Excerpt: Second Chances

Prologue

Footsteps echoed down the empty hallway. Gasps for breath hung in the air. Suddenly the girl slid to a stop. She looked around silently, trying to figure out the direction to go.
Two corridors were before her. She wasn’t sure which one to take, but she knew she had to find him. She was desperate to. Her warrior, and lover, had been captured and taken down one of these paths.

She finally closed her eyes. “Path by which my love was taken, show yourself to me!” She whispered. Then she opened her eyes and could sense which path was the correct one.

She smiled determinedly, then ran down the corridor. As she ran her brown eyes scanned the hall, trying to find out where he was. Her long cloak billowed behind her, the cloak being the symbol of her being a mage. It was a deep blue, and very intricate, with silver thread laced around the edges.

Then she stopped. Voices. An evil sounding voice, and then the voice she knew to be the voice of the one she loved!

“Miah!” She gasped. Then she held her staff firmly in her hand and stepped into the doorway. She saw before her a great open room. A strange weapon was placed there. It seemed to be some sort of special gun perhaps? She didn’t know.

The eyes of the evil man, who had his sword pointed at Miah, glared at her. “I thought you were dead!” He growled.

“You underestimate the powers of the Mage.” She said as she held up her staff.

“Danele, you shouldn’t have come!” Miah said. “You should have gone straight to the Final Enemy!”

“And leave you to die!? Forget it Miah. We’re going to face the Final Enemy together.” Danele said as she lifted her staff high, a ball of electric energy shining on the tip.

“You make a grave mistake, Mage. Warriors are meant to merely be puppets in the journey to be destroyed at the end. Perhaps you forgot that detail in your Books. But I have not. And I don’t intend for you to make it any farther either. The Final Enemy will have more time to destroy this world now.” The evil man said.

“No! I have come here to bring the Final Peace!” She shouted as she shot the electricity at the enemy before her.

He smirked wickedly, then grabbed Miah’s arm and used his body as a shield from the electric energy. Miah collasped as the ball of electricity hit his chest.
Danele stared in horror, then rushed towards the enemy, beating him back with her staff. Once he was beaten down she knelt beside Miah.

“Miah, I’m so sorry. I’ll help you.” She whispered as she placed her hand on his chest to use her healing powers.

“It’s useless now, Mage. I thought you knew that love was a silly thing to think about on such an important mission. Warriors are meant as decoys, to die at the end of the journey. And since it’s my job to make sure no one survives, I’ll finish you too.” The evil man said as he stood again.

Danele glared at him, but felt tears burning her eyes. She had used so much strength to get here. To save the one she loved. And now she had no escape.

“Danele..?” Miah whispered as he opened his eyes slightly.

“I’m so sorry Miah.” She said as a few tears ran down her cheeks.

Miah looked at her sadly. “This wasn’t your fault.”

Danele managed to smile sadly at him, and then she looked up at the enemy before her. He had turned on the evil looking machine weapon and it seemed to be charging with dark energy.
Danele looked back at Miah, wanting to never let him go and to only see him.
Then the weapon fired, knocking them both back.

Danele opened her eyes slightly and looked at Miah. He was completely still. Instantly killed. Danele weakly reached out and clasped his hand. Then she closed her eyes and with her last breath whispered a curse on the Magehood. A curse that meant no Mage could love, if they followed the Books.
And with that curse spoken, she died. Holding the hand of the one she loved. Only in death could they be together.