Day 23: Some of the pages in this journal have been removed and whatever history they provide are gone. In my heart of hearts I know that this is the story of a famous mage by the name of Alfendire an ancient human. A powerful Pyromancer who in my other texts helped keep an entity at bay, but he is also known as the Ender of Days.
Nothing can prepare anyone for the pain of loss. To walk in the same room where there was a connection now gone is a pain that can change a good person to a monster. The Mage’s heart beats faster as he approaches her, but it beats in discomfort with the knowledge that he is not seen by her anymore. With all the scholarly work he does, he cannot find an answer to love lost when he tried so hard to keep it.
He feels there is something there, he knows there is something there, but no spell he casts to see if it’s true. He relies on the hope that one day his feelings might be reciprocated, but he knows it will never happen.
The Mage fell for the trap, he made a deal with his feelings, and the devils came out to play and torment him. Every step he took towards the one he loved, a small daemon would jump out of the shadows and whisper horrific things in his ear. They were feeding him resentment, jealousy, and anger. His heart burns with envy and pain that he has to see the one he is madly in love with interact with others. When all the Mage did in the past was present love, warmth, and care to her.
“That’s the way this world works.” They whisper in his ear. Adding salt to his wound, but what the pestering creatures did not know is, the more she told him “no,” the more he worked to change his fate. His work conjoined with the one he loves and made sure he was a significant player in the research she was conducting. Every day he strove to solve problems, prove his trustworthiness, and overall to be noticed.
One day all his hard work paid off; the one he thought he lost came to him and embraced him. Gave him affection, their lips met, and even if it was just for a second, the Mage finally felt as if life was good again; he had her affection again. The adrenaline of a victory and hard work he had put in now showed results.
Her hug was meant to celebrate her victory in her work; thanks to the Mage, she completed her task with all credit given to her. With that, she announced a partnership with an unknown entity, someone who did not share the same interests as them but had power and wealth beyond compare. A man he once met and thought hell let loose one of their hounds on this plane of existence—a false prophet to The Silver Gates.
The Mage’s rage awoke a monster inside him, a flaming spiral of hate, sadness, and resentment. A power that the whispering daemons were waiting on. The laboratory he worked so hard to build for her is now aflame as the volatile concoctions erupt, increasing the chaos of his loss of sanity.
The one he loved used him for her means and manipulated him for his kindness. A virtue that is now exhausted in him.
As his fatigue grips him once more, sanity came back only for him to see the death of the one he once loved in ash. His heart beats now with lingering loss and residual madness; the Mage decided to visit the one who took her away from him, only to realize his mistake. The prophet knew what he did and told him, “Drive this knife into your heart, and you may see her.” His words were like honey to him, and for the time, made sense. Greif struck and enchanted by the prophet; he received a golden dagger that appeared out of the shadows. The Mage grasped the hilt as the whispers of departed spirits grew restless, he placed the blade on his chest, and as he pushed in, the Oracle grabbed his hand, stopping him.
“This is not your time…” the voice echoed as the Mage stood alone in front of the Silver Gates.
Notes: As expected, this is the story of Alfendire. The new unknown to me is this “Silver Gates,” in Laberynthea there is a story of such a location. It is said to be a prison for madness and its creatures. Legend says that the king of Laberynthea entrapped Holy, Daemon and a third type of entity; could this “Silver Gates” be the prison to these creatures. With the research my aids did the said “Oracle” is one of the causes for Alfendire to become the Ender of Days. I have to go back to River Front and see if there is any other mention of Oracle or Silver Gates in the Grande Library.
K.Rivera Author page 