The reading candle was at its lowest, the flame almost touching the surface of the table, not that Abakovsky noticed. The ideas and theories of the young Dragonhart were more interesting than he thought. He has spent all day on it, reading and assessing them over and over again and muttering to himself. Edard Reith had made somewhat similar calculations few decades ago on his last work just before his death. It was an uncompleted book and they never made sense until young Dragonhart's theories and calculations.
"Sir Wilhelm,"
The sudden unexpected voice jolted his heart and startled him. He looked up to find Edgar Mhaduk standing before him.
"How long have you been there?" he asked.
"I just arrived," the shadow mage answered.
"And the boy?"
"Left many hours ago," Mhaduk replied, heading towards the shelf by Abakovsky main work wall. "He should be past the ridge of The Broken by now and heading past the Great River," Mhaduk's voice held a hint of anticipation, a subtle edge beneath its composed facade.
He collected one of the three spare fat candles there and lit it from the remnants of the expiring reading candle that was already watery wax and seconds away from been extinguished, the faint scent of melting wax mingling with the musty aroma of old parchment.
"Depending on how he sees you," Mhaduk continued, placing the new candle atop the old one. "It's only a matter of time"
"I don't care for your politics," Abakovsky replied, "I did my part, now do yours"
Edgar Mhaduk regarded the great mind before him with a momentary pause, his expression unreadable save for the faintest hint of calculation. Slowly, almost reluctantly, he forced a smile, the gesture strained and hollow.
"Certainly," he said, then dipped hand into his leather pouch and carefully brought out an aged codex and handed it to the gnome.
He saw light come to the gnome's eyes as he handled the fragile book with care. It was said to be the last diary of a certain gnome, Mhaduk didn't care enough to know his name, but he was glad it got them through to Wilhem Abakovsky.
He briefly glanced from the gnome to the cluttered worktable that had grabbed Abakovsky's full attention when he arrived, but before he could make sense of anything, the gnome slammed his new book over it. Mhaduk looked back at him with a forced apologetic smile and then turned away to look around.
Books and pens littered the floor. Parchments were strewn haphazardly across his desk, invention plans tacked up over almost every corner of the wall. They were covered in Wilhem's jagged, messy scrawl, outlining diagrams of projects that made no sense to anyone but Wilhem. He had circled some part so hard that they looked like he had etched them into the wall with a knife point. There was so much he could be doing, if only they could get him on their side.
"What will it take for you to work with us?" Edgar asked.
"You should be going," the gnome's response was curt, his attention already returning to the maze of knowledge laid out before him.
Edgar considered him for a moment then finally he said, "The continent won't be like this forever"
"I'm sure it won't," Abakovsky replied, "But until then, use the door next time"
Edgar Mhaduk stared at the little man, trying to figure out whether he was being serious but the elite gnome, if he knew Mhaduk was still there didn't show it. He was back to been engrossed in his work.
When Abakovsky noticed the silence he looked up to where Mhaduk had been to see blackness slowly drifting and merging with the surrounding shadows of his room.
"Damn magic low lives" he spat, touched his part of the cheek that felt a bit warm and his fingers came back bloodied.
┌─────── ♕ ───────┐
I'm fucked. The horses already slowing down from exhaustion and we are still days away. It didn't matter much that we were back on our Drakorian horses, it felt like they were running on fumes and would collapsed at any moment. My hand glossed over the crystal on the amulet King Karim gave me. I had reasoned to wait back at gnome city and order reinforcement but how many would be enough? If King of Mittelreich wants me dead then there's nothing I can do, not even at home. I can think of a dozen reasons why he would want me dead but why now? It didn't make sense.
I felt it before I saw it but a split second too late. The arrow quickly punctured a hole in the carriage aiming straight for my head. Too fast to dodge, but luckily my shield spell is on everytime. It took the impact from the arrow but apparently it was mana powered and it felt like getting hit with a reinforced metal bat with just a helmet on. The force was probably enough to topple the fast moving carriage because I found myself on the ground with the wreckage of the carriage. Cries of battle and calls to protect the king felt distant and drowny as the loud ringing sound of the impact was blaring in my head. My vision was blurry and then there was the fierce headache. Disoriented and vulnerable, I struggled to regain my bearings, unable even to summon the strength to reactivate my shield spell.
Out of nowhere two figures jumped infront of me, fireworks baraging their shields. Another moved the wrecks from ontop me, shouting words repeatedly at me, their voice a blur of urgency and concern. I squeezed my eyes shut against the onslaught of noise and confusion, gradually piecing together their words amidst the clamor. He repeated the words again, asking if I was alright but was interrupted by a clash of blades that felt so close.
"We can't hold on for much longer we need to take his majesty out of here!" I heard someone blared.
I opened my eyes to the chaos of the battle. Two of my knights were already dead and they were dozens of enemies. They were cloaked like assassins, face hidden and very powerful abilities. Enough to stand against my best knights.
"We have to go your majesty!"
Erik was the one before me. The calm non-chalance I have come to associate with his face totally non-existent. He had two arrow shafts protruded from around his shoulder, and another arrow, it's shaft yet to be broken pierced through his arm.
Where the hell is Vojnka?!
With a sudden burst of strength, Erik swept me up into his arms, his muscles straining against the weight as he leaped away from the impending explosions. The ground quaked beneath us as the wreckage where I had been moments before was obliterated by a series of devastating blasts.
I stood back up and drew out my sword.
"We can't fight this fight your majesty" Erik said.
We can't escape either. Our path goes through the forest, with one side leading to Cremia and the other to the Great River. It would serve me better to make it to the river but I would have to make it past the forest and that feels suicidal. Not that the semi-circle line of defense feels any better. It won't last for long. The attackers are moving carelessly with mana and the knights have to use mana to keep up. It's only a matter of time before they exhaust their mana and then the big boys would make an appearance. At least that's my understanding on why the focus was not solely on me. They want me dead, that much has been seen, so why are they not surrounding me properly to thin my defense line out? Perhaps they want to kill me in the worst way possible for a king? Head on a stake or something to show Drakoria I was unworthy to be king so that I wouldn't be missed or get angry for?
"Your Majesty!"
The urgent cry tore through the chaos, snapping me out of my thoughts. In that brief moment of distraction, I realized Erik has been fighting desperately against relentless onslaught of arrows. Another knight has fallen and the attack grow worse.
"Cover me" I said and began muttering a spell.
Halfway through the spell an arrow aiming at my head was deflected but seeing it scared the shit out of me and that was enough to break the spell.
I sighed in frustration, closing my eyes to block out the chaos of battle. But the noise only grew louder, pressing in on me from all directions yet I trudged on for lack of time.
Out of nowhere, a fog began to rise. First thin wisps hanging in the air, then thicker billows, and thicker, until it blanked the land like clouds. It hid everything. Waves as white as the finest bleached wool and I couldn't see, but neither could they.
"We can't make it back to Cremia, I need you to take me as close to the river as possible"
The mist made the arrows even more dangerous and wind mages were already working to clear them, though the magic is holding on for now it won't for long.
Quickly Erik dropped his shield and grabbed me unto his shoulder and bolted off towards the direction of the Great River. It was a dizzying level of speed but I could see the mists moving behind us from multiple directions.
They found us too quickly and were already catching up fast. If Erik knew he didn't show it. Suddenly I heard distant high pitched wails, like the desperate cry of a witch and almost immediately we got hit by an invincible force like a fast passing wind, with the force of what a speeding truck would feel like. Didn't even know I was flying midair until I crashed against a tree and pain exploded through every fiber of my being as I plummeted more than twenty feet, landing face-first on the unforgiving ground below. A groan escaped me and I couldn't move for what felt like an eternity. When I did move my legs were shaky and the world was spinning. The mist was either already clearing or whatever that scream was sent me farther than I thought.
Suddenly a hand clasped the back of my head, dragged me forward quickly and smashed my face viciously on the hard tree trunk two times. Might be more than that but I didn't feel much after the first two. He clutched my hair tight and wrenched my head upwards, forcing me to meet their gaze despite the blood obscuring my vision.
"Ooooh how I've dreamt of this moment" their voice dripped with malice and pent-up rage, heavy with the weight of seriously long-held grudges.
My mind began working on a spell quickly but almost as soon as the first words were thought he smashed my face on the bloodied tree trunk again.
"Got any other tricks you want to pull, Your majesty?" he mocked.
Blood flowed freely now, pooling in my eyes and obscuring my vision as I was spun around, the vice-like grip on my neck crushing the breath from my lungs and my back smashed against the tree. A blade plunged into my flesh, the searing pain leaving me gasping for air, each agonizing moment stretching into eternity.
"That one's for Miriam!"
He retracted the blade quickly and another stab followed.
"That one's for Pevin!"
I wasn't feeling the stabs again but I could feel my consciousness slipping. When he was distracted for the next stab I cast a quick spell. A vine quickly dragged him by the feet and he crashed face down to the ground.
<διατάσσω τους ουρανούς να ελευθερώσουν ένα κεραυνό κατά το θέλημά μου>
"<πληγή>! "
It was a quick lightning spell and I yelled it with such desperation, intensity and emotion that the strike seemed to reflect it. It collapsed him back to the ground heavily, covered with smoke, but he was very much alive.
I watched him and then at the blade beside him. I didn't have time for that and even if I did, my hands were too trembling and weak to accomplish it. I began walking back, the mist spell on my lips. The thunder will attract all of them and I already have no where to go.