Page 5

“What are you Mana?” I asked after a long moment.

She looked at me shyly. “I am Mana Genita. My first master bound me to this staff long ago.” She shivered at the memory. “She was not a nice Master."

"Before she bound me I was a minor goddess of death and rebirth of a now long dead pantheon. She wished to augment her necromancy and use it to attain godhood for herself. She nearly succeeded. I tried to resist her, I truly did, but in the end she controlled me.” A haunting look upon her face. The expression you only see upon those reliving past horrors.”

“At the very last moment she was foiled by one of her apprentices, who lead an army to interrupt the ritual that would have granted my old master divinity. After that he found that I could not be released, so he endeavored to protect me from those who would abuse me.” She was obviously in pain from the memory so I caressed her again.

“So he brought you here?” I asked, trying to move her away from an obviously painful memory.

“Oh no Master, this was long before I was brought here.” She said, a smile back on her face. It was rather disconcerting how quickly her mood shifted.

“The apprentice founded a long line of keepers who protected and wielded me. I exchanged hands 42 times before the order became corrupt and I was once again claimed by a cruel master. That started another dark period, as I was used to wreak havoc upon the world." After a brief moment of silence, her eyes turned wild and her voice shrill and desperate.

"It was truly not my fault Master, you must believe me! I can but serve.” Once again I tried to comfort her.

“If it is painful you do not need to speak of it. I assume that although you are sentient, part of your makers binding was that you had to serve your master loyally.” I paused as the implications set in.

“Serve me loyally now. Until I die?” She nodded.

“Then of course none of what you were used for was your fault Mana.” I said tenderly. 

“Not all of my Masters would agree with you.” She replied softly. Sensing a need to change the subject, I shakily got to my feet, using the staff as support. As I did so I noticed a perfectly reflective segment of the wall in front of me, and looked upon myself. I grimaced.