Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2017 10:41:15 +0000
From: Mark Larner <markalarner@live.com.au>
Subject: Magics Bond Chapter 2

This story is a work of fiction, none of the characters are based on real
people, any similarities with people or places are coincidence, this story
contains sexual activities with consenting adult males, if the content of
this story is illegal in the area you are in to read this content read at
your own discretion it is illegal to copy this story all right are reserved
to the author

For comments and feedback contact me at markalarner@live.com.au

If you enjoy this story you may also enjoy
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Eric stood in the cool dry library in his family home.  The cool internal
temperature of the house was a welcome change from the oppressive heat
outside.  "Eric", Eric turned at the sound of his name.  "We did not expect
you until tomorrow".  Eric smiled at the stern looking man known simple as
Grandfather.  Grandfather was the patriarch of the family.  And as such no
one was sure just how old he was.  "Grandfather it is good to see you".
The stern face that Grandfather presented to the world fell. In its place
was a warm smile.  "You would be the only one to say so".  Eric laughed.
Grandfather had missed the easy sound of the boys laugh.

"Perhaps if you smiled more at my cousins they would love you as I do".
Grandfather shook his head.  "No my boy, they would be happy to see the end
of me".  Eric's smile faulted, he knew as well as Grandfather that the
cousins would happily see the death of the man that had cared for Eric for
as long as he could remember.  "Come now Eric tell me of school".  Eric
nodded knowing that Grandfather had changed the subject on purpose.

Eric sat in his old room looking over the many things he had accumulated
over the years.  He unlike the others had been bought up by Grandfather.
When he had spoken about his family to Beth and Paul he had lied.  Much as
they didn't know his family name.  All of these things were simply not
worth the headache.  He sighed and figured he should start to get ready for
dinner.  Something that he had been told would be held in the main dining
room.  Only about half of the cousins had arrived.  However a formal dinner
was still expected.  Eric hated them, if it were just him and Grandfather
they would have eaten at a small table in the kitchen.



Paul walked across campus with Beth.  Eric had told them that he would be
missing for a few days on family business.  "Beth do you know what family
Eric's part of"?  Paul asked, Beth looked at her friend and shrugged.  "No,
but that's not surprising as most of us keep that sort of information to
our selves".  Paul nodded his understanding.  His parents were a warrior
and healer so he honestly had, had little to do with the sorcerer families.
"If I were to guess I would say the Contleea family".  Beth said with a
frown.  "They are an odd family almost always at odds with the council".
Paul frowned, "How can they be at odds, surly they are represented in the
council".  Beth nodded but couldn't contain her grin.  Paul looked
confused.  "The council wouldn't work if we all agreed with each other now
would it".  Paul couldn't help but agree with what Beth was saying.

"Any way the inner council is made up of five people.  These five are from
the five strongest families.  My family is relatively small and is allied
with the Contleea family.  The problem the council have with the Contleea
family is that the preserve the past.  They preserve it so well that they
won't even destroy information about things that are now outlawed.  Which
comes to the second problem they are really progressive.  Incorporating
technology into magic, believe me they have contacts and investments in
nearly all new technologies".  Paul sort of understood what Beth was
saying.  He had already been told in his own classes that a possessed
sorcerer would be his most difficult enemy.

"Now I don't know for sure but I think that Eric may be Grandfathers ward".
Paul was confused again.  "Grandfather is the head of the Contleea family
no one knows his real name he's just Grandfather".  Paul shook his head the
more he learnt about Sorcerers the less he seemed to understand.  "I can't
be sure though only Grandfather and the cousins have seen the ward.  Eric
fits though right age and sex anyway".  Paul just shook his head, he had,
had no idea that the sorcerers were so political.



Eric took his seat beside Grandfather.  More cousins were present then he
had thought there would be.  Eric met their power hungry gaze with the ice
cold indifference that he truly felt for them.  In all the time he had been
growing up not one of these people had, had a kind word for him.  As the
servers entered the cousins ignored them.  Eric turned and thanked them as
they served him.  The servers saw the warmth and sadness in Eric's eyes.
As the meal progressed Eric realised he was more pushing the food around
his plate.  Grandfather lent over to him and told him to eat.  Eric knew
that showing a lack of appetite in front of the cousins was to show some
kind of weakness.  Grimacing at his plate he cleared it.  The chief knew
Eric well and ensured that his plate was never as full as the others.

Eric lingered at the table as the others moved into one of the large
sitting rooms.  Eric grabbed the arm of a young server as she cleared the
table.  "Please have Grandfather informed that I will return before dawn".
The server had startled when Eric had first grabbed her arm.  However his
grasp had been light and his voice soft.  "Yes young Sir", was her
response.  Eric nodded once at her stood and strode from the main dining
room.

He left his home through one of the many side doors.  He entered the large
detached garage.  He looked around at all the impressive cars Grandfather
had.  He had little interest beyond knowing when a car looked good.  He
walked up to a large black SUV similar to the one he had first started to
drive.  Shrugging he climbed in there was no point to trying to find the
one he had driven so often.

Eric sped down the highway knowing the cops would turn a blind eye to him.
There were a few benefits of wealth that he enjoyed.  As he came around a
bend he skidded to a stop just before hitting a woman that was stood in the
centre of the road.  The woman didn't move she stood with her head bowed
long flowing hair obscuring her face completely.  Eric turned the key and
pushed the car door open.  As he approached the women he knew what he was
facing.  The woman had clearly once been a normal human now she was the
puppet of a Demonic.  Eric summoned basic elemental power to himself to
throw at the creature.  The creature was transforming quickly in front of
him.  What had once been a relatively slim woman had turned into a hulking
gray green beast with horns and razor sharp teeth and claws.

Eric couldn't be sure but he was guessing the substance dripping from the
claws was poison of some kind or acid at the very least.  Eric didn't
hesitate he blasted the creature with a wall of ice to give himself time.
He ran to the side of the road and was happy to see lose dirt rather than
something more difficult to draw in.  The creature that once was a woman
burst out of the ice prison he had formed around her.  The ice flew
everywhere.  Shards of it hit and cut the exposed parts of Eric's skin.
Eric was startled by the speed of the creature.  It heaved a large arm
swiping him aside and back onto the road.  Recovering quickly he formed
another ice prison.  Getting up he ran to the side of the road and began to
draw the symbols he needed to banish the Demon.

Eric felt the ice once more.  It was clear to him that the ice prisons just
weren't strong enough.  Thinking quickly he changed what he was doing to a
simple immobilisation trap.  No sooner had he been thrown back into the
middle of the road.  Eric felt the drain on his reserves as the trap took
effect.  Struggling back to his feet he moved back to the creature that was
held suspended slightly in the air unable to move.  He looked at the ground
and started to form the correct symbol below the creatures dangling feet.
Like all Sorcerers Eric had learnt this symbol from a young age.  All
sorcerers could draw it without thought they didn't even need to be able to
see what they were doing.

Eric looked up at the creature.  Instead of the creature he saw the women.
He heard Grandfather in his head.  Don't hesitate Eric it's their last
trick to get you to let them go.  Eric poured power into the symbol and
released the immobilisation trap.  The woman fell.  An ear piercing scream
came from her as the Demon was ripped from the women's soul and body.  Eric
stood and watched the body crumple to the ground.  The women turned
completely back into herself.  She looked up at Eric and smiled through her
obvious pain.

Eric stood and watched as the women died.  He as all sorcerers knew that
there was no way for someone to come back from possession.  Summoning his
remaining strength he burnt the body.  There was no other way.  If the
normal found her body there would have been questions.  And questions were
something the council did not want.



Ben woke with a start there was a crashing and banging from his living
room.  He knew of only one person who entered his place so loudly and so
early.  Sure enough he found a drunk Eric.  Eric looked up at Ben and tried
to focus.  He failed in true drunk Eric style.  Ben appreciated his old
class mate's effort.  Or at least appreciated his appearance.  "You know
buddy you should call ahead, I could have been with a hot chick".  Eric
sniggered in response to Ben's comment.  He knew Ben was gay, when they had
been at boarding school they had discovered each other.  The only real
problem was that they didn't really love each other that way.

Ben had however always looked after Eric in more ways than one.  The first
day they had met had been when Eric was being picked on for being too girly
in appearance.  Ben being the big guy he was stepped in.  "I doubt that and
if it were a bloke you would just ask me to join in".  Ben laughed, by this
stage Eric had started to focus.  He grumbled to himself about damn
sorcerer blood.  The magic in him meant he had to drink a lot to get drunk
and keep at it to stay that way.  "You got anything to drink in this
place".  Ben knew from that comment that Eric was there for comfort not
sex.  He turned and walked into his kitchen Eric close behind.  "Sure
buddy, scotch good", Eric nodded.

Ben gasped when he turned and faced Eric again.  The living room had been
dark.  He had turned the light on in the kitchen and now saw Eric's torn
shirt and cut up face and arms.  "Bud what the fuck happened to you".  Eric
just smiled and shook his head.  This was not the first time Ben had seen
his friend beaten up.  "Come on you need a shower and to have those cleaned
up". Eric just nodded he followed Ben to his bathroom grabbing the bottle
of scotch on his way out of the kitchen.

In the bathroom Ben filled the tub realizing Eric probable was in no
condition to remain standing in the shower.  As he undressed Eric not for
the first time he was shocked to see his friend's normal pale skin covered
in nasty looking bruisers.  If he didn't know better he would have though
his friend had been beaten with a plank of wood.  "You going to tell me
what happened"?  Ben asked with concern.  Eric took a large gulp of scotch.
He grinned at his friend.  "Nope, you wouldn't believe me if I did".  Ben
nodded he had got the standard Eric response.



Eric woke in a large soft bed.  He winced as he sat up feeling each of his
new bruisers.  He could smell cooking from the kitchen.  It was clear that
Ben had decided to cook for his uninvited guest.  "You didn't have to cook
for me", Ben shrugged as he flipped the eggs.  It was clear to Eric that
Ben was not happy about his lack of explanation.  "You know I can't tell
you the reasons as to why".  Ben nodded once he and Eric had been over this
a number of times.  He frowned at Eric or more at what Eric was wearing.
"I didn't see your hoddie last night", Eric froze he had gotten so used to
being around people that knew all about him that he had not thought about
what he was doing when he dressed.

"You must just not have noticed it last night".  Eric tried to explain it
away.  Ben wasn't buying it.  "Eric I'm the one who washed and dried your
clothes.  Your shirt has massive tears in it for starters.  And if you had
been wearing the hoddie it would also have tears in it".  Eric looked away
from his long time friends accusing eyes.  "Fine keep your secrets".  Eric
sat stunned as Ben stormed out of the kitchen.  He knew that keeping the
secret would always cost him.  Sighing he went in search of his friend that
just wanted to know what was going on.

Ben had retreated to living room.  He looked up sadly as Eric entered and
sat on the couch next to him.  "Ben you are like a brother to me and have
been for so many years.  And you are right in all this time I've had the
secret".  Ben tried to grin at Eric's admittance of his secrets.  "If ever
we are in a position where I can tell you I will.  You mean too much to me
to lose you over it".  Ben smiled and hugged his smaller friend.  "I know,
I just worry that's all", Eric smiled softly and wished he could tell his
friend everything.  "Still breakfast awaits, and I have someone to meet".
Ben got a glint to his eye.  The glint he got when he was dating someone
new.  "Well that explains why I was sexually assaulted in my sleep.  He
must be pretty hot for you to keep your hands of this".  Eric ran a hand
down his chest causing them both to laugh.  "Will you be around long enough
to meet him"?  Ben asked clearly wanting to introduce his new love interest
to his friend.  "Can't I'm late back as it is", Ben nodded he understood
only to well the kind of family commitments Eric had.



Sean gave the punching bag one going over and stoped.  Wiping the sweat off
his large hairless chest.  He looked around the training gym.  He noticed
the first year that had been sparring with the slender pretty sorcerer.
Sean approached the younger mage.  He was typical of a warrior.  Well
developed muscles short hair and an easy knowledge of his own strength.
There was a stunning sorcerer watching the mage.  It was clear by the way
she watched him that she had already fallen for him.  Sean shook his head
as he moved over toward her.

Beth didn't take her eyes off of Paul as the older mage approached.  "He's
away on family business".  Sean was shocked that she had answered his
question before he could form the words to ask.  He knew that sorcerers had
an unnerving habit of putting people off balance.  "He's noted you watching
him".  Again Sean didn't know what to say he had thought the sorcerer was
oblivious to him.  He had checked the collage system and had discovered his
name was Eric.  The system didn't even give a family name.  He knew that if
someone was listed without a family name they were high up in the council
politics or their family was.

"Beth leave the poor guy alone.  It's clear he's got a hard for our boy
Eric".  Sean was a little startled by the brash comment from the other
mage.  The sorcerer giggled girlishly, making her more the eighteen year
old she was.  Sorcerers had a tendance to be serious and seem older than
they were.  "He will be back tomorrow.  Perhaps you will talk to him".
Sean blushed he had not thought he had been noticed.  "Or you could just
continue to moon over him from afar".  Another girlish giggle followed her
comment.  Sean glared at the giggling pair.

He stalked away from them as they laughed.  Sean knew that he had no reason
to be angry with them.  However being caught out as he had been did piss
him off.  Andy met him in their dorm and saw the frustrated look on his
face.  "He reject you", Sean was in no mood for Andy's humour.  He looked
up at his friend and glared.  "No his friends just think I'm an idiot as do
you".  Andy was taken aback at the anger in Sean's voice.  "Hay man I'm
sorry I was just yanking your chain", Andy said defensively.

"Sorry his friends wound me up, apparently I had been noted".  Andy
chuckled causing Sean to glare again.  "Sorry to break it to you buddy, but
you and half the collage have been drooling over him".  Sean was a little
surprised at that.  "Come on man he's bloody stunning as is the girl he
hangs with".  Sean frowned it was true his friend had been stunning as
well.  "Damn they didn't know for sure until I approached".  Andy just
grinned happy his friend realised he had been mistake about him being
obvious.  "Still they gave me a good idea".  Andy raised an eyebrow waiting
for Sean to go on.  "If they are used to being watched.  They only way to
get him to really see me is to talk to him".  Andy had the decency to not
make comment.  To him it was obvious that talking to the sorcerer was the
only way to get his attention.



Eric sat in on the meeting between Grandfather and the cousins.  They were
held every six months.  There purpose was to let the cousins express their
concerns and such.  Eric knew it was a waste of time.  The cousins had no
real idea.  Al they wanted was power and wealth.  What surprised Eric was
the number of cousins that seemed to be paying attention to his reactions
to their concerns.  Eric remained with a calm cold expressionless face.  He
knew they were hoping to gain benefit from him due to his closeness to
Grandfather.

"Well boy what do you think", Grandfather asked after the meeting.  Eric
took a moment to think of his response.  "They remain nothing but power
hungry fools", Grandfather frowned.  "However we should push for a number
of their concerns at the council.  If for no other reason we can't afford
to lose their support". Grandfather smiled pleased to see that Eric knew
how to play the game.  "Still I would bring my own concerns to you".
Grandfather frowned not expecting Eric to have formed any issues of his
own.  "The number male sorcerers is really on the decline.  And the number
of attacks are up.  I want to know what's being done about both".
Grandfather nodded his agreement he understood where Eric was coming from.

"You need a mage Eric", Grandfather started again.  "I know you don't think
you need one.  However they are attracted to your power and will continue
to come after you".  Eric looked away thinking of the pain he was currently
in.  Grandfather was right in the past three years the attacks on him had
increased.  "You were only away from the collage for half a day this time".
Eric nodded his understanding.  The problem was he didn't want a warrior.
He didn't want to put other people at risk for himself.  "If you die more
people will be at risk and you know it".  Grandfather fell silent letting
Eric think about what he said.

Eric had always known what was expected of him.  He was to study hard and
develop his power.  As a result Eric was one of the most powerful sorcerers
of his age group.  He was however no fool and knew that Grandfather still
had more power.  The other expectation was harder.  He was expected to find
a strong warrior. Eric knew what was expected of him in six weeks time.  It
was expected that he would select the strongest warrior mage of the second
years.  As the strongest he had first pick.  As was how it always worked.

"I understand Grandfather and will do what has to be done".  Grandfather
nodded once understanding what the young man felt about it.  "Good.  Now I
have a task for you".  Eric frowned Grandfather had never given him a task
before.  "You are the only one in a position to perform this task."  Eric
waited for Grandfather to continue.  "I fear that someone has created a
portal of souls at the collage".  Eric was shocked he knew that few still
had the knowledge to create a portal of souls.  "It would have to have been
a cousin. Our family are the only one with that knowledge".  Grandfather
nodded his agreement.  Eric felt cold.  If someone were willing to open a
portal of souls there was no telling what else they would do.  "I will look
into it", he responded with strength he didn't feel.  "Be careful my boy,
you still need a warrior".  Eric nodded he understood what was expected and
what he had to do.



To be continued

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