Chapter 18

Knocking at the door caught at Erin's attention, as Kyle entered the room. "Ma'am, his majesty, Lord Damora, is waiting on the line at the main hall, it would be best you don't make him wait." Erin huffed as she bumped him, "By the way, Lovell, I was not covering for your escape. That was real."

Kyle closed the door as he left. Lovell got up, getting ready to see if he could find any blind spots to escape. As Lovell quietly closed the door, Hunter entered his room. Lovell knew he had to walk past his door if he was going to get somehow out. Tip-toeing as quietly as possible, Lovell walked by Hunter's door, though Lovell didn't get far as Erin had sent a soldier to watch him as he stayed in her domain. Hunter watched from a distance, as Lovell walked the grounds from his room.

Kyle knocked at Hunter's door, "You seem lost in thought, Hunter, tell me, are you really okay?"

Hunter looked at him, "Like I said, I'll be fine, shouldn't you be somewhere, Kyle."

Kyle noticed a soft look in Hunter's eyes, Kyle closed Hunter's door, "I know you're not Hunter." Kyle muttered to himself. Kyle sighed as he thought of a way to get Lovell out, hearing Hunter scream outside his door, Kyle could only hope that something could save him. He walked away, leaving his friend to wallow. Kyle walked the corridors seeing if there was a place for Lovell to the slipway, each time he found it all closed off or heavily guarded.

The sound of screaming came from Erin's office; Kyle went to investigate. Peering in He noticed Erin growling at someone, "You! You had to come here, dam you, Azoth!"

Kyle felt a cold chill down his spine; Azoth walked into view, "You mean to take the boy away, back to the castle?" Azoth's voice, cold and distant. "He is the next King if anything happens, besides he can lead us to Luna so my father can marry her and take her powers for himself. Controlling who lives and dies, making the King absolute in this world."

"I know, but we keep him here as bait like, as the King said, his friends will come for him, and we will have them search for Luna. Not you or anyone else. It was the King's orders, not yours!" Kyle knew what he was hearing, Lovell needed to hear, quietly he slipped away.

Lovell sat on the edge of his bed, felt like a caged bird in his iron-walled prison. "So, bored of this already." Sating at the ceiling, Lovell wished he had better magic training to get out. A loud knocking at his door caught his attention. "I heard you, stop banging!" Lovell got up, the person continued to bang the door. "What is… if? Kyle, what are you—hey?!" Kyle rushed in, he paced for a moment, before he collected himself, Lovell shut the door. "Kyle, what going on?"

Kyle stopped, gabbing Lovell, "Azoth's here, and they are keeping you here as bait for Luna!"

Lovell pulled him off, "Wait, what? I'm the bait, for Luna?"

Kyle nodded. "We need to get you out sooner than later, but…"

"But that seems almost impossible…wait, they don't know what I look like as a theyan." Lovell turned to Kyle, smiling at the idea. "What if I turn into my small beast form, I'll look like a dog—"

Kyle shook his head, "They would figure it out in an instant, there are no dogs here because Erin is allergic. Besides, not even a rat could slip by without her noticing."

Lovell sat down, "If only I could use my magic to its full capabilities?" Looking at his hand, Kyle slowly looked at him. Lovell looked at Kyle, "What?"

"What elements can you use?"

Lovell crossed his arms as he looked up in thought, "Well, I trained in the five basics, but I can use all twenty-four, but a lass I ever learned how to use them."

Kyle stared, he was amazed to hear him say it so casually. "You know that no one and I mean no one has ever been able to use all the elements, right?" Lovell looked at him like that's impossible. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Kyle felt the world was mocking him. Pulled a book out of his satchel, handing it to Lovell. "This book has the basics of physic magic, which includes the spell for teleportation. Read over the spell; I'll be here around four or five in the morning, so be ready to leave at a moment's notice." Kyle walked over to exit, "You will leave one hour after we find an open area for you to cast."

As Kyle left, Lovell looked at the books cover. He noticed the style was that of an elvish spellbook. Feeling the cover, Lovell could tell it was well used and well-loved. Lovell smiled as he opened the book to find it opened to a spell on levitation, Lovell figured that Kyle uses the spell lots. He turned the pages to the teleportation spell. Lovell laid down as he read over the spell through the night, trying to understand it.

Hours pasted Lovell flopped the book to his side, frustrated that he couldn't understand the spell. Kyle walked in, noting Lovell was still awake, "Did you sleep at all?" Lovell shook his head. "Well, its four-thirty and everyone's still asleep. We need to hurry before the court guards go on duty."

Lovell looked at him, got up. He hoped he understood the spell enough to let him get out of Erin and Azoths grasps. Following Kyle to the courtyard. Kyle pulled a mask out and put it on. Lovell then noticed that his attire was not what he had seen Kyle were around others. It was more roguelike than a man of knowledge.

As they reach the chosen location, Hunter walked out of the shadows, looked at Kyle. "Well, I don't know who you are, but you won't help him escape." Hunter drew his blade at Kyle.

"Lovell, he doesn't know who I am, right now, and I wish to keep it that way, so get ready to cast." Kyle pulled out a staff. Lovell nodded as he let Kyle handle his friend Hunter.

Hunter sneered in the pale moonlight. "I will take that mask off and expose you, traitor. After that, I will make sure Lovel never leaves!" Hunter lunged forward as Kyle defended.

Lovell opened the spellbook to look at the spell, an arrow striking the book. Then the book ignited, Lovell dropped it as he sought to see where the arrow came from, Azoth walked forward towards Lovell. He froze at the sight of him, "You're not going anywhere as long as you're under the Krisnik Stare, boy."

Lovell paralyzed from the Krisnik ability. Knew it was as strong as the users will, or it failed, closed his eyes. 'Terrance, that's enough!' Ulva's voice echoed out. Hunter and Kyle were seeing her ghostly figure standing between Lovell and Azoth. 'I will not let your father win, Terrance Krisnik, come back, it's not too late to come back.'

Azoth clenched his head in pain, looked up at her, Lovell becoming free. "You wench! Get out of my face—" Azoth fell to his knees, Hunter shocked at what he was seeing as Kyle disarmed him.

Ulva turned to Lovell, 'Don't think on how to do the spell, feel them, Lovell.' Lovell remembered Ark saying the same thing as he closed his eyes.

Hunter tackled Kyle as Lovell used his magic. Hunter reached out to grab him only to catch air as Lovell teleported away. Hunter screamed, turning his attention the masked Kyle, but was nowhere to found, Kyle looking beyond a corner returned to his room. Ulva stood over Azoth as tears began to stream down before she left Azoth. Hunter walked over to him, Azoth shoving him away. Ferrous that Lovell got away, so quickly from him.

Lovell landed beyond their grasp; he looked around to see where he was. Though he started to lose his balance, Lovell realized that he used to much magic to quickly as he fell to his knees. The sun was rising as Lovell began to start losing consciousness, he could barely make out someone running to him. Falling to the ground, the person asked for he was okay, shaking him before getting Lovell to safety.

Lovell woke to his body aching; as he sat up, looking around, he noticed that he was in someone's extravagant home. "Oh, your awake, sir. Give me a moment to fetch the young miss." Lovell looked over to see a servant stet down some food on the stand. "Please rest, when the young miss fond you. You were in terrible shape."

Lovell looked out the large windows, "If you don't mind me asking, ma'am, where are am I exactly?"

The servant smiled, "Fallmist Village, we are about a day's trip from the city of Summerwind. In the Kingdom of Gold Heart." She looked at him, "why do you ask?"

Lovell looked at her. "Because—" He realized if he told them he was an escaped prisoner of the Faremin, it could cause trouble. "Well, I used a teleport spell without thinking of a destination, and I, as you can see, I ended up here, that's all." Lovell sheepishly looked at her. 'Well, it not a lie, but it's not the whole truth either.' Lovell thought to himself. "Oh, and thank you for the food, it looks wonderful."

"Thank you and now, if you excuse me." She bowed as she left to get the young miss. Moments later, Lovell had just finished eating as the servant returned. "The young miss is here, sir."

Lovell nodded, "You can let her in I won't bite."

He smiled as a red-haired woman walked in, "It good to see your okay, my name is Scarlet de Rosier, the daughter of William de Rosier."

Lovell shocked that she was a Rosier, one of the noble houses within the Kingdom, "Well, Miss Rosier, my name is Lovell Quacey Krisnik of the Krisnik clan. I thank you for saving me." Lovell bowed the best he could at her.

"Your welcome, sir Lovell." Scarlet smiled at him. "You may leave, I wish to speak with him in private." The servant bowed, leaving their presence. Scarlet sighed heavily, "Finial free." Lovell surprised by Scarlet's reaction after the servant left. "Sorry, but formalities were always boring. Now, you look as if you have travelled lots beyond the four great season villages, what the world beyond like?"

Lovell leaned back, only wince in pain. "Well, harsh and hopeful."

Scarlet noticed he was in pain, "One moment," she pulled out a salve, "Put this on where it hurts, the pain will subside temporarily." Lovell thanked her. She looked out the windows, "They way you say harsh and hopeful sound like the people are suffering because of the war and senseless bloodshed."

Lovell touched her hand, "Not all of it, some people live happy lives, and there are those who suffer because of famine and disease more often than through killings."

Scarlet became saddened at the thought, "So, why can't they get help for that?"

Lovell realized she was a sheltered child, closed his eye as he leaned back. "They can't afford it; I remember Stonebeak, an old mining town, was not doing so good, the people were unhappy and ravaged by drugs and slavery just to survive, but there were those who helped them even if they had nothing." Lovell smiled at her, "You want to see more than you, birdcage will let you, don't you?"

Scarlet turned to Lovell, her face red. "Well, I-I would—" Lovell laughed as she tried to find the words. "Okay, yes, I want to leave, but my father won't let me." She turned away from Lovell.

Lovell caught his breath, "Sorry about that, so, he's a little overprotective, why is that?"

Scarlet's eyes darkened, "Well, he' afraid that I will end up like my mother, dead." She turned to meet his gaze.

Lovell looked away, "You know, I lost people close to me, and if I were in your fathers' shoes, I think I would do the same." Lovell closed his eyes, "but holding you back is unhealthy for anyone's growth…a person." Lovell sensed someone had entered the room. Looking up, he notices a scruffy man stare at him.

Scarlet turned to look at what Lovell was staring at; she gasped to see her father, "Father when did you—"

The words falling short form her mouth. "A short time ago, the daughter, you should bring in strangers to our home without consulting me first." Scarlet tried to protest, her father smacked her, tears streamed as she ran away. "AS for you, stay away from—"

Scarlet's father froze as Lovell stared, his eyes glowing, "Now that was worse than the Faremin would have treated her. A father's love can be a double edge sword, mortal."

He looked at Lovell, "You can't be?"

"I'm half theyan, quarter human," Lovell narrowed his eyes. "quarter beastman, and the Warrior of light and darkness, one of Lunatica's chosen." Scarlet's father stepped back. "One other thing don't tick me off. That would be a terrible idea." A servant entered the room. The Lord started to walk away. "Oh, while having you, I want to offer you something dealing with your daughter." He turned to Lovell, waiting to hear what he had to say. "If you let her be free to grow and spread her wings. What you are doing does more to hurt her relationship than pressure it."

The Lord paused after hearing Lovell's words. "Then I want you to take her with you, young theyan. I would feel better if she was with one of your kind." The Lord left, the servant closing the door.

Lovell felt a huge weight was lifted, once he left. "Great, I have baggage but, at least he was reasonable, even though…" Lovell realizing he acted out without thinking. As he gripped the sheets, "I'm a kynroc." Lovell turned to the windows, "Well, I hope I meet up with Gale and Lance soon, and if they found Luna, that would be even better." Cheering himself up. "But first, I need to recover before searching for them. Heading to Summerwind might not be a bad start. The hunter's society might have some intel where they have been seen at," Lovell smiled at the thought. "It would be even funnier if they were in town at the same time as me." Lovell laughed before laying down to rest.