It was little past midnight and Artemis was sleeping in an empty old house near the wall. He was in the middle of the room because he did not wish to sleep in the corner. It was much easier to act quickly if one had some space. The only room of the house was small and had no furniture except for an old shelf and a chair, which both were broken. Artemis had not slept for a whole days and was tired. He might have been a lot of things, but he still needed his rest. The previous fight had left him tired because of the tension it had caused.
Val Arnelan examined the house from outside. There was only one door but there were two windows also. The wizard had brought nine soldiers with him and also his apprentice, who had been responsible for boosting the soldiers with various spells. Val Arnelan concentrated and cast a force field to block another window and motioned two soldiers behind the other. The soldiers had the ordinary swords and knives but they also carried a large and strong net, which they were to throw on Artemis if he for some reason would try to escape. All these precautions were made because pasha Basadoni had ordered so.
One soldier carefully tried the door, it was locked from inside. He motioned to another who picked his tools and started to work on the lock. This soldier was an expert in picking locks and disarming traps. The lock was old and caused little trouble for the skilled soldier and the door was unlocked in less than minute. The soldier then quickly studied if there were any traps in the door, but found nothing, so he was about to open the door but the wizard's apprentice motioned him to stop. Val Arnelan was amused when his talented apprentice cast a spell that would detect traps. There was a trap in the door after all. It had been well hidden so the soldier hadn't found it: For his luck the young wizard was a careful one. Another proof that soldiers where nothing compared to wizards Val Arnelan thought.
"Well done LaValle." Val Arnelan gave credit to his apprentice. The apprentice simply nodded and told the soldier the location of the trap. LaValle thought about using a spell to get rid of the trap, but the soldier should be able to do it now that he knew where to look for. It took several minutes from the soldier to disarm the trap, but he managed to do it.
"This trap was well done" the soldier whispered after the task was done. "Even I couldn't have done it better."
Val Arnelan said nothing to that obvious statement. Of course the trap was well done. How else could the soldier have missed it?
"Come on, the force field won't last forever. Let's get inside." Val Arnelan said and one of the soldiers opened the door and stepped in followed by others. Two men quickly moved to right and two to left. The others stayed in front of Val Arnelan and his apprentice and protected them.
Like every child that grew up in streets, Artemis also was very aware of his surroundings when he was at sleep. There were always some that would not even hesitate killing children in their beds and Artemis was not actually a child anymore. He had heard something. Something that he could not quite determine what it was, but already at this age he had learned to trust his instincts. Not only did he hear something but Artemis also felt something in the air, something new and strange that felt like cold raindrops in his own skin. After he thought about it he knew that that this feeling was not that strange after all. He had felt something a bit similar when he had seen a priest heal a city guard that had been injured by a thief. It was magic.
There was a sound at the door. Artemis knew that his trap had been detected and would not protect him anymore. He turned to a window but saw that there was something strange outside, as the air would have turned to a sort of jelly. He didn't dare to try his luck there and guessed that escaping from the other window would probably be useless as well. Before Artemis could think anything else it was too late. There were two wizards and seven men in his hideout. Artemis drew his sword and dagger but knew that this was a battle he could not win. Maybe he could kill one or two of them but what would he accomplish by that. To his own surprise he wasn't scared. Artemis looked at the older wizard that seemed to be the leader of this group.
"You must be Basadoni's guild wizard. Are you here to kill me?" Artemis said as he tried to figure a way to get out of this mess alive. He had guessed that this wizard was experienced and had to be powerful because he seemed to be completely in control of this situation.
"You don't have to die today. But that can be arranged if you are foolish enough to attack us." Val Arnelan said calmly and answered the question. He was a bit irritated that the boy knew who he was and seemed to be completely prepared for this meeting but he hid it well.
"You are nothing but a homeless thief. However, we are willing to offer you a place in our guild. What do you say? " Val Arnelan went straight to the business. There was no reason to intimidate this boy and the wizard felt that it would probably be useless anyway. Deep inside Val Arnelan wished that this boy would reject so that he could kill him. Val Arnelan had prepared many spells because his pasha had insisted so and he hoped that he could use at least some of them.
"You would be wise to accept our proposal." The younger wizard continued since Artemis gave no answer and his tone revealed that there was only one correct answer to this 'proposal'.
"Do I have a choice?" Artemis said with a smile as he turned to Val Arnelan and sheathe his weapons. This was actually a good turn of events. He would be trained and protected. It was not as Artemis thought that he would need any protection but he understood the benefits that he would gain by working for Basadoni guild. Besides, almost anything was better than living in the streets.
*** Ok, I just wanted to get this part over with; it was a bit long maybe since "nothing happened". (Sorry, no fighting this time) But I will try to write more when / if I come up with some new ideas.
Val Arnelan examined the house from outside. There was only one door but there were two windows also. The wizard had brought nine soldiers with him and also his apprentice, who had been responsible for boosting the soldiers with various spells. Val Arnelan concentrated and cast a force field to block another window and motioned two soldiers behind the other. The soldiers had the ordinary swords and knives but they also carried a large and strong net, which they were to throw on Artemis if he for some reason would try to escape. All these precautions were made because pasha Basadoni had ordered so.
One soldier carefully tried the door, it was locked from inside. He motioned to another who picked his tools and started to work on the lock. This soldier was an expert in picking locks and disarming traps. The lock was old and caused little trouble for the skilled soldier and the door was unlocked in less than minute. The soldier then quickly studied if there were any traps in the door, but found nothing, so he was about to open the door but the wizard's apprentice motioned him to stop. Val Arnelan was amused when his talented apprentice cast a spell that would detect traps. There was a trap in the door after all. It had been well hidden so the soldier hadn't found it: For his luck the young wizard was a careful one. Another proof that soldiers where nothing compared to wizards Val Arnelan thought.
"Well done LaValle." Val Arnelan gave credit to his apprentice. The apprentice simply nodded and told the soldier the location of the trap. LaValle thought about using a spell to get rid of the trap, but the soldier should be able to do it now that he knew where to look for. It took several minutes from the soldier to disarm the trap, but he managed to do it.
"This trap was well done" the soldier whispered after the task was done. "Even I couldn't have done it better."
Val Arnelan said nothing to that obvious statement. Of course the trap was well done. How else could the soldier have missed it?
"Come on, the force field won't last forever. Let's get inside." Val Arnelan said and one of the soldiers opened the door and stepped in followed by others. Two men quickly moved to right and two to left. The others stayed in front of Val Arnelan and his apprentice and protected them.
Like every child that grew up in streets, Artemis also was very aware of his surroundings when he was at sleep. There were always some that would not even hesitate killing children in their beds and Artemis was not actually a child anymore. He had heard something. Something that he could not quite determine what it was, but already at this age he had learned to trust his instincts. Not only did he hear something but Artemis also felt something in the air, something new and strange that felt like cold raindrops in his own skin. After he thought about it he knew that that this feeling was not that strange after all. He had felt something a bit similar when he had seen a priest heal a city guard that had been injured by a thief. It was magic.
There was a sound at the door. Artemis knew that his trap had been detected and would not protect him anymore. He turned to a window but saw that there was something strange outside, as the air would have turned to a sort of jelly. He didn't dare to try his luck there and guessed that escaping from the other window would probably be useless as well. Before Artemis could think anything else it was too late. There were two wizards and seven men in his hideout. Artemis drew his sword and dagger but knew that this was a battle he could not win. Maybe he could kill one or two of them but what would he accomplish by that. To his own surprise he wasn't scared. Artemis looked at the older wizard that seemed to be the leader of this group.
"You must be Basadoni's guild wizard. Are you here to kill me?" Artemis said as he tried to figure a way to get out of this mess alive. He had guessed that this wizard was experienced and had to be powerful because he seemed to be completely in control of this situation.
"You don't have to die today. But that can be arranged if you are foolish enough to attack us." Val Arnelan said calmly and answered the question. He was a bit irritated that the boy knew who he was and seemed to be completely prepared for this meeting but he hid it well.
"You are nothing but a homeless thief. However, we are willing to offer you a place in our guild. What do you say? " Val Arnelan went straight to the business. There was no reason to intimidate this boy and the wizard felt that it would probably be useless anyway. Deep inside Val Arnelan wished that this boy would reject so that he could kill him. Val Arnelan had prepared many spells because his pasha had insisted so and he hoped that he could use at least some of them.
"You would be wise to accept our proposal." The younger wizard continued since Artemis gave no answer and his tone revealed that there was only one correct answer to this 'proposal'.
"Do I have a choice?" Artemis said with a smile as he turned to Val Arnelan and sheathe his weapons. This was actually a good turn of events. He would be trained and protected. It was not as Artemis thought that he would need any protection but he understood the benefits that he would gain by working for Basadoni guild. Besides, almost anything was better than living in the streets.
*** Ok, I just wanted to get this part over with; it was a bit long maybe since "nothing happened". (Sorry, no fighting this time) But I will try to write more when / if I come up with some new ideas.