Scarlet Illusion

Death and Darkness

Dawn was breaking on the horizon when Ilkay heard commotion from outside his window. He tossed and turned to his side using a soft silken pillow to cover his eyes from the invading sunlight filtering through the window.
Being a Son of a Lord Mage, he got to do whatever he wanted, since his mother died. Ofcourse his father married another woman, more younger, more attractive and a non-mage at that. His stepmother was anything but kind. He knew that, the moment she and her wealthy merchant father stepped into their castle just after six months since his mother died, like a hawk finally glad to isolate it's prey.

It was still early and he wasn't ready to be up yet. But sure enough, a hesitant knock came from the door. When he didn't respond the knocks came louder.
"Go away! Tell my father whatever it is, it can wait until breakfast" he yelled at the door. His voice sleepy.

"It's your father, my lord. Your mother says it's urgent." Ilkay hated it when people call her his mother. She is not his mother. She never will be.

He cursed and got up, putting his pants on before pulling a white sleeved shirt knotting it in the front. His father had been ill. But not enough to die yet.

He opened the door to look at the maid. Her soft blond curls and pretty face reminded him of Sapphire, his classmate and rival. The maid's aura was different than ususal. She is scared. He wondered why. Usually most young girls go all 'lovey-dovey' around him while the ones who are mature enough, bat their eyes at him trying seduce him into bed or become his Lady.

His stepmother being awful to all servants is a well known fact and people working in the castle are used to it and were never scared. So the maid's reaction seemed weird.
His natural born gift was clairsentience, ability to see auras and have clear mind even in times of chaos.

Every mage was gifted with a rare innate ability at birth, a blessing from the Goddess Hecate herself. Mages were considered witchlings until the ascent and their powers evolve until then. And his gift was Clairsentience making him one of the powerful mages alive. The leaders of guild are powerful enough but not the mages of his age. Except for his rival. Sapphire is too powerful and she doesn't even know it. She would be the most powerful mage in the world if she realises her true potential. Ofcourse he never said a word about it to her or anyone. Prime rule of dealing with an enemy: Never let them realise their potential.
Even his father was bestowed upon with a common gift of teleportation. Such gifts are basic underage magic learned at academy of Hecate in Lumiera.

When he reached his father's chambers, he could feel the negative aura confirming the dread. He still entered the Mage lord's chamber only to pale at the sight of his father dead in his own bed. There was their healer and her two young acolytes in their custom white robes, standing on the other side of the room their backs to the stone wall. The Healer's face was grim and when he looked at her, she just shook her head before staring down at the floor. His stepmother was sitting on the bed beside his father with a sad, longing look on her face. He was surprised her aura actually matched her expression for once.

"How?"
That was only thing he could get out of his mouth. His throat was clamming up with sobs but he pushed it down. He wanted answers.

Nobody answered.

"I asked how?!" He bellowed at his stepmother.

She startled before looking up at him. "We went to bed together. I found him like this when I woke up. I was tired from the travel to the fair in Meligarn yesterday. I fell asleep the moment I hit the bed. I didn't know he died during his sleep" A single tear fell from her right eye and the left one welled up. She brushed it aside before it can fall.

Ilkay studied his stepmother and found out she was actually telling him the truth. He wished she wasn't, so he would've someone to take it on.
The room reeked of death. The aura was so strong he felt like he could puke because it was his father's.