Damian and Garrick went to the mages' guild on foot. It was far more difficult to maneuver through the town than it had been on horseback, their passage hindered by the level of carelessness the townspeople showed to others. Garrick stood tall and gently but firmly pushed his way through the swarming crowds, Damian trotting close on his heels. She felt caged in by the masses of people and followed the knight anxiously, hoping that it wouldn't take long to reach the guild.
The night had passed without incident, to her relief. Her only visitor since they arrived at the inn had been Garrick, though she wasn't apt to forget that experience any time soon. Memories of the last night swam through her mind as they walked, taking her far away from the crowded streets. A wave of warmth surged through her as she recalled his hands sliding over her body, kissing and caressing her and evoking feelings she had never experienced before. Even through her clothes and his, it had been extraordinary.
A sailor shoved her out of the way, jolting her back to the present. Shaking off the vision of the evening with Garrick, she continued through the packed streets. The knight walked confidently, no suggestion of what had transpired the last night evident in his posture or expression, and she tried to put on a similar mask.
After an uncomfortably long journey, they came upon their destination. The town ended abruptly at the guild grounds. Strips of green grass dotted with trees surrounded the guild on all sides, a surprising span of openness after the depths of the cramped city. On the far side of the guild grounds, she could see the river flowing past. Damian gazed up the tall walls of the square building. It was a sizeable keep as large as many manors she had seen, its red brick walls filling roughly the area of a city block. Four square towers reached up from each corner of the building. Between them, tall, narrow windows painted translucent red and gold were set into the wall every few paces above shrubs lining the building.
The sight surprised her, as she had expected nothing more than a few rooms inside a larger building housing those that worked there, like most guild offices. As she drew closer to the building, however, her awe diminished. The brick walls were dirty and weathered and the paint on the windows fading. Withered stems of ivy clung to the walls a few feet above the drooping shrubs.
Garrick's pace slowed, and Damian's with him, when they turned onto the empty path cutting through the lawn to the entrance of the building. The door was an enormous arch of oak and iron like a temple door, the wood grey and metal rusted from age. Above the door hung a wooden sign with a starburst painted on it, similar to but distinctly different from the golden sun symbol of a Light Temple. Written in an elegant script below the symbol were the words, "Mages' Guild of Dresdin." She gazed at the words peculiarly as she struggled to read them. Though the knight had told her that much of magic schooling involved reading books on the subject, it hadn't registered to her that trained mages would be regarded as such intellectuals to have the guild entrance spelled out. She wished she could read better.
Upon reaching the door into the large building, Garrick knocked. The door opened swiftly. Behind it stood a middle-aged man clad in dark blue robes with scrollwork around the edges and belt in silver. His dark hair was cropped close, grey eyes shone behind spectacles, and a faint smile marked his face.
"Sir Magni, I presume?" the mage greeted. Garrick smiled.
"That's right," he replied. The mage opened the door wide.
"Please, come in," he announced. "We've been expecting you. My name is Master Tiernan." Damian followed the knight into the building.
Inside the doorway was a small anteroom, sparsely furnished with an old desk and cloak rack and lit by a few well-used torches. The mage immediately lead them to the back of the room and into the hallway beyond. The hall was wide and brightly lit, though like the outside of the building, it was more impressive from a distance. The stone floor was bare and scuffed and the columns supporting the ceiling were plain. Damian was disappointed at the condition of the guild, but remained fascinated by the large building and its magical inhabitants.
"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice," Garrick stated.
"Not at all," the mage responded. "Agaesi are always welcome here." He turned to face them, a questioning look on his face. "Now, you mentioned in your message that you need to divine information. What exactly is it that you seek?"
Garrick smiled warmly. "I'd prefer to take that up with the mage who will do the divination." Master Tiernan nodded agreeably.
"Very well," he answered. "I'll take you to our archmage. Please follow me." Damian gazed uncertainly at the master mage before falling into step beside Garrick. Though both had been amiable to each other, she could sense a lingering suspicion on both Garrick and Master Tiernan's part. She frowned uncomfortably.
Their footfalls and the gentle rattling of Garrick's armour echoed through the hall. Damian glanced around, carefully taking in their surroundings and wondering what life would be like at the guild.
She looked outside tall windows and open doors on the other side of the hall. Deeper within the building was a large, open courtyard with paths tramped down into the grass. It was a simple affair, few flowers or trees accenting the low stone walls that separated gardens and fountains, but the fresh breeze lilted into the hallway they trod down, giving it an airy feel. She could see a number of robed mages sitting or standing on the grounds, some conversing with others, some reading books, some even playing games. Few looked in her direction as they passed.
The mage lead them out of the main hallway and into a few smaller halls before they arrived at a spiral stone staircase at the base of one of the square towers. They climbed up one floor and approached a double door at the end of the hall. The mage knocked and opened one door slightly, poking his head in.
"Archmage?" Master Tiernan's voice came from within the room. "Sir Magni is here." Another voice responded, too faint for Damian to hear. Master Tiernan opened the door wide and gestured them in. Silently, she followed Garrick inside.
The room was an aged, but handsome parlor with a floor of oak covered in rich, multi-colored carpets. Bookcases lined the walls of the room, coming to a stop at a hearth four feet across. Behind a dark wood desk placed before a row of windows sat a man with grey hair tied into a long braid. Scarlet robes lined in gold thread covered his lean form and partly wrinkled skin. Beside the desk stood two men in simpler light brown robes, one tall and fair-haired and the other lanky with a mop of black curls atop his head.
"Correy, Falsin," the scarlet-robed man stated. "You may leave us." With stiff nods, the men in brown hurried out of the room, sparing only a passing glance for the knight and his female companion. Master Tiernan nodded to them and stepped out, closing the door behind him.
Once alone, the archmage stood. "Welcome, Sir Magni. And Miss Sires, I presume?" Damian curtseyed, uncertain how to act in the mage's presence. He stepped around the desk to face them, his steps falling silently on slippered feet. "I am Archmage Renault, the headmaster of our guild. You spoke in your letter of divining information. I can perform the divination you require. Please, tell me what it is you seek." Damian shuffled her feet, uncomfortable with the way the archmage skipped right to the point.
Garrick answered for her. "Archmage, what we seek is a... delicate matter. Before we begin, I'd like some assurance of your confidence."
"But of course, Sir Magni," Renault responded, spreading his hands. "I shall not speak a word of what transpires here to anyone." The knight hesitated, but eventually seemed satisfied. He had instructed Damian to let him speak, so he could minimize suspicion. She was glad for it, even though butterflies fluttered in her stomach with the meeting.
Gesturing to her, Garrick began, "Damian has an unusual affinity for magic that we believe holds some connection to a band of krolmins, though she knows nothing of ever meeting any before." The archmage raised an eyebrow inquisitively, but said nothing. "We realize that there is some peculiarity in her magic ability that resides deep within her. We'd like you to divine whatever information you can to help us." A pause sounded as Renault took in the knight's words and studied Damian. She bit her tongue, his gaze making her uneasy.
Finally, he nodded. "I will see what I can discern. I would ask you to move aside a few paces, Sir." Garrick stepped back obediently while the archmage approached Damian. "Be calm, Miss Sires. This will not harm you." She stood still and tried to relax, fighting the impulse to look to Garrick for reassurance.
Renault closed his eyes and placed his hands together. His mouth moved faintly, forming silent words. She shifted in her place, wondering what was going to happen. Silence sounded through the room. After a moment, a strange feeling hit her, a tingling against her skin all over her body. She gasped faintly and closed her own eyes, oblivious to the world. The sensation crept slowly into her body, into her muscles and blood vessels and numbing the flesh it passed by. The warmth of magic reverberated through her body with the spell that reached within her.
Suddenly, her insides lurched wildly, jerked out toward the archmage. Her cry echoed Renault's and the spell stopped instantly. The numbing feeling rippled through her body, causing her to collapse.
"Damian!" Garrick's voice came from far away. The world swam before her and she wasn't certain where she was. She felt as if she had been taken into another realm. Whispers floated past her ears and glimmers of light passed across her eyes, and a deep darkness hid in the farthest depths of her soul. She could feel it even as her senses returned to her.
It seemed an hour passed before she could open her eyes. The parlor of the mages' guild lay before her, unchanged. Damian glanced up to find Garrick propping her up in his arms. They both gazed at Renault. The archmage leaned heavily against the desk, one hand over his heart and a startled expression on his face.
"That... you..." he stuttered.
"What is it?" Garrick demanded. Damian was too dazed to do anything but listen. Renault panted during the following pause, trying to gather his voice.
"There's... something inside her," he stated. Damian blinked in confusion.
"What?" the knight repeated. The archmage looked away briefly, catching his breath.
"There's a spirit inside her," he clarified. "A dark, evil, and immensely powerful spirit. Extremely dangerous and malevolant." She could only stare at the archmage, hardly comprehending his words.
"What is it? How did it get there?" Garrick questioned. Renault shook his head as he steadied himself on his feet.
"I don't know," he answered. "I could only learn little. Whatever it is, it's trapped inside her, unable to escape, but it almost broke free through my spell. All I know is that it is ancient, malicious, and extraordinarily powerful, far more so than anything I've ever sensed. That... thing is not of this realm." Damian tilted her head back uncertainly with the way the archmage looked at her. Garrick exchanged a glance with Damian. She only gazed back at him, baffled. The numbness had faded and she stood on her own feet, though the knight kept one arm around her.
"Can you get it out of me?" she wondered. The archmage shook his head again.
"You do not want it out," he told. "Something that dark and powerful would wreak terror over the entire kingdom if it was freed. Within your body, it is powerless. But even in my brief glimpse, I could see that the bonds holding it inside you are weakening." The archmage gazed hard into her eyes. "Magic is slowly helping it escape." Damian gasped and leaned against the knight fearfully.
"Is there anything you can do to help?" Garrick asked.
"Yes," Renault answered, straightening. "Correy, Falsin," he called out. Shortly, the double doors opened and the brown-robed mages returned inside. "Take this girl to the north tower. She must be confined." Gasping, Damian turned to the approaching mages.
"Wait a minute," Garrick cut in sharply, holding a hand out to the brown-robed mages. He turned to the archmage. "What are you doing?"
Renault's gaze was steady. "A spirit that dangerous must not be allowed to roam free. As an archmage of the King, it is my duty to protect Faneria against any threats. She must remain here."
"We have a room in the town," Garrick stated. Terrified, Damian's eyes darted between the archmage, the knight, and the lesser mages near the doors of the parlor. She hardly knew what to think. The way they were talking about her made her feel as if she wasn't even there.
"It's too risky," Renault replied. "We must keep watch over her."
"She's under my protection," the knight snapped, his voice growing slowly louder and fiercer.
"I must inform the archons at once," the archmage argued. "She must remain here until we receive their instruction. I will not allow her to leave. Falsin." The mages began to approach again.
In a blink, Garrick had his spear drawn. His eyes burned like fire. "I don't wish to hurt you, but I will not abide this kidnapping." Damian moved back a step, feeling the room grow warm with hostility. The archmage's face twisted into a scowl.
"Kidnapping?" he repeated, insulted. "She will have every comfort we can provide."
"Then why don't you tell that to her," Garrick growled. Turning his head, he looked into Damian's eyes. "Damian, do you want to stay here?" Her hands shook as she gazed into those usually soft green eyes, now blazing with anger. Hesitantly, she glanced over her shoulder at the archmage, and at the lesser mages to her other side. It was not a choice she wanted to make, but at the moment, she was fearful of Garrick as well. Returning her golden eyes to the knight, she remembered the comfort he had given her and the way he had made her feel the last night. The way he had protected her countless times without question since they had met. She shook her head faintly.
Garrick sent a grin to the archmage. "There you have it. We're not staying."
Renault's eyes narrowed, his anger beginning to show through. "This is not a matter up for debate. Falsin!"
By the time Damian spun to see the two mages with their hands glowing, Garrick was upon them. The mages yelped as the knight lunged toward them, shoving them both away with the shaft of his spear. The fair-haired Correy retained his balance until Garrick kicked up, smashing his sabaton against Correy's face. Before the mage had even crumpled to the floor, Garrick spun and sent a blow from his gauntlet to Falsin, knocking him out.
Renault tried to approach Damian in the confusion, but before he moved two steps, the point of Garrick's spear stopped a finger's width from his nose.
"Don't tempt me, archmage," Garrick threatened. Renault's lips curled back in a doglike snarl while Garrick gestured at Damian to leave the room. Heart pounding, she jogged toward the entrance of the parlor.
"You fool," the archmage growled. "That spirit will kill us all." An amused grin marked the knight's face.
"I told you once, she's under my protection." With a glance at the mages lying on the floor behind him, he added, "Obviously, that's better than you can do." Renault hissed furiously. "Try anything, and I will kill anyone who gets in our way as we leave." With that, Garrick pulled his spear back and strode quickly across the parlor.
Damian opened the doors and gasped. Master Tiernan stood just behind it, attracted by the commotion. A breeze crept across them and caused the hairs on the back of Damian's neck to stand on end.
Grasping Tiernan around the shoulders, Garrick hurtled him into the room just as a blast of energy erupted from the archmage's hands. The knight slammed the doors shut, the spell hitting Tiernan inside.
"Go," Garrick commanded and began running down the hall, Damian keeping a frantic pace beside him. They heard the doors thrown open as they reached the stairs. She skipped steps before the knight, yelping when she heard a crash above them.
"Stop them!" the archmage's voice roared from the end of the hall. "Someone, stop that girl!"
Garrick slung his spear into its harness when they reached the first floor and began running down the hall. Damian's heart thundered in her chest, terrified that they would be swarmed by skilled and trained mages. The first that emerged to challenge them, Garrick simply shoved aside as they ran.
After a moment, the knight swept her up into his arms. Gasping, she looked at him. Horns had appeared on the top of his head and fins over his ears. He darted down the hall quick and graceful as a deer. They passed by several mages, but Renault's cry had not reached them yet, and the mages only gazed curiously at Damian and Garrick as they ran past. A few blasts could be heard behind them, but the spells missed by a wide margin at Garrick's speed.
Eventually, they returned to an outside hall with windows set into the wall. Skidding to a stop, Garrick kicked open a door. Beyond it was a stone-walled pen for livestock. He swiftly moved across the pen, still carrying Damian.
"Up, hurry," he commanded when he reached the wall. He held her feet and pushed her upright. Reaching up, she grasped the top of the wall and climbed up onto the edge. She could hear voices approaching the open door. Garrick leaped and climbed up onto the wall, then took her in his arms again as he jumped down.
Reaching the field surrounding the guild, Garrick took off running toward the town, not stopping to look back. Damian glanced over his shoulder, but she didn't see any mages pursuing them yet.
"What are we going to do?" she stated.
"We'll lose them in town," he answered. "Don't worry, I won't let them take you." She looked away uncertainly, pondering what the archmage had told them.
Garrick darted through alleys and back streets for a few minutes, leaving an erratic trail behind him. Finally, he slowed to a stop in a quiet alley and set her on her feet again. The horns and fins were gone.
"We should be fairly safe for now," he remarked, panting. "They're not going to attempt a full-scale invasion in town, but they'll probably be tailing us for a while. Keep your eyes open." He began walking out of the alley, but Damian hung behind.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked. Garrick stopped and glanced back at her wonderingly. "That... that spirit inside me. If it's as dangerous as that archmage said... maybe it would be better if I did stay with them." The knight slowly walked back to her.
"I agree that whatever that thing is, if he even divined it right, should be controlled," he responded. He leaned down to eye level with her. "But you haven't done anything wrong." Raising her head, she met his eyes. Only concern was there. "There's no reason that you should be locked up like a prisoner."
"But," she argued, "it's not safe..." He shook his head.
"That's no excuse for treating you like a mad animal," he remarked. A smile worked its way onto his face. "Besides, with magic, there's always about five ways to go about something. I know some good, honest mages we can talk to. We'll find a way to deal with this. I just wasn't going to stand by while they locked you up and talked about your fate right in front of you as if you weren't there. That kind of behavior is unacceptable." He grinned at her. "And what did I say about standing up for yourself?" Damian managed to smile. "This is your life we're talking about here, not anyone else's. You choose your fate." He brushed her chin with one finger. "Remember that." Her smile widened.
"Thank you," she responded.
"Don't mention it," he replied. With that, he turned to face the mouth of the alley. "I hadn't meant to leave town so soon, but it looks like we're going to have to. I'll pay for another night at the inn and we'll leave tonight, after dark." Damian nodded assent and followed him toward the street.
"Stay close and keep watch for any robes," he concluded. "Until we're out of this town, we can't be too careful."