Damien

The sun slowly rose over a small valley tucked away in the heart of a countryside littered with rolling hills and thick woods but was still not powerful enough to penetrate the blinding fog that had gathered in the center. Birds began to come alive and their morning songs echoed through the valley like wave from the ocean. Everything was at peace in this small patch of wilderness and most everything was still, lingering on the last moments of sleep before the darkness was chased from the sky.

The sun began its ascent into the heavens and peeled the fog away as one would peel the skin from a banana revealing a small stone keep resembling some precipice of a tower removed from a great fortress. To any but the one who inhabited this strange domain, the sight would seem strange indeed, for no one would build such a structure in such wilderness. That is exactly why he had built it there, it was so he would not be found.

Damien rose hours before the sun and had been busy at work amongst his scrolls when there was a knock at the wall. There were no doors and no windows to his structure. Damien often tinkered with the idea of expanding the room to make a door but decided against it. Doors meant invitations to knock on them and interruptions by anyone were not what he wanted. However, this knock was not by some fool of a traveler who happened upon his abode, but by one of his servants, Jax.

Damien reached under the table at which he was seated and pulled a small lever there. As though it had always been there, the wall melted away where the knock had sounded and reshaped itself into a doorway. Standing outside was a small, cloaked man who had the look of one who had weathered many days of travel in harsh conditions. The man stumbled into chamber and threw his cloak off to the side.

Jax was a short, pudgy man, with a pig-like face, short, fat fingers, and stubby legs and arms. Despite his terrible visage, as well as his smell, Jax was very adept at not being seen (though Damien always thought people just ignored him to save themselves the trouble of acknowledging his presence), and that made him a valuable source of information.

“What is it that you have found for me, Jax” spoke Damien, “Make it quick as I have things to tend to.” The words came smoothly as though they were a bit of ice slid across a polished marble floor.

“Yes sir” responded a hushed but squeaky voice. “Ole Jax was doin some snoopin and he’s found you sometin of value. Turns out sir, that the rumors are true. If I hadn’t known much better, I’da sworn it was you right before me own eyes.”

Damien’s mind began to work furiously at this news. For months there had been talk of an Elementalist from Alantar who was progressing faster in the magical arts than any had ever seen. This person was a prodigy among Mages and even powerful Warlocks came to seek his advice in certain magical respects. In fact, it seemed that this individual was working towards the same goals…and that was not something Damien was about to allow. There would be no competition, the prize was too great, and he could not afford distractions.

“Sir” inquired Jax, “You alright?”
“I am fine you fool, let me think” Damien snapped back.

This person was not only as talented and driven as Damien, but it seemed that he looked exactly like Damien as well. This confirmed what Damien had long suspected, he had an identical twin. This news made the death of his parents all the more deserved as they had kept him from the Academy, restricted his quest for knowledge, and lied to him about his own family. There was no denying it now, something must be done, and it must be done soon.

Damien turned slowly towards Jax and smiled venomously, “Thank you my servant. You have done very well. However, your usefulness has run out and your knowledge cannot be allowed to leave this place. Good bye.”

With a jumble of words that Damien could not understand, nor cared to, Jax fell over a few things lying on the floor and scrambled out of the doorway and into the woods. Damien slowly walked forward so that he could see the fleeing man but did not make chase, outside was exactly where Damien wanted him.

Damien raised his hands and uttered a few incantations and a barrier of stone burst forth from the ground around Jax as Dark Green energy swirled around Damien. Jax let out a shrill cry for mercy but it was muffled by the earthen prison around him. Another incantation from Damien and the energies around him faded to Dark Blue. With a mighty gesture towards the stone, the Blue energy flew like lightning and struck the stone. In that same instant, the stone collapsed onto the trapped victim, but not as stone, as mud. A final cry issued forth from the torrent before it was silenced beneath the ground. The mud fell to the ground and dried back into stone, leaving no trace that anything had happened at all.

Damien turned his back and walked back into his home, not having even broke a sweat. His mind turned to more important matters. It seemed that he would have to make his way to Alantar, to his brother. These mysteries needed to be confirmed with his own eyes before he could progress with his plans. One thing was clear however, Damien’s brother would have to be taken care of…one way…or another.

Non Quintessence story written right after Katrina.