“It’s complicated.” Fain said. “We’ve been fighting for nearly five years now and we still don’t know who the enemy is.”
“I don’t understand. How can you not know who your enemy is? How do you fight them then?” I replied.
“We fight the spectral attacks as they come and the Magars when we find them but we don’t know who is behind it.” He stated.
Like that was an answer.
“Spectrals?”
“It’s dark magic. Very dark.” Marke said. “They’re in spirit form, they attack and suck the life out of their victims. Eviscerating them from the inside out.”
“Right.” I breathed. “And Magars?” This was getting absurd now.
“Don’t underestimate them. They use their magic for evil. They’ve destroyed whole cities, slaughtering women and children.” Marke said.
“So, what’s the difference between a Magi and a Magar then?”
Marke hissed at that but Jelric brushed off his response by waving his hand dismissively. “Magars and Magi are intrinsically the same.” Jelric said.
“We are not.” Marke snapped then looked around in horror that he’d contradicted Jelric. He put his head in his hands to hide his face.
“We are.” Jelric stated calmly. “We both can wield magic. The only difference is Magars use different receptacles to do it. The type of magic you can perform depends upon the receptacle you have. If you want to perform dark magic you need to have something cursed, something evil.”
“But Marke said that a receptacle is like a part of a Magi’s soul.” I said not really sure where exactly I was going with that thought.
“Exactly.” Jelric replied. “So to use such a receptacle, the Magar’s soul becomes tainted and evil.”
“Right.” I sighed. “So what on earth am I meant to do?”
“You’re Fae. Your magic is greater than even Jelric’s.” Marke stated.
“What so you want me to somehow magic you victory? I don’t even know how to use magic. And you said yourself that you don’t even know who your enemy is.” I said turning to look at Fain.
“That’s not what we want.” The Prince replied.
“Then what do you want?” I retorted.
I could feel it, the resentment over his treatment of me growing again. They supposedly needed my help, but instead of asking, instead of doing it the right way, they’ve treated me like a slave.
“You can help us. Help us to fight the spectrals and fight the Magars and when we find out who our enemy is you can help us destroy them.” Marke said after Fain didn’t reply.
I looked at Fain. “That’s what you want?”
“That’s what the High King would want. What the Magi want.” He stated flatly.
“And you?” I don’t even know why I asked it but something in me wanted to hear his reply. I guess some small part wanted to hear him say that he needed my help too.
“I think you should be kept as far away from all of this as possible.” He replied as Jelric and Marke both hissed. “You’re a liability. You said yourself you can’t do magic, and who’s to say whose side you’re on.”
“She can be taught to use her magic, Prince Fain, as well you know.” Jelric said.
“Perhaps. But no one as yet has confirmed where her loyalties lie.” Fain replied.
“My loyalties? You drag me half way to god knows where and now you want to question my loyalty?” I snapped.
“I didn’t choose to bring you here.” He said facing me down. “If I had my way I would have dumped you back at the forest they found you in and left you there.”
“Well you’re not the only one who wishes you had.”