As Thorne aroused from his slumber and regained consciousness, his senses were immediately assaulted by the sound of raised voices. He struggled to open his eyes, feeling groggy and disoriented. As he strained to listen, he realized that the voices were those of the guards who were looking for him.
"That idiotic bastard blew himself up!" barked one of the guards in a fit of rage, disappointed he could not take revenge for his fallen brethren. Thorne's mind raced as he tried to recall what had happened before he had lost consciousness.
The guards, meanwhile, were busy inspecting Thorne's clothing with an unfamiliar magical item. After scanning it, they confirmed that it did indeed belong to Thorne. Thorne watched in confusion as they manhandled his clothing, trying to extract any useful information from it.
Suddenly, Thorne felt himself slipping back into unconsciousness. It felt like only a moment had passed when he came again, but this time he found himself in a new location.
As he took stock of his surroundings, he muttered to himself, "Sometimes I even impress myself," imagining that even the pieces of wood around him could hear his words.
Thorne's alter ego, Galen, had always been quick to criticize him, and this was no exception. "You can compliment yourself, but not me?" Galen's voice was tinged with irritation.
Meanwhile, workers from the surrounding area had begun the arduous task of cleaning up the wreckage that Thorne had caused. In the chaos, Thorne who was currently disguised as wood found himself suddenly thrown and discarded into a nearby river.
"What are you doing idiot?! Why are you throwing the rubble into our drinking water? Gather it up like everyone else and don't be lazy again!" One of the other workers was scolded.
As Thorne floated along with the current, Thorne realized that his illusion spell, which had turned him into a plank, was due to expire in just under an hour by gauging his mana reserve. He knew that it would be best to end the spell early so that he could continue with his business uninterrupted. Maintaining an illusion spell for such a long time was incredibly taxing on his mana, and Thorne was eager to conserve his energy for other tasks.
Thorne's eyes opened with excitement as he realized he had slept better than he had in years. He stretched out his limbs, feeling the cool water of the river lapping against his skin. "The river was more comfortable than I initially anticipated," he said to himself with a laugh, making a mental note of when he had first cast his illusion spell.
Thorne knew that his illusion spell was a valuable resource, and he had to use it sparingly. It could last for up to 10 hours on a full mana pool. This was why he was always careful to use his magic only when it was absolutely necessary.
With a lot of work ahead of him, Thorne realized that he needed to find some clothes first. He spoke out loud to himself, "Well, there's still a lot to do, and I should probably find some clothes first of all."
As if on cue, Galen, his alter ego, chimed in with a proud voice, "No, I think we would DEFINITELY make better mercenaries like this." Thorne looked irritated, responding with, "You're right, Galen, but my body, my rules."
Despite Galen's suggestion, Thorne felt a sense of freedom and liberation as he continued to float along the river.
Thorne paused for a moment "Plus if I go out like this, people may find out I'm an illusion mage by the size of my-. "Never mind, we're going to find clothes, and that's that," he said firmly.
Galen, always quick to make a snide remark, quipped, "By the size of what? Your ego?" Thorne sighed, but Galen continued, "Whatever, there's a small village about 5 miles north of here. You're lucky that at least one of us is properly educated."
Thorne rolled his eyes, but he knew that Galen's knowledge of the area would be invaluable in helping him find clothes. He began to walk in the direction that Galen had pointed out. "You can be a pain, but your ability to sense and deduce is quite helpful," Thorne admitted.
Galen responded matter-of-factly, "It's not that difficult when you're an arcanist. It's the pure basics." Thorne couldn't help but be impressed by Galen's abilities. Despite disliking his alter ego's inhumane tendencies, he appreciated the help that Galen provided. After all, Galen was a part of him, whether he liked it or not.
Thorne trudged through the dense foliage of the forest, his skin getting nicked and scraped by sharp branches and leaves. He felt lost and disoriented, unable to determine which direction he was heading in.
"I have no idea what direction I'm walking in," Thorne complained irritably. "I could be walking in circles for all I know! You need to help me, Galen."
Galen, his alter ego, chirped back with a hint of amusement in his voice, "You have been walking in circles this entire time. I was just waiting for you to finally realize it. It's been quite an entertaining show."
"FOR GOD'S SAKE, GALEN, PLEASE!" Thorne cried out in frustration.
Galen quickly replied, "Can't you take a joke? Approximately 10 more minutes of walking in that direction you're currently staring at, and we can go mug some poor villagers for their clothes and belongings. I'm thinking we should probably target some elderly people, especially given how you've been acting since you woke up."
Thorne's mind struggled to comprehend the true meaning behind Galen's words. Yet, he chose to suppress his doubts and place his trust in his only companion. As they walked towards the village, Galen suddenly spoke up, "Hey, there's a low-level elementalist residing in that village. Maybe we should ask him for directions to the capital? Perhaps the wind magic of his would know the way." Galen's tone was playful, but Thorne knew the idea was absurd since a low-level elementalist's magic was unlikely to be powerful enough to guide them to the capital.
Thorne's cautious nature kicked in as he responded, "If there's an elementalist, wouldn't it be better to be a bit more cautious? We just fought with the guards, and we know nothing about him. I'm practically drained of all my mana from that little trick you pulled off.
Galen chuckled, "Careful? What's got you acting like a wimp? You can't even handle a low-level mage anymore? I know, let's go take his clothes instead! Screw the old people, I want a challenge!" Thorne couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief at Galen's reckless behavior.
Despite Galen's suggestion, Thorne's intuition told him that it would be best to proceed with caution. The thought of encountering a stranger with unknown abilities made him uneasy, and he could feel his muscles tense up as they entered the village. They walked past the humble houses, and Thorne's eyes darted around, looking for any signs of danger. After a few moments, Thorne spotted a vacant house.
Once inside, Thorne surveyed the room, searching for any signs of life. He could hear the distant chatter of villagers outside, but inside, the house was silent. Thorne began to search for any clues or useful items that could aid them in their journey, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being watched. The tension in the air was palpable, and Thorne wondered if their presence had been detected.
Thorne's eyes scanned the room as he made his way upstairs, searching for anything that could be of use to them. His gaze landed on a set of clothes that caught his attention. They were of high quality and appearance, unlike anything a simple commoner would own. Thorne quickly tried them on and was surprised by how well they fit him. He made sure to be extra careful as he crept out of the window, not wanting to draw attention to their presence.
As Thorne started to walk away, he was suddenly confronted by the angry elementalist. "What the hell do you think you're doing in my village?" the elementalist demanded, his voice laced with fury. "And why are you wearing my spare set of clothing?!"
Thorne felt a shiver run down his spine as he faced the elementalist's wrath. He knew he had made a mistake and had been caught red-handed. Thorne tried to explain their situation, but the elementalist wasn't having any of it. He continued to vent his anger, and Thorne could see the dangerous energy crackling around him.
The elementalist seethed with rage as his temper boiled over. Thorne could feel the meager energy emanating from him, and he reconsidered whether or not he was a threat to him.
Despite the situation, Galen remained unfazed and quipped, "Wow, you actually did take his clothes. Not exactly how I expected it, good on you though, you seem to be more courageous than usual." Galen's words were teasing, and Thorne couldn't believe his alter ego's lack of concern for their safety. Though he knew Galen could feel his energy as well.
Galen chuckled at the spectacle unfolding before him, "Perhaps I've taken over part of your brain?" He continued making fun of Thorne, enjoying the chaos.
Thorne remained calm in the face of danger, his eyes locked on the elementalist. "Your village? That's quite a bold claim for such an obviously novice elementalist," he retorted. "If we're making claims here, I guess this village is now under my ownership?" Thorne's words were laced with sarcasm, but he knew they needed to take control of the situation before it spiraled out of control.
Without warning, the elementalist began furiously chanting, "ICE PRISON!" Thorne could feel the temperature drop as pillars of ice shot out towards him, but he was quick to dodge it. Thorne used his physical strength to subdue the elementalist, taking him by surprise.
"Look, I know you didn't ask for this, but now you're going to be our guide to the capital, that is if you want to live a long and healthy life," Thorne said, his voice firm and resolute. The elementalist's eyes widened in fear as he frantically nodded his head in understanding. Thorne knew they didn't have time to waste, not only were the villagers going to be alerted to the elementalists' chant, but he also needed to reluctantly complete his mission.
"Oh, look at that," Galen chuckled, pointing an imaginary finger at the elementalist. "The mighty water mage is practicing his water magic, and in clean clothes, no less!" He sneered, his tone dripping with derision as he mocked the elementalist's cowardice. Born with the gift of magic, the elementalist was one of the lucky few who possessed the ability to wield elemental forces. But Thorne and Galen knew all too well that such power came with a dangerous price: arrogance and ego that often led to the downfall of even the mightiest of mages.
Thorne, with his hand still covering the elementalist's mouth, gestured for him to start walking and removed his hand shortly after. The elementalist's rigid movements betrayed his fear, and Galen egged Thorne on to make small talk with the poor victim of their prank. "Come on, Thorne, don't be too hard on him. He's probably scared out of his mind right now," he said, his voice oozing with amusement.
Thorne glanced at the elementalist, taking in the fear in his eyes and the way his body trembled. He couldn't resist the temptation of having a little fun at the expense of the overconfident mage. "Hey, I just wanted to let you know that there's no ill will between us, okay? You were just a victim of circumstance," Thorne said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "I may have stolen your clothes, defeated you without even using my magic, and forced you to be my guide, but I promise that I won't harm you in any way."
The elementalist stared at him, his eyes wide with disbelief. He couldn't believe that someone who had humiliated him so thoroughly could show him such kindness. It was not uncommon for situations like this to happen but for the victim to be brutally beaten and then killed.
"So, what's your name anyway?" Thorne asked, trying to make conversation with the elementalist who had been forced into being their guide.
The elementalist groaned in response, clearly not in the mood for idle chit-chat. After a moment of hesitation, he finally answered, "My name is Varence. I was just spending some time in the village, helping my elderly parents. I had to take some time off from the mage college I attend, and now I'm stuck here being your slave." He trudged forward with a sad expression, clearly unhappy with his current situation.
Thorne tried to console him, but his attempts only seemed to make things worse. "I'm sorry, Varence. I know you're younger than me, but you really should have kept that to yourself. You're not the brightest mage, are you?" Thorne chuckled, but Varence's expression only grew more somber.
"So, who was the unlucky one who took someone as untalented as you under his wing?" Thorne continued, not realizing the harm his words were causing.
Varence refused to reply, even when Thorne prodded him in the back. He was tired, hungry, and miserable, and the last thing he wanted to do was engage in conversation with his captor.
As they walked in silence for what felt like an eternity, Thorne finally spoke up and introduced himself to Varence. "My name is Thorne, by the way," he said, breaking the tension that had been building between them. Varence couldn't help but feel a sense of relief as he finally had something to distract him from the relentless pounding of his own thoughts.
After a few more nights of walking, their destination finally came into view on the horizon. The capital loomed in the distance like a beacon of hope, and despite his exhaustion, Varence felt a glimmer of optimism begin to grow within him. Perhaps he would finally be able to escape this nightmare and return to his normal life.
However, as they drew closer to the towering walls of the capital, Varence's sense of dread returned with a vengeance. What awaited him inside? The unknown possibilities of what might happen once he arrived were terrifying, and Varence couldn't help but wonder if things could get any worse than they already were. The dread began to consume him, weighing heavy on his mind and leaving him with a sense of foreboding that he couldn't shake.
Galen, a skilled life form reader, allowed his heightened senses to guide him towards the capital city. Despite his abilities, pinpointing the exact location of the city's entrance proved to be a challenge due to the similarity of the life readings emanating from the guards and civilians. However, Thorne was able to call upon the expertise of Varence, who was familiar with the area, to aid in their search.
The city's walls loomed in the distance, a testament to the kingdom's growth and expansion over time. But Galen knew that this wasn't always the case. He remembered hearing tales of the original fortress being constantly attacked by orcs, a brutal reminder of the dangers of living in this world.
It wasn't until a group of powerful warriors and mages came together that this place truly became home. With their skills and expertise, they were able to fend off the orcs and create a thriving kingdom of commerce and prosperity. But the walls surrounding the capital city were a constant reminder of the past, a necessary protection against any future attacks. As Thorne approached the city gates, Galen couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and reverence for those who had come before him.