Sorcerer by Susan Bowes (best short novels of all time TXT) 📕

Prologue

- He is Born -

The black robed figure anxiously paced the floor awaiting the birth of the queen’s first born. It would be her only child, as the man intended to have the queen killed after suckling the infant. He could not take the chance, that upon adulthood, the child would learn of its true heritage and seek revenge against him. The magician had big plans for the future and his demise was not a part of it.

The man knew this extraordinary infant would be born with a birth mark that would be recognizable to him alone. He had learned that from the demonic book he'd acquired years ago. He suddenly turned at the sound of the queen’s agonizing scream. “Is it coming yet?” he asked, but the birthing woman did not look his way not having the ability to hear his voice being deaf and dumb. He walked over and shook the woman by the shoulder and made signs asking such. She shook her head yes signifying she understood and pointed to the queen. The man saw that the babe’s head was crowning. The midwife reached her hands to the woman and waited patiently. The queen screamed loudly as the child fought its way fully into this world; her loud cries filling the cell as the infant was finally born and drew in its first breath.

“It’s about time,” he said aloud. “Well? Tell me woman. Is it deformed? Does it have all its limbs?” he signed once again. The midwife scanned the infant for defects and shook her head in response. The child appeared to be in good health and its lungs certainly seemed strong enough judging from the loud wails issuing from its mouth, the man thought. “Clean it and bring it to me,” he commanded as he signed this.

The servant did as her master bid. The man searched the body looking for the birthmark and spotted it just above the right hip. He stared in amazement. The birthmark looked exactly like the picture drawn in the mystical book. It looked like a comet soaring above the earth with a long, fiery tail extending behind it. This then was the child that would fulfill the prophecy.

Can I hold my baby?” the queen asked speaking barely above a whisper. She was weak and exhausted from the long hours of labor. It was a very difficult birth.

The illusionist signed to the midwife to give the infant to the queen as she eagerly awaited her child with open arms. The young woman covered the babe with swaddling and returned it to its mother. The newborn greedily sought his mother’s breasts.

“Ah. A good omen. I’ll make the child hunger for more than mother’s milk to sustain all its needs.”

“You won’t get away with this. The king will soon be here to rescue me.”

“I am aware of that fact your highness. I suppose I shall have to greet him at the main gates, but I can assure you he will never rescue you. Nor will he ever set eyes on his child.”

“You have no army to protect you. His soldiers will destroy your fortress and the king shall kill you.”

“That’s where you’re mistaken my dear.”

“How do you intend to stop him?”

“I have my ways,” the magician smirked.

“I knew Nicolas should have disposed of you years ago. Banishment was not enough to pay for all the atrocities you’ve committed whilst he closed his eyes to your vile deeds. He trusted you, but you betrayed him by trying to corrupt the members of court. You even attempted to sway him to your evil ways. I knew you’d try to find some way to seek vengeance after your attempts to usurp him failed.”

“You’re right. This is a vendetta, but it is much more than that. I shall raise a frightening force so powerful that no one shall be able to equal it. I shall vanquish your kingdom and rule with an iron fist; with your child’s help, of course.”

“One who has been brought forth from the king’s seed will never succumb to such wicked ways.”

“I'm afraid the heir to your kingdom will never learn that fact your majesty. You shan’t be here to inform the child.”

The queen couldn't believe her ears. “But who will suckle the babe? You can’t let a commoner do it. My child is of royal blood.”

“This child is much more than that your highness, but there’s no need to fret your pretty head over this matter yet. I still have need of you.” The man leered as he walked over to the cot and stroked her face.

The queen turned her head in disgust. “If you are thinking of forcing yourself on me, I’ll kill myself first.”

“Not an important loss, but tempting as that is my beauty, my lusts do not include ravishing you. My goals are far grander than what you or anyone else could ever imagine.”

“You shall pay for your wicked ways some day. God shall see to it.”

“Perhaps, but in the meantime I shall take advantage of the gift that he has given me.”

The queen said no more. She looked down at the newborn child as it suckled at her and sighed deeply knowing she would not live to see her child grow to maturity.

Chapter One

- Liam Dunham -

The lad sat before his father at the long, wooden table filled with glass vials of all shapes and sizes. His nerves were on edge and his eyes darted back and forth anxiously between the colored powders inside dozens of tubes. Which one was the right one? He dared not choose wrong and receive his father’s disapproval. Such disapproval always led to a sharp slap across his face. His father was a very impatient man. Liam slowly reached his hand out and grabbed a vial with a reddish, brown powder inside. “Is it this one sir?” he meekly asked.

“Yes. Very good my boy,” his father replied as he allowed a small grin to spread across his face. It appears you have studied very hard for this test. That will be enough for today. You may retire to you chambers now. You’ve earned your rest.”

“Thank you sir,” Liam said as he let his breath out slowly. He’d been up since before dawn. Today had been an important one. His father had just tested him on a special incantation that he was expected to perform later in the week. The procedure included using all sorts of odd chemicals and concoctions. He had been worried about passing and studied for hours on end. He’d memorized the chemicals that were needed to induce the spell and prayed that he wouldn’t get them jumbled up in his head when testing began. He could finally breath a sigh of relief. He’d made his father proud.

Liam bid his father goodnight and grabbed the torch to light his way through the corridors of the castle. One had to know their way through these dark, dank hallways. They were set up in maze fashion. If the boy didn’t know the way by heart, he’d be wandering these corridors for days on end.

The lad made it through the castle’s hallways to his chambers. They were dark and stark of furniture. He had a cot to sleep in and a stand beside it to place a candle to read by. He’d spent many a night sitting on the edge studying until well past dawn. This would not be such a night. Liam wouldn’t have to invoke the spell for three days at most. He could afford to let his mind relax for a while. He was weary and needed sleep.

He doused the torch and darkness enshrouded him. The lad walked over to the bed and sat down, not needing the light to find his way. He didn’t lie down right away. He let the black of night soothe him as it always did. Liam often wondered why the servant’s children demanded light to sleep by. They all seemed to fear the dark. The lad could never understand this unreasonable fear. Darkness was his friend. In the dark of the night, Liam could imagine all sorts of wondrous events. He could see himself standing before a grand army. Bloodied bodies of some unknown foe surrounded him as he imagined himself a great warrior gaining his father's admiration and praise. How Liam craved that.

Kydo did not grant such praise very easily. His displeasure was often handled by harsh slaps to the face. Liam had also felt his father’s whip on his backside many times; especially when he failed to conjure a spell properly. It wasn’t that the boy’s brain was dull or addled. He had a very quick mind. It was just that Liam was afraid to answer a query with a wrong response.

Liam didn’t mind the beatings he had received. He assumed he did deserve them. What he feared most was his father’s scorn. He longed for Kydo’s respect. Only when Liam performed an incantation perfectly did the lad get the sorcerer’s appreciation. Only then would Kydo give the lad a slap on the back, instead of his face. Only then would the boy receive a smile from his father. Only then did Liam’s heart soar above the clouds.

Liam needed Kydo’s love above anything else. That was something the sorcerer never shared with him. The lad didn’t feel the man was even capable of such warmth. His father never told Liam that he loved him. His father had never held him close. He’d never received hugs from his father like the servant’s mothers so frequently gave their children. This often angered him. Why should a mere servant receive such devotion and tenderness? Why could not his father grant such love? Perhaps he was afraid to give of himself again, Liam thought. Kydo never spoke of Liam’s mother other than to say she had died while giving birth to him. Was that why the sorcerer could not bestow his love? Did Kydo not want to suffer pain to his heart again; or was it because he hated the boy for taking his wife away? Liam sighed very deeply. Best not to dwell on such matters, he thought. He laid down and closed his eyes letting his mind wander and soon drifted off to sleep.

~~

Liam jutted his broadsword through his enemy’s gut. Blood spurted from the wound as he pulled the weapon from the defeated warrior. He then moved to the next soldier and swung on him. The man was twice Liam’s size, but the lad did not let that waver his attack. He forced his foe back swinging his sword fiercely as the blades rang out loudly in battle. The soldier retreated from Liam’s vicious blows and was soon devoid of his head.

Liam battled his way past the blackrawbridge and through the gates of the castle constantly screaming out a war cry. His knights followed this courageous young man without hesitation. Blood and fire surrounded them. The lad fearlessly fought his way through the carnage to the very entrance of the keep. A battering ram was brought to the door. Soldiers smashed it against the wooden portal over and over again. It soon weakened and split apart. Liam’s army forced their way through numerous barricades and slew what wasIt left of the enemy. Victory was theirs.

The youth smiled as he walked through the knights shaking their hands and thanking them for winning this battle for his father. They were stunned at his gratitude. No leader had ever bestowed such an honor on them before.