2 Fear

Grimwald couldn't believe his eyes, he knew magic inhabited the world and that even some dangerous beasts had access to it albeit it limited and primitive. This level of control was unheard of in the quiet kingdom that the Lightbringer family ruled over. The Castle itself was nestled far away from the borders nestled in between two mountain ranges that gave it a naturally defended position. A massive magical forest surrounded the kingdom's borders that made a natural boundary. At the same time it made it very rural and secluded away from the rest of the world.

His whole body felt paralyzed, sweat protruded from every pore. Fear enveloped his senses and the entire world started to spin. Years of training kicked in before he knew what he was doing, first one foot moved, then the other, with every heartbeat the movement became more fluid. His body had a mind of its own fueled by instinct. He bound across the room, both hands gripped his long sword as he raised it above his head ready to cleave the shadowy figure in two.

The sword came down with all the force he could muster. The figure of the man offered no resistance, and his body turned to smoke as the blade pierced the now ethereal silhouette. With no resistance the momentum carried him forward into the spreading smoke. Much to his horror, the smoke slowly enveloped his own body controlling his movements and lifting him a few inches off the ground.

"Haha, what have you been feeding this kid, Oswald? He's got spunk and a spine, only hesitating for a moment. You can't teach character like that, I'm interested in your life young one. Ah, but first things first." He clicked his tongue appearing next to the prince, and the prince found himself floating towards the window. He struggled against the black smoky exoskeleton that had him bound, but to no avail. He reached the window after what felt like hours, but in reality was only seconds. 'Is this really how I'm going to die, to be flung from my own castle to splatter on the ground like an insect?'

He managed to open his eyes after he realized he was no longer moving. Slowly opening one eye, then the other as shock and relief filled him. The castle grounds, the villa surrounding its walls, all of the merchants carts that lined the main road inside the valley, it was all completely fine. There was no indication that there had ever been a raging inferno just moments before. It was as if it was just any other night. "What the-" was he managed to squeak out before he suddenly felt gravity forcing him back to the ground and the smoke releasing him. The smoke coalesced into the second figure that was beside the strange mage when he entered and somehow the wizard was where the second figure was at the entrance before he strolled to the window.

"Hopefully Minerva didn't spook you that bad, she's just my familiar. She is a succubus, so sometimes she drains a bit too much life force from those she envelops. Sorry for that, she was just naturally protecting me. Contrary to popular belief familiars don't strictly obey their master all the time, it's more of a symbiotic relationship." Kyriel rambled on as he moved his hands as if to lecture him.

King Oswald shifted his weight on his other foot as he dejectedly grumbled "No, Ky I'm sure he has absolutely no idea how the destruction of everything he's ever known can just go back to normal."

"Oh, yes I'm sorry kid, Even though your grandfather is one the best mages of his generation. I forget you country bumpkins have hardly no idea of the vast world out there and the magic that keeps it thriving. While the flames of my spell were very real, I placed a simple barrier in between them and the rest of this dump. I just wanted to show your father the error of his ways and the end of his legacy if he didn't come to his senses soon." He smirked as the last line left his lips, glaring at Oswald the entire time.

A moment later his gaze shifted back on the young prince before bowing as his guttural hiss spat out the next words. "Let me introduce myself formally. I am Arch Mage Kyriel Thane, I am third seat in the covenant and the current master of the Roving Fortress."

Then pointing a long slender finger straight at Grimwald, "And you my young prince are my prize. You will become my apprentice and inherit my legacy, that is unless you don't have a shred of magical aptitude about you and die in the trials of the Mausoleum. However I doubt the latter comes to fruition since you come from the great Lightbringer bloodline, even if your father was mostly a dud and refuses to use magic as is his birthright, your ancestors were a magical bloodline not to be messed with. How did you think your family came to inherit these lands anyway? I mean even if you hicks have renounced magic because that damned forest protects you, being simple brutes won't allow you to keep hold on these lands forever."

At that moment the world started to spin, the adrenaline left his body. Unable to cope with everything that he had just witnessed, everything he knew about the world was suddenly spiraling out of control in his mind. Strength gave into weakness and Grimwald saw the floor approaching him before losing consciousness.

Kyriel made his fingers dance through the air and an air cushion caught Grimwald before he smacked into the marble floor below them. Then his fingers danced higher as if controlling a marionette, so did the air cushion as it lifted him back onto his bed laying him down. "Well I thought that went well as far as first impressions go. Come Oswald we have much to discuss before I depart with the boy. I plan to leave at dawn tomorrow."

He started to stroll back out of the room, when he crossed the threshold he thought to himself 'oh I've created quite the mess in here' circling back to face the room staff still in hand. He closed his eyes as streaks of brown and white ran down his beard, mustering up the mana needed. The bricks and debris all around the room started to float back towards the wall and door that had once been there reforming in an instant. The guards laying on the floor floated in a line as if being carried by an invisible person over their shoulders one after the other. The King, Archmage, his familiar and the floating guards left the room as if nothing had happened leaving it as pristine and as dirty as before.