Crimson Twilight: Dusk

Chapter 40: Trenzein's storm

"I did not kill Koullufen Aethernas."

Trenzein Zaisen's words carried plainly to the ears of his accusers. He said them bluntly and defiantly, with no trace of surprise whatsoever. He knew that something like this would crop up. He had plenty of enemies in the Magic Academy just like his father did back then. Salnus Zaisen paid with his life for making those enemies. It was starting to look like his son was about to follow.

The meeting among the priests, crusaders and monks was momentarily postponed until the Pronteran government tried Trenzein. Koullufen Aethernas was a high-ranking member of the Geffen Wizard Academy. His being murdered while visiting Prontera would strain the relationship between the two cities. The only way Prontera could save face would be to hand Geffen the perpetrator of the crime.

"Really? Then please explain why your hat was found in the scene, Mister Zaisen!" Trenzein's accuser, Sailsan Kineal, said. Trenzein barely remembered the man as another one of Koullufen's apprentices; a mousy looking wizard who did his best to be as nondescript as possible. Trenzein found it ironic that he was now making a scene when there were bigger things to be concerned about outside Prontera's gates.

"Someone took it from my room." Trenzein responded. "I've been searching for it for almost the entire day."

Much to his own surprise, Trenzein appeared grimly calm despite the situation. He knew that he was being framed but he felt that he had been expecting something like this for months if not years. He had to wonder about who had done it though. Koullufen certainly didn't kill himself just to drag him down. Someone else in the Council or, perhaps, even the Elder Council. Someone was ruthless enough to kill Koullufen just to bring him down. Despite the danger to his life, Trenzein felt a little flattered.

"A very thin story if I've ever heard one, Mister Zaisen." Sailsan continued. "Magic instructor's hats don't just disappear and end up in murder scenes."

Trenzein's control snapped. He had been through a trying day. "And killers don't just drop their hats before leaving the scene!" He snapped. "I wasn't anywhere near Koullufen's study all day!"

Sailsan stared long and hard at Trenzein before replying. "Oh? And where were you all day, Mister Zaisen?" He asked.

Trenzein stopped himself. He was in a bad situation here…no one had really seen him after he left the meeting with the wizard and hunter division commanders except-

"He was with me!"

Trenzein turned towards the sound of the voice. Sure enough, Seihanine Xalascent walked past the guards at the door. Sailsan glared at her for interfering. "This is a trial that involves only the wizards of the Geffen Wizard Academy, huntress!" He shouted. "You are not needed here!"

Seihanine ignored Sailsan's words and walked towards Trenzein. Her wounds were still healing although she did her best to disguise her limp due to the cut on her leg. "Trenzein Zaisen was no where near Koullufen Aethernas's home during the entire day." She said. "I can testify to that!"

Sailsan watched Seihanine shrewdly. "You are his companion right?" He asked. "How can we believe you? You might be trying to cover up for him. In fact, you might be involved in this too!"

Seihanine was about to make a retort when Trenzein gripped her on the shoulder. "Don't bother with him, Sei." He said quietly. "This man won't listen to anything just to get me."

Seihanine whispered harshly in return. "I can't just stand by and watch him condemn you! The penalty for unlawful murder is death! You know that!"

Trenzein shook his head. "Of course I do!" He replied. "That's why I don't want you involved. If they link you to me then they'll have you executed as well!"

Seihanine bit her lip in frustration. Trenzein had always been so stubborn but why was he trying to make a hero of himself now? "If they execute me then so be it!" She said. "I'm not leaving you alone in this!"

Trenzein's grip on Seihanine's shoulder tightened. His voice, although still a whisper, was sharp. "Don't be a fool!" He hissed. "I can handle myself but I can't stand the idea that you're going to end up dead because of me!"

Sailsan stared suspiciously at the two. "What are you two whispering about?" He demanded. "Plotting your next lies?"

Seihanine glared at Sailsan. It took some effort on her part not to put a shaft between the man's eyes."You cannot disprove my account solely because I am his friend, wizard!" She said.

Sailsan suddenly produced a piece of parchment. "Oh?" He asked. "Then what about this piece of evidence? A letter in ancient Glastheimian script addressed to Trenzein Zaisen!"

Trenzein stared dubiously at the parchment. "How do I know that you didn't write that yourself, Sailsan?" He asked.

Sailsan smiled triumphantly. "This parchment was found earlier in your room, Trenzein Zaisen!" He said. "There was no way I could have planted it in advance! Look at this! It is a letter from the Dark Lord stating that Koullufen Aethernas must be killed!"

Trenzein's eyes widened in indignation. "What? Why in the hells would I be working for the Dark Lord?"

Seihanine thought hard. How could such a piece of parchment be found in Trenzein's room?

Sailsan raised his voice as he pointed an accusing finger at Trenzein. "I'll tell you why!" He shouted. "It's your spell revision! It makes sense now on how you could possibly conceive an idea that outrageous and dangerously powerful! It is of the Dark Lord's design!"

The wizards present murmured their agreement. A few hushed whispers began to circulate. Some wizards began saying that Trenzein was an abraxilite; a member of the cult that was dedicated to the Dark Lord.

Trenzein banged a fist against the table. "My spell revision belongs to me alone!" He shouted. "The Dark Lord has nothing to do with it and if you could see past your simpering jealousy you would realize that its completion would be for the betterment of magic everywhere!"

The room resounded with the outrage of every wizard present in it.

"Disrespectful dog! He deserves to be executed for those words alone!"

"He's obviously a spy for the Dark Lord! The evidence is clear enough!"

Sailsan smiled triumphantly as the crowd of wizards began to cry for Trenzein's blood. He had the upstart now.

Trenzein's eyes narrowed in fury. Is this his fate? After all the work he put into completing his revision, his only reward would be death? He felt his hands crackle with power. If he was going to die because of his work then he was ready to show them what he can do with it.

Seihanine glanced worriedly at Trenzein. Things were getting out of hand. This wasn't a trial, it was a lynching. She looked around the room; searching for anyone who was against Trenzein's death sentence. Makaelthos and Silmeia struggled to enter the room but were pushed back by the wizards' guards. 'This is insanity! There has to be a way to stop this!' She thought.

The swordsman guard gasped helplessly as the gladius cut his neck open.

"Go to sleep, swordsman." Maiha whispered sweetly into the man's ear. "There's no need for you to guard this place any longer" She sighed disappointedly as the swordsman gasped his last breath on the floor. Quick kills were simply not her style. She looked behind her to survey her handiwork. Two knights and eight swordsmen lay dead by their posts. No one had managed to raise an alarm. As a matter of fact, no one even got a glimpse of her face before she murdered them. "The stuff the Abraxil makes me do." She grumbled. She stood on top of Prontera's western walls. Beyond the walls were the kobold tribes led by the immortal, Werewolf. She sighed again and raised a lit torch. Once she made sure that the kobolds could see her signal, she began waving it about.

Werewolf watched as a tiny bit of light waved on top of Prontera's western wall.

"The assassin was true to her word!" He howled. "Come, my tribesmen! We will be the first to have the honor of storming Prontera!"

The kobolds around Werewolf began to howl as they picked up their weapons. The orcs will not beat them to another glorious victory like the time their ancestors rebelled against the Morrocan Empire! This battle belonged to the kobold tribes! Werewolf howled his battle cry as the western gate of Prontera began to open.

"You're spewing both lies and insolence, Trenzein Zaisen!" Sailsan shouted. "Your guilt is obvious! You will be executed by dawn in the name of the Geffen Wizard Academy!"

Trenzein stared menacingly at the gathered wizards. "This trial is a farce!" He growled. "You just stacked worthless evidence on me and then you handed down this execution order!"

Seihanine seethed at the transpiring events. They were going to execute Trenzein and there was nothing she could do about it! Makaelthos and Silmeia shouted their protests from the doorway but they were ignored.

Sailsan smiled in triumph as the cadre of wizards that served as the judges agreed on the decision to execute Trenzein. 'So ends your little rebellion, upstart.' He thought.

Suddenly, one voice rose from the growing confusion.

"The kobolds have breached the west gates!" A knight shouted.

Everyone turned to face the one who shouted.

"The what? How did they get past our guards? How did they open the gates?"

Makaelthos beat back the guards and entered the room. "Everyone move to your positions!" He said. "This is no time to panic!"

The army wizards rushed to their respective divisions while the civilian ones retreated to their homes.

Sailsan turned to face a pair of knights who worked for the academy. "Guard the prisoner!" He told them. "Make sure that he doesn't try anything!" He then rushed outside the building and moved towards his home near the center of Prontera.

Flanked by a pair of knights, Trenzein approached Makaelthos. "Makaelthos! I have to help as well!" He said.

Makaelthos nodded and turned to face Trenzein's knight guards. "I will handle this prisoner for a while!" He told them. "Return to your posts."

One of the guards shook his head. Suddenly, Makaelthos's armored fist swung towards the man's jaw. The first knight guard crashed to the ground out cold. The second guard lunged at Makaelthos only to be encased in ice when a blast of cold exploded from his "prisoner". Trenzein grinned as he watched his handiwork. "You're going to get in trouble for that you know." He told Makaelthos.

Makaelthos smiled in return. "Good." He replied. "Maybe then I can get their attention. That trial was a mockery of justice."

Trenzein's expression grew grim. "You know I'm not running away from these bastards, Makaelthos." He said.

Seihanine approached them from behind. "You'll have to hide, Zein!" She insisted. "Until we can prove your innocence!"

Trenzein ignored Seihanine and rushed outside the building. She and Makaelthos followed suit.

"Why won't he listen?" Seihanine asked in frustration. "Does he want to die?" Suddenly, she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to find Silmeia running right beside her.

"We can't force Trenzein to do something he doesn't want to, Sei." Silmeia said. "He'll have to decide for himself."

The three of them ran until they reached the west gates only to find that the kobolds were swarming everywhere. The knights had already begun a counterattack but they were caught completely by surprise. Some of them were not even in full armor yet.

"Trenzein!" Makaelthos called out. "Get whatever wizard division you can find together! We need to slow these things down!" He slashed the throat of one axe-wielding kobold wide open and pressed forward. Behind him, several knights from various divisions made their stand. His eyes narrowed as he watched Werewolf tear through a group of knights. 'We have to do something about Werewolf...but what?' He thought.

Seihanine's arrows struck down several kobold archers from the walls before she sidestepped a swing from a hammer-wielding kobold in front her. Before the blue-furred, dog-like creature could swing again, Kalyx raked it from behind with steel-tipped claws. The main kobold forces were bogged down as the ground beneath them heaved and became soft quicksand. Seihanine shouted her orders to the scattered hunters around her. "Focus your arrows on their archers! We have to provide cover for the wizards!" Her eyes widened in surprise as Werewolf himself broke past the knights' defensive line and strode towards them. Werewolf was an intimidating sight as he lumbered towards the line of hunters. He stood at least fifteen feet tall with bright red fur and powerful muscles that rippled through his massive body. Saliva dripped from the yellowed fangs in his open mouth. Some of the hunters ran at the sight of the immortal alone. Seihanine did not join them. 'The wizard line is directly behind me.' She thought. 'If I retreated now, he'll attack them while they're not ready.'

Seihanine shot two arrows at Werewolf's chest. The immortal laughed and ignored the attack as he kept advancing. Another knight stabbed him from behind with a lance. He grabbed the man before he could step back. To Seihanine's horror, Werewolf brought his jaws down on the knight's head; biting it off almost effortlessly. Blood dribbled down his chin and chest; spattering on the ground in bright red splotches. Werewolf howled in bloodlust.

"Monster!" Seihanine shouted. She continued to shoot Werewolf furiously. There was no way she was letting this beast through her line.

"You're quite stubborn, huntress!" Werewolf snarled. "I gave you the chance to retreat but you still stand and fight!" He let out a powerful howl and sprang towards Seihanine. Before she could react, he was already upon her. His knife-like fangs tore through her left arm with ease. Seihanine staggered back and clutched her wounded arm. Werewolf grinned and swiped at her with a claw. The blow struck true; sending her flying back for several feet. The immortal's claws had raked a vicious gash on her chest.

"Sei!"

Both Makaelthos and Silmeia tried to run towards the injured huntress but the tide of battle kept them back. Silmeia blasted one mace-wielding kobold on the face with holy light while Makaelthos decapitated another. He held his breath as Werewolf approached Seihanine's prone form.

"Be thankful, huntress." Werewolf spoke. "You serve as food to the great Werewolf instead of a mere snack to my minions."

The other wizards tried to assist Seihanine but they had to keep their own opponents at bay. More kobolds poured from the west gates. The Pronteran defenders were slowly being overrun.

"You should be the one thankful, Werewolf!" Trenzein shouted.

Werewolf snarled and turned to face the one who spoke. A lone, green-haired wizard stood before him.

"You get to be destroyed by the great Trenzein Zaisen instead of being a victory for those short-sighted fools in the academy!" Trenzein smiled grimlyas he taunted the immortal. A night breeze ruffled his tousled hair and blew his cloak about. 'Why should I be executed by those cowards?' He thought. 'If I'm going to die, then I will die in my magic!'

Werewolf let loose another howl and closed in on the arrogant wizard. The huntress would serve as a snack later. Suddenly, his foe emitted a powerful aura of magic that caused even him to hesitate.

"So this is the work of the Dark Lord?" Trenzein shouted defiantly. "Let me show you what it can do then!" With his right hand, he hurled a sphere of lightning at Werewolf. The immortal staggered backwards for a few steps as the sphere struck him.

Werewolf grinned as lightning coursed through his massive body. "Is this what you're capable of, wizard?" He taunted. "This is nothing!"

Trenzein answered the grin with one of his own and then hurled two more spheres in rapid succession.

Werewolf's eyes widened in surprise as the spheres struck him solidly; forcing him back for a few more feet. 'What is this?' He thought in a panic. 'This isn't Jupitel Thunder!'

Trenzein spat out a glob of blood and hurled another pair of lightning spheres at Werewolf. The immortal roared in fury and pain as more lightning coursed through him. Behind the two, Seihanine struggled to get up. She had to help…she had to-

Trenzein's eyes started to bleed. The blood ran down his cheeks like crimson tears as he hurled two more Jupitel Thunders at his opponent. "Is it still nothing, Werewolf?" He shouted.

All around the two, the fighting seemed to stop momentarily as Werewolf struggled to stand his ground against the powerful, magical assault of a lone wizard. Vicious wounds appeared all over Trenzein's body as if he was being attacked by an invisible sword. Several more lightning spheres flew from his hands; knocking Werewolf to the ground in an explosion of electrical charges. The night was being lit up by the blue light coming from the explosions. Werewolf writhed in agony. Massive burns covered his body in ugly, bald patches of singed fur.

Seihanine's eyes widened in utter panic. "Zein, stop!" She cried out.

Trenzein's breathing grew ragged. He was bleeding from at least a hundred cuts by now. Blood flowed from his mouth, eyes and ears. It was pouring out of everywhere. He hurled four more spheres of crackling energy before falling to one knee. The spheres struck Werewolf's prone form and exploded into tremendous discharges of pure electricity. Seihanine dashed towards him. She had to stop this…stop him before he-

"Seihanine stand back!" Trenzein bellowed the warning in time as Werewolf rose to his feet. The immortal was practically half-dead. His fur was all but completely burned off. His right eye was scorched shut while his left hand was nothing more than a charred stump.

Werewolf howled in agony and fury and lunged. "If I must die then I will make sure that I kill you first, wizard!" He roared.

Trenzein rose to his feet. He more than half-dead by now; he had lost too much blood and he had no idea how many gaping wounds he had on his body. The only thing probably keeping him alive was his magic. "I'm going to die one way or another, Werewolf!" He shouted in return. "Let me leave my mark on your corpse at least!" His hands crackled with power as a pair of lightning spheres, at least thrice the size of the ones he was hurling earlier, appeared in them. Summoning whatever magic remained in him; he hurled the spheres simultaneously at Werewolf. The massive spheres struck the immortal squarely on the chest.

The red-furred chieftain of the kobold tribes gave out one more howl before blowing up. There was a brief moment of silence as the lightning spheres struck. After the silence came a low roar as the spheres detonated into a flash of brilliant, blue light. Werewolf's death-howl rose into the night sky as he perished. After the howl came another moment of silence.

"They've killed our chieftain!" One of the kobolds shouted. "Retreat!"

The kobolds rushed back outside the west gate. Many of them were cut or shot down by the knights and hunters that defended the place. Seihanine stifled a sob as she ran towards Trenzein. Both Makaelthos and Silmeia ran as well; healing spells on the tips of their tongues. All the while they kept wishing that Trenzein would stay alive when they got to him.

Trenzein mustered a weak smile of triumph as he stared at his handiwork. "Did-did you see it?" He gasped. "Did you see my Jupitel Storm?" He closed his eyes. He couldn't feel himself breathe. He couldn't even feel his own heartbeat. 'I can't cast anymore…can't cast a thing…'

Trenzein hit the ground even before Seihanine got to him. "Zein!" Seihanine cried out. She grasped his body tightly and pressed her ear against his chest; wishing desperately for any sign of life. Trenzein's heart slowed down.

And stopped.