Chapter 3: If Someone Helped
I don't own The Black Magician Trilogy or its characters. All rights are Trudi Canavans.
Everything's blurred. A flash of a knife. A cruel laugh. The sound of magic exploding. I open my eyes and then wish I hadn't. Kariko towers above me. He snatches me, hauling me to my feet. Then I see him. His face set in determination. Blue robes flapping in the wind.
-Let go of her Kariko! Lorlen sends. The rest of the magicians throw strike after strike at the Ichani. But Kariko is unfazed by the relentless attack.
-Lorlen! Get away! Please, I'm begging you! I reply. If he hears he doesn't acknowledge my plea. Too soon I hear Osen gasp,
"We have to get at least one of them." No Osen! No you don't!
"You shield, I'll strike," Lorlen replies. "Let's just get closer to the house." No. Anywhere but the house. As they reach the door Lorlen abandons his shield and throws the rest of his power into a strike which I thought at first was going to hit the weakest Ichani. But it doesn't. It curves around and strikes Kariko through a weak spot in his shield. That takes him by suprise, his grip on me loosens slightly and I take the opportunity to try and fight him off. I struggle against him whilst Kariko drags me towards where Lorlen and Osen are. I have to stop him from striking. As Lorlen grabs Osen's arm and pulls him into the house, Kariko sends an earth shattering strike at the house. I stare in horror at the falling building. Then I lose it. I kick, scream and swear at Kariko. But he just throws me to the floor. Then I take off running towards the pile of rubble where I know Lorlen is. But before I can get there Kariko throws a strike at me. Knocking the air from my lungs and sending me flying into a wall where I finally collapse with a scream.
I awake with a jolt. Someone's shaking me. It's Osen. His eyes are wide with worry. Reminds me of Lorlen. Lorlen... It wasn't a dream, it was a memory.
"Are you alright?" he asks. "I..." I start. I survey the room. The Higher Magicians are all here. I try my hardest to compose myself. "I'd like some wine," I conclude. Rising from the floor where I must of fallen, I head over to the wine cabinet. I take out a bottle of Auren Dark and pour myself a large glass. Descending into a chair, I look around at the other magicians in the room.
"Lady Cloe, as you know Lord Balkan requested official retirement as a magician of the Guild," Vinara starts. I nod for her to continue. "We have put it to a vote by the rest of the Guild and the majority are in favour." I frown.
"In favour of what?" I ask.
"Congratulations are in order, you are our new Head of Warrior Skills," she says. I'm stunned. Me? "The King and his head of military have already organised a meeting with you."
"When?"
"This afternoon," she answers. I nod.
"Then there's time for one more thing before I go."
"You were right Lorlen," I say. "I guess I am important to people." At the moment I'm sat at Lorlen's bedside. I play with his fingers as I rest my head on his pillow. He's so pale. Small pink lines trace his face, cuts that are soon Healing. If only his heart would do the same. Vinara said that there was little more the Healers could do. We just have to wait for his self-Healing to kick in. Although it's taking its time. I hear the door open but I don't turn around. It's probably Vinara come to shoo me out. Then whoever it is comes over and takes the seat on the other side of the bed.
Akkarin.
I smile.
"How are you?" I ask. He replies, "I've been better."
"How are you?" He asks. I reply, "I've been better."
We laugh quietly.
"If there was any of us three that could of ended up like this"-he gestures to Lorlen-"it had to be him didn't it?" I sigh.
"The nice ones always get hurt the most."
"However if we're referring to our novice days I'm not sure which one of us got punished the most," he says. Trying to lighten the mood. I play along,
"If we asked our teachers I'm sure they'd say you did."
"What about Lord Margen?" I cringe at the name of our old alchemy teacher.
"I'm sure he just targeted me particularly!"
"I think he just hated our class!"
"True, poor Lorlen was always trying to do well in his classes."
"I think we were a bad influence on him."
"No way! He needed to learn to live a little."
We talk for ages about our novice days. It seems like so long ago since we last worried about small things like mid-year tests. Now we worry about huge things like meetings with the King. My meeting with the King! I quickly tell Akkarin I have to leave, he chuckled at my forgetfulness. A quick kiss for Lorlen and I'm off. This is a good start to my premotion.
After hours of talking with the King I return to the Guild long after nightfall with no intention to do anything but go to bed immediately. When I step out of the carriage Osen meets me. He looks concerned. "What's wrong?" I ask him. He looks at me but, I notice, he doesn't quite meet my eyes. My eyes widen and I hold onto his arm. Not Lorlen. No he's fine. I last saw him only a few hours ago.
"Osen? What is wrong?"
He bites at his lip.
"Two hours ago Lorlen went into cardiac arrest."
It's then I start running towards the Healing Quarters.
Everything's blurred. Vinara won't let me in. Warriors stop me. I have to go to him. I need to know he's alright. Before I know it a Healer has her hands against my forehead and I'm out like a light.
AN: Third Chapter up! Hope you like!