《The Dark Swordsman》 Prologue: Magic Returns A small red bird landed on the tree branch. The forest was filled with unseen life. Trees swaying in the light breeze, a chipmunk climbed an old oak. Nuts shoved into its mouth, it settled down in a small hole in the oak¡¯s bark. Geese flew overhead in the cloudless sky, back from a warmer place. Insects swarmed on the ground, between fallen leaves and branches. The forest was filled with the sounds of summer, the sounds of life traveling on the breeze. Everything fell silent, the birds took flight, the small animals hid. The bugs borrowed deep into the earth. Something churned under the old oak. Something dark, chaotic. Then the ground shook, sending small forest animals scattering. The earth rumbled for miles, sending everything and everyone into panic. The oak split down the middle, a jagged slice. Splinters flew everywhere, peppering the ground. The earth cracked open, revealing a damp, dark cave beneath. The magic within seized its chance, it crawled from the cave, taking form. First it solidified, turning into a thick amber liquid that slid down the small hill. It spread through the forest, seeping into the ground. It twisted everything it touched, changing it. The small hill soon became a volcano of pure magic essence, spitting it onto the ground. It twisted the landscape, scarring it with magic. The unlucky animals that weren''t able to escape were consumed by the essence. Deep within the ground, in a hidden room long forgotten, the chaotic magic seeped through the walls, headed upwards. The cave was covered in a thick layer of cobwebs. A skeleton sat against the wall, clutching a small rusted key in one hand. A scabbard and dark iron sword in the other hand. Its clothes were in rags, moth eaten and falling apart. The empty sockets stared at the other side of the cave, into the darkness. A little magic essence coalesced on the roof, into a single drop. The drop, made of pure, chaotic magic, fell. It burned through the ancient cobwebs without resistance. The single drop hit the head of the skeleton with a plop that echoed throughout the room. It ran over the skull of the skeleton, seeping into the bones. The chaotic magic repaired the ancient bones that were close to turning to dust. It started to glow, the magic spreading through the dried marrow.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Once the bone was hardened, muscles were slowly grown out. Then the magic rebuilt the skeleton¡¯s heart, and other organs. Then the eyes were remade, the brain rebuilt. Once the organs and muscles were repaired, the magic started to regrow the skin. The pure, chaotic magic was nearly done, now it slowly regrew the hair. It turned the hair an unnatural black. Nearly done, the magic moved onto the rags that the former skeleton wore. It restitched the cloth, burning it a dark, chaotic black. Once the rags were repaired, it traveled to the rusted iron sword. It burned the rust away, revealing black iron. It repaired the leather grip and handle, repairing the black scabbard in the process. The magic was finished, sending out a jolt of electricity, it started back up the heart and organs. A few moments later, the boy awoke. He sucked in a breath of air, and coughed violently. His eyelids fluttered open, revealing unfocused, amber colored eyes that glowed in the dark. Once the coughing subsided, the boy lifted his head and looked around the cobweb covered cave. Feeling something in his hand, he looked down at the now shining iron key. He held it up, looking at it. It was masterfully crafted, with intricate designs in the iron. The boy looked in his other hand and saw his dark iron sword. ¡°Wha¡­?¡± He croaked, now starting to think. Then the memories came rushing back, like a tidal wave of doom. His eyes opened in horror. He looked down at his chest, frantically looking for a mortal wound to the heart. He patted his chest, feeling for a stab that had speared his heart. He found nothing, not even a hole in his shirt. He looked up, and around the cave. He scrambled up off his feet, leaving the sword behind. Franticly running over to the other side of the room, looking for a door. Cobwebs covered him, but he ignored them. He felt around the wall till his fingers touched wood. He looked at the ancient wooden door. There was a large crack in the door. When he looked through the crack, he saw a small empty stone room with another crack in the ceiling. Upon seeing the empty room he let out a scream. It was a scream of anguish, anger, sorrow and fear. He had failed, the magic and plague had escaped, he had been powerless. Only one thought ran through his newly remade mind, ¡®I have failed.¡¯ Chapter 1: The New World Lost The sun beat down on the hard packed dirt, scorching all with heat. It was the middle of the summer, and the sun burned everything and everyone. Trees swaying in the breeze and heat rising off the road, the crops thirsting for water. A lone figure slowly walked down the road, headed towards the small farming village. It wore a black cloak and a hood was pulled up over his head. Thin, pitch black clothes, and a sword on his back. ¡®Crunch, crunch, crunch,¡¯ went the hooded figure¡¯s boots on the dirt that slowly turned to gravel. Lost ignored the farmers out in the fields staring at him. He was wrapped up in his own world, sulking and angry of his failure. ¡®Nearly at the village. Then I can get some food and information,¡¯ Lost angrily thought. It had been 3 days since magic was released upon the world, 3 days since he failed. He used to have a different name, but it didn''t seem to fit him anymore. It was a bitter reminder of the past- of who he was. He had settled on a name on the first day: Lost. It made sense, after all he had lost. He was Lost, the failure hero. It was also a reminder to do better, not to fail this time. Thinking over these things, Lost entered the village and headed toward a small tavern. The village was small, but not too small. It had a few shops interspersed on the roads and between houses. The buildings were made of wood and stone. ¡®How long has it been? How long since I trapped the magic?¡¯ Lost thought bitterly. He was angry, no fuming and raging. He swung the wooden door of the tavern in, a little to hard. Causing it to bang against the wall. Eyes turned towards him, with surprise. Lost took a few steps into the tavern, looking around the room, a strong smell of alcohol and charred meat wafted towards him. There were a few patrons at tables and at the bar. They all looked at him, questioning and sizing him up. He closed the door and walked up to the bar. Lost grabbed a stool on the far side of the bar and sat down in it, away from everyone else. The bar keep walked up to him and grunted a, ¡°What can I get you?¡± Lost looked up at the man, he had a peppered black beard and a bald head. His skin was rough and browned from being in the sun. He wore a grease stained apron over worn brown clothes. The bar keeper handed him a thick sheet of paper, the menu. Neat handwriting listed all the drinks and food. There weren''t many. Lost scanned the paper with his eerily glowing amber eyes. After reading it a few times, he decided on a simple meal. ¡°Can I have your strongest beer and a plate of chicken, please?¡± He asked the barkeeper, handing back the menu. There was nothing wrong with manners, even when you were in a bad mood. The bar keep grunted and walked off with the menu. He walked into the back, probably where the fire was. Lost waited for a few minutes and his food was brought to him. By now all the patrons had gone back to their conversations and meals. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lost said to the bearded man, who grunted acknowledgment and walked off toward the other customers. Lost was starving so he grabbed a slice of seasoned meat off the plate and shoved it in his mouth. It had a slippery texture, but no flavor. Lost gulped it down, not tasting anything. He moaned, it smelled so good! Once he had escaped the underground catacombs, he had wandered for a while till he found a road. By the end of the day he was ravenous and stopped when he spotted a bush. It was covered in reddish orange berries, not caring if they were poisonous, Lost had grabbed a handful of the berries. He had shoved it in his mouth. He was expecting a bitter or sweet taste, but there was nothing. They had no flavor, or that''s what he thought. He tried a few different berries on surrounding bushes, looking for something with at least some flavor. But all of them were tasteless. Eventually he had come to a conclusion over his three day walk. The magic had brought him back to life, somehow, but hadn''t brought everything back. It had repaired everything, but apparently it hadn''t gotten to his taste buds. Lost had shouted out in frustration, he couldn''t taste anything. Nothing. He even tried a piece of grass and found it had no taste. He could feel it in his mouth, but not taste it. This piece of knowledge had only added to his bad mood. It also made him wonder what else was different or missing from this new body. Lost took another bite of the chicken, chewing and gulping it down. He grabbed the mug of beer and took a long swig. He planned to drown his sorrows in beer. Once he had finished off the beer he ordered another one, and another. After a while, he begrudgingly finished off the chicken and handed the wooden plate to the bar keeper. Expecting the effects of the beer to take him any minute, Lost sat in silence. He looked down at the polished wood of the bar counter. It never came, the beer didn''t even have a flavor. Its effects never hit. ¡®So I can''t taste anything and can''t get drunk. Damn magic! Well, I might as well see what info I can get on this new world since I can''t get drunk.¡¯ Lost thought, his mood darkening even more. He called for the bar keep, and asked, ¡°What year is it?¡± The bar keeper let out a short laugh and answered, ¡°What year? Its 1276, the age of Bracken.¡± Lost was shocked, he had been dead for over a thousand years. He asked his next question. ¡°What kingdom am I in?¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. The bar keeper looked at him, questioning and responded, ¡°There ¡®aven''t been kingdoms in hundreds of years. Who exactly are you?¡± Lost glared at him, his glowing amber eyes the only thing showing from under his black hood. ¡°Where am I?¡± He tried again. ¡°Haha! You are in the country of Hessa, ruled over by the Great Emperor Bracken the 23rd.¡± Lost mulled over this information. It would appear that kingdoms were a thing of the past. ¡®I wonder what else has changed.¡¯ ¡°How much for the meal?¡± Lost asked, he didn''t know how much currency had changed since he died. ¡°Five coppers, plus drinks,¡± The bar keeper responded. Lost went down to his belt and pulled out his only money. He didn''t have any coins, but he did have money. Lost pulled out a small chunk of pure silver and set it on the counter. His money pouch was filled with them. They had been a gift to help him in his past life. The bar keeper¡¯s eyes opened up in surprise. Lost guessed he overpaid. The bar keeper picked up the small chunk of silver and peered at it. Lost looked around the tavern, some of the patrons had noticed. He should leave before they came after him. ¡°Keep the change,¡± Lost said getting up off the stool and walking toward the door. Behind him he heard the incoherent bubbling of the bar keeper and the sound of people getting out the their chairs. Lost closed the door behind him and started to walk down the gravel road out of the village. A few moments later two men opened the door and followed him out. Lost headed into an alleyway, so as not to draw attention to what was about to happen. The alley way ended in a dead end, it was filled with trash and smelled horrible. It was out of view from the street. ¡°Perfect,¡± He said to himself. He was in a bad mood and needed to blow off some steam. Two men from the tavern strolled into the alley way. They each wore a simple leather breastplate over dirty white shirts and brown pants. Each holding a rusted iron sword, faces were twisted into ugly smiles. They looked identical, probably brothers. They had brown hair and stubble on chiseled chins. ¡°Hand over all yer silver, adventurer and we won''t hurt you,¡± said the taller of the two men. ¡°Now why would I do that?¡± Lost asked, peering at them from under his hood. He was shorter than both of them, by at least a couple inches. The other man snorted, then answered, ¡°Because if you don''t, we will kill you. You¡¯re out numbered, kid. Just hand over the silver and you won''t get hurt.¡± Lost was annoyed, why did people think they could do anything they wanted? ¡°I''ll think about it, but first a question.¡± ¡°What?¡± Both men answered in unison confusion evident on their faces. ¡°Alright. So, how much did I just pay the bar keeper?¡± Lost was genuinely curious how much he had paid, it was good to know how much money you had. The shorter of the men shrugged, ¡°You paid him over a hundred gold pieces. Now hand over the silver.¡± Lost lifted his eyebrows in surprise. Back before he died the silver chunks would have been worth a hundred coppers. ¡°Well, I have decided. I¡¯m not going to give you my money,¡± Lost said in a deadpan voice. ¡°Stop kidding yerself, just hand over the money.¡± The taller of the men said, his voice slightly shaky and his sword point leveled at Lost¡¯s chest. ¡°No,¡± Lost said. ¡°You little punk, prepare to die!¡± The shorter of the two men said, and he charged at Lost. He held his iron sword over his head, ready to strike Lost down. Lost didn''t budge an inch. When the sword came down on his head, he turned to the side, letting it hit the ground with a clang. He grabbed the man''s wrist with one of his pale hands. Twisting and the wet sound of bone breaking could be heard. The man dropped the sword and screamed, falling to the ground. He clutched his now broken wrist in his hand. The taller of the men looked shocked, then his expression twisted to anger. ¡°Demon!¡± He shouted, running towards Lost. He swung his sword in a sideways arc. Lost jumped back, dodging the swing. ¡°You have terrible form,¡± Lost commented as the man came back around for a stab this time. Lost easily dodged the stab, stepping behind the man. He brought his hand down in a karate chop, hitting the man on the back of the neck. The man stumbled to the ground, dropping his sword in the process. He let out a cry of pain, and went into unconsciousness. ¡°Oops, I''m sorry. You caught me in a bad mood,¡± Lost said still in a deadpan voice. He stepped over to the now whimpering man with a broken wrist. ¡°Yer a monster,¡± whimpered the cutpurse as he saw Lost standing over him. ¡°Hardly, but there will be plenty of those around here soon. Now, you will answer my questions and I¡¯ll let you live,¡± Lost said, kneeling down in front of the man. The cutpurse didn''t answer, only whimpering and clutching his wrist to his chest. It was bent in an awkward angle. ¡°Alright. First question, where can I get a map of this country?¡± Lost asked politely, like nothing had happened. The man didn''t respond, still clutching his hand. ¡°Come on. If you don¡¯t answer I¡¯m going to have to break a few more bones.¡± ¡°Okay, okay! You can get a map at Barley¡¯s shop, it''s on the edge of the village. Just follow the road south from the center of town.¡± ¡°Alright, good. Now second question. Are the eleven forces of Jurack still alive?¡± The man whimpered and responded, ¡°Yer insane. The elves would kill you on site.¡± ¡°Answer the question.¡± ¡°YES! The elves are still alive¡­ Just head north, that''s the border of the country, into theirs.¡± He shouted in pain, now crying. Lost frowned, it wasn''t exactly the answer he wanted, but hopefully these were the same elves. ¡°Well, that''s it. Thank you,¡± Lost said, standing up, ¡°Oh, and here; For your troubles.¡± Lost took two pieces of silver out and threw them in front of the man on the ground. He felt bad, but not that bad. The man was a cutpurse. He wouldn''t have been able to do work, the wrist was broken. His hand would be useless, probably would be best to amputate it. The man didn''t even acknowledge the silver nuggets. Lost picked up both of the men''s swords. He held one in each hand and inspected them. They were old and weren''t taken care of properly. The craftsmen ship was bad too. Lost set one of the swords down and grabbed the other one¡¯s blade. He promptly bent it in half, making it useless. He did the same with the other one and threw them down. ¡°Well, bye. Nice doing business with ya,¡± Lost said walking out of the alley, headed towards the center of town to buy a map. He planned on visiting a few friends. Chapter 2: Elven Borders Lost After leaving the village, Lost¡¯s anger slowly deflated. He had been on the road for a couple days now. The map was pretty poor quality. But it was good enough that it showed the border between elven and human lands. Lost had headed back into the alley on a thought and taken the cutthroats¡¯ purses. They were filled with small copper coins with a square hole in the middle. One of the purses even had a red iron coin that looked exactly like the copper ones. He had also bought a small brown pouch at the shop. He had asked the shopkeeper for some dried meat and fruits. The keeper had happily given him enough food for a five day trip. Lost had asked the shopkeeper how currency worked. After giving him a weird look, the shopkeeper told him. Supposedly copper coins were worth one dollar, or piece as they called it. Then the red iron coins were worth 100 copper pieces. After that it was gold, that was 100 red iron pieces. Then silver, which apparently was a rare metal, was worth 100 gold pieces. That meant that Lost¡¯s small chunks of silver, that which bulged from his coin pouch, were worth a couple more gold coins than the usual. He was quite pleased with himself, he was rich. He had finally made it to the border of Hessa. It had been four days of constant walking, without many stops for rest and chewing on flavorless dried food. The forest was long gone now, just one massive plain of grass in all directions. Now ahead of Lost, maybe half a mile away, was a massive, ancient stone wall. It was simple, just plain stone that went about 60 meters in the sky. It spanned from one edge of the horizon to the other. ¡°That''s new,¡± he mumbled to himself and continued walking. Lost was ecstatic. He needed the help of the elves to stop the plague of magic that was most certainly spreading even though the elves he knew back before he died would be dead. He hoped these elves were willing to help. One thing was certain about them, they most definitely lost their magic when Lost sealed the world''s magic away. Lost eventually made it to the end of the road. It stopped at a small stone keep built into the wall. It had a small gate and had two towers at the edges. The walls hid everything else inside from view, with elves patrolling the walls of the keep. ¡°Halt human! Who dares to approach the elven borders?¡± Shouted a armored guard from off the wall. Lost looked up at him, the elves were dressed in chainmail. Two elves had loaded bows and were pointing them at him. Lost held up his hands, ¡°I am but a humble Swordsman bearing ill news. I must go to your capital and speak with your country¡¯s leader.¡± The elf in the middle snorted, he was more heavily armored than the others. He was most likely a captain. ¡°Turn back, human! No one of your kin shall enter the elven lands, ill news or none,¡± the captain shouted down at Lost.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°It is most urgent, if you would only speak with me, you would see,¡± Lost said calmly, he really needed this to work. The captain looked down at him with disdain, like he was a bug. It irked Lost, but he let it pass. ¡°Tell me you''re ill news, I will then consider whether it worthy to be brought to the capital.¡± ¡®This might be a problem,¡¯ Lost thought. ¡°Fine! My ill news must make it to your capital. A chaotic magic plague has been released upon the land. It spreads everyday, if it goes unchecked then it will consume this world,¡± Lost said, taking a few steps back and lowering his hands. The elfs were now staring at him confused, with a little anger. The captain spoke after a few moments, ¡°Magic plague, huh? Bahahah! That''s probably the most crazy thing I have ever heard. Go back to whatever hole you crawled from, rat.¡± Now Lost was angry. Had the elves forgotten the past? That their world was nearly destroyed? If the elves had forgotten, then what of the rest of the world? ¡°You will let me pass, or I will have to do it by force,¡± Lost warned, shifting one of his hands up to the hilt of his sword. ¡°Don¡¯t kid yourself, you could never get past us,¡± the captain said, now he and the other elves were laughing. ¡°I warned you,¡± Lost said in a deadpan and cold voice. He drew his sword from his back, holding it out to the side in one hand. It was pitch black, made of magical iron. The runes that ran from the hilt up to the tip of the blade had turned it pitch black when they were etched in, so long ago. Now they glowed an amber color. ¡°What are you gonna do? Hack a hole in the gate? Bahaha!¡± Said one of the elves, he still pointed a bow at Lost. ¡°Well, that''s not a bad idea,¡± said Lost with a smile that couldn''t be seen beneath his hood. He swung his arm quickly, a resounding crack could be heard. Splinters of the gate flew everywhere within the small keep, raining down upon everyone. His magic pool plummeting with the swing. Lost moved his arm again, channeling his magic, he blew the rest of a hole in the gate. It wasn''t that big, but big enough to let two people walk shoulder to shoulder. The guards were now shouting, yelling that they were under attack. Lost sheathed his sword on his back and took a few steps into the keep. Inside elves ran back and forth, between wood buildings and the stone wall. Soldiers quickly surrounded Lost in a half circle. They had blocked him from entering any farther, some of them had swords while others were armed with bows and crossbows. All of them were looking at him with fear. Lost couldn''t possibly fight all the elves in the keep, but they didn''t know that. ¡°I request the aid of your country''s leader, I must deliver news of destruction that will come,¡± Lost calmly said, looking at the elves. They each wore helmets, but had holes in the side of it. Two long oblong ears ending in a point stuck up out both side of the helmets. The elven captain approached cautiously now, no longer smug. ¡°What exactly are you? Friend or foe?¡± He said now, sweating. He clutched an iron sword in his leather gloved hand. ¡°I am but a humble Swordsman and am a friend to the elves,¡± Lost said, looking the captain in the eyes. The captain nodded, ¡°What did you just use?¡± ¡°I used magic, a simple destruction spell. There will be plenty more people who can use it soon, too, and they won''t be as friendly as me. I request transport to your capital, as soon as possible.¡± By now the elves had relaxed some, but still pointed their weapons at Lost. ¡°Alright, you have proven, that at least, some of your claims are true. I will get you transport to the capital,¡± said the captain, he motioned for his guards to stand down. Lost nodded his head, now he would just have to wait. He regretted his display of power, but it was necessary to convince them. He hoped that the elves still had their vault. It may be the only thing that could save this world. Chapter 3: The Beast Fen A small girl, no older than twelve sat cuffed in the supply cart. She had long, dirty white hair, with wolven ears sticking out of the top of her head. Her eyes were a dark shade of green, and a dirty white wolf tail swished back and forth behind her. Fen had her head down, looking at the wooden floor of the wagon. Her hands shackled in iron cuffs and stuck in a cart. She had been caught trying to steal military rations. She couldn''t help it. The orphan children were starving, so she had stolen some food for them. Now, she wished with all her being to not be killed. She didn''t want to die, not yet. Fen could still remember when the guard had kicked the door down to the nursery. The small children had run in fear and panic, hiding. She had no choice, she couldn''t let the guard search the building, or else they would have found the children. She surrendered and was brought to the border keep, from the nearby town. She was to be executed there, but when the wagon stopped, they didn''t unload her. So it was now her, and a few supplies for the trip back. Fen didn''t understand, she was supposed to have been killed. Her ears perked up when she heard voices outside the carriage. Fen looked up, moving thewolf ears on top of her head towards the voices. ¡°Anything left in the cart?¡± Asked a gruff voice, destroyed by years of drinking hard liquor. ¡°No, I got everything out,¡± said a less gruff voice. But Fen was still in here. At least they didn''t seem like they were going to kill her. ¡°Did you hear about the Demon, Kurt?¡± Asked a young, but still gruff voice. ¡°Demon?¡± Asked the young voice. ¡°Ya, the keep guards are saying that a black sword wielding Demon blasted that hole in the gate,¡± said the gruff voice. ¡°Surely you must be kidding! Harold, there is no such things as demons!¡± Kurt said, sounding skeptical. ¡°I''m not. I swear, I saw the thing with my own eyes. It was hooded, but had a sword on its back and it¡¯s eyes were glowing.¡± Harold said more quieter. Fen felt a little fear seep into her heart. Demons? She didn''t know what to think about it. But she had briefly seen the state of the keep¡¯s gate when the guards had come into the cart for the supplies. It was hanging on its hinges, a massive hole in the middle. It looked as if something had punched the hole into the gate. ¡°Hey! Get back to work you slackers! We need to get these supplies sorted and distributed!¡± Shouted a voice angrily. Fen heard the shuffling of boots as Harold and Kurt walked off. Fen looked back down at the cart¡¯s floor. She curled her white tail around herself. Trying to figure out what the guards were talking about. They said it was a black sword wielding demon? It didn''t make sense. Her ears shifted to the door, at the sound of the wood boards creaking under heavy boots. The door creaked open, revealing a figure. It was clothed in black, face hidden beneath a black hood and sword on its back. Two yellow, glowing eyes looked out from beneath the hood. They moved around, scanning the cart. They fell on Fen, who was now staring at the stranger in fear. ¡®Demon!¡¯ Fen thought, nearly shouting it, fear permeated her body. Something wasn''t natural about the person in the doorway. She curled up, her white dog ears flattened against her head. Her tail curled around her ankles that were now pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped around them. The demon closed the door behind it and made its way to the bench opposite of Fen. It sat down, letting out a long sigh and putting its hands behind its head. The demon sat back, looking at Fen. The amber eyes seemed to pierce right through her, seeing everything and missing nothing. The sword demon just sat there, staring. It let out a short, bitter laugh, ¡°Guess I didn''t trap all the magic.¡± Now Fen was confused, her fear waning a bit. ¡®Trap all the magic?¡¯ What did the demon mean? Magic was only something of fairy tales. It wasn''t real, only as real as unicorns and dragons were. But then again, demons were too. The shouting of guards could be heard outside the cart. Horses were mounted and the cart started up with a jolt. Fen and the sword demon sat in silence for a while. By now the demon had closed its glowing eyes and seemed to be asleep. Fen¡¯s fear had subsided when she realized that it meant no harm to her. Fen gulped and finally spoke, ¡°What do you mean by magic?¡± The Demon reopened its amber eyes, staring at her. ¡°You don''t know what you are, do you?¡± Fen shook her head. She knew that her and her species, beastmen, weren''t as ancient as the elves. Her parents had both been lycans, that meant they had characteristics of wolves. There were many types of beast people, they ranged from bears all the way to monkeys. But that was about the limit of her knowledge on her people. ¡°Well, there''s not much point in explaining. You wouldn''t understand anyways,¡± The demon said, sitting up and gesturing toward her shackles, ¡°What¡¯d you do?¡± By now Fen was utterly confused, but she ignored it. Something about this man''s presence commanded she answer, ¡°I stole military supplies for starving orphans.¡± The demon nodded, looking off into space, ¡°Then they caught you, right?¡± Fen nodded a few times, still slightly afraid of the sword wielding demon. ¡°So, have you people invented poker yet?¡± Asked the demon causally, sitting back again. ¡°Po-ker?¡± Now Fen was doubly confused, why would you play a game about poking? The demon waved the question off with a pale hand, ¡°Nevermind. Just another thing to add to my bucket list.¡± They sat in silence for a long time, till Fen started to feel sleepy. She lay down, resting her head on her hands and drifted off. Only what felt like moments later she was awoken by the jolt of the cart stopping. A beastial roar could be heard from outside, it rattled the wagon. The sounds of screams and yelling filled the air outside the wagon. The noise soon turned into the sounds of dying men, screaming in terror.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. By now Fen was panicking, they were being attacked. That much was clear, but by what? She sat up, franticly looking around. The demon still sat against the side of the wagon, but his eyes were closed and was heavily snoring. Fen opened her mouth to yell at him to wake up, but before she could yell the cart was hit. It flipped on its side, sending rations, Fen and the demon crashing. Fen let out a shriek as the hooded man landed on top of her. The the wind was knocked out of her, causing her to desperately gasp for air. When she looked down at the demon man, he was sprawled on his back with her tiny frame trapped beneath. Remarkably he was still asleep. Fen pulled lung fulls of air and once she was able to breath, she started to try to wiggle her hands free. Another roar resounded outside the upturned cart, followed by more screams. Fen shouted in the demon''s ear, ¡°Wake up!¡± That woke him up, he sat bolt upright. He looked around, somehow his hood had stayed on his head. ¡°What happened?!¡± He shouted frantically. ¡°Down here,¡± Fen coughed out. The sword demon looked down, amber eyes still glowing. He got up off of Fen, standing unevenly on the former wall of the cart. He held his hand out to Fen. She hesitated for a second, then grabbed it with both of her shackled hands. The demon pulled her up with ease, ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°I don''t know. The cart just stopped, and then it was hit by something,¡± Fen responded, she scrambled toward the now sideways cart door. The demon man followed shortly behind her, hand hovering over the sword on his back. The screams were much fewer now, more like the sounds of people dying. Fen grabbed the doorknob, turned it and pushed. The door fell open, revealing a site of carnage. Horses lay broken on the ground, cut open and intestines hanging out. Pieces of their riders littering the dirt road. Another roar, this one earsplitting and triumphant sounding. Fen¡¯s eyes opened in horror, she nearly vomited at the site. Sure she had seen blood, but not on this scale. It stained the ground a crimson red, still bleeding body parts stern about. She froze, she couldn''t move. The hooded man peered over Fen¡¯s shoulder. He didn''t even flinch, how could he not be disgusted by the site? ¡°Move it!¡± He whispered to Fen. She so very much wanted to move, but she couldn''t. Fear had infiltrated her mind, taking root and blooming. It looked to much like what happened to them. The demon man let out a low, frustrated growl, ¡°Alright, you better not make a noise.¡± He then grabbed Fen¡¯s sides, picking her up like a feather, slinging her over his shoulder. That broke the fear¡¯s grip, she let out a terrified scream and started thrashing. ¡°I said to be quiet!¡± He harshly whispered into her ears. She didn''t even notice, still screaming and kicking. He had an iron grip on her now, there was no way to break out. The demon rushed out of the sideways cart, boots squishing in the bloody mud. Before he could get to the edge of the road, where the thick forest started, another roar resounded. Fen looked in horror at what turned the corner of the cart in the direction they were headed. She fell silent. It was a beast of a man, at least 15 feet tall. It had antlers protruding from its head that branched out, a bloody maw filled with sharp teeth. Malevolent, red, cat like eyes looking forward, staring at them. It stood upright, with big, crimson stained clawed hands. It had the lower half of a goat, or maybe a cow, with hooves. Its entire body was covered in a thick pelt of matted and dirty brown fur. The sword demon promptly skidded to a stop, only a couple meters from the beast. ¡°What the hell is that!?¡± He shouted before running in the opposite direction, where there was more thick forest. The demon yelled incoherently before plunging into the forest, Fen crained her head behind her. The beast was now running after them, a long tail trailing behind it. It let out a bloodthirsty roar, gaining speed. Fen and the demon man where now bobbing and weaving between trees and bushes, Fen still slung over his shoulder. It seemed he was gaining speed, but so was the monster. It had no disregard for the trees, just breaking them down. Carving a path of destruction behind them as they ran. The hooded demon turned swiftly to the left, he shouted out a word. The air hummed and vibrated for a second. Then an illusion of Fen slung over the demon man¡¯s shoulder appeared, running in their original direction. The illusion weaved between trees, looking no different from the real ones. The bloodied beast chased after the illusions, not realizing its prey had broken off from their original path. The real demon and Fen ran to the left. They kept running, only stopping to change directions every once and awhile. Eventually they stopped at a small creek. The sword demon was now gasping for air, he unceremoniously dropped Fen to the ground. He then too, fell to the ground. The demon man lay back staring at the tree branches above, breathing heavily. Fen pushed herself to a sitting position, looking around. They had stopped at a small, clear water creek. She couldn''t make sense of what just happened. She saw herself being carried away by the hooded man, while the real them ran in a different direction. At least they had escaped the beast. But what of the elven soldiers? It had looked like a lot of them were killed. Fen choked up at the memory, tears streaming down her face. Her stomach churned, she turned and threw up in a bush behind her. She wiped her mouth with her arm, turning to look at the now cursing demon, ¡°Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! That was all of my magical essence.¡± He sat up, his cursing subsiding. His hood was down now, revealing a youthful face with amber colored eyes. It was the face of someone around 16 years old. He had short, tousled, pitch black hair. His face was thin, looking like he hadn''t eaten in a long time. He practically looked like a skeleton. ¡°What did you just do?¡± Fen blurted out, not even thinking. ¡°What did I just do?! I would darn say, I just saved your sorry tail and used upnearly allof my power! That''s what I just did!¡± He shouted at her, panic evident in his eyes. Fen could tell he was in distress. She didn''t know exactly what had happened. But if she would guess, the boy had used some kind of power to make a copy of themselves and trick the monster. The demon boy took a few deep breaths, calming himself down. Then he spoke again, in a much calmer voice, ¡°I''m sorry, my anger gets the better of me sometimes. It hasn''t been a good day, especially after being attacked by some creature that looked like it was straight from Doom. Do you know what beast that was?¡± Fen only shook her head, she had never seen a monster like it. The sword demon let out a long sigh. ¡°Doom?¡± ¡°Well there''s not much point in staying here, the illusion will have already dispelled. Themonster should not be able to follow us, for a time,¡± He said ignoring her question and getting up. He took a few steps towards Fen. She scooted back and growled at him. ¡°Calm down. Just give me your wrists, I can get the cuffs off you.¡± Fen hesitantly held her wrists out in front of her. He gently grabbed the shackle on her right wrist, turning it so he could see the keyhole. He grabbed it on both sides and started to pry it apart. The metal groaned in protest, but after a few moments it broke with a clang. He moved to her other wrist, doing the same. Fen pulled her wrists back, massaging them. The skin where the cuffs where was rubbed raw. ¡°You sure are strong, Mister.¡± The demon frowned down at her, ¡°I''m no Mister or Sir. I''m just a swordsman. Albeit, a very powerful one¡­ Just call me Lost.¡± A thought pushed forward from the back of Fen¡¯s mind, ¡°Lost? That''s a weird name.¡± ¡°Eh, it wasn''t always my name, but it is now.¡± Lost said shrugging. He pulled his hood back up, covering everything but his glowing eyes. ¡°My name¡¯s Fen,¡± Fen replied warily. He had saved her, but in her experience people usually did it for their own gain, to use Fen. Lost shrugged and walked off towards the creek. Once he reached the creek, he backed up and jumped over it. Fen scrambled to her feet and ran after him. She didn''t want to be left alone. After a few minutes of following Lost, he turned around. ¡°Why are you following me, kid?¡± He said, looking down at Fen. Lost wasn''t tall, but he was at least 5 inches taller than Fen. ¡°I don''t want to be left alone here. That monster might come back,¡± Fen said, looking around and listening to the forest. Lost shook his head, ¡°You¡¯d be safer going back to your town. I''m heading back to the border keep, something about that attack didn''t feel right. It almost seemed planned.¡± Fen¡¯s heart missed a beat, she really didn''t want to be left behind. Plus she didn''t know which direction the town was. Though Lost might have been right. She decided after a moment, ¡°I''m going with you, Mister. I promise I won¡¯t slow you down.¡± Lost grunted and turned back around, heading deeper into the forest. Fen followed closely behind him. Chapter 4: Sparks of War Lost Lost marched forward, trampling bushes in his path. The wolf girl, Fen, trailing a few feet behind him. He stopped to look at the side of a moss covered tree. After looking at it for a moment, he moved on. ¡°Do you know where you''re going, Mr. Lost?¡± Fen quietly asked him, he could barely hear it. Lost looked over his shoulder at the small girl. She was a thin thing, dressed in dirty brown clothes in need of stitching. Her tail limply wagged behind her and the ears on her head were constantly moving around. Listening to the forest. ¡°Barely a clue. The only thing is that the moss on these trees grows north. I came here from the south. So, just follow the moss north and we should hit the wall sooner or later, right?¡± Lost said, turning forward again. They walked on in silence for a while, trampling their way through the brush. Lost was deeply upset. He had used almost all his magic in his stores up. He sure didn''t regret using the illusion magic to get away from that beast, but still wished that there was another way. It would be a few days before the magic fully returned, if he didn''t meditate. One thing that bothered him was why he felt a lot of it being used up when he did that spell. ¡°Why¡­ did you save me?¡± Fen asked Lost timidly, still talking quietly. ¡°Hm?¡± Lost turned his head to look at her, ¡°Why wouldn''t I?¡± ¡°You- you could have left me there, t-to distract the monster.¡± Now Fen had her gaze downward, plodding along behind him. ¡°Hahaha! Thats a good point, but it never crossed my mind. Plus, I couldn''t leave a little girl like you behind to be eaten,¡± said Lost, turning back. ¡°I''m not little, you''re not much older than me,¡± Fen mumbled. ¡°Wanna bet?¡± Lost said in a cheery tone. ¡°Hmph, you''re only like, four years older than me.¡± Fen said, a little attitude in her voice now. She obviously didn''t like being called little. ¡°Hah! Trust me, kid. I''m like, what?¡± Lost replied, counting on his fingers, then throwing up his hands after a few moments, ¡°Baah! I was never good at math. Lets just say im.... around 1,000 years old.¡± He looked back at her, she had a dumbfounded expression on her face, ¡°You¡¯re lying. If y-you are 1,000 years old, then what are you?¡± Lost looked down at his pale hands. They were soft, and incredibly white, the callouses from his old body not there. They looked almost like a dead man¡¯s hands. He snorted, they were a dead man''s hands, ¡°I wish I knew, kid. I wish I knew what I was. I used to be a human, but now? I don''t even feel like this is my body.¡± He looked back at Fen. She gave him a weird look, but didn''t say anything else, mulling over the idea he out ranked her by 1,000 years. They trudged on in silence for a little more time. Lost¡¯s stomach growled, he looked around at the forest. He did have the dried food in one of his pouches, even though he couldn''t taste it, the thought of fresh berries was more appealing. After moving brush for a minute or so he spotted a berry bush. It was the same type of berry he had eaten the first day of escaping the catacombs. It was a scrawny bush, covered in small, plump and round orange berries. He grabbed a handful of them and shoved them in his mouth. He looked back at Fen, offering her a handful. Gulping the berries down without a second thought, still flavorless as always, he noticed Fen¡¯s gaze. Her eyes were wide with horror. Looking between the berries he offered her and himself. ¡°What?¡± Lost asked, startled by her reaction. ¡°Those berries are poisonous! Plus, they taste horrible!¡± She blurted out, eyes still wide with horror. Lost immediately dropped the remaining berries in his hand, ¡°WHAT!?¡± He was on the ground now, groping at his stomach. His expression of fear and panic unseeable because of his hood. Was this how it ended? Was this how his second chance at life ended? By a few measly berries? The great, albeit a failure, swordsman died because he ate a bunch of berries?! ¡°W-what are the side effects?¡± He asked panicked and looking up at the wolf girl. She gave him a worried gaze, ¡°They aren''t life threatening in small doses. But even small handfuls can cause severe cramping pains and indigestion. A-and you just ate a large dose.¡± Lost nearly fell on his face, he knew it. He was going to die. After a few moments, a thought came to him, ¡°But I ate like an entire bush a couple days ago.¡± Fen shrugged, the panic lessening from her eyes, ¡°I don''t know. If you ate that many a few days ago, you might be fine. I hope so...¡± Lost exhaled a breath he hadn''t known he was holding. Regaining some of his composure. It looked like he was going to be okay. Hey? Magic was a weird thing, if he had resistance to poison, he wasn''t going to complain. ¡°Well, I got some dried foods, would you like them?¡± Lost said, getting back up and moving his hand under his cloak to take out the now nearly empty pouch of food. He had lost his appetite. Fen looked at the small bag in his hand like he was an alien asking to be taken to her leader. She tentatively reached out a hand and grabbed the food pouch. It was pretty obvious she had trust issues. It also seemed she had been abused as well, from several bruises on her arms. Her arms and legs were as thin as twigs, hinting at starvation. Fen undid the cord on it and looked inside. There was one strip of dried meat left and a few slices of what Lost thought were dried apples. But he couldn''t taste anything, so he wasn''t exactly sure what they were. She plunged her tiny hand into the back, redrawing the solitary slice of dried meat. Fen looked at it, holding it up between her eyes. It was so comical looking, with the happy swishing of her tail, that Lost stifled a laugh with his hand. Fen took a tentative bite into the ¡®jerky¡¯, her tiny fangs easily cutting through the thick meat. Her eyes light up in happy glee, her tail swishing back and forth even more. Lost knew that the jerky was seasoned, but since he couldn''t taste anything, he had know idea it was so good. It also was probably because she hadn''t eaten in awhile too, but Lost felt a little jealous. He hadn¡¯t known how much he could miss taste, till it was gone. He would probably kill an army to have even a moment of tasting something. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He turned back, heading to the direction he had dubbed ¡®north¡¯. Fen happily walked behind him, munching away at the dried food. ******** After about another hour, they reached the massive wall that acted as the border between the elve¡¯s forests and the human lands. Lost picked the direction he thought that the border keep was in. He and Fen followed alongside the wall for a long time, not stopping for breaks. A large amount of vines and other plants grew on this side of the wall, clinging to it like a baby to it¡¯s mother. Fen was the first to notice it, sniffing at the air, ¡°Do you smell smoke?¡± ¡°Smoke?¡± Lost asked, sniffing the air as well. Sure enough, there was the light scent of burning wood on the breeze. He looked up at the sky, but it was obscured by the thick canopy brushing up against the border wall. Lost picked up his pace a little bit, Fen matching his new pace quickly. After a few minutes they came upon the keep. Lost¡¯s suspicions about the attack from the monster was confirmed. The entire keep lay in smoldering ruins, bodies strewn about at odd angles. They were brutishly dismembered, metal armor ripped apart like tissue paper. There was a large hole where the gate for this side should have been, the walls were covered in scratches and dents. The road leading from the keep was scorched and muddied with blood. Lost looked at the wolf girl next to him. She was frozen in place like at the carriage. Eyes opened in horror and shock. It was probably shocking to see such a heavily defended keep utterly decimated as it was now. Lost was shocked by the sight, but not in the way Fen was. It was worrying that this many elven guards were so easily defeated. Elfs were renowned for their long range skills. Not to be racist or anything, but even a six year old elf could shoot a crossbow with ease. Anything that was approaching from the human lands should have been easily shot down. Lost was only able to get so close because he was traveling alone. Lost looked down at the trembling wolf girl, ¡°Hey, i''m gonna go check to see if there are any survivors. How about you stay here and I will come back to get you?¡± She snapped out of her fear induced trance, panic twisting her face. She was obviously scared of being left behind. ¡°Hey, hey. It''s alright, I promise I will only take a few minutes. Then I will come back to get you,¡± said Lost, trying to calm the girl who was on the verge of tears. Lost didn''t think of himself as a kind person, not even a good person. But he wasn''t cruel and anyone with a heart looking down at this wolf girl, would have immediately hugged her. Fen nodded slowly, unsure if Lost was lying. Lost grabbed her by her shoulders and led her over to a tree, facing away from the carnage. He sat her down, tears now silently streaming down her face. ¡®God, I have to find something to distract her quick.¡¯ Lost thought, looking around. Then it clicked in his head. He rummaged through his many pockets looking for something. Once his hand felt the familiar shape, he grasped it and pulled it out. He held it out to Fen, ¡°Hear take this, it will help protect you.¡± It was a small glass orb, looking a lot like a marble. But it was about the size of a toddler¡¯s fist, with a bright yellow wave frozen in the center. This was a magical item. Imbued by a magic user long ago, it had its own source of mana. The object was designed to help awaken magical powers that were long since suppressed. It was called a Mana Core. It wasn''t anything special before Lost died, but now it was. It was still rather rare, Lost had used it to unlock his magical powers. And drew on some of it¡¯s mana from time to time. From what he could guess, and from her appearance, Fen was a snow wolf. Lost had known a few of these particular people, they were master illusionists and ice manipulators. The shortest way to explain it would be to say that they could use the illusion that Lost had used to escape the beast. They also could do many more things, he had even heard about a few of them being able to solidify their illusions, making them very adept at confusing enemies. Something Lost was very jealous of. One of the snow wolves¡¯ innate abilities was the use of water and ice magic. Beastmen were a magical people and a large amount of them were adept in at least one form of magic. Fen looked at the Mana core. Her eyes widened in surprise, but the fear was still in them. She held up her palms and Lost dropped the orb in her hands. It would take a few days for the powers to start to show, if the person even had any. It wasn''t meant for protection, but Fen didn''t know that. He just hoped he wasn''t making a big mistake by giving this to her. When he had awakened his power, it was very¡­ explosive and nearly killed him. ¡°Alright, I will be back. Just sit tight here and I will be back in a few minutes.¡± Lost said, but Fen was now completely entranced by the orb. He backed off quietly, heading towards the keep. He glanced around the corner into the ruined keep, the smoke was very thick. Visibility was low, making this a very hazardous area. Lost walked over to a dead corpse, pulling a strip off of his bloody shirt. Luckily this piece wasn''t too covered in blood. Lost wrapped it around his mouth and nose, making a makeshift mask. The smoke still stung his eyes, but he ignored it. He grabbed the hilt of his sword on his back, but did not draw it. As he slowly parted through the smoke, he listened for any noises. The only sounds were that of crackling and on fire timber. Lost heard the frantic whining of a horse. Before he knew it, a brown horse dragging behind a leg of its former rider in its reins, burst through the smoke. Lost barely had time to react, he pivoted on his heel out of the way of the panicking horse, nearly being trampled in the process. The horse was enveloped again in the heavy smoke, vanishing from sight. Lost exhaled air, regretting it deeply. He inhaled, tho the mask got a large amount of the smoke filtered through it''s thick cloth, it didn''t get all of it. He coughed a few times, but regained control after a little bit, his throat burning. His eyes were now watering up from all the smoke, he wiped the tears from them, persevering on. A little bit after the horse galloped by, he heard moaning. This wasn''t like any panicking animal, but more like that of a dying one. Lost followed the sound through the smoke, till he came across a low, smashed wall. Half of a dying elf lay there. It was a gruesome sight, the elf soldier lay there, propping himself up on his elbows. His entire body was gone from below his waist, Lost had no clue how he was still alive. It was obvious the elven soldier was in excruciating pain, slowly bleeding out on the cobbles. Lost slowly approached him, boots crunching the tiny bitts of shattered wall on the ground, looking around in the smoke. He tried to discern if their were any enemies lying in ambush, using this poor elf as bait. When Lost was within a foot of the elf, he tensed up for a second, expecting to be attacked. But the moment passed, nothing jumped from the smoke to kill Lost. Lost kneeled down next to the dying elf, ¡°What happened here?¡± The soldier turned to look at him, head lolling around. He was obviously close to death, but he croaked out a few words between coughs. ¡°Human¡­ at-a-attacked¡­ demon-ns!¡± The man said, head still lolling around. Lost frowned at this, ¡®a human, attacked? Then demons? Could the elf mean that a human attacked with beasts like the one that attacked the supply cart? Or maybe him? They were calling him a demon.¡¯ The dying elf whispered a few more words, ¡°Messenger¡­¡­. escaped...¡± Lost moved slightly closer, the elf hadn¡¯t finished speaking, ¡°Kill¡­¡± The man was begging. Lost understood the message clear enough. He drew his sword, holding it level with the elf soldier''s chest. He took a deep breath, looking the elf in the eyes, ¡°You did your duty, I wish you luck in the next life.¡± Lost thrusted the amber glowing sword through the man''s heart, cutting through the chain mail armor like butter. Stopping the heart instantly and ending his suffering. He took his last breath with a slight smile and looking up into the smoke clouded sky. Lost brushed the blood from his blade on the half elf¡¯s shirt. Cleaning it of blood, he sheathed it on his back. Lost moved his fingers up to the man¡¯s eyes, closing them gently. He got up with a sullen expression. This was obviously the work of a magic user. At least someone who could control beasts, it tugged at the back of Lost¡¯s mind. But he couldn''t figure out why this seemed familiar. He had gotten the information he needed, so he headed back to where he had left Fen. The smoke parting around him as his boots crunched the tiny bits of rubble on the ground. Chapter 5: The Bonding Nero 1 Day after the Fall of The Border Keep The elven king, Nerofix Hasrio Sander the 68th, stood at a giant glass window. He looked down upon his kingdom, elves walking through the cobbled streets. Nero was a handsome elf, with pepper black and white hair and icy blue eyes that pierced through the soul. He had longer ears than most elves, but not by much. The King towered over most, making him an even more dominating presence. Nero looked down at the streets of his city, Valcrest, vendors shouting out wares, elves walking by with glances. He sneered at the sight of a bird beastman walking through the crowd. There wasn''t much he could do about the beastmen, but that didn''t mean he liked them. In his eyes they were as inferior as humans and dwarves. They were like rats, heck some of them were rats. The elven race was far superior than any human, beastman, or mud dwelling dwarf. They had been the first ones to create bows and perfect archery. They were the first to crawl from the muddy cesspools of life and build cities. They had been the first to learn how to use the world¡¯s greatest power. Magic. He knew of magic and the old world. When magic was indeed real and it was the most powerful force of nature. He knew of the of the world before this one from his parents. They knew from their parents and so on. It had been a great world, but then elves were forced back into the dark age. They had learned how to use magic in many ways. Magical lamps, magical transportation, magical weapons of mass destruction and their grandest achievement. The Vault, a storage facility that neutralized all deadly magical items inside it and preserved them. Nero let out a sigh. Alas the Vault was long since lost. It had gone missing during the Great Catastrophe, when a foolish human swordsman had locked the magic away. Nero had often speculated on how he had done it and where. It had left the elven race back in caves, many of their buildings and machines were rendered useless, along with all their magic. The royal family had kept records on that time. They had also preserved many blueprints and texts speaking of how to use magic. It had been a family tradition, on their sixteenth birthday, they were to try and bond with the magic. They learned this technique from the ancient scripts, the age of 16 was at the end of the body¡¯s development. When the body was most susceptible to magic. Alas due to there being no more magic in the earth and atmosphere, they never were able to bond with and use it. It was Nero¡¯s daughter¡¯s sixteenth birthday today, her name was Tessa Hasrio Sander. They would throw a massive ball in the day, that which was soon to start, and at the setting of the sun let their child try to bond with the nonexistent magic. It was done in private, with only the royal family and a handful of advisors there to witness it. Nero had done it, revealing that there still was no magic. He was now at the age of 49 and his body was unfit to learn magic. Below the age of sixteen, the body¡¯s foundations were not set in stone. But after that time, the body¡¯s foundation was solidified and it could no longer bond with magic. Blood was also a key thing in the bonding of magic. For the more a bloodline has bonded with magic, the more powerful their children will get and the easier it was to bond. Nero cursed at the Dark Swordsman, as that is what the stories in the archives called him. He supposedly was skilled in the forbidden arts, Black Magic. It was supposedly an evil, chaotic and perverted version of the world¡¯s light magic. It was what formed the monsters that were now only alive in stories. But Nero would never know for sure, since magic was no longer in existence. Thankfully the Dark Swordsman had died long ago, while sealing the magic away. But his shadow still stretched across the entirety of Dragos. The door to the Royal Throne Room opened behind Nero, a servant walked in, got on one knee and bowed deeply. Nero did not look back, the servant was not worthy of his stare. Many in the past would call Nero a arrogant and harsh ruler (they were later put to death). It was not that he was arrogant, it was that they were inferior to him. Nero was not a harsh ruler to his people, only to those who dared oppose him. The only ones he viewed as worthy of staying in his presence were his family, the royal advisers and a select few nobles. ¡°My King, the party will be starting soon,¡± The servant said before scampering off. Nero cut his gaze off from the window, adjusting the golden crown on his brow. He walked to the door and opened it. Regally marching down the hall and into the ballroom, he checked that everything was just right. It was his girl¡¯s big day after all, everything had to be perfect. After making sure everything was in perfect order, Nero went to the front of his family¡¯s castle. There he waited for the nobles to arrive to the party. Only ten minutes later, the first elf nobles arrived. Nero greeted them with happiness, ¡°Welcome Lord Fher and Lady Fher!¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Greetings, my King,¡± Said Lord Fher bowing to Nero. The gold inlaid carriage they had come in rolled off. ¡°If you follow my servants, they will lead you to the ballroom,¡± Nero said, motioning for one of the many servants standing by, to lead the Lady and Lord to the ballroom. ¡°Thank you, my King,¡± said the fine Lady Fher. They vanished around a corridor, following the servant to the ballroom. Only moments later more Nobles arrived. Nero greeted them in a similar fashion, having them led to the ballroom. After about an hour the wave of nobles stopped and Nero headed to the ballroom himself. It was a grand chamber, with a high ceiling held up by marble pillars. There was a double curving marble staircase on one end of the room and a giant stain glass painting at the other. Light flooded in from the many windows in the ceiling. Tables, with white cloths spread atop them, were scattered around near the giant stain glass window. Long tables covered in food on the right and left side of the dining area. At the other side of the room, the side with the staircase, was the dancing floor. It was cleared of tables, revealing a large area of polished marble with gold specks inside it. The gold inside the marble caused it to sparkle like something from a fairy tale. Many nobles were seated with their children, a large amount of the children were young handsome men, while some nobles were already on the dance floor. They danced to a cheery tune, that the small orchestra atop the staircase, played. Their music was amplified around the room, letting all inside hear them play. Nero sat in a throne, located between the two staircases. His wife and the queen sat next to him, in a less flashy throne that was slightly smaller. On the King¡¯s other side was an even smaller throne for his only child, Tessa. The music ended and the nobles stopped dancing, looking at their king. Nero stood up, ¡°I welcome you all! You have no idea how much it means to me and my wife for you to be here. It also means even more to my daughter. Now that is enough about me! I give you, my daughter and the Princess, Tessa Hasrio Sander!¡± Nero clapped his hands and sat back down, the nobles clapping as well. Tessa Tessa took a deep breath, getting herself ready. She played with the many frills on her bright green dress. When she heard her father say the cue for her to walk out, she did. Her black hair flew behind her, revealing her long oblong pointed ears. Her deep blue eyes wide with happiness and sparkling with excitement. She walked down the right side of the marble staircase, waving to the sea of elven nobles. Tessa sat down next to her father, on his right side. He beamed down at her proudly, Tessa smiling back. The music had started back up and the nobles were now dancing again. Though no one said it, Tessa knew the real reason for the ball. It was to parade her off to all the noble houses, hoping to catch the attention of some of the more wealthy houses. This was also a way for her to see all the young noble elves, to find likable and suitable husband candidates. It bothered her somewhat, but not enough for her to complain. Like if on cue with Tessa''s thought, a young noble elf approached her. He bowed low, and asked if she would like to dance with him. He had long blond hair and light brown skin. He had light hazel eyes. The noble boy was named, Kari Bander Zeno, belonging to a particularly wealthy noble house. He held up a white gloved hand, and was on one knee. Tessa gracefully stepped down from her seat, glancing at her father. He had an approving look in his eyes and nodded slightly. Approving the dance. Tessa grabbed hold of the young noble boy''s hand and let him rise. She walked off with him to the dance floor. There they danced for a while, talking softly. Tessa eventually disengaged from him and moved on to another dancing partner. She did this agian and agian. Before she knew it, the ball was over and the nobles were leaving. Tessa walked out with her father, leaving the ballroom and heading out to a secluded porch overlooking the city. It was time to see if she could bond with the lost magic of the world. Nero Nero stood tall, looking down at his petite- but still beautiful, daughter. She had his eyes and hair, but that was it. Tessa had her mother¡¯s beauty and his soul piercing eyes. They stood on a porch with his wife, overlooking the city. The sunset just starting, staining the sky gold and red colors. Only moments later the king¡¯s most trusted advisors arrived. It was time to begin, Nero and his wife took a few steps back. Leaving their daughter at the marble rail. She looked at them, smiling with pride. ¡°On this day, my daughter, the Princess Tessa Hasrio Sander of Evrite, is now a lady. It is time to test the Bonding. Tessa you may begin when you feel ready,¡± Nero said, with his wife clutching his arm. They both beamed with pride, even if Tessa didn''t bond with the nonexistent magic, she would still be viewed as a lady. Tessa stood perfectly upright and closed her eyes. She stayed like that for a long time, focusing and clearing her mind. Then she exhaled and opened her eyes again, a little disappointment in them. ¡°I''m sorry father, it wou-¡± Tessa never got to finish her sentence, as a roaring wind filled the air. Rushing towards Tessa and lifting her a couple feet off the ground. A miniature cyclone of air picked up leaves and twigs and swirling them around her body. The quickly obstructed view of Tessa. Everyone present squinted and shielded their eyes from flying debris. After a minute, the cyclone calmed down, gently setting Tessa back to the ground. Nero brought his arm down from his eyes, jaw slack. Everyone else present was in the same state, hair wild and filled with twigs and leaves. Tessa stood there, even more surprised than them. ¡°Father I-¡± She fainted before getting to finish her sentence. Nero was about to rush to her when the door behind them slammed open. Nero reflexively turned around, to see a sweating soldier. He was covered in blood and his armor was dented. A large rent in his breastplate. ¡°Your Highness! Fort Nadria of the Great Wall was attacked! It was a human dressed in royal clothes... They completely obliterated the keep with the help of an army of demons! I believe I am the sole survivor,¡± The soldier collapsed to his hands and knees, gasping for breath. Silence fell upon everyone present. Nero¡¯s wife was cradling the unconscious Tessa in her arms, staring wide eyed. Nero turned to his wife, both their stares wide, they knew what this was. One thought ran through Nero¡¯s mind, ¡®By the gods. Magic has returned.¡¯ Chapter 6: Powerful Illusions Lost Lost¡¯s stomach growled at him, like a hungry panther. ¡®If magic was going to make me poison resistant and not able to taste anything, it coulda made it so I don''t need to eat!¡¯ Lost thought angrily, he nearly cursed out loud. But Fen was with him and it just wouldn''t be good to let her see him cusing anymore than he did. Lost shivered at that thought, ¡®Is this what it feels like to be a parent?¡¯ Fen and Lost had been on the road for a couple hours now. The sun was just starting to set. Lost had decided that it would be best to head to the nearest town. That way he could leave Fen there and continue on his mission. Lost had also steered them away from the area at which they were attacked on the road. For avoiding the monster and for Fen¡¯s sake. She seemed to have been traumatized and it froze her in place every time she saw blood. Lost didn''t know what could have done something so horrible to traumatize her, but it seemed bad. ¡°We should stop here for tonight,¡± Lost said, looking over his shoulder at the following Fen. She only nodded, playing with the Mana core in her hands. Her tail swished limply behind her and her ears were twitching at every sound. She had been rather quiet and subdued. Which suited Lost just fine, he wasn''t one for small talk. Lost walked off to the right of the road, where there was a small clearing. They still hadn''t made it out of the forests, but the trees had started to thin. The clearing was small, three sides surrounded by trees and the other near the road. It had a fallen, rotting log. Lost grabbed a bunch of sticks and branches from the ground and started to set them in a pile for a fire. Fen sat down on the rotting log, still passing the Mana Core between her hands. Once Lost had finished his pile of sticks he looked down at the fire. His brows pinched together in realization. He didn''t have anything to light the fire. The only thing he had for sleeping was his cloak. When he had been at the border keep they had given him a nice hot meal and a cot to sleep on. He hadn''t even thought of asking them for more supplies. Grumbling Lost unsheathed his sword from his back. Willing a drop of his magical essence into the sword, the little he had remaining, the sword¡¯s runes glowed a deep yellow. Fen looked up, her eyes widened slightly. Lost pointed his sword at the piled branches, letting loose his magic. The runes on the side of the blade burst into flame, and he quickly jabbed it between the wood to the pile of dried leaves in the center. The fire quickly spread, licking at the branches and sticks. Sheathing his sword on his back as the runes dimmed, Lost sat down next to Fen on the log. He let out a long, suffering sigh. ¡°How long till we get to your town?¡± Lost questioned Fen, as she had said that it was a day''s journey down the road from the keep. She only shrugged. Lost let out a groan, ¡°Well I''m going to sleep, see ya in the morning, kid. Then I can finally get to the town and drop you off.¡± Fen let out a unrecognizable sound, but Lost didn''t pay her any mind. ¡°Oh. Before I forget, kid. Here take this,¡± Lost unclasped his cloak and belt that held his sword, pulling the hood down. He threw it over Fen¡¯s head and walked off. She pulled it off her head, eyes wide with surprise. Then she proceeded to wrap it around her thin frame. He knew he was going to regret this. It would be a very cold night. Lost chose a spot of mostly grass near the fire and lay down. Placing his sheathed sword next to him, he closed his glowing amber eyes. The snapping and crackling of the fire slowly soothed him into sleep. ******** Lost awoke to a rock poking him in the back. He had rolled over in his sleep. But that hadn''t been what woke him up. ¡®Why did I wake up?¡¯ Lost wondered, as he opened his eyes. It was now pitch black, the stars in the sky twinkling with wonder. Crickets and other forest creatures ran around in the bushes, making racket. Then Lost realized why he had woken up. At first he had thought it just in his head, but now the screaming was coming from on the other side of the cold fire pit. Fen was crying out loud and rolling around. Like she was on fire. ¡®Dammit! She will attract wolves at this rate!¡¯ Lost thought while scrambling to his feet and buckling his sword to his back. Running over, he bent down and shook her gently at first, trying to wake her up from the nightmare. Then he shook her harder. ¡°No! No-Mom! Don''t leave me!¡± Fen cried out in her sleep, she was clutching the now glowing Mana Core to her chest. She still wore Lost¡¯s cloak wrapped around her body. Lost¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the Mana Core. She was Bonding with the surrounding magic! The intense light meant the Core was working, but in a very bad way. The Core started to grow brighter, till it was like a supernova of light in Lost¡¯s eyes. He covered his eyes with his arms, trying to protect them from the light. It didn''t help, he had his eyes closed and his arms raised. He could see the light through his eyelids! It went right through the skin of his arm, revealing the bone and veins underneath. Then the Mana Core exploded, not in your typical way of a massive fireball. No. It shattered and a massive amount of condensed mana shot out in all directions. Lost¡¯s world fell silent and everything was white. He opened his eyes, looking around. It was a massive landscape of white in all directions. ¡®Is this heaven?¡¯ Lost thought, then he snorted. If there was anywhere he would end up, it would be Hell. The plain of white shifted, colors appearing. It started out with a bright gold, then shifting into blues and greens. Eventually the swirl of colors took shape. Lost stumbled, but caught his balance before falling. The endless plain of white was gone in its place was a large field of golden wheat. He looked around him, slowly rolling hills with more golden plains everywhere. Interspersed between them were small farm houses, groves of trees and a few dirt roads. The sky was a bright cloudless blue. Bird songs floated on the breeze. It was nearly sunset. ¡®What the hell is happening?¡¯ Lost thought, one minute he was in the dead of the night in a forest, then it was sunset and now golden plains spread everywhere.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. He heard some shouting from off in the distance. It was the call of a mother, ¡°Fether! It''s time for dinner!¡± The golden wheat immediately parted from Lost¡¯s left side. He swiftly pulled out his dark iron sword, ready for an attack. None came. A little snow white wolf girl came running from the grasses. She had a happy look on her face and her tail wagged happily behind her. ¡°Fen?¡± Lost said out loud, confused. He sheathed his sword and ran after her. She was much younger looking now. More around the age of 6 or 7. When Lost had caught up to the small Fen, he called out again, ¡°Hey! Fen! What happened?¡± She didn''t even seem to hear him, just kept running toward a small house on a hill. Lost followed behind her, easily matching her swift pace. Once they had reached the small wooden farm house, Fen ran up to the porch. It was a small dwelling, made of oak wood and had two floors. It had a porch with a wooden table and rocking chair. Fen opened the wood door, Lost swiftly went through the entrance before the door closed. Fen walked down a small hall and entered a kitchen. There sat another wolf beast man at the table. He had light brown hair and the same went for his tail and ears. His hands had a little bit of brown fur on them, but not much. He had a square chin and bright shining green eyes. He had to be at least 30. Fen sat in a wooden chair opposite of him at the oval table. ¡°Hi Papa!¡± She said happily, with a big smile. Lost did a double take, this smaller Fen seemed the complete opposite of the one he knew. She was happy and smiled. ¡°Hey sweetie. You have a fun time playing with your friends?¡± Said the brown wolf man. ¡°Yup! We played a bunch¡¯a games! Like hop over the creek!¡± Fen replied happily. A white wolf beastwoman walked in then, carrying a tray of steaming food. She smiled happily, with a pure white wolf tail wagging behind and white wolf ears atop her long hair. She wore a brown apron for cooking. Lost looked at her closer, she was almost the spitting image of Fen, if she were grown up. The only exception being she had deep blue eyes, unlike Fen¡¯s green ones. ¡°Hi Momma!¡± Fen replied as her ¡®mom¡¯ placed a steaming bowl of soup in front of her. Then Fen¡¯s mom set a bowl of soup in front of the other wolfman. She sat down next to her daughter, smiling big. They dug into the delicious smelling soup. Lost groaned, ¡®This is torture!¡¯ He tried to grab the steaming bowl of soup from Fen¡¯s father but his fingers passed right through. Looking down at his thin pale hand, he turned it into a fist. He threw a punch at the brown wolf, but his fist went right through his head. Lost knew what this was, it was an illusion. Of sorts. He had never heard of anyone waking up their power like this. This was one of Fen¡¯s memories most likely, and she was projecting it out to relive it. Lost had most likely gotten caught in the illusion as well, causing him to live the memory, but not able to interact with it. But that was only his theory, he wasn''t sure if this was even an illusion. He sat down on the wooden floor, groaning at the smell of soup. He knew he wouldn''t be able to taste it, but that still didn''t mean he wasn''t hungry! After a while the wolf family finished of the meal. Fen and her parents cleaned up the meal and washed the dishes. They happily chatted about their day. Then Fen¡¯s parents said that it was time for bed. Lost followed them up the stairs, wondering if those, too, were an illusion and how he hadn''t fallen through them. Fen and her parents walked into her room. It was small but comfy. It had a wooden bed with a mattress and blankets. There was a dresser next to it, filled with dresses and other clothes. Lost was jealous, he really wanted to sleep in that bed. But Fen crawled under the covers and was kissed good night by her parents. Who snuffed out the small candle next to her bed and said good night. Lost sat on the edge of the bed. It was firm, most likely straw or maybe even feather. How was it he couldn''t touch Fen¡¯s parents and the soup, but the bed he could? This illusion was getting more and more confusing by the second. He reached out to try and shake the peacefully sleeping Fen awake, but his hand passed through her shoulder and the bed. ¡®Weird,¡¯ Lost thought, laying back on the foot of the bed. He stared up at the ceiling, as the moonlight slowly shone through the window. After a while he heard knocking, it came from downstairs. It was a heavy pounding and moments later he heard the door open. Voices were talking downstairs, it sounded like Fen¡¯s father and another man. They were arguing. Lost got off the bed and headed for the door to outside of Fen¡¯s room. He felt the door, it was solid. He he reached for the brass doorknob, his hand passed through it. ¡®Oh, come on!¡¯ He thought angrily, pounding a fist on the door. The door didn''t even make a sound, much less budge. And it was made of flimsy wood too! He heard sheets being shifted around from behind him. Turning around, he saw a sleepy Fen in a green nightgown getting out of bed. Rubbing her eyes she sleepily walked toward the door. Opening it without a problem, she walked down the stairs. The voices were now yelling and shouting. Then the shouting descended to screams and what sounded like a gunshot rang out. Lost rushed past the now scared Fen, going downstairs. He was met with a gruesome sight. A man stood in the doorway, a elf. He held a flintlock pistol in one hand and a curved sword in the other, dripping crimson. At his feet lay two bodies, one female and the other male. The male had a hole in his head, the female¡¯s neck sliced open. The elf smiled cruelly and breathing heavily. Blood was splattered on the floor, painting it in a red carpet. The pistol wielding elf walked into the house, ignoring the bodies of Fen¡¯s parents. Lost heard shuffling behind him, then a scream of fear. Fen was standing in the hall, eyes wide, frozen in place. She stared at her dead parents, the elf walking towards her. ¡°Hehehe, you will make a pretty slave,¡± The elf said, grabbing onto Fen¡¯s arm and holding tightly. She looked up with fear, trembling. She screamed even louder now. Lost, in anger, drew his blade and stabbed at the back of the elf. He knew it was futile, but still he tried. His blade went through the elf¡¯s back, not doing any harm. Lost sheathed his blade, angrily staring knives into the elf slaver¡¯s head. The slaver turned around, pulling Fen behind him. She tried to run away, but his grip was steel. He pulled her past her dead parents and outside, where a wagon waited. Fen screamed even louder, Lost winced, sticking his pinky in his ear. Fen was clawing at the man now, desperately. Lost had to do something, he couldn''t just watch this happen. Lost dug deep inside him, feeling for the few drops of magic he had left. But before he could do anything, Fen screamed even louder than last time, and a burst of light, very similar to the one that had sent Lost here, cut through the night air. The elf slaver screamed in pain as his entire arm vanished from existence. He clutched at the bloody stump that used to be a limb. Fen screamed louder, crying and coughing. The elf fell to the ground as blood seeped from his eyes, nose, ears and mouth. In just a few seconds, he stopped breath. Lost couldn''t watch this anymore. He crouched down next to Fen, who was curled in a ball on the ground. He tentatively reached a hand out, surprisingly he was able to touch her. He pulled Fen to his chest, cradling her in his arms. She was crying and hiccuping in hysteria. ¡°Shhh, I promise I won''t leave you. I promise, okay? You hear me Fen, I promise never to leave you like that. I can¡¯t promise that harm will not come to you, but I promise to never leave you,¡± Lost said, the world was now fading into gray then black. Before Lost knew it, he was back at their makeshift camp, rocking a peacefully sleeping Fen in his arms. He heaved a sigh, it seemed it was over. It would appear that the awakening of Fen¡¯s power had caused her to relive the death of her parents. It would also appear that the slaver was killed by Fen lashing out with magic. Lost knew that the magic had been slowly seeping out of the catacombs where he had trapped it. The portal to the nothing wasn''t meant to hold something indefinitely. Just recently it finally managed to escape instead of just slowly seeping out, somehow. It would appear the Fen had used that little bit of magic in the atmosphere and commanded it to attack the slaver. Lost¡¯s stomach rumbled again, ¡°Heh, kid. You totally owe me some food now.¡± Chapter 7: A Lesson In Magic Fen Fen let out a groan, her tail swished slowly behind her. She didn''t feel so well, with a slicing headache and heavy feeling limbs. But in a strange way, she felt different, like something in her changed. She remembered having the weirdest dream. She remembered being back at her parent¡¯s farm. Then them¡­ being killed by the elf slaver. Then the slaver had died and she wanted to die too. But before she was about to die, a Black Angel stopped her. Her mind was still a little groggy, but she tried to remember what the black angel had looked like. It had¡­ it looked like a demon. No, it looked like¡­ Fen¡¯s eyes shot open, all feelings of tiredness forgotten. The black angel looked like Lost. Her vision swam in and out of focus. Fen closed her eyes again and reopened them, her vision focusing. Lost was holding her on his lap. He peered down at her, worried, with a little curiosity, and not wearing his hood. Fen shrieked in surprise. A bright flash of light appeared and it sent Lost reeling back, dropping Fen. He let out a bark of pain, covering his face with his hands. ¡°GAH!¡± Lost said, still clutching his face, his eyes were clamped shut. Fen just sat there, looking at him. Her tail was curled around herself. She tried to shrink into a ball, expecting Lost to lash out a her. It had always been that way with elves, when she made them mad they would lash out at her, hurting her. She didn''t know what she had done to him, but it looked like she had just really hurt him. ¡°You! Grah!¡± Lost said, looking in Fen¡¯s general direction. He took several deep breaths, obviously trying to calm himself. After a minute, he had calmed down again. His eyes were open now, looking at Fen. Oddly there was no hostility of any kind in them. ¡°I didn''t think you¡¯d attack me, I was just trying to help you. Do you know how much torture I went through to help you?! I had to sit there watching you eating soup! It smelled so good, too!¡± Lost said in mock hurt, rubbing his amber eyes. Fen cocked her head to the side. ¡®Watching me¡­ eat soup? I haven''t eaten anything.¡¯ Lost got up, stopping in front of Fen, ¡°Looks like i''m going to have to teach you how to use it. Along with strengthening it, but i''m not good at illusion. My cloak.¡± He held out his hand. Fen looked down at herself, sure enough, she was wearing his black cloak. It was incredibly soft, and light. She hadn''t even known she was wearing it till he mentioned it. Reluctantly taking it off, she handed it back to him. He slung it over his shoulders with a flourish, pulling the hood up. The shadow in the hood enveloped his face, except for his glowing amber eyes. He nodded and walked off, mumbling something about illusions and magic. Lost picked up where he had set his sword and belt. He buckled the belt on his chest, the sheath and sword on his back. Readjusting it to fit him better he started walking back to the dirt road, ¡°Come on kid. I got a lot of explaining to do, and I would rather do it while being productive.¡± Fen got up, about to follow him, ¡°Oh no! Where''d it go?¡± She looked around at the ground, trying to find the clear orb Lost had given her. He looked over his shoulder at her, stopping. ¡°What is it?¡± He said, not sounding too pleased. ¡°I lost the glass ball you gave me!¡± Lost snorted and responded, ¡°It''s gone. It turned into itty bitty pieces of glass.¡± Fen looked at him in surprise, with a little bit of horror. That was one of very few things she had been given by anyone since her parents died. It also just made her feel comfortable, like the embrace of her mother. A twinge of pain went through her heart at the memory, then the thoughts of the black angel reappeared. It had told her that it wouldn''t leave her, even though it might not be able to protect her from harm. But surely it couldn''t have been Lost, right? ¡°It¡­ broke?¡± Fen said, following Lost down the road. ¡°Yea. You shattered the thing in your sleep,¡± Lost said with a nod, he started walking again. ¡°I broke it? But¡­¡± Fen¡¯s sentence trailed off, as she tried to remember breaking it. ¡°Well¡­ It wasn''t exactly your fault, more mine. I lied to you about it, it wasn''t meant for protecting,¡± said Lost looking back at her. Fen was slightly shocked and upset. But it wasn''t all that surprising, she hardly knew anything about this person. He seemed cold most of the time, but somehow also kind. Prone to angry outbursts as well. ¡°Calm down, kid. It wasn''t that kind of lie, I just didn''t tell you what it actually did. It¡¯s something called a Mana Core, or was, at least. It¡¯s a uncommon magical item that can awaken and help people bond with magic. Though you used it more as a giant hammer, as a way to project an illusion through the massive crack you made to release your power. A very good one, might I add.¡± Lost tried to reassure her. Fen only nodded. She didn''t understand everything he was saying, but she got most of it. They walked on in silence, Fen trying to remember her dream. But it had long since faded, only the thoughts of the black angel remaining. Lost started the conversation again, ¡°Alright. So, how shall I explain how to use your magic?¡± He looked back at her, his glowing eyes looking her up and down. Fen only shrugged, she knew what most knew of magic. That it allowed people to use it do amazing things and wasn''t supposed to be real. ¡°Hhhmmm,¡± Lost looked forward again, ¡°I''ll just give you the general idea of it and help you later to master your own magic. Where to start, where to start?¡± After a few moments of him mumbling, he spoke to her again, ¡°Aha! Well let me start on what magic is. All magic can be traced back to four base elements and two opposing forces. It is seen in this world very often. The base elements are, earth, water, air and fire. They can be combined to create lots of things, like air and water can be used to create illusions, with a bit of light magic in there. Now! Onto the topic of the two opposing types of magic.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. He looked back at her, making sure she was still following. Fen nodded in confirmation. ¡°Alright! There are two types of opposing forces or magic, whatever you like to call them. The first one is called light magic, this is viewed as generally a ¡®good¡¯ magic. It allows users to bend light and, in rare cases, life to their will, but only so much so. If one is skilled enough in it then you can even create their own life. Of course, i''m not skilled in this, sadly. The other type of magic or force is Dark Magic. It usually goes by the name of Black magic and is considered evil. While we are on the topic of good vs evil, there is no such thing. Magic has no mind, no sides, no opinions. It just is. Magic comes in many forms, but it has no side. It only does what it wishes. If it is in a pure form it will become very chaotic and hard to control. Black magic is very powerful, but with great power comes consequences. Dark magic is known for driving its users to insanity or a malicious urge to destroy and kill. Just a general urge to be a total jerk, we all have a little dark magic in us, even if we can''t use or sense it. It is not that it is evil, but it brings out the darker side of people, usually making it so powerful it consumes the lighter side of that person. Light magic does a similar thing, but if one has a strong enough will, they can keep it balanced. Do you follow?¡± He looked at Fen once again, and she nodded her understanding. ¡°Okay. I can rant on and on about magic, but i''ll just wrap it up and tell you what I know of your¡¯s. Dark magic is called ¡®dark¡¯ because of its ability to control shadow and other shi- things like that. It is also considered evil because of its ability to corrupt light magic, light magic is considered holy magic sometimes because of its ability to ¡®purify¡¯ the darkness. It''s all very complex and would give me a headache to explain to you, so i''ll stop on that for now.¡± He waved his hand and continued, ¡°Next! Yes, well try not to get too excited about this. But you have magic. From what I know of your people, the snow wolves that is, is that you have a gift for water and/or ice magic, along with the ability to create powerful illusions. Illusions are pretty cool, but they serve no real purpose other than distraction and confusion. It is a great ability, but not much use in combat. One could call it the anything power, but that''s not exactly true. It''s just if you have enough focus and can imagine it in great detail, you can bring it out into this world. I know a little illusion magic, my most powerful you have already seen. The duplicate illusion, the one I used to get us away from that monster. I also know this illusion magic.¡± Lost pointed a finger at his hood, ¡°It''s rather simple, I just need a little bit of shadow with dark magic and I can stretch it out to cover my entire face, concealing it. Of course, for some reason, my eyes¡¯ glow seems to be able to penetrate through the thin layer of shadow, but that''s fine. One last thing, your magic is rather weak right now, so I highly doubt you will be able to do much with it. Maybe the manipulation of water, possibly ice. You obviously have a gift for illusion and light magic, as demonstrated when you set off a flash bang in my face. I will try to help you learn to use your magic to the best of my ability to teach, just a warning, i''m a horrible teacher. I dont have the patience for it, most would say. But I digress. I will teach you how to purify and store the surrounding magic in yourself, to help grow your own abilities. Phew¡­ That was a lot of talking, I probably said some things that you won''t understand till later, but that''s the only way I can describe magic.¡± He fell silent again, and did not speak, leaving Fen to digest the information for herself. It was a lot. He had basically just said that magic exists, but it comes in many forms. She supposedly had magic. One thought struck her. ¡°W-why are you telling me this? I-I¡­ thought your were going to leave...?¡± Lost snorted at that and Fen was pretty sure he was frowning, ¡°Because plans change. Now¡­ That you have magic, I find it would be best to teach you how to use it. Lest you may end up killing yourself or someone else with it.¡± Fen only nodded at that. They kept walking on in silence, the forest around them slowly thinning. The trees were growing smaller and farther apart. Less shrubbery. Eventually they saw the first signs of civilization other than the road. It was a weathered stone bridge, that arched over a small rushing river. ¡°Yes! Just one more step closer to food!¡± Lost exclaimed, pumping his fists in the air. Fen had to admit she was hungry too, but probably not as much as him. He had given her his food yesterday, not saving anything for himself. She giggled at the memory of him freaking out about the berries. He seemed fine now though, so she guessed he would be okay. They kept walking on in silence, Lost looking back at her every once in awhile, probably to make sure she was still following. Eventually the forest vanished and they crested a hill. A large town nestled between two large rocky hills was in their way. It had a large log wall spread from one end of the valley to the other. The only way, other than climb the rocky hills, to get around was through the valley. You could see the thatched and shingled red roofs over the wall. The gates were open, admitting wagons in and out from other roads stretching out into and around the forest. They slowly made their way to the large wooden gate. It stood at least 9 meters high. Two walls made of varying lengths of logs on both sides. It was an imposing sight, but not as much so as the border wall. The elven guards there glared at Fen, advancing towards her. They drew their swords, pointed at her. Before she knew it, she was surrounded. Fen looked around, were they going to kill her? It sure seemed like it. She had stolen food from them and they had seen her being taken away in the cart to be killed. ¡°Ahem! I can not let you hurt my friend.¡± Lost said from outside the circle of 6 guardsmen. The surrounding elves from the town and entering the city had stopped to look at the drama. All the guards turned towards Lost, but stayed in a circle around Fen. Some of the guard¡¯s eyes opened wider in their metal helmets, while others took a step back. Lost just stood there, not moving. But he gave off an aura of power and killing intent, like some evil monster. Fen hadn''t ever felt this kind of fear before. Sure she had been scared of his appearance at first, but this was different. The hate and malicious intent was palpable in the air, and it was coming off of Lost in droves. Fen shook under the killing intent waves, all except one of the guards was trembling. ¡°I suggest you step away from her and let us pass. Or else you may later regret it.¡± Lost was staring intently at the guards, his glowing yellow eyes piercing right through them. Three of the guards immediately backed off, but the one not trembling, most likely their captain or leading officer because he wore a red paldron on his shoulder, yelled at them to get back into formation. They did as the commanding officer said, more out of sheer habit overpowering their fear. ¡°Sir, I suggest you come peacefully with us or we will be forced to use violence,¡± Said the elven captain. Though he wasn''t trembling, it was obvious it was under sheer will power and he was sweating profusely. ¡°I must refuse, I am pressed for time as it is. Sadly, if I were to come with you to be arrested, I believe that I would not be able to complete my mission within time. So I suggest you call your men off of my friend, or I will have to use force to make you.¡± It was clear that Lost was getting annoyed, but the guards stood their ground. The guard captain was looking around now, unsure if he would be able to win this. Many of the towns folk were a couple meters away from the ensuing drama. ¡°I¡­ Can¡¯t do that sir. This girl is a criminal and no one is above the law of the king.¡± The guard captain said, leveling a shaking sword at Lost. Lost only sighed, like he was disappointed in them. He was disturbingly calm, Fen almost preferred him when he was angry. How could he be just so calm? It was like he was looking down on all those present, even though he was slightly shorter. He mumbled a word, and vanished. One minute he was there, and the next he wasn''t. There wasn''t any sound, nothing. It was like he had never been there. The guards looked on confused, they searched the crowd that had accumulated around them. All in the crowd were looking around, just as confused. Fen, too, was befuddled. Where had he gone? A??fter a minute that felt like a tense moment of eternity, there was a scream. Lost was suddenly next to Fen, three of the six guards groaning on the ground. They each had dropped their weapons, which lay at their feet in the dirt. The guard captain turned around, ¡°What-¡± He never finished his sentence, as he was sent flying at least 5 meters back from a single punch to the gut from Lost. The captain landed in a heap, unconscious on the dirt road. The remaining two guards immediately dropped their weapons, backing away. Shaking hands up in surrender. Fen stood gaping, she hadn''t even seen him move, he was next to her one minute, then he was standing where the captain previously stood. He chuckled, as if amused by the expressions of fear and shock, ¡°Is there anyone else who would like to try? No? Alright then, come on Fen. I''m famished.¡± He said coolly, walking back into town. Fen followed him quickly, as the fear broke in the crowd and they started running away, screaming about demons and black magic. Lost didn''t even seem to notice. Fen reached his side, clutching onto the back of his dark cloak. He looked down at her, and she swore she saw a slight smile beneath the hood, he turned back. He said something under his breath, ¡°I can''t believe I pulled that off.¡± CHapter 8: Bounty Tess Tess woke up with a splitting headache. She cracked her eyes open, immediately regretting it. Snapping her eyes closed, letting out a groan. She heard whispering voices, just barely audible, but she could make out some of the words. ¡°Awake¡­ Queen....¡± After that she heard the shuffling of feet and the sound of a door opening and closing. A little bit after that, Tess felt a cool cloth placed over her forehead. It provided a little relief to the headache, but not much. She sat there for a while, the headache slowly fading to a distant pain between her eyes. Just as she felt herself slipping back into sleep, the sound of a door opening echoed through the room and the cloth was taken off her head. ¡°Leave us,¡± Tess¡¯s mother said. Tess opened her eyes, looking at her surroundings for the first time. Two maids scurried out of the room¡¯s door, her mom stood next to her. She wore a worried expression. Tess lay in her bed within her room. It was a rather large round chamber, with red velvet curtains hanging near a window. Daylight streamed through the window, landing on Tess and her bed. A large mahogany armoire stood at one side of the chamber, and next to it an unlit fireplace. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Tess¡¯s mother said, looking down at her. She was a tall and imposing woman, with dark brown hair and oddly soft, green eyes. She had the tell tail signs of an elf, oblong pointed ears, sticking out of her long hair. Tess thought for a moment, then answered. ¡°I feel okay. What happened?¡± The Queen looked down, relief evident on her face. Then her expression turned to that one of slight worry, but happiness. ¡°You have¡­ bonded with magic,¡± The Queen said, taking a seat in a wooden stool next to Tess'' bed. For a second, her mind didn''t understand what her mother just said, but then it snapped. ¡°I bonded?¡± Tess asked her mother, not believing. Her mother nodded solemnly, looking out the window. The Queen nodded again, ¡°Magic has returned. After two thousand years it has come back. I fear what this means.¡± Tess slowly sat up, wincing at a spike of pain between her eyes. She shifted herself from under her red, silk sheets, resting her head and back against the headboard of her bed. Her brows knit together, ¡°Why are you scared? I thought magic returning was a good thing.¡± The Queen looked at her daughter, her eyes hardening. ¡°A border Keep was attacked yesterday, by the humans. A messenger appeared only moments after your bonding. He said the keep was attacked by a human using magic to control ¡®demons¡¯. Supposedly a human came earlier, blowing a hole in the keep gate. They were just starting to fix that hole up when they were attacked,¡± She looked down at her hands as if ashamed. ¡°Your¡­ father has declared war upon the humans. He also has put a bounty on the human who attacked the gate and destroyed the keep. The bounty is 100 gold for whoever brings him here, dead or alive.¡± Tess sat there, dumbfounded. War? Demons? Bounties? Was her mother crazy? But when she looked in her mother''s eyes, she knew it was no lie. Tess looked up at the ceiling, her head resting against the headboard. It felt like her world had just been turned upside down, ripped in two and then glued together backwards with an extra piece. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I fear that some of the evils from the Old World have been reborn,¡± The Queen spoke again, her gaze drifting back out to the window. ¡°Evils?¡± Tess asked, looking at her mother again. ¡°Yes, I can feel a great and malicious presence headed for Evrite. I can feel many of them, all in the south. The human lands. One has even breached the border and is headed here now. I don''t know how I know, but I just do,¡± She leveled her gaze with Tess, a little fear evident within her green eyes, but they were stern. ¡°My girl, do you remember the tales I used to tell you? Of the monsters, like the undead, and¡­ I dare not say his name, The Dark Swordsman?¡± Tess nodded, remembering the story her mother told her when she was nine, when she learned of magic. The Queen had told her about magic, how it used to exist and the many wonderful and evil creatures that used to walk Dragos, their continent. And how it was taken away by an evil man, his name a very sin to say. He had become the embodiment of death, destruction and doom to all religions in this world, the ultimate evil. Her parents called him The Dark Swordsman, because they knew the history, unlike most who only knew him as The Destroyer or The God of Darkness. ¡°Good, my child. I fear they will be returning, and you must learn to use your new found power. We will start your training tomorrow, for now you are to rest,¡± Tess¡¯s mother said, stroking Tess¡¯s hair and kissing her lightly on the forehead. The Queen got up, heading for the door. She looked over her shoulder and smiled gently at her daughter, then closed the door behind her. After a bit, Tess found her gaze drifting out to the window. It provided a beautiful view of the capital city, Valcrest. Farther out was the plains, and past that, only a smudge on the horizon, was the forest. Tess mused within her thoughts, ¡®Magic is back. That means I and probably others are just learning to use it¡­ I wonder why The Dark Swordsman stole away all the magic, the books never said why. I wonder why he did it.¡¯ Lost Lost opened the bar and inn¡¯s door. The smell of alcohol filling his nostrils. He was careful this time not to slam the door against the wall, but it didn''t do anything. All conversation stopped, the patron¡¯s eyes moving to him. There were even some gasps and screams this time. ¡®Deja Vu,¡¯ Lost thought as he walked in, with Fen following closely behind. He closed the door behind them and went to a near, empty table. He sat down in a crudely carved wooden chair, Fen stood next to him. ¡°Aren¡¯t ya gonna sit, kid?¡± ¡°I.. Erm.. Okay,¡± Fen said fidgeting, taking the other crude wooden chair across from Lost at the round table made from a wooden cart wheel. Lost looked around from under his hood. A large amount of patrons were paying for their meals and leaving, all darted their eyes every once and awhile in Lost¡¯s direction. All except for 3 heavily armed and armored elves, and 2 townsfolk deep in conversation, had stayed. Leaning forward, Lost looked at the tiny wolf girl, ¡°So, kid, what do you want to eat?¡± She looked up at him, a little annoyance in her expresion for being called kid. She seemed to have gotten over her fear of him, well most of it anyways, right now she looked at him with mixture of awe, fear and annoyance. A barmaid came over, wearing a lacey dress. She, too, was an elf, like everyone else. ¡°Wha-what can I get y-you?¡± ¡°What''s there to eat?¡± Lost asked the scared waitress. She handed him, with a shaking hand, the menu. It was a thick, almost a wooden sheet, piece of paper. ¡®Sheesh, how fast does news spread in this town?¡¯ Lost thought, it had only been about ten minutes since his fight with the guards. And now everyone was running in fear from him, at this rate his rapport with the elves would be shot to pieces. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. He scanned the paper, looking at a large assortment of drinks and food. He decided on two meals, ¡°Can I have your strongest ale, the beef stew and some fruits, please?¡± Looking over to Fen, he handed her the menu. She looked slightly surprised, but quickly scanned the paper, ¡°May I please have some stew with a cup of water?¡± The waitress nodded vigorously, writing down their order and taking the menu back. She scurried off quickly, back to the bar where the manger was watching them. Looking away, Lost focused his glowing gaze back on Fen. She was so tiny and thin, but he knew how powerful she was. That illusion she had sucked him into was very real looking, apart from the people not being able to be touched, everything else was solid. She could be very powerful with proper training. ¡°Mr. Lost¡­ What did you do¡­ back there?¡± Fen asked, looking up at him. Her ears were down and her tail swished ever so slightly. Lost frowned, of course Fen wouldn''t be able to see it. ¡°I said not to call me Mr, sir or even ma¡¯am. It''s just Lost, kay?¡± Fen giggled a little and nodded. She seemed to be loosening up now, not scared of him like before. ¡°You want to know what I did back there?¡± Lost said, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms. ¡°I never left your side.¡± Fen looked at him confused, he let out a small laugh. ¡°Remember what I said about stretching shadows?¡± She nodded. He talked to her in a hushed tone, ¡°There was plenty of shadow where you were trapped by the guards, so I concealed myself as soon as we entered it, putting a illusion of myself in my stead. Might I add, it is not easy to control that thing, much less make it talk. But once I dispelled it, making it look like I vanished, I started to use some magic to strengthen my body. I will explain that later, but that''s why I didn''t show myself for a little bit. I then revealed myself next to you, quickly took out one guard with a punch to the head, another with a kick and the third with another punch to the leg. After that I knocked the captain out with some help from my fire magic.¡± Fen looked at him amazed, but Lost didn''t really feel like it. He had meditated the whole night away holding onto Fen while she slept. Meditation allowed him to absorb surrounding terra, magic essence, mana, whatever you wanted to call it, and purify and store it. He was upset to learn that even though his body had been- mostly- brought back, his magic capacity had not. It explained why he felt it leaving him so fast, it was because he didn''t have that much in the first place. He knew all the spells from before he died, but most needed more mana than he currently had. Right now he was completely on empty. ¡°F-fire magic?¡± Fen asked still looking at him with some awe. Lost nodded, ¡°Yea, I made a small explosion. It¡¯s barely noticeable, if you listened you would''ve heard a small pop and seen a quick flash. I must say it packed more punch than I thought it would, I''m just glad I didn''t add more oomph to it.¡± Lost looked away from Fen, scanning the room again. The three armored elves were looking in Lost and Fen¡¯s direction, but not with hostility, he hoped. Or this might be a repeat of what happened to him before. The two chatting townsfolk were now eating and drinking, from their flushed faces, they were obviously drunk. The inn and bar was a rectangular room. With the bar in the back, a door in the back of the bar and a staircase next to it. The walls were made of a dark wood, and the floor of stone. A few windows around let in light and some candles were lit. A large, cold, stone fireplace sat in one corner. Most of the tables were round and made of cart wheels. There were some longer rectangle tables with benches, like the one the three heavily armored men were at. Lost¡¯s attention was snapped towards where two barmaids headed towards them. They put Lost and Fen¡¯s meals on their table, then bowed to Lost and said to call when they were done eating to pay the meal. This, of course, was said with a lot of stuttering. They both quickly went back to the bar. Fen looked down at her soup and water. She quickly grabbed the wooden spoon and dumped a small spoonful of soup in her mouth. Lost quickly did the same. He let out a sad sigh, as the soup had no flavor. He had completely forgotten that he couldn''t taste anything. Fen looked up at him curiously. He ignored her, and just kept eating his food begrudgingly. He slowly ate his way through the fruit and soup, then he downed his drink. It, of course, too, had no flavor. Fen happily devoured her food as well. Lost pegged down a waitress and asked for another drink. This of course nearly caused the elven waitress to faint, but she braved through it and came back with another jug of ale. Fen looked at Lost, a little worried. She probably thought he was going to get himself drunk. He ignored it, knowing that he wouldn''t get drunk at all. She finished off her food, and Lost did so a little bit later, taking the last swig of the ale. Flagging down the waitress again, he asked how much the meal was. ¡°E-eight coppers, with d-drinks,¡± She stuttered. Lost, learning from past mistakes, reached down into his black cloak, felt around for one of the cut purse¡¯s coin bags. He found one, being as it was smaller than his silver one. Lost pulled it out, counting out 10 coppers. He handed them to the barmaid, putting his coin purse away. He had read the menu, next to all the neatly listed foods and drink it said the prices, their meal added up to 10 coppers. The barmaid looked at the coppers, then tried to hand two of them back to Lost. He waved them away. The waitress backed off and headed back to the bar. Lost ever so slightly looked out of the corner of his eye at the armored elves. They were still looking at him, expressions neutral. He looked away from them, to the door outside. A billboard next to the door he hadn''t noticed caught his attention. It was made of wood, hanging onto the wall. The board was rather large, but not to much. It was covered in advertisements, news and other papers. A specific paper caught his attention. Being so close to the door, Lost could read the words imprinted on it clearly. Attention people of Evrite! Wanted dead or alive! This human is wanted for murder and is extremely dangerous. If you capture or kill him successfully, bring him to the city of Valcrest, you will be awarded with 100 gold! -King Nerofix Hasrio Sander the 68th Under the notice was a picture of a man wearing a hood, his face concealed in shadow and a sword strapped on his back. Lost¡¯s eyes widened slightly, he knew he wasn''t making friends with the elves, but this was ridiculous. The King wanted his head, but for what? He tried remembering what he could have done to be wanted dead. There wasn''t anything that should get his head pegged by the king. Other than destroying a keep gate, and protecting Fen from the guards. Even so, that news, if ever brought to the king, wouldn''t be able to make it to the capital that fast. Then it hit him, a messenger had escaped from the keep. If the messenger hadn''t been there when Lost had requested to see the king, then he would most likely have mistook Lost for the one to attack the Border Keep. He looked out of the corner of his eye, careful not to shift his hood, at the three armored elves. Sure enough, they were still looking at him. He made a split second decision, he knew that he couldn''t stay in this town for long. Not with a bounty on his head from the King. It was also likely that the King had hired bounty hunters or maybe sent some of his soldiers out to hunt Lost. ¡®This had better work, or else I swear...¡¯ He thought, looking back to Fen. He knew that he couldn''t take them, not without the help of magic. And his stunt earlier had drained all of his magic, now he couldn''t even enhance his strength or speed. He talked in a hushed tone to Fen, who had noticed his agitation. ¡°Okay, kid. I¡¯m gonna explain something to you, I want you to remember it and use it if we get in trouble.¡± Fen looked at him quizzically, it was kinda cute. With her head slightly to the side and her white wolf ears tilted to the side. But he ignored it. This was no time to get distracted. ¡°Good. Don''t do it now, but if we get in trouble, do it. You should have enough magic already in you to do it once or twice. I want you to close your eyes, then just think about a kinda, pool right about in your abdomen. Then you should feel, a kind of presence there, like stagnant water. I want you to then think about sending it to your hand, while thinking about a flash of light.¡± The little wolf girl looked at him, confused but she seemed to get the gist of it. Lost nodded, ¡°Alright kid. We are in trouble, don''t look, but those three men over there probably want to kill me. So i''m going to act drunk, you lead me outside the door. If they follow us, I want you to try what I just explained to you, okay?¡± ¡°O-okay,¡± She said, obviously afraid. ¡°Dont worry. You have to trust me, they will probably hurt you, too. But I won''t let that happen.¡± Lost tried to reassure her. He needed her calm, if she freaked out like before then things would only spiral out of control. She got out of her chair, walking around the table unsurely. ¡°Come.. on, let''s go.¡± Fen said, tugging on the dark fabric of his cloak. Lost got up slowly, pretending to be on unsteady feet and swaying slightly. Fen kept a tight grip on his cloak, probably out of fear. Lost¡¯s heart rate rose, but he kept himself calm. He knew he was vulnerable right now, without any mana to do spells and he didn''t even have that much mana anymore. This would work. He kept swaying, slowly shuffling along the floor after Fen. They reached the door without problem. Fen pushed it open, tail swishing back and forth, her ears pointed in the direction of the three elves. They had yet to stand up, this may be a good sign. Lost followed Fen out the door. The sun was just starting to set, coloring everything beautiful red¡¯s, yellow¡¯s and orange¡¯s. Lost stopped acting like he was drunk, ¡°Okay kid. I think we are okay. You can let go now.¡± The little wolf girl looked up at him warily, but she kept her grip on his cloak. Lost sighed, he was starting to feel more and more like a parent. He knew that this wasn''t good, because he was not a good person, and would be less as a parent. ¡°Alright, fine. Let¡¯s go get some traveling supplies and find another inn.¡± Lost walked down the cobbled street, heading deeper into town. It would seem that he was fine for now, at least he hoped. They weren''t going to stay in this town more than one night, that was for sure. Chapter 9: The Knight in Rusted Armor Ren Renhold Fher watched the odd pair left the inn. One a cloaked figure, the other a little snow white beast girl in rags. The one wearing the black cloak was obviously drunk, since he ordered two large cups of ale. He swayed slightly and followed the little wolf girl outside. Ren took a sip of beer from his wooden mug. At age 17, Ren was rather tall. He had short dirty blonde hair, with a slight green tinge and dark brown eyes. His elven ears were rather short, shorter than most elves. Some people had even suggested he might be half sprite, but of course, he was not. He was tall, with thin but muscled arms and a narrow jaw with- imaginary -stubble. Ren liked to think himself as one of those warriors from the tales his grandfather used to tell him. A mighty knight that slayed dragons, saved princesses and protected the weak from evil. Those kinds of heros, ones that got the girl and saved the day. He had set out for a journey from his small village, trying to make a name for himself. So far his deeds were helping an old lady find her kidnaped dog, that had actually just run away. The last, and greatest of his deeds, saving a village¡¯s crops from a horde of evil gophers. That last one was rather interesting. As the gophers were 2 feet long and, on their hind legs, could stand up. They were something that neither the villagers, nor Ren could not call anything else but oversized varmen. They had been quite insistent on attacking the village¡¯s cabbage crops, burrowing into the ground and munching on the cabbage. It had taken Ren an entire day of digging up their nest and cutting them into bits to save the crops. To say the least, he ended up ruining the crop fields, but on the upside the village had a new abundance of mutant gopher meat. They had chased him out of the village after that. Having traveled from one side of Evrite to the border by hitching rides on wagons.He found himself in the humble town of Saria. It was close to the border wall that cut the elves off from the humans. Ren wasn''t like most elves, in the fact he saw that elves were no better than any other race. Maybe even less so. He thought, sure, a lot of elves hate dwarves and humans, but that didn''t mean he had to. He didn''t even know why, there was no point, maybe from past wars, like a ancestral grudge or something? He was planning to leave the country to the humans land, for adventure, riches and fame. He knew that he could make a name for himself there, even if most of the humans would hate him. He believed he could make a good name for himself, maybe even change some minds about elves. Ren looked around, there were two other adventurers at his table. He didn''t know them personally, but they, too, were wearing thick iron armor like him. Unlike him, one had a giant sword strapped to his back and the other a short sword and shield. Ren, himself, had a iron glaive that looked like a sword but had a long curve and was stuck on a pole. It had cost him a lot, but he had quite a bit of money on him. Er, had money. Now all he had were a few coppers, enough to pay for his drink. He knew he needed some money if he wanted to continue on his journey. Getting up, he walked to the bar and paid for the drink. While he was walking to the door, he noticed an announcement board next to the door. It was covered in papers nailed to the thick wood. Thinking he might be able to find a low paying job, he stopped to inspect it. He scanned it over, looking at all the job offerings. One merchant wanted some warriors to help guard his caravan as he went to the capital city, Valcrest. That one looked promising. Reaching for the paper, Ren noticed the one next to it. It was a wanted poster. What caught his eye was the picture. It was of a man with a sword on his back and wearing a black hood that obscured his face. It was the man with the little wolf girl. Ren scanned the words scribbled above the picture. The words dangerous, murder, dead or alive and King are what stuck in his head. He had learned how to read from his father, the village chief. He couldn''t write well though. The first thought that popped into his head was, ¡®It''s the man in the hood!¡¯ He remembered that the little wolf beast girl looked scared of the stranger. Then the second thought being, ¡®By the gods! That little girl is in danger! A damsel in distress! Fear not fair maiden, I shall save you!¡¯ He completely ignored the giant sum of money on the man''s head, for he had not read that far. Ren shot through the door like a bullet from a dwarven gun. He swiftly opened the dark wood door, running out into the cobbled street. He scanned the sidewalks on either side of the road, houses and other buildings lined the sidewalk. The sun was just setting, painting a rusty color over the town. He looked up the road, seeing a cloaked figure with a little wolf girl turn the corner. Ren quickly followed them, running. But then he thought of something and stopped to a stroll. It would be best to catch the kidnapper off guard, so he would follow them and wait for an opening to attack. Hopefully the cloaked man would leave town soon, so Ren could surprise attack him in the woods. So Ren spent the rest of the day tailing the cloaked kidnaper. First the kidnaper had went into a supply and weapons shop, after a while he exited with the little beast girl and walked around town. Weirdly, neither the girl, nor her kidnaper, said a single word to each other. The cloaked man went into an inn with the white wolf girl. There they stayed, for the entire night. To say the least Ren was unhappy, for the fact he had to stay out all night watching the inn and for the second that it rained. Sitting there in the rain, he was very tempted to just barge into the inn and attack the man while he was sleeping. But he knew the guards would still arrest him, even if he caught a kidnaper and saved a little girl. He had staked himself out across the road from the inn, under a overhang from the house behind him. He nearly fell asleep a couple times, he fell asleep once, but ended up face first in a puddle in the cobbled road. Just when the sun broke over the horizon, did Ren¡¯s quarry leave the inn. The wolf girl followed silently behind him, she was no longer dressed in the dirty clothes from before. Now wearing a clean white shirt, baggy brown pants, and fur boots. A brown cloak over her shoulders, hiding her tail, she kept the hood down though. The little girl was thin and pale. With long white hair and two wolven ears atop her head. She would be a beautiful woman in the future, if Ren could save her. He waited for them to turn the corner, then he followed them. He tailed them to a tavern, where they got breakfast, then left. Then he carefully followed them through the streets of the town, eventually, after some time following them, they left the town. The cloaked murderer and kidnaper had left towards the direction of the elven capital, Valcrest. It was about a two day walk, one on horseback. Ren stayed back, hiding in the shadow of the gate, till they were a good distance away. He then started to follow them, but went through the woods on the right side of the road. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. The woods were comprised of thick foliage, and giant oak trees. Ren had a hard time getting through all the brush, but he forced his way through nonetheless, keeping the road in sight. He followed them, trying to get ahead of them. Eventually, he felt he had gotten a good distance in front of them, and hunkered down in a bush at the side of the road for an ambush. Lost Lost was having, decidedly, a great day. He was making good time on his travel to the capital, even though he had no idea where it was. There he should be able to, hopefully, if it ever was possible, talk to the king. He knew the king had put the bounty up on his head, but hopefully he would understand that it was a misunderstanding, hopefully. He watched the right side of the road, as the elf in the shadows of the forest failed to move stealthily ahead of them. He had noticed that the elf was following them after they left the weapon shop with a dagger and new clothes for Fen. How could he not? The man was a tall elf in rusted armor carrying a glaive. This elf was most likely a bounty hunter, because he had gear, but not good gear. Wearing a rusted iron chest piece, with a glaive on his back. The elf had so far only been following them. Lost had stayed awake the entire night, on guard incase he busted the door down. Eventually he had realized that the elf wasn''t going to attack them in the inn, so he had just meditated while Fen slept. Meditation was an interesting thing, it allowed the meditating person to let their body rest, while their mind worked. He had spent the rest of the night refining magic and storing it in his body. He was slowly expanding his capacity for magic, but for now he was limited to a few simple spells a day. Lost had planned to see if the Bounty Hunter would meet them on the road, and attack them. Hopefully getting more info about where the capital was. Fen had her ears trained to the forest, where the elf was failing at sneaking past them. ¡°Hey, kid. Stop here,¡± Lost said, putting his hand on her shoulder. They stopped, watching as the armored elf slowly trampled his away ahead of them. ¡°Is¡­ he going to attack us?¡± Fen said, looking up at Lost. He only shrugged and watched as the elf stopped about twenty meters ahead of them. ¡°I think we should humor him,¡± Lost said, starting to walk again. Fen followed a little ways behind him. Lost kept walking forward, acting like he hadn''t noticed the elf. Right when he was a couple meters away from where the bounty hunter was hidden, did he reveal himself. The elf jumped out of the bush shouting a, ¡°Ha!¡± Lost stopped, Fen crashing into him from behind. He regained his feet after a second, and looked back at Fen. She just shrugged and mouthed an apology. Turning his attention back to the elf, he waited. ¡°Evil fiend! Release the fair maiden and I will let you live!¡± The bounty hunter said, brandishing his glaive. Lost¡¯s eyebrows rose, he wasn''t expecting this. From what he had gathered from Fen, most elves treated her badly, calling her a dirty mutt and other things. But this, this was an elf calling her a ¡¯fair maiden¡¯. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Lost said politely. ¡°You heard me, kidnaper! If you release the girl I won''t kill you,¡± said the elven bounty hunter who was seemed to fancy himself a knight. ¡°Who said I was a kidnaper?¡± Lost asked the knight. Now the elf seemed slightly taken aback, but he still pointed his glaive at Lost¡¯s chest. ¡°You are a wanted criminal, and that little girl behind you seems afraid of you.¡± Lost let out a laugh, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you seem to be mistaken. I may be a bad person, but i''m not a kidnaper. This kid,¡± he pointed at Fen, ¡°Decided that she wanted to follow me.¡± The elven knight lowered his glaive, his expression unsure. Then he brought it back up, ¡°You lie!¡± The knight charged toward Lost. Lost gently pushed Fen to the side of the road, saying that everything would be fine. The elf was about to thrust his glaive into Lost¡¯s chest, using his momentum. Lost quickly sidestepped it at the last possible moment, using magic to enhance his speed. The elf followed his spear, momentum carrying him past Lost. Sticking out his leg, Lost tripped the knight. He landed face first in the dirt road, geting a mouth full of dust. Scrambling up, the knight had a look of shock at Lost¡¯s speed. Then he let out a roar of rage and charged at Lost again. This time going for a downward slice. Lost quickly stepped forward, grabbed the pole of the glaive. He then swiftly pushed it up, giving the elf no room to attack. Lost kicked the elf in the chest with his heavy boot, sending him stumbling backwards. Lost was mildly surprised he was still standing from his magic strengthened kick, obviously there was more to this knight than appeared. ¡°Argh! I¡¯m warning you fiend, release the maiden and I won''t use my full power against you,¡± The elven Knight said, going in for another attack. Lost easily dodged it, and punched the elf in the side, where his old metal armor did not protect. It wasn''t meant to be a fatal blow, but that didn''t mean it wouldn''t leave a bruise, like all of Lost¡¯s attacks so far. Lost jumped back, out of reach from the elf¡¯s glaive. He didn''t want to use his sword, because he didn''t want to kill the dude. He would most assuredly not survive an attack from Lost if he used his sword. From what Lost thought, this was a big misunderstanding, then again he was kinda having fun. The Knight and Lost fought for a while, so far the Knight had yet to hit Lost, while Lost landed non fatal blows on him. The elf was starting to get annoyed now, obviously frustrated. They both were panting, each staring at the other. ¡°So be it! I warned you!¡± The Knight shouted at Lost, he pointed his glaive at the sky in one hand. Lost¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the feeling of magic being used. First, the clouds in the sky started to darken, swirling above the two of them. The Knight was breathing heavily, staring daggers into Lost. ¡°I invoke the power of the storm! Smite my enemy O¡¯ mighty gods!¡± The elf chanted, then he brought his glaive down, leveling it at Lost. Barely having enough time to react, Lost pulled out his sword, blocking above his head and infusing his body with mana. A quick flash of lightning cracked down on top of Lost, followed by a ear splitting boom. A jolt of white hot pain flared through Lost¡¯s arms, traveling through his body and causing it to stop. Lost collapsed, smoke twisting up off of him. He tried to scream from the pain, but his jaw was locked in place. The guy was a magic user! Albeit that was a powerful spell, but it was crudely done. For the spell was not well controlled, Lost lay in a smoking crater, an entire part of the road missing. If he had acted faster, maybe he wouldn''t be in so much pain, but hey, at least he was alive. His ears were ringing, but he could make out the cries of Fen. She came running down the still smoking slope of the crater, crouching over him. She had tears streaming down her face. Grabbing onto the back of his cloak, she heaved him over. He looked into her eyes, trying to give her a reassuring gaze, but his eyes wouldn''t focus. That''s when sound came rushing back. The first thing he heard was the Lightning user talking. ¡°Wow! He survived that!?¡± The Knight appeared over the lip of the crater, standing over Fen, looking down at Lost. Lost forced his convulsing muscles to calm down, regaining control of his body. But he held still, staring into Fen¡¯s dark green eyes. He whispered, ¡°Remember what I told you, kid?¡± Ren Ren leveled his glaive at the kidnaper, releasing his power. A bolt of lightning cracked down swiftly, landing right on top of the cloaked man. A boom followed shortly after, disorientating Ren and he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. He hadn''t expected it to be so powerful. Everytime he had done it before, it just more or less zapped something with a small bolt of white lightning, but this time, it was far more powerful. He didn''t feel sorry for killing the kidnaper, the man was an evil doer after all. Ren, regaining his senses, turned to the little wolf girl with a big grin plastered over his face. ¡°Fear not fair maiden, you are safe now!¡± She screamed, tears streaming down her face. She ran to the edge of the smoking crater in the road, nearly tripping down the incline. Ren stared puzzled, why was she crying? Maybe it was just tears of joy. He slowly walked to the edge of the crater looking down. There lay the cloaked kidnaper, smoke twisting up from him, unconscious. Ren could only think of one thing, and he blurted it out, ¡°Wow! He survived that?!¡± The wolf beast girl abruptly stopped crying as she realized she was safe, or so he thought. She then held still, and Ren slid down the edge of the crater. He put a hand on the little girl¡¯s shoulder, about to reassure her that she was safe, but she turned around, jutting her hand in his face. A bright flash of light went off. Blinding him, he roared in pain, stumbling back. After a little bit, he sent some of his Power to his eyes, stopping the pain. Ren forced them open, looking down at the wolf girl in shock. She had attacked him?! Then, too late, he noticed the cloaked figure was gone from where he lay. ¡°Behind you, idiot.¡± Said a chilling voice, Ren slowly turned around. There stood a pale, thin boy. His hood pulled back, he held his blade over his left shoulder, then swiftly brought the pummel of it into Ren¡¯s face. Pain exploded across the side of Ren¡¯s face and he fell to the ground, vision fading into unconsciousness. Chapter 10: Beginnings of Magic Tess ¡°Magic. The most powerful thing in nature, but also the most dangerous. It can come in many forms, solids, gasses, energies, even inside the mind, it has endless possibilities. It was what sparked life into this world, evolving it. The very lifeblood of this and many other universes.¡± Tess closed the large, dusty tome. She set it to the side, on the table next to her bed. She had spent a large amount of yesterday reading up on magic, for her knowledge was very vague. But the magic books were even more vague than her knowledge. The worst part being that there were no magic teachers, therefore Tess was walking blind in this new age of magic. All the teachers of the Old World were dead, the only thing Tess could learn from was ancient books and scrolls that her family had been able to save. The sun had reached its peak, and Tess decided she would take a walk out in the courtyard. Getting out of her bed, Tess walked to the armoire on the other side of the room. She decided on a simple, plain light green dress with long sleeves. It was thin enough to not be hot in the summer day. She walked out of her room, through a few empty, but lavishly decorated halls. Passing a couple servants, she walked out into the courtyard. It was large, filled with white stone walkways, large trimmed bushes, a few small fountains and plenty of benches. There was a colorful array of flowers, all spread out on the sides of walkways and on bushes. Tess took a pathway to the left, just walking for a while, staring at the trees and flowery bushes. She took a seat on a bench, overlooking the small river that led from a tiny pond on one side of the courtyard and exiting through a metal grate on the other side. Tess found her mind wandering, thoughts swirling around. She gazed absently at the slow moving water. She had always found this spot peaceful and relaxing since she was just a child. Her thoughts slowly turned to the evils her mother spoke of. Now, the Queen seemed fine, but her words had planted a seed of unease in Tess¡¯s thoughts. She didn''t know why, but those words came back to her, ¡®I can feel a great and malicious presence headed for Evrite. I can feel many of them, all in the south. The human lands. One has even breached the border and is headed here now.¡¯ What had she meant by those words? She had also told her she needed to learn her new found power. Like she feared something may happen. The thought of something evil headed for the capital made her shiver. What could it be? Whatever it was, they had a small army of guards patrolling the castle''s walls, the royal guards. They were the best of the best, the ¡®elite¡¯, having almost perfect scores in their training, they had the option of being guards to the royal family. Even so, the city was patrolled daily by the city guard and there was a massive wall encircling it. Actually three walls. The first was the biggest, the outer wall. It was meant to protect from sieges and the houses outside would be evacuated quickly, allowing citizens safety. Then the Inner Wall, the one that encircled the upper distract holding the noble houses, higher quality shops and finally, the Royal Wall. That was the one that encircled and acted as the royal family''s castle wall. It was the biggest out of them all, if need be it could hold at least half of the Valcrest population, but that wouldn''t be needed because they had a large guard force, It had to be to guard the city. But then again, hadn¡¯t these evils been something feared in the Old World? Who knew what had awakened, but now they had Magic. Her father, the King, would definitely start development of magic weapons, based of the blueprints they had saved. Tess knew one thing though, she needed to get stronger, to protect her future people and hopefully lead them to peace. She detested her father''s choice, his reaction to the destruction of the keep. He was gearing up for war with the humans now. It was like he had no common sense, or maybe he was just waiting for something like this to happen. To go to war with the humans. But why would he want to do that? Resources? Land? Power? Tess would have liked to love and think her father as a honorable and good man, but she just couldn''t. He was kind to her, her mother and the most of the nobles. But the way he looked at servants, and even his own people, it was like he saw them as bugs. Especially the beastmen. She was afraid he was only a report away from issuing an order to put all beastmen into slavery. Then there was the way he attained power. His father, her grandfather, had three sons. One was her father, Nerofix. Then there was her uncle, Vanax, who was currently married and happy in house Caterer. Then her other uncle, Jurix, who was residing in the family crypt next to her grandfather. Nerofix was the second in line for the throne, Jurix the first and Vanax last. Their father, King Zander, did a annual ball. Everything was going according to plan as they just sat down. Their food was brought to them from the kitchen. The king gave a speech about ruling for 63 years and sat down to eat with his sons next to him. They dug into their meal with everyone else, the food masterfully cooked. About halfway through the ball, after the feast and during the dancing, the King and Jurix start coughing. They both coughed violently, like they couldn''t breathe and collapsed dying. Later they were found to be poisoned, by a rare poison barely detectable by taste and was scentless. Naturally, Nerofix was given the throne. The assassin was later found by the guard, with a large portion of the royal treasury''s gold that had gone missing that night. The thief and assassin was put to death by the order of Nerofix. There were rumors swimming around how that assassin was hired by Nerofix himself. The people telling these things went missing without a sound and talk of how the old king and his first son died was snuffed out. Tess had her suspicions, but it didn''t make sense, because the ¡®thief¡¯ was tortured and admitted to killing the king and his son with poison. Supposedly he hadn''t meant to kill the first son, but some poison got in there anyway. He used the commotion to sneak into the royal treasury and stole a large portion of gold. Her attention was drawn out of her thoughts, as a butterfly fluttered by. It was a beautiful orange monarch, fluttering gracefully in the wind. She closed her eyes and sighed. Then she gasped. Millions, upon millions of little sparkling lights were everywhere, shifting through the plants, the ground, the water, the sky, even the fish, birds and butterflies. It was beautiful, like a the night sky, but filled with different colors, that were ever shifting. Was this the magic the books were talking about? The very thing that had shaped the world? Tess decided to try something she read from the books. The book had been vague about it, like saying stuff about going into trances and absorbing the surrounding magic. She imagined a kind of cave, or empty lake right about where her sternum was. Then she reached out to the lights, willing them to come towards her. Only two colors slowly heeded her call, they were a light green and white. It was hard trying to draw them in, but after what felt like hours, she had formed a sort of glowing sphere of green and white light in front of her, about the size of a ball. Then slowly, she pulled it towards her with her mind, letting it sink into her sternum. A rush of power hit her, knocking the breath out of her. It travelled through her veins, eventually settling about where her sternum was. She could feel it, like a slight pressure in the back of her mind. Regaining her breath, she opened her eyes, looking around. The sun was just starting to set.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡®I did that till sunset?! Oh, gods! Mother must be worried sick!¡¯ Tess bolted upright and started to run through the gardens back to the castle. Ren Ren let out a moan, the side of his head hurt like hell. In fact, his entire body felt like it had been used as a punching bag. ¡°He¡¯s waking up,¡± a little girl¡¯s voice said. ¡°Wh¡­?¡± Ren said, then he felt something round pressed to his lips, cool liquid poured down his throat. He coughed at first, but then he regained control and the bottle was pressed to his lips again, he greedily gulped it down. ¡°Hmpf,¡± A different voice said, this time a man''s. The bottle was pulled away from his lips, he wanted another drink. Ren slowly opened his eyes, he was met with the sight of two people. One a human boy at least 16 years old and another, a small wolf girl. The boy sat down on a log facing Ren, letting out a long sigh and rubbing his forehead. Ren tried to stand up, but found he couldn''t. Looking down, he found he was tied up to a tree. Looking back up, he saw his gear in a pile at his feet. ¡°Alright, sir knightly knight,¡± The boy said, then he pointed at himself then at the little girl, ¡°I¡¯m Lost, and this is my friend Fen, not hostage, slave or anything else.¡± ¡°Release me now, and I won''t unleash my power upon you again, lying scum! Free the girl, too.¡± Lost sighed again, ¡°Dude, did you not hear me the first time, how about the second time? No? I said she was my friend. Go on tell him, Fen. He won''t listen to me.¡± The little wolf girl looked over, she glared at Ren. It was a glare filled with distrust and anger. ¡°Lost¡¯s my friend, he saved me,¡± She looked over at the swordsman, ¡°I don''t understand¡­ why did you spare him? He attacked us¡­ and elves can¡¯t be trusted.¡± ¡®What did I do!? I tried to help her!¡¯ Ren thought, his air of confidence slowly degrading. He slumped back against the tree. Lost whistled, ¡°I never thought you had such a hate for elves, Fen.¡± She growled, but didn''t say anything. Lost turned back to Ren. ¡°Okay, well. You¡¯re lucky, she wanted me to just leave you there, but I thought that cruel. So, what is your name, and do you know anything about these two?¡± Lost gestured over his shoulder with a thumb, scooting to the side. Two men were tied to another tree, both unconscious. Their gear was at their feet, one giant sword and a short sword with shield. They were the adventures from the inn. Both about the same height. One had a bushy black beard, rough skin and a big noise. The other one, bushy, reddish eyebrows, a sharp noise and stubble on his chin. ¡°You attacked adventurers!?¡± Ren shouted, glaring at Lost. Lost looked silently stunned, turning back to Fen, ¡°I¡¯m starting to think you were right about leaving this guy behind.¡± ¡°Grrr,¡± Ren gritted his teeth, this kid had no respect for his betters. But then Ren remembered what he had done. He had survived Ren¡¯s attack, the attack he used Power with. Turning back to Ren, Lost talked again, ¡°I did not attack these men. They came down the road a little bit after you, and attacked me.¡± Ren glared at Lost, who seemed completely unintimidated, ¡°You must be lying, you must be forcing the lady to say these things. And you attacked those poor adventurers on the road. Now release me or else I will attack you with even more Power! ¡± He glanced at Fen, looking for confirmation that he was right. She glared at him, causing his heart to crumble. At this point he was starting to believe this dark boy''s words. He said them with confidence and did not appear to be lying. Then Fen seemed to have a hate for him. Sighing for probably the 5th time, Lost asked, ¡°So, what is your name?¡± Looking down, all of Ren¡¯s confidence went up in smoke, he responded meekly, ¡°Renhold Fher. Most just call me Ren, though.¡± ¡°Alright! There we go! Okay, Renhold. Guessing from your reaction you''re not with those two, so, I''ll let you choose what you want. You can either stay tied to that tree with no food or water in this summer sun till someone finds you. Or you can join up with us!¡± Ren¡¯s head snapped upwards, while Fen shouted out in protest. Lost shushed Fen, and looked back at Ren, ¡°So, what do you want to do?¡± He didn''t know what to make of this. Why would this boy want Ren to join him in where ever they were headed? Even more so, Ren had insulted him tons of times and nearly killed him. ¡°W-why would why want me to join you?¡± Ren asked, staring at Lost with suspicion. Lost started counting points on his fingers, ¡°Hmmmm. Well, the first thing is that you don''t seem to have a dislike towards Fen, unlike all the other elves. In fact, I think you came after us thinking I had kidnapped her or something, right?¡± Ren only nodded. ¡°Then, second. You seem like a good guy, maybe not too bright but, hey, that I can deal with. Third, and probably my most compelling reason to ask you, is the fact you''re a magic user. I can say for sure that you are in some form a magic user, but you do things crudely and could be far more productive if taught how to do it properly. I can definitely tell that you had no idea how powerful that spell you cast was, or how you basically came a hair''s width away from killing yourself. I have no idea where you learned that Channeling spell, but I must say I¡¯m impressed that you were able to use it so soon since the release of magic. However crudely done.¡± Ren was kinda impressed. This boy had insulted him, but the insult was also a complement. Whoever this swordsman was, he seemed like he knew what he was talking about. Then he also seemed to have no respect for others. Also, Ren was surprised he knew what he had done to him. Even Ren wasn''t exactly clear on what he did with the lightning. The spell had come from a scroll his father gave him, saying it was a family heirloom, this was on Ren¡¯s birthday and when he left his small village. The option of being left to die of thirst was also quite compelling. He really did not want to be out here without food or water and no guarantee that someone would find him before he died. Ren thought for a bit more, trying to look like he was actually contemplating the option. He also knew that he wasn''t fooling them, but they made no comment. ¡°Alright, I will join you. Only to make sure you are not lying about the Lady being your friend and to protect her.¡± Hey, he had to try and save some of his face. Lost nodded, then looked over at Fen. ¡°You can stop now Fen.¡± Ren was puzzled by what Lost meant, but then the rope vanished, leaving him free to move. ¡°What was that?¡± Lost snorted and got up, sticking his hand out to help Ren to his feet. ¡°You aren''t the only one who can do magic. I just taught Fen that one, too. It''s not even supposed to have mass.¡± He whispered the last part. Ren grabbed Lost¡¯s hand, and was surprised to find that the small, thin boy was able to pull him to his feet without trouble. ¡°Oh. One more thing. Renhold,¡± Lost cocked an eyebrow at Ren ¡°Yea?¡± He said hesitantly. ¡°You wouldnt happen to know the way to the capital city?¡± Ren nearly choked, and laughed in Lost¡¯s face. But he restrained himself. He could tell this was going to be one interesting adventure. Chapter 11: The Messenger Lost Lost trudged on through the hot summer day. He had taken off his hood, rolled up his cloak and strapped it on his belt. He did this because people were looking for a hooded man, and they had no clue what his face looked like. But Lost had found himself rather unlucky, for he hadn''t realized how much the hood protected his skin from being burned by the sun. He was incredibly pale, unlike in his old body, and thin too. If only there was a type of magic sunscreen, because he could feel the skin on the back of his neck slowly being roasted. He wore a red headscarf covering his forehead and ears, tied in the back. There were humans in Evrite, but they were few in number and far between, drawing a lot of attention. So Lost had ripped up a red cloak from one of the bounty hunters that attacked him, making it into a sort of headscarf. He also tied a few to his right wrist, just in case he lost this one. Hey, you never know what could happen. It was a precautionary measure, he looked like a human. But Lost wasn''t even sure if he was human because he had amber glowing eyes, unnaturally black hair and seemed to be poison resistant. Fen followed close behind him, always within a 3 meters or so. It had been about two days since they had met Ren. So far, Lost had taught absorbing mana to Fen, telling her to practice the magic rope illusion. After he had fought Ren he was about to head back to town to buy some rope to tie up Ren and the Bounty Hunters, but then thought of something. He had showed Fen how to make a rope illusion, a fairly simple thing. It took some focus, but she was able to do it within 5 minutes. If she focused enough, she could make the rope temporarily solid. Lost had been shocked and fascinated by this, but he had not told her that it wasn''t normal for someone to be able to make their illusions solid. He didn''t want her to get a big head. By now, Lost was inclined to punch Ren, but he refrained himself from doing this because Ren was their guide to the elven capital. He also liked to talk; about everything he could think of. By this time, Lost had learned how to tune out Ren¡¯s constant babble, but at times, it just wasn''t possible. At least Ren was honest, and did not seem to have a single ill bone in his body. But some of his thoughts were borderline creepy, like one of the reasons he set out from his village was to meet girls. Lost believed it too, the way the elf tried to act like a knight to impress and get Fen to like him more. This got him thinking for a bit. Lost had never actually been attracted to anyone, and he highly doubted it would ever happen, to be honest. At those thoughts, Lost quickly dispelled them and went back to his constant meditation while walking. Ren had explained how he gained his Channeling magic. A family heirloom, an ancient scroll, that his father had gifted him with. Curious, Ren had supposedly tried out what the scroll had explained. Which was a lightning channeling spell. In Lost¡¯s opinion, channeling magic wasn''t really magic. It involved absorbing the ambient magic in the air, that was the only similarity. After that, the Channeler, as they were called, would pick out certain parts of the mana. Then they would force that certain type of mana outside the body in a concentrated area and an effect would happen. The mana wasn''t pure and it was a dangerous art, if you weren¡¯t careful, you could set off the impure mana in your body, causing disastrous effects. Certain parts of mana could be used to strengthen the body, but it required more and more. Eventually, the other mana particles would build up in the body, like a waste, but can¡¯t be expelled by conventional methods. The Channeler would have to have a magic caster on hand that specialized in mana transfer and purification, or healers, if you preferred the more crude term. All and all, it was a great way to die young in this era. Lost knew a tale about how Channelers came to be. The process was originally made as a way to use magic without being a mage. Channelers were also created to hunt down rogue and dangerous magic users. That''s how they got the name Infectrum Migas, or ¡®Mage Killer¡¯ in Fae. Of course, Lost warned Renhold about this. He told him if he kept using it, he would eventually die from the built up pressure of the waste mana. ¡°So that¡¯s what all those lights are?¡± Ren said while scratching his cheek in though. ¡°Huh. Then can you purge the ¡®waste mana¡¯ out of me?¡± Lost shook his head, ¡°I am no mana transfer specialist, even if I was, you probably wouldn''t enjoy the feeling of flame traveling through your veins from my fire mana. Most Healers used water or light. A few air. They were rare before, but I fear that they might as well be extinct now.¡± ¡°Infectrum Migas. I like it,¡± Ren said walking on. ¡°There''s no way that I¡¯m going to stop using magic, though. But I will try to limit my use of it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your poison,¡± Lost said sagely, falling back into his mind. Lost was relieved to see a large city. It was Valcrest, the capital city of Evrite. They had just crested a hill, at the top, a imposing site spread out before them. A vast plain spread all the way to the horizon, the city itself was close, maybe a few miles away. But it was gigantic, at least spawning 100 miles, maybe more, and at the center of the houses spread around, was a huge stone wall. It encircled the city, and Lost could see at least two more behind it. A large town encircled the outside of the cities walls, with acres of farmland. Before Lost died, there had been cities at least this big, but he had not visited many. There hadn¡¯t even been a Valcrest back then. The elven capital had been a place called Falcree. A caravan slowly passed them on the road, then a few people on horses. Wagons pulled by oxen or horses slowly passed by in different directions down the road. They paid Lost and company no mind other than a passing glance. These sites became more common as they approached the city. Mercifully, Ren had stopped talking and was taking in the view of the city with pride. From what Lost had gathered Ren had only been here once before. His grandfather and father supposedly came here for business or something. Fen looked about as impressed at the size as Lost felt. She probably hadn''t been to the capital before. She had pulled up the hood of her cloak, hiding her white hair and wolf ears. In addition to helping her learn to use illusion spells, he had also started to teach her a little bit about using knives. She had looked at him horrified the first time he suggested it. He told her he wasn''t always going to be able to defend her, and that she would need to learn to protect herself. She had magic, and it was powerful, but it should only be used when necessary. It could be dangerous and Lost knew all too well that you had to be prepared for the worst. If you were cornered and had no magic, then learning to fight could be life and death. Lost was pulled from his thoughts as they entered the outer city. The streets had become cobbled, filled with people mounted, wagons and even a ornate cart passed by. Signs hung in windows and above doors, showing a picture and some words under to tell you what the place was. They walked for a while, then they entered a square. Tents and carts were set up and merchants yelled out their wares. There was a lot of delicious smelling food being cooked that made Lost hungry, but also sad for the fact he couldn''t taste anything. Ren turned to Lost and shouted, ¡°This is where I must say good bye for now.¡± Lost looked up at the elf, ¡°What!? I thought you were going to stay with us, at least till I taught you better control of your magic.¡± Ren chortled, ¡°I never said I was leaving your company. We will meet back here, when do you want to?¡± Lost thought for a moment, ¡°I will probably be in the castle for a few days at least. How about we meet you back here in 4 days? Till then, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°I have some cousins living here, I think I will go visit them. If you''re not back here within 4 days I will wait at least a week, then head out. If you can''t get back here in time, you can come to my cousin¡¯s house.¡± Ren then told him the street and description of the house. ¡°Farewell, Milady!¡± He said, bowing to Fen, who looked uncomfortable, ¡°I will see you in four days!¡± Ren shouted over his shoulder as he blended in with the crowd. Lost sighed, and looked down at Fen. Who was clutching his long, black sleeve. He could tell she wasn''t sorry to see Ren leave. But then again, it was kind of nice without his constant prattle.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. She looked up at him, with big, innocent green eyes. ¡°Alright, kiddo. Let''s head to the capital.¡± Lost walked off, pushing his way through crowds, Fen still holding onto his arm. He walked through cobbled streets, staying away from alleys and slowly made his way to the gate into the city wall. There were less people here, but it was still a sizable number. Everywhere he looked, Lost saw elves. There were so many, he thought he even saw some beastmen walking around, but wasn''t sure. He took a step through the gate, and immediately stopped. A Jolt went through him, his heartbeat spiked for a second. It felt like something had noticed him. Tess Tess took a sip of her herbal tea, listening to the ladies talk to her mother. They were here for a sort of tea party, her mother¡¯s friends. It was a small, formal get together. As the princess, Tess was obligated to come to this party. She may have been sitting still and staying quiet, but inside she was squirming and screaming. This get-together was incredibly boring and she would rather have been learning to use her magic. She had looked through the archives their family had saved from the Old World. Eventually she found a book detailing on magic particles and elements. Supposedly the little particles that came to her, were magic elements. You could tell what kind of magic user a person was by what type of elements they controlled. Supposedly, the light green lights were earth magic and the white ones were air. So Tess was an earth and air magic user. That meant she would have an easier time using earth and air related spells. In time she would be able to call on the other elements, but it would be much harder to master and use them. Tess had been practicing controlling the elements out in the garden, in secluded area away from prying eyes. So far she could make a small gust of wind, and move a pebble with her mind. That was the extent of her abilities at the moment. She was pulled from her thoughts at a scream of fear. She snapped her head up, looking around. It was her mother who had screamed, she now lay shivering on the carpeted floor. Tess bolted towards her, setting the tea down on a table. The other ladies were gathered around her mother, in a loose circle. Pushing her way through, Tess crouched down next to her shivering mother. ¡°Mother? Mother, what is wrong?¡± The Queen whispered something, Tess leaned in closer. ¡°H-he i-is here.¡± Then she fainted, Tess pulled back from her mother. He is here? Who was he? ¡°Guards!¡± A blond elven lady yelled. Two guards wearing chain mail burst into the room shortly after. The royal crescent along their chest: a bow and scroll crossed over a crown. ¡°Take my mother to her room, and call the doctor.¡± Tess commanded the guards. ¡°Yes, milady!¡± They did as she said, picking up her mother gently and walking out of the room. A tense silence filled the room, as none of its inhabitants wanted to be the first to speak. ¡°The tea party is over, I wish you a happy farewell on my mother''s part. Your carriages will be waiting for you outside,¡± Tess said, eyeing a servant in the corner. He scurried off, with the ladies in tow. Sitting back down on a velvet couch, Tess stared out the window. Now she was worried. She thought for a while, what had her mother meant? Did this have something to do with the ¡®ancient evils¡¯ she had seemed so worried about? She had said that one was headed here, to Valcrest? Was it already here, and was that who her mother had warned her about? She sat there for a while more, contemplating it. She was scared, even knowing that this evil should not have been able fight through all of the royal guard. But what if it did? She was making little to no head way with her magic, only just starting to learn how to use it. She decided it would be best to go to the gate, only just for now. To make sure everything was fine. Her father was currently occupied in the War room. Preparing to go to war with the humans. Getting up, she headed for the castle gate. The corridors were quiet as always, other than a passing maid, Tess didn''t see anyone. Stepping out of the front door, Tess made her way down a lavish walkway to the giant, iron gate. It was completely composed of iron, given intricate carvings. The thing was huge, at least 40 feet tall, and heavy. It was always open, of course with a platoon of guards watching from the grounds and wall. The gate could be shut by a crank system, but it would need at least five people to use. ¡°Milady! Is there some where you need to go?¡± The guard captain shouted when he noticed her there. He was a big, burly elf with a brown handlebar mustache. He wore shining, iron plate armor. He was captain of the royal guard. He had a shield on his back and a sword on his hip, then there were the pistols. All royal guard, nobles and other influential people with money could own these things. They were elven made, based off designs from the dwarven made pistols, but still not as great. They costed between 150 gold pieces to 10 silver pieces. Elven pistols were made of metal, wood and other things. The captain had two, each strapped onto one of his thighs. Both were holstered, but Tess had seen them every once and awhile as he polished and took care of them. They were repeating pistols, allowing him to fire off three shots with each pistol. They had a metal barrel, trigger at the bottom and a wood handle with leather around it for gripping. The pistols were some of the nicer ones, but the ones dwarves made were far better. Tess had a vague idea how they worked, and that he had to load gunpowder and the round metal bullet in by hand, making it slow to reload. ¡°No, I¡¯m only making sure everything is okay at the gate, Captain Verdes,¡± said Tess, nodding to him, she turned around and started walking back into the house. Just as she was about to reach the stairs up to the grand wood door of her house, she heard the guards yell, ¡°Halt! State your business at the Royal Castle!¡± Turning around, Tess saw a small figure cloaked in a brown hood, and another with a red headscarf. The little figure clutched the taller one¡¯s sleeve, features hidden beneath the unnaturally stretching shadow of the hood. The tall one was grinning happily. He had pale, creamy skin- like the skin of a bloodless corpse. He was also unhealthily thin, his face was basically skin over his skull, giving him a skeleton look. He had short, tousled, dark hair with amber colored irises, that seemed to almost glow. At least a boy, 15 or 16 years old. He wore a sheathed sword on his back, with a black, long sleeved cloth shirt. He had even darker cloth pants and heavy, black leather boots. With a black leather belt, several pouches hung from it, with a small bag attached to it in the back. The smiling boy stood in a relaxed posture, like nothing was happening, while the small, brown cloaked figure stood silently next to him. Tess was taken aback by this boy, unlike every other commoner, who ever tried to enter the Royal Castle, he was completely at ease. Not a bit of fear or nervousness on his face or in his posture. Tess had become good about reading people through necessity, and this kid was giving off an aura of calm, almost peacefulness, but there was also something chilling coming off him. ¡°State your business for approaching the Royal Castle!¡± Shouted the Captain, walking in front of the two strangers. The boy just smiled happily, and responded. ¡°I wish to talk to your ruler, it is an urgent message,¡± smiled the boy, the grip from the cloaked one tightening slightly. The elven Captain grunted and said, ¡°Then you can let me look at the message.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it is verbal. Only the King may hear it, I can only say it is urgent and he must hear it,¡± said the dark boy, still smiling. Tess frowned, this boy hardly looked the part of a messenger. He wore a sword, most Royal or Noble House messengers only carried a knife and dressed rather fancily. This smiling boy was dressed in complete black, however odd his apparel, it was not one of a messenger. She cautiously approached, taking strength in the fact that many of the guards were standing near. ¡°Then you will have to tell me the message and I will decide whether or not it worthy of the King,¡± growled the Captain, a hand resting on the hilt of his sword as if to say he could kill him in an instant. And that was true, the Captain had earned his title from years of grueling and intense training, then he slowly made it to Captain of The Royal Guard by skill, brawn, brain and loyalty. The boy¡¯s smile increased in size, almost looking happy at that answer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can not do that, for it is only for the ears of the King.¡± The Captain glared at the boy, he was obviously in a predicament. Because if this boy really carried important news, however likely, Tess knew, he could not turn him away. Then the boy obviously wasn''t going to say the message. Tess decided to step in and help the Captain out. She walked forward, fluffy dress swaying, ¡°I am Princess Tessa Hasrio Sander.¡± The boy¡¯s smile faltered for a second, and his eyes widened slightly in surprise at the sight of her, but he quickly regained the smile. But he did not bow, nor his companion. Tess felt a twinge of anger and shock that a commoner would not bow to her, much less two. But she kept her face neutral, hiding her emotions. Burrowing into the boy with her icy eyes, she spoke, ¡°If I am not worthy of hearing this message, then it will never be heard by my father. So, you can either leave or tell me this message and I will consider whether it worthy of my father.¡± ¡®Got you, now you have no chance unless you tell me.¡¯ Tess smiled internally with victory. She was actually never told anything about her family''s business and this was her chance to get some information on what her father was up to. The boy still smiled happily, but his eyes darted from the Captain, who had backed off, and Tess. He stayed like that for a minute, contemplating. Who exactly was this kid? He obviously had no respect for royalty. ¡°So be it. But none other may hear my message,¡± He said after a little bit. Tess waved her hand and the guards around her backed off uneasily. If the boy attacked the princess, then they would riddle him with holes from guns and bows, but what if he took her hostage? Either way, they would have to be vigilant, Tess knew, and she would be too. She gripped a small knife hidden in the billows of her long sleeve where it was strapped to her arm. She never went anywhere without it, by now it was a good luck charm and a weapon for defense. She stepped cautiously closer, eyeing the messenger and his silent companion. He adjusted the red scarf he wore on his head, and took a step forward, leaning. Tess was now within a foot of him. He was small, a few inches shorter than Tess. ¡°Magic has returned.¡± He whispered it with a smile, loud enough for Tess to hear but none of the royal guards. Her eyes opened wide. No one should have known about magic, except¡­ The royal families. It, of course, was told in tales and stories sometimes, but no one should have known it had returned. He spoke it with certainty- like he knew it. Tess took a step back, returning her expression to one that was neutral. She turned to the Royal Guard Captain, ¡°I will personally see this messenger to my father. You may return to your duties, Captain.¡± He looked uncertain, ¡°Milady, are you sure? I can bring him to your father.¡± Tess glared at the captain, her icy blue eyes burrowing into him, making him squirm, even though she was shorter than him. ¡°Are you implying I can not do a job as simple as showing a messenger to my father?¡± Squirming, he meekly answered, ¡°N-no, milady.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± She said, walking off from the Captain, ¡°Come.¡± She said to the ¡®messenger¡¯ boy. He followed a few steps behind her, the small, cloaked one still clinging to his arm. Chapter 12: A Gift of Magic Tess She had no plan to let them near her father until she got every last bit they knew about magic. It was clear that the boy with the red headscarf knew something about it. He was still smiling, and it was starting to get to Tess. He was just too calm and the smile now seemed creepy. Tess, with the two strangers in tow, went out to the garden. The entire time walking with them, something seemed off about it. But Tess just couldn''t place what was missing. The boy still smiled, with the small cloaked kid clutching onto his arm. The boy didn''t seem at all bothered: surely he should have noticed that she had brought them to the wrong place. Tess stopped in the corner of the garden, away from all eyes. Tall hedges blocking them from view. She turned on the dark boy, ¡°Who are you? And how do you know of magic?¡± The boy¡¯s smile widened, ¡°My name is Lost, and I have an important mission to fulfill. So, if you would be so kind as to take me to your father, then I can do it properly.¡± Tess¡¯ jaw dropped slightly at the blatant disrespect. No commoner would ever talk to a Royal like that. She snapped her jaw closed quickly, resisting the urge to send the boy to the dungeon. ¡°What do you know of magic?¡± Tess tried again, her voice strained. The boy clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°Well I suppose there''s no getting around it.¡± Tess cocked her head to the side, eyebrow rising slightly. But before she could say anything, the red headscarf wearing boy spoke again. ¡°Over two thousand years ago, there was a magic user who made a plague. Not your ordinary type of plague, mind you. It was one derived from pure magic. The magic user turned it into a unpredictable, chaotic thing. It spread across the land, mutating magic and non-magic creatures, twisting them into her minions and some were driven to insanity. Eventually she was defeated, but at a grave price. She was defeated by being locked away at the price of the world''s magic, for if she was not defeated, then all beings would be in her control. Recently, the magic of the world and the plague were released, returning magic to the land but also unleashing this plague. The magic user is dead now, but her plague will still spread, driving every living being to insanity.¡± The boy looked around calmly, like he had just asked if Tess was having a good day. ¡°I¡­ Mmmh¡­ What?¡± Tess was at a loss for words. But how did he know this? And why wasn''t it in any of the records in the archives about the Old World? Lost shrugged, ¡°Eh, I didn''t really think you would understand. To put it simply, magic has returned and some are learning to use it. There is a plague that is going to slowly destroy this world using the newly returned magic, if it goes unchecked. I have come here to request the help of the elves.¡± ¡°H-help?¡± Tess asked, unsure of how to handle this conversation. She may have just gotten tangled up in something far bigger than a war between humans and elves. ¡°Yes, your help. I need to use your vault to banish the magic once again, it¡¯s the only way I know how to fix this,¡± said Lost, staring at her evenly. ¡°You said again?¡± Tess asked, unsure if she should keep talking to this person or to just lead them to her father so he could deal with them. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Yes, again. I was the one who trapped and locked away the world¡¯s magic,¡± Lost said, his smile gone. That''s when it hit Tess, like a hammer. There was only one person she heard of to ever trap magic, The Dark Swordsman. Tess took a step back, pulling out the dagger hidden in her sleeve, even though she knew it would be useless. She held it out in front of her, fear spreading through out her mind. The man people thought of as a god today, an evil god. The man thought to have immense power, enough to defeat a thousand men. The man who is ruthless, cold and recorded in history as The Destroyer. The man who caused the Great Catastrophe. The man who should have been dead. He raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why are you pointing a knife at me? I thought we were your guests. I know you think I destroyed that border keep or something like that, but I swear I didn''t.¡± Tess stayed silent for a while, trying to calm herself down. Even being in the presence of this man was a sin in most religions. Lost and the hooded figure just stood there silently, watching, waiting. ¡°W-what do you want?¡± Tess blurted out finally. ¡°I already told you. I need to get to your Vault. So I can imprison this plague of magic, before the world is consumed by it,¡± Lost took a step forward, Tess a step back. ¡°It-it was d-destroyed!¡± Tess stuttered, still holding the small knife out in front of her. Lost frowned, ¡°That can¡¯t be, if it''s gone then¡­¡± Lost trailed off. Tess lowered her dagger an inch, unsure if he was going to attack her. ¡°Dammit!¡± Lost shouted, looking at the sky, he let out a stream of curses. Tess, if she wasn''t afraid, would have blushed at his colorful vocabulary. After a few minutes, the curses slowly stopped and Lost fell silent. He started mumbling incoherently. Looking up, he stared at Tess, who was shaking. ¡°I thank you for telling the truth. You have been very helpful. I must now leave, but here is a parting gift.¡± He stepped quickly towards her, the figure on his arm following him. Tess shrank back, but wasn''t fast enough. She let out a terrified scream, and plunged the dagger into his chest, it sank in without problem. Lost wasn''t fazed, he only frowned and looked down at the dagger in his chest. ¡°Huh. You really are scared of me,¡± said Lost, smirking slightly. Tess let out another scream, letting go of the knife. It clattered to the ground, phasing right through Lost. Tess stared in horror at him. ¡°W-what are you?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not actually here, this is only an illusion. I felt like someone had noticed me as soon as I entered the city, so I decided to come to the castle, but as an illusion.¡± Tess gaped at him, she knew about illusions. It was a form of magic. ¡°Now don''t move, this is a parting gift to help you master your magic. I don¡¯t want some inexperienced magic user blowing themselves and others up.¡± Tess didn¡¯t get a chance to say anything, as he reached out his pale hand. Plunging it into her forehead, she felt a burst of extreme pain, tears streamed down her face. Then he swiftly pulled it out. Backing up he spoke, ¡°I thank you again. I would also apreciate it if you called the bounty off my head, but from what I have heard about your King, I highly doubt he will do it.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± Tess asked, she had no idea how to react to this situation. Here she was, in the presence of a man considered an evil god by most. And he was thanking her, after plunging his hand into her head. ¡°I said thank you. Goodbye,¡± said Lost. He and the small figure next to him vanished. Without a puff of smoke or sound, nothing. Like they weren''t ever even there. She sank to her knees. This was too much for her mind to handle, she even started questioning if he was really even there. Moments later, around 6 royal guards came running into sight. Seeing their princess on the ground crying they stopped. ¡°Milady, what happened?¡± One of the guards said, stepping forward. Tess wiped her face clean, standing up. ¡°I need to talk to my father.¡± The guards nodded, two went off to get the king. She walked over to a bench and sat down, trying to collect herself. Slowly sifting through her mind, her eyes widened. She knew what his gift was, and what a gift it was. Tess, completely forgetting about her fear, started to sift through what he had put in her head. He had left her with the knowledge on how to cast spells, and how to properly learn to replenish her magic. He had showed her how to use magic. Chapter 13: The Resistance Lost Lost collapsed in a pool of sweat. He gasped for air, looking around. He was in a inn room, with two beds, a table and a small window. Fen rushed over to him, a worried expression on her face. ¡°Mr. Lost are you okay?¡± Lost waved her off, and lay back on the bed. He had been controlling the illusion for at least 20 minutes, obviously that was more than he could handle. The Transference of Knowledge only added onto that. His head was throbbing with pain and all of his stored magic was gone. He closed his eyes, it helped the headache slightly. He could hear Fen talking, but now the words seemed distant. All he wanted to do was sleep. His conscious slowly fell into the recesses of his mind. ****** Lost¡¯s mind slowly returned to consciousness. The first thing he felt, still sleepy and mind groggy, was something soft. It was warm and heavy, laying ontop of his chest. He slowly forced his eyes open, fighting back the urge to fall asleep again. He looked down. Fen was curled up on his chest, holding him in place. Her white tail curled around her waist and head pressed up to his chest. ¡®She¡¯s so cute,¡¯ was his first, drowsy thought, then he fully woke up. He nearly let out a shout, but held it back at the last second. Remembering the last time she woke up in his arms, she had set off a flash bang in his eyes. He opted to silently and gently move out of her grasp. Slowly pushing her off of him to the side, he slipped out of the bed. Fen mumbled something and shifted around. Lost rubbed his forehead, why was she laying ontop of him? Whatever, he would ask her when she woke up. He moved over to the window, grabbing one of the chairs at the round table in the corner. Moving back to the window, he sat down in the wooden chair with a groan. Outside it was currently night. The window overlooked a cobbled street with shops lining it. A few lit lamps were hanging in store windows and doorways. Not many were out at this hour, only one or two were moving on the sidewalks. ¡®What am I going to do now?¡¯ Lost thought bitterly. He was depressed and angry. The elven Vault was gone? It was the only other thing Lost knew that could, probably, indefinitely hold the magical plague. He knew if the plague was allowed to spread even farther, it wouldn''t stop. His best option was to fight it here, while it was still growing. While it was still young. How could things have fallen apart so quickly? This new world was going to fall if he didn''t do something. But what was there to do? What could he do? It wasn''t like his strength and skill could fight something that spreads through everything and can''t be touched. Magic was released onto this new world, and the plague was slowly following in its wake. He knew a little bit of what it was. It was created by a person, a very misguided person. The plague was derived from both light, and dark magic. In fact, it was partly his fault it came into being. The only thing Lost knew he could do was start helping the new magic users learn to use their powers. He would have to teach them, show them how to fight. But he couldn''t just sit idle while the world was slowly being destroyed. It would drive him insane. What could he do? The only thing he knew how to do was fight, but what was there to fight against? His sword, however powerful, could not destroy the plague. Maybe he could hold it back? But how would he do that? It was clear from the attack on the road that the plague was already starting to mutate the creatures of the land. What had that soldier said about the Keep being attacked? An army of demons? No, he had said a human had attacked with demons. That''s when it hit Lost, he knew why the attack on the keep seemed so familiar. Why it seemed planned. What if she hadn''t died when he had trapped the magic? He remembered her stabbing him in the heart before being vanquished. Before he closed the door.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. At that memory, his mind flashed back to those last moments. Silent sobs and tears streamed down his face at the memory of dying. The pain. The cold. The whispers of the dead. It was horrible. And that look she gave him, one full of complete and utter hate. He had suppressed the memory with the idea he could trap the magic again. But now? The knowledge that there was no way to do it was too much. Then the thought that she had somehow survived was even worse. It would explain the human the dying elf soldier was talking about. He hadn''t been able to kill her; he was too weak before. Even with enough power to destroy all her forces, he still couldn¡¯t fight her. And now he didn''t even have a sliver of his former power. He was just a shell and a shadow of what he used to be. A husk. That''s when Lost¡¯s heart hardened, his will returned to steel. He would need to get stronger, enough to kill her. Enough to end her and the plague. After all, it was she who had controlled it, directed it. It was decided, he would teach the new generation of magic users how to fight, while also growing more powerful in the process. Traveling and looking for information on her whereabouts. He knew she was either in the human country or the elven country. Not much to go on. But he would defeat her, kill her. Even if it killed him, again. Tarquin Tarquin set his head against the wooden table with a meaty thunk. Oh, what a headache today had been. This new information from the spy in the elven capital had provided quite a lot of amusement at first. The spy¡¯s information was brought to him by way of messenger. He still remembered it too. After reading the letter Tarquin had laughed. It seemed that the resistance¡¯s spy had finally snapped. Whether from the constant worry of being found out or from some other means, Tarquin did not know. But slowly, he reread the paper over, and asked a few of his informants to gather other intel on the ins and outs of the castle. It was limited, barely enough to go on when he got it, but it confirmed the spy¡¯s letter to be true. Supposedly, a boy wearing a headscarf had approached the gates of the castle. He had refused when asked to leave, saying he must talk to the king. The princess had then demanded he tell her what it was, and after whispering in her ear, she had confirmed it to be enough to speak to her father. She had then led him into the castle after a small argument with the guard captain. But not to her father, instead opting to take him into the garden. After that, no one knew what happened. The princess had been tight lipped on what was said and happened. Only saying he had attacked her, and then vanished into thin air. Like he wasn''t even there. The guards had searched the premises and called the King from his war meeting. Tarquin had not found what was said in the letter funny, but the fact that this person had somehow gained access to the castle without problem, then proceeded to get all the bodyguards the princess had dismissed, attacked her, and then vanished without a trace. It was quite the feat to say the least. Tarquin had been trying for 2 years before he could get a spy in the castle and even then, it took longer to get that spy to a position of power. So the prospect of someone being able to get into the castle within 10 minutes and attack the princess, seemed highly unlikely. Tarquin didn''t know how to take the information, so he just laughed. He pulled his head off the table, and sat upright. Looking over a long wooden table lined with chairs. Empty chairs. All his associates were either dead or still too scared to come out of the shadows. So, none of them were here. Tarquin was what one could call the lesser of two evils. As in, he wanted to rule over the elven country, making it his own. He would change plenty of laws in the process. Most would consider him the unofficial leader of the resistance against the king¡¯s law. Beasters is what commoners called the resistance. He, himself, was not a beastman; being a large, muscled elf with graying black hair, a wisp of hair on his chin and upper lip. He wore expensive looking blue clothes, the kind nobles wore. It had been a day since the incident in the castle. Tarquin was still puzzling over what happened in the castle. Whether or not this red- headband-wearing boy was either a threat or a potential ally. The door slammed open, startling Tarquin. He looked up at the person in the doorway. ¡°Uncle! Do you know how long it took me to get ahold of you?! Your guards said that I couldn''t disturb you. It¡¯s been a day now!¡± Tarquin¡¯s nephew shouted out. Tarquin let out a long sigh and rubbed his forehead. The headache just got worse, ¡°Renhold, what are you doing here? I thought you were off adventuring.¡± Ren let out a huff of air and shut the door behind him. Walking up, he plopped down in the chair on the far side of the table, leaning his glaive on the side of the table. ¡°Uncle, how goes your business?¡± Tarquin wasn''t exactly sure why his nephew was here. The last he had heard Ren had left the village Tarquin¡¯s brother ran in search of honor and glory. Or so that''s what he told Tarquin''s brother. ¡°Just fine,¡± Tarquin said dully. He had a trading and transportation business to help support himself and his house. It also doubled as a coverup for the resistance. ¡°What are you doing here? I thought you were travelling to the human lands?¡± Ren smiled happily and leaned forward, ¡°I changed my mind, uncle. I have to tell you about this kid I met.¡± He then proceeded to tell Tarquin about his journey here and about a swordsman named ¡®Lost¡¯. At first Tarquin thought he was joking, but the more he heard from Ren about their battle, the more he became convinced he wasn''t lying. Tarquin sat back, thinking about it. The fact that the swordsman almost fit the exact description given about the one at the castle got him thinking. ¡°What did this swordsman look like before you saw him last?¡± Ren smiled, ¡°He didn''t have his cloak on, but was wearing a red headscarf thing.¡± Tarquin leaned forward, ¡°Do you know where he is?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I think he might be able to help me.¡± Smiling again Renhold said, ¡°I will meet him in 3 days. If he¡¯s not there, then he should come here.¡± Chapter 14: Captured Fen Grumbling under her breath, she followed Lost out of the inn. ¡®Why is he so insistent on bringing that dumb elf with us?¡¯ Fen had been woken up by Lost and he told her that they were going to go get Ren. She had wondered what had happened to him when he was controlling that illusion. For her, he had been standing in the middle of the room, keeping his hands together in what looked like praying. His eye¡¯s had been closed and after a few minutes he was sweating profusely. They walked through the streets, Lost mumbling and looking at street signs. Fen was fuming at the prospect of being in that elf¡¯s presence. He was just too kind for an elf. She didn''t like it, he had to be up to something. No elf would just try and save a beastwoman out of the kindness of their heart, however idiotic they were. But wasn''t it the same with humans? Fen had also heard of the cruelty that beastmen faced with humans, not so much with the dwarves. So, why did Lost save her? Why would a human do that? Then again, was he even human? Those eye¡¯s seemed to see everything. They glowed, she had never heard of anyone¡¯s eyes glowing. Other than beastmen. A few types had night vision, but their eyes only glowed in the night. His glowed in the light, it was faint, but if you knew what you were looking for, you could see it. Then there was the weird statement he had said back in the border forests. He had said he didn''t know what he was, or that it didn''t feel like his body. What was that supposed to mean? She had been puzzling over that for a while. Then the big question came, who exactly was he? He somehow knew about magic, and enough to teach it. Though from her lessons, it was obvious he had little to no patience for sitting there complementing or correcting her. In fact, he would just tell her to practice, then do something else. Fen was snapped out of her thoughts when an elf bumped into Lost. ¡°Hey. I¡¯m sorry,¡± The elf said, patting Lost on the shoulders. He was a thin elf with greasy black hair and sharp features. Lost didn''t look amused. His expression was blank, betraying no emotion. ¡°Don''t try it again.¡± He said in a calm, but chilling voice. He held up a carving knife, and his money pouch, plus another. The thin elf wore an expression of surprise and shock, his mouth hanging open. His hand instinctively went to his belt under the brown cloak. Fen, too, was surprised. The elf was a thief, and somehow Lost had stolen his stuff back. ¡°I¡¯m a much better thief than you. Pick your targets better next time,¡± said Lost, handing the thief back his pouch and knife. The elf just stood there with surprise, not knowing what to do. Lost then walked off, ignoring the thief. Fen quickly scurried after him. After pushing through the crowd for a bit more, Fen grabbed Lost¡¯s sleeve and tugged. He looked back and down at her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°How¡¯d you know he was trying to steal your money?¡± Fen asked, her green eye¡¯s wide. Lost snorted, ¡°That trick only works once. Or at least for me. Plus, I could see him purposely coming our way, then purposely bumping into me.¡± Fen contemplated that, following Lost through the crowds. Just another mystery added to the big question of who he really was. A thief maybe? He did that trick very well, but a thief wouldn''t carry a sword. He said he was a swordsman, but what swordsman would also have the skills of a thief? Then added onto his skills in magic, it just didn''t make sense. ¡°Shoot,¡± Lost said under his breath, holding his hand out and stopping Fen. She looked up at him. ¡°This just isn¡¯t my day.¡± He grabbed Fen by the arm roughly, but it was a loose grip. She finally saw what had made him stop, a guard patrol. The worst part, the guards had noticed them. The guards started shouting and pushing through the throngs of people. Pulling, Lost quickly led Fen into a nearby alley between a barber shop and jewelry store. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Fen asked, her heart pounding. She had her brown hood up, but her ears could still pick up the sounds of the guards from behind. The pounding of their boots. ¡°I don''t know,¡± Lost said, picking up to a run. Fen caught up a second later. They turned the corner into a trash littered alley. ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot! I should have taken off this headband before leaving!¡± Fen franticly looked around for a place to hide, but there was none. She shifted her ears under the hood, listening. Her eye¡¯s went wide. That''s it! She abruptly stopped. Lost ran for a few more steps, then stopped and turned around to look at her. ¡°Whats wrong? We have to go, now!¡± ¡°Put this on. The guards aren''t going to be looking for a wolf beast girl.¡± Fen took off the cloak and stuck her hand out at Lost. Lost¡¯s eye¡¯s went wide with understanding. He quickly grabbed the cloak and slung it over his arm. ¡°Take my sword, they saw me with it.¡± He quickly unclasped the belt on his chest, holding the scarab. Then he grabbed his rolled up black cloak from the back pouch on his belt. Wrapping it up, he handed it to her. She grunted at the weight, it was like 40 pounds! How could he walk all day with this thing on his back? Then he slung the brown cloak over himself. It only reached to his waist, but it covered him enough. If you didn''t look close, then you would hardly notice him. ¡°I¡¯m gonna run out of disguises at this rate,¡± Lost mumbled. ¡°Start walking.¡± He motioned back to the way they had come. Fen turned around, cradling the bundled sword in her arms. She slowly plodded along, trying to calm her pumping heart. The guards rounded the corner at that moment. They kept pounding towards them down the cobbled alleyway. Fen fought with the urge to turn around and bolt at that moment. There were four guards. Could Lost handle that many? Maybe, but he hadn''t absorbed any magic recently. And it was obvious that he hadn''t fully recovered from his prolonged magic use, though he tried to hide it from Fen. She knew could tell, he had been acting very sluggish when she woke up, and it was still there. The four guards were now on them, no turning back now. Two of them ran by without even looking in Lost and Fen¡¯s direction. Then the other two stopped. Fen could feel her heart jump into her mouth. One was skinny, and he had a suspicious look in his eye. The other, a much older elf with muscles that could be seen under his chain mail vest. Both had animosity in their eye¡¯s when they looked at Fen. She tried to stop her shaking, but couldn''t. Was this it? ¡°Take off the hood, sir,¡± said the muscled guard, looking at Lost. That was it, they were caught. Fen glanced behind them, the other two guards had stopped now. Lost didn''t take down his hood, but the thin elf guard was impatient. He reached his long arm out to lift Lost¡¯s hood. That''s when it happened, Lost, so quick it was a blur, reached up and grabbed the thin elf¡¯s arm. He swiftly tightened his grip and swung his other hand up. It hit the elf in the elbow, a sickening crunch resounded. The elf screamed in agony, falling to the ground. His arm bent backwards, the bloody bone sticking out of his arm. Fen didn''t even have time to register what just happened, Lost bolted towards the muscled elven guard. Lost brought his fist back and punched the elf in the nose, that too, gave a crunching sound. Tears burst from the elven guard¡¯s eyes and he crumpled to the ground, screaming and clutching at his nose. Blood streaming from it. Reaching to her belt, Fen pulled the dagger out. She knew a little bit on how to use it, from Lost, but he hadn''t had a chance to show her much of anything. Holding it out in front of her, it was a plain straight blade, but it was meant to be held upside down, like Fen was doing now. Lost turned back to the other two guards, who were advancing on them. He took a step forward, then stumbling on the next step. He swayed back and forth, losing his balance. His breathing was heavy and labored, he crumpled to the ground. What was wrong with him? ¡°Dammit!¡± He said, pushing himself back up, but failing to stand. ¡°Mr. Lost, are you okay?¡± Fen said, she ran up to him, pulling his hood back. His face was coated in sweat, his skin flushed a deep crimson. Lost looked at her, his amber eyes filled with desperation. Was it her, or did it look like the glow in his eyes was fainter? ¡°Fen¡­ You have to go.¡± Terror griped her heart, ¡°No...¡± ¡°You¡­ have to!¡± Lost went into a fit of coughing. He pushed her back, the guards nearly upon them. Fen looked back at the elven guards, only a few feet away now. They had stone studded wood clubs out. Then more guards poured out of the other end of the alley way. Why were there so many!? How had they gotten here so fast? Lost pushed Fen to the other end of the alley, ¡°Run! Now! I will be fine!¡± Fen¡¯s mind locked up into fear, slowly consuming her. Then Lost¡¯s desperate scream sliced through the thick fog, ¡°RUN!¡± She didn''t even think, Fen bolted. Keeping the sword clutched to her chest. Her feet beat down on the cobbles in time with her heart. Thump, thump, thump. Running out of the alley and into the crowds, Fen heard screams and shouts echoing from the alley. There was flash of light, then silence. She couldn''t stop, Lost¡¯s one word driving her forward. Compelling her. Run. She didn''t know how long she ran, but it was far. Down streets filled with elves, past shops and parks. Through a market and down alleys. Eventually, she ran out of breath, her side hurting. Fen fell down in a grimy alleyway, out of sight from the road. She curled up in a little ball, tears streaming down her face. Her mind devolved into sadness and fear. Shame. She clutched the bundled sword to her breast, sobs forcing their way through her mouth. Chapter 15: The Wraith Lost Darkness. That was everything that was, will be, and is here. Straining to remember what had happened, Lost slowly found the memory of being captured. And Fen running. He smiled at that, at least he had saved her- again. He was surrounded by an endless void of swirling shadows that looked likesmoke.A place void of light, void of hope. He had been here before, hadn¡¯t he? ¡°Hello,¡± said a voice that sounded like Lost¡¯s but wasn''t. A slippery, snake-like tone that wasn''t how Lost talked was mixed in with clicking. Turning around, Lost¡¯s eyes settled on a shadow. A shadow that looked like it wore ragged robes made of swirling smoke. It had a cowl pulled up, showing no face, its sleeves hung past its hands, hiding those too. That''s when it clicked, Lost knew where he was. ¡°I thought I had gotten rid of you,¡± He said coldly. The wraith made a clicking sound, and shifted a foot to the left, ¡°You know you can never get rid of me.¡± Lost sighed, sitting down criss cross. ¡°But I can still hope.¡± ¡°Hope is a foolish thing,¡± The wraith said in Lost¡¯s voice that wasn''t his, shifting a foot to the right, stirring up a gray mist cloud. ¡°Heh,¡± Lost shifted a little, keeping an eye on the wraith. ¡°Well, you can bet I will take that to heart.¡± He said sarcastically. It made more clicking noises, ¡°You should, you¡¯d be better off without it.¡± Lost ignored that, ¡°Why am I here?¡± ¡°You got captured,¡± The wraith commented bluntly. ¡°I did. I was weak.¡± More clicking noises, ¡°You used magic when this body and your mind was still recovering. If you try to absorb magic, you will only hurt this body.¡± Lost shrugged, he thought he could use it when the guards attacked, but he was proven wrong. Alas, he didn''t have any healing spells, only one for a headache. Or even a recovery spell, he wasn''t good at healing magic. He was only meant to destroy, not heal. To destroy, decimate, annihilate, that was just his magic. ¡°Why am I here?¡± Lost asked again, knowing that this was not going to go well. ¡°You know why,¡± The wraith said with some clicks. ¡°No, I don''t.¡± A few clicks, then it spoke, ¡°Your body will be mine in time. You know it, it¡¯s just a matter of time-and place.¡± Lost snorted, just like old times, ¡°Ya, you are right,¡± Lost admitted. ¡°But I will die before you ever get the chance.¡± Clicking, ¡°We will see¡­¡± The world was sucked up in a rush of screaming wind. Lost woke up, his mind fuzzy and hurting. His vision was blurry, and he strained his mind to remember something that he couldn''t. A¡­ conversation? Maybe, he couldn¡¯t remember. Just bit¡¯s and a few words. The Wraith. His shoulders, arms and wrists hurt. Looking up, Lost saw that he was chained to a wall. He blinked a few times, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. He could see bars, and two other stone walls holding him in where he was, a square cell. The dripping of water could be heard echoing off from somewhere. A dank and moldy smell filled his nose and mouth. Smirking, Lost licked his chapped lips. ¡®It looks like I¡¯m in the dungeon, again.¡¯ Tess ¡°Grrhh!¡± Tess gnashed her teeth together in frustration. ¡®Is there nothing on why the Dark Swordsman locked away magic?¡¯ She had been at this for a day now, taking frequent breaks. Sifting through the archives for anything on why the Dark Swordsman locked away the magic, or how. But there was nothing, even the history books didn''t reach this far back, but it almost seemed like someone wiped away all information on the Dark Swordsman. If it was true, then what else in their history could be a lie? She shivered at that thought. Was everything a lie? No, there had to be a good reason that the Dark Swordsman is stated as evil. And why there was so little information on him. Closing another scroll, she put it back in its cubby. She got up with a sigh, tired from looking through millions of records, of their history and looking for anything on the Dark Swordsman. There had to be something more! Something! When that red headscarf wearing boy had appeared and told her he was the Dark Swordsman, she had believed him. He had given a reason, but was it a lie or the truth? And why would it not be in the archives? Where everything about the elf¡¯s history and important events was stored! Maybe there was some other place to learn about him? But she highly doubted it, in fact, she might even be blamed for blasphemy if people found out she was trying to learn more about the ¡®Dark God¡¯. Though her being a royal would stop them from doing anything to her, that didn''t mean her parents wouldn''t punish her. Tess carved a path of frustration through the halls, servants and maids staying away for fear of being the target of her anger. There were tales about the Dark God. But even those were vague and no one really dared to speak them. They were only used to scare mischievous kids into obedience. Like how he was always watching in the shadows to snatch up in obedient children and eat their souls. How he could kill a hundred men in the blink of an eye. How he was a demon of shadows. How he could control other¡¯s minds with a flick of his will. But these were only bedtime stories, nothing solid to go on. Storming into her room, Tess threw herself onto her silk sheet covered bed, screaming into a pillow out of frustration. Desperation. She needed to know whether their history was a lie. The magic knowledge he had provided her with had sent her leaps and bonds forth, and there was still more to follow. They were like directions inside her head, burning bright. So far she could now summon strong gusts of wind and shift large rocks around. One of the interesting things about earth magic was that you couldn''t just make it magically float. It could be pushed, molded and pulled. It was like playing with clay, but Tess had never been an artistic person. But with a little help of wind magic, she could make rocks float. Though she had yet to figure out how to move it once it was floating. Wind wasn''t like earth, less simple and more complex. Though earth was easy to figure out, it was hard to do, like trying to walk through a muddy bog while someone is constantly pulling you back. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Air felt slippery, light. She just couldn''t quite figure out how to shape or move it, like her hands kept slipping through it. While earth was heavy, solid. It was easy to feel, but air just seemed to slip away every time she was near to figuring it out. It was like both were opposites of each other. If only, she dare to even think it, that the boy who claimed himself the Dark Swordsman, could teach her more. For the first time, she was actually having fun doing something. It wasn''t for anyone else, wasn''t for the good of the country or to even make her parents proud of her, it was something for herself. There was a heavy knocking on the door, disrupting Tess from her thoughts. ¡°Come in,¡± she said, her frustration lessening, but still boiling. The door opened to reveal the captain of the royal guard. He looked nervous, but his posture was still proud. ¡°Milady, I have a message from the city guard. They would like you to know that your assailant has been caught and will be executed tomorrow.¡± She sat there, on the edge of her bed. Her mind didn''t comprehend what he had just said. Then it hit, but she kept her expression neutral, showing no emotion. They had caught the Dark Swordsman? How was that even possible, if, like she saw and had heard, couldn''t he have easily combated the entire city guard force? He hadn¡¯t seemed like he would do such a thing, but people were more than they appeared. You couldn¡¯t know, Tess had learned this lesson when she realized her idolized father may be a man of evil. She needed to know, if it was really the ¡®Dark God¡¯. Standing up, she made her decision. ¡°I would like to see my attacker, to confirm his identity. I would request you leave your post to take me there, now.¡± The captain hesitated for a second, but then nodded, knowing he couldn''t go against the wishes of a Royal. ¡°Yes, Milady.¡± ****** The heavy iron door closed shut with a creak and resounding BANG! Tess took a deep breath. She had come with the captain to the City Guard Headquarters. Were they kept the criminals and other offenders, locking them up in their ¡®dungeon¡¯. It was underground, with only one entrance and exit. The heavy metal door that had at least two guards at it every hour. She shifted the glowing lantern to her right hand, holding it out in front of her. This place was dark, with barely enough ambient light to see. Even then, it was mostly just outlines. Jeers came from the cells on both sides of the path, while others were silent, their captives hiding in the corners. The Royal Guard Captain had insisted on coming down here with her, but Tess politely refused. When he had pushed farther she had outright said no. Now she was starting to regret that decision. But she persevered on, through the musty hallways and down countless flights of stairs. Soon the cells had become quiet, their captives beaten to much to even look in the direction of the pinprick of light that was Tess¡¯ lantern. She eventually made it to the near bottom of the dungeon. A place ancient and quiet, and darkness that could drive one insane if they stayed in it too long. The mold grew in the cracks of the walls, the bars rusted but still strong. There the worst prisoners were kept. Murders, killers, anarchists and beasters. They all had been down here a long time, brought food only once and week, and water every three days. They were beaten, worn and weak so much so, they didn''t even bother to fight back. It was horrible, and the smell was even worse. The stench of waste, unwashed bodies and other unrecognisable smells were clouds sticking to the roof. Despair, fear and hunger hung thickly in the air, clinging to the crumbling cobbles. If you weren''t already insane, you would be staying here only a few hours. Tess resisted the urge to look into the cells, at the long and starved faces of the prisoners. Many of them were sentenced here for life, a punishment worse than death. Those sentenced to death, like The Dark Swordsman, were the lucky ones. Counting the levels and cells, Tess finally came to the one she seeked, cell 357 on level 6. Lost¡¯s cell. This place was only one level above the bottom. Even guards were afraid to go down there, because of the stories of ghosts and other undead monsters. Looking into the cell, Tess could only see a few feet behind the rusted bars. After that, it was pitch blackness. She didn''t know what to do, not having thought this far ahead. Should she call out to confirm whether it was him? Or should she just stand here and wait? ¡°H-hello?¡± Tess said hesitantly, seeming to shrink a little. That single word echoed through the blackness, slowly being consumed by the darkness. She waited there, in a tense silence. When the response finally came, Tess was both relieved and unnerved. It came in the form of chuckles. It was amused, sad and somehow evil sounding, like the cackle of a mad man. It lasted only a few seconds, but it still left Tess unnerved. ¡°Are you L-lost?¡± Tess said, her voice cracking. ¡°I would dare say, you are lost, Princess,¡± came Lost¡¯s voice from the shadows in the cell. Now that she knew it was him, Tess regained some of her confidence and composure. Standing tall, Tess spoke with a slightly more steady voice, ¡°I want to know who you are.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Came his mocking voice, sounding annoyed and amused. ¡°Why would you want to know about a monster like me. You elves already know everything.¡± ¡°B-because I need to know,¡± Tess said, not meaning to sound demanding, but it came out that way. Then two amber colored lights appeared in the back of the cell. Looking like they belonged to a demon. ¡°Why do you need to know?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± Tess said, unsure herself. She wasn''t sure, but it seemed that their history contained little to nothing on the Dark Swordsman. Like it had been removed. ¡°Fine, it''s not like I¡¯m going to live anyways,¡± Lost said, his eyes piercing through Tess¡¯s soul, ¡°I am a monster, that is all you need to know about me.¡± The elven princess didn''t know what to say to that, trying to find a response. Till finally, without thinking, she blurted out, ¡°I don''t think you''re a monster.¡± ¡°Oh? You don''t, well that¡¯s a first,¡± He said, honestly sounding mildly surprised. ¡°You''re wrong though. I am a monster. A merciless killer, thief and destroyer.¡± ¡°I dont think thats true.¡± He chuckled again, ¡°Think what you want, but know that I have tried to help others. Though, that doesn''t change what I am.¡± Help others? Yes, Tess thought that, but she was also finding her assumptions to be incorrect that he wasn''t what the tales knew him as. That he was insane. How could one laugh in this place? She finally worked up the nerve to ask what she had come here to say, ¡°I want to learn more about magic.¡± Tess was sure that the face hidden in those shadows smirked at her, ¡°Well, i¡¯m sorry, but I dont have the time. I have an appointment with an executioner tomorrow. Plus, I don''t think I would survive another Transference of Knowledge.¡± A twinge of disappointment went through her heart, but she also knew that it was highly unlikely that he would agree. She tried one last time, even though she knew it was highly unlikely she could do it. ¡°I may be able to stop the execution, but only if you agree to teach me.¡± The eyes stared at her, burrowing into her soul, ¡°I don''t think even you can get an order repealed from your father. Especially when I ¡®attacked¡¯ you.¡± She heard the sound of chains jingling. ¡°I honestly believe it might be for the best for me to die. Then there might be a chance I won''t lose myself to the Wraith.¡± Tess crinkled her brow, ¡°Wraith?¡± There came a snorting sound, ¡°My magic is ever slowly consuming me. It may be hardly noticeable, but I am slowly losing myself, bit-by-bit, to the Wraith of Darkness. Even though I know its only real in my head, that doesn''t mean it can¡¯t hurt me.¡± Tess didn¡¯t exactly understand what he was talking about, but she understood enough. He was slowly being driven insane. ¡°I-i¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don''t be, it''s not like you could do anything,¡± he responded, his eyes moving away from her and then back. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m still sorry.¡± He laughed a little, this one was honest and amused. ¡°I thank you for visiting me, princess. To talk to such a bad man and try to convince him he was a good man. For that I can give you a few tips on the use of your magic,¡± He said, then continued. ¡°It helps if you use some kind of object that you have a bond with to direct and control your power. Back before I trapped the magic, people used wands, belts, rings, staffs and other items to help them control their magic. I even saw someone use a rug to direct their magic,¡± he chuckled at the memory. ¡°Then if you developed a ¡®spell¡¯, as we used to call it, you can tie it with a word or phrase to trigger it from your mind. The more powerful the spell, the more you have to say.¡± Tess was speechless. The idea of using an item to direct magic had never occurred to her. Even if in the fairy tales wizards and other magic users used staffs or wands to cast magic, she had always thought it a bit silly. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Do not thank me, now you should go. I imagine that you aren''t meant to be here.¡± ¡°Y-yes,¡± Tess said, then she started to shuffle off, then turned back. ¡°Good bye, and even if you think yourself a monster, I don''t believe it.¡± She then turned back around and walked back into the dark, the light fading with her. Laughter echoing down the halls from cell 357. Chapter 16: Criminals Ren Tarquin smashed his fist into the table, yelling, ¡°Dammit!¡± The silverware and dishes bounced and clinked together. Seria, Tarquin¡¯s wife, got up from the table, realizing it might be best to put the kids to bed. She and the two children left the room quickly. Ren sat there, for a few minutes that felt like forever, till his uncle had gone from burning to ice cold mellowness. ¡°Uncle, what is it?¡± Ren asked. A servant had come into their meal over dinner, whispered something into his Uncle¡¯s ear and then quickly scurried out. His face had turned beat red, then he had taken his anger out on the table. Blowing air out of his nose, his uncle responded, ¡°My ¡®informants¡¯ have told me that your friend, Lost, has been captured and will be executed tomorrow.¡± Ren immediately stood up from the chair, shouting. ¡°How?!¡± His uncle looked down at the table, as if it held the answers. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure.¡± ¡°I have to go save him, now!¡± Ren started for the door out of the dining room. His uncle reached a hand out as if to stop him, ¡°Don''t. This is no time to be rash.¡± ¡°I can''t just leave him to die! I sure as hell am not going to let him die!¡± Ren shouted, turning on his uncle. His anger igniting, he couldn''t just stand by and let someone die. Good or bad. ¡°Calm yourself, boy! I am not saying we are going to leave him to die. I am saying that we need to figure out how to help him.¡± Ren took a deep breath, exhaling again. He went back to the table and sat in the chair with a thump. ¡°Then what do you suggest we do?¡± Tarquin thought for a moment, ¡°We shall figure it out now, then enact it tomorrow.¡± Fen Why? Why had she left him? She could have helped, maybe a flash of light to temporarily blind the guards, and then they could have escaped. But then again Lost couldn''t stand, and Fen doubted she would be able to drag him away. Plus, her head was clouded by fear, she highly doubted it would have been able to figure out other ways out of there. So, then what should she do? She sure couldn''t stay here, in this alley, clutching onto the last thing she had of Lost. The answer: she could save him. But how? How would she save him? What could a small wolf girl who could make intangible illusions do? Well, what could she do? She could make a rope, and make it temporarily solid. Then she could also make a flash of light. Was that it? No, she could hear very well and any elves who look at her would immediately hate her. That was about it. Then there was no hope. There was no way to even get close to him, much less save him. They had already set up the stage in the main district square and were ready to chop Lost and the other prisoner¡¯s heads off. That was it then, there was no hope. Nothing she could do to save him. Fen didn''t know what to do, scared of losing the only person to show her kindness. No, the first person to show her kindness. But that elf, Ren, had to be up to something. Maybe she could go to where they were supposed to meet him? No- she wouldn''t do that. There was no point. They still had 2 days to meet him, so then his house? That was out of the option, she didn''t know her way around the city, and she couldn''t ask for directions from the elves. And she didn''t remember his directions either. Now she was regretting not listening to his description of the route. She could feel her heart descending even deeper into despair. But she had to find a way to save him, so how? How could she save him? She needed to be strong. She needed her power. She needed to have the power to save him. For some reason, some of Lost¡¯s words came back to her. ¡®One could call it the anything power, but that''s not exactly true.¡¯ The anything power. She just had to focus and imagine in great detail, right? So, couldn''t she create anything from her mind, then solidify it? Though she could only get it to be solid for about 5 minutes, at most. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Fen pulled herself from the pit of despair, maybe she could make something to help her save Lost. What could she use to save Lost? ¡®A rifle.¡¯ Came a thought, but after a moment, she realized it didn''t sound like her voice inside her head. Brushing it off as just her imagination, she set to work constructing a rifle in her mind. ****** Day of Execution Lost They had put a dirty, brown, cloth sack smelling of rotten potatoes over his head. The smell was horrid, but not the worst he had smelled. His hands tied behind his back with rough rope that chafed his skin. Lost was pushed forward, he could sort of see through the tiny holes between the weaving of the sack. Only shapes and light, with some colors. But he could hear voices. ¡°Get in the cart,¡± said one of the guards, pushing Lost into wooden stairs. He hit his shins and nearly crumpled, but he regained his balance. Ignoring the pain from it, he took a step up into the cart and was led to a bench. Then roughly shoved down onto it. They left the sack on, leaving Lost to breathe the smell of rotten potatoes. He wasn''t the only one here, there were three other prisoners. They had yet to say a word. After a few moments, the guards left and minutes after that, the cart lurched to life. ¡°Heh,¡± Lost said, trying to make out where exactly he was. But he gave up on that, and turned to the person next to him. ¡°So, do you come here often?¡± A snort, then a gruff voice destroyed by years of alcohol followed, ¡°Its my first time, and my last.¡± ¡°Haha,¡± Lost gave an unenthusiastic laugh. ¡°The same here. So, by chance do any of you happen to have a way to get this bag off my head?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you prefer to not see the axe coming?¡± Came another voice. This one was older, but not as gruff. More like the voice of a grandfather. ¡°I prefer to look my death in the eyes,¡± said Lost, nodding once and moving his wrists, trying to get circulation back into them. ¡°It has no eyes, just a sharp blade heading for your neck,¡± said the third, this one a woman''s. ¡°Maybe the eyes are just hidden in shadow,¡± Lost said, thinking about the Wraith. ¡°Huh?¡± The woman said. ¡°Nothing,¡± Lost said. ¡°So you don''t have a way to get this sack off my head?¡± He heard some grunting, then felt some shifting next to him. The dirty sack was slowly pulled off his head. Inch by inch. Eventually it came off. Lost turned to the elf next to him. He had a bald head, piercings in his long oblong ears. He had dark brown eyes, and was covered in tattoos. His biceps were encased in snake tattoos. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lost said. Then the man spit the sack from his mouth onto the floor of the cart with three more bags, spitting again to get rid of the dirt in his mouth. Lost didn''t know how they got the first bag off, and he didn''tneed to know. ¡°The least I can do for a fellow damned,¡± The man said, ¡°My name¡¯s Klyde. Klyde Farns. ¡°I¡¯m Quiros,¡± A elf across from Lost said, sitting on another bench. He had a bushy, brown beard that looked like it wanted to eat his face, which framed his bright blue eyes. His face was wrinkled, and his hair was just starting to gray. ¡°Yaz,¡± said the only woman. She had muddy brown hair with her ears poking out from the sides, with light green eyes. ¡°You can call me Lost,¡± Lost said, shifting around to find a comfortable way to sit. ¡°Yer a human,¡± Klyde said, looking at Lost with some surprise. ¡°Yea? Does it matter? We¡¯re all going to die anyways,¡± said Lost, defensive. ¡°No, just never seen a human before,¡± Klyde said, turning away from Lost. The City Guards had taken everything from him. Even his pants, then burned them and the rest of his clothes because they didn''t fit the guards. The same went for his belt, but not the coin purses. They had claimed them on the charge that they were ¡®stolen goods¡¯. That made Lost laugh bitterly. The guards left him in dirty cloth clothes that smelled of their last occupant. He shook his head, people''s cruelty knew no bounds. At least they left him his boots, only after filling them with rocks, of course. Lost wasn''t sure about that one, he thought they were just trying to play a cruel joke on him. But after seeing him walk fine, they just left the boots on. He wondered who got his coin pouch filled with silver, or was it distributed evenly among the guards? Probably not. ¡°Sooo, what got you in here?¡± Lost asked the elf across from him, Quiros. ¡°We got caught trying to steal from a noblemerchant. It went awry and he got killed, ¡± Quiros used his shoulder to point to the other two elves. ¡°You?¡± Lost thought about that. Should he tell them the truth? Did it really matter, since he was going to die? ¡°I was caught sneaking into the castle,¡± Lost lied. Yaz whistled, ¡°How¡¯d you get in? I heard that the King hates humans.¡± ¡°Trade secret,¡± Lost said, giving a wry grin. ¡°The King was the one who sentenced me to death.¡± Hey, it was true. He wanted Lost¡¯s head. ¡°Why¡¯d you sneak into the Royal Castle?¡± Questioned Klyde. ¡°Why¡¯d you rob a merchant?¡± Lost shot back. Everyone fell silent. ¡°Money to start a new life,¡± Yaz said after an eternity that spanned a few moments. Before Lost could speak, the cart stopped. The guards dismounted and started moving the prisoners out of the cart. Not even bothering to acknowledge that they had taken off the sacks. One grabbed Lost¡¯s arm and pulled him out of the cart, throwing him into the dirty cobble street. The guard then kicked him in the ribs. The gathered crowd around threw insults and rotten food at him. He even saw some children in there, their faces twisted by hate, anger and disgust. Lost¡¯s breath was taken away, but he quickly regained it, glaring at the guard. Grabbing Lost by the back of the neck, he pulled him to his feet. ¡°Time to die, human rat,¡± said the guard with a sadistic smile. Lost and the three criminals were pushed forward toward their death. Chapter 17: Execution Lost Death. Death is a fickle thing. There are a million ways to die. Some ludicrous, while others gruesum. Lost knew this, he was no stranger to death. He knew he was going to die one day -he already had- but a second time? Who would have guessed that. What a cruel trick the world played on him. Giving him back life, then taking it away. It was not that he feared death- not after dying. It was that he still needed to get his revenge, he had to stop the plague, too. And then there was Fen. He couldn¡¯t just leave her alone, it would probably be like the death of her parents all over again. Desperately, he tried to send some magic to his arms, to give them strength. All he got was intense pain in his arms and no strength. With a wince he stopped. He slumped, taking a rotten tomato to the back of the head. It splattered, its rotten juices running down the back of his neck and into his shirt. Gritting his teeth, he controlled his rage. There would be no point dying in anger. He considered trying to make a break for it, but there were too many guards and then there was the wall of screaming people to take in account. He was second in line, right after Quiros. Kylde behind Lost and Yaz brought up the rear. Their hands still tied behind their backs, they mounted the wooden stairs. The top of the raised platform, that was where he would die, was a plain surface. It had two guards already stationed on it, with a heavily muscled elf that acted as the executioner. The executioner was big, his body mass made up of muscle. Even more heavily built than Klyde. A dried, blood splattered sack with eye holes pulled over his head. He held a large axe in one hand. Everything you would expect for an executioner. A block of wood was set in the center of the stage, a groove in it for resting your head. A straw basket resting at its base, to catch the falling heads. Lost scanned the crowd gathered there. They were all yelling, shouting for blood and death. They looked like blood thirsty demons. ¡®Just like me,¡¯ Lost thought with a bitter grin. His eyes wandered, looking to see if Fen or maybe even Ren was here. They weren''t, but at the back of the crowd was another platform, this one raised a few meters above the ground. It had a red tarp covering, and fancy chairs occupied by nobles were under it. On another raised platform, sat a ornate, cushioned chair and two next to it. The King sat there, looking regal and glaring into Lost with his ice cold eyes. The queen sat next to him, calmly looking over the sea of blood thirsty elves. The Princess on the other side, looking uncomfortable. When their eyes met, Lost say pity in hers. He didn''t care for pity, but still welcomed that at least someone didn''t seem to want his death here. His attention was directed back to the executioner. Quiros stood in front of the block, they tried to force him to his knees, but he wouldn''t do it. A last act of defiance. Kicking the back of his knees, he fell into a kneeling position. The executioner pushed his head into the groove of the chopping block, holding it in place. Quiros¡¯ face was stark white, emotionless. Lost had no doubt that there was a tsunami of emotions hidden beneath it. He looked Lost in the eyes, they were filled with fear, but acceptance. Yaz was silently crying, looking at Quiros in desperation, like he could stop it from happening. The executioner raised his axe above Quiros¡¯ head. The crowd reached a fever pitch, screaming for blood. The axe fell, Yaz looked away, Kylde closed his eyes with a deep breath. Lost kept looking into Quiros¡¯ eyes. The axe cut through his neck, severing tendons and vertebrae, the sound of meat being hit reached Lost¡¯s ears. Crimson blood splattered on the axe and the block. The crowd exploded in enthusiasm, screaming even louder. Quiros¡¯ head rolled from the block into the basket with a dull thunk. Eyes still open. ¡®Hole in one,¡¯ Lost thought bitterly. Moans of sorrow escaped Yaz¡¯s lips. Klyde reopened his eyes, tears threatening to escape. The guards dragged Quiros¡¯ headless body away, throwing it over the back edge of the platform and into a wagon. Lost was pushed forward gruffly by the sadistic smiling guard from earlier. ¡®He must take pleasure in killing people,¡¯ Lost thought.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Pushed in front of the block, the guard didn''t bother with trying to push Lost to his knees, instead just kicking them out. Lost¡¯s head was pushed into the groove of the block and held there by rough hands. Lost looked at his executioner. Staring into the dark eye cut outs. Was this how it ended, again? He didn''t even get his revenge. ¡°Any last words?¡± The executioner asked. ¡°None,¡± Lost answered calmly. ¡°Then how about you hold still and let us save you, then,¡± said the executioner. Lost¡¯s expression was neutral, but inside he was shocked. Save him. So he wasn''t going to die? Wait, us? The axe was raised above his head. Then the thought that the executioner was just messing with him popped into Lost¡¯s head. The executioner turned swiftly, much too fast for someone that size, and threw the axe into the nearest guard¡¯s chest. It caved in and blood splattering in the air. It was the sadistic smiling guard, he coughed up blood, then fell to the ground. Before anyone could react, five more figures threw off their cloaks in the crowd. Pulling a assortment of weapons from out of them. The crowd was no longer screaming with anticipation, but fear. They scattered like cockroaches from a boot. Two armed elfs raced up the platform stairs, the guards meeting them halfway. The other three intercepted the other guards that were racing from the sides of the square. Lost lifted his head from the block, looking at the executioner. He had his bloody axe in hand and was fighting with another guard. Looking around, Lost spotted Yaz and Klyde. Yaz shoved her shoulder into a guard, pushing him over the platform. Then she and Klyde jumped off it too, both landing on the guard and crushing him. They ran off, mixing in with the screaming crowd. ¡®This is chaos!¡¯ Lost thought, surprised he was still alive. A shot rang out- a gun shot. Lost¡¯s attention was snapped to his side, where a guard was rushing toward him to finish the execution. The elven guard crumpled, a large hole in the back of his skull, oozing black blood. Lost looked to where the shot came from. His eyes found a small white wolf girl, holding a flintlock rifle in hands. Sword wrapped up in a bundle and strapped to her back. Her hands were shaking in fear and realization that she had just killed somebody. ¡°Fen?¡± Lost said, not understanding how she got here. She should be far away from here, hiding! It was dangerous! Lost shuffled to his knees and ran towards her. Leaping off the platform, he landed next to her. ¡°Go, now!¡± He yelled, snapping Fen out of her fear. They quickly ran out of the square, following the last stragglers of the execution crowd. Tess The axe of the executioner buried itself in the chest of a guard, blood flying from the wound. The crowd was silent with surprise and shock. Then the men with weapons threw their cloaks back and the crowd was thrust back into reality. Tess stared in shock, as the executioner pulled his axe from the guard¡¯s corpse and moved on. Her attention was pulled away from the bloody spectacle. The royal guard on this platform was now engaged in combat. With 7 elves and beastmen dressed in leather armor and holding a variety of weapons. The weapon standing out the most was the glaive. Its wielder was tall, with greenish blonde hair, dark brown eyes and a handsome face. He wore rusted iron armor and was looking directly at her. Nero stood up with the queen behind, not even noticing his daughter paralyzed in fear. The royal guards quickly pushed them to the stairs with the rest of the nobles. One of the guards looked at Tess. He grabbed her hand and pulled her from the chair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry milady, but we must go!¡± The royal guard yelled over the screams from the crowd. He pulled her towards the stairs. Only a few feet away, he was speared by a glaive. It shoved itself into his stomach, the chainmail only stopping it a little bit but not enough. The guard collapsed, coughing blood. Tess stood there frozen in fear, looking at the elf in rusted armor. He pulled the glaive from the elf on the floor. She didn''t even think. The magic reacting to her heightened sense of fear. Tess let out a burst of wind in the form a clear sphere of air. It rocketed towards the chest of the glaive wielding elf, launching him backwards and into a post that supported the cloth roof of the platform. It cracked, splinters flying behind it. But it didn''t break, barely supporting its load on a angle. The elf groaned, but he pushed himself to his feet. Looking at Tess. She ran, towards the other side of the platform, not thinking, just running. Before she could get to the stairs, another leather armoured elf rushed towards her. She didn''t hesitate, unleashing a fury of wind at him, sending him back a few meters. She ran towards the stairs. It seemed to stretch on forever, but then she got to them. Tess rushed down the wooden stairs, taking them two at a time. She reached the bottom in a matter of moments. Unfortunately, the glaive wielder was hot on her tail. He had just reached the top of the stairs when Tess started running from the platform. Looking around desperately, Tess spotted the Royal Guard Captain. She ran towards where he was. When he saw her, he rushed towards her. Reaching him, she hysterically yelled through tears of fear, ¡°Help me!¡± ¡°Milady, calm down. Everything will be fine,¡± The Captain said, grabbing her by the shoulder. Then the glaive wielder was upon them. He stopped a few feet away looking at Tess. Then he spoke through gasps for air, ¡°Good. You got her, now i¡¯m going to go help Lost.¡± He turned swiftly around, running to the execution stage. Tess, not understanding what happened, watched as he left. ¡°What?¡± She said, then it dawned on her. The grip on her shoulder tightened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, milady,¡± said the Captain, then he hit Tess upside the head. Knocking her out. The captain was one of them. Chapter 18: Old Harpy Lost They had escaped the city, just barely. Having stolen a horse and racing through the gates right as they were being closed. Nearly getting hit by arrows and crossbow bolts. Well, that wasn''t correct, Lost had gotten a arrow to the back of his right shoulder, and it was still in there. He could brush off the pain, but the arrow needed to be taken out. Then the wound cauterized. Lost wasn''t looking forward to that, but at least the ropes were gone. Urging the horse on wards, Lost looked down at Fen, who sat in front of him. She was in a daze, whether from killing a person or from all the blood, or both, he didn''t know. He knew if she was going to keep following him, she would need to learn to stomach death. And killing people. The rifle she had been carrying had long since vanished, like an illusion. It was an illusion. How she did it, he didn''t know. But this was only adding on more to his theory that with proper training, she could become very powerful. Lost urged the brown horse to go faster through the trees. The King would likely send out search parties for them, so they had to get as far away as possible. Where could they go? They sure couldn''t hide in these forests for long. To the human country, Hessa? Maybe, but then again, the wall would probably have double security now. Lost and Fen wouldn''t be able to get through, especially when he couldn''t use magic. Then it came to him, there was one place that no elves would dare go. Jar¡¯ha. Land of the sprites. They were tribal savages the last time Lost had been there. The Sprites where a hostile people, who would drive out any invaders from their lands. But that was 1000 years ago. However small sprites were, they were deadly. With their stealth in the jungles and poison darts. He remembered Ren¡¯s random babbling. He had talked about a lot of things, most of it not catching Lost¡¯s attention. But the stuff about Jar¡¯ha had. Ren had said they recently had opened their borders with the elves and humans, trading with them. If Lost and Fen could sneak onto one of the trading ships, then they had a ticket out of Evrite. They could then take another ship to Hessa. Then they would be home free. Then Lost could start his search for her. To get his sweet, sweet revenge. It was settled then, they were heading for the elven coast. ****** ¡°Kid, I need you to take this arrow out of my shoulder,¡± Lost told Fen. They had set up camp when the sun set. Though, it wasn''t much of a camp, since they didn''t have anything to make fire with and no sleeping bags. Fen looked at him, her eyes wide. ¡°I-I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Well, you''re gonna have to. I can''t pull this thing out of my shoulder myself,¡± He said, looking back at Fen with an unwavering look. Looking unsure, she stepped forward. ¡°What d-do I do?¡± ¡°You''re gonna have to pull the thing out. Swiftly would be best, but try to be careful. I still want to be able to use my arm.¡± Fen gulped, then she shifted around to his back. Lost knew that the blood had clotted around the arrow head, but there was a large amount of stained blood on his shirt. She froze up, the sight of blood paralyzing her. ¡°Kid, if you don''t take this damn arrow out I¡¯m going to die from infection!¡± Lost yelled at her over his shoulder. The wolf girl snapped from her trance, nodded once. She put one hand in the middle of his back and the other on the shaft of the arrow. She started to pull it out, but it got stuck, so she started to wiggle it. Lost hissed through clenched teeth. Fighting a war with the pain. The agony wasn''t the worst he had felt, or so that''s what he told himself. Fen slid the arrow from the wound, fresh crimson blood flowing from it. She dropped the arrow on the ground. ¡°A-are you okay, Mr. Lost?¡± ¡°I told you to stop calling me Mister!¡± Lost said through the red hot pain in his shoulder. ¡°Only if you stop calling me a kid,¡± said Fen back at him. ¡°In your dreams¡­ kid,¡± Lost said chuckling, then wincing at the pain it caused in his shoulder. ¡°We ain''t done yet, you''re gonna have to cauterize the wound.¡± ¡°C-cauterize?¡± Fen said, sounding like she was going to be the one to get burned. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°W-with what?¡± That stopped Lost. He hadn''t thought about that. They didn''t have a fire to heat up a blade to cauterize the wound. He did the only thing he could: cursed. ¡°We are going to just have to bandage it. Go to the horse, I think I saw some clothes in the saddle bag that you can rip up.¡± Lost pointed at the horse tied to a tree with his good arm. ¡°Alright,¡± Fen said, moving over to the bag and starting to search through its pockets. She came back after a little bit, holding a gray wool shirt. ¡°Good. Now rip it up into strips with your knife,¡± Lost commanded her. She did as told, pulling out her knife and then started to cut up the bottom of it into strips. After a few minutes, she had six long strips of wool shirt. Lost wasn''t looking forward to this. There was most defiantly going to be more pain. Ren He had lost both Lost and Fen! He couldn''t find Fen anywhere near the execution and Lost had mysteriously vanished into thin air. To top it off, he was bedridden because of Princess Tessa.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. She had hit him hard. When he had hit that wooden beam, he heard some ribs snap. But one of the great things about magic was that you could use it to suppress pain. Only temporarily, of course. So here he was, laying in a bed across the room from the princess. His chest bound and wincing at the slightest shift he made. That face she wore when she saw him, a face of terror. He couldn''t get it out of his head. She was scared of him. It made him question whether or not he was doing the right thing. Helping the Beasters to take over control of the country by overthrowing the King. It was starting to feel like he was a bad guy. But the King was one, right? So, Ren had to be a good guy then. Regardless of that, he was in pain. And now had no one to teach him to control his magic. He had agreed to help the resistance on the terms that they would save Lost. They had saved Lost, but they didn''t have him as planned. There was no telling where he could be now. Or headed. Then the fact that the Princess was a magic user just added more onto his mind. She also seemed very skilled at it, too. Or at least at pushing people back with gusts of wind. What was he going to do now? ****** Fen Lost had passed out after mounting the horse. He was obviously tired from all the blood she had seen him loose. The entire back of his shirt was soaked crimson. He was slumped forward in the saddle, his breathing shallow. His face was flushed. She had bound his arm and shoulder the best she could. Already, the woolen strips were stained red. Though they seemed successful in stopping the bleeding. She had used the leftover shirt to wipe Lost¡¯s blood off her hands. Fen led the horse on by the reigns, through the trees of the forest, not daring to take the road. She and the horse kept plodding along. Fen didn''t know where exactly to go, but they couldn''t stay near capital city. Guards were definitely going to look for them. The execution had been chaos. She hadn''t known that other people were going to stop it, though why, she wasn''t sure. It looked like they intended to take Lost prisoner, that couldn''t have been good. Fen had not thought as far ahead as those people. She had just planned to try and shoot the guards and give Lost ample time to run. Though it was a good thing the guards were engaged in combat. She doubted she could have fought that many with her illusionary rifle. It had been quite hard figuring out all the works of how to make it, but it payed off. She had made the barrel out of bronze, the grip out of wood and other parts bronze. She didn''t know how she knew how to do it, but had taken her hours in that dark alley, through the night to get the illusion just right. Then she barely had enough magic to solidify it at the execution and fire it. The fact that she had hit that elf was pure luck. It was still fresh in her mind. Weighing heavily on her mind. She had ended a life, someone with emotion, feelings, memories. They might have even had a family. Fen slapped herself on the cheek, shaking herself away from those dark thoughts. That guard was going to kill Lost, she couldn''t let that happen. She swished her tail behind her, listen for any sounds in the forest. She could hear Lost¡¯s light breathing and the occasional snort from the horse she led. Birds twittered in the branches of the trees overhead, small animals scurried through the brush. The rifle illusion was still in her mind, she just had to look for it, like trying to remember a memory. Fen didn''t know how long she walked, it was night now though and her feet were killing her. She still wore Lost¡¯s sword, it was heavy, but its presence was reassuring. If worst came to worst, she could pretend she knew how to use it and threaten anyone. Though, if she would be able to swing it was another thing. It was still wrapped up in Lost¡¯s black cloak, and she wore the leather belt with the sheath. Her shoulders were aching and stiff from carrying it, but it was a good kind of pain. Eventually, she came upon a clearing in the thick forest. Moonlight illuminated a small cottage in the center, smoke rising from a brick chimney in the thatch roof. Light pouring out from the cracks in its door. It had a porch with no overhang, and a occupied rocking chair. An old lady rocked back in forth, looking at the shinning stars in the sky. She was a beastwoman. From what Fen could tell of her, she was some sort of raven. The light illuminated half the old woman''s face. It was covered in a light amount of gray feathers, the wrinkles under the feathers obvious. She had faded brown eyes and two wings stuck up from her back, folded in. They were covered in gray feathers too. Her legs were that of a bird, sharp talons on them. The old lady was a Harpy beastwoman. The horse let of a whine, causing the Harpy to notice Fen standing on the edge of the small clearing. Her grayish brown clouded eyes clearing at the sight of somebody else. Then they moved to the horse that which Lost was still slumped on. Fen backed up, about to bolt. Then the old woman held her hand out, ¡°Wait, child! Your friend needs medical care now.¡± Fen stopped, looking between the unconscious Lost and the old beastwoman. She knew the wound was infected, the flesh around it had been an unhealthy red, swollen. If Lost didnt get help, then he could die from it. But was the old beastwoman trustworthy? ¡°Child. I will not hurt you or your friend. I am but a hermit living out in these woods. I also know healing medicines,¡± The old harpy said, almost pleading. That sealed it. ¡°Okay,¡± Fen said, rushing forward. She led the horse to the front porch, tieing its reins to one of the posts. The old harpy got out of her rocking chair. Her posture was slightly hunched over, and the wings in her back were thin and brittle looking. ¡°Come, child. I will need your help to carry your freind inside.¡± The Old Harpy motioned for Fen to get Lost out of the saddle. Fen tried to figure out the best way to get him out. She tried to wake him up, but he wouldn''t wake. So, she pulled his slumped form off the saddle. He landed in the grass on his left side, his good side. But he still moaned. The harpy came down the stairs, claws clicking on the wood. ¡°Help me carry him in, child.¡± She then grabbed Lost under the shoulders, lifting him up and grunting at the weight, her thin arms shaking. Fen rushed over and took up Lost¡¯s feet, surprised at his weight. Though he was thin, he was still heavy. They moved him into the house, through the door the old harpy had opened. She motioned for Fen to help set Lost down on a wooden bed. Shifting over, the harpy gently placed Lost¡¯s head at the top of the bed, Fen did the same with his legs at the bottom. Fen stood next to Lost laying on the wooden bed. It had a thin mattress of straw and a deep green, wool blanket over it. The inside of the cottage had a stone fireplace in the back. Shelves lined the walls covered in herbs, medicinal plants and remedies. ¡°Let''s have a look at that wound,¡± The old harpy lady motioned for Fen to help her roll Lost over onto his stomach. She grabbed his side gently and started to flip him over onto his side. The old lady helped her. She ripped Lost¡¯s shirt open, revealing the wool bloody bandages. The old harpy gentle untied them and pulled them back, looking at the wound. It was a red and puffy around the edges and the smell of rotting flesh reached Fen¡¯s nose. ¡°Girl. What did this?¡± The old lady asked Fen. ¡°An arrow,¡± Fen responded ¡°How long ago?¡± ¡°About a day.¡± ¡°Hmm, it will need to be cauterized, and stitched. It''s good that your young friend is asleep for this,¡± The old harpy frowned, shifting around the cottage, gathering various thing like a knife, a needle, thread and some salve. ¡°He¡¯s not young, Lost¡¯s over 1 thousand years old,¡± Fen said, watching the old lady move around. The old harpy guaffed, ¡°If only someone could live that long.¡± ¡°But he is,¡± Fen insisted. ¡°Child, I will need you to hold him still.¡± The old woman came back to the bedside, laying out various things on the edge. Fen got up on the other side of the bed and held down Lost¡¯s arms. The old harpy nodded, then went to the fire, holding a knife over the flame till it was glowing hot. She came back over. ¡°I will need you to make sure he doesn''t shift to much,¡± The old harpy said, she hovered the knife over Lost¡¯s wound. ¡°No matter how much he screams, dont let go.¡± Then the harpy pressed the hot knife to the festering wound, and Lost screamed in his sleep. Chapter 19: Prisoner Tess She opened her eyes expecting to be in her room, a pounding headache washed over her. Groaning, she shifted to her side. She was not in her room. Instead she was in a medium sized stone chamber with pillars supporting the roof. Firelight flickered from torches in sconces, throwing shadows this way and that. There were several cots against the walls, injured people lying on them. In the center of the room was a table cluttered with jars, medical equipment and papers. A few chairs scattered around. A bear-like beastman sat in one of the chairs, looking comically too small for his massive hulking figure. He was covered in a thick layer of fur, with massive arms and legs. He was built sturdy and his hands were big and paw-like. Though one might find him intimidating, the small pair of wire frame glasses perched on his nose made him look less frightening. He had large, kind brown eyes, and was wearing large wool clothes and no boots. Tess felt around her head, her hand ran over a large bump in the back, causing her to wince in pain. Where was she? The bear beastman noticed she was awake. He got out of the small chair and pounded his way over to her. He crouched down in front of Tess¡¯ bed. ¡°Can you tell me your name?¡± He rumbled. ¡°Where am I?¡± Tess asked instead with a commanding tone. ¡°I¡¯m not at liberty to tell you that. Can you tell me your name?¡± He responded, looking down at her through his small glasses. ¡°I am Princess Tessa Hasrio Sander, now I demand you tell me where I am,¡± Tess said, sitting up with a wince as the world started spinning. The bear beast man grunted, then he pushed her back onto the cot, ¡°You should rest. Can you tell me what you remember?¡± Tess glared at him. She couldn''t stay here, wherever here was. She needed to find her father¡­ Memories came rushing back. Lost. The execution. The attackers. The royal guard captain. She tried to get up again, but the bear-man held her down with one of his tree trunk sized arms. ¡°Calm yourself. You won''t be harmed.¡± Tess, after a few minutes of struggling, relaxed back into the cot. Giving up hope of trying to overpower him. She then reached for her magic pool but as soon as she made the connection and tried to create a blast of wind, pain sliced through her arms and mind. It wasn''t like a physical pain, more like a intense ache. Gasping at the sudden white hot pain, Tess lost all her fight. The bear beast man grunted, taking his hand off her chest. ¡°From what I can tell, you don''t have a major concussion. That ? is good.¡± ¡°If you release me now, I''ll make sure my father doesn''t have you killed,¡± Tess said, desperately grasping for any way out of this place. The bear man ignored her. He walked over to the table, shuffling around in the mounds of paper and medicines. Tess tried to sit back up, but the bear beastman just glared at her. Then saying, ¡°You need rest. Even if you could get past me, then you''d have to contend with the guards.¡± Sitting back into the cot, Tess let out a huff of air. Knowing he was right. The bear man walked back over to her, holding a jar of dried plant leaves. He unscrewed it, tentatively fitting his thumb and forefinger in. Withdrawing a small amount of crumpling leaves, he motioned for her to open her mouth. Tess stubbornly kept it shut. The bear beastman just shook his head. ¡°It will help with the pain. Doesn''t matter to me whether you take it or not.¡± ¡°What if you poisoned it?¡± Tess said, sure that he was going to kill her. ¡°Use your head. There were plenty of opportunities to kill you while you were unconscious.¡± Tess couldn''t argue with that. They didn''t want her dead. They wanted her for a prisoner. Reluctantly, she opened her mouth and the bear man gently dropped them into her mouth. She nearly spat it out at the bitter taste. She chewed it quickly and gulped it down, Wrinkling her nose at the taste. The beastman nodded, screwing the lid of the jar back on and setting it back on the table. ¡°I''ll get you some fresh water,¡± He rumbled before leaving the room through a heavy wooden door. Tess sat there, in the flickering light. Listening to the other injured people¡¯s groans of pain and breathing. She contemplated trying to escape but she couldn''t seem to use her magic and there was no telling how many guards there were. There was some shuffling on the other side of the room, where the light didn''t reach. Then an elf hobbled out of the shadows, clutching his bandaged side and wincing. He had greenish-blonde hair. It was the glaive wielder who had attacked her. Tess scrambled back, pressing herself as close to the wall as she could. The elf elf shuffled over to her bedside, then collapsed on the floor. He got into a kneeling position, bowing his head. ¡°Please, forgive me, your highness.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Tess gaped at him. She didn''t know exactly why, she had been expecting him to hurt her or say something else. ¡°I had no intention of hurting you,¡± he said, almost pleading. Not knowing what to say, Tess blurted out the only thing she could think of, ¡°I forgive you.¡± That''s when the bear beastman decided to come back into the room. He held a rusted bucket in one hand, and a wooden mug in the other. When he saw the glaive wielder still bowed in front of Tess, he raised a bushy eyebrow. Thumping over to the kneeling and injured elf he set the bucket down. ¡°Renhold, you need to rest. You have three bruised ribs and a concussion.¡± Renhold looked up at the bear beastman. The beastman helped him to his feet and led him back to the cot on the other side of the room. Coming back, he scooped some water from the bucket and gave Tess the wooden mug. She took a tentative sip of it. It had a mild undertone of iron, but she drank it anyway. Tess grumbled thank you to the bearman. Then asked a question that was now on her mind, ¡°Who was that?¡± The bearman looked down at her, bemusement in his eyes. ¡°That was Renhold. A idiot and clumsy elf. But his heart is in the right place.¡± The beastman turned away, telling Tess to rest. Then he moved back to the table in the center of the room, scanning over the papers. ¡°Why am I here?¡± Tess asked after a bit. The bear beastman looked over at her. ¡°We want you to overthrow the King.¡± ¡°You want me to kill my father!?¡± Tess yelled, shifting back in the cot. The bearman held her gaze, ¡°Not kill, to take him off the throne.¡± He turned back to his papers and herbs, ignoring her. The scary part about his statement wasn''t that they wanted Nerofix off the throne; no, it was that Tess agreed with them. Lost Lost was back in the world of smokey shadows. The Wraith was there, as always. Not for the first time, he noticed the lack of ambient sound. It was deathly silent. Like a void consuming all sound. He stretched his arms and sat down. Ready for another conversation meant to undermine his will and confidence. ¡°You should give up now. It will be less painful when you fall,¡± The Wraith clicked from under the hood, shifting around and disturbing the gray smoke that clinged to the ground. ¡°You know, I think you should be a therapist. All your patients would be gone within the first day because all of them would have killed themselves,¡± Lost said, resting his chin on his fist. ¡°You will lose, it''s just a matter of time,¡± hissed the Wraith, clicking. ¡°I¡¯m sure it is. You have always been right. Well, most of the time at least,¡± Lost said sarcastically. But he knew it was right. No matter how much he tried to deny it, he could feel the madness slowly taking him. It was slow, and he had just noticed little things here and there. The most prominent of them, these dreams with the Wraith. Then the urge to kill, to hurt and bring misery to those that bugged him. The black abyss rumbled. The Wraith, unfazed, moved closer to Lost, within 4 feet of where he now stood and looked around. Then it lunged forward, gripping his arm. Lost looked down, it was a hand, but with all the flesh stripped away, leaving only bony. The bony fingers dug with his flesh, spreading a deathly cold. The Wraith clicked a few times, ¡°You are mine.¡± The world was taken away in a massive earthquake, launching Lost from the world of shadows. ******** He was sitting at a table. A modern table. A god damn modern table. Not the medieval kind; no, this was one from earth. Light streamed in through a sliding glass door, so bright you couldn''t see the other side. He was in a kitchen. With granite counter tops, a stove and microwave. Lights over head, turned off during the day. Not torches, but light bulbs. A ceramic bowl of cereal sat in front of him. Oddly, there was no milk. Just a bowl of Cheerios. That was the first sign something wasn''t exactly right. Lost lifted the utensil he was eating with; that was the second. He was eating with a fork and not a spoon. The third; the light spilling in from the window wasn''t warm. It was freezing cold; so cold, that it burned. Lost immediately stepped out of it and into the shadows of the kitchen. Unlike the light, the darkness was warm and comforting. Like it always was for him. The Fourth was that he wasn''t a thin, pale kid anymore. He had more weight on his bones, not fat or anything, but enough to look healthy. His skin was a dark tan. The Fifth was the corpse. It crashed through the white door on the other side of the kitchen. Shrivelled and rotting. It was missing teeth and its eye sockets were filled with black flickering flames. It was covered in a layer of mud and its neck was grotesquely twisted. It had stringy red hair that had clumps missing. The clothes it wore were ripped and covered in mud. Its dried lips parted and a leathery tongue stuck out and rubbed around on them. Trying to bring some moisture into them. It had missing teeth and the ones that where in its mouth where rotting. It was a woman of about 40. She may have once been beautiful. Before she died. Lost pressed himself as far as he could into the shadows, his heartbeat racing. His breath became erratic with fear. Shame. Horror. Disgust. Sorrow. Regret. The corpse let out a dry hissing sound, preparing to use its dried throat. ¡°Wh-y¡­?¡± It asked, taking a step forward. The flames in its eye sockets burrowed into Lost, seeing into his soul like no other¡¯s eyes. His throat clenched up, he couldn''t utter a word. It wasn''t from fear of it, but of fear of what it would say. ¡°Why..? Why¡­ didn''t you¡­ s-ave me... S...on?¡± It croaked, shifting another step closer. Lost said the only thing he could. By now, the words were meaningless, but it was the only thing he knew to say. ¡°I¡¯M SORRY!¡± He screamed. The corpse lunged forward, aiming for his throat. Lost was frozen, his mind blank. The corpse of his mother grabbed him by his throat and lifted him up with immense strength, pinning him against the wall. It screeched. Not in anger. But in pain, the screams of pain that was unimaginable. Of loss, of fear¡­ Of death. Lost choked out another sorry, not even resisting the corpse. He couldn''t. How could you attack your own mother, even when she was attacking you? The corpse screamed again. Then it threw Lost into the light streaming in from the window. He screamed as it burned his skin, freezing it. Lost looked on in horror as his limbs slowly shriveled and blackened, then his chest, then his neck. Then his head.The last thing to go was his eyes. The corpse of his mother leered over him, crying a tearless cry. The sound of screams and manic laughter filled his ears. Then his eyes were gone and the nightmare ended. Chapter 20: Laughter Fen She sat next to the bed, where Lost lay. He was deathly still, but breathing. It had been a day since she found the old harpy. The harpy -Sadora- who had been kind to her and fed her. She had cared for her like a grandmother would their granddaughter. Something that Fen had learned to treasure. Fen knew they had to get moving soon, they were still close to the capital. Sadora came up behind Fen, ¡°Child, you should rest.¡± Fen turned to her, tail curled around her waist. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± The harpy sighed sadly, then shifted off to the table. Where she was mashing up herbs and vegetables for a lunch soup. After a little bit, she set the pot over the fire and poured some water into it, letting it boil. The sound of horse hooves pounding outside were caught by Fen¡¯s wolven ears. Fen turned to Sadora, ¡°There''s someone outside.¡± Sadora grunted and moved over to the door, ¡°Stay inside here. I will get them to leave.¡± She then opened the door, shifted her wings, and stepped outside. Fen listened, trying to figure out what was being said outside. She moved over to the only window in the cabin, peeking out from between the curtains. There were at least 20 elves, all wearing the royal insignia. A bow crossed with a scroll, over a golden crown. They were all heavily armored and mounted. Dismounting, the commander walked over to where Sadora stood at the stairs of the porch. ¡°Have you seen this person?¡± asked the commander gruffly, unrolling a parchment and revealing a picture of Lost; not him in a hood, but his actual, thin, tired looking face. ¡°I have not,¡± calmly responded Sadora. The commander growled, glaring at her from under his helmet. ¡°We know he came this way, now tell us where he is and your life will be spared.¡± ¡°I am sorry, but he is not here.¡± The commander looked around, and spotted the horse still tethered to the rail. Fen¡¯s stomach sank; they were caught. Why would a hermit like Sadora own horse without a stable? The commander rolled up the parchment and handed it off to one of the other soldiers. He drew his sword and advanced on Sadora. Sadora didn''t wait for the elf to get to her first. She lunged forward, stretching her old wings out behind her, letting loose a bird like shriek. She sunk her claws into the commander¡¯s shoulders, flinging him back and to the ground. Fen didn''t wait any longer. She couldn''t let the soldiers get to Lost or kill Sadora. She slammed the door of the cabin open, conjuring the rifle up from her memory. It formed in her hands. She focused on it, directing her thoughts to make it solid. It became heavy in her hands. She didn''t think, all her focus on keeping it solid. She aimed at one of the now dismounted elves. And fired. A resounding crack echoed through the still air. The rifle jolted back in Fen¡¯s hands, but the bullet stayed true and struck the elf in the chest, the bullet shredding through his iron armor. He went down with a cry of pain. Sadora was now struggling on the ground with the elven commander, trying to slash at his eyes. The commander groped at the side of his leg, then pulled out a dagger, fending off Sadora¡¯s blows. Fen shouted, trying to warn Sadora, ¡°Look out!¡± But she was to late, the commander shoved the knife into the harpy¡¯s stomach. She let out a shout of pain and slouched forward, still trying to claw the elf¡¯s eyes out. Fen ran towards where the captain and Sadora lay. Before she could get there, one of the guards hit her over the head with the pummel of his sword. She crumpled to the ground, pain exploding from the side of her head. Lost Lost sat up in bed, the pain in his shoulder no longer there. A cloth wrapping tied around it. He could hear shouts and Fen scream. There was the crack of a rifle and shouting of men. For some reason he was laughing; he wasn''t sure why. It was a manic laugh. Lost climbed out of the bed, rage filling him at the sounds of Fen¡¯s screams. He couldn''t stand by and let Fen get hurt. His mind was fuzzy, but he could feel that his magic pool had grown significantly. Looking around, he found his sword leaning on the side of the bed, with the cloak still wrapped around it. He put on the cloak and pulled the hood up. He then strapped the sword on his back, unsheathing it and pushing magic into the blade. The glyphs of power along it glowed a bright amber. Lost ran out the door, his feet bare. There, Fen lay crumpled on the ground and the old harpy lay in a pool of blood. Anger bubbled up from inside Lost¡¯s chest. He pointed his rage at the soldiers around him. He ran to the closest one near Fen, becoming a black hooded blur. Before the elf even knew what hit him, Lost had cut his throat and pierced his heart mercilessly. The body of the elf fell to the ground, blood pouring from his wounds, a look of shock in his eyes. Lost, looked around at his opponents. There were at least 18 of them. He held his sword out, guarding Fen. He would need help if he was going to fight all these guards. So he used his power. His power of black magic. Lost pushed a surge of magic through his sword, using it as a way to double his power. Then he plunged the blade into the chest of the elf he had killed only seconds ago, then pulled it out with yellow sparks coming from the wound he inflicted on the body. The corpse jerked to life, black flames burning in place of its eyes. It let out a moan, climbing to its feet. It picked the blade up from its own pool of blood. Lost laughed madly. He hadn''t realised how much he had missed using his power, how much he had missed fighting. The surrounding soldiers all took steps back, unsure of what to make of their comrade who should have been dead. The commanding officer of this group yelled, ¡°It¡¯s a trick, don''t be deceived, that ain''t Thach.¡± Then the elf attacked the walking corpse, slicing down with an arc. The corpse, from pure muscle memory, blocked the attack and advanced, starting it¡¯s own attack. Lost didn''t wait for the other soldiers to attack, he charged toward them, readying his blade. He arced his sword over his head, cutting into the shoulder of a solider. The elf soldier screamed in pain, but Lost didn''t stop there. He pushed the blade down, cleaving a part of the elf¡¯s shoulder and his arm off in a shower of blood. Lost moved on to the next elf, this time the elf was able to deflect the blow. Then the soldier went in for a lunge, but Lost parried it. He switched his sword to his left hand effortlessly and slashed the elf¡¯s side. The animated corpse had already dispatched of the commander, at the price of a hand, but it continued on, ignoring the injury. Lost killed his current opponent with a chop to the side of the head, cleaving it off. He darted to the next soldier. This time his fight was interrupted by another elf, and he was fighting two opponents. Through all this, he was still laughing for glee, bringing the dead back to help him fight the dwindling elves. He wasn''t exactly sure why he was laughing, his mind completely focused on empowering the corpses and killing the soldiers. Lost had become a machine, a killing machine.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. The small clearing was filled with bloodcurdling screams, and the ground was stained red. Laughter following after it. ****** An Insignificant Soldier Felix was a cog in the machine. His job was to be mindless and follow orders. Nothing more, nothing less. He accepted it, following orders and not questioning them. So when he, and two other scouts were given the task of scouting out the next village in the human lands, he did not question it. They had already captured a town near the elven border, only about four days away. They had turned it into a sort of fort and were using it as a supply station for troops. The scouts were tasked with scouting ahead for any possible enemy forces, so far the humans had yet to send any soldiers to oppose them. It had been easy picking so far. They were to scout out one of the towns within the noble Sargon¡¯s land. The human lands were split up, unlike the the elve¡¯s. The elven land was united up under one person, King Nerofix The 68th. The Human¡¯s had a king. The current king; Bracken. Most referred to him as ¡®The Great Emperor¡¯, but his land was split up among the Nobles. Everything on the noble¡¯s land belonged to them, and if you wished to build upon it, then you must ask the noble. The noble could raise the tax however high they wanted, and some even hired people to gather resources. It was a complex system and Felix only had a vague knowledge on how it was done. Currently, the noble Sargon''s land was the closest to the elven border. This town that Felix and two other scouts were tasked with investigating was specialized in trade and mining. They crested the small ridge, making sure to stay concealed under the tree cover. The town lay below, a stone wall surrounding it. The trees of the forest were pushed back half a mile from the town. Oddly, the walls were unmanned, the gate unguarded. There were no carts moving from the gates or back. The carts were lying deserted on the road, the animals supposed to be pulling them no longer hitched to the wagons and carts. Felix squinted, looking for any movement on the streets of the town, but the walls were to high to see into the town. Something about the air wasn''t right, but he couldn''t place it. Looking around, he finally figured it out. There was no chirping of birds like before, or scuttle of animals in the underbrush. There wasn''t even the buzz of bugs or a breeze. ¡°I don''t like this,¡± Felix said, looking back at the other two elven scouts. ¡°Would you rather face General Regan¡¯s wrath?¡± Growled the bigger of the three scouts. He had muscles, but his build was lean. The elf shifted back and forth warily, looking at the silent town. Felix nodded, looking at the town, trying to discern any life within. The scouts moved from the tree line, crouching in the tall grass of the field surrounding the town. As they slowly approached, Felix was prepared to bolt at the first sight of guards appearing on the walls, bows drawn and ready to fire. None appeared. Felix made it to the gate that was wide open. The streets were empty, not even a breeze was in the air. As if the entire world was holding its breath. It was a ghost town Could they have evacuated the town because of the start of the elven invasion? No, why would they just leave the carts lying on the road? ¡°We should turn back,¡± squeaked the small elven scout, he was little more than a boy the age of 17. He was most likely drafted into the army. Felix didn''t know the other two scout¡¯s names and he didn''t want to. The lean scout just pushed them forward, trying to encourage them, but not succeeding. His eyes were constantly shifting, looking at alleyways, the streets and in stores as they silently shifted through the deathly quiet town. The eerie feeling of the place making them stick together, for what reason, Felix was not sure. Lean, as Felix had decided to think of him, led them around the corner of a building, stopping dead in his tracks. Felix turned the corner after him, looking on the scene that beheld him. It was the town square, the center piece a giant tree. It¡¯s branches used to have leaves on them, but no longer. All the leaves had fallen to the ground, withered and dead, almost like in the winter. But that wasn''t what caught their attention, it was the bodies. They were everywhere, littering the ground, piled up in some places. All of them untouched, but clearly dead. The corpse¡¯s eyes were open and mouths gaping, expressions of fear and shock frozen on their dead faces. The little scout let out a gasp, taking steps back. Lean was frozen and Felix was immediately on guard. ¡®What could have done this?¡¯ Felix thought, looking at the corpses. He drew his knife, prepared to run. He felt no sorrow for the humans, they were a lower species than elf, after all. But, something that could kill so many, was definitely a danger. Before he could run, a shadow passed over them. It fell from the roof of the building, landing on Lean. He screamed in fear and pain, as the beast held him to the ground. The shadow that jumped on Lean was about the size of a man, but that was the only relation. It had three fingers on each hand, each with long black curved claws. It had the lower body of a gray wolf, but standing upright and its upper body was that of a raven, covered in shiny black feathers. Twisted wings sprouted from its back, clearly unusable. It had the head of a dog, but the eyes were that of a raven. It had a snout instead of a beak, and it was overflowing with teeth, saliva dripping from them. It let out a howl of rage and opened its maw around Lean¡¯s face. Felix expected it to clamp down, but it didn''t. Infact, Lean screamed in agony, his face mirroring the many corpses¡¯ faces. A thin, white, glowing stream came out of his mouth and entered the monster''s maw. This only happened in a few seconds, Felix barely able to process it. The stream ended and the monster unlatched itself from the now dead Lean. It turned around, growling at the two remaining elven scouts. The boy bolted, leaving Felix to fend for himself. Felix, in a desperate attempt, lunged forward and stabbed the bird-wolf monster in the shoulder. It let out a howl of pain, racking it¡¯s claws across Felix''s chest. The black claws ripped through the leather armor, leaving three red, ragged lines on his chest. Stumbling back, Felix ran down the cobbled street. The monster was hot on his trail, roaring in hunger and anger. It jumped, hitting the desperate scout square in the back and pinning him to the ground face down. He struggled under its weight, trying to get his arm out from under him to stab it with the knife. The monster¡¯s mouth was wide open, ready to bite Felix¡¯s head off. It didn''t get the chance. A shrill whistle and the creature snapped its mouth closed, hopping off Felix with a whimper of disappointment. Not looking, Felix scrambled to his feet and started running for the nearest alleyway. His body was locked up after the first step, frozen in place. His muscles fighting against him. He strained as hard as he could, trying to take a step forward, but he couldn''t. Trying to scream, he found his jaw muscles locked into place, the only thing working was his eyes and breathing. A person walked in front of him. It was a human woman, maybe 30. She had long, brown hair and tanned skin. Wearing an ornate red and gold robe, one that belonged to human nobles. The thing that was disturbing about her was that she had her eyes open, but her pupils were not there. You could just see the edge of them, rolled back in her head. She gave a warm smile. The monster, on all fours now, walked over to her side. She petted it daintily on the head, as if it were a puppy. ¡°It has been a long time since I have seen an elf,¡± the woman said, looking at Felix like he was some kind of fascinating insect. She focused on him. Her rolled back eyes unseeing, yet seeing. Felix felt like ants were crawling all over his brain, a tingling feeling. It lasted for a few minutes, as he struggled to try and get away, but couldn''t. When it ended, the noble woman¡¯s face lit up with a surprised smile. She started laughing. Once she got herself under control, she spoke again, looking off in the distance. Where the elven borders were, ¡°So you''re alive! I thought I had killed you. This time, I will make sure it¡¯s permanent, Brother.¡± She turned back to the frozen Felix, smiling sweetly at him. ¡°I have use of you.¡± Walking off towards the square she waved her hand in a following motion, and Felix¡¯s body responded against his will, following her. The monster growling at him from behind. All the time, she laughed merrily. Fen She watched as Lost and the reanimated corpses destroyed the elven soldiers mercilessly. Blood was everywhere, and she froze up at the sheer sight. Thinking of the Black Angel helped her get over her fears, whether or not it was Lost, she wasn''t sure. Only a few minutes later, all the elves were dead, but walking. Lost stood in the middle, breathing heavily and blood dripping of his blade onto the crimson ground, looking away from her. Through the entire battle, he laughed insanely. The entire battle had only lasted for a few minutes. In those few minutes, the entire squad of soldiers was brutally killed. Lost flicked the blood from his blade, then wiped it on a shirt of a nearby corpse. He sheathed it on his back with a swish. The standing corpses fell to the ground, as if their strings were cut. The black fire burning in their eye sockets no longer there, instead just glazed eyes. Fen got to her feet, tail limply swishing behind her and ears down. He turned to look at her, his face hidden in shadow and glowing amber eyes. ¡°Hey, kid. It¡¯s been a bit, hasn''t it?¡± Fen could only nod, looking at the corpses of the men. She wasn''t sure whether to be horrified at the brutality of it, or thankful that Lost had saved her. Lost followed her gaze, and gave a dry laugh. ¡°Hah... I¡¯ve got a bigger magic pool.¡± ¡°I¡­ Are you okay, Lost?¡± Fen asked, concerned. She was a little scared of him. How had he brought those corpses back? It couldn''t just be as simple as growing more magic. Lost looked down at himself. His cloak was splattered with blood. ¡°Yeah, never felt better!¡± He said, rolling his shoulders and stretching his arms, then he winced. Fen could feel the pain in the back of her head, where she was hit. Looking around, her eyes fell on the corpse of Sadora. She gulped, holding back tears. ¡°C-can we go?¡± Lost nodded, he stepped toward her, carefully avoiding the corpses. His feet were bare and covered in blood and mud. He looked down at his feet and snorted, ¡°Yeah. We can go. I just need to find my damn boots first.¡± He put his hand on her shoulder, staring into her eyes where tears threatened to spill out. He enveloped her in a hug and she hugged him back, crying. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lost said patting her head. He looked out to the elven border wall, ¡°My revenge will have to wait. I have decided. We need to stop this tyrant of a king.¡± Chapter 21: Other Worlds Lost He had found his boots. Looking down at his hand, he opened and closed it. Trying to get the stiffness out of it from the use of his sword. In his past life, this didn''t happen, but it was like starting fresh in this body. Looking around the late harpy¡¯s cabin, he plodded his way to a shelf over the fireplace. Looking at the overstuffed shelf, with various boxes and jars filled with medicinal herbs and seasonings, he randomly grabbed a jar. Inside, about filling half of it, were shriveled leaves. Unscrewing it, he brought it up to his nose, giving it a sniff. Recoiling and coughing from the potent smell of mint, Lost glanced over to Fen. She sat quietly on the bed, staring at the floor boards. Taking a leaf from the jar, Lost shoved it in his mouth and chewed while putting the lid back on. Setting the jar back on the shelf, Lost walked over to Fen. The mint leaf had no flavor, but due to its potency, he could feel a kind of cool air and smell mint. It was about the closest thing he so far had been able to get to tasting. Lost savored it. Stopping about a foot away from where Fen sat, Lost asked, ¡°Who¡¯s winning?¡± Snapping her head up, she said, ¡°Huh?¡± Motioning to the boards in front of her, Lost said, ¡°The floor. Who¡¯s winning the staring contest?¡± Fen giggled a little, but she didn''t smile. Resuming her contest with the floor, Fen fell silent. Lost decided it best to leave her be, he explored more of the cabin. Looking at the various jars and boxes, he scanned for anything of use. While stepping over to the kitchen area, a board creaked under his boot. Looking down, Lost jumped a little, testing for the creak again. Sure enough, it creaked. ¡®Aha! Found you!¡¯ Lost thought, crouching down. Feeling around on the board, Lost was able to get a grip on the edge and pry it up. Fen walked over to see what he was doing. Where the board used to be, was a small, dusty cubby. Inside lay a pouch, a few parchments of paper and a sheathed curved dagger. Eagerly grabbing hold of the draw string pouch,Lost opened it. Inside lay numerous red iron and copper coins. Giving it a jiggle, Lost smiled happily. He was about to pocket the pouch, when Fen stopped him. ¡°It''s not right taking from a dead person¡­ especially Sadora.¡± She sounded sad and angry. With a glance at her, Lost could tell she was mad. ¡°Kid, we need this more than her,¡± said Lost, standing up and putting his hands on Fen¡¯s shoulders. She looked infinitely sad, scared and angry. Whether at him, he was not sure. ¡°Can¡¯t you bring her back, like you did with the soldiers?¡± It was an innocent question, but Lost winced at what it implied. He had once thought he could do it himself, but when he had done it, it brought only pain to the one he had brought back. In the end, he had to extinguish their soul, for it was far too scarred to save, to twisted. It also gained him a new enemy, one which hehad beenincredibly close to. ¡°I wish it worked like that. But it doesn''t.¡±Stolen novel; please report. Fen shot a questioning and angry look at him. Lost sucked in a deep breath of air and then slowly exhaled, ¡°I didn''t bring the soldiers back, I guess you could say, I animated their bodies,¡± Lost looked down at Fen, she still gave him a questioning look. So he continued, leading her over to the bed and sitting down. ¡°What I did, was use my magic to temporarily power up their bodies, imbuing in it my wish. That wish was to destroy the other soldiers. ¡°They were not brought back, what I did was was turn them into embodiments of my will. When I cut off the supply of mana I gave them, their bodies could no longer function. They were nothing but empty shells, with no capacity for thought, pain and few other things, other than the hunger for souls. Do you understand, Fen?¡± Lost said, looking down at the small wolf girl and using her name to help convey his message. Her big, green eyes stared back at him, innocent and on the verge of crying. ¡°I think so¡­¡± She said, the anger receding, but the sadness sticking. Ruffling her hair and ears, he gave a smile she couldn''t see under his hood. ¡°It is alright to cry, just don''t let your enemies see you do it.¡± Fen then burst into tears and started to sob. Lost, feeling awkward because he wasn''t that good with kids, said. ¡°Hey, hey. It''s okay. Can I tell you something, kid?¡± He waited for her crying to stop, then told her. ¡°There are many universes, all vastly different and odd. When a person dies, their soul moves on from this world, wandering through many, till its memories are gone. Once that happens, then the soul will be sent to one of these many worlds, where it will be reborn anew. As a new being. I can bet you, that right now, Sadora is somewhere out there, traveling through many of those worlds. And one day, she will be reborn again.¡± Whether that helped or not, Lost was not sure, but Fen seemed to have calmed down. After a few minutes, she spoke again, ¡°Where do you think Sadora will end up?¡± Lost let out a short laugh and stood up, saying, ¡°That''s the beauty of it, you can never know. There are nearly an infinite number of worlds out there.¡± He walked back to the cubby in the floor and crouched down. Tying the pouch to the belt across his chest, he looked at the thin pieces of paper. On them were drawings of a few people and some random areas, all with an extreme amount of detail. A few words were written under the drawings. Lost set them back into the cubby and grabbed the dagger. Pulling it out of the sheath, he found that it was broken. A jagged slice through the middle, where it was hit and the point of the blade missing. He sheathed the dagger and placed it back in the hole. Putting the board back into place, Lost stood. Letting out a sigh, he contemplated why an old harpy would have such a thing. Probably as a memento or something, the same went with the pictures. Looking up, Lost froze. In front of him, hovered a hooded robe. The face, much like his, concealed in shadow. It let out a hissing click. The Wraith. Lost¡¯s heart jumped into his throat. Fear rising. He jumped back, unsheathing his sword in one fluid motion. Holding it between himself and the Wraith, he let out a low, warning growl. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Fen asked, looking at him with red and puffy green eyes. He looked over at her, then quickly turned back. When he looked back, it was gone. Blinking a few times, Lost scanned the room. Trying to figure out where it went. Eventually, he stopped and sheathed his sword. Fen repeated her question, tugging on his sleeve with fear. ¡°Sorry, I just thought I saw something,¡± Lost replied nonchalantly. Trying to push his fear away. Whatever that was, he knew it could only mean one thing. He was starting to lose. He patted her on the head, walking to the front door. She looked unconvinced, but didn''t say anything. Opening the door, Lost muttered, ¡°Time to loot some dead bodies.¡± Tess She pulled herself up out of a puddle of dirty water. Her dress soggy and dirt covered. Walking out of the alley, Tess headed for the castle gates. The guards noticed her immediately and came rushing over. ¡°Milady! Are you hurt?¡± One of them asks, his face hidden beneath a metal helmet. Tess waved him back as he approached to check her saying in a shaky voice, ¡°I am fine. Please get my mother and father.¡± The guard swiftly ran into the castle, while the other led her into the castle. Tess glanced behind her, watching as a brown hooded figure disappeared around the corner of the alley she came from. Turning back, she entered the castle. The small vial in her sleeve seemed to get heavier and heavier with every step she took. Chapter 22: Lost and Goliath Lost Grabbing the reins of the horse, Lost guided it over to the road away from the cabin. Passing the cabin, he ran his hand along the side, pushing mana through it and muttering, ¡°Ignis.¡± His hand trailed flame, igniting the wood. It hungrily started to consume the wooden cabin. Pausing at the beginning of the road, Lost looked down at the dejected wolf girl. She looked at the burning cabin, and the bodies inside it. ¡°Time to go, kid,¡± Lost said, putting a hand on her head and turning it away from the flames. He frowned and shifted his hand to his chest, but kept it flat and level with Fen¡¯s height. Comparing her size with his, she came right up to the middle of his chest. Then he moved his hand down a few inches, right where his stomach started, then back up to Fen¡¯s height. ¡°Bahaha,¡± He laughed a little, shaking his head back and forth. ¡°What?¡± Fen asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± Lost said with a coy smile and picked up Fen, plopping her down on the horse. He then mounted behind her and flicked the reins for the horse to move forwards. They cantered along the dirt road for a while, without saying anything. When Fen finally spoke, she asked, ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Back to the capital,¡± Lost replied simply. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because we are.¡± ¡°Didn''t we just escape it?¡± Fen asked, looking up at him. Lost laughed, with a smile hidden under his hood. ¡°Yes, well¡­ The King and I need to have a chat.¡± He moved the horse¡¯s speed up to a run. ¡°You mean you''re going to kill him?¡± Fen asked with a neutral tone. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°So, you are going to kill him.¡± ¡°I am not sure.¡± They fell into another lapse of silence. Lost¡¯s thoughts slowly wandered back to the past few hours. He had obtained a number of things from the dead soldier''s bodies. The best of them being a flintlock pistol that was now holstered to the belt on his chest. Back before he died, the world was more reliant on Magic. Therefore there was no use for ranged weapons like these. He hadn''t given it much thought before now, but it seemed the this world, without its magic, was headed down a similar path of industry as earth. Lost had also obtained another belt that he wore around his waist. Several small bags of coin he got from the dead soldiers were hung on it, along with a small fanny pack attached to the back of his belt filled with herbs, food and medical supplies. He was tempted to take some of the armor, but found that it limited his movement, and therefore his speed. Speed was his greatest ally in combat and he was reluctant to give it up. He had also acquired some gray cotton pants and shirt from the cabin. It was much more comfortable than his prisoner garb. They turned on a main road and Lost steered the horse towards the capital. Lost tried to think of how far from the capital they were, maybe a day? Two at most? He wasn''t sure. An hour passed by in the thick silence as day slowly turned to night. A grutal roar shattered the quiet as the sun touched the the horizon. Lost immediately yanked on the horse¡¯s reins, scanning the woods with his amber glowing eyes. ¡°Was that a wolf?¡± Fen whispered, gripping onto Lost¡¯s right sleeve. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. In my experience, wolves don''t roar,¡± Lost said, spurring the horse to go faster. He had heard that roar before¡­ A pit of dread opened in his stomach as he looked behind him. Thankfully it wasn''t near them, but he had no doubt it was coming for them. Lost whispered encouragement to the horse, telling it to go faster. He hoped that they would reach a town soon, if not that, then at least an open area. Preferably one with lots of corpses. Or lots of fire. Lost mentally started going through his list of spells that he believed might be able to kill The Beast. ********Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Lost dismounted the horse, helping Fen down. He looked around. They were in a large field, surrounded on all sides by trees. The grass was brittle and dry, perfect for burning. If he was going to make this work, he would need a lot of fire. Leading the horse away, he made sure it was out of sight from the field and tied it to a tree. Walking back into the field, Lost looked down at Fen. She looked scared. ¡°Hey, kid. I¡¯m going to need your help,¡± Lost said, patting her on the head. He wasn''t going to offer a lie that they would be fine, she would know he was lying. He knew that they had a slim chance of defeating this creature. Fen nodded slightly. Crouching down, Lost picked up a stick and started sketching in the dirt. ¡°Do you know what a mine is?¡± He asked, Fen shook her head. Lost let a smile creep across his face, hidden in shadow. ******** Lost sat on the ground, his legs crossed. He stared into the fire, looking at it lick the air. He glanced over to a blanket laid on the ground, a bump under it. The air was split by a bloodthirsty roar, thumps shortly following behind. Trees groaned and snapped as it entered the field, stopping at the edge. Its red eyes focused on Lost¡¯s back, who still stared at the fire. Growling, it stepped forward, and roared again. Lost didnt turn. This time it paced back and forth, as it seemed to contemplate whether this was a trap or not. After a bit, it stopped and stalked forward slowly. Lost smirked under his hood. The Beast set a foot down, a click sounding from underneath it. It stopped, lifting its foot curiously. A flash and a boom sounded out, as the beast¡¯s fur was ripped into by metal shrapnel. It roared in pain, but it was more high pitched, like a scream. Lost swiftly turned around, kicking the coals of the fire into the grass. The flames hungrily spread across the ground. Drawing his sword, Lost faced the massive monster, that which favored its right leg. The other bleeding from multiple cuts and pieces of metal embedded in the flesh. The metal vanished, like it was never there, but the torn flesh remained. The Beast glared at him, it¡¯s clawed hands flexing. Lost walked forward, brandishing his blade. The fire spread out around him, engulfing the field in flame and illuminating the night. ¡°Beast isn¡¯t such a good name for you, is it? I think the name Goliath is fitting. Ya¡¯ know, from David and Goliath?¡± Lost said, looking at The Beast. It didn''t look amused. Growling, itchargedat him. A bullet whizzed from between the trees and hit Goliath square in the back,causing it to stop. It grabbed at nothing behind its back, turning around. Lost pushed magic into his sword, the runes glowing amber. He started speaking a spell, while running around Goliath as it turned its attention back to him. By now they were walking in a sea of fire, smoke rising and making it hard to see. But Goliath outline was big enough to see through it. ¡°By the burning of fire, by the ever hungering flame and the ever thirsting heat, I call upon you to do my bidding. To carry out my will and empower my wish,¡± Lost continued speaking, the fire parting in front of him, never touching his clothing or skin. Goliath chased after him, the flames singing his fur, but doing nothing else. It leaped into the air, aiming straight for Lost. Lost jabbed his sword into the dirt behind him, wrenching himself back. Goliath landed in front of him, fire being put out in the small area around it. The whole time Lost didn''t stop speaking, his voice hoarse from the smoke. Stopping a few meters from where Goliath was getting back up, Lost finished his spell. ¡°I summon you, Infernos!¡± He spread his fingers and jutted his arm out towards Goliath, pushing massive amounts of mana through his sword. The sea of flame stopped. The fire froze, no longer moving and not making a sound. Goliath looked around confused. The the fire started up again, but this time it all swirled together in front of Lost. It melted the dirt and rock, turning it to magma. It slowly built itself into the air, gaining legs and arms. It was crowned by a blocky head. The arms turned into sharp and jagged points. The legs and feet thick as a tree trunks. The entire construct was about 13 feet tall, smaller than Goliath. The magma stopped flowing, taking a solid form. For a second, the crags of fire running along its body dimmed. Then they burst with flame, igniting the entire body on fire. It looked like a being made of pure flame. Goliath took a step back, in what looked alot like to Lost, fear. Lost spoke in a weak voice, ¡°Infernos. Destroy.¡± The fiery construct rushed forward, heading straight for Goliath. Goliath roared and charged toward Infernos. They collided in a explosion of fur and fire. Infernos stabbed with its spike-like arm, aiming at Goliath¡¯s chest. Goliath reached with a clawed hand toward Infernos¡¯s head. Goliath barely dodged the fiery spike of an arm, grabbing onto the head of Infernos. It ignored the flesh of it¡¯s hand being singed by the fire and started squeezing. What Goliath didn¡¯t notice was Infernos¡¯s right arm aimed at Goliath''s side. It burst through the fur and skin, slipping between the ribs and spearing Goliath¡¯s heart. Instantly Goliath¡¯s grip weakened and Infernos pulled its head out of the clawed hand. Infernos stepped forward, driving the flaming spike deeper. Goliath slipped forward, the other spike arm driven into its gut. Letting out one last pitiful roar, Goliath fell forward as Infernos pulled its arms back. Landing with a thump, Goliath lay still on the scorched ground. Infernos stood still for a second, then drove its spiked arms again and again into the giant corpse of Goliath. Lost, slumped over his sword, watching the fight with an impassive expression. ¡°Infernos, stop.¡± The fire elemental stopped, and looked over at Lost. Then it started running at him. He had feared this, elemental¡¯s were hard to control and depending on their order. Infernos¡¯ order was destroy, that could include everything it sees. He wasn''t powerful enough to control it. Lost closed his eyes and cut the mana he had been giving Infernos, drawing back the mana he had given it. Reopening them, he watched as Infernos slowed down, flames dying, and eventually coming to a slow stop in front of him. A spike inches from his face froze. The magma hardened and Infernos¡¯ flames died. Lost let out a sigh and stood up unsteadily, leaning on his sword. His head hurt, like Infernos really had driven that spike into it. His vision, although blurry, focused on something to the left of the statute. A hooded figure stood behind it. The Wraith. It appeared before him in an instant. A hand made of bone shoved itself into his lower abdomen. ¡°Oh, F**** yo-,¡± Lost couldn¡¯t finish his curse before the cold ash ground rushed up to his face and a cloud of gray enveloped him. Chapter 23: Birth of An Enemy Lost He was hit by a wave of vertigo. ¡°AHAHAHA!¡± The Wraith¡¯s snake like and wicked voice resounded within his mind. ¡°Enjoy my gift.¡± Everything was dark, blacker than the night. Then someone was shaking him and he slowly opened his eyes. A girl stared down at him. She had bright blue crystal eyes and rich, red colored hair flowed down to her waist. She couldn¡¯t have been older than eleven. She wore a serious expression, her eyebrows scrunched together. ¡°Wake up brother, it¡¯s time,¡± Valentine said in a low whisper. Lost yawned, pushing his sister back, ¡°Alright, give me a second.¡± Getting out of his bed, he shuffled over to a mirror on the wall of his small square room. Under the mirror stood a dresser. Lost opened it, pushing clothes to the side. He pulled out a long bundle. Looking up into the mirror, a face stared back at him. It was of a tanned boy, eleven years old. He had a head of unruly red hair and shared the same colored eyes as his twin sister. Crystal blue. Gripping the long bundle tightly, Lost turned back to his sister. ¡°Let''s do it, Vey,¡± Lost said in a grim but determined tone. She quietly walked over to his door and opened it silently. Lost followed her, walking carefully so the wooden boards wouldn¡¯t creak. Creeping past an open door, Lost peeked inside. He could hear heavy snoring from inside. Their Master, Brohmin Zekia, was deep in sleep. Opening the door outside, Vey and Lost stepped through it silently. Taking a deep breath of fresh night air, Lost nodded to his sister. They both ran into the forest behind the small building they now called home. Looking at trees, Vey stopped and said, ¡°This is the one, Cyrus. Quickly.¡± She pointed at a large moss covered tree. They both crouched down and started digging up the dirt at the base of the tree. When they were finished, Lost pulled a large leather sack out of the hole. Vey fished out a small shovel. Setting it down on the ground, he opened it. Inside was a black rose. It looked healthy and pristine, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to guess that it was picked a month ago and imbued with death magic. Vey had used a spell to help sustain it¡¯s life force, so it wouldn¡¯t die in a few days. Lost still marveled at her power over living things. It was a staggering power. Pulling out the flower, Lost handed it to his twin sister and grabbed a thick book out of the bag. A flat, metal picture of a laughing skull decorated the front, a crown of thorns around it¡¯s head. The book was only a little bigger than his hand and a lock was firmly attached to the right side. ¡®The book still gives me the creeps,¡¯ Lost thought. Was he doing the right thing? Would they finally be reunited again? A loving family? Getting up, the siblings walked a little deeper into the forest, following a trail worn in the ground. They eventually came upon a small clearing, the full moon illuminated it in an eerie light. Nothing but a small grave was in the clearing. Lost walked up to the headstone, brushing his fingers over the words. ¡®Here lies Kassandra RavenCroft. Loving mother of two.¡¯ That was it, nothing else. Just those eight words. He didn¡¯t know how many times he had sat in front of this grave and whispered the last words his mother had ever heard, ¡°Are you proud of me, Momma?¡± Standing up, Lost took the shovel from his sister and started digging up the grave. He didn¡¯t know how long they spent digging up that grave, switching every few minutes. But when they were done, Lost had started to seriously question whether this was right. Vey and Lost stared into the hole, looking down on a white and dirt stained, human sized bundle. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Vey asked Lost, an eager tone in her voice. Lost tried to lighten the mood with a joke, ¡°I was born ready. You were the one who wanted to stay.¡± Vey only gave a little smile, and as quickly as it appeared, it vanished. She held the black rose out in front of her, taking deep breaths. Closing her eyes, she started to chant. The words didn¡¯t rhyme, they didn¡¯t even make sense as a sentence, just a string of different plant types. Her job was to rejuvenate the body and make sure that it was ready to receive the soul. The flower would help Lost anchor the soul to the body, acting as a way point. Runes started to appear on the simple white bracelet around her wrist, glowing amber. Lost unbundled the white cloth, revealing a masterfully crafted sword. It was as dark as night, runes etched into it. Lost set the leather book down on the opposite side of the grave from his sister. Cutting his thumb on the edge of his blade, Lost pressed his thumb to the keyhole on the book. The skull book opened with a click. Picking up the book with one hand, he stood up. Pointing his sword at the cloth shrouded body of their mother, he pushed mana into his blade. The runes along it¡¯s length glowed a bright amber. Looking at the book, Lost started chanting the words along the page. He didn¡¯t understand the language, or what the words were, but he knew what they would do. It was a guttural and rough language. His mind became fuzzy and his eyes unfocused. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Lost¡¯s job was to locate their mother¡¯s soul and haul it back to the world of the living, anchoring it in the body. He was still speaking, but he couldn¡¯t hear it. He felt trapped, unable to move. Then he saw a mental door in his mind. Reaching out to it with his mind, he hesitated. Was this right? Then he dismissed it, there could be no doubt that it wouldn¡¯t work. That it wasn''t right to reunite a shattered family. Lost opened the door, and his mind expanded. First he saw the world and he saw it all. Wolves stalking a herd of deer. A ship traveling over a vast sea. A elf smith using a magical smelter. Dwarves mining ever deeper into the earth. He could see everything, everyone. But it went too fast for him to process. Desperately, he tried to hold onto the images, only catching a few. Then he was traveling through space. He saw all the desolate worlds out there, eventually his mind reached the ever growing edge of space. That was when his mind went farther than any man, elf or dwarf could ever imagine. He saw millions of universes, alternate dimensions and the fine and fragile seams holding them together. He saw earth. Planes, cars, ships, skyscrapers, fields and war. Lost tried desperately to hold onto all of the images, every last one of them, but it was like trying to catch wind in a cupped hand. What felt like entire years, but he knew it was only a few seconds, he saw everything and everyone. Then the words appeared in his mind, a question. ¡®Are you proud of me, momma?¡¯ His mind became focused and he begun searching for that one soul in a infinite sea. They were everywhere, between the seams of the universe, watching and moving on. Always moving. They would move till they faded to nothing and were reborn again as a new being. Lost envisioned the souls as fish, swimming in an ocean. Calling out with his mind, Lost¡¯s vision sped in all directions. Then he found it, the soul he was searching for. He scooped it up in a mental net, dragging it back with him. It squirmed violently, trying to get free, but Lost wouldn¡¯t let it escape. He wouldn¡¯t let her leave them. Lost dragged the soul of his mother through the universes, until he reached the one his body resided in. Pulling and pulling, until he was back in that small forest clearing. This was the unclear part. He untangled the strangling soul from the net. Gripping it tightly in imaginary hands. Lost hadn''t gotten a proper look at it before. It was an opaque white, with two big black eyes and a long tail. A round, rain drop shaped body, with slippery skin. His sister stood perfectly still, sweat rolling down her face. She held the black rose out in front of her, the bracelet around her wrist glowing amber. Grabbing onto the soul¡¯s tail, Lost shoved it into the rose. Vey¡¯s eyes snapped open wide and the rose in front of her starting changing colors, from black to white. White and black swirled in the flower. Lost let go of the book, dropping it to the ground. The cover snapped shut and the lock clicked back into place with finality. Gasping for breath, Lost fell to his knees, looking at his sister. She smiled a hopeful smile and walked over to the grave. Crouching down, Vey laid the flower on the chest of the body inside. The flower glowed a bright white, the center pitch black. Then it crumbled to dust, the light fading. Lost shuffled over to the grave on all fours, looking over the rim. For a horrible moment, he feared it wouldn¡¯t work, that they hadn¡¯t gotten to her in time. Then there was the sound of breath being drawn in and the white wrapped body¡¯s back arched. Falling back down, it started pulling in air. He could feel the fear dissipating to the wind, and in that moment Lost felt happy. They had done it. Their mother started struggling against the white linen. A hand ripped through the cloth, almost like a butterfly emerging from it¡¯s cocoon. That was when Lost knew something was horribly wrong. The hand¡¯s skin was shriveled and gray. A scream pierced the night, as the monster they had created struggled against its bonds. ¡°Mom!¡± Vey yelled, ¡°It¡¯s alright! You''re fine now!¡± She jumped down in the pit, a crazed fervor in her eye. Lost reached out to pull Vey back, grasping onto her shoulder, he pulled her back. She struggled against him, but to no avail as he sent his remaining magic to reinforce his limbs. She started doing the same, but Lost yanked her out of the pit right as the thing that used to be their mother escaped the white linen. It was a horrible thing, the neck snapped and skin shriveled and gray. There were long strings of hair left on it¡¯s head. He wasn''t sure how, but something clicked in his head and he could see the soul inside it. The soul was no longer a white fish. It was a light sucking black, resembling more an eel, but with glowing amber eyes. The Dark Soul struggled against its bonds in the body, hissing and spitting. ¡°Stop it, Vey! That''s not our mom!¡± Lost said to his screaming and kicking sister. ¡°No! NO! LET ME GO! MOM! MOM, HELP!¡± Vey yelled reaching her hands out to the Dark Soul. The corrupted soul saw them then, turning it¡¯s black eel head to look at them. The the corpse of their mother lurched forward. ¡°C-come here chi-chil...children. It''s¡­ alright. Come t...o y-your mother,¡± The horrible creature rasped, reaching its shriveled hands out to them. That was when Lost realized that his sister couldn¡¯t see the Dark Soul that lived in their mother. She was to wrapped up in the excitement of their mother being back. When Lost looked at her, he no longer saw the soft face of his sister, but one of a crazed girl. She had snapped from the strain of bring life back to the dead. Looking back at the Dark Soul, it was only a few meters away from them. It was still speaking with their mother¡¯s voice, but it was raspy and it held no emotion. It lunged forward, and Lost pushed his sister to the side. Grabbing the sword that lay to his side, he thrusted it forward. The Dark Soul impaled itself on the blade. Black blood poured out from the wound, but the blade didn¡¯t even faze it. The Dark Soul clawed its way forward, on top of Lost and using it¡¯s full bodyweight against him. The nails on its fingers were cracked and dried, but it dug into Lost¡¯s right cheek, the monster that wore the corpse of their mother hissed, and the body hissed in turn. Not even thinking, Lost pushed all his power into his sword, fire and darkness combined and the blade burst into flame. But it wasn''t normal flame, it was black. The black fire froze the flesh it touched, slowly spreading out from the Dark Soul¡¯s chest. The black soul inside the body withered as it was consumed and screamed in hate and malice. Then it was gone, only a small wisp of black floating out of the mouth of their mother. Then as quickly as it happened, it ended. Lost pushed the frozen corpse of his mother off of him, his sword frozen in it¡¯s chest. Standing up, he stumbled, a severe migraine growing in the back of his head. He looked at his sister, who stood with a face full of shock, fear and anger. Vey screamed, running to the corpse. Lost tried to stop her, but she pushed him out of the way, sending him crashing to the ground. She fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face and clutching the body of their mother to her chest. Lost¡¯s vision blurred, but he held onto consciousness. Vey looked at him, horror, disbelief and shock in her eyes. To his horror, the wisp of corruption entered through his sobbing sister¡¯s mouth and she never saw it. He could see her soul now, it was a bright, luminous thing, just like his mother¡¯s is had been and it swam through her body. Lost watched as the wisp of corruption entangled the soul, growing tentacles and encircling it. But the soul went on without concern, the corruption growing on its back. His sister screamed in hatred, anger, disgust, terror and pain. Her eye¡¯s filled with malice and pure, murderous rage now. ¡°I HATE YOU! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, CYRUS!¡± Vey shrieked at him. She then gently handled their mother, pulling the sword out of her chest and discarding it. Getting up and turning her back to him, she didn¡¯t look back. Walking off into the black forest, Lost watched as his greatest enemy was born. He feebly reached out a hand, trying to stop her from leaving. Darkness crept around the edges of his vision and consumed it, ending the nightmare. Chapter 24: Deal With The White Devil Nero He looked out of the massive glass window, viewing the people bustling in the streets, lost in thought. He wore a troubled expression. Nero thought back to when the guards told him and his wife that their daughter had returned. He had rushed out of the room, Rega, his wife, hot on his heels. When he saw Tessa, he ran up to her and hugged her, not caring if she was filthy. He had thought her dead. After a while, he let her get changed and told her to come talk to him after she was clean. His daughter had described of how she was knocked out and kidnapped by the Beasters. But had managed to escape by surprising them with her magic, she then proceeded to tell how she had made her way here. Once she was done talking Nero asked her where the Beasters had held her, if she could remember the building. Nodding, Tess had walked over to a map of the city and pointed to an area in the slums. The King ended their meeting their and sent a large contingent of royal guards to the area in the slums. It was a foolish hope, a wish. But the rebels had already moved their base. Leaving only a note behind. No tyrant¡¯s reign lasts forever. ******** Lost Lost took a deep breath in, inhaling ash and dust. Falling into a coughing fit, he slowly got to his knees and hands. Looking around, he beheld the destruction he had wrought. Fen sat next to him, picking at her boots. Her ears drooping down and tail wagging slowly. Regaining his breath, he croaked, ¡°How long was I out?¡± Fen looked at him, in her eyes was admiration. ¡°Ten minutes. I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn¡¯t. And you wouldn¡¯t let me move you.¡± ¡°Felt like hours,¡± Lost said under his breath. Groaning as he stood up and stretching out his arms, he let out a sigh of content as the muscles and bones in his back popped. Then he ran a hand over his chest, checking to see if there was a hole in it. But there wasn¡¯t a gaping hole in it. He sighed in relief. He decidedly did not want to have a hole in him. Looking at the clearing, it was completely obliterated. The surrounding forest was charred and dead. The formerly dry, tall grass was gone, in its stead was a landscape of black ash and rocks. Goliath¡¯s corpse lay on the ground in a pool of dark blood, full of holes. The centerpiece a giant statue that a short time ago was alive and ready to impale Lost. ¡°That''s a new record! I was only out for a little bit!¡± Looking over at Fen, Lost let a smile cross his face, even though she couldn¡¯t see it. She must have heard it in his voice, because she smiled a little. ¡°You did good, kiddo. Just keep working at your illusions,¡± Lost said walking over to where his sword was stuck in the cold, ashy ground. Pulling it out of the ground, he brushed the ash off it. The metal was warm and thrummed with power. The image of Lost impaling his mother on this sword flashed through his mind, but he shook it off. That hadn¡¯t been his mother. He was in a very rare good mood and didn¡¯t want to ruin it. Sheathing the blade on his back, he turned back to Fen. Her face was scrunched up oddly and Lost couldn¡¯t place the look. ¡°What?¡± He said, looking at his clothes and dusting his shirt off, ¡°Do I have ash on my clothes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± Fen said, looking around. ¡°Oh,¡± said Lost, ¡°Well we can get some of the food from the packs on the horse.¡± He was famished and needed something to eat. Looking at her feet, she scuffed her boot in the black soot, kicking up a small cloud of ash. Her ears dropped down farther. ¡°The¡­¡± She gulped and wouldn¡¯t look at him. ¡°What happened?¡± Lost took a few steps forward, looming over her. ¡°Um.¡± She still wouldn¡¯t look him in the eye. Withering under his gaze, she finally caved. ¡°The horse got away!¡± She said it so fast that the words blended together and it took Lost a moment to decipher them. Lost stood still, his frozen, shocked expression hidden under his hood. Probably realizing that it would be best to get away from the oncoming outburst, Fen slinked away from Lost. Clutching at his hood, he yelled in dismay, ¡°HOW?!¡± ¡°The fire got to the tree where the horse was tied. It tried to runaway and¡­ I couldn¡¯t let it die. So I untied it and let it run off,¡± said Fen. ¡°AND YOU DIDN''T THINK TO UNSADDLE IT FIRST!?¡± Lost yelled. ¡°I didn¡¯t really get a chan-¡± She was cut short by him. Lost, grabbing Fen by her sleeve, hauled her off saying, ¡°It couldn¡¯t have gotten far, we should hopefully have enough time to catch up to it!¡± He started running to where he left the horse tied to a tree, dragging the wolf girl behind him. ¡°Which way did it go?¡± He paused briefly enough for Fen to point left, deeper into the forest. Slinging her over his shoulder, Lost started at a dead sprint in the way Fen indicated. The whole time the wolf girl let out protests. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ******** Tess Laying in her bed, the dark enveloped Tess¡¯s bedroom. The shadows seemed to creep along the walls, the corners of the room black, bottomless portals to the netherworld. But her attention was focused on the small, teardrop shaped vial in her hand. The liquid was clear, looking like water. It had no taste or smell. ¡®Can I help overthrow my father?¡¯ Tess thought. She was having second thoughts about her decision to help the rebels. This poison would make her father sick. Over a day, he would quickly start to feel hot and be stuck in bed. He would get insomnia and start to become delusional. After about a week, the full effect would hit. But it wouldn¡¯t kill him. Not for a while. While the kingdom would be focused on King Nerofix, the Beasters would infiltrate the staff and guards. Without orders from the King, the generals would would be forced to make their own decisions on how to proceed in the invasion of the human kingdom of Hessa. The beasters had already infiltrated the generals and soldiers. They would cause arguments and overall halt all progress in the war. It made Tess shiver, it had never occurred to her how deeply the rebels had their roots in the government. After the Beasters had caused enough chaos, they would strike. Taking the castle and King by force and seize control of the government. If Tarquin¡¯s words were to be trusted, they would spare her father¡¯s life, giving him the antidote to the poison and throwing him into jail. Tess hid the poison under her bed, between the frame and the feather mattress. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the center of her room. Drawing from the pool of mana within her, she started practicing her magic. Nero He sat alone in his study, slouched over his desk. Papers were stern about on it, along with an inkwell and quill. A candle on the corner of the desk throwing shadows over the room. Nero had dark bags under his eyes and the wrinkles on his face stood out even more. Looking out the window in front of his desk, it was pitch black out. Only a few dots of light on the streets below and light streaming out of a few windows. A few heavy taps on the door made Nero look up. Scrunching up his brow he thought begrudgingly, ¡®What is it now, at this ungodly hour?¡¯ Opening the door, a royal guard stood there, in a full suit of armor. A haggered elven soldier stood next to him, his face covered by a helmet. ¡°My King,¡± The royal guard said falling to a knee, the soldier doing the same. ¡°This soldier has urgent news from the front lines, he requested an audience and was granted it by the General.¡± ¡°Well spit it out then,¡± Nero growled, letting the guard and soldier into his study. Nero wasn''t in a good mood. Having not slept. These past few days had been chaotic and stress inducing. Especially the thought of the resistance and the man claiming to be the Dark Swordsman running rampant in his kingdom. Sitting down behind another desk in the center of the room, Nero motioned for the soldier to speak. The soldier, who had kept his head down the entire time, looked up. He took his helmet off, putting it in the crook of his arm and smiled revealing mousy brown hair and sharp, angular features. Nero¡¯s eyes widened in confusion and panic. The shadows thrown across the man''s face revealed his eyes. They were rolled up into his skull. Before Nero could yell for help, the guard next to the man crumpled to the ground. Nero tried to yell but his jaw was frozen. He couldn¡¯t move at all, not even his facial muscles could move. ¡°Hello King Nerofix the 68th,¡± The soldier said with a nod. He walked over to the bookshelves lining the walls. ¡°I have heard many things about you,¡± The soldier took a book off the shelf, playing with it in his hands. ¡°I also heard you had a pest problem.¡± The force stopping him from moving released and he gasped with glee at being able to move again. ¡°W-what are you?¡± He stuttered, leaning as far back in his chair as he could. The soldier walked over to the desk and sat down in a velvet seat. ¡°Well, this body is, as I¡¯m assuming you''re referring to, is an elf. One of the scouts for your invading force in the human kingdom,¡± The soldier twisted his gloved hand around, inspecting it. ¡°He went by the name Felix before I claimed his body as mine.¡± The soldier leaned forward, a twisted smile on his face, added onto the rolled up eyes, it made a truly wicked appearance. ¡°But if you''re referring to the one controlling this body,¡± The soldier sat rigid, ¡°I am the White Sorceress, Vey. Bringer of Order and Light. Master of Life Magic.¡± Vey, in these modern times referred to as the goddess of light and order. But Nero, who had read the reports of many in the archives, knew better. Vey was the enemy of the Dark Swordsman, one that had tried to unite the world by converting every living being on Dragos, to serve her. She had killed many in order to achieve unity, but it never came to pass. Supposedly the Dark Swordsman had banished her along with the world¡¯s magic. She acted, in her last breath on this plane, by killing him. Nero didn¡¯t know what to do. His mind was racing from question to question, barely allowing him to think. Vey laughed at his look of confusion and shock. ¡°H-ho-how?¡± Nero sputtered. He wasn''t sure whether to believe this being or not. But then how would a lowly soldier know that Vey was the name of a Sorceress, not a goddess? Vey, in the body of the elven soldier, just laughed harder. Calming down soon after, she spoke, ¡°That is unimportant.¡± Standing up, still playing with the book in her hands, Vey paced around the room. ¡°I have heard that you are having a problem with some rebels,¡± Vey scrunched up the soldier''s face. ¡°No, no, no. Calling them rebels is giving them too much recognition. More like vagabonds or terrorists. When compared to your might, King Nerofix, they are nothing but rats.¡± Nero felt his head nodding along, he had this pleasant warm feeling in his mind. It was soothing and calming, he found himself much more relaxed. The stress from the past few days melting away as it permeated through his mind. ¡°What is it you came here for, White Sorceress?¡± ¡°Ah! Yes. I have come to offer you a deal, your Highness. I do not mean to offend, but I know you are lacking in certain, shall we say, powers,¡± Vey walked up to his desk and slammed the book down, ¡°I would like to offer you magic.¡± Nero looked at the book and then at the soldier. ¡°But magic can¡¯t be given. You must bond with under a certain age or you will die.¡± Vey chuckled, ¡°Yes, that is true, your Majesty. But let me clear it up a little more. I want to offer you my magic.¡± He looked at her in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± He said with a hint of anger, but the pleasant warm feeling intensified, making him all but forget it. ¡°It is something I have done many a times. I would like to allow you access to some of my mana pool and power. It will allow you to cast spells greater than any magic caster that ever lived, exempting me, of course. Even to locate and destroy the rats that are plaguing your kingdom.¡± Nero was about to say yes immediately, but stopped. Looking at Vey with suspicion, he asked, ¡°What''s the catch?¡± Vey burst into merry laughter, ¡°Your perceptiveness proceeds your reputation, my Liege.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Nero asked with more force. ¡°I would like you to kill my brother,¡± The soldier''s expression turned stone cold, the voice a deadpan. ¡°The Dark Swordsman.¡± Nero thought. Long and hard. He already had a bounty on the man¡¯s head. But he had no doubt that given time, the swordsman would come for him and if he was all he claimed to be¡­ Well, Nero didn¡¯t know if he would live. The warm bliss expanded, muddling his thoughts. He fell into it, accepting the feeling. He muttered, ¡°I accept.¡± Chapter 25: Tea And Posion Fen They hadn¡¯t caught the horse. At first Lost was adamant about finding it, but after several hours of going in its general direction, he gave up. Mainly, because they were utterly lost. ¡°I think we are lost,¡± Lost said, then adding, ¡°No pun intended.¡± ¡°Whats a pun?¡± Fen asked, but she knew he wouldn¡¯t answer her. Though she did find it funny that Lost was lost. She giggled at the thought. Snorting, Lost started picking sticks off the ground. ¡°Come help me set up a fire pit, might aswell get some sleep. Even though it is nearly dawn.¡± Fen complied with a nod. Gathering sticks and a few small logs. After they had set up the logs and sticks, Lost surrounded the fire in rocks to help prevent it from spreading out of control. Sitting down Fen watched as Lost took a handful of dry and dead leaves. He whispered a word and holding out his index finger, it burst into red flame. The fire danced along the skin on his finger, and it didn''t seem to be hurting him. Touching his finger to the leaves, the flame greedly jumped to them. Lost shoved it between the logs and let it expand. He saw her watching him. So she asked the question she was wondering, ¡°Why didn¡¯t the flames hurt you? Especially when you were fighting that beast, they seemed to bend away from you.¡± Splaying his hands out in the air, he said mockingly, ¡°Magic.¡± Fen couldn¡¯t contain a giggle. Then he responded for real this time, ¡°They weren¡¯t bending away from me, per se. I was snuffing out the oxygen- sorry, air- around them with more fire, just enough for me to take a step.¡± ¡°But how do you make it? You said you couldn¡¯t make elements with magic, only control them,¡± Fen questioned him, shifting around so she could enjoy the warmth of the flame. ¡°That is correct. But you can amplify the intensity of heat, till the point it makes flame. I use my own body heat to make fire. As for why it doesn''t hurt me. Well, the mana I feed it virtually makes it a part of me. But as soon as I no longer have a connection with that flame, and as long as it is sustaining itself on air and some flammable object, it burns me.¡± He looked back into the campfire, which had been fully encompassed by the flame. Fen thought about what he said. She guessed it made sense. ¡°But then how do I make my illusions solid? How do I even form them?¡± ¡°Now that, is an excellent question.¡± Lost nodded his head slowly, ¡°Truthfully, I have no clue. Some mages in the past would slave their entire lives to figure out how illusions work. But they never did figure much out.¡± She tried, really, really hard to not ask her next question. But her curiosity had gotten to her. ¡°How did you control the dead soldiers, then? If you can¡¯t make the element for magic, then what element allows you to use that kind of magic?¡± Lost stayed quiet for a while, till she thought he wasn''t going to answer. ¡°My guess, i¡¯m using the residue left from their soul to make ¡®dark¡¯ magic. Maybe even some of their leftover mana. It never really was studied, the magic was just rejected. Most people don¡¯t like or even accept that someone can animate the dead and use spells that are wound from death. It scares them. Back, when magic was everywhere, people whose innate ability with death were thought of as monsters. Many were beaten, others didn¡¯t use their powers. And in most cases, they were slaughtered mercilessly.¡± He was looking off into the forest, just as the sun was starting to illuminate the sky. ¡°Get some rest. You need it, kiddo. I''ll wake you in a bit and we will start looking for the nearest road, hopefully leading to a town or village.¡± Fen didn¡¯t object, yawning wide, she laid back on the ground and used her cloak as a pillow. Before she fell asleep, she whispered, ¡°I don''t think your magic is that bad.¡± ********Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Wake up, kid,¡± Lost said, shaking Fen awake after what only felt like minutes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± She mumbled, rolling onto her side. ¡°Fine, you can starve, then.¡± She immediately woke up, looking over to the hooded figure of Lost. ¡°You have food?¡± ¡°Ahaha!¡± He started to laugh, shaking his head back and forth. ¡°Sorry, no.¡± Lost said after getting himself under control. ¡®He tricked me!¡¯ Fen thought in indignation. She glared at him to show her disdain, but that only made him laugh again. ¡°First, we have to get the food. Then we can eat it,¡± Lost said getting up. ¡°Plus, it is perfect for training!¡± She didn¡¯t like the sound of where this was leading. ¡°You see, we don''t have any bows or anything to hunt with,¡± He said pacing back and forth. ¡°But I can make my rifle.¡± He stopped and looked at her, then shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t rely on your magic. Currently, you''re using it like a crutch. That''s not okay. People have been living without it for these past 1000 or so years and more. Magic is not a cure all.¡± Fen shifted nervously. She got the distinct impression that Lost was smiling evilly under his hood. ¡°It is time I train you in earnest. I want you to go and bring back some food and then we will start.¡± ******** Tess Her fingers clenched around the edges of the silver tray, knuckles bone white, to stop them from shaking. The tray was laden with two tea cups, a bowl of sugar and a tea pot. Tess stopped in front of the door to her father''s work space. She took a deep, shaky breath and put on a mask of impassiveness. Was she really going to poison her father? She pushed the door open and walked into the room. There her father sat, slouched over his desk, scribbling away with a quill. He looked up with weary eyes, ¡°Tessa! What do I owe this pleasant surprise to?¡± Smiling, Tessa walked over and set the tea on his desk. ¡°The guards told me that you have locked yourself up in here for two days, father! I thought it best to check if you were still alive.¡± He smiled back at her, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just that war requires a lot of paperwork. How¡¯s your mother doing?¡± Tess¡¯s smile waned a little, ¡°She is alright, for now atleast. She says she can hear whispers and feel things that we can¡¯t. I fear she¡­¡± Tess took a breath, ¡°I fear she may be going into madness.¡± Picking up the tea pot, Tess poured the still warm liquid into the cups. Putting a spoonful each into the tea. Then she handed one to her father. ¡°I think I will visit your mother after I¡¯m done with this paperwork.¡± Nero picked up the cup, slowly bringing it to his lips while talking. ¡°I appreciate you looking after her, I know it is hard. But this will all be-¡± He stopped right before the tea touched his lips. Hee sat there frozen, his expression blank. Tess instantly knew something was wrong. Nero locked eyes with her. What Tess saw in those eyes was pure rage and hatred. Anger and disgust. He threw the tea cup at blinding speeds. It rushed right past her head, breaking against the wall behind her. ¡°HOW DARE YOU!¡± Nero shouted, ¡°GUARDS!¡± Only a few seconds later, the guards had rushed into the room. They looked around confused, ready to defend their king against would be attackers. ¡°Take this filth and throw her into the dungeon.¡± Nero spat while looking at Tessa. The guards looked at her, then the king. ¡°But, your majesty, tha-¡± ¡°THROW HER INTO THE DUNGEON NOW!¡± He screamed at the guards. They hesitantly obeyed, grabbing Tess by her arms and dragging her out of the room. She couldn¡¯t even comprehend what had happened. Her father had always looked at her with love and adoration. That man looked at her with murderous hatred. That wasn¡¯t her father. She got a glimpse of her father right before she left her room. He sneered at her, but the one thing that shocked her even more was his eyes. They glowed a brilliant white. Chapter 26: No Right or Wrong Lost He sunk his teeth into the meat that gave off a mouthwatering scent, letting out a groan of annoyance and sadness. Still no flavor. ¡°Stupid-¡± he took another bite ¡°-Freakin Magic. Can''t do-¡± another bite- ¡°anything right.¡± Lost grumbled as he begrudgingly dug into the roasted rabbit. Lost looked over at Fen. She happily devoured the rabbit. It was clear that the meat was good tasting, but only if he could taste it. He had snuck up on a exceptionally large rabbit and hit it with a fireblast, charring the fur and scorching its side. But it was a small sacrifice for food. Lost grabbed another piece of rabbit roasting over the fire he had built and lit. Even though he couldn''t enjoy the taste, he still took pleasure in the feeling of filling his stomach and the warm sensation the rabbit left in it. They quickly finished the rabbit. Fen sat back with a sigh of content will Lost groaned with frustration. Lost sat back up and looked at the remains of the rabbit. A devilish grin spread across his hidden face. He wanted to test his dark magic. Picking up the bones they both stripped of meat, he arranged them on the ground. Grabbing the severed head of the rabbit, he gradually pushed fire mana into it. A few seconds later, his hand burst into flame, startling Fen. Lost kept the fire going for a few more seconds, then cut it, reabsorbing it into his mana pool. He held a rabbit skull with a its charred skin sticking to it. He pulled the ashy skin off with little effort, revealing a slightly blackened skull beneath it. Setting the skull with the rest of the bones, he extended his hand. Lost focused intently on what he was picturing. His hand was enveloped in a smoky blackness. As he held it out above the rabbit, tendrils of smoke swirled out of his palm and snakked their way along the bones. The smoke stripped off any excess and leftover meat on the bone, letting it fall to the ground. Once the bones were fully enveloped, he closed his hand halfway. The bones were dragged together, clicking it place with other bones. It looked as if the rabbit skeleton was being built up from the ground. Once all of the bones had assembled the skeleton, Lost focused on the joints. Darkness coalesced within them, taking the form of muscles. He continued on from there, building more muscle to allow for movement and organs that would tear apart anything inside of them, taking out the mana. He didn¡¯t stop there though. He sharpened the bony hands, making them into tiny, but wicked claws. He also made the teeth incredibly sharp, allowing for it to bite into flesh. When he had finished, he let out a sigh, lowering his hand. A upright rabbit skeleton looked back at him. Black flames in its eye sockets. A thin, barely noticeable amount of blackish mist flowed off it. The muscles and organs he had painstakingly made were near invisible, just a dark tinge around the rabbit skeleton. Lost chuckled at the sight. A skeleton rabbit. His new minion was a bunny. The rabbit looked around at the camp. Lost commanded it to walk towards Fen slowly. It did so. The bunny was under his full and absolute control. The technique that he had used was something that he had perfected over years of failures. Even then, he couldn''t do much of it. It required a lot of mana and focus to get everything right. But the finished product was worth it. He could make skeletons. These weren¡¯t any ordinary skeletons either. They could deplete a magic user¡¯s mana pool by biting into them, or sinking some part of their body into the mage¡¯s flesh. The skeletons could also ¡®evolve¡¯ in a sense. They would require bones and mana to grow. Of course the growth was completely unpredictable and Lost couldn¡¯t change anything after finishing it. There was also the added effect if the skeleton got more powerful than him, he would lose control. Much like Infernos, but the fire elemental had a will of its own. Fen looked unnerved by the rabbit slowly creeping toward her, but she stayed where she was. Once the bunny was a foot away from her, he stopped it. Then he made it bow. Or at least he tried too. The end effect looked more like the bunny skeleton was raising its hindquarters in the air then bowing. Both Lost and Fen burst out laughing. The skeletal rabbit sat back on its haunches, staring at them curiously. Once Lost had recovered, he went silent. He focused on the rabbit, pushing into its mind his thoughts. It walked into the forest, patrolling around their camp. ¡°Right, you ready to start training for real, kid?¡± Lost asked Fen. She looked at him warily. ¡°I''ll take that as a yes. Get up!¡± Standing up, Lost stretched with a groan and grimace, massaging his shoulder. He walked a ways from where their camp was, in an open space. ¡°What are we doing?¡± Fen asked Lost, following him. ¡°Take out your knife but keep it in the sheath,¡± Lost said turning around to face her. Fen complied. ¡°Now, come at me, kid.¡± Lost said, spreading his legs apart and spreading his knees, waving for her to attack him. Fen hesitated for only a moment, before rushing him. She held her knife out in front of her. When she was within a foot of Lost, she let out a cry and lunged at him. Lost grabbed her wrist jerking it up and to the side, driving his fist into her stomach mercilessly. Fen let out a gasp of air and fell onto her back. ¡°Come on kid! Suck it up and get to your feet! Pain is only a hindrance! It''s only there to tell you where you¡¯ve been hit!¡± Lost yelled. He knew this was cruel, but it was necessary. It was how he was trained after all. As his master used to say, ¡°Pain is the greatest teaching tool there is.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Fen looked at him. Lost took a deep breath then spoke, ¡°If we are going to go back into the capital, then I need to whip you into shape. You are weak and feeble, like a child! NOW COME AT ME WITH ALL YOU¡¯VE GOT!¡± Lost watched as her green eyes hardened with determination and anger. She came at him with her knife. He easily deflected it, but Fen sucked in her gut and hopped backwards, dodging the incoming blow.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡®Brohmin was right, it is a great teaching tool. After all, if you burn your hand by touching the stove, do you do it again just for fun?¡¯ Lost lunged forward with his fist. Fen ducked under it and aimed for his armpit. With a heavily armored opponent, under the arm would be unprotected. It was a death blow. ¡°Good!¡± Lost said as the knife came at him, then he grabbed her hand and twisted it, causing her to stop and cry out at the sharp pain. He then swung his leg and swept Fen¡¯s feet from under her, sending her to the ground. ¡°Again,¡± Lost said, stepping back and letting Fen get up off the ground. She growled in anger and came at him again and again and again. Each time she was sent to the ground, but she kept getting back up. ¡°Don¡¯t extend your knife past your body,¡± Lost ducked and aimed at Fen¡¯s legs with his fists. She rolled under the punch and went for his neck wit the sheathed knife. Lost dodged the knife, getting away from her. ¡°Keep the knife close to your body and-¡± He dodged one of her strikes effortlessly, ¡°- Keep your opponent near you, where you have the advantage!¡± Lost rolled on the ground, grabbing a handful of dirt and grass. He threw it at Fen¡¯s face. She yelped in surprise and backed away, but while her attention was on the dirt, he struck. He hit her in the gut with his shin. ¡°AND DON''T FORGET PLAYING DIRTY IS ALWAYS WITHIN THE RULES!¡± He shouted, hopping back from where Fen was pulling herself up off the ground. Fen rushed him again, aiming for his right side with the knife. Lost went to block. She feinted. Her dagger aimed for his left side. He twisted around and caught her arm. He smiled, ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± They went on like this for an hour. Fen collapsed, breathing heavily. Lost, who hadn¡¯t broken a sweat, walked over to her and offered his hand. Fen grabbed it and he pulled her to her feet. Then he aimed a punch at her head for extra measure. She twisted away from the punch, keeping a grip on his hand. Then he let her twist it around to his back at an angle. ¡°Ahahah! Good!¡± Lost said, then he kicked backwards, canusing Fen to release her hold. ¡°Thats enough for now. It¡¯s time to get moving.¡± Lost walked back to the camp, Fen followed behind him, huffing and limping. ¡°Your insane¡­¡± Fen grumbled under her breath. ¡°I heard that.¡± Lost said as he packed up their gear for the trudge to the capital. ******** Ren Renhold had been thinking. Maybe to much for his own good. His uncle was not a man to lie, but neither was he a man to let others (including himself) stand in the way of what he wanted. Ren had been present when Tarquin had offered the princess his deal. He had watched it all in silence, undoubtedly pondering the same things Tessa had been. Was this really the right side? Were the rebels really ¡°the good guys¡± or where they not? Was the poison in the vial deadly or would it do just as Tarquin had promised? These thoughts had plagued Ren for the past couple days. He had awoken early and couldn¡¯t fall back to sleep with these questions bouncing around in his head. So he decided, while the sun was still rising, to go talk to his uncle. Tarquin always woke up right before the crack of dawn, to both work with the rebels and to attend to his noble duties. Renhold snuck out of the underground storehouse he had been assigned. He made his ways through the twists and turns of the underground of the city. The underground of Valcrest was not the same as the sewers, not entirely. Valcrest was built upon the ruins of an ancient civilization. The city had been built upon the ruins of what historians called the ¡®Fae¡¯. The city grew on top of the ruins, a large portion of Valcrest sewers were built into these ruins, but not all of the ruins. Many places were forgotten about while others were used by Valcrest¡¯s seedier side. Renhold only knew the way to and back from the resistances main base of operations. And even then, he only knew this because his uncle had trusted him enough to tell him and give him a map. Many of the Beasters only knew of safe houses and small outposts that belong to the resistance. This was done to help keep any chance of discovery of the main base small. As Ren navigated his way to his uncle¡¯s house through the ancient and dark tunnels, he heard the quick scoffing of feet on stone. Quickly hiding in a small alcove, Ren held still and looked out he saw a dim light spread through the hallway. It passed by, not seeing Ren and vanished up the steps that entered into a wine cellar in Tarquin¡¯s house. Renhold hadn¡¯t even realize he had been holding his breath till he let it out. Then he turned to unwedge himself from the alcove. HIs heart nearly leeped out of his throat. ¡°GAAHHH!¡± Ren shouted in surprise and fright but he quickly stifled it down. The alcove he had chosen to hide in was in fact not an alcove. But the resting place of a corpse, and this was no ordinary body. This one had almost all but turned to dust, with only bones remaining. The skeleton was that of a giant, even by Ren¡¯s standards. It would be a good two or three feet taller than him is it wasn''t propped up against the wall. Its skull was large and thick, looking much like a human or elf, except for a few key differences. It had a mouth that sprouted pointed, sharp teeth. Horns curled from its forehead around its skull and back to the front, much like a rams. Renhold was disturbed to say the least. The body looked very closely like that of demons depicted in art. He knew what this was. It was a skeleton of a Fey. A few had been discovered before. But their discovery really didn¡¯t amount to much money other than exchanging the information of the location to historians for some money. While the skull stared at him with it¡¯s empty sockets and smiled its fanged grin at him, Renhold recollected himself and stepped out of the alcove. He had come here to ask his uncle some questions but had found something else. Why was his uncle receiving visitors at this hour, much less ones that come into his house from the underground? Ren sighed and thought bitterly, ¡®Just another question for the pile.¡¯ Climbing the stairs, he pushed open the door that was cleverly disguised as a shelf of wine and stepped into the cellar. The door clicked back into place behind him. He wasn''t a particularly stealthy person, but Ren did know how to walking silently. As he crept through the house, following the footsteps and light, he stopped at a corner. Peering past it, he could see the door to his uncle¡¯s office close quietly. Creeping over, Ren put his ear to the door, trying to listen to what was happening in the other room. ¡°Ah! Captain Dylo, what news do you have for me? I hope it is the good news I have been waiting for, did she poison him?¡± Tarquin''s voice sounded eager, like a child waiting to open their present. Dylo, captain of the royal guard, sighed. ¡°Lord Fher, she wasn''t able to do it.¡± There was silence for a few seconds, then Tarquin spoke again, sounding angry ¡°You mean to tell me she didn''t poison him?¡± ¡°No, Lord Fher. She attempted to sneak it into his tea, but he somehow detected it. He was so outraged that he sent her to the dungeons.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Tarquin shouted shocked, then bang of a fist hitting wood resounding from the room. ¡°I can not explain it, but he somehow just knew it was a deadly poison that would kill him. He ordered the guards to through the princess into the dungeon till he said to let her go.¡± Dylo sounded scared, an edge of fear in his voice. ¡°That''s not possible! The poison is tasteless, odorless and colorless. It is one of the most deadly on Dragos! It can kill a man within minutes! There should have been no way to detect it! I made sure of it myself!¡± Tarquin was yelling now, pure anger and disbelief in his voice. ¡°From what my men told me, King Nerofix¡¯s eyes were glowing white and that it was like he had gone mad.¡± Dylo said cautiously. The room got very quiet, and it was a few minutes before anything else was said. In a quiet, measured and calm voice Tarquin asked, ¡°Are you absolutely sure that your men are telling the truth?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you know what it might mean?¡± ¡°I might.¡± Tarquin said in a grim tone. ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°I think King Nerofix may have been able to acquire magic.¡± Ren pulled away. His uncle and Dylo kept speaking, but he didn¡¯t listen. King Nerofix has magic? How was that possible? The Princess was in the dungeon? Ren¡¯s thoughts went in circles, but they kept coming back to something his uncle had said. Even though he knew he should be focused on what his uncle had just stated. ¡®It is one of the most deadly on Dragos! It can kill a man within minutes!¡¯ It was then that Ren realized that his uncle had lied. When Tarquin was talking with Tessa, he had seemed so sincere. So empathetic. But Ren realized it was all just an act. What else could his uncle have lied about? Was he even on the right side of this war? For some reason, Ren¡¯s mind flashed back to something Lost had said to him while explaining magic. ¡®Magic has no sides. It is neither good or evil. It has no opinions and views. It does not take one side over the other, for both are the same in its eyes. It is much the opposite of people.¡¯ Lost had said, looking into Ren¡¯s eyes, his face grim. It was then that Ren realized that there was no right side. That both sides were just of opinions and views. Ren slinked back into the shadows, his mind whirling with confusion and betrayal. Disgust. Disgust at himself. Chapter 27: Fairy Dust Lost He stood in the shadow of a copse of trees, staring at the capital. Fen stood next to him, looking at the massive wall that surrounded the entire city. The rabbit skeleton hid between his feet, concealed in his cloak. ¡°God damnit,¡± Lost cursed, looking at the gates into the city and the wall. The sun was obscured by thick, dark rain clouds threatening to spill their load. ¡°How are we supposed to get in?¡± Fen asked worried, looking at the gates. Very few people were entering and exiting. Many staying indoors, anticipating the coming rain. ¡°We¡¯re not,¡± Lost said, scanning the entire length of the wall. They were standing outside the town that was pressed to the walls of the city, the gate still clear from where they stood. ¡°We can¡¯t scale the walls, their too high. We can¡¯t sneak past the guards, there are too many of them. We can¡¯t pay for a caravan to smuggle us in, we don¡¯t have enough. The walls are constantly under watch. It¡¯s a damned fortress.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we can get in,¡± Fen said, dejected. She glanced at him, but Lost kept staring at the walls intently. Lost thought that he knew roughly where Valcrest was built. A devilish grin curled along his lips. ¡°Oh, we most definitely can get in.¡± ******** The door of the crashed inward, shattering into a few pieces of stone with a boom. Lost peered through the crypt doorway, looking down the stairs the led into the dark. He stepped through the doorway and around the pieces of the former door. Fen dutifully followed him and the skeleton rabbit followed her, quietly creaking. ¡°Ignis,¡± Lost said, holding out him palm. It burst into flames. Then he proceeded into the darkness, following the stairway downwards. It had taken him a couple of hours, but he had eventually found a noble¡¯s graveyard outside the city. Or at least a rich family''s one that corresponded with the date he was looking for. Fen cautiously followed behind him, peering into the dusty abyss ahead of them. She had her hood up, hiding her wolf ears. They soon found themselves at the base of the stairs. Lost didn''t even blink at the spacious alcoves with coffins in them. He scanned the crypt, his eye¡¯s alighting on what he wanted. He walked over to the old, brittle wooden door in the wall, his footprints being left in the dust. ¡°What are we doing here, Mr. Lost?¡± Fen asked, coming up behind him. ¡°I told you not to call me that, kid.¡± Lost grumbled under his breath as he pushed the door open. On the other side was a dark hallway, but this one was ancient. With crumbling and cracked bricks. Cobwebs lined the hallway. ¡°Where is this?¡± Fen asked, peered out from behind Lost. ¡°The ancient Fae city of Ebora. Or at least the underground.¡± Lost said, looking back at Fen. ¡°Fae?¡± She looked at him with curiosity. ¡°Giants,¡± Lost said simply. When he saw that his answer didn''t satisfy Fen¡¯s curiosity, he heaved a heavy sigh. ¡°The elves, humans and dwarfs predecessors. They were a race of tall, horned beings. Not much is, or was, known about them. They just vanished and left their cities to fall into ruin. No one knows what happened to them. But we do know most of their language and some of their culture and history. ¡°Sometime after they vanished, our current day races appeared and ventured into the Fae¡¯s ruins. There they discovered ancient and powerful magic artifacts. Blahdy, blahdy, blah. That¡¯s why many wizards started fighting and eventually flow blown war broke out over who got which artifact. And then all of the preceding wizard wars aswell were fought over ancient technology.¡± Lost finished with a sigh. ¡°Wizard wars?¡± Fen asked him excited. ¡°Are you a wizard?¡± Lost chuckled at that and shook his head. ¡°The correct term for the wars was, ¡®The Great Wizard War.¡¯ And, no I am not a wizard. Just a magic user. A mage. There can¡¯t be anymore wizards, they were descended from dragons. Plus, they killed each other even before everything I did.¡± ¡°Everything you did?¡± Fen asked him. Lost shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not important. But since we are on the topic, do you remember what I said when we first met?¡± Fen thought for a moment, then responded cheerily, ¡°Something having to do with lists of buckets and a game about poking people.¡± ¡°HAHAHAHA,¡± Lost laughed hard. When he had composed himself enough to speak he shook his head back and forth. ¡°I guess I did say those things, but that''s not what I¡¯m talking about. I asked you if you knew what you were.¡± ¡°I know what I am. I¡¯m a wolf beastwoman.¡± ¡°Beastwoman. Hah! Yeah right!¡± Lost snorted. ¡°You aren¡¯t wrong. But do you know how your race was created?¡± Fen looked at him confusedly. ¡°Created?¡± ¡°Well did you think a mashup of human and animal was natural?¡± Fen looked at him, contemplating, ¡°I¡­ never really thought about it before.¡± ¡°Beastmen were created by wizards in the Third Great Wizard war, the last one. You were created to be their magical, unquestioning, loyal soldiers. I don¡¯t know exactly what the wizards did, but I know that many of them used ancient, and modern, magic to create beastmen. They wanted troops that could grow quickly and didn¡¯t question their authority. The reason for such diversity in beastmen, instead of just one type of animal, is the fact that the wizards combined different animals to allow their troops the power of magic. Bear beastmen are skilled in body strengthening magic with a little earth. Bird beastmen are skilled in air magic. Take yourself for example, you have power of water magic and some limited light magic to make illusions. Wizards made these types of beastmen, each for a specific purpose and type of magic. Eventually, when the wizards had killed each other off, the beastmen were set free. Because of the many territories each wizard had control of, your kind were already widespread. You settled down and started new lives, many becoming peaceful.¡± Lost finished his spiel, tired of talking. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°So, I¡¯m not natural?¡± Fen asked, worried. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Yes, you¡¯re not natural, but that doesn''t not make you a person. One could even say you have an advantage over other races in magic. After all you were created from it and have it inherently running through your veins.¡± Fen smiled and nodded. ¡°What are we going to do now?¡± Lost looked back at the hallway and shivered, ¡°Hopefully not get lost in the tunnels.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Lost pushed Fen forward, saying, ¡°You can go first!¡± ¡°What?! Why me?¡± Fen yelled, jumping back from the doorway. Lost took on a solemn tone, ¡°Listen here kid, you go first because¡­¡± ¡°Because?¡± Fen asked indignantly. ¡°Cause¡­ Ladies first! Hah! Yes! Now go forth and be brave!¡± ¡°You said I wasn''t a lady, but just a little girl.¡± Fen pointed out without hesitation. Lost put a strained grin on and grumbled through his teeth, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just walk into the hallway? Why? I¡¯m not dealing with all those damned spiders. Just go¡­¡± Fen¡¯s face got increasingly redder. And it most definitely wasn''t embarrassment. Then it went back to it¡¯s usually hue, her eyes winding in understanding. ¡°You''re scared of spiders!¡± She said in a teasing voice, dancing a little jig of victory. ¡°No¡­¡± Lost said all but convincingly. ¡°Yes! You are! Hahaha!¡± Lost sighed, ¡°Fine, you got me. You have won this one, kid. But be forewarned I¡¯m going to get you back for this, gonna get you back real good.¡± ¡°I won! I won! You''re afraid of spiders! HaHA!¡± ¡°Now don¡¯t get too big for your britches, kid.¡± Lost pointed his finger at the hallway, ordering the skeletal rabbit ahead and to find the nearest exit into the city. The undead rodent scampered ahead, staying a good 10 feet in front of them. Lost didn¡¯t want to get caught in any left over traps. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the city guard close off any passages into the city?¡± Fen asked as she followed him. ¡°Yes. They would have. But I¡¯m willing to bet that some of them were opened by thieves, smugglers and other criminals. I¡¯m also willing to bet many of the city guard that are supposed to check if the tunnels are closed dont. They are paid to say that they are.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Fen said, looking ahead. Lost swept the cobwebs with his hand, burning through them. He made extra sure that none got on his clothes or even near him. ¡°As Shakespeare once said, ¡®Once more unto the breach!¡¯¡± Lost spoke out loud, the quote coming to his mind. ¡°Who was Shakespeare and why¡¯d he say that?¡± Fen asked, looking up at Lost. He could only sigh, ¡°You know you ask a lot questions, right?¡± Fen puffed out her cheeks, ¡°No, I do not!¡± Lost only responded with a raised eyebrow and a, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that you say such strange things that make no sense! I can¡¯t help being curious!¡± Fen said with aggravation in her voice. ¡°Shakespeare was a play writer where I come from. A famous one. He was known for his incredibly complex and hard to understand plot and speech. Frankly, I can¡¯t remember another dang thing about him, only that his writing was confusing as hell.¡± ¡°Why would hell be confusing?¡± ¡°Gah! Stop asking questions!¡± Lost said, exasperated. ¡°Mhmp,¡± Fen said, falling silent. They slowly made their way through the tunnels. As they made their way, following the skeleton rabbit, Fen made a disgusted sound and pinched her nose. ¡°What is that smell?¡± She asked as they rounded a corner, pinching her nose. ¡°Well, you see kid. We are in the bowels of the city, quite literally. So it''s a given that there is going to be sewage.¡± Lost said matter of factly. He was unfazed by the smell. His only thought, ¡®I have smelled much worse.¡¯ A river of sewage ran down farther into the city, small bridges spanning over to both sides intermittently. The skeleton rabbit crossed over the nearest bridge and proceeded to follow the current. Lost followed with a reluctant Fen. They walked through the many underground tunnels. They passed through old forgotten sections and newer ones used as sewers. The rabbit turned up a set of stairs. Lost followed it, making sure that there weren¡¯t any webs. The stairs had footprints on them, formed in the ancient dust. This place had been used recently. Lost entered into a small square room, crates stacked up against the walls. He ordered the skeleton to stop. Lost moved over to one of the crates. ¡°Now why would you have people going in and out of a storage area through the underground?¡± Lost thought out loud quietly. He unsheathed his sword, putting the tip of it in between the nailed lid and the crate. He wedged it and popped the lid of with some help of mana infused strength. Lifting the lid off, he was confronted with a large amount of small glass bottles. Inside every bottle was a crystallized powder. Curious, Lost sheathed his sword and picked one up in his non burning hand. He held it up to the fire, inspecting it. The crystals were crushed to a fine powder and stoppered in with a cork. A label on the side of the bottle simply read: Fairy Dust ¡®Maybe it''s some type of salt? But why keep it down here?¡¯ Lost thought. He unstoppered the bottle. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do that, Mr. Lost.¡± Fen warned him. He turned to look at her. ¡°I told you not to call me Mister. Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Fen thought for a second, looking at the bottle. ¡°Its¡­ um¡­ I don¡¯t know how to describe it.... It makes you see things and feel strange.¡± With that vague statement, Lost restopperded the bottle. He thought for a moment, then activated his meditation. The world was lit by brown, black, and white lights. But the color that stood out the most to Lost was from what the bottles contained. It was a dull amber color, much like when he pushed mana into the runes on his sword. It was more muted though, mixed in with specks of blue, brown and white. Shutting off his mana sight, Lost looked at the bottle even more intently. ¡°So, it¡¯s like a drug? Combined with powdered mana crystals and some other plant?¡± He asked, looking at the wolf girl. ¡°Drug?¡± ¡°Something that makes you see things and feel¡­ odd. It can influence your decisions and thoughts. It makes you want more.¡± ¡°Yeah. Something like that. I have seen people eating it and they act really weird. Some lose their minds for it.¡± Fen said, looking at the powder apprehensively. Lost pondered the substance. Fairy Dust. So it was like a drug. But how could someone have gotten mana crystals, much less on this level? This amount of pure magic wouldn¡¯t be too harmful to a person, probably flooding their senses and enhancing them for a bit. It could probably be addicting, but also damaging. Though, with the more you consumed, the worse the backlash of raw mana, if an extremely large quantity was consumed it could kill you. The other ingredients probably dealt with the hallucinations and addiction. Not to mention the side effects from pure mana exposure. ¡°When did this ¡®Fairy Dust¡¯ start to appear, kid?¡± Lost asked Fen as he put three of the bottles in his pouch with the food. Fen thought about it for a minute. ¡°Maybe 3 or 2 years ago? I¡¯m not sure, but it isn¡¯t very common. I have never seen this much before.¡± Lost nodded slowly. It was possible that a few mana crystals could have formed over the time magic slowly started to seep back into the world. But on this scale and just a few weeks after it was fully released? No, it just wasn''t possible. There had been large crystals of mana where he had reawakened, but they were in the human kingdom. Them, how did it get here, though? Lost had a sneaking suspicion that his sister had something to do with it. He wouldn¡¯t put it past her to start weakening a kingdom by getting it addicted to drugs. That''s how the British won Hong Kong from the Chinese, securing land and trade rights in the Opium War. He inspected the crates for any markings and to his surprise, he found one. It was in the bottom left corner on every crate. It was tiny, barely noticeable. Lost didn¡¯t know what it meant, but he decided to keep an eye out for the symbol. ¡°Alright, kid. Let''s get out of this gloomy place.¡± He walked over and commanded the rabbit skeleton to go up the stairs. Lost and Fen followed it a few feet behind. Chapter 28: Welcoming Party Lost He pushed the hatch open, popping his headed through and assessing his surroundings. Deciding it was safe, he climbed up the ladder. The hatch was hidden behind a large alabaster statue. Stepping out from behind it, he stopped, surprised. At least a hundred elves were sitting on long rows of pews. A elf stood on a raised dias reading from a large book on an lecture. They were in a stone church, with a arched ceiling and large stain glass windows. Lost and the crowd both stared back at each other in surprise. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s¡­¡± Fen trailed off as she approached Lost and eventually stopped. ¡®So much for making it into the city unnoticed.¡¯ Lost thought bemused. He gathered his mana and directed it outwards, encompassing the whole of the church. The shadows started to lurch and shift, slowly growing. ¡°Boo!¡± Lost snarled raising his hands and forming them into pretend claws. The shadows shifted around him, clawing at the light. The entire crowd of elves moved, scrambling to their feet and running for the entrance, shouting and screaming as if the devil was right behind them. ¡®Well, they do think the devil is behind them.¡¯ Lost mused. He laughed at their panic, chuckling darkly. He knew when he used his power in an area it could induce fear and make him look quite sinister. Releasing his grip on the shadows, he turned toward the priest, who was cowering behind the lectern. Stalking over to the elf priest, who scrambled backwards in a panic, trying to get as far from Lost as possible. Eventually the elf fell off the raised platform, landing on his behind. Hopping down, Lost grabbed a handful of the elf¡¯s robe and pulled the priest up to his face. ¡°You have a mortuary here, right?¡± The priest''s eyes seemed to widen even more with fear, as if he didn¡¯t think Lost was going to talk. ¡°Y-yes!¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± Lost growled, just to make sure the elf was thoroughly afraid. The priest pointed a shaky finger to a door behind the statue. Lost looked up at the alabaster giant. It depicted a rather plain faced woman, her arms spread wide in what looked like a hug. She wore a soft, loving smile. Dragging the priest to his feet, Lost dusted none existent dust off the elf¡¯s robe. Pushing in the direction of the door, he followed behind the priest. The elf opened the door, breathing erratically and shaking slightly. Inside the room were a few coffins along the walls. The heavy, sickly sweet smell of herbs and flowers filled the room. Shoving the priest into the mortuary, Lost summoned his power. It permeated through the air and congealed in the corpses. The cadaver on the table sat up, black flames burning in its eye sockets. Wood splintered as undead broke free of their wooden coffins and stood. They looked almost alive, that is, ignoring the black flame eyes. They were dressed up, their skin a tad to pale for the living and were eerily silent. ¡°Seven in all, not bad,¡± Lost said. Looking at the silent and fear ridden priest, a malevolent grin spread across Lost¡¯s lips. ¡°You know your way around the city?¡± The elf didn¡¯t move. ¡°If you don¡¯t answer I have no use of you,¡± Lost growled. The undead in the room lurched toward the priest. ¡°Wait!¡± The elf yelled franticly. The undead shuffled to a stop. ¡°I can take you anywhere you want. J-just don¡¯t kill me, please!¡± Lost looked the elf in the eyes, searching for any deceit. The priest blanched even more. Grunting in acknowledgement, Lost walked out of the room and back into the main part of the church, the undead surrounding the priest and making sure he followed. Fen was looking up at the statue, her face impassive and tail swishing slowly. ¡°What''s your deity?¡± Lost directed his question to the priest as he stepped over to the pedestal. ¡°Vey. The U-Uniter and Bringer of Light.¡± The elf said, worry in his voice. Lost stopped cold. ¡°Vey?¡± The elf priest nodded quickly, he probably wanted to cower behind the statue, the way he was glancing at it. ¡°Interesting,¡± Lost said as he started to flip through the book. He found it amusing that she was worshipped like a god. A sneaking suspicion creeped out from the back of his mind. ¡°And what of her brother?¡± ¡°You mean the Dark God?¡± The priest asked, he was starting to visibly calm, though tension was still in his frame. ¡°Yes, tell me about him. What was his name?¡± Lost was curious and had the time. ¡°He is the bringer of chaos and darkness. Destruction and death. His n-name is Cereus.¡± ¡°Cereus?¡± That was surprising. Lost was also a little insulted that it wasn''t his name but the name of his sword that was remembered. ¡°Do you know what Cereus even means?¡± ¡°He is the Dark God. The enemy of Vey, the sower of chaos,¡± The priest said with surety. ¡°Cereus means Black Hope. It is not the name of a god.¡± ¡°It is the name of the evil god.¡± The priest snapped stubbornly, but he still seemed scared of Lost and he paled when he realized what he had done. That was good. Lost needed to play this role well if he was to live up to the reputation he apparently had. ¡°Believe what you want,¡± Lost stepped back from the book and approached the priest, the undead parting around him. Pulling the vial out of the pouch on his belt, he held it out in front of the priest. ¡°Who gave you this drug?¡± The elf¡¯s face was conflicted, switching between fear and anger. ¡°I cannot say.¡± Lost upped his aura, glaring at the priest. ¡°Who sold you this powder?¡± The priest puffed up, ¡°May lady Vey protect my soul.¡± ¡°I said, WHO SOLD YOU THIS?!¡± Lost yelled, kicking the priest in the shin and causing the man to fall to the ground with a scream. ¡°Vey will protect my-¡± He was cut off from Lost grabbing his throat. Lost¡¯s eyes glowed brighter and burrowed into the man¡¯s eyes.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Who. Sold. You. The. Fairy Dust.¡± Lost growled. ¡°Your god cannot save you, she won¡¯t even hear you scream.¡± The priest was shivering in fear, his breathing ragged and sweat poured down his face. ¡°I-I cannot¡­¡± Lost squeezed his throat hard and loosened his grip again. ¡°It was the Coetus. T-they came to me to help them store it! That''s all I know, I swear!¡± Releasing his grip, Lost stepped back from the priest and looked over at Fen. She looked at his impassively. ¡°Is something wrong, kid?¡± Lost asked her. ¡°Its¡­ This place reminds me of the orphanage I liv- used to live at,¡± She said sadly, looking back up at the statue. ¡°We came to the church when they gave food out.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lost said, turning back to the priest. ¡°What do you know of this ¡®coetus¡¯?¡± ¡°They are a group of traders, they have the backing of nobles and provide numerous¡­ illegal items.¡± ¡°Like a Black Market? How many are there and where do they operate from?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know! I told you everything I know¡­ J-just please, don-n¡¯t kill me!¡± The priest grovelled on the floor, weeping. Lost was about to order the zombies to take him to a secluded room and add another to their ranks when a thought stopped him. ¡°Do you know your way around the city well?¡± A confused expression passed over the elf priest''s face, shifting to hope. He nodded vigorously. Looking around at the church thoughtfully, Lost contemplated his next action. 7 undead, even as primly dressed as they were, are not enough to siege a castle with. He needed more troops. ¡°Am I assuming right that you know your way around the underworld of this city?¡± ¡°Y-yes, my lord! I know the criminal world well from my¡­ dealings with them.¡± ¡°How many entrances are in this church? Excluding the underground entrance.¡± ¡°There are 2, sir. The main entrance and the back door.¡± The priest was clearly still afraid, but he was cooperating. Lost nodded and walked away from the priest, moving towards Fen. He put a hand on her shoulder, startling her from her thoughts. ¡°Time to get ready, kid. It¡¯s about to get messy.¡± ¡°What?¡± Fen asked looking at him confusedly. ¡°We didn¡¯t enter the city¡­ exactly how I planned, but I¡¯m making due with what I got. The city guard will be here soon, we have to set up a welcoming party for them. It would be improper and rude to not be ready to receive visitors when you know they are coming,¡± Lost said in a joking tone. He ordered the skeletal rabbit to guard the underground entrance, pushing that it was to warn him if anyone approached that way. 3 undead broke off the group and went to the back door and hid from sight, these were the ones that were clearly dead. Lost was about to order the rest of the undead into place when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He looked up, quickly scanning his surroundings. His eyes stopped on one of the windows. There, floating in front of a stained glass picture of a man in black and a woman in white locked in combat, was the Wraith. It¡¯s face was unseeable in the black hood, a thick gray mist pouring from it. ¡®Your time is nearing,¡¯ it hissed at him. Lost took on a battle stance, his hand straying to the blade on his back. His amber eyes smoldering with anger and fear. He blinked. Then the wraith was no longer there, like it never had been. Perhaps it hadn¡¯t been there. Lost relaxed as the chill in the air faded, but he didn¡¯t take his eyes off the window. ¡°Mr. Lost, are you okay?¡± Fen asked worriedly. Lost¡¯s attention snapped to her, ¡°Yea¡­ I¡¯m just fine, kid. Nothing to worry about.¡± He said nonchalantly. Fen didn¡¯t look completely convinced but didn¡¯t question him further. He needed more power. Fast. Lost needed it if he was going to deal with the Wraith and the King. Turning back to his preparations, Lost started getting everything set up. All the while a small voice in the back of his head urged him to gain more strength and power. ******** North Upper District City Guard Captain Murdoc ¡°Get your hineys in gear, we¡¯re heading out!¡± Murdoc bellowed at his men. He set a swift pace. The ten city guards following close behind him. Their chain mail clinked as they jogged through the city. Murdoc grumbled at having to leave his office this late in the evening. He should be right about now packing up his things and heading home for a nice dinner with his wife and son. But it had all been ruined by that damn report. One of his men had delivered it to him hastily, standing by nervously. When he opened the report he quickly glanced over it. It had an attachment; the Holy Church of Vey beseeching him to aid them in taking back one of their chapels from a ¡®demon¡¯. ¡®Damn religious fanatics and their demons.¡¯ He thought with irritation. It was most likely just a bunch of youngsters playing a prank on the temple. Maybe even a robber there to steal the donations. He was a strong believer that there was no such things as demons and monsters. Murdoc had decided it best to still send some guards there to check it out, it was best to stay in the good breaches of the Church. After all they helped keep people inline within the city. He also didn¡¯t want any of his guards to mess up, the Church held not an insignificant amount of sway in with the populace. As they approached the chapel, he called for a halt. ¡°You, you and you,¡± He said pointing at 3 guards in the back, ¡°Go around to the back and enter through there. Make sure there ain¡¯t no one hiding back there that shouldn¡¯t. Wait for when I say to go.¡± Looking back at the entrance to the chapel, he motioned for his remaining guards to follow close behind him. Murdoc didn¡¯t bother drawing his sword. There probably wasn''t anything to really worry about. After all, demons weren¡¯t real. Just configurations of fear used by the church to keep people in line. Much like the ¡°Dark God¡± was nothing but a story used to terrify bad kids into being good. ¡°Right, men. It¡¯s probably just some drunken elf who decided to try and rob the chapel. We¡¯re only doing this ¡®cause we were asked to investigate by the Church. No preemptive attacks, you got it?¡± Murdock looked each men in the eye. ¡°Good. Now let''s get moving.¡± The 3 guards he had tasked with going to the back broke off from the group as they headed to the entrance of the chapel. Murdoc pushed the door open with his chainmail gloved hand, the hinges let out a squeal of displeasure. As he peered in, he was met with a confusing site. His boots clomped on the wooden floor as he strode in, looking around for any sign of danger. A few elfs were sitting scattered amongst the pews, their hands clasped in prayer. A priest stood at the lectern, reciting words from a book. The rest of his men filed in behind Murdoc, their spears and shields held at the ready. ¡°Hey, priest! What¡¯s going on in here? We got a report of someone attacking this chapel,¡± Murdoc yelled at the priest. He didn¡¯t look up and kept reading from the pages of the book. ¡°She would not go quietly. Vey struck him down with a piercing bolt of light through the heart! She would not let him live to spread his corruption throughout the world, instead deciding to take him with her! And so, with her last dying breath on this earth, she slipped into the void, killing the Dark God!¡± The Priest was shaking like a leaf in a storm. At first Murdoc thought it from religious devotion, but then he looked the elf in the eyes. What he saw was fear and the begging for help. The elf¡¯s sitting on the pews exploded in movement. Screams of rage ripped from their throats as they charged the city guards. Murdoc was too stunned to react in time. The undead, their eyes glowing with black flame, hit the guard¡¯s shields like a tidal wave. Recovering from his surprise, he drew his sword and held up his shield. ¡°Form up men!¡± He yelled at them, slipping into their center. The guards pushed back the roaring undead, forming a tight circle around Murdoc, shields raised in defense and spears at the ready. ¡°Retreat to the doors!¡± Murdoc shouted at his men. As they stabbed at the undead to keep them at bay, the guards quickly shuffled back to the doors. As one of his men pulled the door open, Murdoc was mystified. There, where there used to be a door into the street, was a cobble wall. Solid and strong, like it had been there the entire time. They were trapped. The undead retreated back. There were only 4, but they had shown inhuman strength. ¡°Get ready men!¡± Murdoc shouted. He could see their terrified faces, but years of military training had been ground into them, overriding the urge to panic and ignore orders. The undead charged with a roar. Guards raised their shields, deflecting the blows but splintering their wood and iron shields. Murdoc looked over the attacking force. There were only four and 7 guards should be enough to kill them. That''s what he thought till the shadows seemed to pool themselves together at his feet. A hooded black shape formed right in front of him. It¡¯s eyes glowing a ghastly amber. The phantom raised its blade quickly, so quickly that Murdoc didn¡¯t have a chance to defend as the sword sliced through his jugular. Sliding cleanly between his helmet and chest armor. Crimson flew through the air as he let out a gurgling scream. He fell to the wooden planked floor, his eyes looking at the spector¡¯s boots as it shifted around to attack the guards from behind. His last thought was, ¡®Demons really do exist.¡¯ The black void of death consumed him. Update/New Story Lets get this question out of the way. Will I be continuing this story? The short answer is no. The long answer is yes. This story needs alot of work, and I feel I need more experience to write it well, and how I want to. At some point I hope to be able to rewrite this better. But I know that I am no where near being able to. On to happier the things! The new story, Katra. Synopsis: Kardin lived a happy and good life. That is, till he was given a strange orb by an even stranger man, maybe even a demon. He watches as his village is burned, the villagers slaughtered and his friend devoured. He escapes into the Jungle of The Gods, a place of ancient ruins and deadly animals.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. There, he is changed and his fate diverges from what should have been his death. Now he must forge his own path in a world of great beauty and power, where death lurks around the corner and battles between veritable gods are fought. Where nations clash and ancient beings destory civilizations on whims. I am trying my hand at world building mainly in this story. It is a mix between Wuxia, Xainxia and western fantasy. Of course, it does not have the many tropes of xainxia. And you may just recognize some things...