Extract from a novel: English Language creative writing piece.
Chapter 1
Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him. Foul and corrupt are they Who have taken His gift And turned it against His children. They shall be named Maleficar, accursed ones. They shall find no rest in this world Or beyond.-Transfigurations 1:2
"Demon child!" cried a woman from amidst the cloak of people who surrounded him. Fausten shivered as his eyes danced from one person to the other, he spotted Lilith amongst the grunted faces, their anguish stares and disgust filled the air, almost to the point in which Fausten could have coughed and choked - like when mother would cough and choke after breathing in too much soot and smoke whilst tending to the fire. Fausten looked Lilith in the eyes, her face was emotionless but he could detect her apprehensiveness, for most people in the village they found Lilith to be somewhat a little hard to understand, but being friends with someone since you were three years old allowed Fausten to read Lilith like an open book. Her alien like green eyes gravitated towards the ground and his followed. That's were 'it' lay. By now there were whispers and chattering amongst the disdained herd of villagers, Fausten heard taunts and whispers stirring now, and it was hard to decipher what was being said amongst the babble, but one word stood out in particular, a word that was like a sharp cut from a pointy thorn, a word that was like a dagger to the heart, a word in which any person would dread to be called in the whole of Thedas. Mage.
'It' still lay there, sprawled out on the floor in an awkward yet slightly angelic way. Fausten knelt down towards the clumsy hubble beneath him that was barely a few inches from his feet, - everything seemed surreal - the crowd all flinched backwards, a terrified gasp that conjoined as one as the taunts and whispers diminished into silentness, all of which except Lilith Fausten noticed. Only now did he realise what 'it' was and what he had done. Bregan lay there, his skin covered in a foul black like powder, his right arm clearly broken as it was one of the most 'awkward' and noticeable things Fausten could indicate, almost separated from his body entirely and latching on probably through a couple of veins and tissue. Well the small puddle of ruby red blood that had formed beneath him sure indicated that. Slightly nauseated, Fausten latched his eyes onto Bregans face, and to his surprise the exterior was somewhat peaceful in contrast to the bloody foul black mess around him. Bregan's pale eyelids where gently shut, his blonde curls where loosely bobbed against his forehead and his pursed lips lay closed. All of which were covered in the same foul black powder, but beside the point if someone was to solely look at Bregan's face, they would've never of guessed that his arm had almost been detached from his torso and that he was slowly bleeding to death. Guilt began to creep over Fausten as he processed all of this, somehow he had caused this. He slowly lifted a hand towards Bregan's baby-like face, "Don't you dare touch him demon!" Fausten's hand shot back, now looking up at the crowd he traced back to where the shout had originated from, there a few metres away from Bregan stood a woman, in brownish like attire , her black hair scruffily tied back in a fierce bob, and her dark empty eyes burning with hate entrapped him. Only now did Fausten realise who this was, Molly the Village baker, whom from his very first meeting with her, hated and despised him, he never was quite sure why she resented him but she'd never publicly confronted him before. Well seeing as mages are all to be feared and hated, I guess that gives her a rather good excuse. The thought of even being a mage, made Fausten feel even more morbid, every mage was ripped away from their families and sent into seclusion with others who possessed magic. "If you but dare put another hand on him you filthy mage, Maker help me I will...I will-" but hesitation caught her. It was common in Thedas for mages to be feared, not because of their power, but what they could do with that power. Mages where known to attract attention from demons in the spirit world known as The Fade , whom in return had taught a few mages a forbidden and dark practice known as Blood Magic. Molly paused as the other villagers shook their heads at her, clearly all terrified at angering Fausten, unlikely -she backed away. The guilt was almost overwhelming now for Fausten, and the pool of ruby red blood was expanding tremendously, now covering his knees and soaking through his ripped trousers, tears began to slide from his hazel eyes and regret slithered as his lips began to shake and convulse into a sob, he slowly placed his hand onto Bregan's face. Bregan was much older than Fausten maybe by four or five years, and his cheeks felt cold and lifeless. Only moments ago had he felt unrelenting hate for him, now oddly he felt sorrow – this time without interruption he managed but two meger words that spurted from his now drool-like mouth "I'm...sorry" and that is when he felt it...
A brilliant blue aura surrounded him, a warm yet cool energy flowed inside his blood, the aura manifested and suffused his entire body- the crowd now broke into gasps, screams, and shouts as they all took at least five steps back, this time Lilith joined them. Almost naturally and effortlessly Fausten allowed this energy to flow and dance into Bregan , the shouts where getting louder now, rage began to sturr instead of fear. "What are you doing to him Demon?!" he heard Molly spit, "Leave him be you wicked fiend!" Someone different to through hate speech, Lucky me. But what followed next was no work of a demon, nor a wicked fiend...
Bregan awoke, his cold blue eyes opened and where greeted by a white haze, but despite this all he could concentrate on was the cool, warm like feeling inside of him it was a blessed relief that made him gasp out loud. He could feel the energy tugging and pulling at his right arm, gingerly he turned his head towards the tugging and was bemused to see his arm - more like the muscle and tissue from his arm fixing themselves back inside his open wound, he could even feel the bone reconnect, and fix with one another. It should've felt painful he thought, but it wasn't the sensation was merely odd, his senses numbed as the feeling danced its way throughout his entire body and tickled at his fingertips. Am I dreaming? What in the makers name is happening? The feeling diminished and died and the white haze slowly melted away and uncovered the most confusing sight of all. Fausten knelt above him, clearly he had been crying. Good. Hopefully that punch to the face had taught him that just because that knife eared wench lived amongst the villagers, didn't mean she had the same rights as them. He slowly stood up, realising that he was encircled by nearly half the village, Fausten stepped back as those behind him rushed forward. "Are you ok my boy?" asked a weary and shocked voice, he turned to find it was Molly. "I'm fine...just a little...confused" he looked back at his right arm, it felt better than ever, almost brand new if one could feel such a thing over an arm. "What exactly happened...my arm...my...Lilith...I was trying to...but then Fausten..." he halted and anger elapsed his breath "Fausten..." "Dont speak that name Bregan!" Molly hissed, "You have endured enough taint and evil today" -everyone from the crowd now surrounded him, Bregan had been one who loved attention and almost relished in everyone's caring and intrigued exteriors. "Why? Why would anyone fear Fausten? That puny knife ear loving pulp of a boy?" Bregan laughed and smirked expecting his new fans to join him, to his disappointment they didn't. Molly placed a hand on his shoulder - making sure it was the left one. Bregan turned and faced her, her empty black eyes locked with his icy blues. "He..." she forced "He...Faust- the demon...is a...a..." she paused uncertain. "What?!" Bregan demanded. "He is a mage" It all came rushing back over him, grabbing Lilith as he pulled at her auburn skirt, enthusing his rough hands round her soft legs, whilst she screamed in protest, Fausten ran towards him demanding that he let her go, how he pushed Lilith hard to the ground, offended how someone so young could have the confidence to challenge him, he taunted Fausten -told him to "Protect his knife eared whore wench", Fausten charged towards him but was met by a hard punch to the face, A very good punch. He laughed as Fausten lay on the floor sobbing in pain, Lilith ran over to comfort him but he grabbed her by the arm yet again. "Do you know what knife ears are good for?" he said belittling her, he firmly grabbed his crouch as an evil smile expanded across his face, and that's when it happened, when Fausten- the mage had used his magic on him. Lilith glided away from him , as he began to float slowly into the air, he felt an energy similar to the one when he was being healed, however this felt dark and brittle he remembered, it overpowered his senses and shot pain throughout his body. He screamed in terror as the magic made him turn to face Fausten ,whom stood firmly on the spot were only moments ago he himself was crying in pain. The air was gushing around him, making his brownish hair blow madly above his head, rage was in his eyes, and he could almost feel Fausten's anger inside his blood, making it boil and sweat. And then that sound he heard. That will probably haunt him for the rest of his life. Snap. He wailed and screamed in agony as his arm was slowly being pulled away from him, each tendon cracked and tore, his branch was being forcefully ripped aloof, his inside bone being shattered and splintered into tiny fragments, then blackness. Whether he passed out from the pain, or Fausten regained control and let him go, he was unsure of. Probably Fausten regained control he admitted. Speaking of which he darted his gaze to where Fausten was not moments ago. Gone. And so was Lilith it seemed. Lilith is an elf, she has no right to have a choice, if I want her, she is mine, and now she's run of with that mage- that apostate?! "Does the chantry know? How long will it take for the Templars to get here?" He questioned Molly. "Sister Jane has alerted them Bregan, she ran straight into the chapel when it all...happened" "You didn't answer my question!" he shouted. Her eyes leaped open and her jaw almost dropped in fear "uhhh-um, If I was to guess probably not until tomorrow eve" Perfect. Bregan stampered off from the crowd that surrounded him, eager to find Fausten and Lilith. "Where are you going Bregan!" Molly squealed. "Its not safe, demons are not to be trusted!" - but he ignored her if anything all he wanted was Lilith. Let the Templars come he thought, once they've taken Fausten away to the Circle of Magi he could have Lilith all to himself. With no-one to interfere, he smirked as he began to trudge through the outskirts of the nearby woods. If anywhere this is where they would be, even when they were young they would sneak of here and get upto who knows what. He also realised he had Father's dagger hilted to his belt, its bronze encrusted handle was pressing hard against his hip. "How else am I going to convince you knife ears?" he said aloud and began to laugh as he tread deeper into the woods...
Lilith held tightly onto Fausten, their hands elapsed in a harmonious connection, she ran beside him doing the best she could to dodge the foliage and hanging twigs that bestowed their path. They ran for what seemed like forever, living near the outskirts of Bereclian Forest had its perks. They both stopped near a flowing stream, its water almost colourless and gently flowing as it brushed against the nearby grass and leaves. She looked at Fausten, sweat trickled down his face, and despair was easily distinguishable in his profile, hesitant and cautiously she took a step back. Suddenly it came to her. He is a mage, what the chantry call an apostate- he is dangerous. Fausten took a tip toe step towards her "What's wrong Lilith?" He pleaded. He has the gift...the curse. I've seen it with my eyes, if the myths are true, he could already have a demon inside of him, waiting for the right moment to turn into an abomination, wanting to kill me. "Lilith Please...what's wrong!". But then her chain of thought wondered elsewhere. He saved you she said to herself...he taught Bregan a lesson, how many times had Bregan's hands caused pain on others? How could she find him dangerous when clearly what happened was out of rage, how even though they both hate, loath -despise Bregan, Fausten still sobbed at what he did. And then...something Andraste herself would applaud...he healed him. No Fausten is not dangerous at all, and he is certainly no demon –why would any demon heal a mortal?She felt like a moron for what had been processing through her brain without hesitation she enclosed her arms around his waist. "Nothing...nothing is wrong Fausten.