Dance of Magic - The Books of Beginning [1]

43. Fear

Rafe finally sat down, breathing heavily as he rested on a large rock. He felt so guilty for abandoning Kate, something he had never wanted to do, but he had to keep her safe. The Dire Magnus was still connected to him through that bargain he had made so many years ago. If he stayed with Kate, there was a chance the evil sorcerer could find her and then all would be lost.

He hoped she wasn't afraid, or at least less afraid than he was. He hoped that Henrietta was helping her. He hoped she didn't feel too alone, though he knew she probably did, and it was all his fault. But then again, a lot of things were his fault.

"What have I done?" He whispered, putting his head into his hands. He had made this mess and now he couldn't even help cleaning up without risking doom for them all. 

He had wanted to redeem himself, but he was afraid that he would only ever be the villain, even when he didn't want to be.

"You know," a smooth, cold voice came from behind him, "there was a time when you didn't mind being the villain."

There had been no footfalls, for the dead did not make a sound, but his presence, both fire and ice, filled the area. Rafe turned slowly, standing, to look at him. He smiled sinisterly, the grin not meeting his eyes, which despite being the same color as Rafe's, were so very different. These eyes were swallowed completely by hatred.

Rafe knew that this time it was not a dream. The Dire Magnus was here.

"Well well, look who came to me," the sorcerer observed with dark amusement.

"I didn't come to you, you tracked me down," Rafe spat.

That mirthless grin widened, "but you left the safety of your hiding place. That's basically a cry for me to come and find you. I did explain that we were still connected after all."

"I never wanted this," Rafe said angrily.

A bitter laugh, "oh but you did. Do you remember what it was like to be powerful? Do you remember what it was like to make the world bow before you? You loved it, you loved burning it down and you reveled in being able to hurt those who disobeyed you. You were a remarkable villain, Rafe. And do you know why?"

Rafe didn't answer, but the Dire Magnus continued anyways, "because you didn't just do things out of necessity to achieve our goal. You did them because you were angry and you reveled in it. You were and have always have been, ruthless."

"That's not me anymore," Rafe said, "I am not you."

"But you were always destined to be me. You can't run from that fate. I'm still connected to you for a reason. And it will stay that way. Even when this world burns at my fingertips, you will live on. Do you want to know why?"

"No," Rafe declined, not wanting to hear anything more from the sorcerer.

The Dire Magnus did not seem put off by this, "liar. You do want to know, because like me, you have a morbid curiosity inside of you. Don't try to deny it."

And though he wanted to, he couldn't.

That smile returned, "your Miss Wibberly thwarted my plans to use her power to bring myself back to life. Instead she brought you back. But she wasn't counting on the fact that your soul still belongs to me. I'd have wanted a willing partnership, but I see you will never agree. So I guess this will have to be unwilling."

Rafe's heart sped up with fear as he realized what the Dire Magnus meant. He would take over Rafe, putting his soul into the boy's body once more. Then Rafe would be the Dire Magnus and the Dire Magnus would be alive. It was a stroke of evil genius.