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Chapter 14
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The Darkest Hour Chapter 15
It didn't take long for them to eat their makeshift breakfast. As soon as they'd gathered their few possessions they set off at pace on towards the Lake, pushing hard despite the protests of their aching legs. While Aaron's sight had been rather worryingly hampered by the recent turn of events, knowing where Phae was headed made things somewhat easier.They continued on for much of the morning until their path brought them to the edge of the forest that marked the Lake's surrounds. As they drew nearer, they saw the first of the withered trees. Lena gasped. "Oh my goodness!""What is it?" Aaron asked."That tree: it's dead!""It's worse than dead," Callum added. "It's like it's had every last ounce of life sucked out of it.""And there's another one behind it look," Lena pointed, "And another. It's a trail!" She gasped and turned to face Callum. "You don't think Phae's responsible for this do you?"Callum struggled to keep a neutral expression. "I don't know," he said. The cold
The Darkest Hour Chapter 16
In the long dark of her endless half-sleep, Phae drifted helplessly on her way.The countryside rushed past beneath her feet. Up ahead the dark mage rode swiftly onwards, a long thick piece of rope trailing from his horse back to where she floated behind him, the rope tied with a thick knot round her waist. Wherever it was the dark mage planned to take her next, he sure was in a hurry."Don't look so miserable girl you should count yourself lucky I'm not making you walk!"Phae remained silent. She didn't know what to say. She never knew what to say anymore. She had already learnt that the mage knew her father. Of course, she knew the stories of how her parents had met and had defeated the evil schemes of the dark mage Varrus, but this couldn't beHer thoughts trailed off as up ahead the dark mage allowed his horse to slow and she found herself drifting closer towards him.The dark mage drew to a halt. As he did so, Phae floated past him only to be jerked back by the strong rope.
The Darkest Hour Chapter 17
The weeks passed slowly. With each day Phae slipped further from their grasp. They travelled further than they'd ever travelled together as a group before from the first rays of dawn through each day and then well into the night. Fortune favoured them slightly at least on their journey south they made a brief detour back to Keln where Callum borrowed a cart and a pair of horses from the generous village folk. But however hard they pushed, and however far they travelled, Phae still seemed to be slipping away. Her trail was now almost impossible to follow, and with each passing day Aaron found his task that much harder than the day before. They barely spoke as they travelled each member of the party lost in his or her own thoughts as high above them a black spot stained the sky, masking a small part of the sun. They made camp that night just as they always did; Callum wandered off in search of firewood while Aaron arranged their meal and Lena tended to their horses. All of a sudden,
The Darkest Hour Chapter 18
Through the long dark of the abyss, the voice of the star-god rushed into the dark emissary's mind."It is time Varrus.""Time for what my Lord?""It is time for you to pave the way for my release; time for you to begin to reap the rewards of your loyal service to me."Varrus felt a surge of power rush through him. Sparks flickered between his fingertips. He could feel the magic inside him begin to grow. But it wasn't a magic of the mortal realm it was a magic far more captivating than that: it was the magic of the void.Varrus sucked in a deep breath."Savour this moment my servant. Become one with the magic I have given you. The final tasks will require every ounce of your being as I ready my escape."Varrus quivered with excitement. "What would you have me do my Lord?"The star-god paused a moment. Varrus waited in eager anticipation for the star-god's final commands."Prepare for battle my servant," the booming voice said at last. "Sow fear among the people of this land.
The Darkest Hour Chapter 19
She woke she knew not how many hours or even days later, to find the dark mage not leering over her as he was so often want to do, but instead peering ahead into the distance. The length of rope that bound her waist was clutched tightly in his grip. She followed the direction of his gaze. There, no more than a mile or so from where they stopped, a small village sat atop the crest of a large hill. "This I suppose will be as good a place to start as any," he said finally, turning to examine his prisoner. "Come along my girl there's killing to be done."Phae resisted as best she could but the dark mage was too strong. In a matter of moments, the mage was looking her directly in the eye. "Now my child," he said slowly, "now you must search deep within yourself for that fountain of power your parents knew nothing about. Open yourself to the spring of magic coursing within you. Take it my child take it and mould it. Seize it my child, for today we will reap our revenge upon the old wor
The Darkest Hour Chapter 20
Callum stared into the distance through tired, half-closed eyes. He hadn't slept properly for weeks and as their cart trundled tediously on its way he would find his head sagging forward and his eyes threatening to close. But each time they did so, a bump or a jolt would snap him awake and so the cycle would continue. The cold certainly didn't help matters either. Why was it so cold in the middle of summer?He raised his head and stared long and hard at the dark blotch that continued to grow in the sky. It was almost like it was sucking up the energy of the world itself the weather was so strange. He couldn't help but think this all had something to do with PhaeIn the back of the cart, Aaron dozed fitfully. Seated beside him, Lena too stared at the sky. Callum shivered as a particularly biting wind swept across the valley they were driving through. Lena reached behind her and produced a blanket. She put it round him."You really should try and get some rest you know," she sai
The Darkest Hour Chapter 21
The morning came, and with it a brief respite from the biting cold that had swept over them in the night. Callum was sure it was getting colder just as he was sure the blotch covering the sun was getting bigger but right now all he could think about were the sparks he was creating between his fingers.Lena watched with fascination as he absently clicked his fingers while they prepared breakfast. Since the second source had closed she hadn't even the slightest trace of water-magic at her disposal. Finally, Callum stopped what he was doing and looked up to meet her gaze. Silent communion passed between them."So, what do you think?" he asked.Lena frowned. "I don't know. I mean they certainly appear to be sparks of magic but just why you have access to them while the rest of us don't...""But that's the thing: I don't have access to my powers or at least I don't think I do. I feel different somehow, but I just can't figure out what it is inside me that's causing the magic to flo
The Darkest Hour Chapter 22
In the strange land of her half-sleep, Phae screamed. All around her buildings burnt and people died at the hands of the dark mage's magic her magic that had caused so much death and destruction already. She couldn't help but think of poor Master Kulgrim and the cruel fate he had suffered because of what she had done.Because of herTheir trail of destruction had lasted for weeks now. Weeks and weeks of needless slaughter. Once word had started to spread through the region, some of the towns and villages they encountered were prepared and some even had a small garrison ready to meet them at the gates. No matter how hard they tried, they all met the same fate. And she was powerless to stop him. He had full control now, her indomitable will eventually sapped by endless days of struggle against the mage's dark magics that kept her trapped in a perpetual state of half-sleep. She had nothing left now to combat his evil spells save the hope that someone somewhere was looking for
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