ONE-SHOT WHICH I WROTE BECAUSE I JUST FINISHED READING THE BLACK MAGICIAN TRILOGY AND I DON'T LIKE THE ENDING (THE REST OF THE BOOK WAS AMAZING!) SO I WROTE DOWN WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED.

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THE BLACK MAGICIAN TRILOGY (I BORROWED THEM FROM THE LIBRARY)

Defeat

Sleep was the principle thought in Sonea's mind as her head sank closer to the increasing pile of study on the cool mahogany desk. Her bed seemed warm and inviting but she couldn't seem to bring her weary limbs to move. Her eyelashes lightly tickled her skin as they slowly drew together, as if pulled by an unknown magnetic force. Faces, coloured with emotions filled her drowsy thoughts as she lulled into a gentle slumber. Regin's sneering face, Rothen's worried eyes, Akkarin's black soul. He was drawing ever closer. Coloured by anger and hate. His dark eyes piercing through the silence...

A sharp intake of breath eradicated all weariness from her body. Sonea jumped up as her heart clenched with fear. She rose slowly, her dark eyes wide with anticipation. Akkarin didn't usually come back at this hour. But who else could it be? Curiosity got the better of her as she silently crept towards her bedroom door. As the door creaked around its hinges, she heard a gentle moaning followed by a cry of pain.

'Sorry Master.' Takan was leaning over a motionless body which lay limply on the floor.

'It's Ok. Do whatever you must.' A pained voice muttered through gritted teeth. Sonea gasped as she realised the voice belonged to Akkarin. He was dressed in simple, ragged clothing. His face was smeared with blood which starkly contrasted with his deathly pale face. His left hand clutched Takan's arm and his face was screwed up in agony. Takan took another shard of...glass from a deep gash along Akkarin's cheek. This painful process continued for what seemed like an age. Sonea was frozen. Unable to move.

Suddenly Akkarin rose and swiftly paced to the other side of the room.

'They are growing stronger,' he muttered 'soon, I fear they will overcome me.' His voice was indifferent but Sonea saw a flash of...fear and doubt darken his face before he schooled his expression. 'The fight has weakened me, you must lend me your strength.' Akkarin removed a bejewelled dagger from within the folds of his cloak. Takan knelt and extended his right forearm. Sonea blanched when she saw it was covered with many half-healed scars. This was a regular occurrence. Akkarin raised the dagger. Then it struck her. Akkarin was going to use black magic.

'Stop!' Sonea flung open the door. Akkarin glanced her way, mild surprise and annoyance flickered across his face.

'Go back inside Sonea,' he whispered 'this is not for you to see.' Part of her wanted to run back inside and bolt the door but she stood her ground with a defiant grimace.

'No. I will not let you..' she gestured towards the knife 'do that...' she finished lamely.

'Get out.' Akkarin's voice was dangerously quiet. His eyes glinted furiously in the candlelight. Sonea's defiance wavered but she stayed where she was.

'This has gone on too long, Akkarin,' she retorted coldly 'I will not let you take any more lives.' With this she sent out her mind and battered his shield with a forcestrike. He blocked it easily. A sense of dread filled her as she realised the full extent of his power. Suddenly her knees buckled and she fell to the floor as a blinding pain pierced through her skull.

'Do not defy me!' A thunderous voice echoed in her head. She tried to block it out but it dominated. A surge of power ripped through her shield and a forceful sunstrike caught her in the back. Her spine arched and she fell in a heap on the ground. The great pressure in her head diminished as Akkarin withdrew from her consciousness. She lay on the ground breathing heavily from the agonising encounter. With every intake of breath a sharp pain ripped down her back, momentarily paralysing her until she was released. When the pain had eased to a dull ache she turned her head. This brought another wave of pain, so powerful she couldn't contain it. With a blinding flash she released all the agony, hatred and pressure from her body. With it came flooding all her power and emotions. The force released was so powerful that darkness clouded her distorted vision and she was engulfed by silence.

Drifting...

Falling...

Flying...

Pain...

Dazzling...

Scream...

Sonea came back to consciousness with a start. After the light had soothed and the room was dark she saw a hunched figure approaching. Takan was limping towards her with a fearful expression deep in his eyes. She tensed but was unable to move. She barely had the strength to breathe, her body was frozen in a state of exhaustion. So this is what helplessness is, she mused. Takan drew closer and raised Akkarin's silver dagger above his head. She braced herself for the pain which was sure to follow and watched helplessly. After a moment of indecision, he fell to his knees beside Akkarin's still body. Sonea breathed a sigh of relief. She wanted to speak but she was too weak so all she could do was lie still, waiting for someone who would never come, a distant light which would illuminate this abyss of helplessness but with every moment that gentle glow seemed to grow ever distant.

After what could have been an hour or a day, Sonea drifted back to a fully conscious state. Her legs burned with the slightest movement and nausea overcame her as she stirred. This was the first time since the incident that she was able to move. Slowly she rose to her feet. She steadied her breathing and stumbled to where Akkarin lay. His shallow breath caught in his throat as his chest shuddered with every gasp. He stared into the distance without seeing anything. Suddenly his dark eyes bore into hers as she took another hesitant step forward.

'You didn't understand,' he whispered. Images of slaves, sand and blood filled her mind as he sent his memories to her. She tried to block them out but they were overwhelming. All she could do was cower and watch as they filled her head with unwelcome pictures. A cave, Takan, higher magic, dread, death, escape... 'You didn't understand...' With that his rising chest fell and with a shuddering gasp, lay still.

Akkarin was dead.

She stared uncomprehendingly out the window and saw the eye gazing intently down at her. She curled up into a ball and screamed.