The lava was now bubbling as Linn approached the semicircle. Her hands gripped the staff tightly in preparation. Lava suddenly gushed from one of the pits. Linn took a step back as the lava morphed into a creature.
The demon's eyes glowed as it stared at Linn with triumph, "And so it comes to me at last. Soon I shall see the land of the living with your eyes, creature. You shall be mine, body and soul."
"I'd like to see you try!" Linn shouted back. "It'll be the last thing you do. Come and get me, if you can."
The demon turned its attention to Mouse and asked, "So this creature is your offering, Mouse? Another plaything, as per our arrangement?"
Linn looked at Mouse with anger and… disappointment. Mouse returned her look with guilt before he looked away from her. Turning from Mouse to the demon, Linn gathered her magic and prepared herself for the fight to come. It would be much more difficult without a bear to back her up, but those months of study hadn't been for nothing. She'd give the both of them much more than they'd planned for.
"No! I'm not offering you anything! I don't have to help you anymore!" Mouse shouted, surprising Linn.
"Aww," the demon said mockingly. "And after all those wonderful meals we have shared? Now suddenly the mouse has changed the rules?"
"I'm not a mouse now! And soon I won't have to hide! I don't need to bargain with you!"
The demon's eyes glowed once again as it said in a mocking tone, "We shall see…"
Suddenly, Linn felt the sharp pain of an electric attack from behind her. She quickly turned to attack the offending ball of lightning. Deciding that the demon was the bigger threat, Linn turned back to the demon to see it in a fight with Mouse in his bear form. Linn quickly gathered her magic and focused an ice spell at the demon. The ice melted on impact. However, the residual steam solidified the lava demon, making it hard for him to move. Another bolt of electricity hit Linn, but she ignored the pain to focus on hitting the demon now that it was moving slowly.
Between Mouse and Linn's attacks, the demon went down with a scream, and the balls of lightning disappeared.
Linn breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Mouse as he shifted back to his human form.
"We did it!" Linn said with a smile, and Mouse looked away guiltily.
"When you came, I hoped that you might be able to… but I never really thought any of you were worthy."
"I figured… the demon did say that you had helped it before. So why now? Why help me?"
Mouse hesitated for a moment before explaining, "You made me believe in you. You're a true mage, one of the few. The others, they never had a chance. The templars set them up to fail, like they tried with you. I regret my part in it, but you have shown me that there is hope. You can be so much more than you know."
"I understand that you were just looking after yourself… Not exactly a whole lot of support here. So what now?"
"You defeated a demon, you completed your test. With time, you will be a master enchanter with no equal. And maybe there's hope in that for someone as small and as… forgotten as me. If you want to help. There may be a way for me to leave here, to get a foothold outside. You just need to want to let me in."
There was an odd distortion in his voice. As though his true thoughts had finally risen to the surface.
Linn raised an eyebrow and asked, "Let you in?"
"Back!" Mouse corrected himself with frustration. "Help me back. They killed me, right? Just like all who fail in here. They'll kill you too. Can't you feel the sword at your neck? They believe all magic evil, the Fade evil. Once you are here, you become what they fear."
"Like you?" Linn asked and pointed her staff at him. "Were you ever really an apprentice? Or was all of this an act?"
"What? Yes! Of course! I mean, I think I was. Isn't that enough? It should be enough! For you," Mouse said as his eyes became more focused on her.
"Then why aren't you wearing apprentice robes?" Linn asked as Mouse's eyes grew wide. "You've been lying to me since the very beginning. Who are you really? What the fuck are you?"
The hairs on her arms stood us as his voice completely changed into a deep rumble as 'Mouse' chuckled. "Maybe they are right about you. Simple killing is a warrior's job. The real dangers of the Fade are preconceptions, careless trust… pride. But for you… I can see the mark on your very soul. Wrath may very well be your undoing. Keep your wits about you, mage. True tests never end."
With each word, his body shifted and changed. Linn took a step back as the demon faded into the distance… but luckily so did the Fade. Linn jolted awake to see a hand outstretched toward her. After slapping it away from her, she quickly backed away from the shadows in front of her. Her heart was beating rapidly, and her left shoulder began to throb with pain. Rage surged through her with each heartbeast. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to remember the present. She was in the Circle Tower. The Harrowing was over. Linn opened her eyes to see Irving looking at her with concern and… worry.
Giving them a sheepish smile, Linn asked, "So I guess I passed? Was I almost out of time?"
Irving's face relaxed into a smile, and he replied, "Out of time? You may have very well set a new record, new Mage of the Circle. Be careful now, child… Pure lyrium is extremely potent. You may feel awake, but I assure you, it will be far better for you to lie down."
Linn did feel awake. However, it was due to the blazing rage in her heart that she was desperately trying to stifle. Linn took another deep breath as she stood up and used a wall for support. Even though her mind was wide awake, her legs felt like jelly as she desperately tried to remain steady. A hand on her arm kept her steady for a moment while she regained her balance. Linn jerked away before she saw the hand belonged to one of the mage-friendly templars. Cullen.
"Sorry," the young templar said as he looked down. A bright red flushed across his cheeks. "I just… I thought you were falling."
Linn looked at him for a moment before admitting, "I was… Thank you for helping me."
The templar's flushing didn't stop even after he no longer looked embarrassed, and Linn turned to Irving to see the First Enchanter sharing a look with the Knight-Commander.
With a long sigh of frustration, Greagoir said tiredly, "Young mage, it would seem that First Enchanter Irving was correct in his estimation of your abilities. With you having been in the Circle for only a few months, I was doubtful that you would survive your test. However, I am thankful to have been proven wrong. Cullen, please accompany our new mage back to her quarters. She will likely need assistance navigating the stairs."
"Oh, no. The stairs!" Linn whispered in horror. She hadn't even thought about navigating down the stairs on her jelly legs.
A chuckle caught her attention, and she looked to see Irving giving her a grin.
"A sentiment I share, child. When you get as old as I, the stairs become an everyday obstacle. Take care and get some rest. We will move your belongings in the morning."
"Thank you, First Enchanter… Knight-Commander," Linn said before holding onto Cullen's outstretched arm.
Cullen awkwardly held onto her arm and led her to the stairs. As they went down the stairs, he seemed to be looking anywhere but at her. A slight red tinge to his cheeks told her that he was embarrassed. She doubted that the templars were allowed relationships with their duties being as stringent as they were, so he probably hadn't been this close to a woman in quite some time… if ever.
"So… were you the one assigned to lop off my head if things went wrong?" Linn joked, trying to ease the tension, only for him to give her a guilty look.
"Yes," he admitted in a low tone. "But… But I take no pleasure in the taking of life! It is my duty. I am sworn to uphold my oath. I-It's nothing personal, I swear! I… uh, I'm just glad you're alright. You know."
The blush had intensified, and it had even spread to the tip of his ear.
"I do," Linn said, trying to make him feel better, and Cullen looked directly at her with surprise. "The other templars look at us like we're a bomb about to go off, but you… you don't. So I know that you're just doing your duty."
Cullen went quiet as he continued to lead her back through the hallways toward the dormitory. His face was still flushed in embarrassment, but he now had a small smile. As they neared the second staircase, Linn's foot landed wrong, and she nearly fell onto the stone floors. Cullen's arms quickly slipped around her waist to catch her. They stood in shock for a moment before Cullen quickly withdrew his hands.
"I- I'm so- sorry!" he said with panic before grabbing onto her arm to help support her.
With a sigh of frustration, Linn asked, "Is it this hard for everyone or am I just being a problem?"
"Y- You're no problem at all… Usually the mages are asleep after the Harrowing, and one of the templars carries them to the dormitory. I- I could carry you. I mean… Not if you don't want me to do so."
"I… No thank you. I don't want to be carried like a sack of potatoes," she joked, but Cullen looked horrified. "I wouldn't let even Dean do that."
"That's not what I-! I would carry you… like…," Cullen struggled to find the words as Linn watched him with amusement.
"Like a new bride?" Linn asked with a smirk. Cullen's face turned tomato-red, but he seemed to be serious about his suggestion. "Thank you for the offer, but… I think I can do this. We're almost there. Just down these stairs and down the hall."
Cullen nodded and continued to lead her down the stairs. This time they moved more slowly, which helped Linn find her footing. He seemed to have something on his mind, so Linn gave him a curious look.
"Oh… um… I w-was just wondering who Dean is…"
"My idiot brother," Linn answered, and Cullen seemed to relax a little. "He's a real pain in the ass, but… I love the idgit. Even though he's more trouble than the others. To be completely honest… he'd definitely say the same about me."
"Others? D-do you have many siblings?"
Linn felt like the conversation was helping him become less nervous, so she continued, "Yes, actually. There's also Sam, Andy, Jesse, Winona, Adam… and Ash. It's a big, problematic family. What about you?"
"Oh! I… I have two sisters and a brother. It's been quite some time since I last saw them…"
Cullen trailed off, and Linn gave him a look of sympathy. Templar training seemed quite rigid, and she doubted that they were allowed time off to visit family. Even though hunting monsters was incredibly dangerous, Linn had never gone more than a couple of months without seeing Dean or Sam, and they had their own families to take care of.
The other mages muttered amongst each other as Linn stumbled into the dormitory with Cullen's assistance. Ignoring their prattle, Linn made it to her bed and collapsed onto it with a weary sigh. Cullen looked like he wanted to say something but seemed to decide against it.
"Hey," Linn said, and Cullen stayed where he was but didn't turn around. "I just wanted to say… Thank you, Cullen. I really appreciate the help."
He didn't turn around, but he said in a low voice, "It was my pleasure… to be of assistance."
With that, he quickly vanished through the doorway. One of the mages in the room looked at Linn with a smirk of amusement. Linn gave her an irritated glare before settling in to sleep. It wouldn't be good for her or Cullen if rumors started about them. Plus… Linn would hopefully be leaving soon.
Linn closed her eyes, but her mind raced, keeping sleep at bay. As much as she hated to admit it, Balthazar's plan had been a good one. She'd been able to learn far more about protective wards and spells than even Don had taught her. While it wasn't exactly what she needed, it was certainly a good start. Now she could go back home to her old world with what she had learned.
The Senior Enchanters had taken some of her blood when she'd first arrived. While a part of her didn't like the idea of them having her blood, she doubted that they could do anything to her from a world away. And if she really didn't want them to have it, then she'd just need to destroy the vial before she left.
Linn tried her best to relax. Her body desperately pleaded for sleep, but anxiety refused to let her fade into darkness. Suddenly, her eyes flew open as she realized something. She hadn't needed to calm herself down. After escaping Hell, her fuse had grown remarkably short, and her rage had caused her magic to spiral out of control… which is why Linn had decided to come to this world in the first place. Linn rubbed her left shoulder as she tried to remember when she had calmed down.
Cullen. It had been when she'd talked to Cullen. Linn wondered if it was due to the templars' magic nullification abilities. Certainly, it was something to look into. Linn breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes. She'd just have to try talking to Cullen more often to test her theory. Maybe a few of the other templars would talk to her, but she doubted it. The other templars tended to be more like the guards at a jail. Cullen was one of the very few that she had noticed speaking with the mages like… like they're people. Well… he hadn't seemed to dislike talking to Linn. She just hoped the poor boy didn't die of embarrassment.