The sun set and the forest began to quickly darken. Lamps full of glowing liquid were poured to light up the village casting a serene green glow upon it. Together with the fireflies attracted by the fluid it really did create a nice atmosphere. With all the energy from last night and the roaring fire that lit up the village, the light now made it seem entirely different.
I went to sleep early to prepare for tomorrow. In the end Ardent had never fully recovered and only woke up briefly. It was a shame but I didn't have the necessary reagents to fix his hangover. I only had healing potions, some antidotes and an explosive. He'd have to get better the long way. It wasn't long however after I closed my eyes that I heard the sound of someone shifting beside me. When I had gone to sleep no one was in the other mattress. I opened my eyes turning in the blankets. It was Taylor sitting up…, so this is where she had been sleeping. I thought it was strange when Servius went to his own room.
"Just keep to your side of the room," I mumbled and turned back. She ignored me and instead I heard the sound of her standing up. "Taylor?" I looked at her again now more awake.
Again she didn't answer me. With awkward steps she began to head for the door. Her usual grace was nowhere to be seen almost as if she was sleep walking.
I roused myself and approached her, "Hey Taylor, you okay? Hey! Hello? Taylor?" I grabbed her arm but she just pulled away as if I didn't exist. The hell was going on?
She slid open the door and kept walking. I followed her through the corridor confused and when we reached the next room, Servius was standing there. His eyes were glazed over and blank moving as if being pulled like Taylor. I moved around her and checked her eyes, they were like his. Was I dreaming? I pinched myself, the pain alerting me that I was not. Just in case I also pinched Taylor's arm. She didn't even react.
Like zombies they limped their way into the village. My eyes widened as I stood behind them. The street was filled with the other villagers all acting the same. They were heading towards the village centre. I frowned and pulled back from the moving crowd. I had a bad feeling about this and hid my presence within the trees watching them from afar.
The village centre was filling up quickly. Everyone including Taylor congregated into a single spot. The children were separated and tied up. Unlike the adults they were squirming and trying to escape. I spotted the outliers quickly. A group of people wearing black robes and red masks. An ominous glow released from their eyes. They were speaking to each other but I couldn't hear. I needed to figure out what was happening and crept closer.
"Is that everyone?" the voice was easy to distinguish. It was the women who was leading the horned tribe earlier but it was clear now that those horns had been fake like mine. Unlike the others her mask was distinctly different and gold.
"We have one extra judging from what I was told," a slim man replied.
"That's within the permissible range," she nodded. "Shall we begin the ritual?"
"Cantor and Miguel have already began to set up the circuit." I looked to where he gestured. Around the villagers a pair of men were painting the ground with thick black ooze. My heart lurched as I recognised it immediately. "It is a shame the populace here is less than the other place."
"We're lucky," the women laughed. "A demon village is better for us anyway. The Kingdom won't be snooping but to think there was one so close."
"What of the Wizard, will he feel it from there?"
"No, we are far enough. Besides this forest is enclosing the mana leakage. We'll have a good harvest for our lord."
There was no doubt. They were the bastards who attacked Axel. I cursed myself for not realising sooner. Horned tribe members appearing out of nowhere in a place as remote as this? If it weren't for my own situation that would be incredibly suspicious. The drinks they shared with us must have been laced with something. Why it didn't affect me I could only guess as being due to my lack of magical talent. At this rate they'd kill everyone including Taylor. I needed my bow and sword. The problem was I had left it in the carriage which was parked by the hall only a dozen metres away from them.
I grit my teeth. There was no turning back. Either I resolved it here or died. The other issue was that I had no idea which house Ardent was in. It would take too long to find him, the best way would be to interrupt their ritual and make some noise. I laid close to the ground and began to sneak my way towards the carriage. There were ten in total and the masked men stood around the villagers with watchful eyes.
"Should we get started now to rile them up a bit?" someone asked.
"How about that one," a man pointed to Taylor. "A fine specimen wouldn't you say?"
"Oh she is very nice indeed. How about we leave her for later. It would be a shame to kill her don't you think?" My heart beat rocketed in panic but their words relieved me. Their desires at least would protect her for now.
"Then how about one of the brats? Killing one of them would really get their emotions goings."
"Yeah and it'll quiet them too." The children began to scream through their muffled mouths. They hadn't drunk the alcohol and were wide awake with fear. A single scaleskin child was pulled from among them. "Anyone have a knife?" he laughed. Although they couldn't move the eyes of the villagers began to widen as if struggling to break free. "Look at that, you can practically feel the surge."
"Remember to take it slow," the women said completely business. "The more they suffer the more we can harvest."
A knife pointed towards the child's neck. I reached my bow. There was no time to make a plan. I refused to watch this any further. The arrow shot forwards and pierced the man's head striking through the side. He fell dead.
"Contact!" the women screamed just as my second arrow fired towards her. An inch from her face something knocked it aside. A barrier. "He's over there!" she pointed directly at me. Shit. I jumped away from the carriage with my sword and bow as it exploded into flames. "Chase him down!"
I released another arrow but it had the same effect, bouncing off the closest man running towards me. They must all be magicians. A spear of ice was thrown towards me. I tried to dodge it only for it to curve my way. I charged my mana in panic. A clench of pain spread through my chest, gripping my heart and threatening to make me fall. The spear of ice however veered away exploding into the ground sending shards flying.
"Where is he?" someone yelled as I managed to get behind a building.
The pain passed. That had been far too close for comfort. I really had to thank Taylor for teaching me the technique. As much as it hurt, it had saved my life multiple times now. I readied another arrow and peeked around the corner. The men had lost me but if they were anything like Ardent it wouldn't take long to find me again. Behind them the others were still preparing the ritual, now much faster. If I could get close I could probably pass their barrier but my bow wasn't strong enough to pierce through.
"Over there!" the voice called me out and I turned to see a man standing in the alley behind me.
I shot an arrow. There was a crack and it hung in the air a few inches from his head. His eyes glowed. I shot another before he could react. The arrow struck the same place breaking through but deviated into his shoulder instead. A light released from his hand. The wood around me splintered apart and I was thrown back into the open street. I was surrounded.
"Not yet!" I screamed as the mask men began to prepare their spells. A small punch found its way to my hands. My mana spasmed inside me. They're eyes lost their focus, looking at me as if I wasn't there. I could feel the vessels in my chest snap and my heart seize. Like a crippling wave it cracked through me as I concentrated all my effort into a single flame. It was the most basic of magic, surely I could do it as well. A puff of smoke wisped from my hand as darkness threatened to take me. Then it happened. Heat and a spark. I threw the bag immediately and dived away. It sparked once and then without any more warning exploded, blowing straight through the masked men's barriers. They couldn't even scream as the force blew them apart. The force pushed me further than I wanted and I rolled across the ground. By the Goddess just what did Margaret put in that thing?
I skidded to a halt. Two more down which left two others still in front of me. They were standing with their arms covering their masks, shocked at the sudden explosion. I tried to stand but reached my limit as my body forced itself to normal. The moment it did the masked men jumped back as if I had appeared from nowhere. One began to cast a spell. My body barely moved how I wanted and I was still lying in the dirt. Damn it. A bright light shot towards me.
"I've got you!" the light was flung aside and in its place Ardent stood. "Sorry I'm late." He looked queasy.
"It's the damn Wizard!" one of them men screamed.
"Like I thought, the Imperium," Ardent scowled towards them. "Bunch of crazed second rate magicians." He waved his hand and the two men were flung away crashing against the buildings with a sickening thud. "Can't even set up a proper barrier."
"Tch," the women spat. "Ardent Val Tour. You're not supposed to be here."
"Neither are you," Ardent stepped towards her and where the rest of the magicians had formed up.
"Move and we'll kill them all," she pointed her hand at the villagers.
"Well that's just playing dirty," Ardent frowned.
I managed to stand beside him and whispered, "Do you have a plan?"
"No… I just woke up and to be honest I'm not feeling too well," his eyes were drawn back and bloodshot. "I feel like throwing up."
"…." That's it. I was going to die because of his Goddess be damned hangover.
He clenched his jaw, "To be honest it took all I had to do what I just did." I looked back at the two masked men who had ploughed into the building behind us. They weren't going to get back up. Including the women leading them there were still five more and they had hostages. I couldn't be soft here. Even if we surrendered we'd just join them and die together. The sensible thing to do was try take them out with the least casualties. But still… these were the villagers who had accepted me into their home. The thought of them dying drove a dark pit into my conscience.
"What is it going to be Master Wizard?" the women asked loftily. "Just a word from me and they'll all die." A single villager walked forward and held a knife against his own throat.
"I see…. You're a puppet master," Ardent frowned. "It suits you."
"Flattery will get you nowhere," she laughed. "Now choose."
Ardent lowered his voice, "Rain you wouldn't have something up your sleeve would you?"
"Maybe," I grit my teeth. My arms and legs still felt like jelly but they would move if I forced them. I drew my sword. "Here I go." The distance was thirty metres. Like I was now it would take five seconds. A long time in a situation like this. My chest clenched and I coughed blood as the mana within me began to burn alive. I ran. It wasn't a fluid sprint but a harsh desperate run. My legs knocked against each other barely able to obey my commands. Their masked faces turned in confusion. Some stared at me but did nothing, others looked away. I jumped forward lunging with my sword held straight. My target their leader. If I could kill her then the villagers would be released. Something hard pressed up against the blade. A barrier. I screamed and pushed with all my might but as it began to crack, she smiled.
"Found you." Something hit me and I was thrown to the ground. My arm snapped backwards hanging loose against my side as I rolled in the dirt cringing in pain. Damn this women. Her senses were better than the others. She looked down at me, "What an interesting technique. You were there but at the same time I was convinced you were not. Hmm, indeed you have quite an intriguing body. It would be a shame to kill you. Perhaps we'll take you back home for experimentation." My eyes widened in a desperate fear.
"Just kill me," I groaned.
"Get away from him!" Ardent roared. "If you know my name, you know what I am capable of."
"Oh well and truly, Ardent Val Tour," she smirked, "but I also know the fragility of your heart. Move one step and I'll kill the villagers. The boy, I'll let him live."
The magicians around her began to fluctuate their mana and a swarm of projectiles appeared around them. Fire, ice, earth, darkness. Ardent stood still, his eyes loose. He was stuck. Even if he could get past his hangover the situation was desperate. The magic was released and like a torrent of colour they spread towards him.
A flash of white broke through them. Not even a cloud of dust was lifted. Her hair drifted behind her like a wave of light. Her sword held firm pointed forward. Her eyes pure yet filled with a determination that could only be said to be inspiring. Lara, Hero. She took one look at me and frowned. How the hell did she find us? Her eyes flicked towards Taylor, the collar on her neck glowed. The slave contract, of course she knew where to find us.
"Who are you?" the women asked annoyed.
Lara stepped forward, "Stop whatever it is you're doing and release everyone."
"This is a hostage situation," she clicked her fingers and suddenly I was lifted up and a familiar knife was at my neck. I internally sighed as Taylor's expressionless face hovered above mine. Lara flinched. "Oh? These are friends of yours aren't they? Can't have them getting hurt now." Sharp. She must have seen Lara look at us. This women couldn't be messed around with.
"Let them go," Lara's stare bore down at her.
"I refuse." The knife was pressed against my neck further drawing blood.
"I said let them go!" Lara yelled. An anger leaked into her voice.
The women smiled, "No." Something was beginning to happen. A darkness was flowing from Lara and the others around me. It was pooling together and began to seep into a large urn in the centre of the villagers. The black ooze marking the ground hissed. The circuit had been complete. The ritual had already began.
"You will let them go!" Lara was furious. Her desperation beginning to show between the cracks.
"Oh my aren't you perfect," the women laughed. "We could get all we need just from her. Kill him and make it painful." Wait what?
Taylor flipped me around. Face to face I could now fully see her. Her knife pulled back. A sharp plunge pierced straight into my heart. It surprisingly didn't hurt as much as I expected. Then the blade twisted and I couldn't but release a strangled howl. Even with my broken body and all I had felt before, Taylor really did know how to cause pain. Blood seeped down the knife and into her hands. Her eyes met mine. A single tear fell as a frantic panic tried to break free. Her lips trembled trying to say words that she wasn't allowed to.
"It's okay," I smiled and raised my unbroken hand to lightly touch her face. "It's going to be okay."
"Rain!" Lara screamed and suddenly a powerful gust of wind broke out. I couldn't see her however, or really what else was going on. I fell from the knife and hit the ground in a puddle of my own blood. My vision was blacking out.
"Rain!" Taylor's face was suddenly near mine. She had broken free from the spell. Was it because of Lara? Her hands desperately pressed against the wound in my chest. "Please, no, I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" Ha, she was crying. How different. I never thought she could make that kind of face. I really couldn't help not hold my smile. There was just one last thing I needed to do before leaving.
I titled my head to where the masked women stood gobsmacked at the power leaking from Lara. It seemed like it wasn't only Taylor who was breaking free and the entire village centre had erupted in chaos. Her eyes met mine. With the last of my strength I raised my middle finger towards her, "You fucked up." And with that, I died.