Magika [Completed]

Chapter 33

Aldeheid shook his head, his skin suddenly becoming cold. The contrast to the heat hammering the ground from above, made bile rise in his throat. Images of capes falling at his feet flashed through his mind. Images he wanted to forget, images that continued to haunt him.

"No... no more cape trials." The quiver in his voice made him sound like a frightened child.

Kitaya held her hands out in a calming gesture. "Relax, angel eyes. It won't be a cape trial per se. More like a mock cape trial. Something that will trigger your... unique spellcasting."

"I refuse." He wiped the sweat building in his palms on his pants. Cape trial or mock cape trial, he didn't care. Anything with the slightest potential to hurt a cape was not happening.

Kitaya rose from her seat and took him by the arm before dragging him to the far corner of the pavillion. "I'm doing my best to help you right now, but I can't promise anything if you're going to be stubborn."

"It's not about being belligerent, kitten. I just..." He swore under his breath and fisted his hands in his hair. "I can't do it, Kitaya."

"Look at me, Aldeheid." When he did so, she continued. "When you landed on my doorstep all those weeks ago, you said you wanted to find your place elsewhere."

"And I do, kitten, but not like this. I've hurt enough capes already. It has to end somewhere." He clasped his hands together in front of him like a beggar. "Please understand."

Kitaya bit down her thumbnail, her eyes growing distant with thought. "Alright. How about we arrange something with precautions in place to protect all parties involved. Then you can decide whether you want to go through with it or not. Is that okay?"

"What will happen if I refuse?"

"That will be for Gebarro to decide," she said with a shrug. "But understand, I wouldn't ask this of you, if I thought you or anyone else would be seriously injured."

Aldeheid grimaced, still feeling apprehensive, but at least he was being given a choice. They walked back to Gebarro and Serecia, and Kitaya exchanged words with them that he only heard subconciously. His mind was too occupied with all the ways this could go wrong.

The next thing he knew Kitaya was leading him back into the Bastion. She deposited him into an empty chamber and told him to wait. It was small, and minimally furnished with two chairs and a table. A single window graced the wall opposite the door, affording a view of the city beyond.

Aldeheid dumped himself into the nearest chair and stared up at the low ceiling. He brought his marked hand in his line of vision. His eyes traced the jagged lines. Just cut it off, his mind told him. Cut it off and be done with being a magician altogether.

He got up and paced around them room, unable to stay still. I can still refuse, he reminded himself. But what would happen if he did that?

Perhaps Kitaya wouldn't mind dragging him along in her travels for a while longer. Except he'd given her no incentive to do that. If anything, he'd been naught but a burden.

A knock sounded on the chamber door, cutting into his thoughts. When it swung open, a woman stepped over the threshold, a smile gracing her face as she looked up at him. A swirling mark graced her left hand, standing out starkly against her wheaten skin.

"Hi there. I'm Lephiria." She extended her hand, her dark gaze meeting his. "It's a pleasure."

Aldeheid denied her courtesy and folded his arms across his chest before turning to stare out the window. Perhaps if he was rude enough, she'd hate him and change her mind.