(2) Lessons

Whispered chants came quickly from between the lips of the woman, as the three ran toward her, swords raised. She had cursed the first two, but stumbled on the words of the final incantation, and two swords lay into her. Blades tore at her scarlet robes, searing her skin, but she hardly felt it, so concentrated was she, so cold was her skin. Flames surrounded her hands as she opened her eyes, holding her breath as the fire built in her control. The female thief screamed as she was immolated, twirling in desperate attempts to put herself out. The two other Defias watched in horror as their companion’s flesh melted from the intense heat, her hair burning like golden hay, but the warlock kept up the pace as she started right up with another spell, this time shadow enveloping her hands.

As the female fell to the grass a mass of burnt dead flesh and bone, another sword struck her arm, making Annaliese gasp aloud before she could harness the spell, and instead she withdrew the small dagger she was given and attacked the man relentlessly. It did not take long for him to fall as she sunk the small blade into his belly, already succumbing to the curse she successfully placed on him. With two dead, she turned her attention to the final woman that stood at her side, guarding the tent with her life. The warlock sighed as she looked at the woman, a pleading look on her face.

“Can you just let me have the book? It’s all I want,” she said softly to the Defias thief, but stupidly, the woman rushed her anyway, sword raised into the air above her head. The courage was admirable, but what would happen when that courage was abandoned? Annaliese muttered words beneath her breath just as the valkyrie was about to land the blow, and the woman’s fierceness left her altogether as she quivered and ran from the warlock, going completely out of her way to avoid the dark sorceress. Anna shook her head as the Defias woman ran through the vineyards…and right into the hammer of a young paladin, who struck her down mercifully in her unintelligible fear. With dark eyes, the warrior of Light looked in the direction of the warlock and began to make his way toward her, even as she shuffled to the side of the tent to whisk a single book from a pile of others. Eyeing it, she smiled half-heartedly at her victory, but shrunk back a little when she saw the paladin stand before her with demeaning eyes.

“Was it completely necessary for you to scare the living daylights out of the woman?” he scowled at her, his hammer brought gently to the ground in strong hands. “And I saw what you did to the other. Just about burned her skin off. Why didn’t you just ask for my help instead of tormenting them like that?”

“I really didn’t-” she began, trying to find the words to explain herself to the angered stranger, but he raised his voice instead, dripping with contempt.

“It’s just like you warlocks to go completely out of your way to get what you want. You probably enjoyed every moment of it too, didn’t you? You are just sick, lady,” he continued mercilessly.

“Please, I don’t…”

“Shut up, just stop. You all are a cancer in the side of the Alliance. I’ll let you know that the church is working on a law to have some of your powers bound, to not be used so near places of honor, which you so incredibly lack.”

Annaliese wondered what in the world she did to earn these hateful words from a passing adventurer. Weren’t they all here for the same purpose? To learn, to help the people of Northshire Abbey? She just didn’t understand why she all of a sudden was a target. She needed the book…it was stolen property after all. The paladin sneered at her.

“Maybe you are the one who needs a lesson in fear..” the paladin threatened, looming over her with the heavy hammer.

“Shouldn’t you be saving a squirrel from an untimely death or something?” came Bastion’s voice from behind them both, and they turned toward him. Bastion wore his usual smirk, the green eyes glittering as he gazed at her, then returned his eyes to the paladin.

“She did what she had to so she could survive. In fact, what the hell were you doing just standing there watching her take on the three of them?” he said smugly. The paladin huffed a little, dragging his makeshift hammer to sheathe it behind his back. Bastion clicked his teeth together, and sighed mockingly.

“Very un-paladin-like of you, isn’t it? Imagine what Deputy Willem would say. I don’t think he would be flattered by your conduct. Now go and save the squirrels like a good little choir boy before I report you for hassling the girl,” he said nonchalantly.

Staring down Bastion a few moments, he shuffled his feet and headed toward the Abbey in a brisk walk, speaking no more. Bastion let out a hearty chuckle from the depths of his belly as they watched the paladin walk away. He neared Anna then, eyeing the book in her hands.

“What have you got there, darling?” he said smoothly, weaving a hand through her silky hair while reaching for the book. He took it gently from his apprentice, and smiled at her.

“Powers of the Void. Drusilla told me to retrieve it,” she said simply, shrugging. “So I did.”

“And a wonderful job you did of it. The body is still in flames, you know. Now that is rage…”he purred to in her ear. “You really wanted that book, didn’t you?” he chuckled.

“I was more frustrated actually. And then that paladin…” she said, letting her amber eyes travel in the direction of her insulter.

“Forget about the idiot. You will meet many more. He was probably just threatened by your power,” Bastion sneered. He threaded his fingers through her hair once more, admiring its texture.

“You have a fire inside you. Use it. Set it free. Burn his face off next time, and then claim he tried to rape you.”

Annaliese’s eyes widened at the suggestion, and Bastion chuckled at her.

“Well, I would have liked to see it. Go on, turn the book into the little wench in the graveyard, and come back to me, and show me what you’ve learned.”

(Later)

The demonic calling was perhaps the hardest thing she had yet to do. The unearthly energies writhed around her as she concentrated, muttering the same incantation over and over in Demonic, beads of sweat trailing around her forehead. Bastion leaned against the wooden fence watching her, an approving smile on his face. Soon the squeak of the imp was heard as it materialized from within the energies, and it stood before them both, necrofire lighting its fingertips. It turned to Annaliese, lifting its sharp, horned head up to take her in, then bowed lowly before her.

“Zigham’sthenamepleasurei’msure” the imp said beyond comprehension, its words high pitched and strung together all too quickly. Bastion shook his head, dumbfounded.

“What…?”

The imp sighed heavily, looking impatiently at the two warlocks.

“ZIG-HAM,” it said loudly, enunciating each syllable. Bastion let loose another laugh.

“You’ll have fun with that one,” he remarked. Annaliese simply stared at the demon, quiet. The imp tore its gaze away from its master, unnerved by her silence. Bastion wrapped his arms around his student’s shoulders, cradling her like a child.

“Lets go to Goldshire and get something to eat, eh?” he said, giving her a small kiss on her mouth.

Annaliese hardly felt his lips, her amber eyes like cold stone.