WoodSong - First Intermission: The Royal Student

 

King Barakai called his hopeful advisor into the throne room. The opulence seemed to be no shock to the man, rather, he seemed to feel quite at home. For a moment the two stood across from one another. After a moment the Mage remembered his duty and bowed.

 

“So, what is it that you can bring to this kingdom as an Advisor to Magic.” King Barakai asked slightly tersely, a bit annoyed that the man had hesitated to bow to him.

 

“Power.” Said the Mage, then he closed his eyes as Barakai's widened slightly in excitement. “It made sense that your Father had appointed a TreeMage to this position in a time of peace, but, as you know, that time is well over. My gifts lie in power, as an AbyssMage. The power to weaken your enemies, the power to strengthen one's self. I could make an invading squadron fall to their knees before you with the lift of my hand, for that is my power. Is it not power that you seek?”

 

“Yes, power absolute, the power of the Mages beside me.” The king paused in reflection, then added. “perhaps, the power of the Mages for myself.”

 

“You seek a teacher? You wish to learn the ways of the DarkMage? As a second tier DarkMage there is much I could each you. You could become even more powerful than myself. However, I warn you, there are many trials that lie ahead of you, though I think you of all people could take them in stride.”

 

Barakai leaned closer. “Such as?”

 

“I feel you have already passed the first trial, already are you a ShadowMage.”

 

“How so?”

 

Opening his captivating eyes, the Mage continued. “I see it in the way you command the people, you see. It's the way you make them blind to the obvious truths that surround them. You could kill a man, walk through the halls of the castle with his blood on your hands, and no one would think of you as a murderer. No, they would remind you to wash up for dinner and that would be the end of it.” Barakai became nervous at the little story the Mage had told, remembering that more adept Mages were given to clairvoyance.

 

Taking no notice, or perhaps only satisfaction in his ability to make the King himself squirm, the Mage smiled and continued. “A ShadowMage is content to work from behind the scenes, influencing all whom he should meet to do what suits him. Though still, it is not uncommon to see one as a member of royalty. Your power is the power of suggestion, and it lies entirely in the mind. An AbyssMage, such as myself has power not so much over the mind, but the body. I could make a man fall to his knees in pain, or rule a peasants mind with pleasure. As I have grown more adept in my studies, I have gained more and more minute control over the body. So much so that I could cause a man to be poisoned by his own body. However, one must over come one obstacle to achieve such power.”

 

“What is this trial?” Asked the King, leaning even father in, until he seemed in danger of losing his perch on the throne.

 

“You must allow the deaths of those you care about, and do so because it suits your goals. Then, my power will become yours.”