The Phantom Queen

Chapter 5

I headed down to the hall dressed in my finer clothes, a closet full of robes and fighting outfits showed up in my room the day training started. I swept my hands over the thick cloth, it fitted me perfectly like all the others, but seeing the Lord of the Fomoiri made me nervous. I hadn't seen him since my arrival here, why he wanted to see me now before my final tests was an unsettling surprise. I had been taught the history of this place. I knew Balor was important when I got here but the power he held was much more than I was comfortable with. Many stories told of his vengeful hatred toward the Danaan, and what he would do to win. I knew he needed me alive but that didn't make me feel safe around him.

My guards walked behind me, their pace in step with mine, although they weren't friends they became the closest thing to comfort I had here. A pang passed over my heart as I thought of my family, and how much I missed them. I was excited to see them once this adventure was over.

Balor hadn't changed one bit, he stood speaking to Cethlenn as I entered. They both turned, and she stepped back to stand behind him, her move to show who the leader was in the room.

"Morgan, I have heard of your improvement. You will soon be ready to fight for us." I walked up to him and bowed, my guards staying back at the archway.

"Yes, my lord." A deep laugh echoed through the hall.

"See, I said you would learn to submit on your own." He moved closer to me, his sightless eyes boring into me.

"But the question is, are you loyal?" I look at him in confusion.

He turned around, sweeping his cape on the floor as he sat in a throne long since forgotten.

"Grandson." Lugh walked into the hall, his footsteps sounding behind me. I looked at him for an explanation, but he kept his eyes forward, his face void of any expression.

"My lord." He bent his neck to Balor before a sharp whistle brought out Carmen's three sons, who dragged an unconscious man between them. Don and Dother dropped him onto his knees before Dob smacked him across the face, I grimaced at the sudden sound. The old man moaned as he swayed between the two, his shaggy long hair dangled in knots. As he raised his head I saw he was quite malnourished, his cheeks had sunken in to shadow the bones underneath, dirt was caked over his eyes making him resemble a skull. When he opened his eyes, he focused directly on me. There was no reflection of a weak old man in what I saw. There was no contempt or hatred, only a flicker of surprise, and relief.

Why would he be relieved.

"This is Myrrdin. He is an advisor to the Danaan, he was foolish enough to be captured on our lands." I looked away from the man to see Lugh seething at the prisoner.

"He has killed many of our kind with his magic, and now you can give him what he deserves." Lugh nodded at the boys and they dropped Myrrdin to the ground. The man could barely keep himself up straight, Balors guards had obviously had him for some time.

"What do you mean, I can give him what he deserves." I asked Lugh.

"Kill him." Balor spoke up from his throne, he casually leaned against one side.

"What! Why would I do that!" I burst out at him.

Lugh stepped quickly in front of me, he brought his hand up and smacked me across the face. I gasped as I fell to the floor, my hand immediately going to my cheek, blood already blossoming.

"What the hell-" I was cut off as Lugh brought his foot into my stomach, throwing me onto my back, my cloak splaying around me.

"Remember who you speak to girl." He towered over me, his orange eyes a reminder of who he was to me. I braced the pain that standing back up caused me, that kick cracked a rib.

I slowly bowed to Balor, "I am sorry my lord. I will do what you ask."

I looked down at the wizard, he had not moved, his eyes still intently watching me. I brought my hands up in front of me, trying to focus on the energy that I had been taught to tap into. It lay dormant at my feet, like a snake charmer I teased it through my limbs until I felt it gathering in my hands. The feeling comforted me, for a moment I forgot where I was. It was neither hot nor cold, but it tingled down my arms like spreading ice, felt like it flowed like a fire between my palms as it slowly left my body. A mass of blackness flowed around my hands, like a storm inside a bottle it flowed and moved to its own song, but it pulsed like a heartbeat. An ever-beating flow of life.

Or death.

I looked down at the man. He was an enemy of mine. I did not know him. He would be the first man I would kill. This is what I was destined to do.

I focused on him. His magic was small, it lay dormant in his chest, beating just barely. The pulse of it a shameful remnant of what it used to be. A person's magic was said to be their lifeline, the pulse of it matched their own heartbeat, its strength was a measure of the controller's strength. It is believed to be connected to the very soul of the person, if you could cut off the magic, you could kill the user.

I sent my energy into his chest, it captured his like a snake and its prey. Slowly squeezing it until it stopped beating and dissipated into nothing. My energy came flying back into my hands and I let it course through my body again.

The man gasped as he felt his life force be snuffed out, a flicker of pain showed on his face before he collapsed to the ground.

The first man I killed

"Well, she seems ready to me." Carmen spoke from beside Cethlenn, she must have snuck in while I was in my trance. "There's nothing more I can teach her."

Balor nodded at her, looking to Lugh for his opinion as the body was dragged out by guards. I couldn't take my eyes off him.

"She's no master. But she is capable to do what we need her too." The mans feet disappeared into the doorway, but I couldn't comprehend the new feeling I had. Taking his life was so easy, so painless. I was a murderer, that man didn't have a chance. It was so terrifying I could do that with barely any effort, yet I had never felt so powerful.

Balor stood from his throne, "Good. Prepare yourself Morgan. It's time."