One day, in the middle of the night, four people broke into our residence.
They bribed some of my people beforehand, and so they told me about it. The money that my people accepted became their bonus. Although I did not know the exact time when the attack would take place, it was easy to guess that something was being prepared.
My "bribed people" that night, as usual, left their posts, so the four made their way to the territory of my temporary residence without any problems.
However, they did not have time to get to the building as they were surrounded on all sides. Since they did not respond to orders to lay down their arms, I ordered the archers to fire a volley.
When about twenty arrows approached the four, the Magician in the hoodie put his hands forward and the arrows began to deviate to the sides under the influence of wind magic.
- Pathetic mortals, get out of my way or I will burn your souls forever! - Mag yelled.
My people were really worried, however, I noticed that one of the Knights was still injured, although he did not make a sound, and the others had a hard time, the Magician was clearly protecting only himself. So I screamed.
- Keep shooting with bows, fire at will everyone!
Although some of my people were afraid to oppose the Magus, the rest did as ordered and started shooting. As expected, the Mage did not last long. Unlike the well-equipped Knights, he wasn't even wearing decent armor.
- Stop stop! - yelled Mage - We give up ah ...
Soon the three Knights and the Mage were captured and tied up. Although I no longer wanted to kill the nobles for no particular reason, so I gave them medical attention to make sure that everyone would stay alive.
Luckily, the Magician only missed one arrow in the shoulder, so he was saved.
In a few days.
I looked at a fairly young and tall, but skinny man. A sick nose and sunken eyes of a dead fish, combined with some kind of feigned laziness, did not cause a favorable impression.
Well, show me what you can do. - I ordered.
This man was 30 years old, in appearance he did not differ from a regular person. He began to create a wind that gently swept across the floor, walls and ceiling of my office, collecting dust and dirt, soon a pile of garbage gathered.
The Mage clapped his hands and looked at me with a sense of pride.
My face darkened.
- Are you fucking kidding me? Are you telling me that Mages are great scavengers? - I asked furiously.
'Mr Tarrister, I'm not trying to deceive you. I'm a first rank acolyte, I don't have enough qualifications to use even zero-level spells, I don't have any artifacts either. All I can do is use my modest reserves of mental energy by controlling various magical elements, of course, mainly air, since my affinity for the air element is maximum...
I tried to calm down.
- Can you kill someone with your air?
"Well… that would be quite difficult to do… In theory, I could actually burn a few mortals with a pure fire element for example, or cut them with air, although this is more difficult to do. But I will quickly spend all my mental energy on this and become essentially defenseless ...
Soon I heard the confession of a mediocre Mage. It turns out that if the acolyte were so omnipotent, they would have become rulers and kings long ago, perhaps somewhere out there such acolyte exists.
Bertram himself received the technique of meditation and his few knowledge from an ancestor many generations ago. It was supposed that this technique would be passed on to someone who showed clear outward signs of a talented Mage. However, Bertram having become the head of the family and having learned about the heritage, decided to simply appropriate it without giving a damn whether he had talent or not.
Naturally, he fled from his native kingdom leaving his family. Surely for them he is still the greatest sinner.
However, the acolytes who returned from the territory of the Mages are also very few, and besides, they are quite defenseless. In a one-on-one fight with a Knight, they are supposed to have advantage. But the condition is that they have defensive or attacking spells of level 0 and 2-3 seconds time to perform their spell. Otherwise, even acolyte of the 3rd rank can lose his head from an unexpected attack by the Knight.
On the other hand, if a rank 3 acolyte possesses a defensive artifact or is able to cast combat spells almost instantly, then even for a Great Knight, it will be extremely difficult to win.
Given the small number of even low-level acolytes, their unsuitableness and unwillingness to cooperate with each other, they have no choice but to hide and hide their affiliation by creating a façade of mystery. As a result, the Knights are the main representatives of power in this part of the mortal continent.
It was because of this façade that this acolyte managed to convince the long-suffering Lawrence that he was a really powerful Mage and it would not be difficult for him to get rid of one Knight's Apprentice ... Of course, on the condition that he was provided with three such Knights to help. It seemed to Bertram that this was a trifling matter that would instantly make him rich, but everything did not go according to plan.
If an acolyte is besieged by a crowd of Knights or even mortals with ranged weapons, then it will be even more difficult for him to survive than a Knight of the corresponding level.
The magician's name was Bertram, and since then this unfortunate hermit has been under my command. Three Knights from his escort I soon returned for a ransom.
After another year and a half Isabelle and I already lived on my territory outside the city. I did not waste time building something grandiose like a castle, just an ordinary cozy house like a villa where feudal lords lived. I personally selected the servants and guards from the orphans whom I brought up.
It was quite noisy in the house that day. Isabelle and I were in the bedroom. I held her hand and comforted her. Physicians and a midwife stood ready nearby. Our first child was due soon.
- How do you feel? - I asked again.
Isabelle smiled.
- It's okay, stop asking.
As the contractions intensified I gave way to the doctor and the midwife, but I wasn't going to take my eyes off Isabella, so I stayed in the room.
Her cries tore my heart, and soon I noticed that Isabella turned very pale. Doctors confirmed that this should not be this way. I quickly took out one of the two potions.
Still, Mage Bertram turned out to be at least somewhat useful, he managed to try himself in various fields, including potions, so he was able to identify both potions in my stock.
One of them was a potion of strength, but after a temporary boost, it harmed the body, so I certainly couldn't give it to Isabelle. But the second temporarily gave the effect of vital energy, positively affecting the body, filling it with energy and accelerating the healing of wounds.
That's what I made Isabelle drink, watching her weaken before my eyes.
The potion took effect fairly quickly, and Isabelle's eyes brightened up again. Finally, the birth came to an end and a loud cry of the baby was heard.
However, instead of joy, I felt only horror. At the moment of the birth of the child, it became clear as day that he was literally pumping out the life force from his mother. Perhaps if not for the potion, he would have killed Isabelle even before he was born.
Despite the fact that the baby was finally born, Isabelle looked just awful. It seemed that she instantly aged a dozen years, her hair and eyes lost their former brightness, her skin wrinkled a little. She was even paler than before, like a person on his last legs.
- Child. My child. - Isabelle spoke weakly.
- Give her the baby. - I said. - It's all right dear, the baby is all right, how are you feeling?
The doctors didn't understand what was going on. I made Isabelle take the Knights' supply of medicine and rub it on her body while she held the baby.
- This is a boy. - Isabelle said with a smile.
- Isabelle, what's wrong with you? Tell me how you feel. - I asked again in a trembling voice.
Isabelle gently stroked the baby's face, but she didn't even have the strength to pick it up, the baby was held by a frightened midwife.
- Sorry Sam. I wanted my son to be born healthy, I'm not sure how to explain it but... It seems I gave too much. I feel sleepy Sam and maybe I won't wake up again.
Now I was really horrified.
- What are you talking about, you have to live. - I turned around - let's get a dish from a magical beast here.
I barely got Isabelle drunk and tried to get her to eat. I even lay down next to her and forcibly kindled my life energy in the hope that at least a drop would be transferred to her, but nothing helped.
- Sam, are you listening? - Isabelle asked, seemingly unable to see anymore.
- Yes, of course I can hear you, speak dear.
- Take care of our son, do it for me and don't blame... - With these words, she fell silent, her eyes went out, her face froze and her strength completely left her.
That day I realized what real pain, fear and despair are.
- Isabelle! Isabelle! Wake up, can you hear me?
Tears rolled down my face, lips trembled. I called to her again and again, continuing to ignite life energy and trying to bring her back to life. However, her heart was no longer beating, the doctors were useless, I was useless.
Life left her forever.
One year later. It was the 24th year of my life.
I sat in front of Isabelle's grave.
- The first couple of months after your departure were a difficult test for me. Sometimes I caught myself thinking that it was getting harder and harder for me to remember the touch of your hands, the smell of your hair, the depth of your eyes, the sincerity of your smile.
Once in the library I read interesting lines by an unknown author.
Time dries up the seas and oceans. Destroys cities, empires and civilizations. Extinguishes the sun and the stars in the sky. Time is a higher power that mercilessly and inexorably erases everything in the world, even the gods.
Only now I realized the full power and ruthlessness of time. I am very afraid that someday my memories of you will fade away forever. However, I will do everything possible to prevent this from happening, until the day I die.
For a while I didn't want to see our son. I hope you forgive me for this.
However, everything is fine with him, he is clearly a special child. You should have seen those eyes and hair the color of blood. Perhaps he has a predisposition to the element of fire. Although he is only a year old, he already walks confidently and begins to speak. His appearance is unique even among nobles.
Our son's name is Kyle.
You can be sure that I have not forgotten and will never forget my promise. I will take care of our son and do my best to raise him to be a strong and successful person. He will get the chance that you and I were deprived of.
From now on, I will try to visit you more often.
I will always love you Isabelle.