Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 18

"They're crazy... not sadistic" Imp looked up at her with his huge eyes and grinned, "They won't force you to do anything you don't want to."

"But, child" Solara stared into Cybelline's eyes, "There are others in this world who would not hesitate to kill you for your Spark."

"Why?"

"The Spark is used to purify magic. It filters out the impurity and makes the magic stronger." Jinon answered, "All Fae are naturally born with the Spark. And that's why they're slaughtered village by village."

"And while it is illegal to kill a human with the Spark, some mages have been known to practice it. Magic is now a reason for slavery and slaughter." Solara's eyes were hard.

"It didn't use to be this way." Imp told, "There was a time when magic wasn't so warped." Solara kissed the top of Imp's head with a soft smile, "There was a time when the Spark could simply bloom into magic. There was no need for bloodshed."

Cybelline studied Imp. Gone was the grimy clothes and the filth on his face. Now the seven year old little boy was a picture of cherubic health. He reminded her of the angels she had seen in the Sistine chapel.

She looked at the red crystal, "So what's my option?"

"We can hide your magic. The spell will need to be renewed every hundred years."

"What?" Cybelline blinked, "Won't I be dead by then?"

Solara gave her a puzzled look, "The lifespan of a mage can last up to a thousand years. And that's those who don't have the spark or increase their magic."

"There are three ways that mages can increase their magic." Jinon sighed as he explained, "They kill for it, absorb it through dwarf mined crystals, or because their Spark will continually purify their magic as they grow older, their magic grows stronger."

"The last way takes the longest and can be the most dangerous." Imp pipped up, "So most just kill others or enslave dwarfs." He pointed to the red crystal, "This will tell us how strong you are. Solara will then be able to create a potion for you."

"If you want to become a Mage, I can also help you with that." Solara said with a smile, "We just have to nab a mage and kill' em."

"Solara." Jinon said with a frown.

"It's not like we can't offer that." Solara shrugged, "Becoming a mage means you can live as long as your power grows. She'll have wealth beyond imagination, respect and admiration will follow her where ever she goes."

Jinon frowned, "A mage without an Order is dangerous. If she becomes one, what then? She joins the orders and help reign more chaos into the world?"

"The Darklands are growing. The world is becoming more twisted." Solara pointed out, "Mage magic is the only thing that keeps death at bay. Why not have her join the fight?"

"Because it's not her fight!" Jinon said suddenly, his eyes hard, "Why ask a child to clean up the mess we made?"

Silence followed.

Cybelline looked at the crystal, it looked like an ordinary red glass marble, albeit a little on the bigger side. Suddenly, she stood up. "While you guys argue, I'm going to go take a nap." And walked away.

"Do you think we scared her?" Solara asked as she watched the waif of a child walk away towards the garden.

Jinon shook his head, "She doesn't scare that easily."

"And what do you make of her? What will she choose?" Solara wanted to know.

Jinon shrugged, "I don't know." He took out his knife and picked up an apple, "She's razor sharp but I don't see any kind of ambition within her. She keeps to herself." Slowly he began to peal the apple, "She doesn't trust easily, not like the way children do." He handed a piece to Solara, "But she has a good heart."