A leader...Ha! Pitiful that the girl even attempts to give herself that title after what was just seen...Saved by a group of newcomers whose power far outshines even her wildest dreams for her potential and to top it off she was looked down on by them as they started stamping their authority over the lands and proving a good point that most mortals should learn at a young age...If you are called a prodigy and are never defeated by the locals but a random fighter comes and beats them without breaking a sweat...The you were only a prodigy to the small amount of life you knew...Granted being raised by a old dragon and being called that has more meaning than being called it by one average strength druid and a few hundred people who don't know of the dangers in the world….That is the difference between Mathis and Sophie now tell me...Do you think with a normal life of training with the vast difference with starting power and potential will make it above on their own?...Of course you think yes...No not at all unless one thing happens from two sides...She is accepted to be trained by the one with a much larger bank of knowledge and then she must accept that she is not correct...Oh how fun this will be to see what she chooses.
The moon had been lighting the sands white for a few hours now. Sophie still locked onto the surgery that was happening and the pool of blood bleaching the white to a crimson making her tear up as she spoke aloud,
''How long will this take? Come on now Matthew.''
''Shut up. You caused this.''
She turned sharply to a pain in her ribs, seeing the prince and her sister standing behind him with a look of disgust. Sophie went to stand only to be put back down by her sister, slapping her hard across the face, The sound travelling across the quiet night land as Sophie looked up with shock and fear as the elder tried to speak but struggled to get her words out,
''You let this...You did...Why? Why?!''
The women started to sob as Regal came and moved the women back, Sophie's eyes not leaving the place they were left in after the slap before hearing Mathis speak,
''You deserve all of this...You thought about the question you asked yet?''
The girl seemed to force the tears away as she turned with a stern face,
''I was completely careless about anything other than getting the job done quickly...Would you teach-''
''No.''
The girls eyes widened as the tears started to form again before the prince looked up at the nights sky before responding coldly,
''Seems you have not figured it out...Keep thinking then.''.
The prince stood and turned before whistling and moving towards the angel as the small demon walked past before making a cold glance meet her eyes before following Mathis.
Another hour passed in the night as the start of dawn seemed to be looming through the soft reds that could be seen beyond the black as Mathis walked over to Regal and Evelyn and said something that made them both smile. Sophie watched this as the prince turned to her and smiled before moving back to the patient. Kyu was now drenched in blood as he clicked his fingers making his robe a brilliant white once more as he walked over to Evelyn and spoke,
''I have managed to save the man's life but…"
Evelyn choked as she asked,
''But what?''
''but I don't believe he will be able to walk long distances like he did before. While we were dealing with the external damage we believe some of the venom burnt his lungs. Not to mention the massive trauma over the rest of his body up to his right eye was damaged. The retinas were scorched by their toxins...it managed to sever the muscles in the right side of his face...I'm sorry to tell you this but I don't think I can fix him, not without serious changes to his being beyond my current scope of magic…. No never mind."
Kyu said before stopping himself walking away leaving everyone to their thoughts. As he had to get time to himself. Mathis was there, having to stop Evelyn from lunging at the fallen before telling her with a sharp and cold tone,
"Stop. there's no telling what the worse side of this could have been...If you want to just attack people then try and swing at the demon...He will send you flying I can promise that.''
The women stopped and stared at the wood elf before Regal grabbed her hand and spoke,
''Will...Will he be able to be taken home yet?''
''Kyu! How long till he can be moved to a bed?''
Kyu sat down on a rock before replying softly, running his hands through his hair,
"He should be fine to move. I've managed to place him in a stable condition. Though I don't think his family should see him. Is that not right Wilt?"
Kyu said his eye trailing over to the small goblin, who's wrinkles seemed to have deepened looking twenty years older and forty years wiser, he barely looked over with a small voice rasping out,
"Y-Yeah keep the youngins away...I don't think people should see what we saw."
Mathis looked on confused before One appeared on his head and tapped his masters head,
''N-NO! N-No mor-mor-MORTAL SH...should see that M-Master! Lo-Look yourself!''
Mathis' eyes rolled up at the creature perched on his head before ones eyes rippled before matching his masters as the memories of what just transpired in the prince's mind making him shudder before grabbing his fist as he began to shout
''Indra save me! This places prodigy is this dense?!''
He started walking over to her before he spoke down coldly to the sitting girl,
''You! Changed my mind! I'm taking you on a personal trip into the sands! Kyu has used too much on you already and has only just got off being sick! You will accompany me and Bee in his place tomorrow. Crack of dawn you better be outside the mines understood?''
The girl nodded before he walked to the rocks Kyu was sitting at and pulled out a Sand Storm as Kyu tried to get a consultation from the prince,
"The only way I know to save his potential involves...it's just that… There are paths no one should undertake. Lycanthropy can cure any lament and vampirism would make this event null and void to his body...But by doing that we would just sacrifice his soul for its vessel...What should I do? it's that or the death of his….I don't know… never mind...it's fine I can work it out."
The angel was interrupted by the prince finishing his bottle with a loud sigh, reaching in and pulling out another and a bottle of water for the fallen one before he looked up at the red intensifying over the fading black night as he spoke,
''The night is only beautiful because of the endless black canvas it has to work with...While the brilliant whites of the stars and the beautiful grey of the moons are all very nice in there own way, it is their backdrop that is the best part.''
Mathis stopped briefly to take a sip and look at the confused Azamaar tilting his head before he continued,
''What I am saying is this...In every era the beautiful backdrop has had many things placed on it but they come and go...The darkness remains a constant...But it never is talked about for it's beauty...it just does its duties and lets fate decide what will happen with its inhabitants...You understand? Stop worrying...You did all you could but now you need to rest. Me and Bee will doing things most of tomorrow but Wilt will stay with you...Get some rest okay?''
'Kyu nodded before he took a drink and spoke,
''Okay I understand...I will rest during the sun's wrath tomorrow as reputence for healing someone that worships a heathen?''
Mathis went to take another drink only to tap the angel on the shoulder before nodding,
''Sure buddy...Sure. Let's get the heathen worshipper to bed in the mines okay?''
Kyu nodded as he went over to the patient with Wilt snow back checking him over as the prince moved to the family.
''He will stay in the mines with us for a few days to rest...Once our healer is rested he will be able to work out when you can see him okay?''
They all nodded, Evelyn now hugging her sister as they both cried before being lead back by Regal, making the wood elf move over to see the body for the first time himself with his own eyes as even he looked slightly off put by this, taking a large, deep breath as he looked over the still living body. His legs remained mostly undamaged but his chest and face were barely human resembling what most would call a ghoul. Stitches and stretching over the remaining bones left in his face as the toxins had burned into some of his cheekbones and jaw, leaving an indent on his entire right side of face going straight to his remaining gaping eye socket and cutting partially into his nose, with a miracle avoiding his ears though his hair bleached off from the acidic substance. Mathis looked the most composed after seeing this until Bee walked up and simply looked at the body and looked at Kyu,
''Wow, is he alive? A human as well...Fair play.''
He gently lifted the man easily even though he was blocked out by the hulking figure he was holding before Mathis made the black flames rise as they walked through and disappeared as the first sun seemed only a couple hours away.
The scarlet rays of the fresh morning sun had started to banish the black of night as the light shined of the sands. Sophie was walking towards the mines only a few minutes away and holding the wrappings that she had left on her torso, thinking about her ribs seemed fine even from a couple hours ago as she sighed and thought to herself,
'Why in the hells have I got to do this? Not like he can teach anything-'
''He is actually a good leader. You should be taking notes.''
The girl jumped and grabbed her hammer to see Wilt was standing on the other side of a rock with a bottle of Sand Storm, staring at the ring on his finger before he looked coldly at her,
''You ain't a leader. A leader can make someone who had the best leader in the lands come out of retirement to see what he does...A true leader does not make his followers feel below him and if he sees they are he will put his hand around them and talk to them in a way that reminds you he cares about you.''
He walked past her unmoving shock on her face before he turned to finish,
''Most of all...He doesn't let his men take damage. He'd rather throw himself in front of the blade than let any of his men die...The way you reacted to your brother possibly dying...That was the moment...The moment I knew that you will never be a leader that is a third the leader that Mathis is...Let's go. He is waiting.''
Wilt said walking back into the mine as the girl followed, her arm grabbed by the demon who was stood next to the door,
''If me or Mathis get hurt on this mission...I will blame you. Understood?''
The girl nodded frantically as the demon let go and walked in but the girl stopped, her hand on her hammers grip as she entered and felt a cold presence, lifting her hammer to her face only to see black shadows pass behind her and then almost blinded by a blade of white lightning passing inches from her face, crackles and whips slapping her face as the prince stood behind her with his scabbard held up before he spoke,
''Only took you three times to actually prepare...zero out of ten to start. My wrappings please.''
The blade fizzled out as he placed the hilt back on his hip and the girl slowly turned, gripping her hammer so hard you could see the faint red of blood from her palm cutting in before handing the prince his wrappings, making him sit legs crossed and begin re-strapping them before he started to speak,
''Right Wilt you will be in charge of keeping the place clean and keeping an eye on the bird along with the patient...enjoy that. If anyone comes looking for a job tell them to leave there name and I'll go into town tomorrow and talk to them about it.''
The goblin nodded before he sighed,
''Well of course...This is the reason I call myself a babysitter you know...Anything else?''
Mathis stood as the bandages were once again wrapped around his hands before laughing,
''Aye Ores and Baarias are going to be getting a hold of you at some point to check up...Let me know what is said and make sure you apologize for leaving without a word. Got it?''
Wilt's eyes widened before he let out a soft smile, making Sophie even more confused about what was going on before the goblin spoke,
''Aye...Makes sense. Have fun.''
He moved back towards the hut that adorned the many moons as Mathis walked towards the door and looked back at the demon and girl,
''Well? What are you waiting for? If your stocked up let's go.''
The demon nodded and moved after him, making Sophie snap back into reality before chasing after them.
Outside the saw the sun had now fully taken the soft red and grey sky. The prince started moving into the direction away from the town followed by the other two, Sophie had he hand on the grip still but it was at her side drawn ready, Mathis noticed this and proceeded to pull a bottle of Sand Storm before offering one to the demon who took the offering and one to the girl before pausing and asking,
''Wait...How old are you? Humans age weirdly after all.''
The girl refused the bottle before she spoke,
''I'm eighteen...Why does that matter? You think someone young can't lead?''
The two erupted in laughter before Bee spoke,
''At least she can crack jokes right?! Ha!''
The girl looked at the dwarf as he sipped his drink before he spoke once more,
''Girl, how old do you think I am? Be harsh it's fine.''
The girl looked the demon up and down but not ever seeing them before took a wild guess,
''Uhm...Seventy odd?''
The demon looked down to the floor as Mathis started laughing even harder, almost falling to his knees before the demon spoke coldly,
''Well...I'm in my forties I'll have you know...Never mind. How old you think the royal asshole is?''
She looked at the wood elf with even more confusion knowing that this race could live into the tens of thousands,
''Maybe...two thousand odd years?''
The laughter from the prince stopped as the demon was now on his back rolling in laughter before the prince spoke,
''Indra stops me from killing her... Do I look that old? I'm Twenty-two...Four years in your lifespan older than you so no more of that."
The girl looked confused by this as she spoke again but much more calmer,
''You are in your early twenties? What about the angel and goblin? They must be closer to you than him right?''
''Kyu is in his forties as well but he is a angel so...and Wilt?! He is the oldest in the crew!''
The girl seemed bemused by this revelation and did not notice Mathis had stopped in front of her as she walked into him and looked up into his cold eyes,
''Do you see why I am the leader yet?''
The girl wished she could answer yes but she knew he would see through it as she only lowered her head feeling anger but then a warm feel of a hand patting her head,
''Keep thinking...Your answer is already a improvement over yesterday...Let's go should only be another twenty minutes or so!''
The prince was pointing to the large mound of sand in the not so far distance.
As they kept walking Sophie started to get curious about the things he was talking about with Wilt in the mourning,
''So...You have more crew members? Who's Ores?''
Mathis let out a soft smile, looking at the sky before he spoke,
''A strong and powerful member of the crew...and my wife.''
His happy thoughts were broken by the sounds of the girl laughing before she spoke,
''Ha! Someone as cruel and vindictive as you is married?! Gods must have really not liked her-''
''She is now a princess with a never ending amount of money. Enough time and resources to research anything she desires...Oh and she is married to someone who is a thousand times the leader you will ever be...And to top it all off I would fight a god to the death to save hers or any of my crews souls...Unlike a little child who lays down with a mear broken rib to watch her kin be devoured...He will be lucky to ever be a fighter again you know right? Well there is something here that might help but I want you to remember one thing in that small brain of yours...You caused this.''
The girl wanted to argue his point but knew she could not do it as they continued and now stood in the shade of the hulking dune with it's large door standing without the hole that was made by the prince the other day making Bee laugh and steep forward.
''My turn this time.''
He pulled the large Warhammer down from his back and began to spin, his velocity almost making him slip before letting the hammer go like a bullet slamming through the door and taking them clean off the hinges. The other two walked in behind the demon as their personal mission seems to have started here. In the place where these two lost a part of themselves.
Well Mathis is starting to show serious signs of maturity...maybe they have always been there but just very...VERY deep under the surface and alcohol so let's forget the girl yes?...Do I even need to speak on her? Do you even really care what this little pup will do in the fables of the False Heroes? Of course you do...You're a person that would have me begin and finish her tomb wouldn't you? Pious man be damned...Well with every word that leaves this little girl's mouth I feel a rising level of anger but that power I should throw away. It's not worth my time nor is keeping track of her story… pathetic though as a holy man what would someone in our position what should we think about Someone like this pity for their lack of experience? Rage at her mentors that did not prepare their charges? Or even mention that the boy did not even help himself but only thought of his sister in a situation that really one should not only think about their commander's safety but also their own in a place where not being able to lift a sword again was one of the best outcomes that could have happened.... Regardless of that I am afraid this subject is not my domain, it will not stop me from commenting. I wonder what path the young Mathew will now follow as his dream has started to rot...His elder sister seems like a kind soul that will tend to him if he loses his fire but I feel like our False Heroes have to much...creativity shall we say to allow a young and respectful man's fable end so short...Wonder what they will do to bring the back on the right track don't you?...Stop hating people for no other reason than you didn't like them. He is in the right here and you know it so shut up and keep listening or I swear to myself that you will never leave this library understood?...Good it seems you can listen so proceed to use those ears as we continue.