Ascent of the Archmage - Uwe prompts


Authors
Tiyre
Published
2 years, 7 months ago
Stats
1111

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i. in which Uwe is swept into intervening 

There had to be a better way of getting somewhere than walking from a to b. It was slow, and people pushed him, and he wasn't exactly tall, but.... Oh. Oh, he could, he could..... no. It was true that he could use his magic to make people move, to make them scurry or stare in wonder or something but... well. More people would see his magic for what it was - nothing special, nothing heroic, nothing that could save anyone, least of all him. It was just paint pretty pictures in the sky, provided the day wasn't windy or rainy or stormy or dark.

He sighed, golden necklaces clicking against his vaguely aristocratic neck. He supposed he could convince people to move, but, even if they didn't judge him for his embarrassing magic, mages weren't... well, they weren't as popular as they'd been before. He had absolutely no reference to how much trust the Order - and all mages - had before, as his mother did not care (and did not think he should care) about them until he was one, and once he was out from her thumb he had mostly hid among other mages in a pathetic attempt to disguise himself. It's hard to worry about others when your own failings are too loud to hear anyone over.

A commotion began in the back of his eye, a subtle noticing that almost made him itch. Turn around, turn around - but he was... late to something, wasn't he? He couldn't remember, had been too stuck inside his head to pay any attention to anything that was happening to anyone but him. Turn around. The background noises built, up and up, and he looked for a way to run, tested the wind to see if he really could use his magic to paint himself a path. Something else caught in his ears, though, a name he could not ignore. Mother would be so displeased if he didn't respond immediately to his own name.

"Isn't that Uwe?"

"What would Uwe be doing here?"

"Uwe must be here to help the witchfinder - after all, he is a hero."

"No, no - he's a mage protector. Uwe must be here to make sure no one lies."

"I don't think he can do that. Maybe Uwe is just here to protect a filthy mage like himself."

The deer in question turned around, practice the only reason his ears were hiding his anxiety. He should have run when he had the choice, should have magicked a way to avoid others. What was he to do with a Witchfinder? But he couldn't leave now.

ii. in which Uwe proves himself among the Order

"You there, deer," the large eland bellowed towards his shocked face, spittle landing near him with surprising distance and accuracy,"We have another hidden mage here, don't we? Another worthless piece of trash who is meant to be controlled or killed, to make sure the fair people of Faline can sleep without danger? Have you come to rescue your fellow mage, and magick him away to some child's nursery while his parents look for you here?" The crowd's murmur grew confused, the jostling faster and faster. Was it Uwe, the mage hero, who had done his duty and then was hidden away because no one should need to deal with mages? Was he an imposter, coming for his ladylove? Was the Witchfinder just a poor, misguided individual who was only doing the best he could in such turbulent times?

Uwe hoped no one chose today to stampede - his every day jewelry was not meant for running - and he took a small breath, attempting to find his center in the floundering ship he called his soul. "I'm, well, I'm sorry, but I'm not sure about our cow friend here, but she seems significantly worried and I'm very sure that, if she is a hidden mage, she will go straight to the Order and turn herself in because that's what all mages are supposed to do and what most do end up doing." He thought hidden mages were mostly a myth, but, hey - if this guy believed something else, he'd give it to him. "So, I'll be on my way, help her out, bring her with me while I return. To the Order. Because I'm an Order mage," he emphasized, trying to shake the eland off his rhythm. Everyone knew him - he didn't really need to show proof, did he?

"You're a mage. You could be lying - you must be lying. All mages lie! And I do not trust you to bring them anywhere. You'd probably just flee, vanishing yourself and then, um, reappearing in a vault! The vault of a poor merchant - yes, yes, I can see it now. Breaking into the vault of a poor merchant, come to steal all their gold and jewels and leave none for their starving children!"

The crowd practically hissed as a collective, the crowd becoming a wave becoming a mob. Why would a poor merchant have gold and jewels? Why would they even have a vault - vaults are expensive! No wonder they're poor, Uwe thought, wisely keeping the musings to himself. "I have my papers here - I cannot speak for her, but I have my papers here." 

 iii. in which Uwe realizes he is a hero and, therefore, a coward

 The silence was deafening, and Uwe was convinced at least once person passed out from holding their breath longer than they were able. "Let me see that," the eland said, disappointment ringing out as "gruff". He looked, and stared, and huffed - possibly just so that he would not pass out - before giving it back to the much smaller deer. "Fine, you can go. This is how a mage is meant to be - collared, respectful, and controlled. Many mothers must have been grateful when the Order took you off the streets."

 None of that was true, but he had been deemed a hero, and that meant he was, really, bound by the nonmages. He looked towards the young cow, watched as she was dragged away and knew that he could do nothing without his flimsy veneer shattering. His cowardice was all that kept him safe. "I am Uwe Winkler, who you called hero when I saved your brothers and sisters from a monster. I live only to serve and protect those who are unable to protect themselves. And I will never lie to you."

 No one told him being a hero would mean losing pieces of himself.

Author's Notes

Prompt 1 - [454 words (4) + magic (1) + world specific (1)] * event bonus (2) = 12 gold

Prompt 2 - [446 words (4) + world specific (1)] * event bonus (2) = 10 gold

Prompt 3 - [204 words (2) + world specific (1)]* event bonus (2) = 6 gold

Gold Total : 28