Once Upon A Mage

Rohan

Finn's body was cast in a radiant golden glow. His pupils, which were green before, were now cast in a golden shine. Standing close to the wall, he had guards all around him, but Rohan somehow felt that wasn't enough to contain him. Rohan didn't know what to think. Not long ago, Finn had been someone he wanted to get to know better, to befriend. Now, with the discovery that Finn is one of the enemies.

"I will not go with you!" Finn exclaimed.

The wind suddenly picked up, rustling their hair and making the boy's cloak float upwards. The ground shook as Finn took a step, and suddenly, a volley of vines and roots burst out from the pavement and successfully blocked the guards as well as Rohan from further approaching. They were all stunned, even Finn. He was powerful, maybe one of the most potent displays they'd seen from any mage they managed to capture over the years.

"Finn!" Rohan spoke. "Don't make this more difficult than it is" Finn gaze hardened, and the lovely boy Rohan had met moments ago seemed to have faded and replaced by a solid and angry glare.

" More difficult? You want to kill my father and me. He's innocent, and so am I." 

" No mages nor their families are innocent." One of the guards spat, " All of them, filthy bastards." Rohan winced at the vulgarities thrown at Finn. Was he innocent? Finn hadn't been anything but friendly up until this moment.

" I should've listened to my father," Finn suddenly said, voice laced with sadness " To think that I found this place, my home, wonderful. I was wrong. You people are awful." 

" Kill him already!" Another guard shouted as he drew up his crossbow and aimed it at Finn, who surprisingly did not show any distress. Was he now coming to terms with himself? Was he becoming the monster that they all feared? Rohan thought. He went to stop the guard, but it was too late, the arrow was fired. Everyone watched with bewilderment at one of the roots drew up and blocked its trajectory, which was Finn's heart.

****** Finn*****

Finn threw his hand up in surprise and vines after vines burst from the ground and knocked guard after guard off their horses and feet. Some didn't stop there and started to drag their victims away and even lift them off the ground. " Protect the prince!" one yelled, but no vines made a move to attack Rohan.

Finn raised a hand again as multiple vines gently slipped around his frame and lifted him into the air. He let out a small cry of surprise as the vines brought him up until he could see beyond the wall. The view was beyond breathtaking. The setting sun cast a beautiful purple and orange glow over the valley and forest below. His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as an arrow flew past him. Finn did not have time to react as another one skimmed his side, tearing his flesh. He let out a cry as the deep gash opened and blood started oozing out.

"Come on, I have to get to the other side" As if the vines understood him, they brought him over the wall and started to gently lower him down, but Finn didn't have enough patience as the pain from his wound intensified. At about seven feet from the ground, he felt the vines jerk once, twice; they altogether dropped him as the guards' sharp swords cut them.

"AHHhhh!"

Finn plummeted the rest of the way and landed o his injured side, making immeasurable pain flare up from his side and right to his heart. He let out a painful cry, followed by a whimper, as he struggled to get back up. He touched his side, but the sticky, wet feeling told him he was losing a lot of blood. Tearing some fabric from his cloak, he quickly tied it around his side and tightened it on the wound to hopefully stop the bleeding.

Gathering his courage, he stood up but not without feeling the pain of the movement on his side. He contemplated going home to his father. But that was a bad idea, and he would lead the guards right to him. No, he would not endanger his dad. He would not forgive himself if his dad got injured, or worse, killed because of him. So, with a heavy heart and fresh tears in his eyes, he headed for the one place they would not dare venture into, a place beyond the Lucktovian border; The Forgotten Valley, home to the castaway mages.