The Counterpoise (Discontinued)

Prologue

"Once, not so long ago, the world was not divided. There were no sectors as there are today. And there were no restrictions. Mages were free to perform their magic whenever they pleased, to travel wherever they liked without fear of being caught without their abilities. There were earth and air mages, water and fire mages, just like there are today. Fire wasn't commonly found in nature and therefore fire mages were esteemed for their ability to control such a difficult element. But everyone respected each other. There was no war, no conflict whatsoever. Everyone lived in harmony."

"But Azazel didn't like that, right Grandpa?" the little prince asked, tilting his head. The old man gave him a warm smile. "No, he didn't. But you must let me continue with the story, Armin. It isn't polite to interrupt."

The boy nodded and sunk further into the sea of sheets on his opulent four-poster. "Now. There was one fire mage who thought he was far superior to the other mages. He was the most powerful of the fire mages and he was greatly admired for his strong magic. But that wasn't enough for him. He thought he could rule the world," he said, waving his hands as if to emphasize the statement. "His name was Azazel, but we don't call him that, do we?"

"Nope!" Armin cried cheerfully, shaking his head. "We call him the Rogue Mage."

"Now you must remember, Armin. Never, never call him by his true name, understand?"

"Why not, Grandpa?"

"It gives people bad memories. It makes them remember the things they lost. It also calls him to you. If you say his name too many times, he'll break free and pounce on you!"
He tickled his sides and the boy let out high-pitched giggles, squirming around and trying to defend himself against the attack. The man pulled away and smiled, continuing on with his story. "Azazel, this Rogue Mage," he emphasized and Armin gave a firm nod. "Decided to try and take over the entire world. He attacked villages and towns and set them on fire, burning the citizens and their possessions."

The blond let out a small gasp, pulling the covers over his nose. "It was a terrible sight. He destroyed everything around him and no one thought he could be stopped. But then came the Counterpoise."

The prince stared at his grandfather in anticipation, waiting for the end of the tale in unfeigned excitement. "She was a young earth mage, barely eighteen years old. But what made her so special was the fact that she could control all the elements. Earth, air, water, and fire. That's why we call her the Counterpoise. She faced the Rogue Mage and they fought for what seemed like hours."

"What happened to the Counterpoise, Grandpa?" Armin asked excitedly though he'd heard the story countless times before. But still he watched with wide blue eyes, sparkling with curiosity and awe in the way only children's eyes do. "Well," said his grandfather, a well-worn smile creeping onto his lips below the scruffy hairs of his moustache. "In the end, the Counterpoise's powers were far too strong. She defeated the Rogue Mage and banished him to Eleria Tower, where he remains to this day. You see, the Conterpoise placed a powerful spell on the tower so he wouldn't escape. She also created the barriers between the sectors that prevent mages from using their magic outside of their own sector. They are very powerful spells, Armin. But as the Counterpoise ages, her powers grow weaker and the Rogue Mage grows stronger. And one day, the Rogue Mage may try to break free of his prison and take control of our kingdoms."

He leaned back in his chair, folding his gnarled fingers together and letting out a sigh. "Alright, my little star, time to get some rest," he said, his voice warm as always. Armin pouted in disappointment but obeyed, burying himself deep within the covers. After blowing out the candle at his bedside, his grandfather fixed the blankets tighter around him before pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. "Grandpa, will the Rogue Mage ever escape?"

His gaze hardened for a moment before quickly going soft again. He gave him another gentle smile, though the corners jerked up unusually. "No need to worry about that, my star," he said, settling his scraggly hand over the tiny, fleshy one of his grandson. "The Rogue Mage won't get to you. If he ever escapes, there'll be another Counterpoise, a far stronger one, who'll protect you and everyone else from him. So never fear. There'll always be someone to protect us."

Armin beamed up at his grandfather, feeling relieved and secure once again. The elderly man gently ruffled his hair and rubbed his thumb across his cheek. "Now get some sleep. You've got a big day tomorrow."

He smiled and shut his big blue eyes, pulling the sheets further over him. He sank into the mattress and let himself be overcome by the warmth and serenity of sleep.