Chapter Two

A Chapter by btinge

Second Chapter of the in-progress novel

"Again!" Horin demanded as Bruin fell to the ground, "I won't always be here to protect you and if you're going to survive when I'm not then you can't have the liberty of stopping when you're tired." Bruin looked up at his father with determination in his eyes, breathing heavily he rose to his feet and lifted the blunt blade of his wooden practice sword in front of him, his arms shaking from the effort. Bruin took a second to visualize his next movements, then lunged forward at his Father hoping to catch him off guard with the sudden ferocity of his attack. Horin swiftly side-stepped the lunge, stepping past his son before delivering a blow to the back of Bruin's head that sent him tumbling back onto the floor. " I can see we aren't going to get any further today, tomorrow we will resume, but for now, clean yourself up and continue your studies of your mother's writings." Horin sighed as he walked away from his beaten son, not bothering to turn around. Bruin's eyes flared with rage as his father walked away from him, he lifted his hand and gather his will.

"Igner!" Bruin shouted as flames burst forth from his hand before backfiring and striking Bruin square in the chest.

"You have a lot yet to learn," Bruin heard his father say before he slipped unconscious.

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Bruin groaned as his eyes fluttered open slowly, "You're finally awake," a familiar voice gently spoke to him, "That was quite a close call, not many people who are impaled by a Ravager live to tell the tale. Then again, not many people are fortunate enough to know me."

It all came rushing back, "I'd been stabbed, saving that young girl... I... I shouldn't be alive. There's no way I should be alive, I should be dead!" Bruin exclaimed as he lifted his hand to his chest searching for any sign of his wound, finding only soft skin where a hole should've been.

"Yes, well, you would've been if it weren't for me." The voice quietly explained. Lifting his back from the ground, Bruin looked around for the one he owed his life too, his eyes slowly adjusting to the light, then gasped when he saw the long Brunette hair.

"You! Who exactly are you, and how did you save me? I should have a gaping hole right in the middle of my chest! Bruin spat out as he stared at the beautiful woman standing in front of him, his mouth ajar.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's rude to stare," She said as her cheeks turned the faintest shade of red.

"I'm sorry, I just want to know why I'm still breathing." Bruin quickly apologized, closing his mouth.

"Well, I guess I owe yo an explanation of sorts, though I do think its fairly obvious. I healed you, with magic." She stated bluntly, uninterested in his amazement.

"I have never heard of any magic that could heal such a drastic wound, minor cuts and scrapes sure, but this?" bruin gestured towards his chest.

"True, I guess you could say my magic is a special case. It is a double edged sword, though, I can heal almost any wound, but I have to inflict an equal one to someone else. No healing can come without pain." She explained as her eyes sank down to the floor.

Ignoring her cryptic words as something that can be figured out later, Bruin began searching for her eyes while he asked, "Who exactly are you"?

"My name is Madylen," she whispered, then looking up suddenly she caught Bruin's piercing blue eyes, "Now you owe me an explanation, why were you in Harrobar and why did you risk your life for Genevieve and me?"

Startled by the sudden question, Bruin pondered for a moment, "I was hoping to resupply in Harrobar when I stumbled upon the Ravagers and the girl-"

"Genevieve," Madylen interrupted.

"The Ravagers and," Bruin paused,"Genevieve. To tell you the truth I didn't decide to risk myself until I saw you running in so foolishly."

"What? Why did I make the difference?" Madylen angrily stammered out.

Taking a deep breath, Bruin continued, "Because I couldn't convince myself that my life was worth two, and before that I had no reason to believe the girl-" Madylen's eyes flared, "I mean Genevieve, could survive on her own if I happened to save her but perished in the act. With you there, she would at least stand a chance."

"I see... I can follow your logic but can't believe you would have let her die if I hadn't shown up, your face is far too kind for that," Madylen calmly explained as she fiddled with a piece of her brown dress.

"Now I just need you to explain one more thing, why did you save me?" Bruin questioned as Madylen began to pace back and forth in front of him.

"For a few reasons, I couldn't let the man who saved us die, and I realized that if we're going to survive we need you. We need you to lead us to Amotheria and I need you to help protect Genevieve, because as much as I hate to admit it, we wouldn't survive the Journey. But the main reason is because she asked me to save you." Madylen finished as she abruptly stopped pacing. "Now all that remains to be answered is, will you help us?"

"You're the reason I was brought back from the brink of death, and I will never be able to repay that debt but..." Bruin dragged the words out as he rose to his feet, wondering if he should tell her everything.

"But?" Madylen looked up at Bruin her eyes pleading with the man she had forcibly pulled back into life.

"Nothing. I will help you both, I swear that both you and Genevieve will make it safely to Amotheria." He declared loudly his voice echoing in the ruins.

Tears of joy filled Madylen's eyes as she smiled, "I'm glad to hear that, I knew we made the right decision saving you."

"Where exactly is Genevieve, I haven't seen the girl who convinced you to save me, I owe her my thanks." Bruin politely asked as he looked around the ruins for any sign of the girl.

"Right I suppose its time you both officially met, Genevieve its safe to come out now, Bruin's agreed to help us," Madylen shouted into the seemingly empty ruins.

"Revalen," A voice said as the familiar rush of magic energy flew past Bruin. The air to Bruin's side shimmered and out stepped Genevieve, Bruin looked on in awe as the girl stepped forth from the powerful illusion that was so masterfully created that even he couldn't detect it. Examining the young but already powerful mage his eyes stopped when they made it to her left shoulder, where her left arm should've been, only a mangled stump remained.

Madylen's words rang out in Bruin's head, No healing can come without pain.

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© 2017 btinge

Author's Note

Mostly concerned if you enjoy the story-telling experience, continue with more or scrap idea, is it overdone?

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Featured Review

Octavia

Cool idea that her gift is a double edged sword. I like that concept, as well as how logical everything is.

However, despite the logic, I feel like these characters are just coming out and saying exactly what's on their mind. That's not how real interactions work, especially when people first meet each other. They are wary, especially in life-or-death situations, even if one of them just saved the other. I would go back and take out quite a bit of this dialog and save it for later. Why and how they saved each other would be a good conversation for later after they've decided to travel together. First, they would want to make sure they are safe (hierarchy of needs - safety, then food and water, then shelter, and finally only once those have been met do people worry about explanations and emotional standing). So I feel like Bruin and Madylen would be a lot more cautious around each other at first.

Anyway, I am enjoying the read. Thanks for sharing!