Sorcerer in a fantasy world
Chapter 110

Chapter 110: Chapter 110

A dazed glance around and I saw many were injured from mild to some more serious. However, I detected no one dying among them. For that minor mercy, I was glad.

I was one of the first to stumble out of the barge.

The barge remained intact, but whatever buildings had been below us were crushed into splinters of wood. If anyone alive had been in them they were now definitely dead.

Làidir, however, had gotten out first. She was already battling the giant eagles of which there were now many. Iris soon joined her in the battle swelling gigantic heights.

I could attempt to make the barge fly, but waves of Roman soldiers and clan one started to surround us.

Mars himself approached glowing with a golden sheen, an all encompassing, and powerful aura of divine energy, in his hand a spear and shield and at his waist a sword and knife, all of that terrible divine metal.

"It is over, Sorcerer. Submit or die."

I stood with a face aged with exhaustion beyond my years and worry beyond my experience.

I would never give up Iris.

Nor did I feel like humiliating myself before him. I had power equal to my wildest wishes, many lovers and now hundreds of folks relying on me. How much would submission cost me? A servile life wasn’t worth it once I had tasted power corrupting pleasures.

"Death before tyranny."

I thought we would launch into battle then and there.

Mars raised a calming palm, he seemed ironically peaceful for a war god.

"Now, now. Do not be haste. You are thinking like a mortal and not like a god." He stroked his long, lush beard, "Well, you aren’t quite a god, but you are half of one. Much more than a mere immortal. Something new and unique in the cosmos. My sister would know better, loathe as I am to admit it. She should be here and I should be slaying barbarians across the sea. Nonetheless, here I am and I have made enough mistakes to know you require a wise hand to be guided firmly, Sorcerer. You’ve haven’t been taught properly so far and have done much harm, and I am guilty too I thought you a savage or even a monster, but I assure you that from now on you will be treated well and have a place within my father’s house."

Umbra whispers in my ear, "He means to treat you like a dog in his father’s home."

I agreed.

"We know the cost of what you ask, we know that there is no place for druids among Romans."

Out from Mars’ shadow came a familiar figure to argue back against Morgana.

Meredith, niece of Morgana, Galen and Rebecca’s ward and child to King Arthur Pendragon, traitor of Ferisdarm.

"A small price to pay to let go of barbarity to usher in for our people an age of knowledge and prosperity."

"There is more than one way to this prosperity, and he does not ask us to sacrifice the people we hold dear." Morgana bit back.

"Nor let go of our cherished ways." Iris joined in.

"A false way, a deceit spoken by a magician, not a true power, not a god." Meredith taunted.

I for one did not care for their debate. I had only one thing to say to Meredith.

"Galen is dead." I told her.

Her face fell, "I already knew."

For one who had called me a liar, she seemed to believe me word.

"He is dead because of you."

"No. He was like a father to me, more than Arthur ever was. He cared only for quest for the grail. Arthur and Rebecca raised me."

"And yet it remains your fault."

"No, if he had listened to me. But, you came. He is dead because of you. You and the false hope you spread."

"Enough both of you." Rebecca shouted. "Stop."

"Rebecca..."

"He died because of his pride. He died and left me and his child alone."

Mereidth’s face was ashen pale and she said with fearful dread, "His child... alone."

Rebecca placed a hand on her stomach and nodded.

Mars let out a long suffering sigh, "Mortals. I never understand how Aphrodite enjoyed your drama."

"But..." Meredith foolishly said.

Mars grabbed her by the base of the neck. He lifted her up with her legs kicking pointlessly and then he slammed her down, "Bad human."

He let her go and Meredith groaned. She lived, and was winded and only bruised.

I started preparing my magic. I was running near empty, but I had ideas. I’d try to get him to retreat again. I didn’t have dragonfire this time, but nor was I going in blind. I knew his capabilities.

Donna of all people came up, "Maybe we shouldn’t fight. I don’t want to die. No one here does."

"You’re a druid, have some courage, and if not then some brains. He will kill you."

"He won’t. Only those who don’t accept the Roman ways die, I’ve seen it. Submit and you live. Romans will make use of us and we survive."

I shook her off, "I don’t fear death. I fear empty days, alone and at under the control of an all powerful, uncaring authority. No, death before submission or rather I will slay a god before accepting my place beneath his boot."

"You’re insane." She whispered. For the first time, she blinked and turned serious. Perhaps I was seeing beneath the performance. "You are powerful, but you’re weak from facing the Unseelie. He knows this. You’re not strong enough to beat both, both sides knew this. So, listen to me. He outplayed you. Accept the loss. Please, we’ve had our differences, but I am trying to save your life."

"So be it. I’ve died before. If this is the end of the dream then let it be a glorious end."

I threw a metal meteor from the sky down onto Mars and his warriors. It was remarkable bold act and more for show than effectiveness.

The god of war parried it, but the sheer force staggered him. The metal ball redirected and crushed over dozens of his well armoured warriors before coming to a stop half a mile through the city leaving behind a path of destruction.

"You shouldn’t have done that, barbarian magician."

"Shut it and fight."

"The leash of the witch isn’t as tight as I heard. We are at peace, Sorcerer. Desist while I feel charitable."

The good thing about being a sorcerer is that honour doesn’t really matter.

I rose into the sky and blasted lightning out from my staff.

"Death to the gods!" I cried for all to hear.

He took the stream of energy to the chest with a bellowing roar, flexing chest and curling his arms afterwards. Smoke sizzled and steamed from his sternum. His face was red and veins popped out.

Clearly it had hurt, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

The intimidating force of his bellow left me stunned and disorientated.

"You really think you can beat a god?" He shouted.

"I know you scared." I bluffed. "How many times did daddy strike you with the same lightning? I wondered if you stopped when you begged."

It was shameful boasting. Never would do it to a human, but a god, I felt less about.

"Your screams will be unending. How could you be so stupid!"

"What can I say? I’m tired of war and I think it is time you leave for good."

He laughed, "Never, this is my playground and once you’re dead I will make my camp in your secure full domination of Albion for all time."

I frowned darkly, "Your ambition leaves me no choice."

I blasted a stream of pure magic. He blocked with his shield, but it cracked, ever so slightly.

I had gotten better at using my magic and drawing out its full destructive potential.

At range I had the better options. So, I blasted him with magic, struck down lightning and rained metal spikes down on him. His defence be it shield, agility, durability held strong.

We were interrupted by a charge of my people who had broken through the weakened Roman lines. Much less skilled than the outriders, but noble in their bravery. They launched themselves at the God of War.

He swung his weapon each brush deadly and painted Elkilbour crimson. Mars slaughtered the defenders of the city, his immortal skill far superior to mortal warriors.

I retaliated with equal brutality. I conjured a metal.

A sawblade, big as a house, halved most of the nearby Romans with a swing. Chest separated from their waist they toppled down dead.

I had never killed so many humans before. Never by myself and never with so little care. Determined to hit back, I was blind to the value of human life. Consumed in my anger.

I flew into the air to find more, to hurt him in this new way. I blasted down blue arcs upon his invading forces.

Mars rushed after me, and gave a front kick to a building in his way. It shattered the wall and the buildings support. Everyone inside was crushed by falling stones. He leaped over the now much smaller rubbles soaked with blood and the cries of the dead and dying.

Atop the rubble, he jumped into the air and after me.

I tried to back away. I grew many vines, tries and poisonous plants to grab, stab and choke him. They restrained him momentarily but he cut and flexed his way through them and they proved to be little more than an obstacle.

He grabbed me by the throat and tried to crush it. But my body strengthening enchantments held. Even as he tried to disperse them, I reinforced them.

Frustrated, he yelled in my face and tried to gut me with his spear. I blasted it out of his hand.

He headbutted me in turn.

He drew his knife, but I blasted great voltages of lightning from my body. He screamed in pain and shook from the waves of burning energy.

He was forced to let me go and his knife.

I called for a terrible blue bolt from the sky to strike him down, but he raised his shield and it absorbed the blow. It shattered, but had done its function in sparing his life.

My pitiful reserves of mana were further drained and I was swaying on my feet from injury and mana exhaustion.

I had less than little to give now.

I fired pure magic energy, but quick as a fox he drew his sword and it channelled the energy to nothing.

We clashed again staff and sword; magic and divine energy.

We were destroying Elkilbour and the Romans as we clashed.

Unlike my battle with Maradon which was a surreal duel of magic. Mars and I were fighting like beasts in our anger or maybe machines in our all levelling destruction. The power of magic smashing with the might of the divine.

We stood and faced off, each panting and measuring the other.

"Sorcerer."

"What, I am not going to give up." I spat while glaring at him with baleful eyes.

"Nor will I."

We circled one another. Each tired, wary but keen to fight to the death.

"You cannot win. You did your best, and I thought maybe you had it in you. You simply aren’t a godslayer." Mars pitied.

"Even if it takes the last drop of my magic, I will set Albion free."

I threw out a containment cube of metal, one body shaped just like I had contained Làidir.

The metal straitjacket hit the God of War and crashed him into the earth. Encased from the shoulders down in the hardest, densest metals I could conjure.

His muscles bulged as he tried to force himself free.

"This was made for a woman stronger than you. You are caged, Mars."

I stepped on his throat.

"I won’t kill you. This is my final mercy to you. Go to your father and accept your beating. Plead the case for peace, you will fail but it is the only hope for us both, and if you ever return. I will kill you once and for all."

"My father is dead. Zeus is all our fathers and I am his chosen son. What he took meant everything, and he also gave back my place of power. I will not return in disgrace and defeat. Death before humiliation."

I laughed, "Mock my words. You are caged. Give it up or I shall fulfil my call and bring you death."

"You think this can cage me? I am not Ares the lesser. I am War. Mars is my name. I cannot be bound. My virility seeds the children and wheat of Rome. My virtue guides my people to glory, honour and virtue. I once bore the thunder, before it was taken and I do so again."

Lightning cracked, not mine, and struck my back at my heart. I arched, fell to my knees and then hit the earth.

My eyes were open and my body was still as the dead.