Maura shrugged. "That was pretty well the beginning of the end. He took Bronaugh and myself into his confidence and we became his personal playtoys. The Ariel forces you met upon the beach were just one example of his influence; he taught Bronaugh the spell that she used to create them, and then she lost control."

"But you..."

"Before the end came, he taught me how to counter act every one of Bronaugh's spells. He said it was so that I would always have the upper hand, but really it was just so that he could gain my trust."

Maeve hesitated before asking, but felt that she should. "Did you enter into a physical relationship with him?"

Maura looked at her sister. "No, but if I had stayed any longer I most likely would have had no choice. My heart did well and truly betray me." She paused. "I was the most gullible, Maeve, I fell under his spell completely."

Maeve hugged her sister. "Hearts sometimes have a way of making us believe something when our minds know it to be untrue."

Maura shook her head. "The things I did for him, Maeve. I killed for him. I destroyed an entire village for him."

"But you came back to me." Maeve smiled softly. "Tell me the end, sister. Tell me what happened to make you leave."

***********************

Bronaugh and Maura came laughing through the chamber doors, stopping only at the sound of Mozab clearing his throat in annoyance. Both sorceresses looked up guiltily.

"Has the village been purified?"

"Aye, Mozab. The men have been taken care of, the buildings destroyed." Maura nodded.

"And the women and children?"

"Relocated to a nearby facility for you to watch over them, Father." Bronaugh spoke up crisply.

"You are dismissed, Bronaugh. Maura, come closer."

The girls moved in their seperate directions, and Maura sat upon the floor at Mozab's feet.

"Go back and kill the remaining villagers, Maura."

"But Mozab, they are innocents."

"Innocents do not exist. They are merely the guilty waiting to commit their crimes." Mozab focussed his gaze upon Maura's eyes, and slowly the girl began to relax. "You have been sworn to obey my commands." His words worked thier way into her as her eye lids began to droop. "You have promised yourself to me, both as a warrior and as a wife."

Maura glanced up. "I never..."

"But you will."

"I will."

Maura seemed to have no will as everything Mozab said to her was repeated by her. Oaths were sworn that she would never intentionally swear, deeds were done that she would never intentionally do, and beyrayals were made that she would never intentionally make. Her world became focussed in his eyes, and for three weeks she lived like that. Her heart and soul belonged to Mozab completely for that time, she never thought to question a thing he asked of her. She was a veritable zombie; she killed those women and children as she was asked, and further more she had agreed to hand herself over in marriage to Mozab. But then each night as she lay on her cot wondering what ever had possessed her to do such things her heart harded a little further, and each morning as Mozab came to her, she felt herself bending to his will. Again he forced her to do his bidding, but his spell had weakened just that much more.

What finally broke his hold on her entirely was their would be wedding day. As great numbers of sorcerers and sorceresses, each under Mozab's command, gathered for the ceremonies, clarity began to fill Maura's young mind. Still confused as to what had happened to her, she slipped out of her suite and up to Mozab's chambers. There, as she sifted through his belongings, she came upon the book that held the prophecy Mozab had come across so long before.

Though at the time of it's discovery, Maura had not been able to read the prophecy for the ancient tongue it was written in was strange to her. However, she had learned many ancient languages in the last three years, and Mechatorazian was only one of them. As the words of the prophecy began to sink into her mind, realization dawned; Mozab had only wanted her for this prophecy, if indeed it did refer to her and Maeve. She did not know as of yet whether Mozab was this "dark one" the prophecy spoke of, or whether he just wanted to use her to gain power over the material world, but still he had betrayed her rarely given trust. He did not love her as he had so proclaimed.

Maura's eyes darkened as she glanced out the window of the tower chamber to see sorcerer after sorcerer arriving to celebrate her pending nuputals. Well, they had come to see a show, and Maura was not about to dissapoint them.

Returning to her own chambers, Maura discarded the dress she had been provided with, and bending down she removed the small trunk from under her bed. Sliding her hand across the top, she was slightly surprised to discover a layer of dust covering it; had it been that long since she...

Shaking her head she opened the cover, the sight of what lay within warmed her heart and she smiled. For the first time in three years Maura donned her own clothing, her soft shirt, her suede vest, her leather boots, and her gentle cloak. Finally she felt as though she were home.

Glancing around the small room that had been her retreat for all these years, she took only one thing, a delicate charm bracelet, an item of jewelery that her own sorcery had crafted during her infant stages at Ešel. Upon the thin chain lay intricately crafted charms of many different animals, the largest charms being the image of a horse, and what appeared to be a large dog. Fingering the charm of the dog, Maura smiled softly. "Come, Nyka. We have work to do." Maura strode bravely down the corridor and into the altar room of the compound. Ešel had many rooms for many services, however the altar room was the most decorated and least visited. The residents of Ešel found little need to worship their various dieties, their love for Mozab was worship enough. Distain flooded through Maura's body, how could she have fallen for this? All eyes turned expectantly towards her, startled as she appeared as the peasant witch she would always be. Standing at her side was the intimidating form of a oversized dog, black as the night, who's eyes gleamed in the light of the altar. His low growl reached the ears of everyone present.

As Maura and the large dog strode down the aisle, the people closest to the bared fangs of the creature backed away; Nykademys was not to be crossed and all knew it.

The look in her eyes must have communicated to Mozab the betrayal she was feeling, for he began to back away as she grew nearer to where he stood. Her heart ached at the sight of him, but she forced her attention onto the matters at hand.

"Maura, my dear, what is the problem?"

Maura raised her eyebrows. "Problem? No problem. I always enjoy being betrayed by those who proclaim their love for me."

Mozab feigned innocence. "Betrayal? Sweet, Maura, I would do no such thing."

"Then explain the prophecy you have been trying to keep from me for so long. Explain why while I am supposed to be walking on the edge of the dark side, you have been trying to drive me over. Explain why you want me to be evil if it is not to control me." She paused and the sorcerer merely gazed back at her, at a loss for words. Her heart was heavy, for the truth was told in his silence. "Well, at least you have the decency not to lie to me at this stage in the game. Just tell me why, Mozab? Why would you play with my heart like you did?"

Mozab shrugged. "I heard someone once say, all is fair in love and war. What we have is a combination of both. I wanted you here with me, fighting on the dark side to keep you seperate from your sister. This way I would have a fighting chance at discovering the secret, the source behind your power, for you are indeed unique. If I could harness that power and use it for my own benefits, well the possibilities are astounding; I could rule the entire world with a power half as strong as you hold." His eyes narrowed. "It could still happen."

Maura shook her head. "Mozab, I don't want to hurt you. I just want you to release these sorcerer's from their vows to serve you and for you to dissapear for good."

"And why would I go and do a thing like that?"

"You said it yourself, my power is far greater than yours, and I have been learning how to use it quite effectively. Do you truly wish to challenge me, Mozab? The dark sister of your beloved prophecy? I can and will destroy you if I must." Maura's face was stone cold, not a single crack showing in her facade. Her breaking heart was well hidden from the forces at work in front of her.

"You may chase me away today, little girl, but this will not be the last time we meet. I will not be denied the power I desire so, especially not by a whip of a child like you." His snarl faded, and he sighed. "We could have made a great team, Maura, with your power and my leadership capabilities, we could have had it all."

Maura sighed. "Mozab, my patience with you wears thin, make your choice, leave now or die by the magic you so crave to control. Thanks to your teachings I now control my abilities far better than I could have ever hoped." As she spoke, Maura's brown eyes were filled with a radiant white light, a light that filled her until all else was lost. The magical aura surrounded her body, and within one hand she formed a single fireball. As she nonchalantly began tossing that fireball back and forth from hand to hand, Mozab realized the truth. The flames began to change, from the normal orange red to a white heat surpassed by no other. Merely a single touch from that flame would destroy him, of that Mozab held no doubt. "Well? What will it be?" Mozab scowled. "You win, today. However your victory will not be long lived. There will come a day in the near future, I believe, when I shall return and I will have my vengence. I will kill you, your sister, and any friend you may have made along the way, and then I will claim your powers as my own. I will not be denied my legacy, I will not be denied my strength, I will not be denied my power." As Mozab began to mist out of the room, he smiled one final, evil grin. "However, you and anybody associated with you will soon be denied everything, including life. Sleep well, my love, for I will see you soon."

As Mozab dissapeared into the mist, the walls of the altar, and indeed all of Ešel began to crumble around them. The remaining guests began to flee towards safety, but Maura stood with Nykademys as her world came crashing down. Once all was quiet, and all the destruction had been laid to rest, Maura sat down amongst the rubble that had been the altar, and peered out at the ruins that had once housed so many dreams. Laying her head in her arms, Maura's shoulders shook, but she did not cry. Feeling a pain that surpassed no other, Maura allowed her heart to break once more. Her face hardened, and she was determined to never feel this way again. Love be damned, no man could ever give her the love she needed on her terms and she knew it; her life was destined to be lived alone, which after her experiences at Ešel was perfectly fine by her. Her thoughts trailed to her sister, and the source of love she would find with Maeve and Dermott. Perhaps the time had come to go home.

**********************

Maura looked out into the light of the rapidly rising sun, and shrugged lightly. "So I basically spent the last six months or so trying to put back some of the chaos caused by the spells cast by Mozab's sorcerers. As I said, the pride of Ariel you met were Bronaugh's work, through a spell taught to her by Mozab, yet they were just one example. I shudder to think what all those potentially good sorcerer's are wasting their powers upon now after spending so much time in the company of one so evil as Mozab."

"How is your heart doing now, sister?" Maeve asked gently.

"It's still beating, and rather quickly I might add. Do you realize we have had no sleep this entire night through?"

"Maura, don't try and change the subject. Your nightmares have shown me that you are not over Mozab."

Maura shook her head. "No, sister, what they are showing is that I am not over the treatment I received at the hands of Mozab, otherwise, I want nothing more to do with him. Mozab is evil in a way you have never seen, and I hope you will never have to learn through experience that such forces exist."

Maeve response was interupted by a knock at the door. They opened it to see Sinbad standing in the hallway, flanked by Doubar, Firouz and Rongar. "Well, ladies, are you about ready to be casting off? The tide will be in in less than an hour, and we have the trek back to the Nombad still to be made."

The sorceress's looked at each other and simutaneously replied. "Give us five minutes to gather our things. We'll meet you outside."

Sinbad shook his head as he walked away. "This is definately going to take some getting used to."

True to their word, the ladies were ready and outside in record time. Sinbad smiled at them and then turned his attention upon Maura. "Maura, I like to consider my crew part of my family. We have been through many adventures together, and have survived many dangers relying upon each others assistance. I would be deeply honored if you were to sail aboard my ship as a member of my crew, and of my family."

Maura smiled softly. "Sinbad, your offer is greatly appreciated, and I will accept readily, on one small condition."

"What would that be?"

Maura looked the man up and down before replying. "I have a companion, a guardian if you will. He accompanies me on all my adventures, and I am sworn to keep him by my side." Whispering a soft word, Nykademys misted into the physical world. "This is Nyka."

Each of the men looked at the dog apprehensively and Firouz took a step backwards. Sinbad raised his eyebrows. "Will he be safe to have along on our adventures?"

Maura nodded. "I assure you he is no danger to any person who bears me no ill will. However, I pity the person who decides to cross me in front of Nyka... sometimes his passion gains control of his actions."

Sinbad glanced over at Maeve, then back at Maura. He nodded in return. "Well, I know my crew, and you will be unthreatened aboard the Nomad. Also, with the dangers so prevalent in the world today, having a guardian such as he is not such a bad idea. So I see no reason why your Nyka is not welcome." He extended his hand to the girl. "Welcome aboard, Maura."

The girl looked at Sinbad's hand for a moment, and truly considered shaking it, but then she withdrew. Shaking her head she smiled at the captain apologetically. "I'm sorry, but thank you."

Sinbad shrugged. "We have all the time in the world to get to know one another Maura, there's no need to rush things now." Leading the small group into the woods, Sinbad smiled back over his shoulder. "Come on crew, there's a good wind, and a high tide awaiting us! On to Basra and our next great adventure!"

************

Continued in Sorcerer's Blood: Part 4

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