The Author

Chapter Ten

            Deep in his underground laboratory, he brooded over his magical tools. The spoken Dark powers are so much more complicated and powerful than simplistic written words, he thought. The girl will learn – before her death. An evil laugh rippled through his mind and passed from his mouth as he surveyed his chamber.

            Being underground, the large room had no windows. The only light source was a small torch on the right hand wall. It cast a deceptively warm glow on his magical instruments on the tables underneath it. Many of the instruments were metallic and had lots of sharp points. On the wall opposite were his potion ingredients. Bottles and jars of all shapes, sizes and colors were crammed, seemingly willy-nilly, but he knew exactly where everything was. It was damp and humid. Water droplets could be heard dropping from the ceiling and dripping down the walls. It was perfectly gloomy and sinister.

            He stood in the middle of the room, half cloaked in shadow and he liked it that way. It always made his visitors nervous. In front of him stood a large cauldron, boiling away though there was seemingly no fire to heat it.

            Footsteps. He knew them well.

            “You are doing well, Recyar,” he said.

            “Thank you, master,” Recyar replied, his voice dripping with malice.

            “What have I told you?” he said in an infuriated hiss of a whisper. How many times did he have to tell them? He is far more than their master. And soon he would be in title as well as spirit.

            “Your highness, forgive me, your highness,” Recyar replied hastily.

            “As I was saying: Things are going according to plan?”

            “Yes, your highness,” Recyar said with annoyance. “Majesty, I don’t understand why I can’t just take her prisoner now. Wouldn’t that expedite our plans?”

            “My plans,” he corrected. “And no. We must allow her powers to fully mature. She is of no use to me at this time. Just follow behind undetected and make sure she stays on the move, or at the very least makes advances with the magic. I want her to be at the peak of her abilities when you finally bring her to me.” A cruel chuckle emanated from him. It was cliché, he knew, but he couldn’t help himself. Recyar laughed, too, nervously. “You may go. Remember, stay close to her, but not too close.”

            “Yes, mas – magesty.” Recyar turned and strode out of the dark room with confidence.

            He watched Recyar go. The captain of the guard was an ambitious man. I will have to keep an eye on him, he thought. But once I have the girl, no one will be able to stop me. I will be invincible!

Then he would make everyone understand.

He turned in a circle, studying the dark room. The torch flickered and some of his sharper instruments gleamed malevolently. He strode over to his shelf of potion ingredients, and selected several bottles. He measured the proper amounts and angrily flung them into the cauldron of boiling liquid.

“I will have what is mine by right!” he said with a scowl. He searched his memory for the next step in the spell. He remembered. “Scom[1],” he said in an even, calm tone.

The torch immediately extinguished itself, filling the room with a profound void of blackness.

[1]“Shadow”