A back up plan
Issac waved his hand and teleported to Erikson’s arena. He looked down at his gladiator’s. The silver-eyed sorcerer chuckled. “You are losing your touch.”
“What do you mean, these men are epic. Just listen to the crowed, they are loving this!” Erikson crossed his arms. “Would you like to join them?”
Issac laughed, “You can’t pay me enough, I would destroy your arena, and you know it.”
Erikson shrugged. “I have found all the most experienced men in these lands.”
“You are missing the ‘Epic’ Factor, you are missing my son.”
“Your son? I did not even know you had a son.”
“Well, he is not my biological son. His name is Raziel.”
Erikson’s eyes narrowed. “Is he a Fae?”
Issac wrinkled his eyebrows. “Maybe?”
“What do you mean maybe? Do you not know what he is?”
“Well, I always assumed he was an Elvarian. Due to his pointed ears, but I do not know his heritage.”
Erikson laughed with malice. “Does he travel with Elrian?”
Issac smirked. “He does, have you met him?”
Erikson frowned. “Met, Battled, Lost miserably.”
Issac raised a brow, “But he doesn’t know how to fight? I never taught him.”
Erikson chuckled, a sound that dripped with sarcasm. “He has Aurelian.”
“I know”
“He is the Aquatic Heir to the throne and the 12th prince of King Elderak. He is a fucking Fae Issac.”
Issac frowned. “Seriously?”
Erikson deadpanned. “He turned the shadows of two-hundred men against their owners. I watched as my men were poisoned and brutally devoured by their own shadows.
Issac raised a brow, “He is shadow magic?”
Erikson crossed his arms, “You really do not know what you raised? He is a fucking monster! I lost the Aquatic village to him, forced by a blood oath to relinquish control of the lands to him. AND! Grant his ‘people’ a Dragon Talisman. Because oh, yeah, I forgot, He fucking took out my Red Dragon King.”
Issac became lost in thought. “Fuck, I… I am sorry had I known his power, I would not have released him upon the land like that.”
Erikson scoffed, “Yeah, Thanks for the warning.”
“So, you do not want him in your arena?”
“Fuck no! That ‘kid’ is a god damn menace, I want nothing more to do with him.”
“I understand. Then on to better topics. Have you spoken to Xanther recently? Are you still planning on implementing his system?”
“I don’t know, I mean do I really have a choice? You know his arcane might. Plus, he has the army of ages. I mean who would be stupid enough to go against him?”
Issac smirked, “Raziel”
Erikson opened his mouth then shut it and thought long and hard. “Wait so are you wanting to pit Raziel against Xanther?”
Issac chuckled, “Xanther has already started him down that path anyway.”
“But why would Xanther want Raziel? Or want to fight him in any way?”
“Well, He does know that he has Aurelian.” Issac said thoughtfully.
“True, but that would be a reason to deter Xanther not, encourage him to go after him.”
“Well what if we are going about this the wrong way. What if instead, we tell Xanther how to become friends with Raziel? I mean then he would eventually betray him right?”
“You might be on to something here.” Erikson became lost in thought. “I have an idea.”
Issac teleported back to Nexus. He knew he needed to speak to Renaldo. But first he needed to get something from his home. He walked up the steps and scowled. It was boarded up with signs that read:
Property of Nexus
Do not Enter
He growled, “Fuck you Grandfather.” With a determined purpose he forcefully entered his old house. Cobwebs hung from every part of the ceiling. Dust and debris clung to every surface. He could tell they had searched everywhere.
He was hoping they missed the one place where he hid something special. He knew he had to hurry. Issac rushed downstairs and went to the old brick wall. He smirked. They had not found it. Probably because he did not use magic to hide it.
A brick on the wall, he depressed it and an even darker space opened. It clearly had not be used in a very long time. He looked around, ensuring no one was watching. He entered and let the door close behind him.
Issac snapped his fingers and made a torch appear. He blew on it and it roared to life. With haste he rushed down the stairs. It was an extraordinarily long corridor. It took him a bit to descend. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he turned right and stopped in his tracks. “Hello Renaldo.”
The sapphire eyed alchemist smirked. He picked up a small book. He handed it to Issac.
“What do you want from the core of Nexus Issac? It must be important if you would risk coming here.” Renaldo whispered.
Issac frowned. “I suppose I can tell you since you helped my son and I.” He opened the book. He reached into his silky hair and pulled a single strand. He placed it in the book and then blew a soft breeze over the cover.
It flashed with light. He smirked and opened it. “Renaldo, I need to get the eldritch stones and merlin’s map. This book was my way into the secret chambers through Lumina’s halls.”
“You have merlin’s map?”
“I do, my father… He helped Merlin. Before he died, he gave me his map and instructions.”
“I see. You do realize that if you proceed down this path, The Obsidian Cabal will come for you.”
“I know.” He frowned. And if that happens, “I will lose Raziel.” His voice caught in his throat as he became choked on his own emotions.
“You have feelings for the boy?” Renaldo peered over his black circular spectacles.
“I… I do. He has grown on me, but I have a question? Why did you give him Aurelian? You know I have been searching for him for so many years. I do not know why you would give such a thing to a young and inexperienced boy.”
He chuckled. “I never had Aurelian.”
“You did not?”
“No, The Aquatic Elves were entrusted with it by Aurelian. It is their legacy. Because Aurelian was the first Aquatic Elf. Raziel has it, because he was selected by his ancestor. Lumina created the Aquatic Elves using her own blood and hair to weave them into existence. She called him her son, because he in every sense, was her flesh and blood.”
Issac frowned. “Why did you not tell me that Raziel was Fae, or Aquatic Elf.”
“You never asked me.”
Issac growled softly. “You did not think it was something I should know?”
“No.”
Renaldo looked up the stairs. “Xanther knows you are here. You will not be able to leave the way you came.”
“Fuck, there is no other way out of here. You can not teleport into or out of here.”
“Perhaps you cannot”
Issac sighs. “Why have you claimed protection over me?”
Renaldo chuckled. “That is for my reasoning.”
“Fine, can you help me get out of here?”
“On one condition.”
Issac raised a brow, “and that is?”
“You betray Raziel.”
Issac growled. “You want him to hate me?”
“No.”
Issac crossed his arms. The door at the top of the stairs opened.
“Do you agree?”
“Fuck, Fine, I will do as you ask.”
The alchemist smirks and snaps his fingers. When the spell faded. Issac found himself standing in his room in the core of Nexus.
“You will give me Merlin’s map.”
Issac snarled. “I am beginning to hate you, Renaldo.”
“That is ok, give me the map or I will deliver you to Xanther myself.”
Issac growled again in pure frustration before walking over to his closet and opened a small hidden compartment in the wall. He retrieved something and turned to Renaldo.
Issac frowned. “Before my father died, he gave me a map. He said it was a treasure I would need someday. He also stressed the importance of Xanther never being able to obtain it. Something about a child of Valdos. That he would bring a great monster upon us because he was ‘unbound’.”
Renaldo raised a brow. And then narrowed his eyes. He held out his hand and Issac smirked. He placed the maps in the alchemist’s hand. The blue eyes poetic smiled and together they left Nexus.
Issac found himself back at his home in the forest where he raised Raziel. He frowned softly but as he felt his maps weigh down his pocket he just chuckled. “I love loyalty spells.”
Xanther sat upon his throne. He rubbed his temples. He almost had everything set up to implement his chaos harvest on Erikson’s lands. He just needed one more temple built. It was almost completed.
“Sire, I have a communication from Lord Erikson.” A servant had entered the throne room.
Xanther raised a brow. He took the note. He opened it and it read:
My King, I am writing to you to tell you about young Raziel. He has become a thorn in my side. He is King Elderak’s Son. I am afraid he is a force that we cannot fight well, so perhaps we can befriend him instead? They do say if you can’t beat them, join them?
I will be hosting a dignitary dinner in a few moons from now. I plan on inviting him and his new Queen. Perhaps you could join us? Maybe if we can not take Aurelian, we can get him to fire the one arrow we need?
Oh, I almost forgot, he also has Felendor’s shield. Which unfortunately, makes him even more untouchable. Please whatever you do, do not underestimate the power of the Fae Prince, he is a temple for a starshard. A Crystalline knight travels with him. On top of that he has Venuses bracer and a Larian. Though I do not know if he yet knows how to call on the power of either.
However, I feel that he, like I said, would make an invaluable ally. Perhaps you can help me to get him on our side? You can offer him maybe the use of your chaos magic?
Perhaps if we can get him to use Felendor enough, the cursed litch can derail the boy’s damn morals. I am not sure, but Issac has instilled ‘good’ morals in the boy.
Felendor would be on our side. I fear Prince WindRaven is gaining followers, though I do not know how. I mean he must have help, because his voice is enough to shatter glass. Perhaps Venus? Or Vendak?
As you know also, I fear the dark claw is close to having a Vessel for Diaglo’s Return.
Xanther read and re read this note. Before handing it to Relana. “What do you think my love?”
Relana smiled softly. “This, just might work. But I think, if you are going to successfully pull this off, you are going to need some help.”
“Oh? And who’s help do you think I will need.”
She laughed with a wicked intent. “Mine.”
Raziel was just sitting down to dinner with his people in the tavern. He smiled as he watched the simple bustle of the aquatic elves. They rushed around in a fluster and hurried trying to get everything ready for their meal.
Two little boys started fighting.
“I get to take Raziel his drink.”
“No, you do not! I DO!”
The two little elves both had their hands on a glass of ale. They were tugging it back and forth when it splashed and spilled on them.
Raziel smirked. He stood up and he walked over to them. “Kaldon,” He looked at the first boy, then his gaze darted to the second. “Dale.” He said nothing more.
The two boys dropped to their knees before him. Heads down and staring at the Fae’s feet.
Raziel chuckled. “Come with me boys.”
Without a word the two-youth followed Raziel. He led them upstairs and to a room in the inn. It was full of community clothes. He smirked when he saw two sets of black and gold robes. They were a bit big for the boys, but they would do. They clearly have not been used in some time.
He picked them up and laid them out on the bed. “Boys, you are to take a wash bucket and dust these off. Meet me back downstairs when you are dressed. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Raziel” Came the boy’s response.
He smiled and walked out of the room. DeLarian was waiting for him. “What are you doing to my sister’s children?”
Raziel laughed, “Take a peek.” She looked in the room and they were obediently doing as they were told.
She closed the door and chuckled.
“Trust me?”
She smiled, “I trust you.”
He held out his arm, “come with me then?” Together they descended the stairs back to the tavern.
The two boys came down a short time later, dressed in noble robes of black and gold. They fiddled with the hems of their sleeves as they were a bit too long.
Tal walked over, “Why are my children in those robes?”
Raziel smiled, “Because they were the right color, your family is of noble descent. It is time that some order is placed as we rebuild, I want to do things a bit differently this time.”
Her jaw fell, “I..”
He just smiled. “We are going to restructure the city and the ranks.”
Phalentine just smiled. He did not argue. They were all jarred out of their content mindset when the door to the tavern burst open. One of Eriksons men fell the tavern floor and bled out. A centurion spear, through his heart.
Anger filled Raziel’s veins as he stepped outside. A host of half horses, half men stood not far from the tavern’s door.
“What is the meaning of this?”
Warthan stepped forward. “I heard this land was not owned by Eriksons men any longer. I came to meet the new owner?”
“That gave you the right to kill this man?”
Warthan laughed maliciously. “Do you take pity on Erikson’s men?”
Raziel growled. “I value life, clearly you do not. Are you here to make enemies?”
“Not really but if you side with the tyrant we are already enemies.”
Aurelian hummed on his back. Raziel stroked his string. “These creatures, come to take your land Raziel. We must show them who they deal with.”
Raziel just smirked. “I will always error on the side of life, so I will give you the opportunity to leave. If you do not, one of us shall die.”
The tavern door was open and Raziel turned. He caught Phalentine’s gaze. He nodded. That was all that was needed to trigger an evacuation. Phalentine led the elves out the back way.
Screams caught Raziel’s attention. His eyes snapped back to the creature standing before him. “You dare to advance on me?”
Warthan just smirked. “I will be taking this land as ours.”
“Like hell you will.” Raziel grabbed Aurelian off his back. He aimed it at the man in front of him. “You know what to do.” He spoke to his bow.
The arrow sparked with electricity. The sky darkened and Razel nocked an arrow. “I will give you one last chance to leave my people alone.”
Warthan just laughed. “Right, who do you think you are to demand me?”
Raziel said nothing and instead let his arrow take its flight. It burst into an electrical storm of fury. It arced high and altered course. The projectile, a sentient weapon of attack. It spilt into fifteen arrows and took out every single centaur behind the Inn.
Raziel threw his bow on his back and rushed around to his people. He snickered when he saw them all safe. Surrounded by centaurs. The flesh on their bones melted as they turned to dust. Their souls being absorbed by Aurelian.
Raziel, confident that they were safe, went back to Warthan. He aimed his bow again. It crackled with more energy as he nocked another arrow. “What were you saying?”
Warthan scowled. “You have Aurelian.”
“If you think that is all I have, you are sorely mistaken, would you like to try this conversation again?”
“I would.” Warthan frowned in frustration.
Raziel disarmed his bow and put it on his back.
“I see now why Erikson yielded to you.” The half horse crossed his human arms.
“Now, for a proper introduction. I am Raziel Flaren, twelfth son of King Elderak. The Fae King. And you are?”
“I am Warthan, the Centaur King. Forgive my hostility Fae. Xanther is trying to find a way to absorb our magic. He works with Erikson, putting up his stupid temples.”
“Do you mean to tell me that he is attempting to take away your free choice?”
“That he is.”
“I am listening.”
