Chapter 15

 

“First thing in the morning,” Marcus yawned as he stood outside watching the sun just beginning to rise. “Why does everything have to be first thing in the morning?”

            Geoff laughed as he joined Marcus in the courtyard. “Because no one else is awake to see you embarrass yourself, besides its cooler in the morning for the practice we’re going to start with.”

            “Which is what exactly?” Marcus asked.

            “What have you wanted to do since Joseph’s inn?”

            Marcus touched the sword belt at his side, his eyes widening. “Are you sure you want to start with that? I mean there must be other things I’m going to need to learn.”

            Geoff shook his head. “Now is the best time. No one is around and you are awake enough to comprehend what is going on.”

            “You’ve mentioned no one being around twice now. Why is that so important?”

            “Practicing with a weapon is dangerous, especially when you have no previous experience. Most young mages like to show off when an audience starts to gather and usually end up hurt or embarrassed. I’d rather have you avoid that for now, you’ll have enough of an audience when we join the others.”

            “When we join the others?” Marcus paled, “I’m really going to have to meet all these people?”

            Geoff studied him saying nothing. Marcus knew Geoff could feel the fear oozing from him, but having people he could not remember judging him against who he used to be unnerved him. What if he didn’t match what the group remembered? What if he somehow sent Max to them? Meeting the people Geoff worked with was not a good idea, there was no way they would accept him as Michael Carmichael.

            Marcus started backing up, putting distance between himself and the future. Unfortunately, Geoff wouldn’t let him take off. “So Joseph was right about you? You’re going to run off when things become complicated.”

            Marcus stopped. Scowling, he muttered. “I’m not running off.”

            “Really?” Geoff’s right eyebrow rose, “Than why were you backing up? Unless you’re afraid of learning to fight?”

            “I’m not afraid to learn anything. I just don’t think this is going to be a good idea.”

            “It’s too late to back out now, Marcus. You committed yourself to this arrangement in front of several teachers and one of the counsel members, if you were having second thoughts it should have been before last night.”

            “But what if I can’t meet their expectations? What’ll happen to me then? ”

            “Nothing, because the only expectations you need to worry about are mine. No one else matters, Marcus.”

            Marcus stared at him. Max held him accountable for any complaints other officers had about his training. If something went wrong and someone else noticed, he would be in trouble, even if he had nothing to do with it. But that was also under Max, Marcus reminded himself. Geoff does things differently, why would I worry about the past now?

            Because Max is the only teacher I have ever known. Another part of his brain added, but I have the chance to learn from one of the best, if I don’t screw it up.

            “This is why you don’t want an audience, isn’t it?” Marcus finally asked.  

            “Not having an audience does help,” Geoff answered, “but an apprentice backing out at first is common and usually overlooked. Are you ready to get started now?”      

            Marcus nodded, “I think so.”

            “Good, come here.”

            As Marcus edged closer, he noticed a brief flash of surprise in Geoff’s eyes. Confusion filled his own as he set his feet at an angle, his knees slightly bent waiting for Geoff to start.

            “Are you sure you’ve never handled a sword before?”

            “I don’t think I have, why?”

            Geoff swung his sword in an arc slowly, allowing the familiar movements to carry out the attack as he focused on Marcus. His brother had watched him carry out this move and had learned to block it before the boy had disappeared, if Marcus was his brother he would know what to do.

            Instead of retreating, Marcus felt a memory take over and he moved forward, lifting his sword above his head to block the arc than turning his block to the side, thrusting Geoff’s sword off balance. At the same time, he stepped forward going on the offensive. Geoff quickly regained control and blocked Marcus’ attack; pushing the boy back before Marcus recovered.

            They continued for a few minutes, moving back and forth in a small circle of the yard, the ringing from their blades echoing in the stillness around them. As Geoff performed the arc again, attempting to catch him above, Marcus angled his blade, coming up beneath Geoff’s move and blocking it a few inches above his head.

            “That is why I ask.” Geoff said, taking a deep breath. “Most mages who cannot wield a sword would have retreated the first time my blade swung towards them.”

            “I wanted to,” Marcus admitted, gasping for air. “But I felt like I’d seen that move before and just reacted to it.”

            Geoff swung his blade down, Marcus barely blocking it in time. “You have the basics down then; we’ll just have to unlock the rest of it while working on your speed and concentration.” Geoff moved back, lowering his sword. Marcus started to do the same, but stopped. He bent his knees again, raising his sword as Geoff thrust at him again.

            Blocking it, Marcus grunted, “How do you plan on working on all of them at the same time?”

            Geoff smiled, “Practice, now try to attack me.”

 

            As Marcus moved towards him, Astra stepped into the shadows on the inn’s porch. He knew how to do so many things, but could not see the truth that lay in front of his own eyes. She bit her lower lip, holding back the tears as Marcus perfected moves he had played with at their first meeting. Lost in memories and pain, she didn’t sense Ailora joining her until she spoke.

            “Did he practice among Max’s men or the Spartans?”

            Astra jumped and turned to the voice, breathing deeply when she saw who it was. “Oh gods, you scared me. When did you come out?”

            “Just now. Dear, if you know his past more than he does, why not try to share it with him?”

            The tears filled Astra’s eyes, “Because I can’t say a word or I’ll lose him completely.”

            Ailora’s eyebrows furrowed, “What do you mean you’ll lose him completely? Surely he won’t hold anything that happened against you?”

            “It’s not that.” Astra turned away, her eyes settling on Marcus as she looked into the past. “The concoctions Max forced Marcus to take block out his past and can only be broken from within. Any outside help or influence will cause the ingredients to start eating away at his memories and throw him into a fog from which he will never recover.”

             “Is this why you wish to become a healer?” Ailora asked softly, hearing the tears welling in her own voice.

            “It started out that way.” Astra sniffled, “But I discovered I have talent in healing and I want to learn how to further my abilities anyway.”

            “You want to find a way to counteract the drugs Max forced him to take as you learn more about yourself.”

            Astra nodded, turning back to her, tears coursing down her cheeks. “If there is a way to take his memories away, there has to be a way to bring them back. There just has to be.” She buried her head in Ailora’s shoulder.

            Ailora wrapped her arms around the girl, “We’ll find a way to counteract this threat Astra, I promise. Let me help you or you’re going to burn yourself out.”

            As Astra continued to cry, Ailora watched Geoff and Marcus practicing over her head. Her eyes narrowed as memories of Geoff and Darian sparring as children and of two other younger boys, watching them fight then following Geoff and Darian’s every move as they fought invisible foes, crossed her mind. “He’s home now, Astra. Even if Geoff struggles to believe the truth, he will never allow Marcus to fall again.”

            Pulling the girl to the door, Ailora muttered, “I think I have something that might be useful in your search. Come, we will hunt the shelves of my study for it.”

 

            They entered the inn as steel clashing rang out, Geoff and Marcus stood locked together, inches apart. Geoff smiled as Marcus tried to catch his breath. “Good, now at this point you can do one of two things. You can either punch your opponent in the face or you can aim for the gut, either way he or she will back up breaking the lock allowing you to attack.”

            “Why would I punch a woman in the face?”

            Geoff released them from the lock, “Because Max has several female sword masters on his side, and if you do not find a way to disable them for even a second they will kill you.”

            “Do we?”

            “Do we what?”                      

            “Do we have women sword masters on our side?”

            Geoff nodded, “Ailora is one, Lady Kincaid is another, and with practice I am sure Astra will be one as well.”

            “That would make sense since she is Lady Kincaid’s daughter.” Marcus drew in a deep breath.

            “Is she?” At Marcus’ nod, Geoff sighed. “That would explain why she called Payne uncle yesterday.”

            “That was the only reason we stayed with the Spartans’ to begin with.” Marcus added, “Aside from the fact that Max wouldn’t bother me as much while we were with them.”  

            Marcus trailed off, his eyes widening as he realized what he was saying. “This is what I meant yesterday,” he muttered. “Out of nowhere I start saying things as if I know what I’m talking about.”

            “At one time, Marcus, you did. And you will remember again, I promise. Now, try that last sequence again. Only this time, try breaking away before you are stuck against my sword.”

            Marcus nodded, raising his sword as Geoff moved. His concentration fixed solely on his opponent, Marcus missed the figure flitting through the trees off to his left.

            The figure watched from the tree line as the boys engaged in their mock battle. He should have realized Geoff would bring Marcus here; it would have saved him some traveling. But then, he would have run into his brothers and he was not up to meeting Daniel just yet. No, it was better no one realized he was a walking shadow. It would make it easier for him to explain what was going on if they did not realize the truth too soon.

            As long as Geoff does not figure it out first, he thought as Geoff’s power swept over the area he stood in. His nephew was not going to take a chance with Marcus’ life. If he even felt the faintest glimmer of a powerful mage around, he would be on alert. Stick with your father’s training, boy. Daniel has taught you well. That lunatic in power has no idea what he stands against, no idea at all.

 

            Marcus shivered as faint laughter echoed in his ears. As he and Geoff swapped places, his eyes scanned the trees to the left of them looking for anything that moved. Seeing nothing, Marcus turned back to Geoff, only to see him straightening and looking around as well. “Something wrong?”

            “Did you feel that?”

            “I think so. I heard something anyway. What was it?”

            “I’m not sure,” Geoff murmured. “Nochd ruim/domh a’nàmhaid.” (Show me the enemy)

            Marcus saw a flash of light in the trees he had just searched as Geoff released the spell. The outline of a man showed for a second before it melted into the shadows. “Who was that?”

            Geoff narrowed his eyes, as if he could see into the darkness. “I don’t know. We’ll have to be on guard from now on. You sense anything at all, inform me immediately.”

            “Alright,” Marcus mumbled. “Geoff?”

            “Yes?” Geoff asked absently, his eyes still on the tree line.

            “What was that spell you just did?”

            The tension running through him broke, Geoff turned back around finally noticing Marcus studying him. “It highlights the enemies’ location. However, be extremely careful if using it. When used at night the enemy can see you as well.”

            “Can you use it for other things?”

            Geoff nodded, “Of course, you just need to change the last word to the subject you’re searching for. Speaking of spells, why don’t we take a break? I want to see that spell you almost threw at Xavier last night.”

            Marcus nodded. Pushing all emotion to the back of his mind, Marcus’ eyes drifted to a spot off to Geoff’s right and brought the events from the night before back into focus. As the conversation replayed itself in his mind, his anger reignited reforming the spell onto his fingertips.

            Studying the twists and turns of the boy’s fingers as the magick formed into a fluorescent ball of light, it took a few minutes for Geoff to hear the murmuring of a spell. Realizing Marcus would release it soon, he slowly moved into the boy’s range of fire. It was time to test the boy’s reflexes.

            As the ball of light shot from Marcus’ fingers, Geoff watched it expand into Xavier’s height and width. Recognizing it as an entrapment spell, Geoff wondered if Marcus realized this particular version would isolate the victim from any crowd and inflict whatever pain the caster wished.

            “What is inside this cage, Marcus?” Geoff asked as the spell moved closer. “What were you going to do to him?”

            Marcus snapped back to the present, his eyes widening as he focused on the spell closing in on Geoff. His right hand shot out, one word echoing in the silence of the courtyard.

            “Sguir!”

            The spell dissolved in a flash of dust, right in Geoff’s face. He backed up coughing, waving the cloud away.

            “Sorry,” Marcus muttered, “I thought I had aimed away from you.”

            “You had,” Geoff admitted, still coughing. “I moved.”

            “Why?”

            Geoff held up a hand, another coughing fit racking his body. A glass of water appeared in front of him. Geoff nodded his thanks as he washed the dust from his throat. “I moved to see what you would have thrown at Xavier and to see how well your reflexes are.”

            Still confused, Marcus stared at him. Geoff moved next to him. “Bring last night back into focus. As you do so imagine what would have happened if one of Ailora’s helpers or even one of the other customers had run into Xavier on accident or if he had moved out of the way? Would you have encased another person instead of your intended target?”

Marcus shook his head. “I would have stopped the spell before it reached them.”

“But how quickly would you have reacted?” Geoff asked.

Marcus shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Knowing your own power also means being able to counteract your spells if something does not happen as you might wish.”

“I’m going to have to practice this as well, aren’t I?” Marcus groaned.

Geoff nodded, “Had I been any closer, I would be stuck in that prison instead of choking on its dust.”

Marcus’ lips twitched, “Sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about, you’ll get it. Now, once encased what would have happened?”

“Nothing.”

Geoff raised an eyebrow.

Marcus looked away. “I learn new spells by watching them being performed, even from watching the ones thrown at me.”

 “Do you know what it is capable of doing?”

Marcus nodded, “I remember now, not that it would have made much of a difference in my case. No one would have come to my aide with or without this spell in place.”

Geoff watched the boy’s fingers flinch upwards. Water brightening his eyes, Marcus growled, “I won’t become what he wants me to be.”

He can’t hurt you anymore, Marcus, you need to believe that. Geoff waited until Marcus looked back at him before adding aloud, “I know you won’t, Marcus, I won’t let you. Now, how long were you going to leave Xavier in that spell if you weren’t going to do anything to him?”

Slowly releasing the tension rising in him, Marcus took a deep breath as he shrugged. “I hadn’t really decided. Honestly, I figured if I had actually released it you would have either dissipated it or rebounded it back on me.”

Geoff’s other eyebrow joined the first. “Why?”

Marcus shrugged again, his fingers finally uncurling. “His aura announced him as kinda important. I didn’t think you’d have let me mess with him.”

“Is that why the spell slowed down?”

Marcus blinked, “I didn’t even realize it had reached the stage to be noticed until you said something. I slowed it down?”

Geoff smiled as surprise lowered the boy’s voice. “You were already dissipating the spell yourself before I said anything. Of course, I wasn’t about to inform those fools last night, they need to leave the teaching to those of us who know how.”

“Is that why you weren’t mad?”

 “Was there a reason I should have been mad?” Geoff asked his smile fading.

“I almost set one of the councilmen into a spell I have no right inflicting on anyone even if I hadn’t planned to use it as it was intended.”

“Actually, Marcus, the entrapment spell was originally created to keep a person from interfering as you had planned. Max added the torture it can inflict himself.”

“I could have added another spell to it if I wanted to.”

“If you intended to hurt him,” Geoff said. “Which I don’t believe was the idea.”

Marcus shook his head.

“I didn’t think so.” Geoff sighed, “Marcus, the spells Max unwittingly showed you have other uses than the ones he used them for. It’s up to you how the spells are used and what they can inflict.”

“What does that mean?”

“Those spells are a part of you now and you need to learn how to cast them properly.”

“But I don’t want them!”

“It doesn’t matter. The only way to block someone from using them against you is to learn how to use them yourself.”

“How does that make a difference?”

“Knowing how to use a spell effectively makes it easier to learn not only how to block it, but to also stop it from leaving the other person’s hands.”

“But I know how to do it and couldn’t keep Max from using it against me before.”

“Had you tried to use the entrapment spell on anything after you realized you knew how to do it?”

Marcus shook his head.

“Never using it will not allow you to learn how to control and manipulate the spell to your will.”

“Why would I need to learn how to control or manipulate a spell?”

“Because if you can control a spell without encountering problems, you can manipulate it to become anything you want, even if it is cast by someone else.”

“So I could throw Max’s spells back on him?”

“Once you can control the spells, you might be able to.” Geoff answered. “But that will all depend on how well you control it and that means…”

“Lots of practice,” Marcus groaned.

“Exactly, now raise that weapon. We have more work to do.”

            A grin spreading, Marcus lifted the weapon to the sky. Watching as Geoff started to show him another way to block the arc aimed at him, his thoughts drifted. As he listened to the words and copied Geoff stance for stance, Marcus realized he had made the right choice by staying. If only he had his memory back to prove it.