Enjoyed writing this one... maybe It's my dark side helping with the creative process! Here goes this week's story!
Flavour text:
Obey, or perish. There is no other choice. By my hands, darkness will spread through the land... and nothing will stand in my way.
The Dark Summoner rises
I stand on top of the hill, while the horde of skeleton warriors and zombies spread havoc in yet another town. And as I watch the villagers running for their lives, I grin. Darkness will come for them all, sooner or later; the shadow of Mortis will spread through the land. I feel no pity, or regret; there was a time where I would care... but not anymore.
Maybe if I hadn't been bullied al my life, things would be different. Being the gravedigger's child, being skinny, dressing in black, all would be an excuse to get beated. But I told everyone one of them... “You'll regret this one day...”
I still remember the day the old man came to my house, thow; the day I thought would change my life for the better.
“Your child has the inner energie needed to start working with the magical arts, maybe even become a summoner one day!” I heard him say to my astonished parents. “I would like him to come and study with us at the citadel, if you agree.”
I was as confused as my parents. Me? A summoner? Working with magic?? My life was as mundane as it gets by then, helping my father tend to the cemitery after school, without any real friends besidse the critters that roamed through the toombstones.
In the first day at the citadel, I asked the old man, that I soon discover to be one of the senior light summoners.
“Why did you come to my house? Why me? I'm nobody.”
“Magic chooses you, not the other way; your wealth, race, origins don't matter here. Our spiritual scouts told us you are suited. That is enough for me. But beware, Zintar...”
“Yes?”
“The path of magic is a hard and sometime treacherous one. Do as you're told, even if you find it strange.”
“I will, sir. Thank you; I'll do my best!”
I didn't realized how serious that warning was... but I found out soon enough.
Although being in a different school, the behaviour of the other kids was the same. I could hear the mocking whispers in my back, the silly pranks; at first I though things would wane after the first days... but no; I never seemed to be able to blend in. Nevertheless, as usual, I was a very good student. And it truly was fascinating! All the possibilities! “You are no fit for magic until you master the basics!”, the teachers told us; but even reading about what it was possible to do, my mind started spinning.
Could this be real? Could I have the power to conjure shields, and summon creatures to fight? I could conjure a shied for me, and even the mightiest bullie wouldn't be able to hurt me!
The first magic experiments started a year later. And soon I started to stand out. It seemed so easy to me, harnessing the energy within; I remember the look of envy on my colleague's faces, as I flawlessly finished all the tasks assigned to me, way before the rest of the class. And my dissatisfaction grew with my knowledge. Why so many rules? So much time? It seemed there was so much we could do already, but wouldn't do because “we weren't supposed to”, as I heard over and over again.
My problems started soon after.
I remember the first time that green haze surrounded my hands. I remember I was mesmerized, looking at the faint glow; I was unable to understand what was happening, but there was no denying the power rushing through my body.
“STOP!”
The teacher's shout interrupted my thoughts, and as quickly as it appeared, the haze vanished. But not the alarmed and angry look from the summoner's face; that persisted.
“Why was I ordered to stop?”
“Obey, and don't question my orders! This class is dismissed!”
Again the boring rules. The barriers, the obstacles.
But this time was different.
The summoner that made me start my journey asked for me, later that day.
“Zintar... do you remember when I told you that magic's path can be treacherous? And that you ought to do as you're told?”
“Yes, but...”
“No but! The complaints about your behaviour have been increasing. You are a good student, Zintar, but there is a purpose to do the things the way we do. Patience is a virtue, a virtue you must harness to suceed here. The green mist you saw today... is a reflection of what goes on in your mind. And a sign that your attitude must change. Magic has a dark side too... a side that for your sake, it's better left unexplored. We shall speak no more of this!”
A dark side?
Those words only brought me more curiosity. And at the library, in one of the old tomes, I found out why the green haze caused that reaction on the teacher. Manifestations of the green mist in the hands of a scholar can be a sign of dark thoughts, and repeated manifestations demand immediate attention, and removal of the candidate from any further studies. Reading this passage made me wary. But the sensation of that power was too strong to be ignored.
For the next months, I praticed away from curious eyes. The power, the tingling sensation, the green light emanating from my hands, all that would come so easy, although I didn't knew how could I use it.
One morning, everything changed.
Part of our training at that time involved some physical activities too, and sparring practices, as a way to keep fit. "You have to know how to fight with your fist as well, if need arises.", we were told.
And it was the perfect excuse for the other students to pick one me. I was the skinniest one in the class, and an easy target.
But not that day. I had sensed an amount of power I had never felt before, in my training. And somehow, I felt different. Not stronger, not faster, but... different. It seemed the power hadn't faded away, and continued to circle through my body, in a less intense way.
One of the senior students approached, the stupid grin on his face.
“Ready to take a beating again, freak?” He mocked.
We took our positions, and as usual, he striked, faster and stronger than he should. But as he tried to land his first blow... it seemed all the strenght was gone.
He jumped back, confused. And came forth for another strike... but as weak as small child again.
“What are you doing to me??”
I didn't knew what is was then, or how I was doing it... but I was sure it was me.
And the teacher knew it too.
“Zintar, stop it! Stop it now!”
I didn't knew how. And frankly... I didn't wanted to. I had enough of it all, the teachers, the mockery.
The green haze appeared in my hands, stronger than ever. And as the guards rushed in, a huge figure materialized in the room. The terror on the faces of everyone present was visible, as the winged beast took its full form, a whip of pure fire in its hands.
All chaos broke loose, as beast and humans started to fight, and I took advantage of the confusion to escape the citadel.
I couldn't recognize a Lord of Darkness by then, but I knew I was the reason for its appearance. And I also knew that my days at the citadel were over.
Years have passed since then. The citadel organized searching parties, but I was never found. And my powers grew, as all the anger for being an eternal rejected from society darkened what was left of my heart. Summoning dark creatures is second nature to me now, and after this town.... I will return ty my birth city.
But this time, not as the light summoner apprentice.
This time, dead will rise from their toombs; skeletons will crawl from their graves. And when they stand at the city gates, waiting to fulfill my bidding, there will only be one thought in my mind.
Slay them.
Slay them all.