"Do not point your wands at King Drago, unless you wish to be lying on the ground next to that creature. Put them away quickly," said the old Wizard. "I assure you, we're not here to hurt you. We're here to help you Peter."
Peter loosened his grip a little at the mention of his name, but still held on tightly enough. "Who are you?"
"Your mother, Helen, called us here to help you, King Drago," said Jaucal.
"King Drago," Peter repeated to himself. He remembered that the old man had called him that before, and the assassin called him Drago, King. "But what does it mean? What does any of this mean," he said. Peter let the Wizard go; he was not really sure why he trusted them, though he did recognize the uniforms of the Ves-guards. Peter did as the Grand Wizard asked and waited with the others while the old Wizard went to see to Ulicoth, who by now was on his feet again.
"I told you before that you aren't welcome here. It seems you didn't get the message," said the old Wizard, "I'm sure the beating the boy gave you today might knock some sense into you."
"I've had enough of you old man. Now get the hell out of my way," said Ulicoth as he started toward Peter.
Peter braced himself, and the Ves-guards lifted their wands, though it was Jaucal who stopped the creature with a blow to the ribs with his staff. He advanced on the assassin, hitting its arms away as its hands swung at him. He ducked as the second attack came, spun on his heels, threw up the middle of the sceptre and yelled words in the Wizard language at the top of his voice.
"DEM TUR UIEK ET CALMULGER OLERK COMLER TRU JUNTE ET UER FITECOR HAET NILO UER FITCOHL HAET GVAKLA!"
Translated it means:
Feel the light of Calmulger creep into the joints of your bones and slow your limbs and heart.
At those words Ulicoth, felt the limbs of the body getting heavy as he moved, though he did his best not to show it.
"You old fool, your pitiful light can't penetrate this body's skin," he said.
"We will see about that." the Wizard continued to hit the creature wherever he could see an opening in its defences until finally as the light at the top of the staff grew brighter. He held it aloft for a moment and spun it round. The creature advanced, and the Wizard brought the sceptre down with his hands spread out along it. He suddenly brought the middle of the staff up to impact the assassin's chin and shoved the illuminated end into the creature's chest.
The assassin stood for a second and then cried out in pain. The light could be seen shining out of its eyes and mouth as it squealed. Then it leaned forward and fell on its face.
Jaucal used the bottom end of the staff to roll the broken body over onto its back.
"The Druidess, Hatyue, was captured by the Ves-guards at the border to our lands; you will never create a monster like this again."
The creature laughed. "I will always be able to do whatever suits me. The capture of the priestess means nothing to me. Besides, if memory serves, I believe you said those words once before."
"Who was that in the car?" Peter asked the fallen assassin suddenly, as he joined the Grand Wizard.
Ulicoth laughed louder still. "Some boy I modelled the creature's appearance on."
"But, what was his name," demanded Peter.
"Ask your ex. Ask her if she still thinks she loves him," said the assassin.
"A spell to destroy your relationship with the girl, that's why she left you," Jaucal said to Peter.
Peter gave the Wizard a look of true astonishment.
"It's a pity that I didn't get the chance to torture her the way I did him," said Ulicoth.
Peter lifted his right foot, stomped down and crushed the assassin's head with sheer force. He continued to thump the thing with his foot until it was nothing but a pile of salt. He then looked at Jaucal and didn't know which of the many questions that were buzzing round his head to ask first. The old Wizard saved him the trouble by saying. "I will explain all to you soon enough. All that I ask of you is that you keep an open mind. Okay?"
"Fine."
"Good. Now if you don't mind we walk back to your house. I think a walk would do us both good."
"Fine," repeated Peter, as though stuck in a loop with the same puzzled look on his face.
"I would like two of you to remain here for now," Jaucal said to the Ves-guards. "I would like to report to my deputy at the queen's house and then send for reinforcements; for we have to be sure that no Normal has seen what has transpired here. I'm sure you know what to do if you find any witnesses.
"And what's that?" asked Peter sounding anxious.
"They'll erase any memory of it, that's all. Nothing to worry about," the Grand Wizard assured him.
At first, the Ves-guards were a little reluctant to leave them, but they gave in at the end. They had to obey.
Peter saw the clothing of two of the guards change to business suits, and the other two disappeared in smoke.
"Remember keep an open mind," said the Grand Wizard.
Peter surprised him by laughing loudly. "After all that happened to me, you're telling me to have an open mind? How could I not?"
"Indeed," said the Wizard, as he gave a small chuckle.
When the two Ves-guards arrived at Weston Road, they were immediately bombarded with questions about Peter. They answered as many as they could, setting the minds of family and friends at ease by telling them that Peter was fine and on his way home. They reported to Berlanin just as the Grand Wizard had told them too and, he ordered them back to the Towers of Telian to get the reinforcements that were needed, they then Phazed back to their world.
It was not long before those left in the house were asking Helen what had happened with the assassin, and then Weavger.
Helen told them of the assassin first. She could tell that they really wanted to know about that before anything else. Then she told them of the happenings at the school with the principal and teacher.
Laughter could be heard out of the kitchen window and down the street as Peter and Jaucal reached the end of the road where the boy had grown-up. As they reached the gates, it died away. They silently entered the house with Peter's door key and proceeded to the kitchen, which was usually the most popular place for discussions.
As they entered the room, silence fell. Peter was the first in, closely followed by the Grand Wizard.
"Peter, are you all right?" Helen asked him, though as she came forward to greet him, he quickly stepped back. Helen seemed a little confused by his reaction.
"Peter, don't you mean King Drago of Cayer-Huld?" said Peter trembling with anger.
"I had to tell him," said Jaucal. "He had already seen too much; how could I not?"
Berlanin nodded in agreement, as did Delsani.
"I know that you're upset, but you have to look at it from our point of view," said Helen.
"UPSET! UPSET! IS THAT HOW YOU'D FEEL IF ON YOUR SIXTEENTH BIRTHDAY YOU FOUND OUT YOUR WHOLE LIFE WAS NOTHING BUT A LIE! IS THAT HOW YOU'D FEEL? IF YOU FOUND OUT THAT YOUR FAMILY HAD LIED TO YOU ABOUT WHO YOU WERE MEANT TO BE? WELL, IS IT?" Peter shouted at them all as tears rolled down his cheeks.
"DON'T YOU DARE SHOUT AT ME LIKE THAT!" Helen replied with even more volume.
"I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!" Peter yelled back.
"That's enough! No one can take back what his happened," said the Grand Wizard calmly. "Drago, answer me one thing. Would you have wanted that creature to have attacked you before you had the power to fight back properly?"
Peter remained silent.
"What I'm saying is, that if you had have lived in our world, you'd most likely be dead. Do you understand?"
Still Peter said nothing.
"If someone said to you that you could either live with the risk of dying or live a lie for the most of your life, what would you chose?" said Peter.
"I can't say," said the old Wizard with a wry smile.
"Can't or won't?" said the boy.
"I don't know." The old Wizard's smile grew a little as he said this.
Peter eyed him suspiciously as he tried to figure out whether the Wizard was having a laugh.