The Sorcerer's Game

13. Thirst for power

"We are now in a trust bond, Azriel. If you were to break it someday, you will lose all your powers. I will warn you to think before you take any decision." Micheal's face was stern and impassive, and Azriel realized that he was not only warning him. He was also threatening him discreetly. He did not know what to say after this. So, he just nodded at him curtly.

"You can ask me any question you have in mind. I will try to answer them as far as possible." Azriel did not miss the underlying meaning in his words. Micheal would answer only some of his questions, and the others would be left unanswered until the time was correct.

"Mr. Glenn, can you tell me about my father?" Since the time he had heard the man speak about his mother, he wanted to know about his parents. Since his mother was already dead, there was no use for him to know about her right now. He was more interested in knowing who his father was and why Mr. Glenn had called him their nemesis.

"Azriel, how do I tell you this?" Micheal stayed silent for a minute. "Your mother never mentioned your father until she was pregnant with you. We did not even know she was with a man until then. All she said was that she was wrong to have given your father a chance when she knew that he was a horrible man."

Azriel raised his eyebrows at this revelation. "Horrible man?"

"Yes, Azriel. That was what your mother, Vienna said before she left with you. She only told us that your father was leading a group of sorcerers to end us and if her words her true, then your father is Zuko." Micheal pursed his lips and observed the young man's expression. However, Azriel's face was as blank as white paper. There was no change in his expression whatsoever. Heck, there was no expression was at all!

'Zuko? What kind of name is that?' Azriel wondered as he stared back at the man in front of him blankly. 'If Mr. Glenn's words are true, then the man who everyone thinks is my father wants to kill my mother's family. But why?' Azriel voiced out what he had in his mind, and Micheal stayed silent for a few seconds as he thought about it.

"Azriel, how do I tell you? Umm." Micheal tried to sort out his thoughts. "Every kind has good and bad. It is the same with us too. We have good sorcerers as well as bad ones. You are an Inspector. You would know why people become bad."

Azriel nodded at him, He knew the reason why people turned bad and committed crimes. It was either for money or power over everyone. If it was not any among the two reasons, then that person was a psychopath.

"You guessed it right. People are selfish, and they would do anything for absolute power." Micheal let out a helpless smile. "Power makes people to anything. They would do anything to reach that powerful stage, and once they do so, they will do anything to stay where they are."

Azriel did not say a word. But he agreed with every word the old man had said. He had seen a lot of selfish people since the time he had started his job as an Inspector, and everyone only strived for one thing: power. 

"Zuko too wants to rule Tethoris, and for that, he is willing to do anything. You do not know how monstrous he is and how many people he has killed to achieve his aim. But he is unable to reach the point he has in mind." 

"Why don't you just kill him? If I am not wrong, you are a sorcerer too. You could use your magic to kill him." Azriel suggested with a shrug, and Micheal shook his head at once.

"It is not as easy as it sounds. The man is too powerful. It would take a lot of power and strength to kill him. He has mastered the darkest aspect of sorcery which we are yet to study." Micheal let out a sigh in despair.

'If he is that strong, why is waiting until now? He could have easily gained what he dreamt of.' Azriel thought to himself, not daring to reveal his thoughts to the old man in front of him. But Micheal could guess what was running in his mind.

"He has not attacked us yet for he has gone into hiding."

"What?" Azriel was taken aback by the man's words. "Did I say that out loud?"

"No, but you were obvious enough. Your face said it all." Micheal tapped his fingers on the desk. 

"Ohh, that explains it. But why has he gone into hiding?" Azriel put forth his next question.

"Although I am not certain about it, I presume he wants to be more powerful before he attacks us with all his might."

Azriel blinked in confusion and gave a questioning look. "Why does he need to be more powerful. Though I completely get his sentiment, he could have easily gained the authority he is striving for if he attacked you quickly."

"That..." Micheal took a deep breath and clasped his fingers. "Zuko is worried about the prophecy."

"Prophecy? What prophecy?" Azriel was slowly reaching his threshold. He had heard a lot of new truths, and he was at the brink of his limit.

"It was stated that soon we would find someone who would put an end to the war that has been going on for more than twenty years."

"Ohh, and Zuko wants to defeat this person. So, he preparing himself." Azriel said as though the man was preparing for a boxing match instead of a deathly war, and for the first time, Micheal laughed heartily.

"Yes. Although he started the war, he retreated once he found out about the prophecy. But his army has kept the war on. We have been trying to keep them away with all we have. But I have a feeling that we cannot hold on for long."

Azriel's expression finally cracked, and he gave a look of understanding. Everything was slowly falling into place, and he realized his purpose of being here. "Mr. Glenn, do I have to fight the war too? Just like the others."

"No," Micheal shook his head at once, stunning Azriel. "We do not want you to just fight the war, we want you to kill Zuko."