Dominant’s meditation was interrupted by the sound of knocking at his door, followed by a familiar voice, “Dominant, are you in there?” Doctor Alsin called, his voice muffled. “I have an idea that may help you.”
Dominant opened his eyes and took a breath. The sun had begun to set, and the sky was a deep orange. He stood up and walked to the door. When he opened it, he found Doctor Alsin standing there.
“Hello, Doctor,” Dominant said.
The Doctor smiled big, pushing the door open and dragging in a large box with two prongs connected to it. “Hello, Dominant. I’m glad to see you’re awake. How are you feeling?”
Dominant shrugged. “Fine, I suppose. What are you doing here?”
Doctor Alsin’s face lit up. “I have a device, and I want to verify one thing.”
Dominant raised an eyebrow. “What is this? It looks like only part of a device, but it’s quite large already. I’m not sure the rest will fit.”
Doctor Alsin’s grin grew wider as he explained, “This the whole thing. It’s meant to emulate the way your body functions, but with a control mechanism of any stored up mana at will. If this device works, you’ll be able to cast, and maybe even throw your enemies magic back at them.”
ADominant frowned. “I don’t see how I could be effective in battle lugging this thing around.”
Doctor Alsin waved his hand dismissively. “This is just an experimental version. We’ll make a smaller one once we know if it works. But first, I need you to use this, and see what happens. It is a simple process, just grab hold of the prong on that side there.”
Dominant nodded and did as instructed. He held the prong in his hand, waiting for something to happen. Nothing happened. “What now?” he asked.
Doctor Alsin laughed, “Right, right… well the only to know if this works is to see what it does with your magic. I’ve already tested it several times though, so it shouldn’t blow up or anything.”
“And if it doesn’t work?” Dominant asked. “What happens then?”
The doctor shrugged, “It will work, but if not, then I will have to try something else. But this will work, and it will allow you to do things no one else can.”
Dominant noded them licked his lips with nervous excitement. “Alright, let’s do this. How do we use this?”
Doctor Alsin gestured to the box. “Just try to cast something anything…well, maybe start small I’m not sure how much this thing can take.”
Dominant nodded and closed his eyes, thinking of just moving mana from himself into the device. It was the simplest wayto test it and required the least amount of thought. Dominant focused on the task, and tried to push mana into the device.
The mana flowed easily into the device. He felt the magic build up within it, until he stopped. The magic stayed, stored in the device. Dominant opened his eyes and saw the prongs were glowing with a yellow light. Doctor Alsin smiled. “It works!”
Dominant nodded. “So how do we release it?”
Alsin nodded. “Yes, it’s this button here.”
The doctor pressed it, triggering the device to fire a bolt of lightning from the second prong. It struck the window, breaking the glass then splitting as one end went into the dirt and the other to the sky.
Dominant jumped back, startled by the sudden burst of energy. “That was… unexpected,” he said. “Is it safe?”
The doctor nodded, then pressed the button again, but nothing happened. “It releases everything at once, but perhaps I should consider a burst function. Something that allows for more control. That is an excellent idea! You’re a genius, Dominant. Thank you.” He hurriedly pulled the machine from the room and Dominant closed his door, trying to ignore the fact the window had been broken. Hopefully the lord wouldn’t mind when found out. He would have to talk to the doctor about that.
He opened his window, looking out onto the garden. The sun was still shining, and a cool breeze blew in. He could smell the flowers, and the fresh earth. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. It was a nice smell, one that reminded him of simpler times. He wanted to go for a walk in the garden, but he knew he should rest. Tomorrow would likely be another brutal day with Sandra.
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A week passed quickly, even with daily training with Sandra and the doctor’s occasional visits. Dominant had managed to avoid any further interactions with Talent, despite seeing Mila a few times in secret. She had been worried about him and the window, but when he told her it wasn’t him, she was relieved.
Sandra had a similar reaction, but when he told her about the incident she had the window replaced and assured Dominant that she’d speak to the doctor about it. He wasn’t sure what she’d say, but he knew better than to ask. The only thing she had told him was that the doctor would not visit again.
He had grown stronger in the days since then, but he couldn’t help but think of what he might be able to do with an improved version of the doctor’s device. He wondered if he could really throw his opponent’s spells back at them. That would certainly make him more useful in a fight, especially against someone like Talent. But he wasn’t sure the doctor would finish in time for the lord’s mission. According to Sandra he was to meet with Lord Asher about it today. He was nervous, and he wasn’t sure what to expect.
He sat in his room, waiting for the summons, when there was a knock at his door. He rose from his bed and opened the door, his palms clammy and damp with sweat.
On the other side was Mikala, her eyes hungry and her posture enticing. Dominant shut the door.
“Hey…” she called, her voice sweet as honey, “what was that for? Why are you shutting the door on me?”
“Don’t you know I’m to meet with Lord Asher today?”
“Of course I do, it’s why I’m here,” She answered.
Dominant rolled his eyes. “Unless you were sent to bring me to him, I suggest you go. I don’t have time or the desire to ‘play’ with you.” He spoke confidently and firmly, hoping it would be enough to deter her. He hadn’t in over a month and he would have been glad if things continued that way.
When she didn’t answer, he opened the door. She was gone, and he was glad for it. He closed the door again, and sat down in a chair, his thoughts turning to the upcoming meeting.
There was a quick knock then the door opened and Mikala poked her head in. “Come on, I was told to bring you to the lord.” She said with a wink, then left the door open for him and stepped out into the hall.
Dominant followed her, unsure of how to react. He was certain she was lying, but if she wasn’t, he didn’t want to risk upsetting the lord, so he went with her.
He followed Mikala to the office Sandra had told him belonged to the Lord. Dominant couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread. He wasn’t sure what the mission would be, only that it would be dangerous and probably difficult.
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Mikala opened the door and motioned for Dominant to go in. Once again, Dominant wasn’t sure what to do. He went in, but kept glancing back at her, making sure she wouldn’t try to pull some kind of trick on him.
She closed the door, and he was alone with the lord. The room was large and opulent, with dark wood paneling and richly colored furniture. There were paintings on the walls, mostly creatures Dominant recognized from the gallery, and a large desk in the middle of the room. Behind it, sat the lord, dressed in a fine suit, his face a mask of calm.
Dominant bowed his head. “Lord Kastin,” he said.
The Lord nodded, his expression unchanged. “Dominant, I am pleased to see you well. I trust Sandra has been teaching you well.”
“Yes, Lord Kastin.”
“Excellent. I have a task for you, one that will require your unique skills, particularly your status as a strong willed judge.”
Dominant swallowed. “My stat—I’m a judge?” He wasn’t quite sure what the Lord was talking about, but the job sounded far more dangerous than he had expected.”
The Lord smiled. “You haven’t even realized?”
Dominant didn’t know what to say. “I’m only a—” he recalled Mila mentioning that it was forbidden to refer to himself as a numbe or even to mention his previous moniker. Instead he lifted his sleeve and showed the mark on his arm to the lord. “How can I be a judge?”
Lord Kastin chuckled. “Well, only a judge could hope to fool a sensor, but you can’t fool me boy. I have many abilities. One of them being the ability to see through all deception.”
“But I’m not a deceiver, I’m a—”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re a judge and a powerful one at that. If you’ve forgotten, then it’s time you remember because it’s the reason I made you my son. Do not embarrass me the way Talent has.”
Dominant swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. “Yes…sir.”
Lord Asher nodded. “You honestly don’t know, do you? Then you’ve used diato unintentionally until now, but no matter. You won’t need it for this task. You need only to accompany Talent on a state visit. When you are close enough to lord Akiru, kill him. You are the only person who can accomplish this task besides me, however he would never allow himself to be in the same city as me.”
Dominant didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t sure if he could kill anyone, let alone a judge. He couldn’t even handle a normal mage and if a magistrate fought him with any seriousness he would surely die. Assassinating a judge was out of the question.
“I’m sorry, sir. I can’t—”
“What did I say about embarrassing me?” Lord Asher snapped.
Dominant swallowed again, his heart racing. “Yes sir. I’ll do my best.”
Lord Asher sighed. “Good. Talent will be your escort, but he is not aware of your task. See that it stays that way right up until the final moment. If you play this right you won’t need to fight or even use diato, but if you fail…” he trailed off, his eyes narrowing. “All of Krell will fall with you. That is how serious this task is.”
Dominant swallowed. He had no choice but to obey. He would have to kill Lord Akiru. He would have to do it, or die trying. “Yes sir,” he said.
Lord Asher nodded. “Good, you may leave now.”
Dominant nodded and left the office. He was shaking, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew that if he failed, he would die.
He went back to his room, and tried to calm himself. He sat down on the bed, and tried to relax. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes and saw the black kitten again. She sat on his pillow, her red eyes staring at him. He sighed, and reached out to pet her, but she was gone. He wasn’t surprised, it had happened before. She would appear for a brief moment, then disappear. It was a strange phenomenon, but he found it comforting.
He’d grown to believe that she appeared to help him and so her presence now must have meant that she was going to aid him with his task.
Dominant had the day off training, which he had been looking forward to, but now he needed something to occupy his mind, and he needed to feel stronger.
Sandra, he realized, was still mostly a stranger despite all the time they’d spent together. He knew nothing of her hobbies or where she might spend her down time. She wouldn’t be in their usual courtyard, he knew that. But where might she go?
He wander the halls a while, not finding Sandra, but bumping into Mikala, again. This time he wasn’t sure if he was relieved, or terrified, but she was dressed in a long skirt and a silk blouse that flowed around her as she walked. Her hair was done up in a tight braid, and her make-up was subtle, but accentuated her natural beauty. “Missing me already?” she teased, “And here I thought you didn’t want to play.”
Dominant wasn’t in the mood for her games. “Have you seen Sandra?”
Mikala’s expression hardened. “Why? You want to play with the old bag instead of me?”
“Listen, I’m not in the mood for your games, Mikala.”
Mikala’s eyes narrowed. “Fine, be that way. I’m going to my room. Come find me when you’re ready.” She walked away, her hips swaying as she did. Dominant watched her go, then sighed. He didn’t know where else to look for Sandra, and he needed to train.
He still didn’t have a reliable way to fight mages so going to Klutcher’s would be pointless, and he knew Mikala could fight. From what he recalled, she took an up close and personal approach to combat, but her blows were devastating. It was the closest thing to sparring with Sandra he could get, and it was the only thing he could do to distract himself from his mission. So he chased after Mikala, catching her before she reached her room.
When she turned and saw him, her eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in suspicion. “What do you want?”
“Train with me.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Are we training stamina or strength?” Her voice was low and filled with desire.
Dominant rolled his eyes. “Strength. I have an important job to do and I need to get stronger.”
She nodded, “Alright. We can spar in the yard, but I won’t go easy on you.”
Dominate nodded, already heading off.
Mikala grabbed his arm, stopping him, then ran a nail along his jaw. “And if I win, I get whatever I want from you.”
He shrugged her hand away. “I won’t lose, but if I do, I’ll give you what you want.”
Mikala smiled, and followed him, letting him lead her to the courtyard. She was silent on the way, her face a mask of determination, but as they entered, she stopped and took a deep breath. “Alright, let’s do this.”
They faced off in the middle of the courtyard, each standing in a fighting stance. Dominant considered making the first move, but he didn’t know Mikala’s abilities so he decided caution would be wise. He would wait for her to strike.
Mikala poked out her lower lip, then her eyebrows dropped and she pressed her lips together in disappointment. “Awe, you were so confident I thought for sure you’d charge me.” She rolled her eyes, then her hands came together.
Dominant felt a spark in the flow of mana and immediately dropped to the ground.
A bolt of lightning shot over him and slammed into the stone wall behind him.
Distance would not serve him in this battle. He charged her, closing the distance between them in a single leap. He kicked out at her, but she was fast, dodging to the side, then slamming her palm into his chest, knocking the air out of him.
Mikala grabbed Dominant’s collar, pulling him close and stealing a kiss before, spinning him round and shoving him to the ground.
Dominant rolled, landing on his feet and facing her. He had to be more careful, he couldn’t let her get the better of him.
She grinned, then lunged forward, her hands outstretched.
His first thought was to spin around her, but she would expect that. He swallowed his apprehension and leaned forward, ducking under arms and putting his forward shoulder in her naval as he tucked arm between her legs and stood, flipping her over himself.
She slammed into the ground with a thud, but she was tough. She rolled to her feet and rushed him, her fist raised. Dominant stepped aside, dodging the punch, then grabbed her wrist, and tried to flip her again, instead gravity inverted and as he lifted her, she twisted in the air, using his own lifting force to hoist Dominant up and fling him high in the air. The inverted gravity field faded and Dominant was falling like a stone.
Dominant hit the ground, hard. The wind knocked out of him. He rolled to his feet, but Mikala was on him in an instant. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close with a smile. “I want…” Her right hand grabbed his belt loop. “to feel like…” She grabbed his neck with her left hand. “you own me.”
Dominant didn’t know what Mikala did, but his neck felt like ice and his waist felt like fire. He felt like he was being torn in two, but he had no intention of losing. He shoved her off of him and rolled, coming up in a crouch, his fist raised. Mikala smirked, and raised her fists in return.
She matched him blow for blow. “Isn’t your name Dominant?” she asked rhetorically, “Dominate me!” She shouted with a wide grin. “I won’t go easy on you this time!” She came at him, faster than before, her blows harder and faster.
Dominant blocked, but she was too fast, too strong. His moves felt sluggish, but Mikala moved like her body was weightless. She struck him in the chest, the stomach, and then the head. He staggered, his vision blurring.
Then he felt it. A spark in her flow, an imminent spell. He didn’t have to see it, he could feel it, like a buzzing beneath his skin.
Dominant’s eyes snapped open, and he charged her, his fist raised. Mikala’s eyes widened in surprise, but she didn’t move. Dominant punched her in the face, using the first technique Sandra had taught him.
Mikala fell back, her eyes rolling inward as her head struck the ground. He stood over her, his fist raised, ready to strike again, but he stopped. It was enough. He had won, and he didn’t want to hurt her.
Mikala recovered shortly after, her head bleeding from where it had struck the ground. She was grinning, her eyes shining. “That was fun, we should do it again.”
Dominant nodded, and helped her to her feet. “Next time, save the affection for if you win.”
She pouted. “Fine, fine, but next time, I’m going to win.”
Dominant smiled, and walked away. He was satisfied. It was difficult, but he defeated a magistrate while she was not holding back. He was ready for his mission. The Lord was right, he was a judge, and he was powerful. Maybe he could kill Lord Akiru.