1. A Life of Regret and Revenge was Over

The Year 1417, The Fourth Month of the Year

Phil ran as fast as his tired legs could carry him. He couldn't believe that a powerful mage like him was running away for his life. He was one of the most respected wizards of his time in Light Magic Realm and he had received the Order of Merlin, one of the titles given to the most powerful only. But now, here he was; hiding and running for his life. How things change.

But he ran with a smile. It was all worth it. Did he regret? Maybe not.

Phil was born to the warlock of their time. His father was powerful but he didn't agree with what the King of the day was doing. The king had killed a lot of warlocks who had refused to do his bidding: sacrifice people experimenting with magic to make himself immortal.

They made it clear that no one could do that as it was the gods of light who gave them the magic they used. Phil's father was among the warlocks killed at that time. He was eight and felt helpless. It was his mother who gave him the will to continue living. His idol and role model had been beheaded for no crime at all.

That made his poor mother, who was just a mortal woman, run with her young son because it wasn't guaranteed what the mad king would do.

And so, Phil grew up far away from home but who would have known that the king was still looking for them. He, the king, had sworn to kill all the families of the warlocks who had refused to help him. Phil's mother thought that she had hidden well since she was several villages and hundreds of kilometers away and was living like a mortal.

At that time, Phil knew he was a warlock but hadn't started pursuing magic because he blamed it for his father's death. Thus, when their small house was raided by the guards of the king, he had no power to protect his mother. She was killed and he was taken. Because the guards could tell that he didn't have any magic, they weren't as wary and what they didn't know was that even though he didn't have magic, he was street smart. He was able to run away before they could take him to the king. They had underestimated him and he took advantage of that.

Phil was sixteen years old.

The pain from when he lost his father at eight returned in full force and now with his mother gone, his heart yearned for one thing: revenge.

From a boy who had suppressed his gift, he worked hard without any instructor at all and by the time he was twenty five, he was strong enough to avenge his parents. He smiled a sinister smile as he knew that he would repay the enemy for all the sleepless nights he had while training and levelling up.

He went to the palace with vengeance and he poured it on all and sundry. But even after killing the king himself, he was still not satisfied. He wanted more blood. This made him be at odds with a lot of people. He was a loner and didn't care. He was what was called a rogue wizard. All he cared about was power. He wanted to become powerful and powerful did Phil become. He wanted to make sure that no one will ever make him feel pain again or useless.

Light Magic Realm became his stepping stool. He blamed everyone for his orphaned state and he poured his wrath on anyone who stood on his path to becoming stronger. He knew that with strength, no one would dare offend him. He taught himself even forbidden spells as he was afraid that if he didn't become stronger, he would be killed like his parents.

It was at this time when the name Wizard Phil was feared by everyone that he met a young lad. He was called Joe. Joe was an orphan and alone. He reminded Phil of himself after his mother died. Joe was the first person who did not fear him. Joe showed Phil love and withing a year of the two getting to know each other, Phil took the orphaned Joe under his wing and since the heart wants what it wants, Joe and Phil fell in love.

It was at that time that all other wizards in Light Magic Realm came together and vowed to exterminate this man who had brought fear to them. He was considered an abomination since he had defied laws by cultivating forbidden paths. To them, he would bring disaster to Light Magic Realm and he had to go. And so, a war was waged.

Joe was just a magic apprentice as Phil had just started teaching him and thus barely passable in ways of magic and could barely even protect himself.

With a war between powerful wizards, Joe was no match and he had came out to help his beloved while. Phil had asked him to hide. With Joe alive, Phil had a reason to fight. Phil watched as a magic spell hit his Joe on the chest and he fell bleeding from the mouth and chest. Phil safely the world stop. He felt like everything was suspended in time and he felt his won life leave him in bits as he watched in slow motion as Joe fell bleeding. It was like a bad dream.

Phil held the lad and he was washed red by his beloved's blood. In his disoriented state, he couldn't do anything. The spell hit Joe straight in the heart. He was gone. Phil became numb with pain. He didn't know what to do or say. All he wanted was to die with Joe. He wanted the pain to go away. He wanted his Joe back.

He tried reviving his beloved but Joe was gone. Phil could feel that body turn cold. He called his beloved but there was no answer. Pain. Pain. Pain. That was the only thing Phil could feel. He had never felt such pain before. He had been given new hope but even that had been snatched from his grasp. Even when his mother died, the pain wasn't this intense. Joe had given him new hope and now, that hope had been taken away from him. What was the need of life without the people he held dear?

When he was sure that his beloved was gone and he couldn't do anything about it, he was done. He wanted death. But he was going to die with those who had taken his life away with him. His Joe's murderers could not go unpunished.

He buried his beloved and as he kissed that cold forehead for the last time, he whispered, "I promise to see you again. That time, I will protect you well. I'm sorry love. I'm sorry." He promised as he heaped stones on Joe's grave, his beloved: all alone.

He then plunged into war and this time, he was ready for death. The other warlocks were also ready for death or nothing. They wanted to free their land from the tyranny of Phil. Phil blamed them all because none of them did anything when the king was killing innocent warlocks and they, the warlocks, killing people for useless sacrifices to satisfy a sadistic king. And now as if taking his father and mother was not enough, they had taken his heart.

But no matter how strong Phil was, fighting against hundreds of mages no matter how weak, he was bound to lose. But before he died, he cast his final spell: to be reborn. He didn't know when or where. All he wanted was a second chance; with Joe. He asked the gods of Light Magic to give him and Joe another chance. Just one and he promised he would use it well. He would never put Joe in harms way. He would protect him better. He would teach his Joe how to be strong.

Phil was killed and darkness encompassed him but he smiled as he went. He floated in darkness as he lost consciousness and it was out of his hands now. Whatever happened from there, he had no control over.

A life of regret and revenge was over. He had left as he had lived - on his own terms.