The three paced up six flights of stairs, Jade huffed with each step which trigger a snicker from Leo. Jade turned around and punched Leo in the ribs. He bent forward gripping his chest.
" Jade no, that's not polite. Are you okay Leo?" Sepher threw his hand infront of Jade, while placing his hand on Leo's right shoulder. Sepher looked over at Leo who was now grinning at Jade.
" I am now. Why don't you try that with magic pumpkin?" Leo mocked Jade. He erected his back, stretched his left leg out behind him and threw his arms forward in a battling stance. His hands activated with radiating, his irises matched the Lemon glow of his hands. Jade took her battle stance her irises now a majestic green. Sepher loathed thier bickering and minor fights, he stepped between the two, and threw his arms open hanging in the air, his magic activated, ready to calm the situation, even if it took brute force to do so.
"What are you three doing? I say bring me the demi-deity, but instead you disobey me and see it fit to cavort in the stairwell on this appalling evening." A tall women in red leather high heals with straps wrapping her calfskin appeared on the landing above them, her voice echoed down the stairwell. She was a Cardinal Wing, a title bestowed upon the high mages of Pandusa.
The three of them rushed to take positioning alongside each other, their backs straightened as they saluted her by placing their right hand at the midline of their chest.
"Cardinal Agnes. We were on our way..." Jade leaped forward to explain almost pleading. Cardinal wings were not know for their forgiving nature, especially not Agnes who served as an emissary for the king. She made her way to them. Her heals pummeled the steps her brown skin glistening, Sepher swallowed the lump in his throat and glanced away as an effort to hide his anxiety.
"Crimson Warriors? What a laugh. Come on now we're late." Before she turned around she glanced at Jade, then to Leo but her eyes never fell on Sepher. His raised and eyebrow trying to figure out what it meant, there was something that he didn't know, something big that he wasn't a part of he could feel it like a dagger twisting in his gut.
They arrive at a long hallway, two guards positioned on each side of the two metal doors. Sepher's heart was pounding, his mind racing with questions, no hint came from Jade or Leo they strode next to him. When they entered the massive room filled with maps and scrolls, and in the center of the room stood the Seven Cardinal wings including Sephers master. As the other mages stared at them with intent. Hyros, could not bring himself to lay eyes on Sepher.
"Leo what is going?" Sepher questioned in a Sharp whisper. Leo looked over to Jade, Sepher turned his head to the green eyed girl.
"Jade I swear if you don't tell me wha..." Sepher threatened Jade but was immediately cut off by Agnes.
"Here they are, the traitors." Agnes waved her hand a splash of magenta magic knocked the three friends to the ground and translucent magenta shaded chains began forming around their necks and connected to the ground, they were on their knees locked to the greystoned floor, the Mages began walking towards them.
"What took you so long? I was beginning to think you were cooking up a plan to help them." A middle-aged woman stood next to Agnes offering her a grin.
"Traitors? What.No. with all due respect high mages, there must be a mistake, I'm sure of it." Sepher blurted out. His eyes darting around to find a sympathetic gaze. He found none.
"My ex students, deceivers!" Agnes smacked Leo across the face, the sound echoing in the quiet room. Sepher gasped at Agnes' rage, he knew that they were about to die and not even the king himself would be able to stop it.
"You three stole relics, from the Cardinal Agnes' chambers. This is sacrilegious! Treason!" Hyros finally spoke his eyes fixed on Sepher as he spewed his words. Sepher's head turned between his friends, every fiber of his being told him that the high mages were making a mistake, he had never stolen anything in his life, there was no reason to.
"After I took you under my wing." Hyros spat at the ground beneath Sepher.
The glow of Agnes' magic lit beneath the three friend bond to the ground. The swift movement of her and the other council members startled Sepher, he wished it was all a dream.
"You are judged by decree of the Cardinal Wing High mage council ! You are charged with the highest degree of pilfer. From a Cardinal Wing , how far did you think your petty obscurity would last? You are henceforth banished from the Kingdom of Pandusa!" Agnes' irises glowed magenta hues sparkling as she opened a portal beneath them and they fell through the ground landing on their stomachs in a field of grass. Leo got up to his feet, Sepher looked over to Jade, who scurried to Sepher and helped him to his feet.
" What Jade? We've been exciled it's done where could we possibly need to hurry to? And who stole what?" Sepher questioned in a state of panic when they head a large gate miles away from them open. It was the castles large iron gate.
" We need to get away from Agnes' dogs." Leo said while pushed Sepher slightly forward to emphasize the urgency. A large three head wolf slowly emerged from beyond the shadows of the gates, the moon taking over the sky and the final shade of navy blue that painted the sky blended into the night sky.
" Run! Run!" Jade yelled at Sepher who stared at the wolf like a deer caught in headlights.
The three friends rushed of the the clearing heading for the near by opening into the forest. The three headed wolf's unkempt grey fur swayed in the wind and is sprinted across the clearing. The heads on each side began tearing and pulling away from the middle one. As the head tore so did the spine as it spilt, there was now three large wolf's chasing them, one for each to hunt, maul and destroy the thiefs.
Jade lead the two young males through the forest as Leo slowed his pace to keep up with Sepher who still had many questions.
" Sepher I know that this is alot right now but we will explain everything as soon as we get past the river." Leo explained to Sepher as they doged tress and sharp branches, pacing their footing to avoid tripping, one wrong move could determine an instant gruesome death.