!" one of the soldiers shouted from the top of the gate. The captain rushed to the top.

"They are preparing for an assault! I can see the ladders. Soldiers, remember the plan! Magnus, Lady Fiona, you as well," the captain said, trying to sound confident. Magnus saw Lady Rastok moving away from the gate in silence but still remaining within eyesight. She wanted to let her soldiers know she was going to share the same fate as them. The soldiers scrambled to their positions, their postures betraying great tension and anxiety. There was silence everywhere. The calm before the storm.

Then, the war cries sounded. The army was approaching the gate. A ripple of unease passed through defenders. Magnus and Fiona stood beneath the battlements, ready to do their part.

"Loose!" the captain cried out. A dozen archers released a volley of arrows towards the enemy army. And another one. But the enemy was so close now, their war cries deafening everything else. Following the prepared scenario, the archers started coming down from the battlements in apparent panic as several men from the townfolk, holding pitchforks in their hands, ran across the battlements, not even needing to feign panic. As the war cries and the thundering of boots on the ground grew louder, the tension became almost palpable. Magnus felt his hands sweating as he shared a look with Fiona. Wait for my sign, she mouthed. Magnus nodded.

"I hope you are ready, 'cause here they come!" the captain said as the sound of ladders being set against the town gate rang in their ears. The war cries became an all-pervading noise as a torrent of warriors started coming over the wall, holding swords and axes in their hands. They were coming with the confidence of a lion pursuing its prey, thinking no harm could come to them. Some were already on the battlements while others kept coming over. There were dozens of them.

Magnus felt his chest tighten. Mere seconds separated him from that moment in his life when he knew nothing would be the same, after. He was about to kill. He was about to kill many.

"Now!" Fiona shouted, raising her hands.

Magnus fought hard to maintain his casting calm. His focus could withstand anything now, but what he was about to do went so much against his nature that he felt his very soul reeling. The flow of energy was everywhere around him, flowing from the ground, from the air, obeying his command. With a cry of anguish, Magnus released multiple lightning bolts that chained from one warrior to the next. He saw Fiona release her talent-enhanced kinetics, uplifting and pushing the warriors, who were already recoiling from the lightning strikes. The defenders of Sunwallow watched with wide eyes as the enemy warriors flew back over the wall, their bodies arching from the deadly lightning strikes. Two of the archers, both veterans who managed to keep their senses, sent an arrow each into a bewildered enemy warrior, who had managed to avoid the carnage, somehow. The warrior toppled forward, falling into the yard and remaining still.

Magnus felt his legs move on their own as he rushed up the stairs and glanced over the wall. The ground outside the wall was littered with bodies. Dozens and dozens of them. He saw some enemy warriors run back to their camp. Those were the lucky ones that didn't get to climb the wall. The defenders had managed to surprise the enemy and severely cripple their vanguard. But the price was terrible. Magnus watched, his eyes unmoving, until he felt his gut heaving and he retched, spilling his lunch on the battlements. Captain Henrik handed him a water skin and Magnus drank greedily, washing out the sour taste.

"It is done, lad. It had to be done. You two have just saved the town. For now, at least."

Fiona joined them at the top of the town gate and watched the bodies. Her beautiful face was pale but calm.

"They won't be attacking us again, at least until their main army arrives," Captain Henrik said. Fiona nodded.

"Can you signal them to come and bury the corpses of their warriors?"

"Of course," Captain Henrik replied and moved to issue orders.

"Magnus, come. There will be no more fighting today," Fiona said, motioning to him. She held his hand as they walked back to the mansion, their passing followed by the curious gaze of townspeople. The people knew they saved them, but they couldn't help feeling a touch of fear at the display of power they managed to glimpse during the fight.

"How are you?" Fiona asked, watching Magnus intently. They were back in their chambers, sitting on the bed.

"I don't know... I haven't wrapped my brain around all this..." Magnus replied, some confusion on his face.

"Magnus..." Fiona said gently. "It is very hard to kill for the first time, no matter how justified your reason is. It was very hard for me too, all those years ago..."

"How did you cope with it?"

"I didn't, at first... But with time, I realized it will always be a part of my life, something I will have to do sometimes to protect myself and others. The world is full of violence. It is the price we pay for being who we are."

"I don't know if I will ever be able to make my peace with killing a human being..." Magnus said with a deep sigh.

"You don't need to make your peace with it. You shouldn't make your peace with it. That is what makes us good people. But you will learn to cope with it in time. You will learn to accept that it is necessary sometimes."

Magnus nodded, reluctantly. He reclined back on the bed, looking at the ceiling.

"Is this what life is about? Kill or be killed? I wish there was some magic that could make people better as human beings. Maybe then-" Magnus thought, suddenly interrupted by Fiona's body climbing on top of him. He looked at her, surprised.

"You feel like having sex? After what we have been through?" he asked, incredulous.

"Hell yes. What better time is there?" she said gently, looking at him with compassion. "Magnus..." she started after a brief pause. "...we have killed today. We have delivered death to people who wanted to deliver it to us instead. Tomorrow we might both die... so tonight, I just want to celebrate life... and love. Tonight I want, no, I need to feel loved. I want to live these moments as if they were our last," Fiona said, moving forward and kissing him on the lips. Magnus hesitated but then returned the kiss. They got out of their clothes, slowly, looking at each other and savoring the moment. Their sex was usually wild, full of passion and lust, full of playfulness and games. Tonight, it was different. It was gentle and romantic. They did almost all of the things they would usually do, yet it felt so different. Magnus explored Fiona's body, gently, he licked her pussy with an unusually slow tempo, holding her hands the whole time and watching her face radiate love. Uncharacteristically for her, she returned the favor. Fiona was all about receiving pleasure but tonight she took Magnus's cock in her mouth and savored it with passion. She licked and sucked on it, mimicking Magnus's slow tempo and draining every bit of pleasure from his orgasm.

And that was just foreplay. They kissed with passion, their bodies locked together in a perfect symbiosis, their eyes professing unspoken, maybe even unconscious love. They spent the night locked in slow lovemaking, just kissing and keeping their warm bodies entwined. It all felt so new but it also felt so right. It felt incredibly fulfilling. Hours passed as they tried every position, never changing their tempo, but still managing to orgasm many times. Slowly, the sexual energy left their bodies as if it had been pulled into a spell, and they reached a state of complete satisfaction, a state of becoming one in their bodies and hearts. As the night tightened its hold over the town, they fell asleep, their bodies still sharing a loving embrace.

***

Golden rays of morning's sun shone through the window, basking the room in warm light. The sun was intruding on the privacy of the room, showing two entwined, sleeping bodies.

Fiona's eyes fluttered open. She stretched like a cat, feeling the touch of the familiar body on her own. She smiled happily. She looked at Magnus's sleeping form, the lines of his handsome face, and felt a fluttering in her belly. She shook off the strange feeling and tried to extricate herself from the bed. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw a satisfied smile in it. Her body was still one of a young girl's. She turned around and glanced at her backside. She grabbed her ass, feeling its firmness.

"No wonder Magnus loves it so much..." she thought, grinning. She turned towards the bed, contemplating if to wake Magnus up and tease him until he lost his temper.

"I'll let him sleep. He went through so much yesterday... It will take him a while before he accepts it..." Fiona thought as she was getting dressed. She had a quick breakfast and walked out of the mansion.

"What a lovely day..." she thought, taking a deep breath and watching the sun bathe the rooftops in light. "Too bad we can't enjoy it... It is as if nature is reminding us we should enjoy life instead of trying to take it from each other..."

She walked through the streets, watching the people go about their business. There was unhidden tension in their movements as if they knew that their way of life was hanging by a thread. They greeted her respectfully, but there were no smiles anymore.

"This town deserves to smile again... We must resist, or they will suffer so much," Fiona thought, taking a turn towards Sanela's house. The vanguard had been badly beaten and there was no imminent danger, at least not until the main army arrived, so she decided to do some more research with ingredients and potions. She knocked at her door and waited. Soon after, the door opened and Sanela's beautiful form appeared.