Spirit Speaker

The box was heavy in my grasp, when I arrived at the palace. I had to walk, Ilargia severely weakened by proximity to the book. 

I ignored the guard's surprised looks as I walked through the palace gates, and made my way up to my rooms. 

The princess paced back and forth in front of them. 

She looked up when she heard me. 

"There you are!" She ran to me. I raised the spirit prison over my head.

"Here I am," I replied, stepping backwards. "Why are you here?"

"I saw you this morning." 

"You saw me?"

"Yes, dive from your window. You didn't tell me you could fly!"

I sighed and pressed my hand to my forehead. "Of course, you saw. What were you doing up so early?"

The princess shifted uneasily. "Nightmares. Really awful dreams. So? Where did you go?" she asked, 

"The Academy, and then the Weaver's temple."

"The Weaver? Why there?"

"I needed to speak to her." 

"You can do that anywhere, you know." She said matter-of-factly, falling into step with me as I pushed the door to my rooms open. 

"Yes, but I needed her to talk back." 

The princess almost tripped at the implications of what I said. 

"Anyway, princess, I need to get changed. I have a meeting at the Academy in fifteen minutes, that I'm going to be more than ten minutes late for."

"Why not fly there?"

I shook my head. "I'll explain when I get back."

The princess looked down, dejected. 

"Unless you want to come with me?" 

*

I walked purposefully through the Academy gates. Not too fast, not too slow. The Board had no right to summon me like this. 

I deserved more respect than that. 

The princess sensed my irritation and didn't speak much on the journey. 

"You look like you're going to war." She finally said as we crossed into the Academy district.

"I am, princess. The Board has forgotten who I am."

She looked at me, puzzled. "Aren't you just an Instructor?"

"Not just an instructor. I am your instructor. But that's neither here nor there. If the Board think it's okay to summon me like this, then they'll begin to think they have more power over me than they do."

"I've never seen you like this." She said, softly. "It's…making me nervous."

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to the princess, who was looking down. 

I smiled warmly and crouched down to be in her line of sight. "There's no need to be nervous, Anna." I said. "You have my loyalty, all of it. You can summon me whenever you like."

She didn't reply, but she did look up. 

"The council chambers are always open, and mages have the right to sit in on them at any time, regardless of what's being discussed. So if you like, you can sit in the gallery and watch me tear a hole into them."

She shook her head. "No, I don't think I'd like that. To me, you are kind, and patient, and gentle. I can't watch you be anything else."

I nodded. "Very well, princess, then feel free to wander around. I think there are some early morning lectures you can attend if you like, we'll meet back here in three hours."

*

The council chambers were impressive. White marble, vaulted ceilings, with the Board seated in a semicircle on the far end of the room. 

Red banners hung from the ceiling, each emblazoned with the Academy symbol: A book, on fire. 

I looked away, the symbol bringing back some uncomfortable memories.

I had watched those very banners burn to ashes. 

It was too early for most mages to be awake, which meant that the council chambers were devoid of curious onlookers. 

But the chairs on the far side were full. Every single one. 

I didn't know what I did, but apparently, it was serious enough to merit the entire Board to sit for it. 

I stood in the centre of the room, and stared up at the venerable mages, a faint smile on my face.

Despite the circumstances, it was good to see them. 

Each of them was invaluable in the war effort, and valiantly gave their lives as the world burned around them. 

There were thirteen of them. 

And I hadn't had a chance to say goodbye to any of them. 

Now they sat before me, looking at me somberly. 

"Yes?" I asked taking the initiative. "You summoned me?"

"You're late, mage." Syroka, an elven woman of indeterminate age said.

"I am." I replied. 

"Do you not respect the authority of this council?" Andha, another elf, asked. 

"What is it you summoned me for?" I asked, stepping over the question. 

"You discovered something in the Archives while your apprentice was choosing a magic focus."

"And? I've found plenty of things in the Archives before." I replied. "What makes this any different?"

"We want it back."

And I was stunned. I studied each of their faces, determined, angry, irritated. None of them looked kindly at me. 

"Do you even know what it was?" I asked. "Or are you jealously seeking power?"

"We are not on trial here Lukas!" Another, on the far side. 

"AND I AM?" I shouted. The council sat back, surprise, shock, anger.

"Do not presume to believe that I am subject to any of you." I said, my tone firm. "I have authority and power granted to me by beings far more glorious than your vaunted strength. And with it, I can level this place, and tear you down from your lofty pedestals."

"You are but a child." Another voice, an old one. 

"You haven't answered my question." I retorted. "Do you know what it is I found in the Library, three months ago?"

"Power." A simple response. A foolish response. 

"I did not find power." I spat. "I found shadow. And darkness. I found hell and hunger. I found the great devouring. And you wish me to hand it over to you? I would die first."

"If that's what you want." Another voice. This one, unfamiliar. I turned my head to see a man, a figure. A familiar figure. 

The man devoured by shadow. 

And I sighed. I looked at the council sadly. 

"Oh, you fools. You poor, sad, fools. Do you know what you've brought upon yourselves by consorting with this creature?" I pointed at the man. 

"Do you know the hell that is in store for you by working with it?"

"Be silent, Lukas, or we'll expel you from this institution, and strip you of your status as Royal Tutor."

"You do not see." I replied. I turned to the creature that wore a man's face. 

"Come, then, beast, and speak to your slaves. Command them to expel me." 

And the shadow man stepped forward, in brilliant robes, golden, beautiful. He was magnificent. 

But beneath his smiling face festered an evil that should have been obvious to every single person sitting on the council. 

Which means he's somehow enthralled them. 

"Venerable council, you see that this mage is not interested in returning what he stole from me. It is therefore my request that you expel him."

Laughter began to echo through the chamber. 

The council did not react.

"You're right." Another voice. The one in the centre. The Headmaster, Pyrab. Supposedly the most powerful mage on the continent. 

More laughter, girlish, cheerful. 

"Lukas. In light of your crimes, you are expelled from this institution. You will be stripped of your rank and title. You will surrender your focus. And you will be banished."

This time the laughter stopped, and the chamber began to shake. 

And the shadow man's face changed. From smug spite, to confusion, to fear.

And I felt something take my arm. 

I looked down, and saw the Academy spirit, dressed in loose-fitting robes, step into focus. 

She glanced briefly at the council, and snapped her fingers. 

And each of them was encased in crystal. 

She then turned to the shadow man, who was glaring at me with undisguised, seething hatred.

And she crooked her finger, and the man bent over backwards. 

I heard a snap. 

And the man screamed. 

The Academy straightened her finger and the man stood upright, but his legs dangled uselessly below him. 

She then beckoned him forward. 

- You have a few moments. She whispered. And then he'll be dead.

"Who are you?" I asked. 

The man spat blood at me. 

The spirit moved her finger in a circle and I watched the man's arms twist in their sockets.

He shrieked in pain. 

"How did you know about the book?"

- Speak, slave, and the pain will end. The spirit hissed. 

"The Abyss." The man shuddered. "We are The Abyss."

And the spirit raised her thumb, and I watched the man get pulled up by the neck. 

"You, you said the pain would end." The man sputtered.

- I did. The Academy pressed her thumb against her index finger, and the man's neck twisted around. 

- And I always keep my word.

The body fell to the earth. 

The spirit then turned to me, grinning widely. - Did I do good?

I shuddered, looking at the broken twisted body of the man in front of me. "You did good, ma'am," I said, turning away from the body.

She chuckled. 

- Good. Then she turned her head to the Board. 

"They have been taken by shadow," I explained. 

She nodded. - I know. I can feel it writhing in each of them, working them like a puppet. She pulled her hand into a fist and the crystal shattered into fine dust. 

She pointed to the sky. 

And every Board member arched backwards, darkness spilling from every orifice. They fell to the floor. 

She raised her other hand, and the darkness coalesced into a ball. And the ball began to move. 

- A spirit." She said. A corrupted spirit. It possessed the minds of the council at the will of that man.

She turned to me. - I can't purify it. She pointed to me, and the black spirit dashed at me, snarling, growing black teeth. 

- Command it. The Academy ordered. 

I stared at the spirit and willed it to stop. 

It did so. 

- Now cleanse it, Lukas. 

"How? I'm no spirithealer."

The Academy shrugged. - You already know. How do you fall in love? How do you know exactly how to hold your baby when you meet it? Instinct. You should know what to do.

I raised my hand. "Come to me." 

The spirit did so.

I caught it in my fist, raised it to my lips, and whispered. 

And the spirit began to shine, the darkness falling off it like eggshell. And when it shone bright. So bright it hurt to look at, it vanished. 

- Well, that's that. The Academy said, dusting her hands. The council should wake up soon.

I bowed to the spirit. "My thanks, ma'am. I was about to be obliterated."

- Bullheadedness will only get you so far, Lukas. She floated above me and patted my head. Her brow furrowed. - By the way. She asked. What did you whisper to the spirit that turned it back?

I grinned. "Let me say it in your ear." 

Curious, she floated closer, and I whispered the words in her ear.

And she giggled, her face turning a pretty shade of pink. 

- That'll do it, alright. She said. You always were my brightest.

Then, with a final pat on my head, she vanished. 

And I was left alone in the silent chamber.

I thought about leaving. I really did. 

But I owed it to them to stay until they woke. 

So I pulled up a chair and waited. 

An hour passed. 

And another. 

I summoned a spirit. "Go tell the princess that I might be a while." 

Another hour passed. 

And then movement. 

I smiled. I should've known it would be him first. 

I stood, and helped the Headmaster up. 

"Lukas?"

"That's me, sir."

"You're here."

"Yes sir."

"Which means it wasn't a dream."

I shook my head. "Afraid not sir."

"How did we escape?"

"The Academy spirit cleansed you."

"It did?"

"She did."

"Oh."

I pulled him up onto his chair. 

He leaned forward onto the table and looked at me groggily. 

"You know what he was. Report. Tell me everything you know."

"It might be better to wait for the others to wake, sir," I said, gently. "I'll return this evening, with proof."

The Headmaster shook his head. "We won't need proof. That man there, he's all the proof we need." He pointed at the body. "What did you do to him?"

"The Academy did that. She was quite put out with him."

"Remind me not to get on her bad side."

"She hates litter," I replied. "If you want to get on her good side, get the students to stop littering."

The Headmaster looked at me surprised. "That simple?"

"She's a simple spirit. Love her, keep her safe, take care of her, and she'll be all over you."

A strong breeze blew through the chambers, carrying the scent of roses. And I laughed. 

"She's embarrassed. I better shut up before she slams a door on my fingers."

The others began to stir, and I excused myself. "I'll meet you in your office this evening, Headmaster. Bring the rest of the council."

And I stepped out. 

The princess waited for me on the steps, surrounded by books and spirits. 

"That's a bad habit, princess," I said, sitting beside her. "You need to control yourself. You're summoning them again."

She looked up and saw the spirits bouncing around her. She batted them away. "They just come." She said, complaining. "It's not like I want to do it."

"I know that. Dismiss them when they appear, and they'll soon get the message."

The spirits vanished from around her. 

"How long were you sitting here?"

She shrugged. "What time is it?"

"Just before noon," I replied, looking up at the giant clock on the roof of the council chambers. 

"A few hours. I was sitting with a girl for a while, but she disappeared into the chambers some time ago."

"Was she wearing loose-fitting robes? Was she barefoot?"

"You met her too?"

"Sure did." 

"She was nice."

"She sure is."

"She wasn't mortal, was she?"

"She sure as hell wasn't."

"Stop that."

"Sorry." I helped the princess pick her books up, and put them in her bag. "Did you enjoy your day here?"

The princess nodded. "Yes, though I don't think I'd like to attend here formally."

I laughed. "That's a relief. I thought I was out of a job."