The Licensed Mage

42 MKP

        Claire floated in the black space around her. She slowly flew forward, looking everywhere for Raven’s soul as small tears escaped her eyes. She was in purgatory, the land between the living and the dead. It was here that those who hung in the balance find themselves. Claire hoped to find Raven’s soul before he decided to let go of his life. She searched for hours, what seemed like years until finally she came upon a glowing orb of soft white light. 

        She quickly went to the orb and gently cupped it in her hands. She smiled when she felt its warmth, remembering the same warmth from hours before when she and Raven laid in her bed together. She cried as she held the orb close to her chest, hugging it tight. She could feel Raven inside the orb confused, not knowing what was happening. 

        “Don’t worry, I’ll take you home, I promise,” she whispered to him. 

        She started to turn back the way she came, heading home when black chains wrapped around Raven’s soul. She felt his cry of pain as the chains pulled at him, pulling him to the Land of the Dead. It was the hexes and curses from the bullet, killing him. She grabbed a chain, pulling at it till her hands bled. 

        “I will not let you have him!” 

        She cupped his soul protectively to her chest as she strained at the chain, pulling it till her hand was soaked in blood, pulling her shoulder out of its socket yet still she pulled. Finally the chain shattered, breaking under her strain. She panted as she felt the other chains weaken their hold on him, pulling at each until they all shattered, freeing his soul from their hold. Claire smiled and held Raven’s soul closer, hugging him with both arms. 

        She looked down and gave him a small kiss, “Let’s go home.” 

        She flew as fast as she could, whizzing past unchanging black as she brought his soul to the Land of the Living. A light appeared, warming her skin as she felt the call of the living. She burst through the door, filling her lungs with fresh air as her arms let go of Raven’s soul so he may find his body. 

        Claire breathes deep, filling her starving lungs with air as she opened her eyes. She was back in the hospital room, now shrouded in black as she took the room into another dimension. She looked down at the bed, waiting. Slowly Raven’s color came back and the heart monitor began to steadily beep once more. Claire felt relief wash over her as the life support spells dissipated, their jobs done. Raven is alive. Claire smiled as she waved her hand, bringing the room back into the hospital. 

        The door slammed open as Elizabeth ran in. The others followed and stopped as they saw Raven in bed, looking more alive than before. 

        “Claire what did you do?” 

        Claire turned to Elizabeth and smiled at her and the others, “I saved him.” 

        Elizabeth reached up a hand, meaning to go to Claire’s side when a mini sonic boom exploded in the room, throwing Elizabeth back with the rush of the air. Dillon caught her before she fell, everyone coughing as they looked up to see Claire chained. They all gasped as they saw two knights kneeling on either side of Claire, pulling at the chains that pinned her arms down. The chains were rune chains and irritated Claire’s skin but she made no move as a third knight wearing a captain’s badge appeared before her. 

        He held a scroll in one hand and tapped it against the other as he pointed Claire with a glare, “Claire Dunsworth, mage class triple ‘S’-D, you have been found guilty in breaking the law of using unregistered magic. You are hereby sentenced to be stripped of your magic and one hundred years within the Guild Prison. You are to come with us at once.”