Callum let out a groan as the carriage bounced up and down over a particularly rough part of road, causing his pencil to slip, turning what was supposed to be an arm into a long, stringy something ruining the piece.
Letting out a grumble, the young prince snapped shut the book, giving up attempting to draw on the bumpy road in such dim light. Much as he likes to get out of the castle, one of the hardest things was definitely finding a good spot to draw.
Not wanting to be stuck sitting in silence for the rest of the trip, Callum turned his attention to Soren who sat across from him. The knight's head uncharacteristically buried in a book he was reading, his eyes squinting in concentration as he tried to absorb the knowledge inside.
Eyes flicking to the cover, Callum saw the title read, Beast of the Underdark. The greatest evil to not walk the earth.
Aww. So that's it. In order to advance beyond a captain in the Crown Guard, Soren would need to have his knowledge tested on the greatest threat the kingdom of Katolis, and the entire continent of Xadia, faced. The Underdark.
Being a prince of the kingdom, Callum had been given an education on the Underdark and the monstrous nightmares it housed. Things so vile, so wicked, it made even the strongest soldiers and mages cower.
Smiling as he watched his friend's clumsy attempt at studying, the young prince set his sketchbook aside and leaded in, offering an open hand to Soren making the captain look up in surprise.
"Hey, let me help you with that." He offered. "You helped me convince your dad to teach me magic, let me help you find the parts that are most likely going to be on the test."
"I-! Umm. Sure." The knight replied clumsily, handing the book to the prince who took it and opened it to a random page.
"So, how about a quiz to help you memorize the important bits first?" Callum asked, getting a nod from his friend before reading from the book allowed. "Of all the horrific monsters that call the Underdark home, the two that are the most prominent are the Blank."
"Those would be Duergar and the Drow." Soren said, counting off on his fingers. "Both have strongholds close to our borders and all have been known to attack us on sight. Killing soldiers and merchants alike."
Nodding, Callum turned to the page which went into details, picking through the details until he found the relevant part.
"The Duergar, or Gray Dwarves, have their main base of operations, that Katolis is concerned about anyway, is Donderesta. A trade city in the Underdark where all sorts of creatures gather. From Drow to Mind Flyers, the city is a gathering of all the evil that creeps below the surface. However, despite all these different species and cultures mixing together, order in the city is maintained by the Duergar. How?"
This question made Soren pause, the large man resting a hand on his chin as he looked out the corner of his eyes. Face scrunched up as he wracked his brain for the answer.
"It's because of their craftsmanship, right?" He said unsurely after a few minutes. "Like most Dwarves, the Gray version has a love of craftsmanship and weapons smithing. So they're able to maintain peace by being the guy holding the biggest sword, right?"
Blinking a couple times at the knight's answer, Callum let out a slight cough before turning back down to the book.
"Umm. Not quite." He replied. "While yes, Duergar are master weapon smiths, the reason order is maintained isn't because of a strong military presence, it's because of the value their weapons and tools bring."
"Duergar, or at least the ones in Donderesta, have strict no trade policies with anyone who causes trouble in their city. If any neighboring group has one of their members break the law in the city, that tribe, clan, colony, whatever, will be barred from trading until the offender has been surrendered to the city and be put to justice. That way, nobody dares to mess around."
"Huh. So those monsters have an honor system after all." Soren mused. "Never would have guessed. I mostly assumed they just ambushed each other on the road and ate the bodies once they were done. Like a Gnoll or goblin."
"Actually, it's really interesting that you think that." Callum said, holding up the book to display the picture of the short, stout, muscular, bald man in the book, his head so bald it was shiny. "Most people think that the Underdark is this really violent place where nothing civilized can survive. But the truth is way more interesting than that."
Turning the page, Callum drew Soren's attention to a picture of two Duergar shaking hands, two different symbols on their armored shoulders, indicating the two belonged to different clans. "See, in order to survive, a lot of creatures have been forced to come together and form symbiotic relationships that normally would have never been possible! Like did you know that Stone Giants actually allow Duergar into their territory to let them mine up certain rocks, letting them collect the minerals left over to fashion into their own weapons. Isn't that amazing! One of the most territorial monsters in existence actually letting another species into their home to mine up their resources in order to get better weapons! Imagine what kind of other fascinating relationships the ecosystem must hide down there. No sun light means photosynthesis is impossible, but they somehow still get air even in the darkest parts of that draby place. I bet-!"
"Wow! Slowly down there, Step-prince." Soren cut in lightheartedly. "I get it. You like studying really creepy stuff. But you'd better cut it there and save it for Clods. Otherwise people might think you're an undercover Duergar symp. I mean, you're certainly short enough to be one."
That last jab earned Soren a cushion to the face, the knight chuckling at the prince who returned it in kind.
"Knock it off, Soren." Callum said without any real bite. "My interest in the Underdark is purely research oriented. Believe me, the first time I come across one of these things, I'm heading for the hills. Assuming I don't trip in my blind panic." He joked as he picked the book back up. "I just think it's such a shame we can't study some of this stuff up close. I mean, imagine what me or your dad could do with some of the local fungi. It might even be a cure for some of the diseases that plague the countryside from Green Hill and beyond!"
"Yeah. And Imagine what Claudia would do if she got it." Soren said with a roll of his eyes. "Blackstone would overrun with mushrooms by the end of the third day. Most likely starting some kind of fungal zombie apocalypse that would claim both Katolis and the rest of Xadia."
Snorting at the jab, Callum found himself very much having to agree with the blond on that front. Much as he enjoyed Claudia's company, she had a tendency of getting…carried away now and then. And the bigger, more dangerous something was, the most likely she'd go crazy with it.
Man, he missed seeing the two siblings everyday from back when they lived in the castle before Harrow gave Viren his own region to rule over.
Honestly, a part of him still had a hard time believing back when they were kids, (14ish.) he couldn't even fathom being close to Soren. Back then, when he had tried, (and failed.) to teach the prince how to use a sword, it had almost felt like the blond was going out of his way to bully him. But after a near death experience, the two had managed to bond, get to know each other, and become really close friends despite their many differences. And now that they had forged such a tight bond, Callum couldn't imagine his life with the goofy, sometimes blunt/tactless, but overall good intentions knight. Honestly, going out on Arch Mage business and not being able to see him and Ez was about the one bad thing about this apprenticeship.
Shaking those thoughts from his head, Callum quickly turned back to the book, determined not to let sad thoughts ruin the mood of the trip, quickly turning the pages until he got to the next important part.
"Ehem!" Callum cleared his throat loudly. "Right, let's get back to the quiz. What do you know about Drow?" Looking up from the book, he hoped Soren hadn't noticed his sudden shift or sadness. He really didn't want to talk about it right now. Maybe one day, but not this one.
Fortunately, luck was on his side as Soren didn't seem to have caught it. In fact, he seemed very distracted the moment the word Drow left the prince's mouth.
"Oh, where do I begin?" Soren asked, rolling his eyes to indicate the multitude of different places to start. "The Drow are the worst. Pure evil little things incapable of empathy or compassion. Their Society is built on a religious statue, with all who are in it worshiping a demon who fell from the heavens because of her greed and arrogance, taking her followers with her. The ones we now call Drow."
"Correct." Callum confirmed, not surprised his friend knew that one. "Drow are known for their cruelty, surpassing even that of the Duergar. Torturing slaves of fun, raiding and pillaging as a coming of age ritual, and actively joining in to every evil plot and scheme in existence just in an attempt to win favor with their goddess, Lolth."
"And responsible for my mom's death."
Callum came to a screeching, unexpected stop here, biting his lip slightly as an unwanted thought barged his mind, flashes of day Harrow and Viren had returned from the Underdark, their mission complete, but the former broken, barely able to speak as he tried to explain where the young boys' mother was. About how they had been ambushed by a blue Dragon and half a dozen Drow, wanting the body of the fire elemental they had killed. And while he (obviously) didn't go into detail, it had been that moment that had shaken his world.
Shaking his head, Callum quickly tried to dismiss those thoughts, he did not want to have that in the back of his head for the rest of the trip, nor let the knight see the mess he still was after losing his mother. Much as the human teddy bear Soren, the blond wouldn't really get how it felt about losing a parent like that. After all, his mother had just left, she was still alive somewhere and while they might not see her at all, it was not the same as losing one through death.
Fortunately, Soren unintentionally came to the rescue with a big distraction.
"And feeds on blood by sucking out of a still living animal. Disgusting!" Soren added one of his obscure 'facts' he had learned at elf camp. "Drow's main diet mostly consists of blood sucked from their enemies and they need it at least once a day, but if they can get it from a human or other sentient creature, they can go a week without needing a drop!"
Snorting at this, Callum was quickly distracted from any more intrusive thoughts by the ridiculousness of Soren's statement. Something he knew was almost certainly not true.
"You talking about Drow or Mind Flyers?" He asked jokingly. "Because I'm pretty sure the drinking blood thing wasn't mentioned in any of my classes."
But before Soren could answer, the carriage suddenly jolted, jumping up as it rolled over something large and heavy, throwing its passengers in their seats, causing them to yelp in surprise as the vehicle rolled to a stop, the two nobles not even having enough time to recover before there was a knock on the door, a guard calling to them from outside.
"Captain, your highness. Apologizes for the inconvenience, but you might want to see this."
Exchanging a quick glance, Callum and Soren both scooted over to the window the guard had spoken from, lifting the current and opening the shutter, both men squeezing into a space really too small for either of them as they looked to see what had interrupted their journey.
There, laying across both sides of the path right blocking both sides were several felled trees originating from both sides of the road. Their bases had hacked through, and several even looked like they had been dragged there from further out, creating an effective barrier for travelers on both sides.
"Well, that wasn't there this morning." Callum noticed sarcastically. "Don't suppose this is some natural event, is there? Like some woodcutter decided to change careers midway through jobs, or something of that nature."
"Doubtful." Soren replied, ducking back into the carriage, grabbing his sword and shield, his tone shifting to a serious one. "Lock the door once I'm out. This is way too conspicuous to not be a trap."
Stepping out, the blond captain approached the roadblock with the six others flanking his sides, keeping their heads on a swivel as he knelt to explain the cut trees.
"Huh. Looks fresh." Soren said examining the still wet sap leaking from the severed stump. "This was done recently, that much is pretty obvious. But why? Wine from Green Hill is valuable, sure, but to run the risk of stealing when guarded by Crown guard members? That seems more than a little stup-."
Suddenly footsteps echoed out from the other side of the felled trees, making Soren leap to his feet, retreating a few steps as his guard drew their swords, each one squinting past into the darkness the roadblock, just barely able to make out a figure slowly approaching them.
Alerted by the commotion outside, Callum once again leaned out the window, he to narrowing his eyes to try and see the person approaching, their body a black blob slowly coming into shape as their drew near, eventually coming to a stop on the other side of the trees, where, now close enough to see, let Callum take in exactly why it had been so hard to see them.
It was a black Dragonborn, dressed head to toe in a dark robe made up of shades of black and purple. Gold trimming was woven into the cuffs of his sleeves acting as the only color on his person save his deep violet eyes.
His long snot, typical of his race, extended from the cloak, with a row of sharpened fangs sticking out either side of his mouth and three golden lip piercings. Four horns were sticking out holes cut into the hood, each entrance adorned with golden rings, appearing almost like a crown upon his head, giving him an almost regal appearance that made even the young prince's breath catch in his throat.
The Dragonborn also had a staff, one he was using as a walking stick despite not appearing to need one, his body straight and weight even as he stood looking at the carriage, letting Callum take in the staff as well.
Immediately, the sorcerer recognizes it as a mage's staff. Something that empowers castors by giving them a focus for their incredible power. And this one was clearly well made, rivaling even Viren's in craftsmanship and careful detailing.
The staff, consisting of a long, oak wood grasp, leading up the the top where it appeared split off, forming a circle covered with Runes and carrying what looked like a lantern hanging in the center, the piece of metal jangling around with each step the Dragonborn took.
Now, fascinated as he was, Callum kept his urge to ask the man a million questions about magic in check, his heart picking up as he locked eyes with the Dragonborn, a very unfriendly look in his eyes. And given the Where, when, and how he had shown up, it didn't take a genius to guess he didn't have the best intentions.
"Humph. So you're the prince sorcerer of Katolis. Can't say I'm impressed." He said, his voice deep and calm, yet threateningly, practically confirmed Callum's theory. "Still, I guess I shouldn't complain. One more easy contract for me. All without drawing the ire of the supposed strongest kingdom on Xadia."
Acting immediately at these words, Soren drew his sword and shield, sliding into a battle stance as around him, the other Crown Guard members leveled their spears at him, forming a line in front of the carriage, acting as a barrier between Callum and the Dragonborn.
"I don't know who you are, but I'm gonna tell you to surrender right now." Soren growled. "Interfering in royal business is a crime in Katolis. As is making threats against any member of the royal family. Also, if you somehow haven't noticed, you're outnumbered. So why don't you throw that big walking stick on the ground and surrender peacefully before I have to do what I don't want to do and rough you up. Like seriously, I really, really hate having to be rough with the elderly."
Sparing a glance at Soren, the Dragonborn let out a small chuckle, his gaze fixing on the knight as he took another step forward, now standing right in front of the roadblock, a dark grin on his snout.
"Oh, should I? Ignis Animae Gladii!"
Raising his hands, a green flame ignited in his staff, engulfed the circle as certain runes reacted to the flames, glowing with a bright, purple light. Both shooting off the staff and into the sky, exploding in a sickening pale light.
A moment passed. Then, suddenly lights ignited in the trees, radiating the same green flames from all sides, drawing the Crown Guard's attention and making them turn to look, Callum joining them and sharing in their horror at what they saw.
There, illuminated in the light of their own blazing blades were ten rotten corpses, all clad in armor and brandishing weapons and dressed in finery. Their horrid mouths hanging open as their eyes glowed a solid green, their bodies shambling forward, emerging from the woods and onto the pass, the bodies controlled like puppets by the Dragonborn.
But what's worse? They weren't just any bodies.
Eyes going wide as he watched the corpse move into the road, Callum immediately recognized the familiar, decaying face of Harrow's grandfather. The long beard and thin face now exaggerated as his skeletal remains lumbered forward, his sacred sword, Daybreak, once used to fell a Drow General now tainted in green fire, a mockery of what the noble man once was.
And it was just him.
Looking around, Callum immediately recognized the nine others as great kings or queens who were taught about in history. Their faces etched into his eidetic memory from the many times he'd seen their likeness painted on canvas in the royal study, or on tapestries hung around the castle. All famous for protecting the kingdom, now made to attack as slaves to this Necromancer.
"Bastards! Those are the bodies stolen from their tombs last week! You were the one behind that?!" One of the Crown Guard yelled as their ranks began to fall in, the seven soldiers retreating to protect the carriage. He, as well as the others, also recognized the famous leaders.
"A tomb is no different no matter who lays in it." The Dragonborn replied, completely unfazed. "But instead of worrying about me stealing bodies, I suggest you focus on the fact that they're now under my control. After all, you are about to die at the hands of your old monarchs, shouldn't you be more worried about yourself rather than the long deceased fools who built this failed kingdom into what it is?"
With that, the zombified monarchs charged at the Crown Guard, immediately putting them on the defensive as they lashed out with their magic augmented weapons, forcing the knights to retaliate, using their long halberds to try and keep the enemies at bay.
At the front, Soren parried one of the undead with his sword, creating an opening for him to strike. However, despite this, the young knight hesitated, his hand tightening on his sword as he stared into the lifeless green eyes of the former king.
"This is so messed up!" He thought. He had joined the Crown Guard to protect the royal family, not desecrate them! To be put in a position where he'd have to break his oath to keep it was NOT something they teach you in knight school or elf camp! He knew he had to fight back, that he had to protect Callum. But just the thought of having to smash the old Arch Mage's skull open was just so-!
Suddenly, a blade found its way into Soren's side, causing him to cry out as he dropped to his knees, crying out in pain. The blond man looking up and having just enough time to see me block another swing from the Arch Mage giving his partner a chance to take a stab at Soren, catching his shoulder, drawing blood and a scream as it punctured his arm.
"Captain!" The two Crown guards closed to Soren exclaimed, both trying to move in and help him only to be pushed back by the two they were each fighting, the corpses moving closely together with their companions, keeping the guard split up, unable to help one another as they kept taking more hits, their loyalties to their rulers making them hesitant to attack.
Fighting desperately, the Crown Guard began retreating, falling back towards the carriage doing their best to fend off the relentless attacks. Their injuries growing in numbers as the undead continued to advance, not reacting even when struck, keeping the presence on.
And as the knight continued to lose ground, the Dragonborn stood stone still, his face a hard line as he watched them struggle against his army of undead kings.
"Is this it?" He wondered aloud, watching the knight's struggle. "Is this really all there is to the supposed elite of the elite have to offer? Here I was hoping for a challenge, but now I'm not even sure if I should have gotten out of bed. Such a disappointment."
Raising his staff to the sky, the Mage's eyes lit up, glowing with a deep blue as he began to wave his staff in a circle, eyes fixed on a point just above the carriage.
"Ferrum Glacialem!" He bellowed and instantly, the air went cold, frost appearing from the knight's mouth as they struggled.
Noticing this, Callum's head immediately turned upwards following the Dragonborn's eyes, his mouth going dry as he saw several sharpened icicles forming above them. Becoming like spears with their tips pointed down towards the Guard, completely oblivious as they fought to push back the seemingly endless unsought of the dead.
"Watch out!" Callum threw open the door to the carriage and raced out onto the battlefield, rushing towards Soren as he shoved one of the zombies back, stabbing the other through the gut, the thing completely unfazed but its new injury as the prince ran towards them.
"Everyone, to me!" He screamed, bringing his hands together and began weaving them in front of him, blue light forming between his fingers as he woven them into an intricate pattern. "I don't have time to explain, hurry!"
Reaching Soren just in time, Callum threw his hands up, creating a magical barrier of blue energy above him, Soren, and two of the other knights as the spikes came down, the others hurrying towards him to save themselves under the magical umbrella he had conjured.
That was until right before the ice hit, the shield shattered with a deafening bang!
Eyes going wide, Callum had just enough time to watch in horror as the icicles fell onto him and his unprotected guards. Their hopeful expression dying in slow motion as they watched their only hope of safety vanished before their eyes, leaving them completely vulnerable as the ice came down.
"Aaahhhh!"
Screaming, crying, pain. Those were the last things Callum saw as he was pushed to the ground, Soren managing to tackle him to the ground, the blond using his own body as a shield, protecting him from the rain of icy blades that came crashing down, pounding them into a pulp and pinning the prince under his protector, leaving him in complete darkness.
After a brief second, that felt like an eternity, the hail storm. Allowing Soren to slowly push himself up, allowing Callum to breathe. Not that that was what he was worried about right now.
"Soren! Are you okay?!" Callum practically scurried out from under him, jumping to his feet to see four, large icicles sticking in his friend's back. Fortunately, his armor had stopped most of the attacks, leaving just four cuts. Deep, but not life threatening. Which unfortunately, a fate not shared by three of the six Crown Guards.
"Yeah, I'll live." The blond groaned as he slowly began pushing himself to his feet. "At for right now. But first, let's deal with the magic wielding Dragonjerk over there before he can-."
Unfortunately, before he could finish, a cry echoed out, drawing both boy's attention to the undead rulers. They too got up after being hit by the ice spell and while pretty heavily damaged, were still able to rush them.
"Oh boy. That's not good." Callum murmured, then immediately spun around to his friend and began helping him up. The boy managed to get to his feet just in time to shove the prince to the side, out of the way of a thrust from one of the flaming swords.
Stumbling back, Callum looked up to see his friend fending off three of the undead lords, the young man rapidly blocking their attacks with his shield, focusing more on defending then attacking.
Unfortunately, he wouldn't have that luxury for long as three more were charging at them. With the other four dealing with the three Crown Guards who survived, fending them off and keeping them from helping the prince.
Seeing this, Callum immediately raised his hands, drawing a hand in the air leaving a glowing symbol hovering in between him and the undead.
"Intonuit Fluctus!" He yelled, slamming his hand into the symbol creating a loud boom of thunder, knocking them back and causing one to come apart, its body taken to much damage.
"This is bad." Callum thought, taking another step back. "At this rate, we're gonna be killed before we can destroy these stupid things. Our only hope is to take out the caster and end the spell before we all die!"
Turning Callum looked to the Dragonborn, his heart hammering in his chest. He was the only one not currently held back by one of his minions, so it was up to him to stop this mage and save Soren!
Taking a deep breath, the prince numbed himself to the overwhelming fear that assaulted his head, letting out a battle cry as he ran towards the mage drawing another rune in the air in front of him.
"Intonuit Fluctus!" He yelled, skidding to a halt and slamming his palm into the rune, creating another burst of sound and lightning that raced towards his opponent.
However, the Dragonborn, with a look of uninterested boredom, calmly raised his staff an inch off the ground, then slammed it back down, creating a loud banging sound that echoed across the road.
Instantly, Callum's spell fell silent, the shockwave of energy turning into a harmless breeze that barely fluttered his cloak.
"Wha-?!" Callum cried, taken aback as his spell came apart, taking a step back before gritting his teeth and performing the same act again. "Intonuit Fluctus!" He yelled, casting the same spell again, only for the man to bang his staff against the ground, once again reducing the spell to a gentle breeze.
Growing desperate as he felt his magic power fading, Callum brought his hands together, moving them rapidly in a circle conjuring a orb of lightning in the space between, bolts crackling between his fingers tips as he made the sphere to launch at his opponent.
"Sphaera Fulg-!"
However, before it had even properly formed, the Dragonborn banged his staff against the ground, causing the sphere to burst apart, knocking Callum on his butt, his arms filled with a numb sensation as his body reached the limit of how much of the Weave it could handle.
"In battles of magic vs magic, the victor is decided by he who can draw on the greater power of the Weave." The Dragonborn said, approaching the prince. "I have more than enough power to counter your pitiful magic rendering you powerless. A weakness of all mages."
Scrambling back, Callum tried to get away, only for a spray of acid to shoot from the Dragonborn's mouth, hitting the ground around him and cutting off his retreat.
"Had you been more proficient with your arcane arts, perhaps you'd have put up more of a fight." The Dragonborn said, raising his hand, a blade of ice starting to form by his hand. "Now your lack of discipline has been your undoing. Reflect on that as your pitiful life comes to an end."
Eyes going wide, Callum watched the blade hovering in the air, his limbs shaking in terror as it began to fall, heading straight towards him, causing his life to flash before his eyes. Every moment, good and bad, playing like a tape, showing him his achievements, failures, embarrassing mistakes, and heartwarming moments, all of them about to come to an end. And immediately making him full of regrets.
Ezren was about to lose his brother, Claudia too. He hadn't been able to tell them goodbye before his life got cut so unexpectedly short. The dream of getting out of the palace hadn't even begun yet, nor his dream to see the Underdark with his own eyes! He had so much to live for, he didn't want to die yet!
He hadn't even made up with his father ye-!
Suddenly, the Dragonborn's head jerked to the side, the man staggering back, letting out a sharp hiss as a dagger found itself digging into his horn, causing him to lose focus on his spell as he whipped his head around towards the tree line, mouth turned in a deep snarl.
"Who's-?!" He began, but before he could finish, someone shot out of the darkness, slamming their knee into his face and knocking him back, sending him crashing to the ground, shattering his concentration.
Instantly, the undead he had resurrected froze mid step, their bodies crumpled to the ground as the light in their eyes went out, the magic enslaving them undone letting the Crown Guard slowly get to their feet, looking in surprise at the now once again dead undead.
Callum however, stayed on the ground, staring up in startled surprise at his savior, committing every detail to memory. Not that that was saying much.
He was wrapped in a cloak, much like the Dragonborn. However, theirs were more worn, less regular. More like a well used traveling cloak than the fine robes the mage wore.
He was also much shorter than the necromancer, only a bit shorter than Callum himself. The cloak billowed out around them as they landed revealing, thin, sledding, but muscular legs. A pair of butterfly blades hanging by their waist as well as a thick leather belt with several more throwing knives just like the one she had used on their opponent.
As he touched the ground, the figure glanced over their shoulder, looking back at Callum while keeping much of their own face hidden by the hood, the prince only managed to glimpse a long braid of breathtaking silver hair hanging down by their face, well cared for. Yet clearly not as well as they'd liked.
"Can you stand?"
Jolting, Callum nearly felt his heart jump out of his chest as the cloaked figure spoke, a heavily accented female voice coming out instead of the deep masculine one he had expected. Making him flush with awkwardness as he realized he had been staring at a girl for several seconds now, something he hadn't done since he was a fourteen year old with a fourteen year old crush on his childhood friend. Something he really didn't want to relive right now.
Turning away hoping it would be less awkward, Callum reached up and scratched the back of his head.
"I-umm. Yeah, I think so." He said, still not looking at the woman. "Thanks for the save, by the way. You really-."
"Well, you can thank me later. Because right now you might really want to decide if you can get up now. Fast." Cutting him off, the woman jerked her head to the mage in front of her, Callum's eyes going wide as he saw him slowly rise with the aid of his staff, sending them both a glare.
"Interloper. How dare you interfere with a contract not your own." He snarled, standing up to his full height. "I don't know who you are, but you will wish you never crossed me. Time to die, little elf!"
With that, the Dragonborn swung his staff, immediately conjuring a glyph ten feet in diameter around the two, the spell turning red as the magic within threatened to erupt!
Acting quickly, the elf kicked Callum in the chest, knocking him out of the glyph's area before throwing herself forward, closing the distance between herself and the mage in a heartbeat, the girl drawing both her swords in the same moment and clashing with the Dragonborn's staff as he raised it to block.
Snarling at this, the elf released a barrage of lightning fast attacks striking at slashing at her opponent as he desperately tried to block her strikes with his staff, several of her attacks making it through, grazing against his scales drawing blood, but not cutting deep enough to do any real damage.
However, this barrage did force him to take a step back, followed quickly by another. He clearly wasn't good at such close range and the elf used that to her full advantage, keeping the pressure up with quick, not harmful but annoying attacks, aiming to try and keep him from casting, all while keeping a smug little grin on her face.
And while her main goal might not have worked, she certainly managed to get under his skin.
"Annoying thing!" The Dragonborn snarled, opening his palm and letting lightning shoot out from it, striking the elf causing her to let out a scream, the shock staggering her letting the Dragonborn move back, raising his hand and conjuring a blade of ice once again, this time aimed to take out the elf.
"No!" Callum cried, jumping to his feet and drawing another sigil in the air. "Aspiro!" He cried, blowing into it, creating a gust of wind so powerful it not only blow the blade away, but also forced the mage to take a step back, the wind knocking him off balance letting the elf quickly lash out with her foot, landing a powerful kick that sent him flying several feet through the air, landing on the hard ground with a thud!
"Hurry!" The elf yelled, immediately rushing to close distance between them, not wanting to let the mage get another spell off, Callum following close behind, fully intending to aid her however he could.
Unfortunately, before either of them could get in close, the Dragonborn drew his own Sigil in the air, slamming it with his fist as he let out a cry Callum immediately recognized.
"Intonuit Fluctus!" The Dragonborn cried, immediately releasing a burst of thunderous power, knocking both of them back as the mage rose to his feet, brandishing his staff at them, eyes glowing green.
"Mors Impia Ten-!" Before he could finish, the Dragonborn was forced to stop, raising his staff to block a sword swing from Soren, the blade catching against the metal lantern as the knight began overpowering the wizard.
"Oh no. I've had enough of your magic mumbo jumbo!" He said, bearing down on the necromancer! "You've had your fun! Now it's our turn to lay down the hurt on you! Get 'em!"
At his command, the three remaining Crown Guard members rushed into, one swinging their axe head down as Soren backed off, letting them strike without fear of friendly fire.
Seeing the incoming opponent, the mage raised his staff, managing to block the halberd. However, in doing this, he left his side open, allowing another to rush in, skewer him in the stomach as another came down from above, driving the axe into his shoulder, attempting to take off the arm.
However, much to the surprise of the Crown Guard, rather than their weapons punching holes into the Dragonborn's body, they were met with tough resistance, their blades bending as his scales turned became as hard as rock, blocking their attacks as the mage grinned up at them
"Now I've got you!". He snarled, eyes lighting up with green energy once again. "Mors-!"
But once again they Crown Guard were ready, cutting him off before he could finish, suddenly pivoting, moving their halberds in perfect sync, running the blades against his body until their poles were resting on his skin. Then, in a single practiced movement, they raised the weapons up, catching the Dragonborn's neck in a three way choke hold, trapping him between the hard wood of their weapons and silencing him at the same time.
Seeing the mage now rendered helpless, Soren instantly charged in, thrust his sword forward, aiming for the Dragonborn's head, shooting forward blade extending hoping to finish the fight before he could break free and cast any more spells.
However, right before contact, the Dragonborn's body suddenly shifted, collapsing in on itself before shooting off in a blur of shimmering mist, flying several feel into a tree, the mage re-emerging on a branch, his eyes still aglow with green light, hands raised as it became wrapped in the same light, dripping out like it was made of mucus.
"Mors Impia Tenaci!"
Suddenly, a green circle of light appeared on the ground encircling the four remaining Crown Guard, the enter earth shaking as the magical energy the spell released!
"Oh no." Callum breathed, his eyes widening as he felt the sheer volume of power the circle carried. If it hit, it would kill every single one of them. Liquefying their bodies leave nothing behind but an unrecognizable goo!
"Soren! Get out of there!" He yelled, causing said boy to look up at him. And while the blond may not be as magically familiar as the step-prince, the sheer terror in his voice and eyes were more than enough to convey the dire situation.
"Move!" The captain bellowed. The young man acting without a second's hesitation, him and his men racing towards the edge of the circle as fast as they could, some discarding weapons to move faster.
Unfortunately, they weren't fast enough. As the Dragonborn began to close his fist, all Callum could do was watch helplessly as the circle grew brighter, the spell still very much going to hit its intended targets.
Or at least that's what it seemed.
A sudden movement to his side caught the prince's eye. Callum barely had enough time to look over and see the cloaked girl shooting forward, running towards the circle at alarming speed, her body showing no signs of fear as she ran towards what would be certain death.
"What are you-?!" Callum began, but wasn't unable to finish as the next second, the girl leaped into the circle, landing on Soren's head and using him as a springboard to propel herself towards the mage in the tree, her hand pulled back before she hurled one of her sword towards him, the blade landing in his chest knocking him from the tree!
Immediately, the cloaked woman smirked as the circle of death below her started to shirk, the spell's magic interrupted allowing its targets to slip out of range, the mage deeply injured from the blade in his chest.
However, he wasn't out of the picture just yet. Twisting his staff in mid air, he redirected his spell, causing it to converge on a single point, the spell shrinking until it reached that point before directing all the magic it maintained upwards, causing a glowing green light to shine across the blackened sky.
And unfortunately for the cloaked young woman, that point was directly underneath her.
Eyes going wide, the girl didn't have a chance to move or even try to get out of the way before the magic erupted from the ground, catching her in a sickly green ray that split the forest apart, the deafening roar drowning out the girl's scream as she hung suspended in the air for several seconds, before dropping to the ground limply.
"No!" Callum cried, rushing over to the girl to check if she was okay, his heart hammering in his chest as guilt swept through his body. This woman had gotten hurt trying to protect him, what happened to her now was his fault.
Skidding onto his knee beside the girl, he quickly reached down and grabbed her hand, his heart leaping as he felt how cold she was to the touch. No, no way. He refused to believe she was dead. Not for him!
Pressing his finger against her neck, Callum was relieved to find a pulse. Slow, lethargic, but there. Indicating while she was wounded, she was still alive at least.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Callum's victory was cut short as he heard a deep grunt, causing him to turn toward the Dragonborn, who was slowly getting back to his feet, wrenching the sword from his chest and throwing it to the ground as he fixed Callum with a glare.
"Humph. Stupid interloper. Foul creature got what she deserved for interfering with my mission." He said, making Callum's blood boil, the young prince rose threateningly to his feet.
"Shut up." He snarled, placing his fingers on his arm and running them down to his hands, glowing runes appearing on his arms, two of them vanishing as he brought his hands together, a sphere of lightning forming in his hands. "I've heard just about enough out of you. If you want me, come and get it!"
Despite the obvious threat, the Dragonborn chuckled.
"Tempting offer. Unfortunately, I think I'll have to take a rain check." He grunted, eyes fixing on Callum for a second, before darting to the four remaining Crown Guard members who had fanned out, now surrounding him. "I used to many big spells today. And while killing you would be child play, I doubt I'd be able to escape a squad of Katolis elites with my remaining magics. No point dying over gold, especially when I can collect it later."
Raising to his feet, the Dragonborn banged his staff on the ground as Soren rushed forward, thrusting his blade into his chest, his entire weight pressed against it as he lunged, aiming to kill him before it was too late.
However, it already was. Something demonstrated as Soren slid right through him, the Dragonborn's body turning to black smoke, completely engulfing him before it took flight, slowly floating off east of the kingdom, a dark laugh echoing out across the night.
"I suppose I overestimated my own abilities. I should have known a prince, royal blood or not, would be well protected." The Dragonborn's voice echoed out, sounding more metallic than before. "No matter. Next time, I'll make sure to take out those annoying knights before I take your head. Count on it!"
And with that, the smoke shot off, floating on the wind as it blew away, the powerful magic presences disappearing with him.
Taking a frustration step forward, Callum glared up at the sky as the smoke disappeared, half tempted to try and force him down with a wind spell. But thought better of it after a second. Like it or not, that guy was way too powerful. His might have retreated, but that by no means meant they'd win. And even if they did, the casualties would be immense.
And so, once he was sure the mage was gone, Callum turned on his heel and rushed back towards the cloaked woman, shouting at Soren as he brought his hands together, conjuring several small lights that floated next to him as he ran.
"Soren! Grab any medical supplies from the carriage! We're gonna treat the injured right here, then get back to the castle on foot! Take only what we need and leave the rest! We need to travel light and fast! Got it?!"
The prince didn't even wait for an answer as he reached the young woman, quickly getting on his knees as he prepared to treat her himself. He knew Necromancy spells were difficult to treat, and fatal if left alone. He needed to act fast, isolating any wounds that had been inflicted by the corpse controlling power.
Pulling an elixir from his bag, Callum, without much thought, ripped the hood from the woman's head and began undoing the clasp, removing the cloak before scanning her body for any form of corrosion or-!
Suddenly, Callum froze mid act, staring down at the girl who lay before him, still completely unconscious, the light of Callum's spell letting him see his savior in her full form.
She had long, white locks of hair, and a thin slender face, marred by youth and inexperience, indicating she was close to him in age, five or take a few years. Her body tight with lean muscles, filling up the well worn leather armor she wore.
Purple and black dies had been used to give her armor an almost regal look, one that matched with her soft, pale skin. Her delicate looking hands seem too soft for handling the deadly weapons.
Overall, if Callum had to describe her in one word, he'd have to say beautiful. From her warrior's outfit to the strange, almost tribal marking on his face. Everything about her seemed to scream beauty to him.
However, despite the strange beauty of the elf, that alone wasn't the reason he had been knocked into a stupor.
No, what caused him such alarm was her pale, bluish gray skin. A telltale sign of lack of exposure to sunlight. And with the spiders engraved on her twine butterfly swords, masterfully crafted far beyond what any human could hope to achieve, showing a mastery of war that many wouldn't seek to achieve indicated clearly what this girl was.
She was a Drow. One of the many scourges of the Underdark, that main enemy his people had to face. A being of pure evil, one whose cruelty knew no bounds. An entity so devoid of morals, they fed on the blood of the living, sucking it out until there was nothing left.
This was a thing of nightmares, something only whispered about to scare naughty children into behaving. A literal devil, incapable of emphasizing with others, who would sooner kill you than look at you. A being so far gone from any semblance of redemption.
And yet, one of these monsters was now lying unconscious on the forest ground before him after having just saved his life.