Rend Hope (10 page)

             
She was just about to reach the door that would lead to the waiting room.  Where people would come to request her aid.  Medicine could still be tough to find in this day and age, and Rosalind's sorcery allowed her to reduce injuries.  She could reduce gashes to papercuts, third degree burns to first degree, and repair internal bleeding.  Her abilities were invaluable to Midas City and she had unofficially become its resident doctor.

             
Rosalind didn't mind though.  She had seen much death in her young life and if it was within her power to prevent it, she gladly would.  Though the pale young woman had a hard time expressing this to people.  More than once she had been referred to as an ice queen, but she had lost so many people that opening herself up to her emotions again was painful.

             
The sound of the door to the third floor waiting room interrupted her thoughts.  Vargen appeared through the doorway, he seemed surprised to find Rosalind standing before him.  The dark-skinned bald man quickly recovered however.

             
Vargen had a tall and well-built intimidating frame.  He contrasted majorly with the short and slender Rosalind.  He was dressed in a tight-fitting short-sleeved grey shirt with tan fatigues and boots from his former days as a deputy of Midas City.

             
"Pardon the interruption to your meditation Lady Rosalind, but I couldn't wait any longer.  Lady Marie has..." Vargen began to explain, but Rosalind interrupted him.

             
"...She has returned, I sensed her just a few moments ago.  When did she get back?" She asked her aide, Vargen hesitated for a moment.

             
"She returned yesterday my lady." He finally replied, Rosalind was unable to hide the sudden surprise that appeared on her face.

             
"She's been home for almost a day?  Why didn't you inform me?" Rosalind asked, Vargen lowered his head and closed his eyes.

             
"My deepest apologies my lady, but when you had learned the news that Lady Marie was missing and most likely dead.  I could tell you weren't doing well.  I figured you could use the extra meditation and did not want to disturb you prematurely." He apologized, Rosalind gave him a small smile.

             
"Thanks Vargen, I appreciate that, I really do.  I'm ready to see my apprentice now though." She replied, he gave a nod in response.

             
"As you wish my lady." He said, standing aside to make way for her.  Rosalind entered the waiting room and there her apprentice was.

             
Marie was dressed practical like always.  Dark green short-sleeve shirt and grey cargo pants with brown hiking boots.  She had tied her dark hair up into a bun however, instead of just letting it sit at shoulder-length.  Upon seeing her, Marie's face brightened.

             
"Rosalind!" She exclaimed, hugging her master.  Rosalind tentatively put her right hand on Marie's back, returning the hug awkwardly.

             
"I feared the worse when I was told you were missing.  It's good to see you are okay Marie." The hoodie-clad woman told her apprentice.

             
"Yeah I was rescued from a group of cannibals by this guy." Marie replied, pointing her left thumb over her left shoulder behind her.  Rosalind looked towards where she was pointing, and froze.

             
He hadn't changed much since she saw him over three years ago.  He still wore the same red and black flannel jacket with a black hood, still wore the black fingerless gloves, worn blue jeans and black shoes.  Most of all though he still had that damn nonchalant look on his face.  Which quickly changed to surprise when he saw her.

             
"His name is..." Marie began, but was cut off sharply by Rosalind.

             
"...Markus." She finished for Marie, saying his name more like a curse than an actual name.

**********

              "Rosalind." He stated simply, his face serious.  Marie looked back and forth from one to the other.

             
"Uh, you guys know each other already?" She asked, trying to break the tension that was suffocating the room.

             
"Get behind me Marie." Rosalind ordered evenly, Marie started to protest.  "Now." She demanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.  Marie did as she was told, walking behind Rosalind and wondering what was going on.

             
"You're awfully cautious." Markus observed, Marie noticed that his voice had changed, it was no longer good-natured and jovial, but cold and hard.  Her master's demeanor rivaled his.  The teenage magi was astounded that Markus was matching Rosalind's intensity.  She had never seen that happen before. 

             
"How can I not? When there is a mass murderer in front of me." Rosalind replied icily.  Assuming a fighting stance.  Marie couldn't believe what she had heard.

             
Markus was a mass murderer?

Chapter 8

              "A mass murderer?" Marie asked, her mind still trying to wrap itself around the concept.  Rosalind never took her eyes away from Markus.

             
"He didn't tell you?  He and his master completely annihilated our hometown three years ago." The cloaked woman told her apprentice.

             
"I was trying to stop him." Markus said, trying to defend his actions.

             
"And in the resulting battle, you destroyed our home." Rosalind accused.  Marie noticed that she had said "Our home." not "Your."  Were Markus and her from the same place?

             
"What was I supposed to do Rosalind?  Just let him have his way?  I had to try to do something." Markus stated, glaring at the blonde-haired woman.

             
"You were supposed to protect us!  Both of you! And you both failed!" Rosalind loudly accused.

             
"I know." Markus replied, wincing as if he was in physical pain.  Rosalind's lips peeled back in a snarl.

             
"My family and friends are dead because of you.  And you dare show your face to me again!?" The platinum-haired woman suddenly screamed.  Before anyone could react Rosalind fired a blast of white magic energy at Markus.  It hit him square in the chest, knocked him into and then through the wall.  A huge plume of smoke and dust shot out from the hole he had made.

             
As Rosalind gave chase to Markus through the hole, Marie was stunned to see her master in such a rage.  She had never seen Rosalind like this.  The teenage girl wasn't sure what to do to diffuse the situation.

             
Rosalind had dove through the hole and was now in freefall.  Directly below her was Markus, also in freefall and parallel to the street below.  He was gazing at her with eyes full of sorrow.  It caused her blood to boil with rage, he had no right to be sorry after what happened in Havenway, their hometown.  She reared back her left hand and fired another blast of white energy at the flannel-wearing magi.

             
Markus summoned a gust of wind to move him to the left of the blast, dodging it.  The wind then deposited him safely on his feet in the dirt road.  Rosalind landed in front of him a moment later, hands glowing white-hot with magic energy and a look of pure fury on her face.

             
"Your apprentice wanted me to see a magi gifted with clairvoyance." Markus started, “Had I known it was you, I would have declined, I'm sorry Rose." He finished. 

             
"Don't you dare call me that!  Your apologies are meaningless to me Markus, the only thing I want from you is your death!" She exclaimed, conjuring up two baseball-sized balls of magic energy in her hands.  Rosalind threw the one in her left hand first.  Markus back-flipped to avoid it, when the ball hit the ground that he was just standing at, it exploded into a huge ball of ivory flame.

             
The hoodie-clad magi threw the ball in her right hand next.  This one sailing through the cloud of white flame created by the first.  Markus saw it coming and used a gust of wind to leap into the air.  He was half a second too slow however, and the explosion of white flame managed to catch his left shoe.  It immediately burst into flame and Markus was forced to throw it away in mid-air before landing on a building's rooftop.

             
Rosalind was relentless, leaping onto the rooftop Markus was on and delivering a vicious sorcery-enhanced kick to his gut.  Rather, she would have, if the flannel-wearing Magi didn't raise his left hand and block it with a cushion of air.  Both combatants struggled against each other for a few moments before the clash of their sorcery forced them apart.  The two magi ended up on opposite ends of the rooftop.

             
"Why are you here Markus?" She demanded, the flannel-clad Magi sighed.

             
"I'm just trying to find my former master Rosalind, that's all." He replied, the blonde woman gave an empty laugh.

             
"What for?  Are you hoping that you'll be somehow forgiven if you kill him?  That's impossible." Rosalind hissed, "You will never be forgiven." Markus glared at her.

             
"I'm not expecting to be forgiven, damn it Rosalind would you just listen?" He asked, exhaling a frustrated breath.  "Even if I'm not forgiven, I still owe it to the lives that were lost at Havenway to at least try and stop him." She shook her head.

             
"It'll just be a repeat of what happened last time, you'll just ruin and destroy more people's lives." Rosalind responded, "And I'm going to make sure it won't happen again." She declared.  Markus snorted in disgust

             
"Good god it's like I'm talking to a brick wall." He commented.  Rosalind's reply was to sprout white wings out of her shoulderblades constructed from pure magic energy.  She floated about five meters in the air, glaring down at Markus.

             
"Words from a murderer like you are meaningless!" She declared.  "Now die!"  Rosalind brought her hands together and then spread them wide, creating a wall of white magical energy.  Dozens of magically constructed arrows flew forth from the wall, heading straight towards Markus.

             
The flannel-clad magi stopped the arrows with a powerful gust of wind from his left hand.  He then sent the arrows back at Rosalind with another gust of wind from his right hand.  She was not worried however, as the wall ended up absorbing the arrows back into it.

             
Quickly Rosalind molded the wall into thin circle and fired a thick blast of ivory energy at Markus, who took to the skies to avoid the blast.  With a flap of her wings Rosalind joined him in the air as well.  When she got within melee range of Markus she struck out with her right hand, aiming for the left side of his jaw.  The "Ordinary" magi leaned his head to his right to avoid her fist.  Rosalind followed through and tried to kick his head with her right foot, but Markus blocked it by slamming his left forearm into her right shin. 

             
He immediately kicked her in the gut with his own right foot, causing her to fall for a few short moments before she was able to regain control of her flight.  She quickly looked up, expecting Markus to continue his assault, but surprisingly he was just landing on top of a rooftop after his leap in the air.  The look of sorrow was back on his face, but his eyes were hardened.

             
"Don't do this Rosalind, we'll both regret it." He told her solemnly.

             
"I have no regrets if it means killing you." She responded, landing on the same rooftop he occupied.

             
"Did you forget I lost family in Havenway as well?" He asked.

             
"Shut up!  You never had any real family to lose Markus remember?" Rosalind retorted, Markus visibly winced and shook his head.

             
"I thought you of all people understood." He said to his old friend.

             
"I understand enough." She told him, raising her left hand and emitting a bright light from it.  Markus was temporarily blinded by it, raising his right forearm to his eyes to help block out the harmful light.  While he was distracted, Rosalind dashed forward, ramming her fist right below his sternum. 

             
Markus gasped in pain as he was knocked off the rooftop by the punch.  He bounced painfully between the walls of two buildings several times before falling into an alley.  He rose to his hands and knees, gritting his teeth in pain. 

             
The sound of something coming fast from above prompted him to leap forward.  He narrowly missed being kicked in the spine by Rosalind.  Who had boosted the power of her kick with her sorcery.  As she impacted the ground instead of Markus, she left a small crater.  The flannel-clad magi rolled back to his feet, facing her once more.

             
Before Rosalind could continue her assault.  Markus summoned three crescent-shaped blades of wind and flung them at her.  Each blade drew blood, cutting into her right shoulder, left arm and the outside of her right leg.  Blood flowed from the wounds, but she used the pain to feed her anger.

             
Rosalind thrust her right hand forward, a giant hand constructed of white energy jetted forward from her palm.  It grabbed Markus by his torso and slammed him into the dead end of the alley.  The impact shattered a bunch of bricks, mortar and dust.  The white hand soon disappeared as Rosalind's concentration faltered from the pain of her wounds.

             
When the dust settled there was a hole where the dead end used to be.  A hand reached forward to grip the edge of the hole, pulling a battered Markus through it.  Although he looked roughed up, his face betrayed no expression.  His green eyes staring stoically at Rosalind.

             
"What I understand Markus." Rosalind started, continuing from where their previous conversation left off.  "Is that you are an evil that must be destroyed." Rosalind's wounds were leaking blood, but she paid them no mind.  Markus' facial expression changed to one of curiosity.

             
"Evil?" He asked.

             
"Did you think I didn't notice?" She snarled, glaring at him.  "You've hidden your necromancy well I admit, but I can sense it.  The stench stains you." She accused, Markus sighed

             
"I see your perception has improved since we last met." He remarked, Rosalind's response was to conjure up a sorcery-made lance, easily two meters in length.  She hefted it with both hands.

             
"That's not the only thing that's improved." She stated, flinging the lance at him.  He leapt up into the air to avoid it.  The lance entered the hole Markus had made and exploded in a huge burst of white magic energy.  It shot forth from the hole in a pillar of white light, a whole front section of a building suddenly collapsed from the explosion. 

             
Markus ended up on the rooftop to the right of the building with the collapsed section. That was Rose’s favorite spell, an exploding lance constructed from her magic energy, it was very potent.  Getting hit by one of those would definitely put him out of commission, she really wasn’t kidding around.  The aeromancer scanned his surroundings for his opponent.  Once again, Rosalind had taken flight with her wings made from pure magic energy.  She faced Markus with another lance already in her hands.

             
"You have no idea what I've gone through after Havenway, Markus." Rosalind said.  "The hatred that festered in my heart from losing my family.  I used that to grow stronger and many necromancers fell before my fury.  You'll just be another one that I've eradicated." She threatened.  Markus rubbed the back of his head with his right hand.

             
"You're right.  You're absolutely right Rosalind, I have no idea what you've been through since Havenway was lost." Markus agreed.  He stopped rubbing the back of his head and fixed her with a cold glare.  "But that works both ways."

             
Rosalind wasn't sure what happened, one moment Markus was standing on the rooftop she was currently facing.  The next, he was gone.  She felt a hand on her right shoulder and turned her head to see who it was only to find Markus was there.  He was gripping her right shoulder with his left hand, his gaze burrowing into hers.

             
"You have no idea what I've been through either." He told her frostily, gripping a fistful of fabric with his left hand and then threw Rosalind at the building directly below him.  His throw was so strong that Rosalind actually went through the roof and one of the building's floors, crashing into the second floor of the building.

             
The platinum-blonde co-founder of Midas City threw off a piece of the ceiling that fell on her.  As she stood up, Markus decided to drop in through the hole she had made.  The two glared at each other.

             
"If you don't want to forgive me that's fine.  Just let me leave in peace and I will never come back here again." He said.

             
"You think I'll just let a necromancer run free?  Not happening." She informed him.

             
"It's not Necromancy, at least, not exactly.  It's complicated." He responded, Rosalind's eyes narrowed.

             
"What's that supposed to mean?" She inquired.

             
"Let's just say that I've been through some changes since we last met." He told her.  "Look Rosalind, I'm not threatening your city, I'm about to leave, I won't be back.  What the hell's the problem?" He snapped, beginning to lose his patience.

             
"The problem is you're still alive Markus!" She shouted at him.  "You don't deserve the air that's filling your lungs!  Death should be your only reward!"

             
"Do you think I failed Havenway on purpose!?  I did everything I possibly could to stop my former master and more!  And that's not good enough for you!?" He shouted back.