Secret Novel Chapter 8: Noble's Charge (Patreon)

Content Warning for Violence and Blood

Madeline didn’t stop running. No matter how dark it got, how many times she tripped, or how tired she got, she never stopped. The mages were going to kill her if she stopped. They would kill her like they killed Fernaldo. Like they probably killed all the other offerings. Madeline lost all sense of direction as she ran. She took random turns, without care, just hoping to throw Marcus off her trail.

As much as she ran though, the voice in her head never gave her hope. It kept telling her that she could never escape the mages. There was no hope for her. The second her father decided to work with the mayor’s cousin, her fate was decided. The path for her to die by the mage’s hands was made and set. Her life had only ever been leading up to this. To die afraid, far from everyone she knew and loved, and betrayed by the only family she had left. Tears streamed down her face as she ran, her breathing ragged with effort and sobs that made no sound. She didn’t want to die. She wanted to live. She wanted to be happy. She wanted to survive.

The path ahead of her had been straight for a while, which had worried her, but thankfully, she could see a turn up ahead. Not only was it a path off this straight shot, the new turn seemed to be in the light of the moon so she could actually see and not constantly trip. It was a light relief, but a relief nonetheless. Running a little harder again, Madeline threw herself around the corner, and crashed into something solid. Madeline bounced off of whatever it was, and found herself falling backwards. She let out a cry and was surprised to find that it made a noise. Madeline managed to catch herself slightly as she fell, but she still hit the ground hard.

“You peasant!” A voice screamed from in front of her. “How dare you push me down!”

Looking up and over, Madeline found Marcus, also sprawled out on the ground. Suddenly she realized the cry she let out wasn’t actually her. It was lighter, and more whiny than a cry she would let out. It was Marcus who made the cry. Madeline could see the anger and hate on the noble’s face as he glared over at her. Only acting on instinct and no thought, Madeline rushed to her feet, and made to run for her life. Not that she wasn’t already doing that before, but now with Marcus literally behind her, her life did truly depend on running away. Her feet slammed against the ground as her tired legs pushed her harder than they ever had before. One step. Two steps. Three steps, and almost at the corner.

The sound of sizzling filled the air as pain wracked over Madeline’s body. Pain like she’s never experienced before. Her body cramped and seized as she fell to the ground, unable to even brace herself. She barely felt the pain of landing roughly as lightning painfully coursed through her.

“You really didn’t think you could get away did you, freak?” Marcus chuckled as he dusted himself off. “I know that damn teacher’s pet is better with this spell.” Another crackling sound appeared just a second before pain wracked Madeline’s body again. Her body shook and twitched on the cold earthen floor, as her limbs violently contracted. Hot tears burned down her face as the young woman screamed in silent agony. “But unlike her, I’m not going to put all I have into one shot. No no… Where would the fun in that be? I’ve got an extra hour before we are due back. So, let’s have some fun first.”

Though Madeline couldn’t see his face she could perfectly picture the predatory smile he had shown her so many times before. This was it. This was Madeline’s end. She could feel it in every fiber of her being. This was how she died. At the hands of a novice mage who took so much pleasure in his hunt, and would take pleasure in his reward. Another bolt of lightning struck Madeline as she silently screamed.

“Oh, think you're tough and not going to scream for me?” Marcus taunted as he walked around her prone form. “We’ll just see about that…”

Though her mind was racked with pain, the young woman couldn't help but scream at the man, ‘You took my voice!’ How did he expect her to scream when he stole her voice? Another jolt of the cursed spell hit her, as she again cried out silently.

“My, you really don’t want to scream for me.” He sounded angry and frustrated. Enough so that he kicked her in the back.

Madeline’s silent sobs went unnoticed, and the tiny fire of hope for life inside her flickered out. This was her end. She could already feel it. The cold and black seeping in the edges of her vision. The numbness spread across her agony soaked form. This was her end. Thrown into the Maze because of a man she wouldn’t even consider her father anymore. Sacrificed to the mages, so that they may use her as a Goddess damn test. Uncaring about the pain they caused. No, relishing in her pain. Tortured so that she could scream for a fucking idiot who stole her voice and couldn’t remember.

The young woman’s silent sobs somehow turn into sobbing laughs. Morbid laughter at the realization that Marcus was an idiot. That she was going to be tortured to death by an idiot. That all this stupid mage wanted was for her to scream, and he's the one stopping her!

“Are… Are you laughing at me?!” There were so many emotions in Marcus’ words. Confusion, anger, bewilderment and even hurt. He was hurt that she was laughing at him, and that only made Madeline laugh harder. Madeline wasn’t fully sure why she was laughing at a time like this, but she couldn’t stop. It was all so absurd, that this was how it was going to end. “You are!” There was only anger in his voice now before he cast the spell again.

It stopped Madeline’s morbid laughter at her own death in favor of another silent scream. But in the back of her mind, it was all getting old now. This repeat of shocking her more and more as death kept getting ever closer. The numbing of her ending life seemed to make the pain fall away in her mind. She was tired… Tired of this pain. Tired from the last several hours of running for her life. Tired from the two week journey she took. Tired from the overwhelming emotions she’s felt in the past month. Just tired from everything.

The fire that had pushed her this far was gone. There was no will to live anymore. Madeline just wanted this to end. For the pain Marcus was putting her through to end. To close her eyes and fall into the darkness slowly encroaching on her. To know true peace.

Marcus crouched down beside her curled up form, and grabbed Madeline by the hair. Pulling her head up he forced her to look at him one last time. “By the Gods you really won't just scream for me, you freak.” His anger seemed to reach a new level now as he let off another spell, right into her head.

Madeline’s whole world turned white. All she knew was pain as her body violently contracted. She could feel the hairs on her head singing from the spell, as her eyes rolled back. Her throat was horse from her never ending silent screams, and she hoped beyond all reason he would finally realize she couldn’t make a sound. As she curled up in pain her injured hand brushed up against her boot and something suddenly came to mind.

Her knife.

The spark and will to live that had gone out reared back to life at the realization that she had her knife. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want to die here. She wanted to live! Though pain still coursed through her, the worst of the spell was over. Gathering as much control of her shaking body, Madeline reached into her boot.

“Just fucking scream for me, you bitch!”

That was it. Her hand grasped the cold weaving steel handle and yanked it out of her boot. With as much force as her weakened form could muster, Madeline threw herself at Marcus. He screamed in shock as the pair fell back. Madeline landed on top of the man who was torturing her, and his scream cut short. Looking down Madeline could see him below her, looking up with shock. Her own eyes must have reflected his expression as she suddenly noticed where her mom’s knife hand landed.

Nearly the entire blade was plunged deep into the mage’s throat as wet hot blood poured from the wound. Madeline could feel her hands shaking as they held onto the knife, though she could no longer tell if it was from the shocks or her own realization at what she had just done. She had just stabbed someone. She had just stabbed Marcus in the throat.

Marcus tried to say something in his shock, but only a blood filled gargle came up, spitting blood over Madeline’s face. As Madeline blinked away the blood Marcus’ face turned to anger. He shifted under her as if trying to shove her off, but Madeline was quite larger than him. Madeline didn’t even have to fight to stay on top of him. Hatred filled his face as he lifted his hand. His mouth moved as blood poured out and sparks filled his fingertips.

Fear ran through Madeline at the sight of the dreaded sparks. Without even thinking she panic screamed and pushed down on the knife harder. The young woman could feel the blade hit something solid. Then sickeningly, Madeline felt the knife scrape down between bone and cut whatever was between it. Marcus's hand suddenly fell limp, the magic dying with it. Madeline watched as confusion spread over the young man’s face. Then, slowly, pure fear took over as both him and Madeline realized what had just happened.

He looked so utterly scared as he looked back up at her. His eyes pleaded for her to help him, as his mouth moved in silent words. Tears started to run down his face, and Madeline shook above him, unable to move. It hurt looking down at him. It hurt seeing how afraid he truly was, even though he had made her feel the exact same way. Madeline watched as those pleading, fearful eyes dimmed as life finally left his body, but the fear on his face never left. He just kept staring back at her…

“-orry. I’m so sorry…” With the young mages death, Madeline’s voice returned and she found herself sobbing and repeating, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She realized that not all the tears on Marcus’ face were his. Her own were pouring down onto his lifeless face. “I’m so sorry…” Her eyes drift down to her hands clutching the deeply embedded knife. Blood covering them. His blood.

With a sobbing cry, Madeline pushed herself off of the corpse. The corpse she made. The knife came with her, as her grip was too tight to let go. Blood continued to seep out, but no longer with a pulse he once had. Her eyes still couldn’t leave his face, as she backed away till her back was up against the hedge.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.”

She killed someone. Madeline just killed a person. She killed such a young man. She killed a man so utterly afraid of death. She killed a man who looked up at her for help, and all she did was watch. Watch while death took him. Watched while the fear solidified on his face and in her mind forever.

Madeline needed to get away. Get away from the body she made. Get away from the tear stained face. Get away from the fearful eyes that will forever be staring back up at her.

The young woman, still sobbing, scrambled to her feet, and ran. Ran away from Marcus once again. But this time he wouldn’t be able to chase her down.

[I haven't been really asking questions of what you guys think about these chapters, but this is maybe the chapter I am most proud of out of anything I have written and I want to know what you guys think. It's also okay if you don't like it. It is a really heavy chapter.]