Mage

This is one of those stories that just pop into your mind when you see a picture or a word and suddenly you know the story. I don't know if I'll make it a multi part or not, that all depends on you, my readers. As always this is a work of fiction, and I alone am solely responsible for its content. Any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental. Please remember to vote, like and follow if you enjoyed what you've read, if you decide to leave a comment, please be respectful. Now on with the show.

I reread the spell from the tome that was laid out on the bench, the small beaker next to me bubbled away slowly as I added yet another ingredient to it. It changed from clear to a light blue and then to orange. YES! just as it was supposed to, good. I reached for the next item, running my strong fingers down the list checking to be sure. I heard the door to my lab open and then close, without even looking I knew who it was.

'Stav, why are you disturbing me at this crucial moment? you did understand that I was not to be bothered unless we were under attack. Correct?' I quietly said and dropped the next item in, it stayed orange, good.

'Yes, my Master, Stav is most sorry to disturb you Master but we are under attack, an elf has entered the grounds and is heading this way, Master.' He said looking down at the floor. Stav was from one of the small villages nearby and had been captured by some highway men several years ago while going to another villages market. I had been newly arrived too the area, they had then tried to attack me, it had turned very ugly for them.

I tore them limb from limb and scattered their bodies to the 4 winds. Stav who had been tied to a tree simply watched and had pledged himself to me. I placed the next item in, and it turned green, good everything was going exactly as it was supposed to. 'An elf you say Stav? male or female?' I asked. 'Female I believe master.' He said. I placed in the last item, and it turned black then back to clear. I picked up the small bar of lead and held it above the mixture.

'Transformavi.' I clearly said and dropped it in. It turned black and dissolved. I frowned and looked yet again at the list; I had done everything exactly as the book said and reread the pages yet again. 'Bring her to me Stav.' I said and turned the page. 'Yes Master.' He replied and I heard the door open and close. I sat there wondering what I had done wrong.

Errina, crept across the open field towards the tower that loomed before her. She was the youngest daughter of a powerful minor lord; her father had warned her that taking on a mage would be dangerous. She had heard him, but hadn't really been listening, the word was this Mage hadn't been seen or heard from for many months and was more than likely preparing to overthrow the towns in his area.

Errina was going to stop him before he even started his plan to take over. She heard a door open and froze in place. She saw a slim human male walk out and pick up several logs from the pile and moved back inside, he had left the door open. She moved with incredible speed that her kind were known for and covered the last several steps before the man came back out. She hid out of sight and waited until she heard him come back out and pick up another load of wood and go back inside yet again.

She followed him in and slipped into the shadows waiting, Errina saw him come in from a door to her right that looked like it was a dining area, he grabbed yet another armful of wood and walked back out the same door. She followed him and caught a glimpse of him as he went out another door leaving it open. Errina peaked around the corner and looked at the layout of the ground floor, she spied the stairs and quickly slipped over to them and started up.

She knew that most Mages kept their labs high up in their towers in order to watch the countryside. There were several doors high up in the tower and Errina knew she would find him there and began taking the stairs 2 and 3 at a time. She heard the man walk back towards the door to get another load of wood. She was already halfway up the next level when she stopped.

Errina tried to move and found that she couldn't, nor could she speak or turn her head. She did discover that she could breathe and swallow as well as blink her eyes, but other than that she was frozen in place. How could she have been so stupid to fall for so simple of a trap, she heard a door open above her and tried to turn to look but was stuck in place. A minute later she saw him standing in front of her. She tried to thrust her sword hand at this man standing before her but still couldn't move.

'Welcome to my tower young elf.' I said and reached into the stasis field. I uncurled her fingers from around the hilt of her sword and placed it in its sheath, I unbuckled her belt and relieved her of her weapons. 'You have no need of these here youngling, besides I'd hate for you to have an accident while you are my guest.' I waved my left hand, and her armor and rough clothing disappeared leaving her in a long silky pure white schist, and soft slippers.

'There now, isn't that much more comfortable my dear?' I asked and released her from the stasis field. I watched her step back and look at me. 'What are you going to do to me, you fiend? I'll never submit to you, ever!' She snapped at me. I laughed at her venom; she looked at me like I had lost my mind. 'Oh youngling, is this what you had in mind?' I asked and twitched my right hand.

She was now naked and collared, her hands and ankles chained behind her, and she was on her knees looking up at me. I had to admit she was very beautiful it had been many months sense I had been with a woman; she had a very tight body. 34B tits and a flat muscled stomach. Her ass was nicely toned with a gentle slope to it, she had a well-trimmed muff that barely covered her pussy. I felt myself hardening and was glad that my pants were loose fitting.

She gasped and tried to break free of the chains, but how does one break free of the chains in one's own mind? 'Fiend! I shall slay you for this, I will carve your body up, you will beg me to kill you before I am done. I will...' She spat out then went silent as I silenced her. 'Yes child, yes. But how will you do all these things to me? hmmm? You can no more will those chains away than I can will myself to become the man in the moon.' I told her.

I waved my hand yet again and she found herself in my lab chained to the wall still naked and collared, she was unable to move more than an inch in any one direction. I walked in a few minutes later to watch her thrash around trying to break free from her own mind. 'Why don't you just hang out youngling, I have work to do.' I said and returned to my desk and took up my reading yet again. I read and listened to her try to break free, it took about 2 hours for her to finally realize that until I willed it, she wasn't going anyplace.

I could feel her looking at me, watching and studying my every move and twitch. I smiled to myself and turned around. She was glaring at me, and I knew she, if given a chance would try to kill me with the sword that stood next to my desk. It was time to screw with her mind some more. I waved my hand, and she flexed her mouth. 'One should always watch one's tongue, I'm sure your father impressed that on you during your teachings.' I quietly said lifting then pulled her sword out looking at the fine workmanship. 'Umm yes, very nice, Kildars mark I see and pure silver inlays, yes very nice.' I slid it back in its scabbard.

I released her wrist and ankles and let her stand. 'You see my dear I am not the monster you think I am, hold out your hands.' I told her and she did so. The schist and slippers appeared in her hands. 'Go on, I know you want to put them on.' I told her and watched as she turned her back to me and slid on the schist then the slippers. She was graceful even doing that, I always thought that when I pulled on a sheaf that I was calm and looked good. In reality I looked like a cow on ice and was losing a fight to a wet paper wrap.

I smiled as she turned back around and glared at me, I slowly stood and walked towards her. She took a few steps back then stopped and tried to stair me down, I knew she had no power against me. I held out my arm and smiled yet again. 'Shall we go to dinner my dear?' I asked. She slowly took my arm, and I lead her down to the dining room and pulled out a chair for her to sit in. The table was set for an evening meal and Stav came in from the kitchen bringing the first course of a wild mushroom soup.

I thanked Stav and began to eat. 'You should try it my dear, it's really very good when it's hot. Stav is an excellent cook.' I told her and went back to eating. She eyed the food in front of her and tried it. I watched her empty the bowl fairly quickly as Stav came out with the second course of a fresh green salad and freshly baked bread, I watched her eat both. 'Don't get much of either on the trail do you Errina.' I said smiling as she looked at me in shock. 'Yes, I do know your name and many other things about you.' I told her.

Stav came in yet again carrying a platter of sliced meat, potatoes and roasted vegetables for us to dine upon. He left then returned with a flagon of red wine, he filled out goblets and sat the flagon on the table where I could easily reach it and then stepped back into his kitchen. 'Tell me Errina, why have you come to my tower? do you envision me attacking the surrounding towns and villages.' I said as I sliced the meat into bite sized pieces.

'Yes, I know and have heard about others doing such things, now all mages and wizards are being tarred with the same brush. So, you thought that you'd rush here and slay me to save these 5 surrounding villages from a similar fate?' She looked at me, her mouth hanging open. 'I have no intention of attacking the very people that help provide me food, wood, clothes and other things. I prevent bandits from attacking them and keep marauding armies away also.'

I ate several bites of food and washed my mouth clear with the good wine. 'No youngling, I have no intention of biting the very hand that feeds me, they live in peace and prosper because of me and in turn leave me be. I also provide healing to those the midwives can't. We here are at peace.' I say and continue to eat.

I watch her pick at her meal as I eat hardy. 'Eat my dear, is the food not to your liking? I sure Stav could quickly make you something if you'd like.' I say. 'Perhaps some fowl or something else?' She started eating and looked at me. 'This is fine, Thank you.' She said and cleaned her plate. I smiled as she ate and knew that it would take time to win her over to my side.

'Tell me Errina why have you left the middle wood to seek me out? I have harmed no one and my realm is at peace.' I said. 'I have heard of others fighting and trying to stir up the other towns and villages, I Have no desire to take part in those childish things or slay others.' I told her as Stav quietly took the empty plates and brought in a dessert, he served us quickly and retreated back into his kitchen.

I spent the next few hours talking to her showing her that I was not the monster she thought me. She finally started to open up and told me of the horrors she had heard of in the northern realm and its movement towards her people's lands. As we spoke the stars moved across the sky in their stately march until I knew we were both tired.

'Come with me, Stav has prepared a room for you I think you'll find it more comfortable than a hedge or cave you slept in on the road here.' I told her and guided her up the stairs to a door on the second level. 'This shall be yours for as long as you choose to remain here, I bid you good night youngling.' I said and moved off to the next level and my sleeping quarters. I knew she'd be surprised when she entered her room, I had left her stuff including her weapons belt.

I placed a protective spell across the door as I readied myself for bed, I didn't really trust her fully, but I felt that I had reached her enough to give her back her stuff. If she was still here in the morning, I knew she'd soon be mine.

I awoke the next morning still alive, and she wasn't standing frozen in my doorway, I breathed a small sigh of relief and got up to relieve myself. I opened the door and headed for the dining hall where Stav had placed my morning tea. I sat and watched the stairs as Stav brought in my meal.

'She's already eaten Master and said she was going to look around and would be back before dinner.' He said and walked back into the kitchen. I quickly ate and went back to my lab to continue my work.

It was nearly dark when she came back into the dining hall and sat down, I pour her a glass of wine as Stav brought her in a plate of food and placed it before her. 'Did you find anything out there during your little walk? anything of interest?' I quietly asked. She sipped her wine and dug into the salad Stav had brought out for her. I watched her chew and could tell she was framing her answer to my question. 'I found that the 2 villages I went to are at peace and those that I spoke with are happy that you do as you say.' She said and ate some more food.

'Why then do I feel that those you spoke with do not make you happy? perhaps you were itching for a fight and when you found out I was not the monster you thought I was you went looking for proof.' I said and sat back looking at her. 'I have found that one cannot disprove a negative my dear or change the mind of someone that had already made theirs up beforehand.'

I let her think about the wisdom I had just imparted to her as I finished my plate of food, Stav brought out a fine custard and I took great pleasure in serving her. Again, we spent several hours chatting about the things she had seen and heard on her scouting trip today. She seemed a bit more relaxed and finally went to her room as I retreated to the roof to take some star readings, then finally went to bed a few hours later.

The next week was more of the same, her leaving around dawn and returning near dusk, she was searching for something that would prove her theory correct but seemed to be striking out at every turn.

We were sitting and having an after dinner talk when Stav walked up to my chair. 'Master, Mistress Ward needs to speak with you, she says it is of great importance.' He says and I motion for her to join us, standing as she walks through the door. 'Mistress Ward, welcome to my abode, what seems to be the problem that brings you here at this hour?' I asked as I pulled a chair out for her to sit in. 'May I tempt you with a glass of wine or maybe some Port perchance?'

'Master Slade, I'm terribly sorry to bother you at this late hour but several of our children are missing and no one seems to be able to find them.' She said as Stav handed her a small glass of Port. She quickly gulped it down. '3 young girls and 2 young boys went off to the river this afternoon and never returned. We've looked all over the area; we found some clothes but nothing else. Please Master Slade we desperately need your help.'

I waved my hand and a large bronze bowl on a stand appeared next to me, I poured in some water and took Mistress Wards hand and mouthed a silent incantation. 'Think of the children's faces Mistress Ward.' I said and I silently spoke the second half of the incantation then peered into the bowl. I could see them chained together in the bowls of a ship or barge of some kind, I pulled back and Mistress Ward quickly told us that she knew where they had pulled up to the bank for the night.

I pulled the location from her mind and released the spell then gathered a few things to me with the wave of a hand. 'I shall return shortly with the children, Stav make sure that we have something for them to eat.' I said and disappeared. Yes, I do have the power of teleportation, although I try not to use it as it eats up a lot of power. For some strange reason I seemed to have quite a bit of extra power, I attribute it to the fact that some group of assholes had decided to come to my lands and take from me and mine.

I landed on the deck house and grabbed the sailor standing watch by the throat and strangled him before he could even utter a word. I silently slipped into the inner areas of the barge and proceeded to kill the pirates. I found the captain in his cabin and proceeded to bounce him off every wall, chair, table leg and protruding piece of whatever breaking every bone in his body.

He died sometime during my interrogation, not that I was really asking him many questions vocally, his mind did give me quite a few names, including the person who set this up, for 30 pieces of gold. I would be paying a visit to him shortly; he would pay for his crimes.

I went below and freed the kids and sent them up to the main deck after grabbing some clothes from the pile that was sitting in a corner. I quickly emptied the treasure chest that the captain had stored under his bed, I had just increased my wealth by 15 pounds of gold and several pounds of precious gems. I left several pounds of gold and gems for the men of the village to find in the morning, I also left the pirates and for them to dispose of the bodies I would be leaving behind.

I grabbed the logbooks and several other books and pieces of paper that looked important, I would peruse them at my leisure back at my tower in the coming days. 'Come kids, your grand adventure is over right now.' I said and pulled them close to me and teleported us back to the dining room. Mistress Ward grabbed the 5 of them and hugged them tightly to her, kissing each one and checking them over then thanked me several time and promised that village would send me a special tithe for the next 2 years for the return of the missing children.

I told her that she really didn't need to do that but knowing that I would enjoy the extras that she would send me. I sent my treasures up to my lab and then went to wash up and to rest, doing this kind of magic took a lot out of the caster. I really needed and young catalyst to help me during my spell casting, I would be able to draw on their power vs using my own to inner power. I really needed Errina to stay so that I could start slowly draining her, elves had a near endless supply of that power. I retreated to my bedroom and after quickly bathing went to bed, for some reason I was tired.

I managed to stagger down to the breakfast table the next morning; and ate as though I hadn't seen food in a week, I would still need another 2 or 3 days to fully recharge my inner strength back to where it had been before. Errina was sitting there sipping her tea as Stav brought me plate after plate of food to help recharge my body.

I handed her a silver bracelet, there was very little that made it stand out from the one she already wore on her right wrist. 'I'd like for you to wear that so that if you go missing, I can locate you, it'll also let me know how healthy or injured you are too.' I said after finishing another plate of food.

She picked the bracelet up and turned it over in her hands looking at it from all angles then slipped it on her left wrist, I could feel her heart beating and feel her energy level. She had power, more power than a normal elf generally had, I had chosen wisely in keeping her here and slowly drawing her to me. 'Thank you, Master Slade, I shall treasure this always.' She said and smiled at me, I smiled back and sipped my tea, I could feel the slow transfer of energy from her to me start to take hold, in time I would place several tattoos on her body that would tie her to me for all time.

And here I feel is the correct place to bring this part of my story and know that it'll be a multipart story. I hope that you enjoyed reading it and if you did make sure to like, vote, follow and comment below to let me know how you feel about what I've written. Be sure to stay safe and have fun everyone.