Chapter 8:
Sylina and Mouse, who was now a bear, walked back to the clearing. As she stepped into it she saw the demon appear out of the ground as if summoned.
"And there is the spirit of rage," Mouse said next to her. She nodded and headed into the clearing.
The demon was speaking and Sylina took out her staff. "So my prey comes at last. Now I shall see the land of mortals. Your body and soul shall be mine."
"I just want to kill you demon," Sylina said.
The creature laughed and turned to Mouse. "So this small mortal is your offering, Mouse?" Sylina rounded on Mouse and saw him bury his head in his hands. The demon continued. "Another plaything, as per our arrangement?"
From beneath his hands came Mouse's voice. "I'm not offering you anything! I don't have to anymore!"
The demon came closer to Mouse and Sylina backed away. "And after all those meals we have shared, you want to change the rules."
"I'm not a mouse now. Soon I won't have to hide. I don't need to bargain with you!"
"We shall see..."
Suddenly, the demon started to attack. Sylina reacted and started casting. The fight was quick. Since the spirit was on fire, an ice spell put him practically out of commission. The wave of cold was followed by several arcane bolts and the demon melted back into the ground. Sylina was grinning when it was over and turned to Mouse.
"Ha, take that demons!" She felt so elated. She had passed her Harrowing. But why wasn't she out of the Fade yet?
"You did it. You actually did it!" Mouse grinned at her. "When you first showed up, I hoped you might be able to defeat the demon. None of the apprentices before you were worthy."
Sylina thought about what the demon had said before the battle. "You fed other apprentices to this demon. You feasted on them. I am no blind idiot, Mouse." She took a step back. "Why help me?"
Mouse was still smiling, "The apprentices before you were set up by the templars to fail. I wish I hadn't helped, but when you first came, you were so confident. I believed in you. I thought you might be able to win. You are a true mage. With time, you will become a powerful enchanter, one without equal."
Sylina took another step back. "Whatever it is you want, you will not get it from me." She held her staff up. Mouse wasn't looking at it. He simply kept his gaze fixed on her.
"If you could just help me there may be a way for me to leave. I could get a foothold outside. You just need to want to let me in."
Sylina raised her staff her eyes flashed. "Never. I see what my true task was now."
Mouse's eyes went large and he threw up his hands. "What are you implying? There is nothing here that could harm an apprentice of your potential."
She kept her eyes on him, taking another step back. "Stay back, Mouse, or I will hurt you."
Mouse's head bowed, then he laughed, but his voice wasn't the same anymore. It was deep and menacing. "You are a smart one," he said. He began to change and Sylina instantly had a spell at the ready, prepared for his attack. "Simple killing is a warrior's job. The real dangers of the Fade are preconceptions…careless trust...pride." Suddenly, Mouse was his true self: a gigantic demon. Sylina's heart raced. She didn't think she could defeat this demon. He stood at least twenty feet tall, probably more. The demon spoke. "Keep your wits about you mage. True tests never end." Then, suddenly, the demon was gone. The Fade slipped away from Sylina and she closed her eyes.
Cullen watched Sylina's unconscious body. He had a job to do, and luckily that job allowed him to remain close to her. He had prayed to the Maker since the second she had entered the Harrowing chamber that she would make it through this. His heart ached at the thought of what he might have to do.
He watched her chest rise and fall and the occasionally twitch of her hands. He suspected she was performing magic in the Fade. She hadn't been out long and Greagoir had said that she had two hours. If she didn't awaken by then, Cullen's job would be to make sure that she never awoke. His palms were sweaty and his heart wouldn't stop racing. He wanted her to pass so badly. He sent another prayer to the Maker to watch over her in the Fade.
Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open. Cullen raced to her side. "Ser!" he called. He heard templars moving. "She is awake."
Sylina looked around the chamber. Her eyes wide and her breath short. She tried to stand and Cullen put his hand on her arm.
"Are you alright?" he asked. He saw her mouth open, but no sound came out.
"She is alive and awake. Irving?" Greagoir motioned for the older mage to come over.
Irving bent down and put his hand on Sylina's head. He looked up at Greagoir and nodded. Greagoir nodded back and walked away. "Shh, child, you did fine," Irving said. Sylina's eyes closed. She slumped and Cullen quickly put his arm under her back to keep her from falling.
First Enchanter caught Cullen's eye and smiled. "Perhaps you will take her to her room. She will need to sleep and it is best she has a dreamless sleep tonight." Cullen nodded not able to make coherent sound. He picked up Sylina, surprised again by how easily he could lift her.
He remembered the night three years ago when he had carried her to her room. Of course, he thought, that had been a much smaller distance. He smiled, remembering her grabbing his robe and asking him to stay.
He had kept his distance over the years. For her sake and his. Though his heart often ached for her, he knew that it could never be. He sighed. It seemed whenever he was in her presence he had to remind himself that he was a templar. If only life had been different for both of them.
Cullen walked down the Tower with Sylina in his arms. He could scarcely keep his eyes off her sleeping face. He wanted to etch her face in his mind, so he would never forget what she looked like. As he reached the apprentice's dormitories, he finally began to tire. Carrying anything down that many flights of steps was bound to make one fatigued. He was proud that he had not had to ask for help, though. He enjoyed holding her. He could smell her faint fragrance. She smelled of parchment, ink, and something else. He suspected it was an herb he was not acquainted with.
As he approached her bed he felt a wave of disappointment hit him. He didn't want to leave her. He didn't want to put her down. He sighed reminding himself of his duty and lowered her onto her bed. She made a small sound and he smiled wondering if she was awake if she would have asked him to stay again. He put the thought out of his head. He was a templar.
He looked around. Perhaps, just this once, he could pretend he was not. He bent down quickly and kissed her forehead. "To return the favor," he whispered, remembering the kiss she had given him last week. He hadn't been able to sleep for days. "Sleep well Sylina," he murmured, and quietly left her room.