The Castle Guard

09: A magical cabin

              At the center of his being something had ignited, it attached itself to Darien the very first moment Darien manipulated the magical energy flowing through him even if he didn’t know it. “When that dagger was about to end your life survival instinct kicked in blowing whatever lid blocked the flow of power within you,” Dracenstark explained when they reached his small cabin he had known that when Darien was in his chamber ‘what I can’t understand is why it manifested so late, usually any mage with potential manifests his power not later than the age of twelve but Darien is at least 23 years of age.’ Everyone who worked or lived in the castle whether noble or otherwise had their history recorded unknowingly before they started working or staying there this was enacted as a way of ensuring protection of the royals from unknown enemies.

 This is overseen by a group of individuals who were not strictly assassins more like spies placed in every part of the castle posing as normal people while observing from the shadows reporting the slightest hint of trouble, crime or disloyalty upon which the perpetrator would be swiftly but silently taken out after being thoroughly tortured into giving up their accomplices. They had no name as giving them a name would be acknowledging their existence which they didn’t not to everyone else besides the king, queen, arch-mage, arch-duke and the military commander of all armies in the kingdom that formed a secret council besides the official council.

It only took a moment’s notice before Dracenstark had full knowledge on Darien’s background from the day he was born, the village he grew up in, his family and the mysterious illness that led to his current presence within the castle walls being chosen randomly not because of any prior agenda, him having hidden abilities was pure coincidence one that Dracenstark would use to its utmost advantage. A theory formed as he read the catalogued information, his lips widened into a calculating grin.

Darien followed Dracenstark in silence across a wide meadow they walked onto after veering west of the castle gates, in the distance a small house sat near a strip of trees that marked the beginning of Triland forest.

   It was a one storey house nothing that special; 10meters wide, 7meters long, its length ending with the rise of a black roof, its walls were dark emerald. The whole thing formed a kind of square from Darien’s view it had two windows on either side of its door, Darien didn’t notice as he passed Dracenstark by a few steps forward his eyes trained on the small house ‘well this is underwhelming!’ he imagined the mage’s house outside the castle to be larger what with his power and wealth having a castle of his own wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility. As he got closer he saw that the grass around the house was cutoff completely making the immediate ground from the walls to almost eight inches away bare with no sign of vegetation forming a circle around it from which part onwards was covered in grass. Darien was 5meters away from the house when he suddenly collided onto an invisible force pushing him backwards reeling “What the …?” he cursed under his breath his palm massaging his now aching forehead as it was among the first to sustain the impact. ‘What is that?’ Darien looked closer at the house now noticing something he and probably many others who passed by missed. Around the house an invisible almost imperceptible barrier stood Darien could only notice it due to the slight wind and swaying of grass, wind glided over it exposing its domed outline over the whole building grass on the outside of it swayed freely towards east while inside the invisible dome grass stood erect and unmoving Darien turned to Dracenstark feeling confused. The mage upon seeing Darien’s face felt his serious expression c***k slowly then fast he burst out laughing so loud animals in the forest must have heard him. “You …collided into…” he muttered in between breaths “I have always wanted to do that” he said his eyes almost tearful. His serious demeanor crumbled leaving Dracenstark looking like a drunken man.

“Uh…” Darien muttered feeling embarrassed and annoyed at the mage’s gale of laughter, ‘As if invisible walls were something common. The mage quickly composed himself wiping off the look of joy replacing it with a grim expression leaving no trace of joy. He took out a small oval silver amulet which he wore under his robe clutched it in his right hand and muttered something in another language. On the ground several light blue concentric lines embedded with runes appeared circling the whole cabin, the runes differed from each one pulsating with magical energy. They begun to move within the lines some changed position moving to another line, Darien stared in awe as the runes spun ‘I have to know how to do that!’ he exclaimed inwardly. The runes stopped suddenly having reached their respective destinations then went off, “Barrier spell!” Dracenstark said then stepped onto bare land heading for his door feeling amused at Darien’s amazed expression ‘That’s just a taste of actual power’

Darien followed him into the house, its interior though made Dracenstark’s chamber at the castle like a peasant’s hut in comparison. The room stretched further than its exterior dimensions in all corners; it’s walls were white with a smooth stone floor along them wooden shelves were placed filled with books of various sizes on each side at the center a large dark brown Oakwood table settled, on it few potions resided, a golden throne-like chair with red leather over wool at least that’s what Darien assumed at its center on the arm rests and on the seat. Beside it a long silver staff stood erect by itself at its top arching to form a question mark with a red glowing gem in the middle floating on its own. A large crystal chandelier hanged at the high ceiling (that couldn’t possibly have the same height as seen from outside) carrying several candles. Further behind the table-desk and chair another higher table stood by itself supported by a single stone pillar that emerged from the floor on it several flasks spread out containing various fluids and powder of different colors ranging from red, brown and black, there were feathers weird sludge-like substances on metal plates, sliced plant stems and leaves, above it a chandelier similar to the one near the door hang. The windows were lined golden from inside on their bars seeming larger on the inside than from outside, the sun’s morning light poured slowly through them making them shine slightly then bouncing at the lower parts of the chandelier at which point became refracted and onto the walls giving the room an ethereal feeling somehow the air inside was way better than outside. Darien felt like he’d stepped into another world filled with more treasure, knowledge and magic than he had ever thought to experience despite all its grandeur he couldn’t help but feel there was more than what he saw though he didn’t inquire knowing just being shown this was more privilege than most got.

The door banged closed snapping Darien from his trance,

. “When that dagger was about to end your life survival instinct kicked in blowing whatever lid blocked the flow of power within you,” Dracenstark begun immediately rushing to the point Darien sat on a small chair that had moved (on its own after Dracenstark ordered him to sit) erect listening to Dracenstark explain while he paced towards the large table “Normally a mage shows a potential for magic not later than at least 16 years after birth which leaves the question ‘why hadn’t you shown any prowess in the past?” he let the question hang in silence Darien stared blankly asking himself the same question ‘Why hadn’t he?’

“My theory is… it had something to do with the illness, I guess it blocked your core ability to do magic.” Darien kept quiet waiting for the mage to explain not caring how he knew of his previous ailment.

“You see what we call magic is…