The Misplaced Circle

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"Another dose it is." Kant finished his small meal with a satisfying sigh. "I'll be nodding off then," he yawns. He settles himself near the center of the room. He was used to sleeping on the floor. His master was too cheap to use inns during their many travels. Today was certainly a strange day. I've met someone to help me. Almost got killed by a anti-mage psycho. And now I'm sleeping in a room with a lovely woman and the same psycho. His eyes closed without effort. It was a tiring day and his body ached from the walking and his stomach certainly could have done without the kick. Kant quietly fell asleep, his final thought of a strange beating pulse coming from the center of the city.
 
She dosed the stranger for a second time and then lay on the ground. She had just her thin jacket and she longed for the warmth she was used to. This would be when coming from the south would hurt her more than help her. She had the courage to scoot closer to Kant, sniffling as she felt the cold of the stones seep in.
 
Kant felt warm. It was a warmth like no other he felt before. It soothed him like a distant dream. But something noisy had to break this temporary bliss. He opened his eyes and saw Mona's face right next to his. He face turned a bright crimson. The warmth he felt was now a burning heat rising. He got up as fast as he can manage without waking her. She seem to stir a bit and her face was entirely relaxed. He breathed a bit faster. When did she... He couldn't finish his thought as he saw the prisoner moving around and trying to scream through his gag. The heat in his face suddenly went cold when he remembered this man. He knew he had to wake her up before questioning the man. Kant gently shook Mona. "Wake up."
 
Mona's brow furrowed in sleep, the touch sending her into overdrive as she brought her dagger up and rolled from Kant. She blinked, rubbing her eyes. "Oh...simply you..." she put away the dagger and stood to her feet.
 
Kant felt strangely calm as she reacted this way. I wonder what caused her to be like this. She mentioned native tribes. I should probably ask about that later, but I wonder if thats too personal. "Yes its simply me. The prisoner is awake and its about time we question him. I'm going to remove his gag now. So be ready." He looked soberly at the prisoner. The prisoner's tattoo looked strange as light poked its way through the cracks in the storage. Kant slowly removed the gag. Immediately the prisoner began spewing threats, "Let me go or you face a fate far worse than mere death! We've killed so many of your kind in terrible ways when magic was still in place." Kant felt anger rising from his core. Killing, death. What has mages done to evoke such acts. He calmed himself and spoke coldly, "Why are you in Teyerim? How many are out there searching through the ruins?"

The man grinned, "So you don't know." He laughed. "I'm with a bunch of damn children." The man looked at Kant and Mona like prey. "I won't tell you nothin. And theres nothing you can do to make me talk. I'm going to enjoy it when the others catch and kill you. Perhaps they'll skin you." He looked at Mona and licked his lips. "And you little girl. I hope you like men. They'll be sure to make you feel magic." He began laughing uncontrollably. Kant felt that anger rise once again. Earlier he would have let him live, but now his words caused him to consider actions he wouldn't normally have done.
 
Mona shook her head, going over to slap the man with lack of emotion. She pulled out a dagger that wasn't laced with the sleeping potion and pulled the man's hair, revealing his throat. Her voice became calm, the kind of calm that preceded vicious action. She set the tip of her dagger against his skin. "Seems my partner was far too kind with you..." She growled, all the ferocity pouring out of her. She yanked the hair back further. "I'd like to see a man try to make 'magic' with me without my permission..."
 
Kant asked once more, "I can't help you with what she'll do to you if you don't tell us what we want to know. So tell us why are you in Teyerim? How many are out there? Who are you with?"

The man's face was grim with Mona's dagger pressed to his throat. He seemed to be contemplating something. "Alright. I'll answer your question. Just get this girl off me." Kant allowed Mona to continue for a few long seconds. "Alright, Mona, you can let up a little, but the moment this guy says another thing wrong you can do as you like." The man's fear grew as he heard this. Sweat slowly slid down his face.

"We're The Standard. We've been killing mages like you for years. Your kind is a blight to society. Waving your magic over us like we are beneath you." Kant grimaced, "You can't be serious. We mages have been improving society. Helping everyone with our research and studies. Many methods of food cultivation and storage cannot be performed without magic." The man snarled, "And what use is that when you can easily kill us with a single spell. Take away our children with magical potential. You are nothing but oppressors." He spat at the wall. "Okay enough about who you are. I want to know whats happening now. Why and how many." He grinned menacingly, "Well I came from a group of twenty. But there are much more in our main camp. Theres no way you'll be leaving here alive. And for what we're doing here. Its simple. We are killing every last mage scum we can find." This confirmed Kant's doubts. While searching for this place he had seen much more corpses. Some weren't even long dead. His anger rose as he remembered a child in robes. A mere student. A youngling. Kant turned away. "Mona. Do as you will." Kant walked out of the storage with his gear.
 
Mona watched with a blank expression, as if the words fell on deaf ears but the second she was allowed to dispose of the mage killer she slit his throat without mercy
 
Kant knew the deed had been done by now. Although he did not want to kill or see death, the man had deserved it for his actions. Kant breathed in and expelled his tension. He could not regret his actions. Did I do the the right thing letting Mona kill him? He and his group had probably killed the the survivors. Kant felt lost in his emotions. He looked around to see the rubble. Did they cause this grand city to fall. I knew people here. Great wizards and novices. He dismissed all these dark emotions welling within. "I must find magic. I must restore the balance." He turned around and waited for Mona to leave the building.
 
Mona wiped off the blood from the dagger and exited the building, looking up at Kant.

"Its done..." she mumbled, putting the dagger away and watching him.
 
"I see..." He looked at her strangely. She certainly doesn't flinch at killing. The historical collegium. I wonder if they have rules concerning it. He gave her a smile. "I don't expect we'll find any survivors, but I still think we can find something in Teyerim. Lets head closer to the center of the city. We also need to be sure to do so carefully." He looked back at the storage buidling, "I don't want to get tangled in another situation like that."
 
Mona frowned. "If you'd like I can lead the way?" She stepped closer to him. "Don't worry...another situation like that and ill take care of it." She shivered, obviously recalling some memory.

"I've dealt with mage killers many times..."
 
Kant noticed the subtle shake in her movements and felt the restraint in her voice. She clearly did not like to kill even if she had done so before. I can't let her do this anymore. If something happens in the future I'll have to deal with it. The thought of ending someones life felt dreadful, but he made his resolution. "Then lets be on our way."

The path towards the center of the city was not straight. Old roads no longer were visible. Rubble and buildings had collapsed onto them. The sight of the buildings was somewhat familiar since his last visit. Several times they heard noises and even shouts. They quickly found hiding spots within crevices and nearly collapsed structures. This dance between hunter and hunted continued for an hour.

"That was a close one," he said quietly after a group passed far into the distance. "I think they found the dead man. Because they are becoming more diligent and coming in groups of threes and fours." He took a swig from his waterskin. "Would you like some, Mona?"
 
Mona tensed whenever a group came closer and she reached out at the last stop to hold on to Kant's jacket. She crouched, looking at the waterskin with want before shaking her head. "Better not..." she was tense, her eyes scanning everything.

"I don't like this..."
 
"I know. At least we are close" He put away his waterskin and examined the path ahead carefully. So far there was no more patrols. Kant carefully moved across the distance with Mona following behind. He let all his senses open. The faint smell of faded flames. The wind blowing precariously across his hair. The gray of rubble ahead. The sound of their footsteps upon stone. These were not the peaceful sound of chatter. The thrum of magic pulsing through the streets. The smell of alchemical wares being sold. It finally hit him. After so many days of travel and searching. Magic was gone. There was no sense of it. Mages are quite tuned to its every whim and pulse but it lingers no longer. The people who used to walk these streets. The children who used to play pranks with simple magic tricks. He closed his eyes and spoke his thoughts, "I wonder why magic has left us. Did we deserve something so cruel." He continued on the path around the rubble. The tingling pulse of something familiar hit him. Perhaps it was his heartbeat, but it felt like an old friend lost in crowd. "I think we are almost there. Just a few more..."

Men shouted, "There they are! Get the others!" Kant knew he had been spotted, "RUN!" He grabbed Mona's hand and began sprinting as best as he can towards the pulse.
 
Mona had wandered around behind him, feeling the absence of magic with a. Sigh. She reached out to hold onto his clothes, pulling out a dagger when she heard the cries. Before she could turn around to face the threat, Kant had grabbed her hand and started running.
 
The pulse was now deafening in his chest. What is that? Kant had no time to wonder. He pulled Mona across into a large torn structure. It was huge on the inside with elaborate spell circles and gems. There were stairs down, so Kant spared no time in going in. The men came through as well. They had brought in their companions and now number twenty. There was swords and knives in their hands. Their eyes burned with hatred and glee. "Two little mages running like rats," they mocked.

Kant was feeling the rush of fear and heat spread through his body. He ran down and down. Mona's hand was comforting as he descended further. After what seemed like hours, they finally reached a large door three men high and five across. It was opened slightly ajar enough for a single person to enter. "Mona get in here first." He was scrounging his pack and pulled out his dagger. It wasn't much but if only one person can get through the door they might be able to take them out one by one. After Mona entered, Kant joined her. The yelling and footsteps came closer now. "Damn," Kant swore as he saw the room was a dead end. There was a giant construct with two bright glowing eyes in the center of the room. Spell circles surround it like a complex web. The pulse was stronger than ever. "Get your dagger ready. We'll let in one at a time and take them out that way. There was no way they could move such massive doors without magic. It gave them an advantage. He laughed with crazed fear and positioned himself on one side of the opening. He gestured Mona to go to the other.
 
Mona gasped, feeling survival instincts kick in as she raced down the stairs with his hand in hers. She stumbled into the room, falling and catching herself with her hands. She looked up, and gasped as she spotted the construct through her hair. She pushed it out of her face.

Mona stood, feeling the pulsing radiate up and down her spine. She was entranced by the machine before her. She faintly heard Kant and she turned around with a nod, reaching in to grab two daggers, one for each hand. "Ready..."
 
Kant nodded to Mona's affirmation. When the voices were behind the door, Kant felt his hand shake a bit. He gripped tightly and waited with grim anticipation. The first man was entirely unlucky. The moment his head peered through the door, a dagger went across his throat. The man gargled out in pain. Blood drenching the floor and Kant's robes. The rest of the men was now alerted. They screamed, "Bastard Mages. Killed another one of us. Get out here or we'll kill you both slowly and painfully." Kant ignored the comment. They began jabbing their swords through the opening. The strikes were futile as long as Mona and Kant was out of the way, but when the man stuck the arms in to sweep their weapon Mona sliced the man's arm with her twin daggers. The man screamed and jerked his hand back, dropping his sword. Kant quickly switched his dagger with the sword. It was heavier but longer than the dagger. The reach might give him a better chance. He looked at Mona. She looked scared, but entirely composed. Kant wished he held as strong as she. I've never seen mages with the fire I see in her eyes. Kant smiled but not for long.

The men were now trying something different. He felt the door beside him shift a bit. The realization dawned on him. "They are opening the door! Get back behind that construct." Kant ran back towards the construct with his sword weighing his hand. It seem to weigh more than just metal. There was something else with it. His own life. Mona's life. The restoration of magic. These things weighed him down immensely.
 
Mona slashed at the arms that came through, a dangerous gleam to her eyes. She widened them as Kant mentioned they were breaking through. She stumbled after him, slipping in the blood. She hid behind the construct and whimpered, breathing heavily and chanting arcane protection spells. She knew something would never come of those anymore but they still provided her with comfort and security
 
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