- Chapter 28 -
"Got no reason, got no shame
Got no family, I can blame..."
~ bridge before song ending from "Secrets" by OneRepublic
(Sorcerer's Apprentice Soundtrack)
Balthazar kept looking down on his hand, closing it into a fist then opening it again. He couldn't rightly put his finger on it, but something felt different about him. Something deep inside. Perhaps it was the effects of the anti-aging spell that Merlin placed on all three of them.
Yes, three of them. Horvath came back just in time, but a lot of things had changed. Never the same again. Still he wondered how Horvath was managing to stay in one room with him.
"It feels different, does it not?"
Balthazar looked up to find Veronica standing there in front of him, smiling. When he smiled in return, only then did he noticed the piece of parchment in his dearly beloved hand.
"What's that?" he asked her, pointing a ringed finger to the paper. She looked at it and unrolled it as she explained to him, showing him what it was.
"Oh, this are schematics for a fusion spell," she said, leaning over to show him. "The merging of two souls into one physical body. I've heard that not many sorcerers had performed this rather perfectly, so I decided to study it."
He looked over it as he nodded. "Why would you want to study it? On what would you be able to use it anyway?"
The dark haired sorceress shrugged indifferently. "It may come to be useful one day. Who knows?"
Nodding once again, Balthazar rolled the parchment and handed it back to his beloved. "But what makes you think you can use it? If what you say that not many sorcerers had performed it perfectly is true."
Veronica smiled sweetly up to him. "You do not think I'm smart and powerful enough?"
"Well, no, that's not what I meant." Balthazar stood and made to explain himself, but Veronica only laughed at him and briefly brushed a light, playful kiss on his lips.
They stood there gazing at each other, smiles on their faces. Balthazar thought he could get use to a life loving Veronica, with her returning that love with equal affection, sweetness, in her own way. He only wished that Horvath and him would go back to the way they were. It was the only missing picture in his thought about being completely happy with his second family.
And speaking of Horvath...
"Have you seen Maxim around?" asked Balthazar. But Veronica only shook her head.
"Why, no, I haven't seen him at all," she said in reply.
In the cemetery, a tall figure wearing a hooded cloak stood in front of a grave. The grave of Istvan Horvath.
The figure was none other than Istvan's son, Maxim Horvath, who had come to visit his father's grave one last time.
"You understand why we couldn't bury mother beside you here, don't you?" said the sorcerer, looking down on the tombstone, addressing his dead father. "We had to burn her remains. She died out of being sick for too long."
He was silent for a moment.
A wind came blowing by and left as quickly as it arrived before he got himself to speak again.
"I have been wondering whether she's with you right now. And if the two of you are together, perhaps both of you can't bare to even look at me now."
Another moment's of silence.
Maxim looked up to the sky, where gray and black clouds were gathering, as a sign that it was going to rain.
"I know you're both probably thinking that the choice I made is wrong." He looked back down on his father's grave. "But if you two can hear me, please do not bring the blame on yourselves for this. You never forgot to teach me what is right from wrong. Unfortunately, I grew up, got hurt not just once, and I finally realized that I was never meant to be at Merlin's side."
Again he fell into silence, thinking over why he had come in the first place. It was for the first time that Maxim finally realized that he didn't know why he was saying those words. He also realized that he should go.
He turned and took three steps away from his father's grave, but stopped for a pause, and said in a low tone, "Forgive me." Then he went on, not even looking back.
It took about a full hour before Maxim arrived at the place - Morgana's hidden lair.
He came there for a very important reason. The day has come for him to be a complete traitor of the Merlinians, the day that he would become, a Morganian.
The moment he arrived, Morgana greeted him with open arms, and immediately led him inside a spacious room somewhere in the huge lair. The entire place was made of stone, and an air of dark magic can sensed by anyone who entered. Either sorcerers or non-sorcerers alike.
Morgana first ordered for him to pull out his sword, and then touched its hilt elegantly with one finger, as the blue jewel on the hilt glowed brightly. Smiling, the sorceress then ordered for Maxim to summon up the Merlin's Circle, which the sorcerer did though he was hesitant in doing so.
Green flames burst out from the stone floor, as Maxim made sure each symbol on the circle was perfect, before looking up to Morgana and waited for any further instructions.
"Now, it is time to break your bond with the Circle," she said, as she nodded once to the sorcerer.
Maxim held on this his sword with both hands, holding it mere inches by his chest, focusing his energy to it. The Circle burst into a different color of flames - purple. Maxim held on to his sword as the light on the blue jewel on its hilt dimmed and brighten every two seconds. He could feel a strong surge of energy running through it.
The force became too much, as energy continued to flow, and it made Maxim kneel on one knee bit by bit, unaware of the change happening in the Circle. When all was over, and the surge of energy suddenly came to a stop, Maxim opened his eyes and let his gaze flicked around the room. He heard Morgana spoke,
"Stand up, Horvath. Look what's happened."
Slowly, and taking in the purple flames surrounding him, Maxim realized that he was not standing in the middle of the Merlin's Circle anymore, but instead, he found himself in the middle of the Morganian Pentacle.
This realization made him kneel down again, head bowed, presenting himself as a loyal servant to Morgana.
"Stand up, I say, Horvath," said the sorceress with a smile, approaching Maxim as the sorcerer stood up indeed. The moment she entered the pentacle, the flames went out. "Here, I have a gift for you." She handed Maxim a gold ring adorned by a single black onyx jewel.
"What's this, milady?" asked the sorcerer, taking the ring, examining it.
"You must not lose it," Morgana said. "It is the symbol of your authority over other Morganians."
Looking up, Maxim met Morgana's gaze.
"From now on, Maxim Horvath, you are my second in command. From here on, you are now, leader of the Morganians."
Under the night sky, a young Merlinian was running for his life from a sorcerer who would surely kill him after having found out such a terrible secret. He would pay for his life having found out about it. Unfortunately he was already wounded and couldn't run any faster. He was eventually stopped by a powerful blast.
Falling on the ground face first, he had no time to scream. When he got up, the sorcerer was already standing right in front of him. He looked up wide eyed, but then his expressions quickly turned into a glare.
"Traitor!" he shouted. "How could you! You betrayed us all! Your master!"
Maxim Horvath stood there unconcerned and nodded. "Yes, yes, but I'm afraid I should be the one to inform them of that." He raised the hilt of his glowing sword at the Merlinian still lying on the ground. "Now, if you would stop running and let me kill you, all of this will be over in a blink of an eye."
"What's happened to you?" the young Merlinian suddenly asked. "You were Lord Merlin's first apprentice."
Maxim shot the sorcerer with a deadly glare, raising the hilt of his sword toward the helpless young man a little more closer. "Can't you see? Look closer you pathetic worm. I was never meant to be a Merlinian. I'm better off a Morganian. I have entered the darkness now, and I have no more intentions of going back, and I won't even care to give a glance."
With one zap on the head, the young Merlinian fell back, flat on the ground. He was dead within an instant.
"Good. Now to dispose of you. Or at least, what's left of you," Maxim murmured to himself as he turned and cast a spell on the dead body of the young sorcerer, which disappeared after a wave of Maxim's hand. He then stood there for a moment, looking down on the same place where the body was.
He shook his head.
"Such a shame," he said and turned to head off somewhere south. "He was a rather young lad."
Somewhere in the town...
Balthazar and Veronica had decided to make an evening stroll in the town. They were sent to investigate at a certain place where a suspected Morganian attack happened, but found no luck in it. There was nothing they can make out of it.
The two sorcerers went on walking, Veronica enjoying the mere fact that they were enjoying a time together where they're not locked in some kind of battle against enemies, while Balthazar was thinking about the present he had hidden in his pouch. It was a necklace he had bought two days ago, with intent of giving it to Veronica, but he couldn't find the opportune moment. It was then that he decided that it was now, or never.
He took in a deep breath, as he realized they were all alone, passing a field of green grass. When he looked up to her, his breath got caught up. Even under the moonlight, her beauty was breathtaking. But before Balthazar could say a word, both Veronica and he was pushed rather roughly forward with an invisible force.
Both sorcerers landed on the ground face down, and they both groaned as they started to prop themselves up. But before Veronica could look up to Balthazar, she was zapped by a blue lightning-like energy on the head, causing her to fall back on the ground. Balthazar, concern growing ever greatly for his beloved, took up Veronica in his arms before looking up to see who dared attack them.
He was ready to shout any of the angry words that were forming in his mind, but as he caught sight of the attacker, his breath got caught in his throat out of pure shock in the realization who it was.
"Horvath?" The name escaped Balthazar's mouth in barely a whisper.
The sorcerer addressed smiled at him, an uncomfortably crooked smile. "Hello, Balthazar."
"What...What have...How could..." There were so many questions in his mind, but eventually Balthazar came up with one concerning Veronica. "What did you do to her? How could you!"
"You can calm down," Maxim said, rolling his eyes. "You truly think that I'd kill her? Of course not. She's just unconscious. Besides, she need not see this."
Balthazar stayed seated on the ground, Veronica still in his arms, as he stared up to his ex-best friend, trying not to tremble too much out of anger and shock. But he wasn't able to keep his lips from trembling when he spoke and addressed Maxim once again.
"Why did you do this?"
Maxim walked over to Balthazar and squatted in front of the blond haired man, meeting that intense and steady blue gaze. "We're on different sides now, Balthazar. There's no going back for me."
Balthazar appeared rather confused. "What are you talking about?" he asked, truly not understanding what the other sorcerer meant.
Clearly seeing the unmasked bewilderment on the blonde's face, Maxim grinned before giving out a chuckle. "Which part did you not understand, Lord Blake? For sorcerers such as ourselves, what do you think the statement 'on different sides' meant?"
The realization then dawned upon Balthazar, and something deep inside him wished it wasn't true.
"What...You..."
Seeing that the Merlinian sorcerer was still out of words, Maxim decided to say it flat out. "You understand now, don't you? That's right. I'm no longer a Merlinian now. I've broken my bond with the Circle, Balthazar, and had now embraced the Pentacle."
Balthazar's lips trembled, but whether it was out of anger or disbelief, he couldn't say.
"And now, I am to help my new Mistress to reach her goal," said Maxim. "I am a traitor, Balthazar, and tonight, I betray our master."
Before Balthazar could say a thing, or move even an inch, Maxim held up the glowing hilt of his sword in front of the blond-haired man's eyes.
Before everything went black, all that Balthazar could remember was the almost blinding glow of the blue jewel on Maxim's hilt.
It didn't take too long before he and Morgana arrived at Merlin's Keep, and it was actually the first time that Maxim would go there as a Morganian, instead of being a Merlinian. Nevertheless, Maxim had easily shrugged that odd feeling aside and went about to do his work, beside his new Mistress.
When the two powerful sorcerers had been locked in a fight, he had stayed hidden for a while, not truly wanting to interrupt, unless needed to. That opportunity came when Merlin had cornered Morgana, and Maxim immediately stepped in from out his hiding place. It was about time his master realizes his betrayal.
"Merlin," he had called out to the old sorcerer for the last time, and when said sorcerer looked up to him, the last words he ever heard were "You dare betray me?" And that was it, he fell under Morgana's hands, stabbed.
As he stepped over to the Encantus, he ripped off the most important page, at least, to Morgana it was; the page about the Rising, where Morgana would resurrect her most powerful minions and finally take over all of mankind. He didn't waste any time and went out, that was a split second before Balthazar entered into the room.
Maxim had gone out into the woods, and was waiting rather impatiently for Morgana to join him. But as seconds became a minute, he decided to make certain whether his Mistress was to catch up at all. And as he stepped out and come to stand at least fifteen feet from the castle, Balthazar greeted him with a plasma ball. Maxim easily dodged it in time, as he drew out his sword, the blue jewel on the hilt glowing in ready.
"How could you!" shouted Balthazar angrily. "You betrayed us all!"
Maxim had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes, well I've heard that already."
Both sorcerers then attacked one another, both being able to at least survive. As they continued their battle into the woods, with both of them having hidden behind different trees, Balthazar spoke again.
"Have you any idea what Veronica did!"
Catching his breath, Maxim shouted back, "You have to be more specific, I'm afraid, Balthazar."
"She used a fusion spell!"
At this, the two once again exchanged attack spells before hiding behind trees again, sensing each others' next move.
"A fusion spell?" asked Maxim, growing rather confused.
"Morgana's soul is inside Veronica's body as we speak!"
Maxim's eyes widened slowly.
Veronica had performed a successful fusion spell?
"Morgana was trying to kill Veronica from inside!" said Balthazar, his voice had shattered into a sob. Maxim was fighting back tears himself as he waited for the other sorcerer to continue. "I had to lock her up inside the Grimhold, Horvath. Morgana's inside the Grimhold with Veronica! And this is all your fault!"
Again the two exchanged attack spells, both having missed their target, and it would seem as though it was intended to be that way, as both sorcerers came closer to each other.
They both came to a standstill within six feet from each other.
"Whatever Veronica did, you of all people should have known that she just did what's right by her!" shouted Maxim, anger bursting out of him. "She probably did that for you!"
Balthazar said nothing, having caught off guard by what Maxim said. He then lowered his raised hand, Maxim followed suit, and the two men eyes each other for a long moment.
Before the silence becomes awkward, Balthazar finally spoke. "So, I'll be seeing you again...Maxim."
It was the same words he said when they first met, as they said their first good-bye's.
In turn, Maxim replied with the very same words he used back then. "You best count on that...Balthazar."
And the leader of the Morganians walked off, turning his back and disappeared into the shadows of the woods, having in mind what he needed to do. Balthazar only watched, and didn't stop the sorcerer at all.
Two days later...
"Leaving? And go where?"
Lord Bartholomew Blake sat up straighter on his chair behind his desk, surprised by the sudden announcement of farewell from his youngest brother, who stood across from him, over the other side of the desk.
"Before Merlin died, a mission was passed down to me," explained Balthazar. "Traveling is a must in this mission, and I fear I would be traveling a lot."
Thought still wanting to argue with this, Bartholomew knew any better than to question his brother about this "mission". Being the only living apprentice of Lord Merlin, it had to be done.
The two brothers had aged over the years, most especially Bartholomew. His blond hair was already graying of age, the crow's feet on the corners of his eyes were apparent already.
Balthazar wasn't worried much about his only living brother, (since Benjamin died during the war against Mordred), what with the company of his nephew and sister-in-law, Lady Yvonne Mortimer Blake, the very same Yvonne whom Horvath first got his rejection.
Bartholomew nodded with a sigh. "Alright. I suppose you'd have to go either way." He looked up to his youngest brother, and although unknown to him, it was to be the last time they'd ever see each other again. "Do take care in your travels, then, Balthazar." He offered a small smile.
Balthazar could only smile back, and as he left the room, he had to fight back tears. He knew he'd be living for a long time, and hardships are on the way. It would be very lonely indeed...
1702, somewhere in New Providence...
Maxim Horvath looked over to the redhead lad who was busy sharpening the edge of wood, sitting on the grass.
Not even Maxim was quite certain why did he ever took up the lad as a student in the mastery of the sword. The lad had no such talents or any indications of becoming a sorcerer, but he was amazed by how this lad stood his own ground against him (Maxim).
But strangely enough, the boy reminded him of himself.
He had caught the lad stealing apples from the market place, and had caught him again stealing an apple in his own home. Maxim had assumed perhaps it was the loneliness, and the need to have a companion. But the time has come, and Hector would have to learn more about dueling elsewhere in this cruel world. Perhaps even in a real duel of life and death. It's not impossible that the boy would travel in different places since the Age of Sail had begun. Not to mention the Age of Piracy. Besides, he had a feeling the lad would live long.
"Hector," called out Maxim to the boy, "come here."
Hector was a youth at least of fifteen years of age. A boy with a strong Western Country accent, and a talent with the sword. Maxim had adored the boy for being mischievous and silver tongued, as he found out. If only the boy had the gift, Hector could have made a rather good Morganian sorcerer.
"What is it, Maxim?" asked the lad.
"I'm afraid it's time for me to disappear in your life," said Maxim, patting the boy lightly on the shoulder.
Hector frowned. Then laughed. "Surely ye jest?"
Maxim shook his head. "No. I must go, Hector. I have wasted too much time teaching you. I have almost forgotten my purpose, my objective." Before the youth could reply, Maxim went on. "You made me adore you, Hector. Now, you must remember this: I know that I shall never have a student such as you again. Remember that, as my farewell."
Then he started walking off.
"But...Wait!" called out Hector. "Ye...ye can't just leave like that. What would I do with me life? I am alone."
Coming to a pause in his tracks, Maxim answered the youth without looking back. "You can do well even when alone, Hector. I now you can. You and I had lived together for two years, not such a long time but enough for me to say, that even when alone, you can survive. You're a survivor."
He walked on, not giving so much of a backward glance to the youth.
Hector would be the last whom Maxim would have a connection to among these people. It would only make things complicated for one such as Maxim Horvath.
...END...
A/N: The last bit was a little crossover. I can't help it. "Hector" is a character from another Disney live-action film. And since Sorcerer's Apprentice is a Disney live-action film, what the heck? It's not far from happening anyway ;)
Those who know of the youth "Hector" that I'm talking about may recognize him from the small descriptions I made. You know, redhead, Western Country accent...Come on, take a guess :D