Mage Slayer part 4: Battle for my Homeland

 Jack stood anger blazing in his eyes as he grabbed the spear off the ground, looking out he saw three giants attacking his village. One giant was armed with a large club, another threw human-sized spears at the screaming villagers, and the third tore down houses and stomped down the rubble. The giants were the size of five tall men, covered in leather armor. A woman in the distance screamed for someone to save her, Jack recognized her voice, "Mother!"

Launching himself forward Jack bellowed at the top of their lungs, like a Viking warrior leading the charge in battle, Jack got the attention of the giants, throwing the spear through the skull of the giant who threatened his mother, and the giant fell back dead. Looking at his childhood home Jack saw his mother, lying under rubble, as a wooden beam was stuck through her heart. Tears filled his eyes as a large hand smacked the back of his head, "Where were you!"

Jack turned seeing his father, or at least the man who said he was his father, fear, anger, and grief mixed in the depths of his soul as his hand rose, slugging the man in the jaw, as one of the giants yelled out in mourning of the giant Jack had killed moments before. The old farmer fell backward into the dirt. Jack stood over him eyes narrow, "Don't talk to me, old man."

Looking up at his destiny, the boy yelled in reply to the abominable creatures who deserved to die. Looking around for a weapon, Jack spotted a pickaxe as the giant wielding the club charged forward, Jack ran, dropping to one side, he rolled, grasping the pickaxe. He threw his momentum forward, as the pickaxe landed in the giants foot. Before the giant could react to the pain, Jack yanked the weapon out of its foot and into the creature's knee. The giant fell back, crying out, and a spear landed next to the boy. he looked up, Finished the creature first then got the other one. Jack launched himself forward, stabbing the pickaxe into the giant's chest. Jack looked up and saw the giant launching another spear at him, leaning back, he dodged the spear. Jack grabbed the spear the other giant had just threw, and launched it at him, the spear missed, Jack yanked the pickaxe out of the dead giant's carcass and jumped at the giant, landing the weapon in the giant's knee, he fell backward. Pulling his weapon out of the creatures knee, the giant yelled, "Please end it!"

Jack looked up, "You speak?"

The giant roared, and it was evident that the creature had no more speech left in him. So Jack took the Giants spear and stabbed it in the heart, granting it a merciful end.

Off in the distance, the man of shadows stood on the mountain watching the battle transpire, smiling he turned to the realm of darkness were the king of giants resides. 

"You said that the humans are too weak to fight my soldiers, but that one warrior just killed three of my men." The Giant king said, his nostrils flared as he stepped out of the shadows, "Do you know what he will do to you if you fail too often?"

The shrimp like man of shadows shuddered as the king leaned closer, "Do you remember what he did to her last time?"

"Don't speak to me of failures, when you have a deeper ledger than I." the shadowy man countered, "It was your men who were too weak to face a farmer's son..."

"That is no mere farm boy!" The king said.

"I mean an unskilled human, I meant no disrespect your greatness." The man said, while giving a mock curtsy, "The fact is that your men failed, ooonnnly because they did not listen to my strategy."

"Had they listened they could have avoided failure?" The Giant king said, completing the man of shadows thought.

"Of course." the man said.

From the darkness a deep menacing voice exclaimed, "Excuses are for the weak, failure is only shame, end this discussion now and you shall live again."

The Giant king and man of shadows shivered in fear, bowing low with his face on the ground the little king said, "Master, what are your orders?"

A hand launched from the shadows, that dwarfed the giant in sheer size as it pointed to the portal, "Send your forces to Camelot, We have been hiding for long enough, It is time that the golden age of this kingdom comes to an end, I must feast on dead souls once again."

The man of shadows shrieked back in fear as he bowed low, "Yes my lord, I shall tell Morgana to take her new pet to the peaks..."

The finger bent back pointing at the man making him squeak in terror. 

The voice commanded, "Noooooooo, bring me the boy, I must see him for myself."

"Sire, the boy is not ready, he has only been initiated in the first phase of magehood..."

The voice interrupted, "End your excuses, I will see him and if he lives he shall be my vessel to rule the world of man from the throne of chaos."

Bowing low the man gulped, "As you wish my liege."

While still bowed the man left through the portal.

The Giant slowly rose from the ground, "Master, I do not believe that I have enough giant soldiers to win a battle against the humans, with your permission, and honor, will you allow for me and my men to  bring humans so they can be cleansed by the, The Balor?" his voice cracked as he gulped, memories from his unpleasant turning momentarily rose to the surface. 

The voice hummed for a moment, "Go."

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Mage Slayer part 3: Attack of the Giants

 The morning began with tranquility. The rooster crowed in the distance, as Jack stirred at the sound, day had arrived, and it was time to start the work. Leaping out of bed Jack started to his backpack and ran to the barn to take the cattle to pasture. The family had five cows, two old females, two young females and one male calfling. They used to have one bull, which had died the previous year from disease. The younger calfling, was half the size of the other cattle by now, and tried to show his dominance on the other females, but being so small could never make the landing. 

Jack sat at the base of the tree as the cattle grazed reading one of his books about the history of the Fae, which he wondered if Nimue was, based on the description of the fae in the book. 

"Oye," Shouted a voice from behind, Jack looked around, there was no one there. 

"Am I hearing things?" Looking around some more, hearing footsteps behind him, Jack turned. Nothing, turned again, nothing. The only sound he heard was teeth ripping grass out of the ground. Then a tap on his shoulder made his skin crawl, turning. Wack. Jack landed on the ground, punched in the nose, looking up he saw, Fremde. 

"What was that for?" Jack exclaimed.

"You need to pay attention, anyone can sneak up on you," said Fremde confidently, "That's your next lesson."

"Not letting people sneak up on me?" said Jack turning his head up to drain the blood.

"In part, seeing danger coming before it happens." Fremde took an offensive stance, his feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, hands up and loosely held, not quite fists, not quite chops either, Fremde had that strange look that told Jack this lesson was one of the more difficult ones, his eyes were narrow as he grinned wickedly at Jack, Yeah this was going to be a hard lesson.

Moments later Fremde was blind folded in the field, as Jack snuck up on him, stick in hand, ready to  strike.

Jack charged the Fremde swinging the stick like a club and the old man ducked under the stick in one swift motion, swinging his leg at the back of Jack's knees. flying through the air Jack landed on his back the wind knocked out of him. Jack stood back on his feet holding the stick out, Fremde, with the blindfold still over his eyes, "Good lad, back on your feet."

It frustrated Jack how the old man could do that. Jack swung his stick again, like a sword this time, Fremde parried with his off hand, knocking the stick-sword back, Jack struck again, but only hitting air, Fremde dodged behind the stick, and slapped Jack in the face. 

"How is this teaching me to see danger before it happens?" Jack asked frustrated.

Fremde chuckled, as he disarmed Jack, slapping him backward. "Boy if you are going to announce your presence while we are training, then you won't learn anything."

Jack stood his nose flaring, and brow furrowed, "What am I learning, WHAT AM I LEARNING?!?" 

Fremde slapped Jack's face with the stick, "In order to see danger coming, you must become the danger that comes, in order to see the monster in the dark, you must become that monster in the shadows, once you know how to take a city, you can be more equipped to protect your walls, and lands."

"What does that even mean, Become darkness to defeat darkness?"

"Do you want to be a hero?" asked Fremde

"I want to protect my home, a hero is a knight or a king or a mage, not a farmer." 

"Not all who wear shining fancy armor are heroes, and most who wield magic are corrupt, some of my favorite heroes are farmers, and I know of a king who was once a carpenter's son, understand that not all will be or ever has been what it seems, life is more beautiful than that."

Jack stood silently, pondering the wise man's words, "Sir..."

"Yes, son?"

Jack cleared his throat awkwardly, "What is your name?" Jack stammered, "I always call you Fremde, because no one knows where you come from, nor cares who you are, but I want to know who are you?"

The old man chuckled, "Well boy, you can say that my name is..." He never got to finish, as he spoke a spear blade protruded out of his chest as Jack jumped back, eyes wide and heart racing, "Sir?"

The old man looked down absent minded as he fell over, blood pouring from the corner of his mouth, Jack caught him before he hit the ground, he pulled the spear out of the mans chest. Looking up Jack saw giants, Giants? His mind raced as he saw a ditch close by. Sliding on the ground with Fremde on his back Jack crawled to the ditch laying back holding the old man who was bleeding out. "J-J....a...c..k..."

"Shhhh..." 

The pounding of distant thunder could be heard, or was it their footsteps, Jack peered up over the ridge, to see the giants standing at least a full oaks length tall, their heads shaved, and their beards thick and long, they wore simple leather armor. Jack remembered back to the night before, Nimue said that the giants would return, but he didn't know if it was a dream. This is real! The giants of myth and legend had returned, and they came back with a vengeance.

"J...a...c...k..." Jack looked down, as the old man's eyes faded, the old man who had been like a father to him, more than his 'true' Father ever was. 

"Fremde?" Jack asked, hope for his survival rising, "What is it?"

"You.........asked............my.............name...........I........must..........tell ........you..before......" 

"DON'T SAY THAT YOURE GOING TO LIVE." 

Fremde let out a chuckle, that was more of a cough, "Don't....be...s-stupid......boy."

Tears filled Jack's eyes as he held the old man close, "Don't die, please don't die on me..."

"My name....is....Lancelot...."

Jack's eyes perked up, "Lancelot... You?"

Lancelot the old smiled, as his eyes faded, speaking his last breath, "You must save your brother Jack...." Lancelot's voice strained as he gripped on to life to tell Jack one last secret before he faded from this realm, from his vessel, "Jack your....f-father is not....the farmer, you....and......your brother are sons.......of.........The king."

Jack blinked, "W....WHAT?!?" Jack stammered, his breath quickening as his mind raced with this new information, thinking of the farmer who raised him and fed him, the man who beat him, and belittled him, the man who favored his older brother, Dredmur over him. Dredmur, the liar and the cheat, there is not saving that.

Jack sat in the ditch deep in thought until he could hear the cries from the cattle, from  the village, the laughter from the giants, from the thunder, and the old man who taught him how to fight, who taught him the difference between right and wrong, lying dead in his arms, Jack's blood boiled as he laid Lancelot to rest pulling his hunting knife from his sheath, and stood from the ditch, as a giant wielding his fathers pickaxe, the pickaxe that had his father's, well not his father, the symbol of the family the old farmer belonged to, Jack looked up knife in hand as he charged the giant.

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Mage Slayer part 2: The Calling

 Jack stood in the forest dumbfounded looking at the woman who glowed in the dark, so many questions ran through his mind beginning with, "Who are you?"

She smiled, "I am Nimue, and you have been chosen to fight the one whom The Balor has chosen, it has been prophesied that the giants would return."

Jack looked down, "But I'm not a hero, I'm not a knight. You chose the wrong person for this task."Nimue smiled, pointing at the bear, Jack looked, "Okay yeah I can handle myself against a wild animal, but I'm not a knight, my brother is, he's the one you're looking for."

"Your brother is the one the Balor has chosen to fight. It is your duty and responsibility to answer the call and defeat him." Jack spinned, "What is The Balor, and why did he choose my brother, and why must I fight him?"

Nimue's smile faltered as the air around them shifted, the ground beneath their feet cracked and crumbled as Jack stumbled the world around them changed, "what is this?" Jack asked as he saw...other beings around them fighting, he wouldn't be able to describe what he saw even if he wanted to, but they were beings made of light and darkness blasting each other with fire and force, as the conflict escalated. 

"This is the war that wages every second in the unseen, as you sleep in your bed, Jack. In ancient times there was one, and that one created the celestials, out of nothing." She paused as Jack soaked it in, she looked at Jack as she said, "Then the one created man, and a celestial, WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED, corrupted man. Teaching him magic, mingling human and celestial seed, creating the abominating giants that you read about in your legends." 

"And now he wishes to take my brother..." Jack said fully understanding.

Nimue interjected, "Originally his mistress intended to take you."

"Me?" Jack exclaimed, "WAIT...Mistress?"

Nimue looks away dismissively, "it doesn't matter, the enemy forces have chosen your brother to replace their mistress as their mage." 

"I'm not a hero, I can't fight a mage, let alone my older brother, I have no magic, and I can't fight giants, I'm just a farm boy." 

Nimue chuckled as she shifted them back to Jack's reality, "you sound just like Arthur, when he was your age, he didn't think that he could be a king, let alone the king over Camelot."

Jack looked up.

Nimue smiled gracefully and curtsied, "At your service young sir, Jack the Giant slayer."

Jack exclaimed, "I'm not a giant slayer, nor a mage Slayer, get that through your thick...." 

Jack noticed that she was translucent, "Or...translucent...skull...head...I don't know, I'm not THE MAGE SLAYER!"

Jack left in a huff back to the barn, as Nimue stood, fading from our realm, her voice like a faint echo, "But you are Jack, Jack the Giant killer."

In Fengar Castle inn, Dredmur slumbered peacefully as Morgan stood above him, the moonlight barely illuminating her figure, her hair glowed as her hand floated over his head leaving him in a trance as she practiced her dark magic on his mind, she strained as she pushed farther into his mind. A dark mist flooded the room, as it clumped together to form the figure of a man as she started, "It is only me, dear daughter." The figure said, his voice echoed in a high pitch tone, of course only she could hear it, being half celestial herself.

She straightened her stance as she masked her unease. The figure creped forward leaning over Dredmur, as he pulled his eyelid open. "This one has a strong will, no wonder why you can't talk, if you are concentrating hard enough."
Morgan grimaced, "Of... course, I... Am..."

The figure chuckled, "Don't talk dear, you'll wake him with your sound. Does he know his mission yet?"

Morgan shook her head, her neck muscles straining as she concentrated, The figure said, "We do not have much time dear, the One has already moved on their progeny, we must make progress on ours."

Morgan strained, "He... is... mine to con...control."

The figure recoiled, "He is the master's to control, not yours, don't forget your purpose."

She strained, remembering her punishment for failing the last time, she knew the cost. Yet, why did she still plan her own way? "Stop thinking and finish your mission, child!" The mist, now a deep fog floated around them, "Don't let your ambitions exceed your abilities, you will not survive the next failure."

Morgan grimaced as she pushed herself deeper into Dredmur's mind, she was in? She made it, now his mind was hers to command. Her father smiled... was that a smile? It looked like an emotion that mirrored happiness. Dredmur woke from his slumber, as a light flooded the room, the creature that spoke to Morgan shrieked, "Sunlight, I must leave," He began to fade from the realm, "Don't fail this time daughter, don't fail."

Morgan cupped Dredmur's face in her hands as he sat up, "Did you sleep well, my love?" she asked her voice now soft and gentle.

Dredmur smiled, "I always do when you're close by."

Morgan kissed him this time her lips moving over his like a Cheeta pouncing a gazelle. She would make him do what she wanted, kill who she needed dead and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

She pulled back from the kiss, "There is something I need you to do for me, Mordred."

Dredmur's eyes changed color, from green to red. Mordred took over, grinning, he said, "Yes mistress anything."

Morgana smiled.

© Copyright Tailspinners Ink all rights reserved 2024

Mage Slayer: Two Brothers

Hello fellow travelers, welcome to Tailspinner's Ink where stories come alive. I am Elon Quillspark, your the curator and guide in these vast realms of legends and adventures. This story came from Mythron's adventures in the wastelands of stories and tales of Adventures where Heroes and Myths lie waiting to be discovered. I have restored and translated this manuscript to its original glory and Hope that you are equally inspired by the contents of the story to come. 

Now go on your adventure to the distant lands of the Kingdom of Camelot: 

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It was a cool Autumn evening, a good day for a fight, and Jack’s brother had antagonized him for the last time. Wrapping his knuckles thoroughly, he slowed his breathing, remembering the punches and kicks the foreigner taught him. He bobbed his head from side to side as a voice from behind him said, “You look like a loon.”

The girl standing next to the knight, Dredmur, chuckled at his remark., Morgan was her name. Dredmur pulled her close to his lips, overtaking her like a panther drinking up a young gazelle’s flesh after winning the pursuit. Jack’s stomach churned at the sight.

Dred pulled away from his prey, tenderly stroking her face, “I’ll win this fight for you, my immaculate maiden.”

Jack approached his brother, towering over the knight.

“Morgan’s under his spell, she has to be,” Jack thought, “no woman would appreciate the way Dred treats her.”

Dredmur pulled away from the girl, approaching Jack. Jack looked back at Morgan, who watched intently., Dred slapped his face, “Oy, eyes over here loonie!”

“Dredmur is going to antagonize. Don’t let him in.” he thought. “You got this.”

Dred’s fist flew at Jack, He leaned back, throwing his own back, hitting his brothers cheekbone. Doubling back, he plowed forward. Jack threw his front foot into his brother’s gut, repelling him away, leaning forward, he backhanded at him, intending to hit his head. Dred ducked under the punch, shifting his weight, slamming his fist into Jack’s ribs.

Jack grunted, “I thought you said that was cowardly!”

“It’s only cowardly when you do it, brother, you’re bigger.” Dredmur said, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Rolling his eyes, he threw a round kick, slamming into Dred’s ribcage.

Dred doubled over in pain. Looking in his eyes, Jack saw something he’d never seen in his brother before, desperation!

Image credit: D'andre Clarke
artbydre138@gmail.com

Morgan smiled at Jack as it became evident that he was winning the fight. Dred saw this remark and could not let Jack win.

Dredmur pushed his hands forward onto Jack’s chest and an unnatural force pushed him backwards.

Back slamming on the ground, many stone throws away, pain shot through Jack’s body as he cried out.

Dred huddled over to his injured brother, barely masking the pain he felt.

“Does this mean I win?”

Looking up, he saw that stupid smirk on his brother’s face. He knew that whatever dark force allowed his brother to perform in this way, he couldn’t beat it.

Jack nodded.

Dred’s smirk grew, “Sorry, Jack, I can’t hear you. Can you repeat yourself?”

His face contorted in a mixture of pain and disgust, “YOU...WIN!”

With that, Dred patted Jack’s belly, sending shots of pain and humiliation throughout his body. “There you go, brother.”

Then Morgan galloped over to Dred, rewarding him with a deep, passionate kiss., Dred looked down at his conquered foe, expressing his claim over the maiden. He pulled back from the kiss as she said, her voice cheery and excited, “I knew you’d win.”

“I always do.” Dred said, stroking her face.

Jack gagged.

Jack laid on his back alone. The ground beneath him uneven and rough as dust clung to his tunic. Looking up, Jack saw what he dreaded the most, his father. An old man with a straw hat and a stern face, marching over to him.

Jack’s mind raced, remembering the last time his father caught him fighting his brother...

“Son, that’s why he’s the knight and you ain’t. Now pick yourself up and get them cattle hauled!” Dad shouted as Jack moaned, pain shooting through his back.

“Ain’t gonna tell you again, son!” The old man said, turning his back to the boy.

Jack silently and painfully rolled over to his stomach, slowly picking himself up to his knees. He stood, limping to his backpack full of scrolls, then staggered over to the barn to herd the cattle. A woman observed him as she stood hidden in the old wooden shack.

A man approached her, covered in darkness outlining his silhouette.

“I see you found yourself another puppet.” she said, eyeing him carefully.

The man grinned wildly, “Ohhh Yesssss, this one is thirstier for my power than the last one was.”

She looked at him, “He will lose, you know that.”

The man howled with laughter, “If he does, then at the least he will cause more chaos, and the beacon of light YOU have put in my way will be extinguished, If he does not rule, I will choose another.”

The woman smiled as she looked in Jack’s direction, “There is another who has been chosen to fight.”

The man followed her gaze to Jack, who was herding the cattle.

The man blinked, “HIM?!”

Jack leaned against a tree as he opened the scroll.

“You did well this time, mate,” said a voice from behind.

Jack looked back, seeing the old foreigner, “Oy! Fremde, you saw?”

“Aye, I saw, and you gave your brother a good beatin’ too.”

“I lost.” Jack admitted.

“Aye you did, but tis life. You win, you kill, you lose, you die. But if you do lose and live, tis better to run and fight another day.” The foreigner said as he watched the cattle graze peacefully.

“The king wouldn’t have run.” Jack stubbornly exclaimed.

The old man laughed, “The King has Merlin and 10,000 loyal knights to defend him, you only have you. Once you hone that, people will follow. If you focus on who’s better, you’ll spend your time following instead of becoming, and becoming is better than following. Look at me, I don’t follow nobody, but I got you following me.”

Jack looked up, “I’m not following you.”

“Of course, you’re not.” he said through a hearty chuckle.

Jack looked up annoyed, “What do you want?”

The Fremde breathed as he composed his laughter, “Your brother displayed some unnatural abilities in the fight.”

“Aye, he did.”

“Any ideas where he might have learned that?”

“I’ve never known him to have an affinity for spells and incantations.”

The Fremde looked down, deep in thought, “It seems your brother holds a great deal of secrets.”

“What is going to happen to him?” Jack asked.

“Who knows? Those who pursue such darkness are marked for life. Keep an eye on your brother.”

Jack nodded as Fremde the left.

That night, Jack was herding the cattle into the barn when he saw a light in the distance. A light that glistened through the trees. If it was in the sky Jack would have thought it was a star, but it was in the forest. I need to know what that light is! After locking the barn and grabbing his hunting knife, he sought after the light. Pushing his way through the bushes, he saw a bear. The beast’s back was turned to him as it devoured the flesh of a buck. So as not to disturb its meal, he turned to go the other direction, but there was a snap under his foot.

Image credit: D'andre Clarke
artbydre138@gmail.com

Jack turned to see the bear lunging at him. He bobbed under the slashing claw stepping back, breathing. The bear slashed at Jack’s ribcage, ripping open his side, making him grunt in agony. He pulled out his knife, stabbing the bear’s eye. Enraged, the bear stood on its hind legs, roaring. Jack doubled back, dwarfed by the mighty beast. The Bear slashed his claws at Jack's shoulder. He bobbed under the paw, hook punching the bear’s kidney, the other fist slammed into the bear’s front, knocking the wind out of it. Sweeping his leg, he tripped the bear on its back. Jack dropped, grabbing the knife. He pushed it further into the predator’s brain. He twisted and pulled the knife out. The bear manically waved its claws around, Jack dodging its claws, rolling onto his side, away from the bear’s mania. He stood to his feet, seeing the bear struggle to get up.

I need to end his suffering, now! Jack ran forward holding his hunting knife in reverse grip, stabbing down into the heart of the mighty beast, with a loud grunt! It struggles no longer... Despite the bloody eye and the wound on its chest. The bear almost looked peaceful. Jack looked back at the river which led to the lake. Seeing a woman with light emanating from her body, she almost looks ethereal, her clothing though in the water was not wet, she stepped out of the water on to dry land as the rocks below her almost looked fluidlike, bending around her bare feet as she stepped, this was no ordinary bear and this was no ordinary encounter.

“It’s time for you to face your destiny.” The woman said, her voice sounding like an echo radiating with power.

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And Yes... that was the first legend of Mage Slayer, please stay tuned, I have more on the way.

© Copyright Tailspinners Ink all rights reserved 2024