Reflections

I stand above Dolphus’ lifeless body, lying in the middle of his ruined protective circle in the center of his main summoning chamber, the remnants of his sorceries lying broken at his feet. Around the edges of the room stand the pitiful remnants of Dolphus’ conjurations and summonings.

Jerrimax stands in the middle of the room and looks at each of Dolphus’ summonings and conjurations in turn, then points to me, dismissing the rest. “You will serve me, now,” he says harshly, finally, as he kneels and takes the silver disc that is my token in his hand from Dolphus’ blasted body. He stands, then turns and stalks away, his depleted cohort of sorcerers and summonings trailing in a fractious group behind him.

I nod once, unseen, in acceptance, as I follow at their heels, alone and unnoticed. He is the victor, he has the power, he has the mastery. I forget my service under Dolphus, those memories fading like dew, like the memories of so many previous masters, and I leave to begin my service with his conqueror, Jerrimax, knowing only that one day, too, I will leave him.

Which is as it should be.