James_Human

“Do you weep for me, my teacher?” She whispered. I pressed my lips to her shaking hand and was transported back to when I first met her thirty years earlier.
“Yes, majesty. I weep for you.” I replied.  “And I weep for my soul. I failed to protect you, and I deserve damnation for it.”
My queen smiled, her blood-spattered face serene in the red haze of blood and smoke. “No, 
Lukas, you have fulfilled your duty. And you will serve me again in the glorious halls of our gods.”
“With all my heart,” I whispered. 
Tears glittered in her eyes, “Call me by my name?” She asked, her voice quiet, weak. “Like you did when I was a little girl.”
“Anna.”

At the end of the world, a mage held his student in his arms as the light left her eyes. At the end of the world a mage stared down his attacker. At the end of the world, a mage died. 
And woke up thirty years before the end of the world. 
He's been given a second chance. 
And this time he's going to do it right.

Spirit Speaker

All of the servants were fast asleep, which meant Anna and I had the whole kitchen to ourselves.

I grabbed pots and pans, stoked the fire, and began preparing ingredients.

Anna sat in the middle of the kitchen, at the head chef's table, a wide grin on her face.

"Master that was wonderful," She said, as I began cutting up onions.

"You haven't even tasted it yet." I replied.

"I meant what we did for the count," she said, her voice light. "I've never done something like that before. I've never saved a life."

I looked up at my apprentice who was glowing, spirits appearing around her, reacting and dancing to her joy.

"You did very well Anna." I told her. "I didn't do half as good the first time I had to do what you did."

"Master Syroka was not impressed." I replied.

I stoked the fire again and put the pan on the stove.

Soon the kitchen was filled with the smell of frying onion and garlic.

Chapter 39