CHAPTER
**************************
THE QUESTION
**************************
LUCIEN
************************** I
move and when she did, I couldn’t help but smile. She
has truly lived to my expectation of her, truly, I sent
the right woman. As I read through her message, I
couldn’t help but notice some subtle form of magic
running through each ink. Someone must have been with
the book and she isn’t aware of that, else she would
have stayed from writing me. I expected the head of
the guardians to be more subtle in her moves, because
she is what is called the green snake in the green
grass. No, this can’t be her, it must be someone else.
The spell used was just too simple for an experienced
sorceress like Anna. Nyasa is being watched by one of
the guardians and their leader has no idea about it. I
left the unknown watcher and faced the message, and
what she wrote surprised me. Melfisius , the great
wizard and one of those who was rumored to have killed
my father is also after Kieran and even has the backing
of the royal army of the north to help his mission.
Why would that lame king give his men to help Melfisius
amass more power for himself? Why would he risk
exposure by sending some of his best soldiers? If the
gift isn’t for Melfisius, who else could it be for? What
does the north want with such power? Do they wish to
have powers similar to mine so that they can truly come
out of hiding and rival my kingdom or is it for
something else entirely?
Sending his soldiers out like that shows desperation on
the part of the king and Melfisius trying to take a gift
so powerful without having proper balance also shows
desperation. He could have killed himself by trying to
harness such abilities as he doesn’t have the vessel to
accommodate such powers. What most gifted people who
desire gifts like mine and that of the hunter don’t
know is that, our bodies have been created to take in
such gifts and only the ungifted ones fit in such
character, any other person who tries it will die before
the ritual is completed. I am sure a powerful and
experienced wizard like Melfisius know of such things,
which is what makes his decision to go head on and
harness the hunter’s gift more baffling or has he
found a way to do something like that? If he has, then
I must find out how. I have left the north this whole
time because I felt they weren’t threat but maybe I
should have subdued them a long time ago.
While I overlooked them, they have been watching and
building up. I must see them as the threat they are
and treat them as such. The time for diplomacy is over;
they want powers like mine so they can subdue me, that
won’t happen while I still breathe. I will need to send
men to that kingdom who will watch and report to me.
But then, the thing bringing us together is this hunter
of a man, I still don’t know what I want with him.
Probably, if I had brought him to my palace, he
wouldn’t have been the target of those animals up
north but I wouldn’t have known that they had such
plans. The north’s reasons for wanting the hunter is
very clear but why the guardians want the man is a still
a mystery to me and that is why the man’s neck is still
far away from my hand.
Nyasa is being watched and that will prevent me from
knowing anything significant for now until she can finds
a way to write me without someone reading through my
replies to her. I have been searching through the books
related to my birth but nothing has pointed to how I
was made and why there is another like me. I will wait
for a few more weeks to ascertain my next decision.
For now, I will keep searching.
**************************************
UNKNOWN
***************************************
It’s been more than a day and Melfisius is not back yet.
He is not known to delay with a mission, something must
have happened. The mission was a very simple now, get
to the man before he arrives at his destination and
bring him here. What was so difficult in that? I folded
my hands and continued to look out my window, hoping
to see him riding his horse through the gate.
I stood in the same position till nightfall and when I
couldn’t continue to ignore my legs want for a change
of position, I walked over to my bed. I was already
asleep when I was rudely woken up by one of my
trusted guide. He said the old wizard was back and he
needed healing. He needed healing, what could that
honestly mean? I summoned the healers and walked to
the room where he was taken. What I saw was surely not
Melfisius. He was in pains and started screaming
immediately the healing started. The injury to him
looked fatal and if it had gotten an itch closer to his
heart, he would have been in the underworld long ago. I
didn’t need anyone to tell me the mission failed yet
again. Once again, the man has escaped and even
injured someone as experienced as Melfisius. I was
angry and walked away from the room as the old man
had failed me when it mattered most, I will have to
return to my first plan which will take a bit more time
to accomplish. This time however, I will use my strength
and tact; it’s time I put aside magic for the moment.
It hasn’t been very successful.
THE QUESTION
**************************
LUCIEN
************************** I
move and when she did, I couldn’t help but smile. She
has truly lived to my expectation of her, truly, I sent
the right woman. As I read through her message, I
couldn’t help but notice some subtle form of magic
running through each ink. Someone must have been with
the book and she isn’t aware of that, else she would
have stayed from writing me. I expected the head of
the guardians to be more subtle in her moves, because
she is what is called the green snake in the green
grass. No, this can’t be her, it must be someone else.
The spell used was just too simple for an experienced
sorceress like Anna. Nyasa is being watched by one of
the guardians and their leader has no idea about it. I
left the unknown watcher and faced the message, and
what she wrote surprised me. Melfisius , the great
wizard and one of those who was rumored to have killed
my father is also after Kieran and even has the backing
of the royal army of the north to help his mission.
Why would that lame king give his men to help Melfisius
amass more power for himself? Why would he risk
exposure by sending some of his best soldiers? If the
gift isn’t for Melfisius, who else could it be for? What
does the north want with such power? Do they wish to
have powers similar to mine so that they can truly come
out of hiding and rival my kingdom or is it for
something else entirely?
Sending his soldiers out like that shows desperation on
the part of the king and Melfisius trying to take a gift
so powerful without having proper balance also shows
desperation. He could have killed himself by trying to
harness such abilities as he doesn’t have the vessel to
accommodate such powers. What most gifted people who
desire gifts like mine and that of the hunter don’t
know is that, our bodies have been created to take in
such gifts and only the ungifted ones fit in such
character, any other person who tries it will die before
the ritual is completed. I am sure a powerful and
experienced wizard like Melfisius know of such things,
which is what makes his decision to go head on and
harness the hunter’s gift more baffling or has he
found a way to do something like that? If he has, then
I must find out how. I have left the north this whole
time because I felt they weren’t threat but maybe I
should have subdued them a long time ago.
While I overlooked them, they have been watching and
building up. I must see them as the threat they are
and treat them as such. The time for diplomacy is over;
they want powers like mine so they can subdue me, that
won’t happen while I still breathe. I will need to send
men to that kingdom who will watch and report to me.
But then, the thing bringing us together is this hunter
of a man, I still don’t know what I want with him.
Probably, if I had brought him to my palace, he
wouldn’t have been the target of those animals up
north but I wouldn’t have known that they had such
plans. The north’s reasons for wanting the hunter is
very clear but why the guardians want the man is a still
a mystery to me and that is why the man’s neck is still
far away from my hand.
Nyasa is being watched and that will prevent me from
knowing anything significant for now until she can finds
a way to write me without someone reading through my
replies to her. I have been searching through the books
related to my birth but nothing has pointed to how I
was made and why there is another like me. I will wait
for a few more weeks to ascertain my next decision.
For now, I will keep searching.
**************************************
UNKNOWN
***************************************
It’s been more than a day and Melfisius is not back yet.
He is not known to delay with a mission, something must
have happened. The mission was a very simple now, get
to the man before he arrives at his destination and
bring him here. What was so difficult in that? I folded
my hands and continued to look out my window, hoping
to see him riding his horse through the gate.
I stood in the same position till nightfall and when I
couldn’t continue to ignore my legs want for a change
of position, I walked over to my bed. I was already
asleep when I was rudely woken up by one of my
trusted guide. He said the old wizard was back and he
needed healing. He needed healing, what could that
honestly mean? I summoned the healers and walked to
the room where he was taken. What I saw was surely not
Melfisius. He was in pains and started screaming
immediately the healing started. The injury to him
looked fatal and if it had gotten an itch closer to his
heart, he would have been in the underworld long ago. I
didn’t need anyone to tell me the mission failed yet
again. Once again, the man has escaped and even
injured someone as experienced as Melfisius. I was
angry and walked away from the room as the old man
had failed me when it mattered most, I will have to
return to my first plan which will take a bit more time
to accomplish. This time however, I will use my strength
and tact; it’s time I put aside magic for the moment.
It hasn’t been very successful.
CONTINUED
**************************
KIERAN
**************************
“The book was written in its original text years ago by a
wizard. The man was a pure prophet and his sort of gift
hasn’t been seen since his death until you. His texts
consist mainly of warnings if the powers such as the
one you possess get into the wrong hands. He saw
destruction and tyranny, the likes of which was
witnessed during the time of the golden ones. Mother
assumed the book would become a reality after we got
to know of what Nero did to his son, so she did all she
could to end him but failed. Nero protected his son with
ancient and complicated spells and then when they got
breached, he created the gordons which brought an end
to mother’s plans of killing Lucien. The gordonds were
ruthless and are the reason there are very few
powerful wizards presently as Nero ordered for their
death. He didn’t want any one powerful enough to even
have the thought of going after his son. He was
ruthless and his son took after him. Mother is one of
the few who haven’t been killed because Lucien killers
can’t get through the gates into here.
Lucien is cruel and all shades of evil but he didn’t seem
to be the flesh of the prophecy we thought he was.
Then you were born and once again we thought it was
you. Mother was however careful not to expose you to
those who seek what you carry as you didn’t have the
gordonds to protect you. She decided to lock your gift
as both you and the old one had a special bond. She
came randomly to see how you were faring and that
became consistent when you lost both your parents. You
had a good heart though and didn’t look like the demon
in the prophecy. Mother’s doubt didn’t go away though
and some few months ago, she started having
nightmares about the prophecy. Almost every night, she
will ask me to interpret the prophecy again and again.
She will try to reason it out from various angles but all
her efforts still pointed back to the same fear- a man
with the powers to do evil lives amongst us now. Mother
believes the person isn’t you and that you were
probably sent by the spirits to fight and kill this demon
when it finally surfaces. This is why she has brought you
here, to learn how to use your powers, for the good of
all. So, there is no need for you to be bothered about
the book. You should be more interested in learning as
much as you can because the time to use them will soon
be upon us.” She concluded with a smile.
I nodded but I could tell what she just told was all she
knew about the whole thing and she is the only more
knowledgeable person as far as this topic is concerned.
Only Anna knows more than she does. Despite the
strange trust Anna has for Claudia, she still isn’t
truthful with her. Something must have caused that, or
probably she is just been careful. I hugged her to show
my thanks which surprised Claudia.
“It’s feels good to know I can trust someone around
here. I am sorry about what happened to Eric. I hope
he accomplishes what he left you for. Alright, I am
sure you were here for something before I started
asking you questions.” I said.
“Oh yes, very forgetful of me, I am actually here to
teach how to use the gift of prophecy in you but I
can’t do that today anymore. I will be here tomorrow to
begin proper. I will be leaving now.” she stood up, took
her books and walked out of the room.
I didn’t get the answers I wanted from Claudia; I
should probably ask the woman the book fell from. But I
don’t trust that woman, I don’t even like her. There is
something not right about her. I should have asked
Claudia about her but she might take it the wrong way
and might even speak of such things when next she
meets with Anna. I will find out what I need to know
about the woman soon enough. Anna confessed that I
wasn’t the one in the prophecy and she also spoke about
someone speaking through my daughter which made no
sense to me. But the strange thing is that, not too long
after Anna said some strange things to me and refused
to speak about the prophecy to me, that witch just
happen to drop a book that is about the said prophecy,
how coincidental is that? It just couldn’t have
happened, she must have been aware of what she did,
but why would she do that? Was she instructed to do so
by Anna or she is doing so on her own and if so why
would she do that? I am certain that when next she
visits, she will be expecting me to talk about it, and I
will. That woman is on to something and I must find out
what.
*************************************
Two guardians later visited me and we did some work on
my sorcery side. One of the women happened to be the
one I threatened with lightening the morning I got in
here. I apologized the moment she stepped into the
room but if she actually accepted my sorry is a still a
doubt as she was rather cold towards me. Anyway, I
guess I actually deserve it after what I did that
morning. When the night came, I left my room after
waiting in vain for the beautiful witch to visit and went
over to Nyasa’s. I found her standing by her window
and staring at the moon. I locked the door and
approached her as it seems she wasn’t interested in
finding out who was in the room with her.
“So beautiful, isn’t it?” I heard her say when I got too
close to her.
“….just as you are beautiful.” She turned to face me
when she heard that. She was putting on a smile and
then she took hold of my hands and kept them on her
big breasts. My breathing changed the moment she did
that and I started wishing I had stayed in my room. I
was warned not to sleep with her anymore but which
right thinking man will say no to a woman as enchanting
as Vanessa.
“I have been waiting for you.” she said before locking
lips with me. As soon as I opened my mouth, I knew
there was no going back on this. Anna will have to
forgive me on this on
**************************
KIERAN
**************************
“The book was written in its original text years ago by a
wizard. The man was a pure prophet and his sort of gift
hasn’t been seen since his death until you. His texts
consist mainly of warnings if the powers such as the
one you possess get into the wrong hands. He saw
destruction and tyranny, the likes of which was
witnessed during the time of the golden ones. Mother
assumed the book would become a reality after we got
to know of what Nero did to his son, so she did all she
could to end him but failed. Nero protected his son with
ancient and complicated spells and then when they got
breached, he created the gordons which brought an end
to mother’s plans of killing Lucien. The gordonds were
ruthless and are the reason there are very few
powerful wizards presently as Nero ordered for their
death. He didn’t want any one powerful enough to even
have the thought of going after his son. He was
ruthless and his son took after him. Mother is one of
the few who haven’t been killed because Lucien killers
can’t get through the gates into here.
Lucien is cruel and all shades of evil but he didn’t seem
to be the flesh of the prophecy we thought he was.
Then you were born and once again we thought it was
you. Mother was however careful not to expose you to
those who seek what you carry as you didn’t have the
gordonds to protect you. She decided to lock your gift
as both you and the old one had a special bond. She
came randomly to see how you were faring and that
became consistent when you lost both your parents. You
had a good heart though and didn’t look like the demon
in the prophecy. Mother’s doubt didn’t go away though
and some few months ago, she started having
nightmares about the prophecy. Almost every night, she
will ask me to interpret the prophecy again and again.
She will try to reason it out from various angles but all
her efforts still pointed back to the same fear- a man
with the powers to do evil lives amongst us now. Mother
believes the person isn’t you and that you were
probably sent by the spirits to fight and kill this demon
when it finally surfaces. This is why she has brought you
here, to learn how to use your powers, for the good of
all. So, there is no need for you to be bothered about
the book. You should be more interested in learning as
much as you can because the time to use them will soon
be upon us.” She concluded with a smile.
I nodded but I could tell what she just told was all she
knew about the whole thing and she is the only more
knowledgeable person as far as this topic is concerned.
Only Anna knows more than she does. Despite the
strange trust Anna has for Claudia, she still isn’t
truthful with her. Something must have caused that, or
probably she is just been careful. I hugged her to show
my thanks which surprised Claudia.
“It’s feels good to know I can trust someone around
here. I am sorry about what happened to Eric. I hope
he accomplishes what he left you for. Alright, I am
sure you were here for something before I started
asking you questions.” I said.
“Oh yes, very forgetful of me, I am actually here to
teach how to use the gift of prophecy in you but I
can’t do that today anymore. I will be here tomorrow to
begin proper. I will be leaving now.” she stood up, took
her books and walked out of the room.
I didn’t get the answers I wanted from Claudia; I
should probably ask the woman the book fell from. But I
don’t trust that woman, I don’t even like her. There is
something not right about her. I should have asked
Claudia about her but she might take it the wrong way
and might even speak of such things when next she
meets with Anna. I will find out what I need to know
about the woman soon enough. Anna confessed that I
wasn’t the one in the prophecy and she also spoke about
someone speaking through my daughter which made no
sense to me. But the strange thing is that, not too long
after Anna said some strange things to me and refused
to speak about the prophecy to me, that witch just
happen to drop a book that is about the said prophecy,
how coincidental is that? It just couldn’t have
happened, she must have been aware of what she did,
but why would she do that? Was she instructed to do so
by Anna or she is doing so on her own and if so why
would she do that? I am certain that when next she
visits, she will be expecting me to talk about it, and I
will. That woman is on to something and I must find out
what.
*************************************
Two guardians later visited me and we did some work on
my sorcery side. One of the women happened to be the
one I threatened with lightening the morning I got in
here. I apologized the moment she stepped into the
room but if she actually accepted my sorry is a still a
doubt as she was rather cold towards me. Anyway, I
guess I actually deserve it after what I did that
morning. When the night came, I left my room after
waiting in vain for the beautiful witch to visit and went
over to Nyasa’s. I found her standing by her window
and staring at the moon. I locked the door and
approached her as it seems she wasn’t interested in
finding out who was in the room with her.
“So beautiful, isn’t it?” I heard her say when I got too
close to her.
“….just as you are beautiful.” She turned to face me
when she heard that. She was putting on a smile and
then she took hold of my hands and kept them on her
big breasts. My breathing changed the moment she did
that and I started wishing I had stayed in my room. I
was warned not to sleep with her anymore but which
right thinking man will say no to a woman as enchanting
as Vanessa.
“I have been waiting for you.” she said before locking
lips with me. As soon as I opened my mouth, I knew
there was no going back on this. Anna will have to
forgive me on this on
*****************************
KIERAN
*****************************
She came closer having noticed my change in breathing.
She stood on her toes and locked lips with me. I kept
my lips sealed but that didn't discourage her. I kept
my lips sealed until I finally succumbed and opened
them. The moment her tongue touched mine, I lost
every form of resistance I had in me. I took control of
the kiss and then carried her off as I headed for her
bed. The kiss soon became rough as she wanted to gain
control again but I wouldn't let her. I separated her
lips from mine and turned my attention from her
beautiful face to the gown she was on. I set out to
loosen them when I heard a fierce knock on her door. I
stopped immediately but Vanessa didn't want me to, I
decided not to but the knocks wouldn't stop.
She finally decided to see who it was that just won't go
away. I straightened my clothes and sat on the bed like
nothing was about to happen some moments ago.
Vanessa walked to the door with a scowl on her face,
she opened the door with quite some force and I
expected her to raise her voice at whoever was there
but she didn't. The fellow didn't allow her do that as
Ellen who turned out to be the persistent knocker
Walked in without even waiting for Vanessa to ask her
to.
" Follow me. "
She said as soon as she stood in front of me. I didn't
know how I was supposed to react because I just
couldn't understand the level of arrogance in this
woman. How could she just walk into someone else's
room, interrupt whatever they were doing and then
issue a order to me like I was some maid. Vanessa was
stunned by Ellen's arrogance but then she recovered
and calmly asked her to leave her room. Ellen didn't
even bat an eye and instead, continued to gaze at me. I
knew this might turn out ugly so I decided to leave with
my teacher. I hugged Vanessa before leaving and once
again revelled in the feeling from the touch of her big
bosoms on my chest. I walked behind Ellen for a while
and just as we left the quarters where the rooms were,
I dragged her by her arm and pulled her behind one of
the tall pillars just at the entrance to the building .
"Don't you ever issue orders to me. What just happened
must never repeat itself, I am a man, not just your
student. "
I whispered harshly to her but for some weird reasons
she just smiled and gently moved her arm from my
firm hold. She continued her walk and I wondered
where she was leading me to. We walked out of the
compound and then continued towards the main town.
She moved through several alleys and it didn't look like
she had any intention to stop soon. I was getting tired
of the never ending walk and when she walked through
her next turn, I pulled her back and decided to ask
where exactly she was taking me.
She didn't let me talk though, instead she fought off
my hold on her and continued with her journey, this
time she was slightly running. I wanted to go back but
then changed my mind and ran to catch up with her.
She Continued running and after a while she stopped
and started walking rather slowly. At this time, we
were very close to the huge gate that protected the
city. A few meters from the gate, she suddenly turned
left and walked down the steps I didn't know was there
until now. I followed her down and what I saw hooked
my feet to the ground.
KIERAN
*****************************
She came closer having noticed my change in breathing.
She stood on her toes and locked lips with me. I kept
my lips sealed but that didn't discourage her. I kept
my lips sealed until I finally succumbed and opened
them. The moment her tongue touched mine, I lost
every form of resistance I had in me. I took control of
the kiss and then carried her off as I headed for her
bed. The kiss soon became rough as she wanted to gain
control again but I wouldn't let her. I separated her
lips from mine and turned my attention from her
beautiful face to the gown she was on. I set out to
loosen them when I heard a fierce knock on her door. I
stopped immediately but Vanessa didn't want me to, I
decided not to but the knocks wouldn't stop.
She finally decided to see who it was that just won't go
away. I straightened my clothes and sat on the bed like
nothing was about to happen some moments ago.
Vanessa walked to the door with a scowl on her face,
she opened the door with quite some force and I
expected her to raise her voice at whoever was there
but she didn't. The fellow didn't allow her do that as
Ellen who turned out to be the persistent knocker
Walked in without even waiting for Vanessa to ask her
to.
" Follow me. "
She said as soon as she stood in front of me. I didn't
know how I was supposed to react because I just
couldn't understand the level of arrogance in this
woman. How could she just walk into someone else's
room, interrupt whatever they were doing and then
issue a order to me like I was some maid. Vanessa was
stunned by Ellen's arrogance but then she recovered
and calmly asked her to leave her room. Ellen didn't
even bat an eye and instead, continued to gaze at me. I
knew this might turn out ugly so I decided to leave with
my teacher. I hugged Vanessa before leaving and once
again revelled in the feeling from the touch of her big
bosoms on my chest. I walked behind Ellen for a while
and just as we left the quarters where the rooms were,
I dragged her by her arm and pulled her behind one of
the tall pillars just at the entrance to the building .
"Don't you ever issue orders to me. What just happened
must never repeat itself, I am a man, not just your
student. "
I whispered harshly to her but for some weird reasons
she just smiled and gently moved her arm from my
firm hold. She continued her walk and I wondered
where she was leading me to. We walked out of the
compound and then continued towards the main town.
She moved through several alleys and it didn't look like
she had any intention to stop soon. I was getting tired
of the never ending walk and when she walked through
her next turn, I pulled her back and decided to ask
where exactly she was taking me.
She didn't let me talk though, instead she fought off
my hold on her and continued with her journey, this
time she was slightly running. I wanted to go back but
then changed my mind and ran to catch up with her.
She Continued running and after a while she stopped
and started walking rather slowly. At this time, we
were very close to the huge gate that protected the
city. A few meters from the gate, she suddenly turned
left and walked down the steps I didn't know was there
until now. I followed her down and what I saw hooked
my feet to the ground.
**************************
UNKNOWN
**************************
Melfisius has only made things more difficult as it
stands, how could someone so powerful and experienced
be so easily defeated by a child who was just beginning
to grasp the complex entity called magic? His
recklessness and thirst for revenge must have caused
this. I warned him against doing that but he wouldn’t
listen. His disobedience has now delayed my plans a
little longer when I actually sought to attack Lucien
now as he was still distracted about this strange man.
He wouldn’t have seen me coming and by the he finally
moves to react, his kingdom would have been mine.
I must do things myself from on, no more involvement
with that old drunkard. Destroying everything the
south holds dear has been the very top of my thoughts
for the past century and I must see it fulfilled. They
can’t just destroy and plunder our lands for so long and
then leave us to multiply once more just to take from
us again. I won’t let that happen again and what better
way to bring those proud ones down than by plucking
and sucking the sweet fluid of their most treasured
and adored fruit – Lucien.
**************************************
KIERAN
***************************************
What was before me was the strangest thing I have
been opportune to see, I just couldn’t put meaning to it
as I couldn’t understand how such a thing could be
done; was magic this powerful?
I was unable to see the steps because the sort of mist
found outside the gates was the same here in this part
of the town. It was very difficult to see anything but I
still followed the beautiful witch blindly, forgetting my
earlier resolve to be careful around her. I walked
through where my eyes last saw her and I emerged out
of the mist to stand just beside her. I sought to find
out what she saw and the words remained in my
thoughts. The mist was a cover to hide the beautiful
ascension as written at the top of the stone. I looked
below the stone to find still bodies of men, women and
children turning back and forth in the air. They were
not on the floor and still not moving anywhere, they
remained in a certain position as though whoever or
group of persons who casted this impossible spell took
them from whatever they were first laid upon. Their
clothes were still on them and the various gruesome
manners in which they were killed were still there.
Some were killed with swords thrust through them,
others were decapitated as a thin space was visible
between their head and neck, a few were killed through
magical means as burns on various parts of their bodies
were clearly visible. The sheer number of the bodies was
troubling but more worrying was how such a thing was
done. How can dead bodies are kept in such a way that
they do not decompose and seem to act just like the
living. If one doesn’t look well, one might think they
were still alive. Who killed such huge number of people?
Why were their bodies kept after so long and more
importantly, why is this strange woman showing me this
when I should be in pleasure than remember my own
unending losses?
After staring at the bodies for quite some time, Ellen
turned and walked back the way she came and once
again I followed blindly after her. I emerged from the
mist and I expected her to wait for me and anticipate
my questions which were many but it wasn’t to be. I saw
her walking back towards town and she was moving quite
fast. I followed as I have been doing all night and later
had to run to catch up with her. When I did and tried
to stop her from walking, she slapped my hand away in
a sudden fit of rage. I thought she would be sad and
probably crying but I was surprised when she turned
and her once ravishing face was now a memory I wish to
forget soon. She was unrecognizable in her rage, her
beautiful face was now hideous and scary, and I
suspected that if I wasn’t a friend she would have done
more than just slap me. I didn’t need to be told not to
try and stop her again, so after cleaning my eyes a
second time, I followed her quietly to her room. She
walked into her room but left the door opened, I
entered too and locked the door behind me.
When I was done with the locks, I turned to find her
standing by her windows, staring into the night. I
decided against touching her or even moving too close
to her. I stood instead and watched. After what
seemed like midnight as the guards were moving to and
fro the compound confirmed that. She turned from her
still position to face me but this time; her face was
marred by the line of tears falling down her eyes.
“What you just saw is why this place was renamed the
forgotten lands and the very reason why the north is
filled with more houses than men.”
I heard her say with a husky voice which I found quite
enchanting. She was crying all this time and I didn’t
even know about it. She waited for words to leave my
lips but nothing came out and so she continued.
“There was a Damien, a Nero and now a Lucien. All of
whom derived joy from killing and using innocent men,
women and children for their evil spells. The grave you
just returned from came at the hands of both Nero and
his son. Your precious wife and daughter are also among
the numerous innocents caught in the evil of these
wicked men and more will still die. After endless
prayers and cries of sorrow and wishes of vengeance,
the good spirits finally heeded and sent forth a man to
bring an end to this madness and tyranny in the form
of a man who is balanced in all things of magic. The few
who know of this rejoice and thank the spirit everyday
but does this man know of the burden and expectations
on him? Does this man know the anguish and pains
people who await his touch pass through every day?
Does this man even recognize the cloud of death that
has been raining on happy homes all these years and
even when the cloud touched his home, did this supposed
light notice his worst enemy had come to ransack his
territory?
No , I think not, because if he had; this man will be in
the field becoming one with his magic; this man will be
in the streets and alleys encouraging the hopeless and
giving the weak a reason to believe again but instead
what does this man do? He instead decides to dine,
laugh, dance, walk and even sleep with the enemy while
his destiny waits for it to be fulfilled. He instead
decides to once again allow the enemy into his home and
let them kill the last saving grace of the innocent. He
instead decides to fvck women and women and women
and women!!!……….”
“…..Enough! What is it you want of me, woman?” I
asked as I couldn’t stand her judging me when I know
she must be worse than I was. She came closer to me
after I asked that question and smiled as she let her
fingers moved gently over the lines of scowl on my
face.
“I want you to accept who you are this very moment. I
want you to accept that rage and thirst for vengeance
burning quietly inside of you. I want you to avenge the
innocent, including that of your wife and daughter. I
want you to end Lucien and every trace of evil in his
court; I want you to be the sword Vengeance.
UNKNOWN
**************************
Melfisius has only made things more difficult as it
stands, how could someone so powerful and experienced
be so easily defeated by a child who was just beginning
to grasp the complex entity called magic? His
recklessness and thirst for revenge must have caused
this. I warned him against doing that but he wouldn’t
listen. His disobedience has now delayed my plans a
little longer when I actually sought to attack Lucien
now as he was still distracted about this strange man.
He wouldn’t have seen me coming and by the he finally
moves to react, his kingdom would have been mine.
I must do things myself from on, no more involvement
with that old drunkard. Destroying everything the
south holds dear has been the very top of my thoughts
for the past century and I must see it fulfilled. They
can’t just destroy and plunder our lands for so long and
then leave us to multiply once more just to take from
us again. I won’t let that happen again and what better
way to bring those proud ones down than by plucking
and sucking the sweet fluid of their most treasured
and adored fruit – Lucien.
**************************************
KIERAN
***************************************
What was before me was the strangest thing I have
been opportune to see, I just couldn’t put meaning to it
as I couldn’t understand how such a thing could be
done; was magic this powerful?
I was unable to see the steps because the sort of mist
found outside the gates was the same here in this part
of the town. It was very difficult to see anything but I
still followed the beautiful witch blindly, forgetting my
earlier resolve to be careful around her. I walked
through where my eyes last saw her and I emerged out
of the mist to stand just beside her. I sought to find
out what she saw and the words remained in my
thoughts. The mist was a cover to hide the beautiful
ascension as written at the top of the stone. I looked
below the stone to find still bodies of men, women and
children turning back and forth in the air. They were
not on the floor and still not moving anywhere, they
remained in a certain position as though whoever or
group of persons who casted this impossible spell took
them from whatever they were first laid upon. Their
clothes were still on them and the various gruesome
manners in which they were killed were still there.
Some were killed with swords thrust through them,
others were decapitated as a thin space was visible
between their head and neck, a few were killed through
magical means as burns on various parts of their bodies
were clearly visible. The sheer number of the bodies was
troubling but more worrying was how such a thing was
done. How can dead bodies are kept in such a way that
they do not decompose and seem to act just like the
living. If one doesn’t look well, one might think they
were still alive. Who killed such huge number of people?
Why were their bodies kept after so long and more
importantly, why is this strange woman showing me this
when I should be in pleasure than remember my own
unending losses?
After staring at the bodies for quite some time, Ellen
turned and walked back the way she came and once
again I followed blindly after her. I emerged from the
mist and I expected her to wait for me and anticipate
my questions which were many but it wasn’t to be. I saw
her walking back towards town and she was moving quite
fast. I followed as I have been doing all night and later
had to run to catch up with her. When I did and tried
to stop her from walking, she slapped my hand away in
a sudden fit of rage. I thought she would be sad and
probably crying but I was surprised when she turned
and her once ravishing face was now a memory I wish to
forget soon. She was unrecognizable in her rage, her
beautiful face was now hideous and scary, and I
suspected that if I wasn’t a friend she would have done
more than just slap me. I didn’t need to be told not to
try and stop her again, so after cleaning my eyes a
second time, I followed her quietly to her room. She
walked into her room but left the door opened, I
entered too and locked the door behind me.
When I was done with the locks, I turned to find her
standing by her windows, staring into the night. I
decided against touching her or even moving too close
to her. I stood instead and watched. After what
seemed like midnight as the guards were moving to and
fro the compound confirmed that. She turned from her
still position to face me but this time; her face was
marred by the line of tears falling down her eyes.
“What you just saw is why this place was renamed the
forgotten lands and the very reason why the north is
filled with more houses than men.”
I heard her say with a husky voice which I found quite
enchanting. She was crying all this time and I didn’t
even know about it. She waited for words to leave my
lips but nothing came out and so she continued.
“There was a Damien, a Nero and now a Lucien. All of
whom derived joy from killing and using innocent men,
women and children for their evil spells. The grave you
just returned from came at the hands of both Nero and
his son. Your precious wife and daughter are also among
the numerous innocents caught in the evil of these
wicked men and more will still die. After endless
prayers and cries of sorrow and wishes of vengeance,
the good spirits finally heeded and sent forth a man to
bring an end to this madness and tyranny in the form
of a man who is balanced in all things of magic. The few
who know of this rejoice and thank the spirit everyday
but does this man know of the burden and expectations
on him? Does this man know the anguish and pains
people who await his touch pass through every day?
Does this man even recognize the cloud of death that
has been raining on happy homes all these years and
even when the cloud touched his home, did this supposed
light notice his worst enemy had come to ransack his
territory?
No , I think not, because if he had; this man will be in
the field becoming one with his magic; this man will be
in the streets and alleys encouraging the hopeless and
giving the weak a reason to believe again but instead
what does this man do? He instead decides to dine,
laugh, dance, walk and even sleep with the enemy while
his destiny waits for it to be fulfilled. He instead
decides to once again allow the enemy into his home and
let them kill the last saving grace of the innocent. He
instead decides to fvck women and women and women
and women!!!……….”
“…..Enough! What is it you want of me, woman?” I
asked as I couldn’t stand her judging me when I know
she must be worse than I was. She came closer to me
after I asked that question and smiled as she let her
fingers moved gently over the lines of scowl on my
face.
“I want you to accept who you are this very moment. I
want you to accept that rage and thirst for vengeance
burning quietly inside of you. I want you to avenge the
innocent, including that of your wife and daughter. I
want you to end Lucien and every trace of evil in his
court; I want you to be the sword Vengeance.
**************************************
Nyasa
**************************
Here he goes once again; storming out of his room
enraged and then walks into the beautiful garden at
the compound to just stare at the amazing plants till
late into the night before returning to his room. It’s
been seven days since he left my room with that witch
and ever since he has been acting strangely. He stays
in his room all day receiving teachings from his
teachers; the witch seems to spend more time with him
though. She is becoming closer to him as I now see them
talk more often and in most cases I hear laughter from
his room whenever she was in there. Her interest in
Kieran is really worrying as he doesn’t visit me as he
usually does. Whenever I visit him, he barely speaks to
me, and when I get too close to him, he gently pushes
me back. I just couldn’t understand what was wrong
with him, that witch must have done something that
night she led him from my room, I should have never
allowed her to take him.
My mission was already failing as I cannot say if he is
getting powerful or he has simply found another body
to please. I thought I was making progress when I
found a way to keep the other sorceress from him but I
have only opened the door for another to take her
place. I know little or nothing about this witch and
getting information from the women has been next to
impossible as it seems they hate me even more than the
witch, which is strange. Why would they hate one of
their own with so much passion? But then the hate for
her didn’t make them tell me what I was eager to
know. I have matters eating me up apart from Kieran’s
sudden change, especially the involvement of the
northern kingdom in all of this. The ease by which they
allowed Kieran to escape into this dry lands for
instance, there is something wrong in that. I mean why
get yourself involved in something that risky and then
fail and make your enemy aware of the plan you have
to take them down in the first place. The north is
obviously up to something, I believe a spy just like me is
here, who is watching Kieran just as I am. Now, I know
the witch isn’t that spy as the fellow wouldn’t want to
expose him/herself like I have done, but then I will have
that at the back of my mind. My priority now is how I
am going to get that hunter to trust me again.
**************************************
Claudia
**************************
“You are allowing Ellen take up your space in his heart.
He is taking the venom she has in her, do what you are
supposed to do and leave that hole you call a room!”
Mother said to me the other day, slamming a book of
hers to the wall. She was angry but I don’t know why
she was throwing the anger at me. It’s not my fault
that Kieran seems to get attracted to things and
people that are bound to destroy him. I am his teacher
but I shouldn’t be the one making decisions for him and
neither should anyone of us here. We can only show him
the way and it’s his choice to follow that path or look
away. He is a grown man and should be of the same age
with some of us here. I think she should stop with
trying too hard to make Kieran do what she wants, he
owns her nothing. Let him do what he wants to do.
Many lives might be on his shoulders but he has his own
to live also, she of all people should understand that. I
don’t like the fact that she is trying to make me
compete with whoever on his heart, I don’t like him and
I will use my time to do something more worthwhile than
put an arrogant man in my thoughts. I have my hands
full already with that gordand he brought with him, not
that the mocking has stopped. I have watching the
woman and it didn’t take too long for her to reveal her
plans by writing to her master. She relayed everything
to him, missing no detail. Whoever she was writing to
replied her with a strange message, telling her to hate
him and love Kieran which made no sense to me. Why
would he tell her to hate him and urge her to love the
man he wants watched? I have tried to follow her and
see if she has followed those instructions but it seems
she is losing that battle to Ellen, which is good news to
me but mother doesn’t seem to like it.
For some reason, mother doesn’t see the gordand as a
threat but she is more worried about Ellen and
whatever venom she is feeding Kieran. I was returning
from the library when I saw mother, she looked at me
and then turned towards one of the windows on the
passage way. I followed her lead and saw Richard
staring at the flowers yet again. I knew what she
wanted me to do and so, quickly, I went the stairs and
walked calmly to where he was. He didn’t bother to look
at me and instead continued to stare at the plants.
“You have been distant.” I said to him.
“I have been busy.” He replied me. The tone of his voice
was cold and I think I sensed some rage in it. What’s
with the rage the last few days? Whenever I am with
him, he is always angry and even his other teachers
have complained about that to mother.
“You had better kill that rage in you. It won’t do you
any good.” What I said didn’t seem to augur well with
him, he turned his gaze at me and his cold stare made
me move back a little from him.
“Aren’t you tired of the deaths around you? Of The
innocents who have died and will still die. Look around
you, there are more houses than occupants in this town
and still more and more still leave to a better place.
Every day you lose the gifted to the world of evil, and
more of these gifted are killed for the greed and
pleasure of other powerful people. Should all these evil
make one smile and laugh? I lost my family and you
lost yours too. I won’t allow others lose theirs when I
can stop it from happening, and I will.”
I was surprised at what he said and wondered who must
be telling him all this nonsense. He has the potential to
defeat Lucien but right now he hasn’t develop his
powers enough for him to be able to draw a single blood
from the mad king.
“You must be a fool if you think you can defeat Lucien
now. You will only give yourself willingly to him, Eric
thought……..”
“ I am not Eric. I am far more powerful than he will
ever dream to be. Why am I even speaking with you? A
sorceress who knows nothing, a sorceress who doesn’t
know that the man bestowed to her has since die.” He
said, cutting me off.
What does he mean by that? How does know that my
Eric is no more? I turned his face rather harshly from
the flowers he was staring at and asked,
“How did you know of Eric’s death?”
He pulled away from me and said,
“Ellen knew him and she was the last person he saw
before he died.”
That witch knew about Eric and she didn’t say a word
about it to me but deemed it fit to tell a man who it
didn’t concern. I left the gardens and walked briskly
to Ellen’s room. I ignored Kieran’s calls to come back.
That witch must tell me all she knows about my Eric
else one of us won’t see the sun tomorrow.
**************************************
ELLEN
**************************
“Has he been able to mix his rage with his gift?”
mother asked.
“No, he is trying but he still doesn’t know that it’s his
emotions that fuel his gift. He thinks he is like every
other gifted person that just calls out words and spells
to perform magic. He learns very slowly but then I
think it’s all an act. He has something planned in his
mind that he is hiding under the mask of obedience to
me. He is up to something that I do not know about.”
Mother didn’t look pleased when I said that,
“He is hiding his real self from you. Find out what he is
hiding through any means possible, sleep with him if you
must. I want results; we are running out of time.”
Nyasa
**************************
Here he goes once again; storming out of his room
enraged and then walks into the beautiful garden at
the compound to just stare at the amazing plants till
late into the night before returning to his room. It’s
been seven days since he left my room with that witch
and ever since he has been acting strangely. He stays
in his room all day receiving teachings from his
teachers; the witch seems to spend more time with him
though. She is becoming closer to him as I now see them
talk more often and in most cases I hear laughter from
his room whenever she was in there. Her interest in
Kieran is really worrying as he doesn’t visit me as he
usually does. Whenever I visit him, he barely speaks to
me, and when I get too close to him, he gently pushes
me back. I just couldn’t understand what was wrong
with him, that witch must have done something that
night she led him from my room, I should have never
allowed her to take him.
My mission was already failing as I cannot say if he is
getting powerful or he has simply found another body
to please. I thought I was making progress when I
found a way to keep the other sorceress from him but I
have only opened the door for another to take her
place. I know little or nothing about this witch and
getting information from the women has been next to
impossible as it seems they hate me even more than the
witch, which is strange. Why would they hate one of
their own with so much passion? But then the hate for
her didn’t make them tell me what I was eager to
know. I have matters eating me up apart from Kieran’s
sudden change, especially the involvement of the
northern kingdom in all of this. The ease by which they
allowed Kieran to escape into this dry lands for
instance, there is something wrong in that. I mean why
get yourself involved in something that risky and then
fail and make your enemy aware of the plan you have
to take them down in the first place. The north is
obviously up to something, I believe a spy just like me is
here, who is watching Kieran just as I am. Now, I know
the witch isn’t that spy as the fellow wouldn’t want to
expose him/herself like I have done, but then I will have
that at the back of my mind. My priority now is how I
am going to get that hunter to trust me again.
**************************************
Claudia
**************************
“You are allowing Ellen take up your space in his heart.
He is taking the venom she has in her, do what you are
supposed to do and leave that hole you call a room!”
Mother said to me the other day, slamming a book of
hers to the wall. She was angry but I don’t know why
she was throwing the anger at me. It’s not my fault
that Kieran seems to get attracted to things and
people that are bound to destroy him. I am his teacher
but I shouldn’t be the one making decisions for him and
neither should anyone of us here. We can only show him
the way and it’s his choice to follow that path or look
away. He is a grown man and should be of the same age
with some of us here. I think she should stop with
trying too hard to make Kieran do what she wants, he
owns her nothing. Let him do what he wants to do.
Many lives might be on his shoulders but he has his own
to live also, she of all people should understand that. I
don’t like the fact that she is trying to make me
compete with whoever on his heart, I don’t like him and
I will use my time to do something more worthwhile than
put an arrogant man in my thoughts. I have my hands
full already with that gordand he brought with him, not
that the mocking has stopped. I have watching the
woman and it didn’t take too long for her to reveal her
plans by writing to her master. She relayed everything
to him, missing no detail. Whoever she was writing to
replied her with a strange message, telling her to hate
him and love Kieran which made no sense to me. Why
would he tell her to hate him and urge her to love the
man he wants watched? I have tried to follow her and
see if she has followed those instructions but it seems
she is losing that battle to Ellen, which is good news to
me but mother doesn’t seem to like it.
For some reason, mother doesn’t see the gordand as a
threat but she is more worried about Ellen and
whatever venom she is feeding Kieran. I was returning
from the library when I saw mother, she looked at me
and then turned towards one of the windows on the
passage way. I followed her lead and saw Richard
staring at the flowers yet again. I knew what she
wanted me to do and so, quickly, I went the stairs and
walked calmly to where he was. He didn’t bother to look
at me and instead continued to stare at the plants.
“You have been distant.” I said to him.
“I have been busy.” He replied me. The tone of his voice
was cold and I think I sensed some rage in it. What’s
with the rage the last few days? Whenever I am with
him, he is always angry and even his other teachers
have complained about that to mother.
“You had better kill that rage in you. It won’t do you
any good.” What I said didn’t seem to augur well with
him, he turned his gaze at me and his cold stare made
me move back a little from him.
“Aren’t you tired of the deaths around you? Of The
innocents who have died and will still die. Look around
you, there are more houses than occupants in this town
and still more and more still leave to a better place.
Every day you lose the gifted to the world of evil, and
more of these gifted are killed for the greed and
pleasure of other powerful people. Should all these evil
make one smile and laugh? I lost my family and you
lost yours too. I won’t allow others lose theirs when I
can stop it from happening, and I will.”
I was surprised at what he said and wondered who must
be telling him all this nonsense. He has the potential to
defeat Lucien but right now he hasn’t develop his
powers enough for him to be able to draw a single blood
from the mad king.
“You must be a fool if you think you can defeat Lucien
now. You will only give yourself willingly to him, Eric
thought……..”
“ I am not Eric. I am far more powerful than he will
ever dream to be. Why am I even speaking with you? A
sorceress who knows nothing, a sorceress who doesn’t
know that the man bestowed to her has since die.” He
said, cutting me off.
What does he mean by that? How does know that my
Eric is no more? I turned his face rather harshly from
the flowers he was staring at and asked,
“How did you know of Eric’s death?”
He pulled away from me and said,
“Ellen knew him and she was the last person he saw
before he died.”
That witch knew about Eric and she didn’t say a word
about it to me but deemed it fit to tell a man who it
didn’t concern. I left the gardens and walked briskly
to Ellen’s room. I ignored Kieran’s calls to come back.
That witch must tell me all she knows about my Eric
else one of us won’t see the sun tomorrow.
**************************************
ELLEN
**************************
“Has he been able to mix his rage with his gift?”
mother asked.
“No, he is trying but he still doesn’t know that it’s his
emotions that fuel his gift. He thinks he is like every
other gifted person that just calls out words and spells
to perform magic. He learns very slowly but then I
think it’s all an act. He has something planned in his
mind that he is hiding under the mask of obedience to
me. He is up to something that I do not know about.”
Mother didn’t look pleased when I said that,
“He is hiding his real self from you. Find out what he is
hiding through any means possible, sleep with him if you
must. I want results; we are running out of time.”
**************************
KIERAN
**************************
She wants me to be the sword of vengeance for the
innocent or for her own personal gain? I asked within
me. The answer to my question came after a few days.
Ellen was teaching me how to control my steadily
growing rage and how to fuse it with my gift when I
suddenly asked why she doesn’t sleep. She opened her
eyes and stopped what she was doing. There was a look
of surprise on her face when she opened her eyes but it
left Just as quickly as it came.
“What do you mean by I don’t sleep?” she asked, then
she leaned a little towards me and whispered,
“Are you watching me now?”
I smiled and stood on my feet,
“I have noticed that your demeanor changes when it
approaches bedtime. Most times when I take a stroll
around the compound as I think to myself, I notice that
you don’t put out your lights. Even Claudia who loves
reading so much still gets to do that. Moreover, I was
once a hunter and I still am and I know the simple
tricks used when one don’t want to sleep. But in your
case, you are not sleeping because you need to do
something; you don’t sleep because you are unable to.
Remember you are my teacher and I get to see you
very close more than you usually allow to other persons
around here. I am also quite gifted and I have often
asked myself why there is this strange sphere of magic
around you. I haven’t noticed that around the other
teachers and not even Anna has such. Which is why
every touch from you carries this tingling sensation of
magic and that strange sphere is not for protection as
no one, not even Lucien can get into this place. So, why
create a wall of magic most people can’t see as most
here are not witches or wizards when there is actually
no need for it, except it is for hiding something you are
ashamed of. When you were merging your gift with mine
to help with what you were teaching yesterday, I had
this urge to open my eyes and I did to see your face.
There are thick dark rings around your eyes which
suggest you haven’t slept in a long time, which brings
me to the question, why?”
All through my speech, she didn’t blink once; she just
stared at me as I spoke. When I stopped talking, she
chuckled for no reason and just took her things and
moved away from my room. I was surprised at what she
just did but it only confirmed what I just knew to be
true; she doesn’t sleep. She didn’t visit me that
evening as she has been doing since that night she lead
me to that grave. I waited till night and looked towards
the compound but I didn’t see her again. I decided to
visit her late into the night. I knocked and after a
while, she opened the door for me to come in. She
returned to her bed and faced the wall. I sat on the
head of the bed, away from where her buttocks were
and apologized for whatever wrong thing I might have
said. She didn’t say anything but just remained where
she was. I waited for some time and when it seemed
like she had no intentions of changing her stance, I
stood up to leave Only for her to drag me back down
and hold my head with both her hands. She started
reciting some words after she placed her hands on my
head and soon I felt myself slip into her consciousness.
I saw several men taking turns in sleeping with her, I
saw her kill those men and then I saw her carrying the
body of another man. Then, I heard the man asking
Ellen to take care of Claudia.
I snapped out of her mind after then and just stared
into her eyes, horrified at the sheer wickedness of
men. My rage surged within me as I remembered what
those men were making Ellen do. Could that have been
what those men who murdered my family did to my
wife before she was hung? I stood up and faced the
windows as I tried really hard to control my anger. The
men responsible were not here presently so there was no
need for my rage.
“Who were those men to you?” I asked.
“They were my cousins and uncle.” She replied in a
husky voice. I shook my head; it explains why she doesn’t
like men.
“What of the dying man on your arm?”
“His name is Eric, he sought to kill Lucien but he died
doing so. I tried to help him but I was unable to. He was
supposed to marry Claudia but he was unable to.”
I nodded and just walked out of her room, I didn’t even
know where I was going to. I just kept on walking until I
got to the library and watched Claudia open page after
page. She doesn’t know her Eric is gone. She has that
eating her up and yet she concentrates on her work to
help me fulfill my destiny and how have been able to
thank her?By making her sad and angry. I later left
for my room and tried really hard to sleep but I
couldn’t. The next day went as it should and I noticed
that Claudia was looking at me in a strange way. She
had something to say but she couldn’t say it. She later
did during the night but that was the wrong time for
her to do so as I tend to practice how to control my
rage during such periods. I was unable to control it
enough and I said what I shouldn’t have. She became
angry too and went after the woman who was supposed
to be her protector. I called after Claudia but she
ignored me and continued her walk into the quarters. I
walked after her, albeit slowly though as I anticipated
some war of words.
KIERAN
**************************
She wants me to be the sword of vengeance for the
innocent or for her own personal gain? I asked within
me. The answer to my question came after a few days.
Ellen was teaching me how to control my steadily
growing rage and how to fuse it with my gift when I
suddenly asked why she doesn’t sleep. She opened her
eyes and stopped what she was doing. There was a look
of surprise on her face when she opened her eyes but it
left Just as quickly as it came.
“What do you mean by I don’t sleep?” she asked, then
she leaned a little towards me and whispered,
“Are you watching me now?”
I smiled and stood on my feet,
“I have noticed that your demeanor changes when it
approaches bedtime. Most times when I take a stroll
around the compound as I think to myself, I notice that
you don’t put out your lights. Even Claudia who loves
reading so much still gets to do that. Moreover, I was
once a hunter and I still am and I know the simple
tricks used when one don’t want to sleep. But in your
case, you are not sleeping because you need to do
something; you don’t sleep because you are unable to.
Remember you are my teacher and I get to see you
very close more than you usually allow to other persons
around here. I am also quite gifted and I have often
asked myself why there is this strange sphere of magic
around you. I haven’t noticed that around the other
teachers and not even Anna has such. Which is why
every touch from you carries this tingling sensation of
magic and that strange sphere is not for protection as
no one, not even Lucien can get into this place. So, why
create a wall of magic most people can’t see as most
here are not witches or wizards when there is actually
no need for it, except it is for hiding something you are
ashamed of. When you were merging your gift with mine
to help with what you were teaching yesterday, I had
this urge to open my eyes and I did to see your face.
There are thick dark rings around your eyes which
suggest you haven’t slept in a long time, which brings
me to the question, why?”
All through my speech, she didn’t blink once; she just
stared at me as I spoke. When I stopped talking, she
chuckled for no reason and just took her things and
moved away from my room. I was surprised at what she
just did but it only confirmed what I just knew to be
true; she doesn’t sleep. She didn’t visit me that
evening as she has been doing since that night she lead
me to that grave. I waited till night and looked towards
the compound but I didn’t see her again. I decided to
visit her late into the night. I knocked and after a
while, she opened the door for me to come in. She
returned to her bed and faced the wall. I sat on the
head of the bed, away from where her buttocks were
and apologized for whatever wrong thing I might have
said. She didn’t say anything but just remained where
she was. I waited for some time and when it seemed
like she had no intentions of changing her stance, I
stood up to leave Only for her to drag me back down
and hold my head with both her hands. She started
reciting some words after she placed her hands on my
head and soon I felt myself slip into her consciousness.
I saw several men taking turns in sleeping with her, I
saw her kill those men and then I saw her carrying the
body of another man. Then, I heard the man asking
Ellen to take care of Claudia.
I snapped out of her mind after then and just stared
into her eyes, horrified at the sheer wickedness of
men. My rage surged within me as I remembered what
those men were making Ellen do. Could that have been
what those men who murdered my family did to my
wife before she was hung? I stood up and faced the
windows as I tried really hard to control my anger. The
men responsible were not here presently so there was no
need for my rage.
“Who were those men to you?” I asked.
“They were my cousins and uncle.” She replied in a
husky voice. I shook my head; it explains why she doesn’t
like men.
“What of the dying man on your arm?”
“His name is Eric, he sought to kill Lucien but he died
doing so. I tried to help him but I was unable to. He was
supposed to marry Claudia but he was unable to.”
I nodded and just walked out of her room, I didn’t even
know where I was going to. I just kept on walking until I
got to the library and watched Claudia open page after
page. She doesn’t know her Eric is gone. She has that
eating her up and yet she concentrates on her work to
help me fulfill my destiny and how have been able to
thank her?By making her sad and angry. I later left
for my room and tried really hard to sleep but I
couldn’t. The next day went as it should and I noticed
that Claudia was looking at me in a strange way. She
had something to say but she couldn’t say it. She later
did during the night but that was the wrong time for
her to do so as I tend to practice how to control my
rage during such periods. I was unable to control it
enough and I said what I shouldn’t have. She became
angry too and went after the woman who was supposed
to be her protector. I called after Claudia but she
ignored me and continued her walk into the quarters. I
walked after her, albeit slowly though as I anticipated
some war of words.
**************************
ELLEN
**************************
Pleasing mother can be very difficult, which is why I
have never been the type that’s eager to please anyone
because it’s just impossible. I left her chambers after
she instructed me to find whatever her dear Kieran is
hiding. Showing him the bed of the fallen was mother’s
idea, she had hoped it will finally bring out that rage
he has been trying really hard to suppress. It worked
though which leaves me to wonder just how much this
woman knows about this man. I am aware she has been
watching him since his birth but she always seems to
know how to bring out so many things I am certain his
dead wife never knew about him. Telling me now to
sleep with him if that’s what it will take to know his
plans shows her desperation. The thought of her having
some twisted plans for the hunter has since been
gaining momentum in my mind. Why has she put it upon
herself to be this man’s guide and teacher? What does
she really want with the man? Surely, it can’t just be
about saving the innocent or putting an end to the
tyranny of the mad king? If that was her intention she
would have had him brought in here when he was
younger where he could have been easily shaped to
whatever she desires of him. Why wait till now when he
is older or better still after the death of his family?
Why wait until Lucien attacked his family before
sending for him?
Her decisions concerning the hunter have a lot of holes.
Kieran could have easily been captured or even killed by
either kings of both kingdoms and if Lucien wanted
him, he would have had him by now. What game is he
playing this time and most importantly, what are the
intentions of the mother guardian? I was unable to
provide an answer to that question as heavy knocks
rained on my door. I opened the door to find a scary
looking Claudia. She pushed me back into my room the
moment she saw me and shut the door with quite some
force but the impact was reduced by Kieran who
followed closely behind one of his teachers. What was
going on here? Why is Claudia enraged and Kieran
putting on a weak smile on his face? He stayed at the
door while his teacher pulled out a chair from the table
and placed it in front of me. She sat on it and asked
ordered me to sit on the bed. I did, not because I was
scared of her but because Kieran nodded for me to do.
"How did you come to know Eric?” she asked with a
tone of arrogance. I knew what she was talking about as
I knew this day would come, but I decided to play
around.
"Which Eric are you talking about?” I asked in return.
My question only increased her rage and it took quite
some control from her not to strike me with some spell.
She decided to talk instead,
"The Eric you watched die, you snake.” She retorted. I
was really disappointed with her choice of words but
then I would have said more hurting words if I got to
know how the man I Ioved die from the lips of a
stranger. I gave Kieran an angry look and he replied by
just smiling again. I will surely punish him later.
"Eric died in my arms and he made me promise to
watch and keep you safe. He realized he should have
stayed with you instead of going after death which he
later got. He didn’t want me to tell you how he died
but now that you know, I will relay everything.” She
nodded, so I continued.
"When we met, he already had his plans in place to kill
Lucien. I tried to stop him after we were attacked by
gordands sent by the mad king himself but he was
quite confident in his plans. He succeeded in getting
the king isolated but he was in a hurry to enact his
vengeance and went after him alone. He should have
waited for me; perhaps, together we would have had a
chance. He didn’t wait and Lucien defeated him with
ease and punished him by conjuring a spell that
prevents anyone from healing his fatal injuries. He died
trying to bring justice to his mother’s killer but what
he was only able to achieve was leave the woman he
should be protecting all alone and join his mother in the
underworld. I hate men and I still do but in Eric, I
found a disciplined and principled man. He was a good
man and could have been a good husband but the wrong
emotions consumed him.”
I finished with my story and expected her to lash at me
but she didn’t. She just kept staring at me as tears
flowed down her beautiful face. She later stood up and
ran from my room weeping and cleaning mucus from
her nose. Kieran tried to comfort her but she hit him
hard on his face. He left her alone and returned to my
room.
"You are a fool for telling her what you should have
left for me to tell.” I told the silly hunter angrily. He
didn’t mind my tone but instead continued to smile.
“Stop smiling and get out of my room, I don’t want to
see right now.” He chuckled and came closer to me. I
was beginning to get uncomfortable with his strange
behavior.
“You hate men yet I have occupied your thoughts long
before I got here. You hate men but you long to have
me inside you.” he said, coming closer and closer to me
with each word. He was after something which I don’t
know but I am certain it’s not my body as that was just
a ruse. I must be careful with my words.
“Well, you are a very intriguing man, besides you are a
wizard too.” He smiled and suddenly took hold of my
arms.
“Since I got to know about my powers, everyone who
has gotten close to me wants me for something and you
are not exempted. I have tried the last few days to
know your true intentions for me as you seem to know
quite a number of things even my wife didn’t know of
me. You used my desire to get me to sleep the first
time we met, you seem to anticipate my next moves and
you are very accurate for comfort, you know about my
emotions and how they affect my entire being. All
these I am certain I never told anyone. So, I am going
to ask this only once; who are you and what do you want
from me?”
ELLEN
**************************
Pleasing mother can be very difficult, which is why I
have never been the type that’s eager to please anyone
because it’s just impossible. I left her chambers after
she instructed me to find whatever her dear Kieran is
hiding. Showing him the bed of the fallen was mother’s
idea, she had hoped it will finally bring out that rage
he has been trying really hard to suppress. It worked
though which leaves me to wonder just how much this
woman knows about this man. I am aware she has been
watching him since his birth but she always seems to
know how to bring out so many things I am certain his
dead wife never knew about him. Telling me now to
sleep with him if that’s what it will take to know his
plans shows her desperation. The thought of her having
some twisted plans for the hunter has since been
gaining momentum in my mind. Why has she put it upon
herself to be this man’s guide and teacher? What does
she really want with the man? Surely, it can’t just be
about saving the innocent or putting an end to the
tyranny of the mad king? If that was her intention she
would have had him brought in here when he was
younger where he could have been easily shaped to
whatever she desires of him. Why wait till now when he
is older or better still after the death of his family?
Why wait until Lucien attacked his family before
sending for him?
Her decisions concerning the hunter have a lot of holes.
Kieran could have easily been captured or even killed by
either kings of both kingdoms and if Lucien wanted
him, he would have had him by now. What game is he
playing this time and most importantly, what are the
intentions of the mother guardian? I was unable to
provide an answer to that question as heavy knocks
rained on my door. I opened the door to find a scary
looking Claudia. She pushed me back into my room the
moment she saw me and shut the door with quite some
force but the impact was reduced by Kieran who
followed closely behind one of his teachers. What was
going on here? Why is Claudia enraged and Kieran
putting on a weak smile on his face? He stayed at the
door while his teacher pulled out a chair from the table
and placed it in front of me. She sat on it and asked
ordered me to sit on the bed. I did, not because I was
scared of her but because Kieran nodded for me to do.
"How did you come to know Eric?” she asked with a
tone of arrogance. I knew what she was talking about as
I knew this day would come, but I decided to play
around.
"Which Eric are you talking about?” I asked in return.
My question only increased her rage and it took quite
some control from her not to strike me with some spell.
She decided to talk instead,
"The Eric you watched die, you snake.” She retorted. I
was really disappointed with her choice of words but
then I would have said more hurting words if I got to
know how the man I Ioved die from the lips of a
stranger. I gave Kieran an angry look and he replied by
just smiling again. I will surely punish him later.
"Eric died in my arms and he made me promise to
watch and keep you safe. He realized he should have
stayed with you instead of going after death which he
later got. He didn’t want me to tell you how he died
but now that you know, I will relay everything.” She
nodded, so I continued.
"When we met, he already had his plans in place to kill
Lucien. I tried to stop him after we were attacked by
gordands sent by the mad king himself but he was
quite confident in his plans. He succeeded in getting
the king isolated but he was in a hurry to enact his
vengeance and went after him alone. He should have
waited for me; perhaps, together we would have had a
chance. He didn’t wait and Lucien defeated him with
ease and punished him by conjuring a spell that
prevents anyone from healing his fatal injuries. He died
trying to bring justice to his mother’s killer but what
he was only able to achieve was leave the woman he
should be protecting all alone and join his mother in the
underworld. I hate men and I still do but in Eric, I
found a disciplined and principled man. He was a good
man and could have been a good husband but the wrong
emotions consumed him.”
I finished with my story and expected her to lash at me
but she didn’t. She just kept staring at me as tears
flowed down her beautiful face. She later stood up and
ran from my room weeping and cleaning mucus from
her nose. Kieran tried to comfort her but she hit him
hard on his face. He left her alone and returned to my
room.
"You are a fool for telling her what you should have
left for me to tell.” I told the silly hunter angrily. He
didn’t mind my tone but instead continued to smile.
“Stop smiling and get out of my room, I don’t want to
see right now.” He chuckled and came closer to me. I
was beginning to get uncomfortable with his strange
behavior.
“You hate men yet I have occupied your thoughts long
before I got here. You hate men but you long to have
me inside you.” he said, coming closer and closer to me
with each word. He was after something which I don’t
know but I am certain it’s not my body as that was just
a ruse. I must be careful with my words.
“Well, you are a very intriguing man, besides you are a
wizard too.” He smiled and suddenly took hold of my
arms.
“Since I got to know about my powers, everyone who
has gotten close to me wants me for something and you
are not exempted. I have tried the last few days to
know your true intentions for me as you seem to know
quite a number of things even my wife didn’t know of
me. You used my desire to get me to sleep the first
time we met, you seem to anticipate my next moves and
you are very accurate for comfort, you know about my
emotions and how they affect my entire being. All
these I am certain I never told anyone. So, I am going
to ask this only once; who are you and what do you want
from me?”
