Crimson Twilight: Dusk

Chapter 41: Magic

"Zein!"

Seihanine buried her face on the wizard's still warm chest. She couldn't believe it, Trenzein Zaisen was dead. It was what she feared for so long. "You promised you wouldn't do anything this crazy!" She sobbed.

From afar, Makaelthos froze in disbelief. It wasn't possible. Trenzein was often reckless and sometimes he was downright arrogant. Nevertheless, he had always pulled through with his magic. This just wasn't possible.

Silmeia fell to her knees when she saw Seihanine burst into tears. She had never seen that happen for the five years that she had known the huntress. This was real…Trenzein was dead and, once more, she failed to do anything about it.

"I'm...too late?" Eliarainne sat on top of her mount and looked at the battlefield in shock. She had tried to get to the west gates as soon as she was informed that they were being attacked but by the time she got to the place. 'No! This is entirely my fault!' She thought. 'If I was here earlier, I could have…I could have-!'

Seihanine felt Trenzein's skin growing colder. "You fool!" She cried out. "You great, arrogant fool! I would have let him tear me apart instead if it meant…if it-" She failed to finish the sentence as she was wracked by uncontrollable sobs. She struck Trenzein's chest repeatedly as if trying to make his heart start again and pressed her face against his; trying to feel the last vestiges of warmth.

"Cease that blubbering, woman, and stand aside!" Someone shouted. "I have other things to take care off besides this little stop!"

Seihanine froze when she heard those words. White-hot fury exploded within her chest. She grabbed her gakkung and aimed it in the direction of that hateful, arrogant voice.

"Well that's gratitude for you!" The voice continued. "I grace you with my presence and you try to shoot me dead! Fine!"

Seihanine's eyes widened in surprise as an invisible force hurled her to the side. She looked up to find a purple-robed wizard standing before Trenzein. The wizard brushed aside a shock of his messy white hair and grinned at the body. "Hello, Trenzein Zaisen! Dead already? I was expecting a lot more from you."

Seihanine's quivered with fury. The nerve of this man! Mocking the fallen after he had tried so hard to-

"I advise all of you to sheath or replace your weapons and stay where you are!" The wizard said. "You cannot help this corpse before you but I can." He stared calmly at the people who approached him. Makaelthos had drawn his saber and was advancing towards him. Silmeia already had a several spells on her mind while Eliarainne had set her lance for a charge. Seihanine kept her gakkung pointed at him as well.

"Who are you?" Seihanine demanded. "What do you want from Zein?"

The wizard grinned at Seihanine; a fierce, predatory grin that took her aback. His eyes were crimson and resembled the eyes of a predatory bird than a human's. He carried himself with the air of an experienced master but he didn't look any older than thirty. He had a sharp, pointed nose, a strong jawline and a fierce brow. "You may call me Master Raven Huer, my blubbering, blue-haired woman." He answered. "Or simply Master Raven or Master Huer if you prefer a less tongue-straining exercise. However, you are not the reason why I am wasting my time here. Now, if you excuse me, I have business to take care of!"

Raven Huer knelt beside Trenzein's body. Seihanine strained to hear him speak. "I wouldn't stay dead if I were you, Mister Zaisen." He spoke softly. "You'd be weaseling out of that deal you made. Believe me; you wouldn't want to do that. You'd disappoint The Source and make her mad."

Seihanine's eyes widened in surprise as Trenzein's body started convulsing.

Raven Huer grinned at the reaction. "I didn't think so." He said. He began to trace invisible patterns in the air with his right hand. "The Source didn't give you those eyes so you can strut about for a brief duration before ending up dead, Mister Zaisen. Apparently, she has a lot of plans for you. She even sent me here for this; can you imagine that?"

Trenzein's eyes suddenly fluttered open. He grasped Raven Huer's arm and stared at him in utter fright. Seihanine gasped as Trenzein started to speak. "You!" He said to Raven Huer. "You were with The Source when I first saw her!"

Raven Huer grinned and put a finger between his lips. "Now let's not blabber on about our "mutual acquaintance" and your little deal with her, Trenzein Zaisen." He said. "Good to see you alive though. That was a really nice spell you cast. No where near what you're expected of casting but it's a nice start."

Trenzein looked around him for a while. From afar he could see his friends already overjoyed; although they couldn't approach him while Raven Huer was still around. Seihanine rushed towards him. Relief and joy seemed to wage war on her tear-streaked face. For a moment, Trenzein was taken aback. He had only seen Seihanine like this once.

"Zein!" Seihanine cried out.

Trenzein mustered a grin and winced. His wounds may no longer be bleeding but they still hurt like hell. Not that he was complaining. He was alive after all. His being so proved just how powerful this other wizard was.

"Looks like I haven't introduced myself…call me Master Raven Huer, Mister Zaisen." Raven Huer stood up as Seihanine held Trenzein tightly. The entire place was beginning to get crowded as other wizards gathered around them. He turned to face the crowd. "Alright you cantrip-wielding louts, listen up!" He told them. Raven Huer smiled as his words drew a lot of angry comments from the crowd. He suddenly gestured in front of Trenzein. The angry comments were replaced by murmurs of awe as a strange, golden light bathed the green-haired wizard. "From now on, Trenzein Zaisen is under the direct protection of The Source!" He continued. "This means that none of you apprentice-ranked fools may accuse him of so much as spitting in your direction, let alone murdering your oh-so-great council member!"

The crowd of wizards murmured in indignation.

"This guy has a lot of nerve, invoking The Source!"

"That man was condemned to die! Who is he to remove a death sentence with a little light show?"

Sailsan stepped forward. His face was contorted with fury. "The Source is a mere fairy tale!" He shouted. "What gives you the right to-?"

Raven Huer gave Sailsan a passing glance. There was nothing special about the glance from outward appearances; just an ordinary glance you would give to ensure that someone was still there. Sailsan crumpled to the ground. The other wizards ran over to check on the fallen wizard.

"He's dead! How did he do that?"

"He must be some kind of monster!"

Raven Huer stared scornfully at the crowd. "The Source is not some fairy tale, you dolts!" He shouted at them "She's as real as your stupidity! A living, breathing, thinking being who, despite being more than deserving utter reverence and worship from all magic-wielders of Rune-Midgard, doesn't even receive an ounce of hypocritical lip service from any of you! To think that you would execute the lone man among you who even knows of her existence!" He exuded an aura of pure, magical might when he finished. Seihanine struggled to look at him. Still, she found herself looking away. Raven Huer turned to face Trenzein once again. "The Source's protection only extends to whatever plot your weak-minded colleagues have against you, Mister Zaisen." He said. "It will not save you from spears, axes, blades, hostile magic or sheer stupidity. Consider yourself lucky. The Source is giving you this one chance to…"rectify" that little mistake you made earlier. You won't be so lucky next time. Those who fail The Source after making a deal with her are never treated kindly…not by me at least." He knelt and stared at Trenzein. His crimson eyes seemed to flash with a menacing light. "To tell the truth, I was hoping that The Source wouldn't forgive you. I have a soul-binding spell that was already at the tip of my tongue. You would have found out that spending eternity in a glass jar isn't so bad."

Trenzein Zaisen stared back at Raven Huer. His golden eyes glimmered with the same menacing light. "What a shame." He replied.

Raven Huer smiled and stood up. "You're right about that, Mister Zaisen." He said. "I will be keeping an eye on you. Good luck with this whole Crimson Twilight bit."

With another gesture, Raven Huer was gone. Trenzein looked up to the sky and smiled.

Before falling unconscious again.

"Zein!"

Seihanine looked worriedly at Trenzein and felt for signs of life. She breathed a sigh of relief when she discovered that he was still breathing. The other wizards muttered among themselves and began to disperse. No one was going to mess with Trenzein Zaisen now. Not after seeing what the one called Raven Huer did to Sailsan.

Makaelthos and Silmeia immediately rushed over towards them. They practically cast their healing spells at the same time. Eliarainne rushed over as well.

"Is he alright, Sei?" Makaelthos asked.

Seihanine wiped some tears from her cheek. "He'll be fine." She answered. Her eyes narrowed in deep thought. Though she was overjoyed that Trenzein was alive, his conversation with the man called Raven Huer was intriguing. Who was this The Source? From the way Raven Huer used the name, Seihanine could guess that it was a woman. As for the deal Trenzein made...her pace slowed down as her friends carried Trenzein to a nearby by infirmary. 'He mentioned something about...Trenzein's eyes. This Raven Huer knows a lot about Zein.' She thought.

The wizard gasped as the door in front suddenly opened.

'I did it! I've opened the last, locked door in Glastheim!'

Trenzein Zaisen's elation changed to awe as a blinding, golden light burst from the room.

"Who's there?" Someone called out. "You've got a lot of nerve barging in like this!"

Trenzein's pale green eyes took a while to adjust to the light. When he did, the sight of what was inside astonished him. Inside the room were two people. One of them was a man. He wore deep, purple robes that marked him as a wizard. His hair was a tangled, uncombed mess of ivory locks but his most frightening features were his blood red eyes that flashed with anger. The sight of this angry wizard would have caused Trenzein to run if he hadn't caught a glimpse of the room's other occupant.

The room's other occupant was a woman. While he stared at her, Trenzein managed to ignore his fear of the man in the room. The woman was golden in all respects, as if she was made entirely of light. Her skin was flawless; her eyes were orbs of light that shone brighter than anything he had ever seen. Her breath-taking, long hair practically reached the floor. Trenzein felt his knees bend voluntarily as he stared at the woman. Power radiated from her like the rays of the sun…this was…

"Show some respect to The Source, boy!" The white-haired wizard shouted. "Stop gaping at her like a landed phen!" He raised a hand and gestured. Raw, magical energy crackled on his fingertips.

"Raven, stop."

The wizard called Raven put his hand down and turned away. The woman approached Trenzein's kneeling form. He was utterly speechless. He felt himself starting to cringe at this being's mere presence. "Do you know who I am, Trenzein Zaisen?" The woman asked.

It took several minutes before Trenzein found his voice. A few more before he collected enough thoughts to use it. "Y-You're The Source." He replied. "The personification of the magic that flows over Rune-Midgard."

The woman smiled at his answer. The light from her changed from blinding to a comforting glow. "I'm glad." She said. "No one seems to recognize me on sight anymore. I appear in dreams and visions and still no one can remember me." The Source put a hand on Trenzein's cheek. "I can sense your desire for magic, Trenzein Zaisen." She continued. "You thirst for me like a man dying of thirst would for water. I haven't sensed such raw desire in Rune-Midgard ever since Abraxil Sovivor searched for me in his darkness." She passed her hand over Trenzein's eyes. "You may think of this as a mere dream, Trenzein Zaisen, or perhaps a vision. I will walk with you from now on. Every spell you cast, I will cast with you. Every battle you fight, I will fight with you until you fulfill what purpose I have for you." With that, her hand shone with golden light that seared Trenzein's eyes. He tried to close his eyelids but the light seemed to penetrate his flesh. Trenzein cried out in pain as he felt his eyes burning.

"Source!"

Trenzein opened his eyes to find his friends watching him with concern.

Seihanine watched him curiously. "Zein, who is this The Source that you and that man kept mentioning?" She asked.

Trenzein caught a glimpse of himself on a small mirror beside his bed. The rest of the companions watched him now. "She is…my life." He replied.