Magical Essence Ch. 03

Merik blocked the spells with ease, glancing over towards where the guards, the Head Magi, and Derek were standing. He put his hands up, signaling to Gavin to stop the duel, and began his walk over to the group. Eliza had already begun walking towards them, already engaged in a conversation, and waving in Gavin. As Merik reached the group, he made a slight bow, and the Head Magi acknowledged him with a curt nod.

"Sir", Merik focused on Derek, who was watching Gavin intently as he jogged over to the group, "and Derek. What is the pleasure of this visit?" The plan was to act as if the two Mentors knew absolutely nothing about the attack, and Gavin would come in and explain their side of the story. As the story would unfold, Eliza had no doubt that Derek would dispute it, but she would confirm that he indeed did not have a wand. Gavin would explain how Meredith took the upper hand, casting a spell on the boy, and the other two scurrying away with his limp body. The story was believable, of course, mostly true except for the small white lie.

"You know why we are here", Derek gave a lopsided smile, he really thought that he had the upper hand, and he was going to use the arsenal behind him at his disposal if need be. "There was a skirmish yesterday, and your apprentice attacked one of mine incapacitating him. He is still recovering from the spell", Derek continued, making his words clear and forward, "We are here to reprimand him, and you Eliza, for leaving a new pupil with a wand unsupervised."

Eliza pretended to be offended, "I would never leave Gavin with his wand unsupervised", she looked over at Gavin, "He did not have his wand at all yesterday." Once again, the truth was in her statement, although a little deception was being applied with care. "What are the allegations? I have witnessed your apprentices—all of them start trouble—I am sure that they were the ones to throw the first spell."

Gavin stirred, he did not enjoy this pandering around, and he enjoyed less that he could not simply tell his story. He did not care if anyone knew who he was, but throughout his hard childhood, he was brought up never to lie, and he had the scars to prove it. Eliza told him not to speak unless he was spoken to, or told to speak, and he had has got neither as of yet. He looked through the door way at closely watching Meredith, 'She'll get what's coming to her', he thought, 'I went through hell and she got her laughs'

The Head Magi put his hands up, looking intently upon Gavin, this was the first time that he had actually seen Eliza's new apprentice. He was angered when Eliza brought a commoner into Tevrin, and angered even more when she revealed that he would be her second apprentice, but he never expected the mage to actually have a calling to the arts. 'He stands strong, and proud, nothing to hide', thinking to himself, 'Something is different though.' The others looked between the Head Magi and Gavin, both standing their own and neither flinching, but the Head Magi broke the silence.

"He has not an aura of a new apprentice", the Head Magi said, directing the statement to Eliza, "It is just barely above that of a commoner, and yet, I just witnessed his magic flawlessly... very interesting... Do you have an explanation?"

"Sir, we believe it is because of his childhood, and being enslaved for such a long period of time", Eliza said, looking over at Gavin who was looking rather agitated. "I have witnessed his aura flare during a dueling session, but I do agree, it is a rather interesting phenomenon."

The Head Magi nodded, glancing over at Derek, "I do not believe that he could have done what you say of him", he continues on, even after Derek attempts to protest, "And Eliza is right, your apprentices often do start and finish such quarrels. But nevertheless, speak your peace, and I will hear his rebuttal."

Derek scowled, "Sir, my students would not have touched him if not attacked or provoked first", his eyes turned on Gavin, "I would like to know who casted that spell though, Sir, it was a rather powerful one. Jordan still rests as we speak now." His eyes follow Merik's gaze, and they both lock their sights on each other, "The spell was of Mentor caliber."

Merik and Derek had a history of being enemies, and most of Tevrin often regarded them as such without ever knowing the full story. Most of the population believes that Merik holds resentment because of Derek's win over him at the last Olympics, but the feud goes back further than that. Derek had always been tight with the Head Magi, and when Merik had first arrived in Tevrin as an Ambassador, Derek attempted to snowball him. His master plan was to manipulate Merik, and force him to be the swing vote for any of his proposals. When Merik refused the offer, Derek threatened him, and even attempted searching his past for black mail material. Ever since this period in time, they both had equal hatred for the opposition, and Derek was even jealous about his relationship with Eliza—even though nothing was going on between them—most of the council believed that to be so.

Gavin knew exactly where this was going, and he would not let Merik be put up on the stake for this. It was time that he spoke, even though he promised Eliza that he would not unless asked, but his friend's reputation was on the line. The only friend that Gavin had was Merik—whom he looked up to as a big brother—and he would not jeopardize this because of a little skirmish that went sour.

"I was being held down by two of your apprentices", Gavin spoke to Derek, not flinching a bit with his gaze, "Jordan was readying up to attack Meredith because of her refusal to do attack me." Gavin recalled the memories of the event, watching Derek's reaction, which seemed not to be what he expected. "I struggled, freeing myself from the grasp of the two others, and Jordan fired off a Weaken spell. Now holding one of their hands, I was able to cast off a reflect spell back towards Jordan, and at the same time Meredith casted the same Weaken spell."

Derek shook his head, looking back at the Head Magi, "He is lying, making this up, how can you actually believe that such an event would happen? The synchronization of those spells would have to have been precise..."

"He has a story Derek, and it seems he is sticking with it", watching the boy, and giving him a slight nod. "I am satisfied with his recollection of the the event", looking at Eliza and Merik, "Because of the obvious confusion though between the truth, I believe that the course of action for both should be a community service."

Derek tried to argue against this, but the Head Magi waved him off. He had put up with Derek's attitude long enough, and believe that he was attempting to go a little too far this time. 'Gavin's story does sound legit, but I have a feeling there is more to it', he thought, 'Too much in his past is unknown.' He made his way back towards the pathway to Tevrin, the guards following close behind, "We will discuss this further another day. We need not bother Gavin with his training for the Olympics."

Gavin made a sidelong stare at both Eliza and Merik, a grin forming on his face slightly, 'Oh, this is going to be interesting indeed!' He had not planned on joining the ranks in the Olympic duels, but it seems that now the Head Magi was expecting him to be there.

Scene III:Mind Games

The sound of a whip hitting raw flesh filled the room, and a loud scream from an expecting individual echoed throughout the small room of the stone hut. With each successive strike from the whip, the future scars forming on the boy's back began to glow. The sounds continued to fill the room a few dozen more times until the Master finally got enough of punishing his slave, and walked from the room with whip in hand. The boy leaned forward, his head touching the cold stone floor, but not a tear shedding. Never did a single tear come from his eyes, but rather, the look of a deep, dark, and cold hatred filled what was left of his soul.

Gavin woke up from one of his nightmares, a cold sweat had formed over his body in his sleep, and he moved to sit up on his bed. Over the past few weeks he has been getting more and more of these nightmares, but they seemed so real, like memories, but when he attempted to recall them they just seemed void.

It had been a week since the visit from Derek and the Head Magi, and Eliza had cursed at Gavin because of the Head Magi's expectation from him. Eliza did not want Gavin to attempt the Olympics for obvious reasons, but mainly because she knew that Jordan would seek some sort of revenge. She knew Gavin could handle himself, but she was not sure if he could handle himself without unleashing the full force of his powers. Eliza wanted to keep everything under wraps until they could travel back to her homelands, and meet with her Mentor—the only other Arch Magi that she knows is still living—to get some more answers about the development of Gavin's abilities.

It seemed as each day passed Gavin found more and more he was able to do with his new found strengths. He had practiced with some projected illusions, and hallucinations on Meredith when she was unsuspecting. He as repaying her for the weeks of harassment that he received from her, Jordan, and the rest of Derek's apprentices. So with that in mind, he decided to use her as a guinea pig for all of his new mind tricks, and it was working much to his advantage. Even though he had not been able to successfully speak or read the minds of his victims, he could project some very interesting simulations.

Gavin sat down at the kitchen table, staring out into the moon light, and after a few minutes of silence he groaned in pain as his scars began acting up again. 'My thoughts must be traveling to magic', he thought, 'They only seem to act up when I am thinking of magic.' He swallowed, his mouth was dry from the nightmare session, and he walked outside to get a drink from the well. After lifting the bucket of water and spooning some into his mouth, the thought hit him, and he grinned inwardly. Gavin rushed back into the house, and sat at the kitchen beginning a deep meditation.

Eliza stirred in her sleep, the past few days have been a toll on her, and she was getting every second of sleep that time would permit her. Her eyes opened slightly as she heard the creak of her door, and she stared up at the looming figure above her.

Meredith leaned down and pressed her lips against Eliza, her hands moving over her Mentor's beddings in an attempt to strip them. At first Eliza was finding herself about ready to send Meredith across the room, but she felt herself slipping into the mood, even if unwillingly. Eliza returned Meredith's kiss, her hands moving across the girl's body grasping at her breasts, squeezing them lightly, and feeling her nipples harden.

Meredith let out a loud moan, kissing down Eliza's neck gently nipping at her skin with her teeth. She herself could not believe what she was doing, but just as Eliza, she found herself quickly enjoying what was happening. She made the move, pulling the blanket slowly from Eliza's body, and pushed her hands under the blanket and over Eliza's body. Eliza groaned, she knew there was a reason why she slept naked, and now that choice was paying off years after she began it. Eliza began breathing heavily as Meredith kissed down her body, taking care with her breasts, giving them soft and thoughtful squeezes.

Meredith's mind was elsewhere at this point, she was not sure exactly why she was doing this, but right now she did not mind. She focused her attention to every detail, flicking her wet tongue over Eliza's hardening nipples, giving them soft bites, and gentle squeezes at the base of her breasts. As Eliza moaned into her touch this just drove her more, and slipped down her body, stopping just before her bush. Meredith slid her hands under Eliza's body, opening her thighs, and breathing in the aroma of Eliza's arousal.

Eliza let out a sigh as Meredith breathed on her sex, she let her hands rest on the girl's shoulders gently squeezing them urging Meredith to continue. As Meredith moved in to kiss her pussy, she felt a surge of energy move through her, and rested her hands on the back of the girl's head. She let a moan escape her lips as Meredith slipped a finger into her, slowly flicking her tongue against her swollen clit, and starting a rhythm moving her hand.

Meredith felt like her body was moving without her mind, she has never been in this position before—with a man or woman—and it seemed she knew exactly what to do, and when to do it. Her hand slipped between her legs, rubbing herself softly as she continued her assault on Eliza. After what seemed like hours, and two fingers later, Eliza's moans were getting louder, and her breathing quickened to the point of almost wheezing. Meredith readied for Eliza's orgasm, feeling her muscles contract on her fingers, and giving her clit one last hard suck.

Eliza gasped, going quiet as her orgasm hit her like a freight train, pushing Meredith's head against her as she began shaking. After the euphoria passed, Meredith moved up her body, straddling her stomach and leaning down to give her a wet kiss. Meredith wrapped her arms around Eliza's neck, kissing for what seemed like hours, and Eliza's hand slipped to squeeze Meredith's ass.

A loud and clear voice came next, something that neither expected, and they jumped as Gavin spoke, "Looking good Ladies..."

Both women woke up at the same time, breathing heavily and looking around their beds to see if the scene actually happened. The thoughts of each other raced through their minds, and they both rubbed their eyes as the sun peeked through the windows. Somewhere else in the cabin Gavin leaned back in a chair, laughing slightly, putting his hands behind his head and dozing off into a nap.