It was a beautiful spring afternoon. The birds were sitting on the houses, since there were no trees, and were singing a beautiful song. There where only a few houses which had gardens, from which most of them surrounded the castle. Caleb walked back to his house, where he and his old mother lived. In this city, Alidria, everybody grew old quickly, meaning a lot of people died around 60 years of age, but his mother truly was old. She was 79 years old, which was a record for any woman in the city for the past 150 years. His mother, Cassidy, had explained that it was because they actually weren't from this city, or even the state for that matter, but had moved here. Therefore, he, too, seemed fairly young for his age, compared to the other 17 year-olds in the city, that is.
He had green eyes, brown hair and usually wore a brown coat over a white trunk, beige trousers and brown boots. The coat had some armor plates over the shoulders as to protect him from harm. He hadn't acknowledged it to anyone, but beneath his trunk, he also wore a light leather armor, just for some extra protection. The archmage Nicholas had enhanced its capabilities with magic, making it easier to move in, while still being as durable as steel.
He arrived at his home, which was right next to the castle. He saw his mother working in the garden, attending to the flowers she had just planted, beautiful red roses.
"Hello, sweetheart. And, how did it go?" Cassidy asked.
Caleb sighed.
"Not so well."
"Aw, I'm so sad to hear that." Cassidy said, slightly sad.
"I mean, they made me a general, sure, but they didn't let me join the Council. Every general's ambition is to be in the High Council…" Caleb said with a grin.
"Aw, sweetie that's so great!" Cassidy exclaimed. "You're finally a general, as you've always wanted. And you're still so young!"
"Yep, they said I was the youngest man ever to become a general." Caleb said, sounding a little bit proud of himself.
"Come, I'll make you a nice meal." Cassidy said, "Oh, and I'll also ask N and his student to come over!"
Caleb liked it when N came by. He had this fatherly feel around him, and he was the wisest sorcerer in the world at the moment. The strongest one too. But he did have something weird about him as well. He always wore a glove around his left hand. Caleb had once asked what it was when he was younger, but N had remained silent, saying it wasn't of importance. So, Caleb just let it go.
"Don't bother calling us, Cass." N said.
Cassidy and Caleb looked to who was standing in front of his house. Both of them smiled when they noticed the old man, with his small, grey beard, and his signature staff. It had a pinkish jewel in it. Beside him was his student, a darker skinned girl. She seemed to come from the southern lands, near the desert, but he wasn't sure. He knew her name was Taranee and that she was 15 years old. She had become N's student after he noticed her potential. She also was exceptionally gifted with the use of fire spells and enchantments.
"Oh, hi N." Cassidy said. "I hadn't seen you yet."
"I heard Caleb had become a general from one of my friends in the Council. Congratulations, Caleb." N said with a smile.
"I heard you impressed the Council, even with that broken sword." Taranee said.
Caleb smiled and N laughed, making Taranee wonder what was so funny. Little did she know that this sword had been one of N's belongings. And if it had once belonged to N, you didn't know what was going on with it. But Caleb knew. N had told him after he had shown interest in the sword when he first visited N's place. Everybody had a profession that you were born with, for N and Taranee, it had been sorcerer or sorceress. This had shown because N was always busy with books that wrote about magic. He also expressed great interest in his father's staff. It wasn't the staff he was wearing now, for every sorcerer would create his or her own staff, if he or she so desired to have one. Taranee had shown great potential with fire spells, after she accidentally caused a candle to burn when she wished for some light. It was at that moment that N had found her and took her in as his student, seeing the potential of this intelligent young lady.
Caleb on the other hand, had immediately shown interest in the sword. N immediately recognized this as a warrior's spirit. You could be a good swordsman, or a strategist or many more things. Caleb had shown to be a great swordsman and strategist, which had just earned him the rank of general. But there was more to it, Caleb had a half broken sword. N had found the sword during a travel of his. When Caleb had asked how that travel was, N had told him he wouldn't believe the story anyway, but he did reveal that it had to do with the jewel he always carried on top of his staff. When N picked up the sword, it broke into pieces. N took the sword with him as a reminder of the journey, but had donated it to Caleb when the latter expressed interest in it. Little did N know that Caleb would actually learn how to use the sword as a regular sword. Caleb had once given it to N, on N's request, and when he got it back, it had several runes inscribed in it. N said that the runes meant 'what is broken can be reforged'. N had explained that it actually meant that, even though the sword was broken, Caleb had, in a way, reforged it to a new sword.
"Yeah," Caleb said, still smiling and looking at the runes, "it's my own style. I'm really glad I was able to create it."
Taranee smiled at him. "Well, I'm happy for you. Also, becoming a general at your age! That makes it twice as impressive."
It was true. Before him, the youngest person to ever become general was the Grand General himself, at the age of 20. And before Marcus Escanor, the youngest general had been 34.
"Thanks." Caleb responded.
"Oh, come on in." Cassidy said, "I've already started while you were chatting. We're going to eat soon."
While Cassidy was cooking, Taranee took a book to read and Caleb told N what he had to do to become general.
"Well, I had to duel to another general to show them my dueling style and to prove that I could stand my own. I easily disarmed him and I could've made him a cripple with my special technique, but I didn't."
"No, you shouldn't have done that." N said, laughing, "I don't think the High Council would've appreciated it if you'd handicap one of their generals."
"Then I was shown a map, filled with obstacles and I had to device a strategy to win this battle while getting a man to the other side of the map without harm. I created the strategy in 10 minutes, while the High Council took about 2 hours to think of the same thing, together. That really impressed them." Caleb said. "I'm still wondering why they didn't let me join the Council."
"Age and experience." Said N. "There's a law that states that members of the High Council must be at least 25 years old and have at least fought two battles as a general and won, or won one victory so decisive that it impresses them."
"Do you know every law?" Caleb said, raising an eyebrow.
"Caleb, I even know the laws of Sensuala." N said, with a small smile.
"Why is that so special?" Caleb asked, confused.
"Oh, it's not special. It's just a state in which harems aren't such a big problem and where prostitution is an actual universally acknowledged job. In other words, it's a sex-state." N said, laughingly.
Caleb sighed, though he got a smile on his face when Cassidy hit N on the head.
"Don't talk like that near my son! Sensuala isn't a sex-state. It's horrible. Women are treated like nothing, beaten up and abused and the only thing they can do to survive there is offer themselves to men." Cassidy said, angrily.
"I know, Cass." N said, "That's why I didn't say that and instead told him what I said. Was my explanation so horrible? I just wanted to spare him the gross details. Not like I'm planning to tell him more, anyways."
Cassidy got a red blush. "Oh, I…ehm. Sorry." She whispered.
N took her hand. "Don't apologize. It's better that he knows the truth. By my talk, he might actually want to go there once. Due to you, he doesn't. Am I right?"
Caleb smiled. "I didn't want to go there when you talked about it, but now that I know what's actually going on there, I know I don't want to go there.
Cassidy smiled a little bit. "Oh, dinner is ready."
During dinner, they talked about Caleb's performances in the past, Taranee's studies, N's plans for the future and Cassidy's daily life. It was a happy celebration of Caleb's victory.
Eventually, the time had come for N and Taranee to leave.
"Thanks for the excellent dinner, Cass." N said, bowing as he thanked her.
Due to him bowing, Cass could see slightly into his robes, she didn't particularly like what she saw.
"No problem, N". Cassidy responded, looking at his face as he rose again.
"It was delicious, madam." Taranee said, bowing as well.
N smiled at Caleb as he went through the door.
"N?" Caleb asked, making N look at him, "I've been wondering. How do you know the laws of Sensuala?"
N seemed surprised. "Oh. Ehm…I…ehm."
He looked at Cassidy for help, but she only laughed at him. "Sorry, shouldn't have done that."
"Always a big help, Cass. Anyways, I kind of got imprisoned there when I refused to take Cass there when we crossed town. They thought of it as a violation of their laws and imprisoned me. Luckily Cass got out of town before they made her a 'subject' to their laws. With a little help, of course." N said with a smile. "Needless to say I immediately looked up their laws. Some of them truly are staggering. I mean, it is an actual law that during a threesome with 2 women, both of them actually need to put on a dildo and put it into the man's…"
"That's quite enough information, N." Cassidy said.
"Oh, right. Sorry, I guess I kinda dawdled of there. We should be going now, Taranee."
Taranee nodded, her face showing that she wasn't to happy about having heard N's small story. Caleb smiled at her, and she smiled back.
"Yes, thanks again for the dinner, madam."
"No problem, sweetie." Cassidy said.
"Now, let us go." N said, and he and Taranee walked off into the darkness of the city.
Cassidy closed the door.
"So, how did you get out of Sensuala without…you know…?" Caleb asked.
Cassidy shook her head. "You wouldn't believe the story anyway, so just drop it."
Caleb shrugged. "Fine."
Caleb went to bed, but Cassidy was still awake. She looked at the ring around her finger. It was a golden ring, with a small purple stone in it. She smiled as she remembered how N had proposed to her, and how she had said yes. Cassidy and N had both agreed that N would stay living in his old room in the castle, as to study the castle and the Grand General more. Caleb didn't know N was his father. Caleb never expressed any emotions of wanting to have a father. N had been acting as a father figure for as long as Caleb could remember, so in a way Caleb thought he was his father. Caleb just didn't know N was his actual father. The purple stone glowed and Cassidy looked up. In front of her, N materialized.
"Hmm, that actually worked. Sort of. Nice to know." N said, amazed.
"What, how?" Cassidy asked, confused.
"Oh, I tried sending you a message through your ring. Instead, I literally got materialized here. Sorry, I was experimenting. Teletransporting drains life energy and I wouldn't want to waste that." N said.
Cassidy shook her head. "Could you be a little quieter, please? Caleb's already gone to bed."
"Oh, sorry." N said, silently.
"What was it you wanted to talk to me about anyways?" Cassidy asked.
N took a seat. "Now that I'm here, I might as well tell you. But I think you've seen it today."
Cassidy sighed. "It's gotten worse again, hasn't it?"
N took of his robes, showing his underwear. But that wasn't why Cassidy looked with big eyes. N's entire left half of his upper body had become skinless. His bones were visible, yet he could still do everything with it.
"It's growing towards my left leg now."
"Oh, sweetie." Cass said, looking at N's face as not to look at his body, "how did this happen? I thought you just took away the necromancy that had affected Caleb."
"I told you before, necromancy has many side effects. Perhaps I might've accidentally created a link between me and the necromancy, which means I am now picking up all the necromancy from the castle. But it seems I am only 'gaining' bones at certain times. Which brings me to the second thing I wanted to talk about." N explained.
"I have found out. Every day you got more…boney, a ship arrives with 3 men. The next day, they leave again. I think these are our necromancers." Cassidy said.
"That means I am indeed picking up the necromancy from the castle. But I've been thinking about something. What is the necromancy used for?" N asked, smiling.
"To stop Marcus Escanor from dying by age. They're preventing him from aging." Cassidy responded, not getting what N was going to.
"And what's happening to me?" N asked.
"You're…aging." Cassidy said.
"Exactly. I am receiving the years expelled from Marcus. And it's making me some sort of zombie thing. I don't know how to expel it. But I'm close, I'm sure of it.." N said.
Cassidy sighed. "Please, I just want you to be alright."
N walked over to her and kissed her. "I will be. I promise you that."
Cassidy smiled at him and stroke her hair. N now seemed so different than when she first met him and during his time as a Guardian. Technically, they were still the Guardians, but…
Cassidy remembered a few things about their common past, their friends and the old Guardians. She smiled at the memories, the times long gone.
N smiled at her as she was clearly thinking about something nice and took her hand with his left hand, before seeing the scared look in her eyes as she noticed it. He quickly retracted the hand and put on the glove. He then took her hand. She smiled and kissed him.
"I have to go now." N said as he broke the kiss. "Take care."
N disappeared through the door.
…
The next day, Caleb sat in the garden, reading the paper, while his mother was working in the garden.
'Great amount of resources found in Cryssandor: valuable crystals found in mines', was the headline of the day. As Caleb was reading the article, Taranee walked by.
"Hey, Caleb." She said.
Caleb looked up. "Oh, hey Taranee."
"I see you're reading that article about Cryssandor." Taranee said, looking at the paper.
"Yeah. Pretty interesting, but also, pretty annoying." Caleb responded.
"Oh, why so?"
"Well, these crystals have a high value. In the article, it says they've never been seen before. This makes them rare. Most likely, a lot of countries will want these valuables to be theirs. And that may be a problem, if they decide to attack each other." Caleb responded, half in thoughts.
"They won't do that. By the International Treaty of Peace, which all 6 countries have signed, there is not to be waged open war. All disputes will be settled with a duel between two representatives of the cities, most often the leaders themselves, where the first person to draw blood is the victor." Taranee said.
"I know the Treaty, Taranee." Caleb said, annoyed, "but wealth and power, combined with all your enemies together at the same place, might just be enough for someone to turn his or her back on that treaty."
"They wouldn't do that. They don't want open war again, like the war 160 years ago, that nearly destroyed the entire world." Taranee said, clearly rejecting what Caleb implied.
"We shall see who's right." Caleb simply said, returning to his paper.
Taranee had fire in her glasses. She was clearly enraged by his implications. She noticed Cassidy waving at her to come over. Taranee followed her and they went inside the house.
"Taranee, you do know N's feelings about that treaty, right?" Cassidy asked.
"Of course," Taranee replied, "As his student I have heard him talk about it. He says that everybody is willing to respect it, but one man. He would turn his back on it if there…was…"
Cassidy smiled, seeing Taranee had caught on.
"Yes, Caleb, too, is a great follower of that theory. N has always been a father figure to him."
"Then, who is N's suspect? And what proof does he have?" Taranee asked, enraged again.
"It's not upon me to answer that question. If you wish to know, ask N, or wait until he tells you. You could also wait to see if he was right, since I agree with Caleb. If this person would want to turn his back on the treaty, this might be an excellent opportunity." Cassidy simply replied.
Taranee walked out of the house and looked at Caleb.
"Caleb, who do you think…?"
"Is going to start war? I don't know. Depends on who can't resist the temptation of more power." Caleb responded.
Taranee looked in the distance, as she always did while she thought over something that deeply concerned her. "I'll talk with N about the matter."
With those words she left.
…
A girl was sitting on a rock, in a meditative post. She focused on her breathing, trying to control the flow of it, of her thoughts.
"I am I. Repeat the mantra."
She opened her eyes. They drew you inward, even if they didn't have pupils when she was meditating. Vivid images came up. A man in a suit, a scream, a flash, more screams. And the colour and smell of blood.
"I did not kill that man knowingly. It was an accident. It was self-defense."
More images filled her mind.
"I did not kill that man with the intent of killing him. It was an accident."
Slowly, the images subdued. For now.
Her pupils returned.
"I am me. I am I. Repeat the mantra."
She focused on her breathing again. She became calm. She ended her meditation with a sigh.
'Why can't I let this go? I know it was an accident, so why do I feel guilty?' she thought.
"Honey," her mother yelled, sounding defeated, "there's someone for you."
The girl sighed and looked at the wooden clock, which seemed old. Most of its paint had loosened and part of the wood was rotten, or was serving as food for some termites.
"My four O'clock. I hate this world."
A man entered the room. He was wearing a suit, had a briefcase and his hair was perfectly styled. He had the appearance, and attitude, of someone who was very rich and powerful. The girl turned around.
"Oh my." The man responded to her action, gazing over her body, resting his eyes on her breasts. "So young, yet so attractive."
She felt hatred towards this man grow inside her, as she did to all the men who came here. He had all the wealth she could ever hope for, the power she could hope for…No. That wasn't true. She was more powerful than him, more powerful than anyone in this god-forsaken place…She shook her head. She couldn't, shouldn't, have those kind of thoughts, yet she couldn't shake them off. Her only 'friend' had left her, after he had used and abused her, and these men did the same. She had the rights to take matters into her own hands. She would kill everybody here, save her mother, and then… Then she would have nothing left.
"Hey," the man said, snapping her out of her train of thoughts, "I'm not paying you to see you staring at the distance."
"Yes," the girl said, "master."
…
Taranee walked into N's chamber in the right tower, and found him sitting at a table bent over some paper, writing down something. He then looked from the paper to the ring on the table and then back to the paper. Taranee slammed a newspaper on the desk, causing N to look at her and then to the newspaper.
"What's this?" Taranee asked.
"That would be a newspaper." N answered.
"No." Taranee said, clearly annoyed. "I mean, what's in the newspaper?"
"In the newspaper are usually letters, placed in an order that forms words and sentences. Multiple sentences in a newspaper are called articles. So I guess all of that. Although some newspapers also have comics." N replied, getting an annoyed sigh from Taranee.
"I'm being serious, old man." Taranee said, making N look at his left hand and cringe. "I'm talking about the mines in Cryssandor."
N's face hardened. "Very well. Why are you bringing this to my attention?"
"I heard from Caleb and Cassidy that you have a the…"
"Yeah, I do. Our lord is going to take the crystals for himself, possibly provoking a war there. Probably he'll be able to manipulate the situation to the point that he gets most of the crystals and war is prevented, but still. Treaties mean nothing to him, only profit." N said, and then quickly whispered "And eternal life…" afterwards.
Taranee seemed outraged with the statement.
"How DARE you say Escanor would break the treaty? Nobody would! Nobody is as stupid as to try that and perhaps provoke a war! After the last war the lands were ruined! It's utter MADNESS to think otherwise!"
N rose from his seat and towered above Taranee, who felt slightly intimidated.
"Madness?" N asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's not madness at all, Taranee. You don't know what Escanor did in that war. He killed thousands of innocents, just to have the enemy surrender because they didn't want to endanger their people. After that the Treaty was signed. And that was when he was just a teen! His cruelty knows no match, Taranee."
Taranee still wasn't convinced. After all, nothing about that genocide was in the books she had read. And besides, there was a very obvious point he missed in this made up story.
"Then why are you in his castle, hmm?" Taranee asked, slightly cocky.
N sighed. "You wouldn't understand anyways. Now, enough about this matter."
Taranee saw this as a way to admit defeat and was glad.
"I guess it's time for you to get a new assignment. I want you to study the power of fire." N said as he walked to his staff, which was in the corner.
The pinkish jewel shone slightly as he took it. Taranee was confused.
"But, I've already done that."
N turned around and looked at her. He snapped his finger and a book came flying towards his desk, opened itself on a page with a chapter title called 'Fire' and then walked towards the desk. He opened a drawer and took out a green teardrop-like jewel. He then looked at Taranee.
"Not from this book. Study it. Take a seat, you can use everything in this room until I come back. But now, I must go to see Escanor."
With that N left. Taranee was left dumbfounded. She shook her head and went to sit behind the desk and started reading. Studying was never a bad thing, she always said to herself. After reading boring stuff she already knew, such as how to conjure fire, how to use it to attack and defend and those kind of things, she came to a part she didn't know. This part of the chapter was about how to combine it with the other elements: Water, Earth, Air and Quintessence. Taranee had never heard of Quintessence. But that would be of concern later. Now, she read how she could combine the power of fire with water. It could, of course, create steam if she would use the power of fire to heat water, but if you first used fire and then shot water at it you would create a sort of rock that would encase the enemy, leaving the enemy immobilized.
She had never known this, though, if she had to say, that sounded rather logical. She wondered why she had never thought of this before. Perhaps she had spent too much time reading books and not thinking things out for herself…
'Wait, did I just think reading books was bad?' Taranee laughingly thought.
…
N was walking towards the throne room. His left arm started twitching: it felt the necromancy, it felt the man who the age of his hand actually belonged to. N stopped his hand from twitching and focused. If he had this right, which he sincerely hoped so, then he might get a powerful ally by his side. And he sincerely hoped he was able to do just that.
He stopped walking, standing in front of the doors which led to the throne room. The two guards, in giant red robes, with large halberts, were supposed to instill fear. They didn't intimidate N though and he nodded at the guards as they opened the doors. N walked inside the throne room, his eyes searching for the man he so much despised. He found him exactly where he would figure him to be: on his dark throne. The throne room itself was dark, with small plants that wouldn't seem to fully grow, already hanging. A large serpent painting on the floor and torches on the walls, with sinister monster like motives on the walls themselves, made the room sinister. Add the ripped up red curtains on the walls to that, with a small wind sound going through the room, and you've got yourself a fear instilling room, meant to show the power of the king. Escanor sat on his throne in a dark purple robe. He looked like a 30 year old man, with strong muscles and a small black beard complementing his somewhat long black hair. His black eyes with their brown pupils seemed to be void of any emotion, showing no sign of hope or goodness.
N was but slightly intimidated, but every time he came here, the more and more the intimidation had fallen. After working in the city for 18 years as an archmage and visiting the room quite often, N had become only slightly intimidated. But not because of Escanor, but because of the plants that were seemingly not growing. Necromancy was lingering here.
Escanor looked at N, nodding to him as a greeting. He then rose from his seat and came walking towards N, but kept standing on the first ledge leading up to his throne to be taller than him.
"Ah, my friend." Escanor said with a small smile, as N bowed. N didn't like the word friend in the sentence at all, but he had to live with it. "You must be wondering why I summoned you here."
"Not really." N said nonchalant, "It's probably about Cryssandor."
Escanor's smile disappeared. "I see you've been keeping up to date with the news. But yes, that was why I summoned you. I am thinking about taking the crystals."
N rose an eyebrow. "All of them?"
Escanor shook his head.
"No. If I'd take all of them we would provoke a war. The other countries would want some of the riches too. No, I just want the most of it. Two-thirds seems about good to me."
"Two-thirds, seems reasonable." N said, "But what if the others don't think it to be reasonable? You don't want to provoke an open conflict, do you?"
"Oh, no, we wouldn't want that…" Escanor said silently, cold and malicious. N didn't trust it one bit. "I think they will find it reasonable. Once they see our military supremacy they wouldn't want to start an open conflict anyway."
N remained silent. He was thinking about the tone Escanor had answered him with. He didn't like it one bit. He was planning something with Cryssandor and it would probably end in him getting what he wants: two-thirds of the crystals.
"No, we will do this the diplomatic way." Escanor said, almost disgusting the idea of diplomacy. The crystals were rightfully his. "Which is why I need someone to go there."
"And you want me to go there?" N asked.
"No, not you." Escanor responded. "Your son."
"Really?" N said, tears in his eyes. "Because if that's who you want, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I only have had a daughter once and she left me, along with her mother. I have no son."
N had been able to lie very well for his entire life and it had proven useful throughout his life. Though he preferred to be honest with everybody, if he had to keep secrets, like the one he was keeping now, he would lie. This secret was too important.
Escanor seemed to check his face for any emotions that could show he was lying, trying to find a weakness in his armour to. He would find none. Escanor seemed content.
"Very well. I just thought Jason was your son. He kind of resembles you."
Escanor pointed to a servant in the corner of the room. He seemed pretty young, around 24, and had a small beard, like N did. He also had the same eyes and hair.
"Plus," Escanor said, "he told me he was your son, so I hired him. But now, I think we're going to have a chat after you're gone."
Jason gulped. A chat was probably nothing good.
N looked back to Escanor, who continued.
"Very well, then I will send Caleb there. I mean, he's become a general recently. I think we should give him a present to celebrate, especially after he broke my record. Keeping track of one of the most important economic businesses should be an honour."
"Of course it is." N said, refusing to say my lord.
Escanor looked at him. N had always showed a lack of respect for him. Escanor appreciated the man for his wisdom and power, but he should show he was his subordinate, like anybody else. And he would make that clear.
"Jason, come here." Escanor said with a cold voice.
Jason came walking towards him at a slow pace, obviously afraid. Had his punishment come earlier? N followed Jason with his eyes. He was wondering what Escanor was about to do. He knew he would probably punish Jason right now and then. Escanor had never been fond of people lying to him or, like N was doing now, defying his supremacy. N had refused to be a subordinate and had even be as nonchalant to simply say to Escanor's face that he already knew why he was summoned. He was pretty sure Escanor would find a way to both punish Jason and show his supremacy. N wondered if this could get him to where he wanted to be.
Jason came to a standstill in front of Escanor's elevated throne, on which Escanor took a seat. "Yes, my lord?"
Escanor smiled at him. Not a cold one, but a kind and warm one. This made it even scarier for Jason: he had never seen Escanor be kind to someone else. Being kind to him now could only be a bad omen. "I am giving you a choice. Sword or Magic?"
Jason braced himself slightly, becoming fearful. Was he about to give his own death sentence? "What do you mean?"
It was out before Jason knew it. He had forgotten all etiquette in his fear and Escanor obviously didn't like it. Escanor's eyes shot flames at Jason and he rose from his throne, his purple robes bending in a creepy way, making Escanor seem serpent like, similar to those on the walls. The wind became slightly louder in the room and a decaying flower suddenly snapped and the flower fell on the ground. The curtains slightly moved on the increased wind and the candles flickered. Jason didn't like the place at all. Especially now, while he was standing here. He was a well built young man, but didn't really excel in anything: he couldn't fight well. And if he had to duel against Escanor, he would last less than ten seconds. Jason knew all this, and wanted to be politically correct, trying to lessen his punishment as to not be put to death. And then, he flapped that out. He felt stupid, but his feeling of stupidity almost immediately made place for discomfort and fear.
Escanor came closer to him and snapped his fingers. His purple robes disappeared and a black armour was revealed, with a ruby on top of the heart. Escanor drew his sword.
"What did you say?"
Jason gulped and looked at Escanor. He tried backing off.
"I…I…" He stammered, unable to get anything else out of his mouth.
"First you dare lie to me, then you address me like a peasant!" Escanor blurted out, his eyes shooting fire. Escanor pointed his sword at Jason.
Jason tripped and fell to the ground. "Please my lord, I have no arms! Please! You wouldn't kill a defenseless man, would you? Have you no honour?"
Escanor seemed to shoot fire, though his voice was as cold as ice when he whispered the words. A whisper so cold that it seemed the temperature fell in the room. The ring around Escanor's right ring finger shone slightly. Escanor rose his sword and brought it down towards Jason, who closed his eyes, while whispering the words.
"No, I don't."
Jason braced himself, but the blow never arrived. He opened his eyes and looked up, seeing N's staff blocking the sword. Escanor looked at Jason, infuriated. Escanor backed off slightly. N knew this wouldn't last long, Escanor would show him he was the supreme one in this room. Escanor seemingly concentrated. N braced himself and tightened his grip around his staff. Escanor then raised his hand and unleashed a barrage of pure energy, pointed directly towards N. N created a shield and blocked the barrage. Smoke appeared due to the explosions. N tapped the ground with his staff and the pink jewel started shining, illuminating the room and clearing the smoke. What he saw was horrible.
Jason had been impaled thrice, once through his neck, once through his stomach and once through his genitals. Blood streamed out of all the wounds and he could swear he heard Jason gurgle one last time. Escanor had quickly killed him in the commotion, swift and smooth. Escanor stood on the same place he had as before he shot the barrage and held the same pose.
N looked at Jason and then to Escanor.
"You see, N…" Escanor started, his voice cold and malicious, "I don't care who or what opposes me. In the end, I will get what I want. And nobody will stand in my way. You hear me?"
N looked at him. Escanor came close and stood right in front of him. N would so want to blast him into oblivion right now, ending his cruel tyranny. He had killed Jason in a brutal way, most likely going from the bottom to the top as to have Jason experience the pain first, as Escanor found delight in the pain of others. N still refused to call Escanor his lord, and he never would.
"Do you hear me?" Escanor said, his dark eyes fixated and staring at N.
"I do. I'm not deaf." N said with a small smile.
Escanor seemed infuriated and yelled for his guards, who immediately entered the room.
"You are a great asset to me, archmage," Escanor said, a hard-to-miss dark tone in his last word, "but I am still your king and you will listen to me. You will see what happens to those who don't. Maybe then you will learn to show some respect. Bring him to the dungeons! Give him the worst treatment you can think of! In a week I will release you, archmage, and then you will show me some respect."
The guards grabbed N and one took his staff. N didn't resist at all. "We shall see."
The guards then pulled N out of the room, to the dungeons. Although N had stopped thinking like this after he made the worst mistake of his life he had to think of it now: Jason had been sacrificed for the greater good. And because of that, N now went exactly where he wanted to be the most right now: the dungeons.
…
Caleb was practicing against a dummy while Cassidy was preparing diner. Caleb seemed to have not improved since last time and seemed a little frustrated. Cassidy looked at him and yelled him to come in for diner. Caleb came inside and sat on the table, looking at his mother with a worried look. Cassidy placed dinner in front of Caleb, who silently ate it. At a moment he paused. Cassidy took notice.
"What's on your mind, sweat heart?"
Caleb looked at his mother. "Mom, do you ever feel as though you are…limited?"
Cassidy looked at him. "What do you mean?"
Caleb looked outside, to the castle. "A thought just occurred to me. Don't you think N is…limiting himself in a way?"
Cassidy thought this funny. He held the Heart of Kandrakar, he could tap into all the power he previously had. He wasn't limiting himself at all.
"I don't think I'm following you. What do you mean?"
Caleb looked at her again. "Do you never have the feeling that he, N…Nicholas…is keeping himself from learning more? At least, it looks like that to me. When he's here, he never tells about the things he's doing, his research. If it gets to that, he simply says he's teaching Taranee new things, not doing research himself. Do you think he's limiting his mind? If he would be able to get more power…would he…misuse it?"
Cassidy looked at him. How had he noticed that from simple talks? She had to find out by experience that he had a weakness for power. Cassidy sighed and shoved away her plate. Caleb looked at her, thinking he had said something wrong. Cassidy looked at him.
"Why are you asking this?"
Caleb stared at her. "If he would be able to get more power during a hard time, do you think he would snap?"
Cassidy thought about this. "Caleb…you know nothing of my past, or that of N, for good reason."
Caleb thought about this. He indeed never heard anything about their pasts. He looked at his mother in confusion, what did that have to do with anything.
"Let's just say, N has once been tested with power…he eventually managed to handle it. Even if he was challenged now, I'm sure he could last at least two weeks without giving in to the temptation. But then…I think I should be with him. But he has restricted himself well. But why are you thinking of this now?"
Caleb shook his head. "Power is a powerful thing when granted to you, but many things go wrong if you get addicted to it. Your noble intentions might change into something…sinister. I fear power might be the chink in the armour of N's soul, mom."
Cassidy stared at him. How did he know that line. Only one other person had ever said something among those lines. She had become the victim of it…
"I just have a feeling…he will soon be tested. I don't know why, I just have a bad feeling."
Cassidy stared at him, then looked at the castle. She knew N had been called for by Escanor.
"Let's just hope you're wrong…"