I woke up in a daze. The world was still spinning and my head ached but I could start to look around. My jaw hurt as a gag and rope were forcing it open. There was a bitter taste in my mouth. I tried to move but I couldn’t. I was on a chair, rope boring into my flesh at the wrists, waist, ankles, and upper arms. I couldn’t move. If nothing else, I could feel the dagger on my thigh still. The room was a mess, seared with rubble coating the ground. Was I in a basement? In a dark corner next to broken boxes and hidden by shadow lay a body.

  I wasn’t alone. I could hear the tapping of a mortar and pestle, from the room next to me. I keep looking to see a figure move every so often. His back was to me as it seemed like he was mixing vials together at a workstation. It wasn’t Father Kavlin, the ears were rounded, though he wore the clothes of a priest of Orn. He moved to come back to this room. I closed my eyes and pretended to be unconscious. It wasn’t hard. The world was still spinning and I felt like death. If anything it was harder staying awake with my eyes closed. I focused on what I could hear: the scratching sounds from around me, his footsteps. He was doing something. I peeked when I heard him leaving. With a closer look I could see he wore a wizard’s spelltome at the hip. I looked down, my eyes went wide. Not again, they can’t do this again.

  Around me were symbols and sigils. A conduit circle for casting ritual spells. I knew the symbols around me. He was trying to force false memories into my mind. Every part of me I could move was lashing out against the rope and the chair. I couldn’t let them do this. Not again, not after everything.

  “For fuck’s sake,” the voice of the man rang out. I glared at him, still trying to thrash around, as he reentered the room. I couldn’t tell if it was the poison giving me hallucinations or truth, but the flesh of his face seemed to morph and shift into place before suddenly I was looking at Father Kavlin. “I should’ve been more cautious with you. Now I have more memories to purge.” His annoyed look shifted into a smile. “Though, I suppose, since this will be purged anyways I leave you with a parting gift.” He walked over making his way carefully around the circle before squatting next to me. “It’ll be a travesty what happens to poor Sir Glenn. It’s a shame he met you, and developed whatever misguided feelings he has for you. He had a promising future. Only for it to come crashing down when you get home and confess that you slept with him breaking your vow of chastity. Meanwhile, poor Father Kavlin found out and was cut down by Sir Glenn. It’s all so tragic don’t you think? Do you think he’ll be burned at the stake, stoned, hung, or sent to the guillotine for his crime?”

  I was breathing heavily. The world was still spinning. It will be over. All over before it began.

  “You should be happy,” the fake Kavlin said, his mocking voice sounding more earnest, “your father still cares enough to try and fix you. Even after that upstart of a mentor broke all the work we began. Honestly, though, I've preferred having you as a test subject, but alas I must give you up. I would ask how you were able to receive spells from the gods again, but it must be hard to talk with rope in your mouth.” He grinned slightly, but kept an amused look. “When all is done with, you’ll be unsoiled for your husband and you'll be free of whatever ridiculous notions you have. You’ll have a simpler and happier life. I’ll put you back to sleep and when you wake up it all will be better for you.”

  I struggled as he was leaving. Fighting all the rope and binds on me. He didn’t seem to care. I could hear him going up stairs. I could also hear a creaking from the chair. With everything I had, I pushed, pulled, and pushed until the creaking turned to cracking. With one last push on the chair the left side broke as I fell. I could move my left hand dragging the chair arm with me as I went. I tore away at my dress until I grabbed the dagger.

  There was a banging from above. “Father, we have injured! We need you at the wall!” a voice loudly pleaded.

  I brought the dagger to my face and started cutting at the rope gag. I couldn’t keep the blade steady. My hands were shaking. My Aura was likely depleted. From the poison if I had to guess. There wasn’t much resistance when the blade cut into my cheek and stabbed my nose. It wasn’t important. The rope frayed and with a final cut going into both rope and flesh my gag was gone.

  “[Cure Poisons]” I chanted. The only mana I had was the mana I promised Glenn I would save for myself. A fit of coughing hit me after casting the spell. Vomit, blood, and splinters covered my dress. The world wasn’t spinning as badly as I cut myself free.

  There was yelling on the floor above. Then a pained scream and the sounds of movement. The movement was heading towards the stairs. By the time I turned to look, a body tumbled down it. It was Sir Richard. He was dead. There were footsteps coming down next. I ran over, pressing myself as flat as I could against the wall next to the opening that led to the room with the workstation fake Kavlin was using earlier. I held the dagger ready to strike. The world was spinning less.

  “For fuck’s sake,” fake Kavlin grummbled. “I know you’re in there Sofia. There’re no exits. I doubt you’ll want me wasting too much mana and end up butchering your mind. Come quiet and drink some tea. You’ll be better off for it.” I didn’t move. I heard the sound of a sword being drawn. “Gah, all this wasted time and effort for some insolent little wench.” I kept my dagger ready. Fake Kavlin entered the room, but he looked to his right side first. I stepped forward, putting all my weight in the thrust. “Fugh!” He cried out. His Aura stopped the full thrust, but I could tell he was likely weakened as the dagger pierced a fair way into him. As he stumbled as I pulled the dagger out and pushed past him. He awkwardly retaliated, swinging his sword at me but hitting the entryway’s frame. With all the haste I could manage I ran up the stairs, his foot falls chasing after me.

  I wanted to kill him. Though, I doubt I could. Surely, Fake Kavlin was weakened. He had to be. Either by the real Father Kavlin or Sir Rodrick. What worried me was that he still had mana enough for mind modification spells. He could kill me in an instant if he turned that mana against me.

  I quickly ran outside. If nothing else I can make it to our supplies and grab my spear or get some help. I didn’t make it far, nor could I cry out for help. Fake Kavlin cast a spell behind me. A creeping chilling sensation washed over me. Magic was flooding my body. I struggled to resist it. I didn't have enough Aura to fight it off. Falling face first onto the ground my body wouldn’t listen to me. The magic held me in place as Fake Kavlin walked over.

  “I don’t know where in the hells you got that dagger, but I’ll make sure you suffer for that you cunt.” Fake Kavlin rolled me over with his foot before he stepped his weight on my right arm. “Oh, great. I’m going to get blamed for your face being scarred. What’s the harm in a few more if they’re already wasting the spell to patch you up.” The man wore a cruel smile unfit for the face he stole.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  The foot that was pressed on my arm moved to kick my dagger from my hand. He grabbed my leg and started dragging me back to the basement. I tried to scream and fight against the spell to no avail. When we reached the front door of the rectory there was a sudden thud as an arrow punctured into Fake Kavlin’s shoulder. He dropped my leg. It broke his focus of his spell enough for me to start to move again. I pushed and fought against the foreign magic running amok inside me, forcing it out.

  Lances of flames shot out from Fake Kavlin into the shadows some ways off. I could see Ivili running and dodging in the flashes of light the flames emitted. Another arrow was shot off, Fake Kavlin blocking it with a shield of mana. As soon as I could move I started running. Fake Kavlin began casting a spell at me but was cut off with an arrow. Grabbing my dagger I looked up and saw torches in the distance returning in our direction.

  “How did they deal with chimeras so quickly?” Fake Kavlin muttered. He blocked another spell before looking at me. Eyes filled with ire. “I’m afraid you’ve only made things harder on yourself Sofia. You could’ve been fixed and had a nice easy life.” He blocked another arrow with a magic shield. “Instead you’ll need to answer for this.” He raised an arm out. An arrow slipped past his magic defense and skewered his leg. It stopped him for a moment. I could’ve charged him with my dagger, I should’ve, but I didn’t. The arrow didn’t stop him as he cast a spell.

  I didn’t turn around to see what happened, keeping my eyes locked to him. The ground shook and I felt the heat surge behind me. He fled back into Father Kavlin’s rectory. After I couldn’t see him, I turned back. Chunks of molten rock had exploded from the ground behind me and fell in the direction of the torch light. Everything else faded away, all I could do was stare.

  A hand touched my shoulder, in an instant I stabbed at it. “Careful now,” Ivili said, dodging the stab, “I need to stay here to make sur-”

  “It wasn’t Father Kavlin,” I interrupted.

  “I know. He had the air of a kin-killer on him. Can you go tell them what’s happened? This guy’s dangerous. That was at least fourth tier magic.”

  “He’s at least a high-mage,” I interrupt again.

  “Get some healthy folks to come help storm the building. He’s weak. I need to stay here. Make sure that fucker doesn’t do anything more,” I noticed Ivili didn’t break sight with the rectory. She had a hand on my shoulder, but was ready to attack in a moment. I needed to be like that.

  “Y-yes,” I replied, running off towards the flames. Everything hurt but I pushed on.

  It was a horrific scene. Debris had claimed at least five of the thirty knights' lives. Some having been hit directly by larger chunks of molten rock, it solidified around them and their armor. Another twelve were wounded. Burned and battered from smaller chunks of molten rock. I looked around desperately for Glenn or Archie. The knights saw I was a priestess, they begged me to heal them, but I had nothing to give. After a moment they saw me first.

  “Sofia! What happened? Where’s Ivili?” Glenn called out.

  “I- er there’s a mage attacking at Father Kavlin’s Rectory, she’s alright but needs help.”

  “Did the mage do that to you?” Glenn asked, with an anger in his voice.

  “I-uh, yes,” I responded. For a moment I wasn’t sure what he was referring to until I felt some blood trickle against my lips from the cut across my face.

  Archie and Glenn started running off. Towards the rectory. I wanted to follow, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t go back there.

  “The hell happened? Is Father Kavlin coming?” Sir Tomwell called out to me after some time. I had been staring off towards the rectory. I was useless yet again. All I had was prayers while Glenn, Archie, and Ivili risked their lives.

  “T-there was a mage, wearing his face. I think- I don’t believe he’s with us any more,” I said, I wanted to believe otherwise. I couldn’t. There was the dead body I never checked in the basement and Ivili said that mage had killed elves.

  “You don’t have any healing in you, do you?” Sir Tomwell said, looking towards the injured.

  “N-no, I’m sorry.”

  “Damn that mage,” Sir Tomwell said, rubbing his temples.

  “I-I think he was part of the church, they sent him.”

  “I know you’ve been through it tonight, but don’t be ridiculous. The church wouldn’t do something like this.”

  They would. I wanted to say, but didn’t. He wouldn’t believe me.

  ***

  Father Kavlin was killed. The mage escaped. Eight of the settlement’s knight circle were killed. Two succumbed from their injuries from the eruption, the third from the chimeras. We stayed a few days longer, for my mana to recharge so I could heal the ones still alive.

  I told them all about what happened in the basement. The local mage in the knight corps confirmed it was a ritual for a memory modification spell, but little beyond that. It was more complex than he could deduce. Ivili had found a letter on Father Kavlin’s corpse addressed to me:

  Dear Sister Sofia,

  I had hoped we might have had a chance to talk. A letter certainly is no substitute. I know not, nor will I presume to know, what misfortunes have befallen you. Only that I wish for you to one day find more joyous days. You are loved, by the gods and by your companions. Never lose sight of that. Regretfully, there is little more I feel I can offer in a letter. My door is always open to you should you wish to return. I’ve also included a letter of introduction for an old acquaintance I know who’s an instructor at the monastery in Horw.

  I wish you the best,

  Father Kavlin

  ***

  I huddled in the corner of the wagon on our way back. It was only in that moment that everything weighed on me. I was trapped and suffocating. They were after me again. They wanted to infect my mind with their magic. They’ll be waiting for me there. Why now?

  “I-I can’t go back,” I said, breaking the silence. Glenn and Ivili turned to me, Archie was at the reins.

  “Why’s that?” Glenn asked, he looked concerned.

  “The mage who killed Father Kavlin,” I stopped to catch my breath, my hands shook while I mustered the words I never said before. Father Kavlin said they loved me. Maeori said they care for me. Surely they’d believe me. “H-he was sent by my father. Th-the’ll be waiting there for me.”

  “Heh, that’s a helluva accusation, ya got any proof?” Archie mused from the front.

  “I-I’m proof right?”

  “Eh, ya probably need something more. When memory modification shite’s involved truth spells don’t getcha as far as ya’d like.”

  “Why do you think your father’s involved?” Glenn asked, with a look of confusion. “I don’t know him too well, but by all accounts he’s a righteous man.”

  “He- he’s not,” I mumbled out as my heart began to sink.

  “Is Fionn capable of curing that sort of memory alteration curse?” Glenn continued lost in thought. “It might be good for you to see her if so. Things don't add up to me. Could some of your memories have been altered when you were unconscious? Bishop d’Acron’s a Grand Priest in rank, correct? Why would the gods give him that power if he’d use it like that?”

  I fell silent. I didn’t have an answer. We kept going as I shut the world out. I knew what was true. I did. I had to. Right? They clearly didn’t believe me. No one ever does.