The battalions of soldiers gathered in formation at the entrance of Highroth's walls. Seven thousand strong and loyal to Titus, the true king of the north. When Master Teller and Master Mock presented the order for Renzel's arrest, Lord Titus fumed.
"Master Mock, I serve no man, mage or elf. However, I respect Ferin Lazarus a great deal. If Master Teller says that your life is prized by ferinion, I will do all I can to help you."
The city was torn apart, sentinels and witch hunters were deployed. Homes were ravaged and citizens were rounded up for questioning. All to find the culprit on the roof of the bookstore that Teller had witnessed, and they were found. As well as two more assassins, a black market vendor, and Renzel's academic partner and prior childhood friend, Walker Sterling.
Walker was sent back to the council in embroidered chains, which held a curse of plight. As well as the four removed heads of his fellow conspirators. When the guards in Thanious opened the carriage to retrieve Walker, the curse activated. Sterling was burned alive.
An act of defiance sent from the king of the north was not taken lightly, and if the Highroth scouts were truthful. A warship fleet of battle Magi were sailing up from the badlands of Thanious. The route to Highroth took months in a warship. The slow bumbling crafts housed hundreds of Magi and mortal soldiers. They resembled large scooners but rode hundreds of yards upward, on the wind. Three months the reports crawled in, and in that time the ship had only just breached the Northlands.
Renzel and Teller spent most of the time they had flying the Griffins. Practicing formation. Teller had snuck off in the night, retrieving an adolescent for Renzel.
"He needs broken, but he's loyal to the one who does so."
The Griffin took a liking to Renzel right away, however he made his own decisions. Unlike Aldridge, who took orders like a noble war charger, making his rider proud. Renzel had taken to calling him Bullwick.
The two Magi were given the training yard midday after the young recruits finished their daily ritual of tongue lashing, either for not holding a blade proper or not parrying quick enough. Teller commited himself to sparring with the younger, stronger and stealthier, well experienced powerhouse, shadow assassin. Who was now his friend. Renzel was an expert killer, if he could rely on his stealth. But war was approaching them quickly. Smoke and mirrors could not help him. This was a hunt. And he was the boar.
"Master Mock, the key to a battle with a war trained mage is power. Not speed."
Renzel fleeted as a blur of shadows as he zoomed between wooden barricades. Dodging Teller's blasts of green energy.
"I've bested you thrice on speed alone! Why would I need to tap into my power?!"
Teller grinned
"I have been fighting you as a white mage Master Mock. Not as a battle mage."
Renzel grunt and leapt from a wooden barricade, launching four abyssal daggers at Teller's right. Which he seemed to have barely block with a ward.
"Then maybe you should."
"Fine, but I offered warning ."
Teller's staff slammed the ground and the gem squeeled. The Mage's Aura surged, launching the barricades across the yard. His eyes adopted a green glow and the ground trembled, moaning under him.
Renzel planted his feet and threw an arm up, blocking splintered debri that raced passed in the wind. The gusts blew hard and the air burned eyes. The Griffins, who usually perch and watch the sparring fled with terrified squawks. Teller's power barreled through the yard. Unbelievably multiplied.
Renzel gritted his teeth and slammed his feet firm. He knew he could match his power but only in Abyssal form. Teller wasn't moving. Just waiting for his opponent's advancement.
"Alright Teller, if you want power. I'll give you power!"
Renzel too surged, the Abyssal plane opened inside of him. An explosion of black and white flames sent a wall fifteen feet high in all directions. Teller blocked the release with a wave of his hand. A large figure appeared where Renzel had been. The figure was different from the fight with Calprey in Thanious. It's Abyssal armor had a more physical appearance. Though it was still a barely transparent purple. It's horns were twisted back from the forehead, twice as long as before. Eyes red with the flame of the underworld. The cloak that hung from the demon's hunched back and broad shoulders whipped in the wind. The black and white flames heating the air in the yard. Teller had to step back.
"So you use your Abyssal form Master Mock?"
The figure laughed deeply and slow.
Teller grinned. "Let's begin."
Renzel blasted forward aiming for Teller's throat, faster than anything had ever moved in his life before. Instead of throat, his claw caught Teller's staff and he was thrust back. Catching himself, he advanced again. This time blasting hellfire, Teller dodged left. Renzel crashed into a stack of barrels.
'We have him! He's fleeting. Take him.'
Teller sent a wall of fire speeding toward Renzel, who counter acted with Abyssal burn. A shadowflame technique. The seconds ticked on as hours as the demon and the white mage bounced from wall to wall in the yard. Countering and dodging. When Teller finally yelled.
"Wait!"
The demon stopped his pursuit and grinned. Renzel's voice shrieked from deep within the demon.
"Do you concede?!"
Teller's face sterned as he flew to the ground from where he was perched on the yard's far left wall. He bagan to walk a furious line toward the demon. It hunched and scowled as he drew closer and advanced his staff in front of him.
"Periha Clarinium!"
The demon roared and thrust back, avoiding Teller, Renzel's eyes widened.
"What was that?! It felt like fire!"
Teller repeated again "Periha Clarinium!"
The demon shrieked and fell to it's knees. Facing away from Teller, who came up to occupy a stance feet from it's rear. Teller put his staff to the demons skull.
"So you are Master Mock's Abyssal form. His puppet from beyond the veil."
The demon grunted and spoke.
"Not by my own will white lighter, I am bound to his wretched being."
Teller pressed the gem of his staff deeper into the Demon's flesh, burning him. Why didn't you cleanse Master Mock of the Hollow that was feeding off of him. If your host Mage dies, you do as well, that is the contract is it not?"
Renzel's heart surged in his chest. That spell had cut off his power to control the demon until Teller released him, and now he learned of a new conundrum. His demon did not protect him from the Hollow that was feeding off of him.
The demon spoke, "I did not know the Hollow existed, white lighter."
"Lies!" Teller blasted the demon and sent it's uncontrolled body flying across the yard, knocking bricks from the wall. The mage stomped to the pile of bricks and slammed his staff into the chest of the creature.
"The truth now or I will destroy the both of you!"
The demon growled, "Fine!"
Teller heaved him upright by the horns and leaned on his staff.
"I am not bound..to Renzel Mock."
Renzel's heart lurched and he fell to his knees, head swimming with confusion.
Teller squinted.
"Continue. now creature."
"I am not bound to Renzel Mock because I am bound to Gurvon Mock, Renzel's father. I am not an Abyssal form demon, white mage. I am, and always have been, a Dweller Demon."
"If you are bound to Gurvon, why would you masquerade as Renzel's Abyssal demon."
The demon groaned. "Because Master Mock, the real Master Mock. Ordered this of me. When Renzel Mock was young, his father ventured into the Abyssal plane to make a contract with me. A contract I am cursed from speaking of. As contracts are made this way. In doing so, he learned of Renzel Mock's true bonded Demon. If the young mage were to attach to his rightful form. The Shadow Council's plan would faulter. So as part of my service I was to occupy Renzel and masquerade as his demon. When Renzel stabbed his father through the heart, I jumped bodies. I am bound to Gurvon, I could not let him perish. Luckily Renzel Mock didn't call upon me for two long years, long enough for me to revive Gurvon."
The demon grinned. "Didn't see this, did you white lighter?"
Teller scowled and blasted mana into the Dweller's eyes. Blinding him. The demon shrieked in pain.
"Who. Is. Master Mock's. Demon."
The dweller grew silent for a moment, slowly raising it's head to meet Teller's eyes.
"Dre menta vi fii en dracona"
Teller narrowed his eyes and surged with power.
"Again, not in Abyssal tongue. Or you will die here."
"The eater of darkness and the light."
"Where is he now?"
The Dweller laughed, "In chains. Only speaking my true name can free him and grant him his rightful place in this mage."
Teller leaned on his staff. "Is that so, Tormenia?"
The demon's eyes widened. "How did y-"
"I knew it was you from the third attack. Gurvon used you against me in the war, you fled during the fight and I dismembered him. Coward."
Lightning struck and the sound of a mighty chain echoed through the void. Tormenia wailed and flopped to the ground in agony as his essence ripped to shreds. A large burst of light exploded across the yard, Teller yelled and was flung backward, rolling across the dirt. Renzel had returned. A force surging within him. His eyes orange with true hellfire.
"What is this? This power I have never known?"
Teller stood with a grin.
"That is your true demon. You may never need to call upon him. His power and the staff's alone will make you a legendary mage. Dare I say an equal to the brothers of light and dark."
Before anything else could be questioned or answered, the great horn began to quake the kingdom.
Renzel's expression sterned.
"The Shadow Council has arrived, war is here."
___
Titus Crominium's white steed sped out of the castle gates. Titus himself was dressed in shining Elven mail, Which clung to his muscular torso so tight, that one could almost make out the linings of the King's physical form. His helm shone a bright and valiant silver, embroidered with a gold Northern Golem Bear on either side.
He galloped on across the planking and down further into his city. Citizen's waved arms and shouted encouraging words for the Lord of Highroth. The royal guards soon passed after. Set in all silver armor, polished with such vigor that if the sun caught just right, even a dwarf would turn from the gleam.
The guards were accompanied by two Griffins. Soaring high above, carrying with them Master Teller and Master Mock. Titus and his royal guard progressed further down into the wide great plains that sat beyond Highroth's gates where prince Tarim and his younger brother Robert stood with a thousand blood knights backing them. Soldiers formed an endless wall on either side. Cannons led the front line, catapults sixteen rows back, towering over head like giant's spoons. The royal guard formed the shape of an arrow at the front, where Titus stopped advancing and began to trot his charger back and forth. The soldiers and crowds roared for him. When Titus' speech commenced.
"Citizen's of Highroth! Today we face a great adversary! The Black Magi! The Shadow Council sends it's best Battle Magi to die under our swords!"
The soldiers beat their shields in applause and the people wailed in high spirit.
"this means they didn't want them to begin with!"
Titus pulled his sword and lifted it above his head, the seven thousand men followed suit. Titus continued.
"Not a single mage will leave this battle alive!"
The crowd burst with roars of valor. Titus turned his steed and stood facing the wind. The soldiers cried in honor. begging for the Magi to peak the mountain pass before them.
And they did. All drew silent as the godly structure drifted with a creak over the horizon. Titus' eyes widened. Magi began to pour from the sides like a swarm of locust. The sun faded from view. Familiars and abyssal forms slammed the ground and slumped forward. A mage on a massive abyssal dragon hovered back and forth above the horde. In a moment, thousands of battle magi were before Highroth.
Titus turned his charger toward the soldiers who looked to him for words.
"Today, we do not fight for blood. Today, we fight for our legacies. For this day, tales will be written and our children will live in a land no longer plagued by the Black Magi. They will live in peace, I say this unto you all as-"
Titus turned his charger and closed the mask of his helm forward, which resembled a golem bears snarling mouth.
"I say this unto you as the King of the North!"
The soldiers cheered and began to advance. Hooves beat against the ground, quaking the North. The warship veered and launched a barrage of cannon fire into the Highroth soldiers. The catapults Reacted and sent liquid fire hurdling into the Magi. Explosions and screams echoed from both sides, high into the mountains. The dragon and his rider flew high into the clouds, hiding from the archers. Ermerging in repetition. Blasting Crimson heat across the landscape. Teller leaned forward and sent Aldridge into the blue beyond the clouds, then below in a dive. Closer and closer, trying to keep pace with the beast. The Dragon whipped flames at the griffin and kept it at bay. Renzel joined the fight. Bullwick darted and dashed around the dragon's head. Narrowly missing the cruel fire that spouted forth. Teller seized the opportunity and leapt onto the dragon's saddle. The Magi turned around and locked his ivory daggers with Tellers staff. Teller quickly parried with a kick, the mage fell off his mount. His leg caught the reigns, pulling the dragon to a hard left sending it into a death spin. Renzel followed it down and edged closer, bullwick began to panic as a scaled wing grazed from above.
"Teller reach for my hand!"
Teller extended his hand to Renzel, as the beast's tail flung around and smashed Renzel mock from his griffin and through the clouds below. Teller screamed and bullwick dove for him, disappearing into the mist.
"We do not die here."
Teller jerk the reigns hard and the Black mage broke free and fell to his death.
"I have seen this!"
Teller and the dragon pierced through the clouds and into the battle Magi below. As the ground approached The white mage jerked the reigns, the dragons head shot up and his stomach grazed the battle field, Crushing four men and a cannon.
"My Ferin, that was a close one."
He whirled the dragon around and faced The enemy. Thundering high back into the air, he sent the beasts into another dive, scorching through the horde of enemies.
___
Renzel hurdled toward the ground, Bullwick screeched above him in a dive.
"Bullwick!"
as the mage was sure to strike the ground, Bullwick dove and swept under him, cushioning his fall. The Griffins neck, broke on the battlefield. Renzel sat up and ran his hands across the young bird.
"I'm sorry my dear friend. Thank you."
Aldridge landed behind Renzel and bowed in sorrow.
"There is no time Aldridge, he died with honor."
He jumped on Aldridge's saddle and gripped the tuft of his neck.
"We must reach the warship. Let us go!"
Aldridge wailed and powered back into the heavens. A burst of debri struck a wall of Highroth knights, sending limbs and armored body parts flying backward into the legion, this didn't matter today. The soldiers of Highroth fought today for their honor. Feeding an appetite for revenge against Magi forces of the great war.
Fire blackened the earth, the city wall collapsed. But the mage responsible had been shot down in a storm of arrows. The hole in Highroth's outer hold now served four hundred archer's. Boys and men alike, some untrained civilians who had stepped up to take the place of the dead. General Ledwhin led the assault.
"Reload and darken the skies! On my mark! Send them to the Underworld screaming for mercy! Ready! Aim! Release!"
A cloud grew in the sky, darkening the sun just as the warship had. All drew quiet, Magi cocked their heads curiously. Until a Thanian captain broke the silence.
"Arrow storm! Get down!"
A few Magi heard the warning and through up wards around them but the majority were too busy shooting fire and spouting incantations. The front seven rows of battle Magi were slain, followed by three more, five war chargers and two familiars. In total the arrow storm brought the battle to a slow. With the Magi focus on warding arrows. Titus and his remaining royal guards led a battalion rush on through. Cutting a wide path into the Thanian numbers.
Highroth and it's people led the tide of battle, for the next two days the bodies piled. The dead burned in heaps outside the city walls. Until the war ship receded back over the horizon. Soldiers and citizens alike cheered. Mothers wept. Fathers mourned their fallen sons. And Titus trotted his horse to the top of Highroth's outter walls to announce victory.
Teller flew the tired dragon over the battlement. Renzel accompanying him. The Griffin kept and easy pace. Never tiring.
"Do you think it's over?!" Teller yelled at Renzel, who was scanning the Horizon.
"I have an odd feeling my friend. I couldn't get close to the warship."
"Why is that odd?"
Renzel raised an eyebrow.
"Have you ever seen a battalion of Black Magi just concede? The only way is to kill their commander. It's just, odd."
A loud thundering shook the world around Highroth. Titus cut his speech to turn back towards the Horizon. Soldiers readied. And then they came. The giant's of Grevatar. Commanded by the Thanium warship. At least a hundred and fifty of them. Almost invincible hide.
Titus never broke gaze as he put his helm back upon his head and drew his sword.
"Mother of Ferin. Protect us."