The commanding knights from the surroundings and their Soldiers had rushed over using different magics to Contain the fire some manipulating the ground and others using spells of water ,wind and ice with a few commanding the fire itself Sir Gastion a leading knight came before Darian and Girin
He had brown eyes luscious light brown hair that parted in two parts creating a fringe a chiseled face a scar on his chin that approached his left cheek and a strong physique that could be scene threw his chainmail armor that was draped in a cloth of different colours having the symbol of agner villages Duke compared to his appearance in the jousting tournament he looked much better these types of Garmets were common to wear for a normal soldier but not for a knight who were celebrities and would distinguish themselves by wearing intricate complex expensive armors that came with mana buffs especially if it was a serious mission there were a few answers to the situation one his a humble guy two the situation was unexpected so he hurriedly came in to work to fulfill his duties three his current armor had been destroyed in some battle or got damaged needing a new one hence he fought using this one as a temporary substitute Darian considered everything and going by the man's looks he felt it was the latter two options
Gastion approached Darian and Girin as they stared at the scene as he apologized I'm deeply sorry my lord especially at a time where lord Conrad is away Darian looked his eyes without much emotion as if he looked down on the knight as Gastion exhaled status report Darian asked
We underestimated our opponents and lacked knowledge to see through their schemes normally the village is peaceful so Most of the knight order of commanders were distributed to other lesser villages who have been experiencing bandit trouble when they blew up parts of the castle and escaped creating a diversion with the mimic we sought to evacuate civilians Immediately then Sir Girin arrived to provide assistance so we left the beast to him later we realised that the two thieves had probably set this up to take advantage of the chaos and sneak off so we diverted our scouts and man power to outer most layer spreading our forces even thinner I only came later and we did not expect that they were still hiding in the market to target the weaker points of surveillance and run away
It's fine Darian tsked as long as no one got hurt Sir Gastion said it's a pitty at such a young age you were exposed to such violence and had to defend yourself sire if only I was their the danger of such people should not be underestimated if they were not trying to prevent themselves from being caught this could of all gone left Darian thought he was trying to preserve his men's reputation at the same time he felt the knight had genuine concerns Darian chuckled and closed his eyes slightly I don't need your concerns I doubt my teacher would of allowed it to progress in such a manner sir Gastion nodded taking the unconscious bandits prisoners
As Darian and Girin walked off Girin pouted hands folded how did you know the range was far too vast for you to sense me I guessed Darian replied but thanks for the confirmation leading Girin to chuckle Darian continued were complaining that I was not doing much of the fighting so I felt that this was too much of a opportun moment you had either orchestrated the matter or allowed it to progress in such a way besides just because I can't sense you from a distance doesn't mean you can't it was a surprise to me you would take too long to find me also when you arrived the fires smoke had barrely reached an adequate height, Your teachers teach you well to speak such big words Girin replied , Darian chuckled I feel Sir Francis is doing a good job on your part you speak much more than the occasional grunts short words but still less than the average person Girin taken aback smiled and grunted
Darian said you know you said if I ever did anything spectacular I could ask you something you owe me one Girin stood stuned his eyes wide open as Darian looked him in the eye both hands folded
Within the palace Darian had already changed into a suitable outfit today his magical training would mostly consist of theory so he had to go to Sir Douloses office he knocked on the door on the third time come in Doulos responded which was strange the man always responded at the first the second would be Darian trying to mock him he gently opened the door only to see Doulos in a pose clearly showing him contemplating well the matters were non of his business he thought as long as his teacher could still teach so he could breach the gap that lingered on with the royal children it was fine by him
Darian sat down releasing a sigh in order to get the attention on the man who's eyes were still closed it was quite rude in all honesty treating your masters son as if something so disposable like he didn't exist finally Doulos lips twitched I've heard of your constant pryings from Roselle don't you know curiosity killed the ninetailed fox Darian scratched his head I don't know what your talking about
There were 3 variants of the phrase Doulos used one was Curiousity killed the lepricon which indicated that greed could get you killed ,the second was curiosity killed the elf which indicated that looking at things over your authorities or the permission of your elders it's interpreted as such because Elves have such a strong hierarchy based social structure compared to other races the third is Curiosity killed the ninetailed fox which was the most sinister which implies the intentional setting of a trap the hunting of someone to get them killed the sinister fraze left Darian in fear so he opted to being a coward and dance around the subject but there was a third one but it wasn't used in human lands Curiosity killed the human ,humans were the most inquisite and progressive race when it came to setting the bar which came with many sacrifices this phrase was used as an insult by many races or something to taunt during the norn wars so it's use was few among human race of palgia
And besides Darian retorted vigorously don't you know that a true gentleman shouldn't be gossiping with a women I honestly expected better he pouted Doulos pursed his lips clearly aware of Darians skeems do you think I was born yesterday anyway Doulos regained his composure that's not why I was in contemplation I'm just telling you to stop poking your head into everything with that said let's begin show me an array you've learnt
Darian opened both palms placed them together side by side as sparks of light began forming releasing a bluish white glow of complex arrays of shapes ,words and patterns at the centre of the intricate circle a swirling void of black and blue Doulos smile as he scratched his chin a storage spell most useful he said how did you do it Darian laughed and said yesterday I realised that I was trying to create full formed words and patterns and add them overtime to other full formed words instead and shapes this drained me because with each thing I created I had to bare the burden of sustaining it or it would collapse so instead I chose to form everything at once using small sparks of mana it was easier to direct as long as I had the symbol pre planned and in my head Doulos Chuckled that's genuis your ability to grasp the intricacies of large swathes of information and using them in tandem primes you for magic
I want to ask you something Darian said if magic is so great why can't we figure out eternal life or bring the dead back from the grave Doulos laughed well death works like politics many gods of this domain have a yearly Quota that must be met and they desire important figures in history most of all when it comes to bringing back the dead these God's for example can tariff and veto it a tariff in this example means that the cost for a resurrection is high not worth the price many of times and veto means complete denial which destroys the ways one could resurrect limiting it at most one could do is resurrect another as an undead or switch ones Soul into another body before it enters the realm of the dead But the latter options are forbidden by law according to the king and many religious organizations including the countries largest the only thing aloud is prolonging ones life without taking anothers exception is if it's our enemies ofcourse
Using mana one can completely stop aging at a chosen point take Matilda for example so long as you do not die your fine or advance your magic to gain the most powerful regeneration or displace your conciousness and soul puppeting your body could work these options are limitless but the problem is the king does not want many ancient Immortals to exist in the rational fear they would one day attempt to influence and puppet the crown so he has chosen a limit one can live before banishment or forced hibernation this has created its own cult that attempts to overthrow the king
This brings me to my second topic what do you think dark magic is ,Darian thought for a while before saying magic that utilizes darkness Doulos laughed that is the average response but that's not the case besides mana there's mental and spiritual also known as life force energy while the former two can be easily replenished the latter cannot your born with constant amount that stays the same the more every year decreasing and increasing depending on how you age it's a bottle with a clear cap limit
Dark magic mixes mana and life energies which creates a massive increase of power except all one's senses are heightened to a point one cannot control their suppressed desires and emotions two once life force runs out you shrivel and die three is that using such a thing brings about mental and physical uncontrollably mutations these problems brought a natural conclusion why use your natural life force when you can use the very ground and life of others the mages of beasts and other monsters used this during the norn wars using captured men as slaves to be siphoned and used
....To Darian all this was a surprise he felt each day as he learnt more about magic and it's history the hidden scale of the norn wars slowly revealed itself as if a curtain allowing him to see part of the full picture
Doulos ignored the previous conversation as to lighten the mood The real reason I was in contemplation was that I was figuring out a gift for my growing student what's your suggestion Doulos sighed, aren't you supposed to keep gifts a secret Darian laughed, I never said it would be a surprise if so why would I tell you Doulos replied, if so the greatest gift one can get is knowledge Darian answered with Doulos nodding his head ,So for my wish I want to know more about you a grin surfaced on Doulos face one of clear amusement what do you want to know ,I want a detailed description of your life before meeting my father and how you came to be this castles servant those words rang in Doulos ears as if obscured by sound his gaze ,wide and intense
I thought my lord had already told you well yes but I want it in detail from you Darian added your Quite the terrorist aren't you Doulos said releasing a sigh he slightly lifted his chin his eyes looking towards heaven as if to ignore the earthly reality his hands clamped together near his chest I can't remember my birth but from the beginning I was an orphan a child sold into slavery and servitude I was beaten placed in chains branded scars lining my back as blood dripped down to my ragged clothes in the den of winter cold air from the mountains permeate through my ragged clothes despite all these I always had a will to survive to see the next day in the slave caravane more people were sold from all around I grasped the basics of speech from hearing the common words tossed around like mud in the sea, to entertain themselves they would have the small boys fight my will to live only increased as my fist punched flesh the dripping blood was quite exhilarating
At one point the slave caravane wasn't making alot of money so for a time they would use magic to deform some to show them off as freaks I heard laughter cheering saw looks of disgust as I would sit in a cage as those I had grown to share pain ,blood and tears with would die off one by one in the caravan their was a girl nameless or whatever her name was she had never shared it with me names were strictly forbidden only numbers if it wasn't for her holding me as I cried as she whispered stories of the outside my mind would of broken down aswell
We were eventually sold off to a shady organization for quite the fortune they would beat force us to work leave us without food we suffered many forms of torture heart attack was a common form of death but my eyes had nothing but this life This feeling of being if my flame went out what was I what was it all for I couldn't let everything just go especially since whispers and dreams of blood and vengeance plagued my waking moments one after another people went mad even more than they already were becoming cannibals the strong feasting on the weak the cages became filled with pools of blood and guts a stench of death when it was my turn to get eaten in the heat of life I awakened prematurely my muscles bulging as steam released from my body as I defended myself
It was after this moment my captors really took notice of me sometimes I was drugged just for some nights to wake up underground Amidst piles of freezing corpses stacked ontop of me in a small room just enough for me to breath and othertimes I was barried alive in a coffin the weight of the ground pressing down just so I could claw my way out or surrounded by a pull of blood they gave me another name Abaddon it broke me I would wake the next day feasting on the bodies of the dead those I killed my soul took a back seat in my own mind as if something else evil in nature had taken over
"I killed her "
These words to Darian no this entire scene terrified Darian his mouth was at a loss for words his eyes left agaped in horror his body stiff Doulos brown recessed eyes were red as blood his words calm but emitted a trauma with some words tears streaming down light emitting from the curtain gradually darkened but it wasn't because the sun was going down the rooms atmosphere had changed as if removed from reality it was colder as translucent light purple hands with blue veins white knails began to descend claw their way threw the ceilings abyss the last words felt as if it's pressure shook the room itself
Your father saved me I can't remember the state I was in but when I woke up my wounds had been healed I was the only surviver of that tragedy they gave me Food a chance of education they allowed me to choose my own name and for a time I went by Tristan and when I had learnt my first spell a smile of wonder no of vengeance came across my face nothing makes you excel more than vengeance to prove a point to deliver retribution and justice my skill in magecraft became so praised the king desired I as one of his war generals but I refused using my blood and memories I traced the slave owners their deaths were not swift oh no I can assure you it was painful
I killed each gaurd that defended their Master killed the children who had taken up their father's occupation bringing their heads before their father killed the wife who defended her husband aswell,let the young boy watch as his house burnt to a crisp broke the masters jaw severed tendons broke bones until it pierced through the skin made them watch as everything they owned burnt to the ground walked them down as I recounted each torture I used my hand to personally ripp straight threw their hearts collecting the heart they never showed blood covered my entire forearm and hand as I burnt them from the inside out personally guiding their souls to hell and those who swore infront of the courts confessed their sins and those who committed suicide after hearing the news I killed them too resurrected and killed them again people gave me names I never had Alastor Faust the demon that came to collect
The king eventually caught and stopped my rampage your father took me as his responsibility and for my sentence and gratitude I serve the edison house after all this was said atmosphere returned to normal Darian stupefied Remembered Dpilos smile how he moved his hands like a child his teeth as if smirked colours of his eyes how his body twitched as he described the way he killed or how he held his hands he stared into true awfull madness when the story had finished Darian slowly stood up and walked out
The year was 1987 of the common era in the midst of the phoenix capitals Darknight a orangish yellow light was being emitted from a dimly lit Room in the middle near a window where the stars could be seen slightly was a horizontal finely made brown table on it was a game board with white and black pieces at the opposite vertical end of both sides sat two figures one was Conrad Edward edison the other was the king of palgia himself Arthur Jacob Romanov himself they were playing raid the castle
In this game there were two colored sides one a light color the other a darker color the pieces were designed like figurines the dark pieces were shaped in the form of monsters while the light white pieces in this case was in the form of men in all their duties magicians ,warriors kings and Queens this game was based on the norn wars it played like chess with a few extra rules each turn one would throw a dice the number decided the amount of moves one could make on a turn throwing a one or a two meant you had to take back the amount of moves corresponding to the number, 3 and up you could make the corresponding amount of moves it was played on six sided die
The king spoke his voice calm it oozed witb authority it was deep and gravelly the king had gold like blonde hair that stopped near the halfway point of the back of his neck he had light skin deep blue eyes a fringe made from many strands of Hair across his hair line that hid his eyes his hair fell down on each side almost hiding his ears from his heads crown braids fell down at times he felt emotionless like a Robot he looked young his face shaped like vertical egg with a slightly wide forehead and clear features a defined jawline having a handsome appearance and flawless skin he wore a blue navy like suit with cuffs multiple gold buttons gold lining with multiple runic like symbols lined on the placket with white long pants and black leather shoes he had a blue cape drapped over his shoulders with a white fur puffy collar he wore white gloves and on his side was a mystical blade embedded with gold it was covered by his cloak his crown gold with many gems triangular towers at the top
The king continued playing as he said old friend you and your wife visited the capital without even thinking of coming in contact with me, without my order to escort you here we would of missed each other yet again Conrad chuckled my lord how can a man like me bother to disturb your highness your so busy with the borders scuffles with the north how could I in good concious do that ah the old play it humble the king smirked how are those dolls of yours you keep collecting Conrad was shocked then smirked so I see I have your tacit approval sure the king replied but it could be used against you by your political rivals, knowing our relationship your highness most wouldn't dare but don't you think playing with the monster pieces as the king of man is kinda ironic is it sacrilegious,Arthur replied no not at all the king stared at the game my father would joke on how incompetent the soldiers were in the war some generals sacrificing the lives of their soldiers for glory only to fail instead of making smart decisions but we had to honor them to keep morale high
Well I'm sure his proud you are the youngest king, some argue my father was younger when he took power, with no evidence Conrad replied they treat him like a deity, well he was like one in certain ways I only realised that once I took power oh I almost went off topic what about your disagreements on technology in parliament Conrad laughed I have no issue as I have invented many my contributions are known but all I wish is for it to stop at a certain level Naive the king replied Conrad chuckled that maybe so what about you the braided hair He pointed , it was the Queens idea and it's grown on me Besides playing poker and other games with her I have nobody else they are all so busy ,Conrad laughed theirs an old saying your wife is your best friend
The king stood up he had already won as he moved to the side Conrad asked can you protect my Son the king turned his head I don't know if I can keep that promise but I will try hopefully you live longer than your Old man he replied Conrad stood up and bowed you aswell your majesty , dont be a stranger the king added as he waved goodbye his back facing Conrad