Chapter 6 - A Choice
1975 Words
It was impossible for Magnus to manage sleep that night. He could not even muster a wink after such a disturbing act of betrayal at the hand of his own King.
Closing his eyes Magnus fought to think of something else, anything else, but could still see it all playing over and over again and it infuriated him. It appeared that the dungeon's latest prisoner was doomed to be haunted by the memory of his good friend Kaine’s merciless murder and the evil grin spread across King Leofilliah’s face as the ruler carelessly sentenced his Captain to death.
But the King had forgotten one very important thing...
Magnus did not fear death.
As he sat alone in the darkness of the dungeon with his back resting against the stone wall of his cell, Magnus could feel nothing but an unrelenting hatred for the treacherous King he had once blindly followed. Without even realising it his heart had begun to grow cold with remorse as his thoughts were focused on one thing and one thing alone; revenge.
The Dremivian Captain had been awake for about two hours now as he sat silently staring off into nothingness, his entire body tense with primal anger. His legs were widely spread and bent at the knee, held in close to his body as his wrists were loosely shackled to the wall behind him with a long thick chain.
Come sunrise he would be marched down to the main courtyard for his execution before a crowd mixed with his comrades and complete strangers. People he had once fought for; risked his life for, shed his blood to protect. The very thought of it fueled his inner rage as his jaw clenched.
The dungeon cell he was sitting in was terribly cold, damp and extremely dark; the only visible light came from the small crack underneath the thick iron door.
Magnus suddenly glanced up as he noticed movement out the corner of his eye; something moving slowly against the cell wall in front of him. His heart began to race as the imprisoned Captain squinted his eyes narrowly in the darkness, trying desperately to identify what the moving shadow actually was.
Was he alone in the cell or had another prisoner been in here with him the entire time?
“Who’s there?”
His deep voice echoed off of the stone walls, bouncing around the room until it faded off into the silence once again, leaving him wondering. Magnus swallowed hard as his heart beat faster and faster, his nerves taking over his normally rational thoughts as he continued peering off into the shadowed darkness with fear.
“Magnus...” a sudden raspy voice whispered eerily, causing the hairs on the Captain's arms to instantly stand on end.
Then he saw it.
A single set of brightly glowing white eyes illuminated in the surrounding darkness of the shadowed corner of the cell. They began to slowly move in toward him and soon the profile of a pale white face covered in black tattooed markings on it was revealed. A giant black hood covered the stranger's head as his long, black robes hung down to cover his body from view.
Magnus watched as the hooded figure moved into the small patch of light given off by the crack below the cell door.
Suddenly he realised the truth; he had seen this figure once before on the battlefields of Kreeth only months earlier! This was the strange demon who had left a burning mark on his arm!
But why had he returned?
“You...” Magnus gasped, "What... what are you?"
As Alabam spoke with his haunting voice it sent chills up the base of Magnus' spine.
“I am known by many names... A loyal servant of the darkness, Master Mage... the Bringer of Chaos... These are but a few.” he paused before adding, “But you may call me Alabam.”
Magnus’ eyes narrowed.
“But... I’ve seen you before, during the battle of Kreeth.” the trembling Captain paused and thought for a moment before continuing on, “... I ran you through with my sword! But how-”
“-No mortal weapon can kill me.” Alabam suddenly cut in snidely with his reply.
“Wait, what do you mean by mortal weapon?”
Alabam seemed to purposely ignore the human's question as he went on, pacing back and forth in front of the restrained Captain.
“There is much to do and I’m afraid that your time is running out, Magnus. We must act quickly if you wish to survive past dawn.”
“Wait, how do you know my name?”
“I know everything about you, Magnus McRae...” Alabam began to move closer very slowly as a predator would stalk its prey, inch by inch as he continued with his raspy voice.
“From the day you were marked you have been chosen for a future of incredible power and greatness... that time has come.”
“Marked?” Magnus' brows furrowed together with confusion.
From the exact second he asked his question, Magnus realised the answer; the burn on his forearm was a marking. Alabam had marked him when they first met for some unknown purpose.
“You marked me..." his eyes darted upward at the Mage, "...why?”
Alabam stopped just in front of where Magnus was sitting down on the cold stone floor, his knees bent as he stared up at his strange visitor with intrigue. It seemed that Alabam was deciding what information he would choose to share with the human as a wide grin spread across his terrifyingly pale face.
His next words would change this human's life forever.
“I am here to offer you a choice Magnus, a very important one. One that could make all of your hopes and dreams become reality.”
Magnus eyed him suspiciously, c*****g an eyebrow. This seemed too good to be true, and as he had found out many times over, that was usually the case.
“What kind of choice?”
The hooded Mage tilted his head to the side playfully.
“You can either stay here, wallowing in your own misery and wait for your inevitable end at dawn to come... or...”
Alabam surprised Magnus as he moved down to crouch before the restrained Captain, allowing their eyes to meet.
“...or you can become something far more powerful than anything known in this world; a god among men.”
Magnus' expression showed that he was processing the new information, seeming to take it all in. His face was scrunched up as he tried to understand what this mysterious stranger was really offering him, he was being very vague.
“A god?” Magnus' sceptical tone showed his disbelief.
“Well, the closest thing to it I suppose.” Alabam’s head tilted in the other direction now as he spoke, his eyes still fixed on the human sitting in front of him.
“And what do you want from me in return for this... favour? I assume you want something otherwise you wouldn't have gone to this much trouble.”
Alabam's grin spread wide, from ear to ear now as he quickly replied with, “I want your immortal soul.”
Momentarily stunned and sceptical of the Mage's request, Magnus broke into a deep belly laughter as he shook his head in jest at this ludicrous suggestion. But he soon realised that Alabam was being serious; the Master Mage wasn't smiling, merely continuing to stare eerily into Magnus’ eyes.
Magnus' eyes narrowed.
“Wait, you’re serious?”
Alabam suddenly reached out his hand, his long white fingers spread wide revealing his long, black claw-like fingernails. He held his open palm just above Magnus' right arm, seeming to focus for a moment on something.
Magnus watched with wonder as Alabam’s white irises began to glow brighter and brighter. He felt a sudden burning on his forearm and looked down to see what was causing the painful sensation. His eyes widened with wonder. The handprint on his arm was beginning to glow red; an obvious display of dark magic.
Then, the glowing suddenly ceased and the pain went away as Alabam lowered his hand to his side.
“You were chosen for a reason, Magnus. I have never chosen a vessel lightly-"
"-Vessel?" Magnus interrupted.
A slight chuckle escaped the Mage's lips.
"I searched far and wide for centuries looking for you. The day we met I knew you were the one I had been searching for; the one who I would bestow with ultimate power and endless glory. You, Magnus... you will help me change the entire world.”
"I don't understand, what could I possibly offer someone as powerful as you?"
"The world, Magnus... the world."
Alabam's reply had more questions racing about in his head than there were before as the Captain looked down at the damp cell floor, contemplating his choices in the rush of the moment.
"What do you want from me?" his eyes met the Mage again.
"Surrender yourself to me, allow me to bestow upon you the power and glory no other man may possess. Become my vessel, Magnus McRae."
It only took Magnus a few seconds of thought in silence before he voiced his reply, his voice seeming to echo off of the walls a little louder now.
“I have nothing left to live for... the King took everything from me today; my title, my reputation, even my best friend...” he let out a long sigh as he clenched his fists at either side of him.
He seemed angered as he looked directly into Alabam’s eyes; his fury beaming out from behind his determined expression. As he spoke next his voice was deep and commanding.
“I want vengeance... I want to make Leofilliah pay for what he did to me... and I want everyone to watch as I break the treacherous worm's neck.”
Alabam grinned devilishly at the determination Magnus was now showing; this was indeed the vessel he had been searching for!
“Vengeance..." the Master Mage's haunting voice spoke, "...now that I can do!”
As Alabam stood again he raised his index finger and Magnus flinched as his shackles instantly clicked unlocked and opened on their own, releasing his wrists from their restraints. Rolling his shoulders around Magnus kept his eyes on Alabam as he slowly pulled himself up to stand before the hooded figure. In comparison Magnus was slightly taller, though both of them were quite tall when compared to anyone else.
Alabam continued explaining.
“In exchange for your soul you will be bestowed with all the wonder of my powers. You will be stronger than one hundred men, swifter than the wind and you will never age another day in your life. You will be feared and respected... by all.”
He paused and grinned devilishly at what he had to say next.
“And of course... you will have the power to exact your vengeance on the treacherous King. Take his throne and his lands Magnus... become who you were destined to be.”
Magnus stood with his hands by his sides, his eyes were fierce and consumed with hatred and malice. Had he perhaps had more time to decide he may have had second thoughts about handing over his immortal soul to this obviously evil creature standing before him, but in this case he had run out of both his time and patience.
“You want my soul... take it, it's yours.” he exclaimed, tilting his head slightly as he spoke, “Make me a god, Mage."
- Writer
