Black Magic

The Mage stood on the ledge, his staff decorated with bone and wood. Cloaked in shadows, tendrils of darkness revolving around him, looking for new prey. He looked out at the land before him, the great thirst kingdom. Bah! He would topple it in a day. Armies of the undead stood behind him dragons, warriors, animals, and everything that he corrupted. But the Mage didn’t want to destroy the empire, he wanted to humiliate its ruler.

So with a single thought army disappeared. He turned with a swish of his cloak and began to sing, he sang of the thirst empire, of its ruler and of all the suffering he had seen. The sky turned black, the sun disappearing behind the darkness. His power grew and he began to move, not quite a dance, but just quick fluid movements, his staff twirling about.

Dust, soil, rock and water began swirling around, his staff sending out tendrils of darkness, which added to the swirling. The darkness about him dissipated, the bone on his staff disappeared, showing a white cloak gilded with gold patterns, a suit of white amour, gilded with glowing blue and gold, the spearhead arrow-shaped with a glowing white orb in the center. The swirling mixture began to take the shape of four children and one adult; the five bodies were surrounded by darkness for a split second, then quickly absorbed it. The human spoke, “We are ready, master”.

“No, my creations, you must not begin your mission just yet. I have some preparations to make”.

The mage re-cloaked him in a young merchant’s clothing. He went to the palace of the capital city. He was let in and produced before the king.

“What do you want merchant? Why do you pester me?”

“I am not a merchant, fool!” the mage reverted to his white form.

I have come to warn you! Stop your invasions of the northern country. Otherwise, he pointed to his right as an image began to form, the mage’s vast army stretching out for leagues in it.

“you dare threaten Thessalus, the king emperor of the thirst empire in his own court? Guards throw him out and attack the north with our full might!”

Guards rushed at the Mage, the Mage pounded the ground with his spear and a white wave sent the guards flying. The Mage spoke, “Thessalus, you have induced my rage and for that, you will die!” he pounded the ground once more and the sun stopped shining in the thirst kingdom, the whole kingdom went dark as rainstorms began and black lightning struck where the mage stood and he was gone.

The Mage went back to the ledge. He said, “You are ready, my creations. MAKE THESSALUS WISH HE WAS NEVER BORN! Now go!” the Mage shone a blinding white, the children and adults disappeared. The Mage rose off the ground. “Thessalus, you will wish you had never angered Grendel!” he said with a glint of mischief in his eye.