Treachery in the Kingdom Read online

  “Get him!” Cornar snarls. “He’s got the anchor!”

  As Midar rises to his feet, white magic rushes from the rear of the hall and around Cornar, dispelling the grasping tentacles.

  Cornar lets out an agonizing gasp as he sits up and wobbles to his feet with his weapons in hand, all the while watching Midar tackling Credal who had just risen upon his feet. The young warrior swiftly grapples the mage’s legs and forces him to the ground.

  The intruding mage struggles to turn his right hand toward the exterior wall of the hallway, but as his hand angles toward the nearest window Credal thrusts the last magical orb through the glassy pane. The dissolving magic quickly erodes the window and that portion of the wall surrounding it.

  Just as the wall dissolves, Menal rushes toward Credal and grapples his outstretched arm.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” Menal growls and digs his boot into Credal’s ribs.

  The intruding mage utters a phrase in the magical tongue and the flaming magic rushes back toward him. Each of the fiery particles break apart and wisp around his body where the warriors are holding him.

  Both Menal and Midar let out cries of pain as the fiery magic burns their flesh and they both recoil from their grappling.

  With his captors turning away, Credal leaps through the opening in the wall without hesitation.

  At that same moment, Cornar hobbles toward the two other warriors and they worriedly look at their mentor, all the while shaking off the stinging magic.

  “Are you three alright?” Hex asks as he runs down the hallway and comes to Cornar’s side.

  “Who was that man?” Midar flexes his hands in pain.

  “I don’t know,” Cornar grunts, “But he had a small rogulin crystal in his pocket as well as a ring on his hand that had rogulin inlayed within it.”

  “You don’t think Iltar was caught do you?” Hex asks then speculates, “And when the mages found out…”

  “We need to get the anchor back,” Cornar growls in pain.

  Menal staggers toward the opening and slightly leans his head through it. On the grassy ground just beyond the walls of the retreat, Credal is standing with his hands stretched high into the air. Orange and red magic is weaving together in a large cluster above the mage. Streams of magic manifest into fiery energies as they swirl together and create an enormous sphere with a diameter larger than the height of the mage mustering its power.

  “He’s going to set the lodge on fire!” Menal cries out and backs away from the opening.

  “Damn!” Cornar cries and motions toward the intersecting corridor. “Is anyone from our party in the suites?!”

  “I don’t know,” Menal shouts as he painfully strides down the hall and to the landing atop the stairs leading to the second story.

  “Where’s Hagen and Amendal?” Cornar demands as he hobbles down the stairs after Menal.

  “Hagen just went horseback riding with some woman he met at lunch,” Hex answers as he and Midar follow Cornar. “And I saw Amendal taking a nap outside.”

  “Ugh!” Cornar growls and he and his three companions push their way down the second story corridor and into the balcony overlooking the foyer.

  Just as the four companions in adventure clear the threshold leading to the northern wing of the retreat, a burst of magical fire erupts behind them. The force of the magical explosion thrusts each of them forward and they fall upon the balcony.

  Menal pushes himself upon his feet then helps Cornar up, putting one of his mentor’s arms over his shoulder.

  “What on Kalda?!” the inn keeper cries out from the front of the foyer as he looks to the three warriors and mage descending the stairs, and the fire raging behind them.

  “Get out of here!” Cornar shouts and waves his hand.

  As Cornar and the others make their way across the foyer, dozens of patrons flood the grand entry from the forward hallways in a panic.

  “Cor!” Kalder cries out as he and Nordal run into the foyer from a corridor on the southern side. “We heard an explosion, what happened?”

  “There’s a mage outside,” Cornar blurts out, “We need to stop him! Knock him out!”

  Both Kalder and Nordal push their way through the patrons attempting to flee the inn through the main doors. The two warriors dart to their right and draw their weapons as they run.

  “You wanted action,” Kalder huffs, “Well here it is!”

  Nordal laughs amid his heavy breathing as he and Kalder round the northern side of the inn.

  Credal is standing in the same spot where Menal saw him and is focusing his attention on the raging magical flame which has now consumed the entire rear portion of the main building. As the two warriors approach him, Credal darts a glance toward them, utters a magical incantation then swings his right hand toward them, with his fingers splayed.

  Both warriors move in as to flank Credal but as they near the intruding mage, five small fiery orbs race from the raging inferno toward them.

  Kalder swiftly dodges two of the orbs and swats one with his large sword. The magical fire swirls around the blade and races along its edges to the hilt. The middle-age warrior notices the rapidly moving magic and tosses his weapon aside, and just as he does so, the hilt is consumed by the flames.

  Nordal rolls to his right and dodges one of the orbs then once upon his feet he dashes toward Credal. A second orb narrowly misses him as the warrior gets within reach of the intruding mage and swings his straight bladed sword toward him.

  Evading quickly by throwing himself sideways through the air, Credal acrobatically lands on his feet and hastily utters the words to another spell. The warrior continues to swing at the intruding mage as he continues the incantation but to no avail. Orange magic clusters in Credal’s right hand then erupts into a long shaft of fiery magic resembling a blade.

  Nordal steadies himself into a wide stance with both hands on the hilt of his sword as the magical weapon forms in the intruding mages’ grasp.

  “You Sorothians are intriguing,” Credal says as he firmly holds the flaming blade in his right hand.

  “I was actually born in Klath!” Nordal shouts and lunges forward, swinging his blade diagonally toward Credal.

  The intruding mage shuffles his feet forward and blocks the blow. As the metal and magic meet, sparks of fire fly from where they touch.

  Nordal continues his rigorous assault and a quick moving melee breaks out between him and the intruding mage. Kalder joins the bout without his weapon and engages Credal with various unarmed combat techniques.

  * * * * *

  While Nordal and Kalder are dueling with Credal, Hex, Cornar, Menal and Midar emerge from the front doors of the retreat. Many of the patrons are still running out around the warriors and wizard.

  “I’ll get Amendal,” Hex shouts as he runs from Cornar’s side and toward the tree line a little over two hundred phineals from the front of the building.

  “Cor,” Midar looks to the elder warrior, “Give me one of your weapons.”

  “Here,” Cornar motions his short sword toward Midar and the young warrior quickly takes it from his mentor’s grasp.

  Midar runs along the building, and disappears from sight as Cornar and Menal follow after him.

  The fire has spread to the rest of the northern side of the retreat and erupts from the top story as the two warriors pass by. Cornar and Menal both raise their hands to cover their faces at the sound and debris flies from the upper stories of the lodge.

  As they round the edge of the building, Cornar glances to his right, where the magical inferno has consumed the entire suite wing; the structure has completely crumbled to the ground in a smoldering heap.

  Further beyond the burning wreckage, the aged warrior sees Aron and Demsal running from around the edge of the magical fire. Aron tosses his sheathed weapon to Demsal then stops and draws his bow, notching an arrow while Demsal darts toward the battle.

  Aron takes aim at Credal, who is now engaged with Midar and No
rdal in a quick moving duel. The intruding mage swiftly parries the warrior’s weapons and swings is flaming blade toward them, but both Nordal and Midar swiftly evade the magical weapon by tumbling backward.

  As the two warriors move away they provide a clear shot for Aron, and the warrior lets loose the arrow. It sings through the air and pierces Credal in his free arm.

  Seeing their foe wounded, both Nordal and Midar dart forward and swing their weapons toward the intruding mage, but Credal swiftly dodges them and utters a phrase in the magical tongue.

  Several balls of flame spew from the smoldering wreckage and race toward the battle.

  Cornar sees this as he and Menal make their way toward the battle, the leading warrior calls out, “Behind you!”

  Both warriors dueling with the intruding mage look over their shoulders and see the magic. They leap out of the way just as the fiery orbs reach them, and the flaming magic passes by them.

  One of the fiery orbs rushes toward Credal and erupts just before him, spreading out into a veil of flame that shields the intruding mage on one side.

  Another arrow races from Aron’s bow, but is immediately consumed by the fiery magical barrier around Credal.

  At that same moment, Demsal nears Kalder and tosses him Aron’s sword. In unison, both warriors unsheathe their weapons and dash toward the intruding mage. However, several more fiery orbs race from the inferno.

  “Demsal!” Cornar cries out, “Kalder!”

  Both warriors stop their hasty advance and notice the fiery magic racing toward them. They dodge the magic in like manner to their companions.

  The fiery orbs continue to fly at the warriors, keeping each of them a considerable distance away from Credal. In this moment of reprieve, the mage slams the tip of his magical blade into the ground, causing sparks to ignite the blades of grass immediately around the flaming sword. He then reaches toward the arrow in his arm and utters the words to a spell.

  Light green magic wisps from his hand of his uninjured arm and swirls toward his wound.

  As the wound begins to heal the arrow is pushed outward from deep within his flesh. Not even a minute passes when the arrow falls to the ground. Credal reaches for his flaming blade but briefly is taken aback as he looks around the grassy expanse.

  Eleven golden swarms of magical light surround the area where the warriors are dodging the flaming magic. The yellowish magic grows in shape and after a moment the large grey arms of creatures, known as mage’s parasites, reach out from the mystical portal. Each of the arms are lined with large pores that expand and contract.

  Immediately thereafter, large trunk-like feet with retracted heels step from each of the mystical portals and onto the grass. In unison, each of the creatures emerge from the portals, revealing themselves; their grey skin glistens in the sunlight, and their mostly featureless faces look toward the mage in the center of the battle. They each open their five pointed mouths and their long forked tongues slither from their strange lips. Similar pores line their tongues, and quickly expand and contract as they sense the magic flying about the warriors.

  The mage’s parasite nearest Nordal runs from its place of summoning and leaps toward the warrior with its tongue flailing about.

  As the conjured creature approaches, Nordal dodges the assaulting magic by throwing himself sideways into a rolling motion on the grass. As the flaming magic turns about in the air and races back to strike Nordal, the conjured creature darts between the warrior and the magic, crouching and swatting its tongue through the air. The fiery orb breaks apart as it touches the long forked tongue and the fiery particles are sucked into the pores lining the long appendage.

  The mage’s parasite straightens up and faintly glows with an orange hue, but after a moment the magical illumination fades out.

  At this same time, several of the other mage’s parasites are assisting the other warriors. They consume the magic then turn to Credal and dash toward the mage with their tongues flailing about as they run with their torsos arched forward.

  Freed from the magic, each of the four warriors follow after the conjurations.

  Within a moment, the nearest of the mage’s parasites reaches Credal and digs its three pronged hands into the fiery veil protecting the mage. In an instant, the magic breaks apart and wisps into the conjured creatures pores.

  Seeing his magical veil disrupted, Credal swiftly moves toward the mage’s parasite and thrusts his flaming blade through the conjuration’s chest. Particles of magic wisps from the edge of the fiery sword and are sucked into the creature’s pores which line its torso. However, at the same time, the conjuration slumps backward and falls to the ground.

  Credal releases his magical weapon as the mage’s parasite keels over, leaving a gaping smoldering hole in its chest.

  In that same instant, two of the other mage’s parasites reach the intruding mage and lunge toward him with their long tongues as well as their arms stretched out.

  Credal swiftly twirls the flaming blade in his grasp toward the nearest parasite and severs its tongue then quickly jumps into the air and kicks the conjuration in its stomach, causing it to fall backward.

  The intruding mage gracefully lands upon his feet then swings the fiery sword at the other mage’s parasite, but it jumps backward and stretches out its hands. Upon its palm is a lip-like slit that violently opens as the conjuration retreats through the air and a sudden burst of fire races from the strange aperture.

  Credal throws himself out of the way of the repurposed magic and as he rises to his feet he is surrounded by the other conjurations and four of the warriors.

  Midar lunges at the mage and their blades clash. Kalder swiftly moves immediately after Midar, and the warrior thrusts his borrowed sword forward and pierces Credal in the stomach.

  The intruding mage cries out in pain and glares at the warriors then stumbles backward, sliding off Kalder’s borrowed weapon.

  As Credal staggers away, Nordal comes up behind him and quickly grapples him by wrapping his free arm around the intruding mage’s chest. The warrior then uses his other hand and pummels the hilt of his sword against Credal’s head. Within a moment the intruding mage faints and falls limp in the warrior’s grasp.

  Demsal begins to swing his blade toward the mage’s neck just as he loses consciousness but stops at Kalder’s stern behest.

  “Stop! Cor wants him alive.”

  “He took the conjuration anchor,” Midar adds and sheathes his weapon.

  Nordal then lets go of the intruding mage, allowing him to drop to the grassy ground. Each of the warriors and four other mage’s parasites relax themselves but are soon jarred from the respite.

  “It’s in his pocket!” Cornar cries out as he and Menal walk across the grass. Both warriors had stood back as the battle played out but resumed their advance as the conjurations joined the clash.

  Cornar looses himself from Menal’s aid and hobbles toward the others, where Nordal is searching the mage.

  As Cornar treads across the grass, a young female voice calls out to the others, “What happened?! Is everyone alright?”

  Cornar turns around and notices Nilia running toward the crowd of warriors. The young woman is wearing a plain grey tunic and matching pants. Her golden blonde hair is in disarray and bounces as she stops a few phineals in front of Cornar.

  “What’s wrong with your hair?” Nordal chuckles as Nilia approaches.

  “I was napping,” Nilia retorts then adds, “At least I have clothes on. There was one couple ahead of me who ran out of the lodge completely naked.”

  Kalder shakes his head while Midar and Demsal burst into laughter.

  “Here they are,” Nordal says and pulls both the rogulin crystal and the conjuration anchor from Credal’s pant pocket.

  “Let’s take that ring off too,” Cornar says and points to the mage’s right hand.

  “What is it?” Demsal asks, “The ring I mean.”

  “I think it has a rogulin crystal inlayed within it,�
�� Cornar answers and squints in pain at the younger warrior.

  “Well,” an old dry voice cackles from toward the west of the party, “Did you get my anchor? Hex told me the bastard stole it!”

  Several warriors look in the direction of the sound and notice Hex walking with Amendal as well as the latter’s conjured fairy-like servant, Fench, hovering about the two mages. The old conjurer is dressed in his typical black robes and is carrying a light blue tome in his hands.

  “I have it right here,” Nordal says as he walks toward Amendal and hands him the small black magical object. The warrior then stretches out the silver ring he pried from Credal. “And this?”

  “It looks like rogulin,” Amendal mutters, “Yes… Hmm, perhaps? No,” the old conjurer waves his hand.

  “What’s going on?” Aron asks as he nears the others, his bow his strapped upon his back and his arms are folded.

  “This mage is probably from Alath,” Amendal speaks up, “I’ve heard that some of their order wear these so as to not lose their means of teleporting back to their guild.”

  “But this mage wasn’t a conjurer,” Midar remarks. “He was more like a wizard or elementalist.”

  “He could have been a grand mage,” Amendal nods his head and folds his arms, tapping his finger against the sleeve of his robe.

  Cornar heavily sighs and looks back toward the smoldering remains of the suite wing of the Aquinn Grove Retreat. His face contorts in pain and frustration.

  “I don’t think anyone was in there Cor,” Aron remarks as he notices his mentor. “Sharon and Ordreth left to go hiking in the woods a few hours ago. Dith and Hem were having a late lunch after we returned from our hunt.”

  “And what about Hemrin?” the eldest warrior sighs.

  “With his luck he’s probably just fine,” Kalder smiles then his composure changes and nods back toward the front of the lodge, “We have company.”

  “You there!” the chubby inn keeper calls out as he heavily jogs toward Cornar and the others. “What happened here?”

  “This man attacked me,” Cornar says as he turns around to face the inn keeper and points at the mage. “He was prowling around in one of our suites then attacked us when we confronted him.”