Vandermal Village (2/2)

Half of a hour later, Vandelmar Chapel.

They arrived as fast as this was possible. After the accident, when Prince Ainzah was bitten, they returned immidietly.

There will be no problem with spiders, when they all will find themselfs executed by the royals, by letting prince die.

The battle for his life started.

All herbalists, priests, alchemists and people of knowleage gathered around the human in pain.

Marwyn quicly described the situation, and immidietly send messenger towards the capital, to inform them about the accident and the place of their staying.

He then returned to watching the prince. He felt horrible, as he was suppose to defend him, even at the cost of his life.

How could he be so careless?! How could HE!?

He felt the pain, but for his prince, his friend, he must stay strong.

Warrior walked into the chapel, where his friend layed down, his eyes closed.

Marwyn have had enough of waiting.

"We must heal him from this venom! What are we waiting for!?" He shouted as he entered. Many people faced him.

Mayor was the first to anwser.

"Prince Captain, we must wait for the specialists to inspect the damage"

"To hell with your inspections! We spoke about it before the mission. There was someone that was cured out of it. Do it again!" He argue aggresively.

Mayor took step back, but tried to stand bravely.

"Sir, we need our time. First, we must look if prince don't have any other injuries. Also, preperation of the potion, that would allow us to cure prince Ainzah, requires some improtant herbs, and the strict alchemical procces to attain the effect we need. We need time, my Sir." He anwsered.

Marwyn on the one hand was furious, on the other one, understand them. It wasn't that they expected that to happend, becouse they were not expecting the expedition into the mines.

There were also few mean looks around. Few people die there. Civilians, workers, fathers, husbands or sons.

Forever dead. That was a sacrifice they failed to stop.

Royal Captain breathe with frustration, and left the room. Of all people, he wasn't the one to understand alchemy or power of the light.

He decided to look around the city.

In the meantime, a group of specialists, lead by Clearic Duesten, were looking after the victim.

Prince breathed heavly, and had visible fever. His muscles were tight, his veins visible.

He haven't had a greatest body. He wasn't physicly super strong. Not that he was weak, no no no, but he was weaker the average man. He was very smart, but physicly he lacked.

And now, this was a reason that the venom was working even better against him.

They had no time to waste.

Clearic Duesten, head priest of the town, spoke to people around him.

"Now, as we know, we must act quicly. Remember, the procces of creation for this antivenom is a difficult one. One mistake could cost us time. Time, we cannot waste now."

He turned towards the lady Isabelle.

"I trust you, Isa, that you will be able to prepare it immidietly after the herbs will be ready" He spoke, asking.

"Yes, holy father. I will do it as fast as it is possible" She anwsered. In her voice, a caring desire to help them.

They were awaiting a finding of the not so popular herb in this area, namely Liferoot, with was a rare herb, very rarely visiting this place.

Out of the unexpected, no one had any left, meaning, the run for the herb stared.

As soon as they heard the prince was bitten, there was a traveler send to Brill, the biggest center where they could find the herb, to buy few of them. Famous Botanist, Lady Faerlina, for sure had some.

If they were to be lucky, they could find also a visitor in the city, and one of the better pharmacist, traveling from the forests of Silverpine, Nphiria Bareare. He also used to travel with a lot of great herbs, so meeting him would be beneficial.

For now, they were using cold compresses to fight the fever. They used a brew of common herbs, used usually in lesser healing procceses, to prepare the room.

Priest was sitting next to the Prince, praying to the light, to cure his pain. His words were infused with home, yet, this was not enought. But with time, a state of the prince improved. He was looking better, and his body was clearly more relaxed.

They hoped for the best...

Five days later.

At the chapel of the holy light, there were clearly sighs of exhaustion. Lady Isabelle was watching after the prince. He had awoken from his state, but was given advice to sleep as much as possible.

Traveler send to the Brill returned this morning, but becouse of the state of miss Isabelle, she was unable to brew the potion now.

But for them, it wasn't a problem, becouse once a king heard of the condition of his son, he immidietly send few of the specialists to the village.

They were able to teleport to the place, and so, procces of creating a potion stared.

From arriving mages, their names were Victus Fall, Linzy Blackbolt and Magus Gothik Wheatman. They arrival and instant joining to the work helped greatly.

Clearic Duesten were the man that watched Ainzah for entire time. He was praying, and light gave him strengh, so he was able to spend most of his time helping prince, by watching over him, and preparing a blessings for him.

Mayor Arren given up on watching. He visist few times a day the chapel to check, but he returned to his work.

While Prince was here, soldiers that were choosen by him, together with Marwyn, decided to resolve the local problems.

They helped people with the broken tools, with damages from the wildlife and the weather and so on.

They also scouted the area, and lucly, they found out less and less spiders they expected. Now, everyone was closly armored, to not make the same mistake.

They were even able to trap one in the jar, as Marwyn once heard his prince speaking about doing it. Lucly, they were able to find a preety small one, and with the mages, they were able to make him like that, using diffrent chants and spells.

She was not named, but there were few ideas, like Webby, Spooder or Greeny. In the end, it was Ainzah future pet, and he will decide.

Time passed, and at the night of the following day, the brew completed. The potion that allowed them to save their prince.

He woken up, and as the seen a gnomish lady holding a drink for him, he first was confused, even if she had a purple robes of Dalaran, this was still funny looking.

Next moment, he drank the potion, and were allowed to continue to sleep.

As he drinked, Priest spoke, finnaly ending his duty of watching his prince.

"Royal child. You had a bad luck to stand against the forces of nature, that are to difficult for us to control. Yet, with your will to live, and our help, you have defeted death. It's not for everyone to do such a deed, as not everyone is as lucky as you are. Remember, live is a fragile mirror. One wrong move and it shatters. Care for yourself, young one" He spoke his wise words, as every priest say. Yet, those were of the care and calmness.

Ainzah continued to sleep, and with that, people were able to end their duty. Many that were watching prince health, went home, to finally rest.

Gnomish mage, along side the human friend were leaving. From three of them, only Gothic decided to stay back, as he said he had something to do here, as he said, he wanted to visit a grave.

Of course, they did not waited for him, teleporting away from the remote town.

When Ainzah was resting, Marwyn let few half of their group home early, as they will not be needed anyway. Marwyn was left with 8 knights.

Enough to defend his Prince. This time, properly.

Those few days, they also decided to spread the virtue of the knighthood. They trained those who wanted to be trained. There is always a better use for good soldier, then simply die. Mayby this town will be one day a place when young souls starts their way into becoming a great champions? Who knows.

They waited another day, to the morning, when finally, there was a man they awaited. He walked slowly, still feeling the dreaded effects of the venom, but with the ususal look at his face, and semi-proper way of going foward, he walked towards his friend.

Prince Ainzah has been cured. He was still weak, but he stated personally that he had enough of laying around. He had his work to do.

"Marwyn, my friend" He said, as he walked toward his friend, falling with to embrace his guard.

"Marwyn, you saved my life. I would be a corpse, if not for you" He said, as he slowly realised the knight.

But his royal guard had something else on mind. He knelled before his prince, his sword in front of him, in the ground.

"My lord, my friend. I have let you to this state. I was not there, to help you in time. If i were more competent, i would have foreseen this, and it wouldn't happend. I have failed you, Prince Ainzah. I'm not worthy of such words" He said, his voice weak, broken, falling apart.

Ainzah watched him, and tried to speak to the man.

"Marwyn...it isn't your fau..."

"It was my duty to protect you, and i have failed. It was my duty!My one job!" He shouted.

Prince looked at him, trying to stopping him.

"Marwyn..."

"I have faile...|

"MARWYN!" Ainzah shouted, kicking his friend from the front, making him fall on the dirt.

"Listen to me!" He continued. "It isn't your fault" He stated.

"But my job is too..."

"I heard enough of it! First, if you want to speak with me as even man, knell and look me in the eyes. Eyes of the royal blood" Said with anger Ainzah. His powerfull pose make him look treathening.

Marwyn in one moment realised his mistake, and knell, now properly, in front of his lord.

Ainzah was able to continue.

"Now, you did not failed me. It was a hard fight. Accident happend. Only becouse of you, we were able deal with those beasts, and with only you, i was able to see another day, as you carried me here" He now said more calmly.

"By this, you are not the one to take resposibility for the mistake of my underrestimating of the enemy. It's not your fault" He ended, placing a hand on the men shoulder.

"But is must state, if i see you, grown man, crying over like a baby, i might think of changing you to Falric. Like, you are my guard and my friend. Stay strong, big man, and don't cry like a woman" He kindly joked.

Both of them smiled, as Ainzah gave a hand to his man, helping him get up.

"Now, get yourself together. I want to see the graves today, to honor the dead" He ended, coldly as he usually says.

Some time later, at the cementary.

Many people gathered around the graves, as they were slowly buried. Eight man, who were lost in the battle. Now, cold bodies, slowly covered by the dirt.

All of their graves, covered by now with sights, in future, with marble slabs. This was a request of the prince, with he personally said he will send to the town.

Warm and light of torches spread thouout atmosphere, a melancholy of singing mothers, wifes and sisters heard around.

Little pods with flowers, a simple candles and some family items laying on the graves.

Expesions on the faces were mixed. Some filled with sadness, some with dissapointment, some with a mix of alcohol.

There were also those of anger, who were justified, as they looked at the person that started the whole situation. First prince of Lordaeron, Ainzah Menethil.

He stood there, with all his magesty, he had a face of sorrow. A mask of pain embraced his expression. His eyes, closed. He did not tear up, as it would be sigh of weakness, but he felt it.

"Those are my people, my men. I wanted to take their probles away, and my decision went against me, ending their lives, and making it harder for their families. Sad is a way of the ruler, whom decisions play with both life and death"

His loyal friend and personal guard waited next to him, watching the scene.

He did not know, what is his lord thinking about, but he was certain, this wasn't plesant for him. He could understand that much.

Ainzah moved foward, standing in front of the graves.

"You were the soldiers, who decided to challenge the beast under your lords order, and now, you are dissmissed of your duty, as a fallen heroes of this place, whos actions will be remembered, and will set a path of prosperity for this place." He took a breath, for those words to sink in the silence.

"This day, with my status and virtue, with the battle we fought togethere, and with the final sacrifice, i bless your afterlifes with prosperity. Let the souls of those who died that day, rest and watch over their families, help them, feel with them when they are weak. Those who dies this day, shall be remembered by their families, till the end of their days. And shall it be defiled, let the justice strike back the darkness of their heart"

With this words, he let the spell on the air, infusing an air with magic power, without really greater effect. But there had to be a move, even if fake, to show his actions. That he is not lying, but speaks true.

And as the time went, more people left the graves.

For the prince, it was understandeble. People do not live long in the worlds of fantasy. He knew it. Still, the part inside of him, that was a Japanise man, had a strange feeling.

"One day, if i won't be carefull, i might end up in a grave like this. Or worst"

He watched the sky. It was cloudy.

A great cementary around him.

He looked at his friend.

"Marwyn"

Royal Guard coldly anwsered."Yes, my lord?"

"You see those graves. They are of the good men. And you know something"

"Yes..."

"We will fill those cementaries with even more bodies. I can sense it. Invasion is coming. Closer and closer. There will be a battle, a war. And you know what?"

He looked at his ruler, man he know for years, filled with both shock and understanding.

"I know"

"I know you know friend. We will face them. And we either die, or we live. Cities burn or prosper. The time of the human will come to a test, as we battle the inevetable"

"How do you know?"

"Our lives, are those who will not be filled bored with beer and wine, but with swords, arrows and spells against our bodies"

"Then, we should prepare, my lord"

"Yes" He calmly anwsered."We will"

Marwyn, thinking their time had come to went back, started walking away.

"Marwyn, i will find you later. I will wait little bit longer here"

His friend understand, with a salute, he left.

Now, Ainzah was alone. Smooth rain covered his hand.

Only he and graves of the dead mens.

But he knew, he knew.

"Come, we are alone now" he said, watching the cold stones.

A robed mage came to him, standing behind his back.

"Suprime Mage" He knelled with respect.

"Stand up, Master Gothik. You don't need to knell before me. We don't do that at Dalaran"

He went up. He went up and smiled.

Ainzah knew he was happy.

"Your face is filled with joy, after i anwsered to the letter you send to me"

"Your words are those of power, prince of Lordaeron. But still, to understand the meaning, and agreeing to the meeting, it was a suprice."

"I won't ignore someone who offers such a reserch. Kel'thuzad would be proud of you"

"Councilor Kel'thuzad?!, but he doesn't know!"

"Oh Gothik, he will understand. He also plays with the dark arts under the eyes of the mages"

It was then, where mage understand the prince.

"Could it be my prince, that you alrea..."

"Necromancy, such a dark school of magic" Smiled Ainzah.

Gothik face paled. He was cought! He tried leave with a face, but then he was stopped.

"Now, now. I had plans for you. And truth be told, i am not dissapointed with your...experiments" Suprime Mage anwsered. "I want you to continue, as i am intrested in your...progress. But if you find yourself cought like that, don't run to me for help. I have some standards" He said, smiling.

Man that will one day become a master necromancer also smiled. His smile, already twisted from a bad motives of his, slowly went bigger and bigger.

"I will not fail you, my prince" He said, knelling.

"I trust you on that you won't" Anwsered him his prince."Now, go. I must return to my duties" He followed with, leaving the place.

He slowly walked in rain towards the town, his royal robe contrasting to the sky.