Forsaken Path

Chapter Three

Screams rose and fell in different pitches and tones as they neared the village at a remarkable speed. Dodging branches and jumping logs, Mazdeline raced through the ancient forest towards the sound of her village people's suffering. The screams and cries grew louder, and when she burst through the treeline to jump the fence, the searing heat of flame greeted her. Swearing, the elf accomanying them raced off; probably to help evacuate as much beings as possible. 

"You go find Father." Mayzra shouted to her above the noise, and sprinted towards the heart of the chaos. Mazdeline wasted no time, jumping the fence and entering the outskirts of the burning village. More by blind memory than sight due to the smoke, she ran in the direction of her family's cabin. 

"FATHER!!" She called as she busted down the door without thinking. Luckily her cabin hadn't fully caught fire yet, but the outer wood had started smoking. Frantically bursting through every door and checking every cranny, she called over and over again for her father. Yet by the time she had made two whole rounds, she had given up. 

"Maybe he's helping the village evacuate." She muttered to herself. He was the Archmage afterall, so it would be his duty to lead the evacuation. She mentally face palmed herself for not thinking of that sooner. 

By the time she had made it to the heart of the village, most of it had been evacuated. Now Water Fairies were using their magickal abilities to put out most of the fires that still remianed. She called for her father several times, worry gnawing at her core, until she spotted Mayzra. Running towards her sister, she paused as she neared her and saw the devastated look on Mayzra's face.

"What's wrong sis?" Mazdeline was dreading the answer, yet she asked anyways.

Mayzra turned towards her, a crumpled up note in her fist as she fought back tears. An Elf behind her, one of father's advisor's she noted, bowed his head and walked away. 

"What is it?" She asked again, panic already growing inside her.

"Its...Its f-father." Mayzra stuttered as she tried to hide the fact that she was silently crying. Mazdeline swallowed a lump in her throat, trying to stay cool as she pried the paper from Mayzra's  balled up fist. She uncrumbled it, panic overwhelming her as she read:

"Zerath Loranthus is ours now. If you want him back, give up your kingdom.

Sincerely,

King Azrath"

~

"We cannot afford to give up our Kingdom!!"

The king's voice boomed through the council meeting room. Mazdeline sat straight in her chair, shoulders back, head high. She held herself with pride, yet inside she was quaking, with worry, with fear, all for her father. It was due to her father being taken captive that she was here. In his unwanted absence, she was assigned as his oldest child to take his seat in the council room. But that was all, she would not be taking the title of Archmage to lead the armies, not even temporarily. She had been sitting silently, glancing between being to being as they argued over what they should do.

"Yes, Your Majesty, but you see-"

"I most certainly do NOT see!!" The king slammed his fist down on the table at the advisor's audacity to suggest such a thing- giving up the kingdom as King Azrath had requested. The advisor flinched, and Mazdeline almost pitied him; if she didn't agree with literally every other person in the room, that such a thing could never be allowed to happen.

"Why don't we send someone to talk to the human king." A voice drawled at the other end of the table. All heads turned towards the arrogant voice. As Mazdeline's eyes landed on his face, her breath caught; he was the legendary daemon assassin Aadrik, who served the king. And not only that, damn was he hot. His hair was a dark purple, a natural hair colour by the looks of it, and his eyes were a light gray. He had a slight smattering of freckles across his nose, and his skin was lightly tanned. Horns potruded from the side of his head, roight ablove his sharplty pointed ears. He had a crossbow on the table before him

"And who would do that?" The king asked, his head tilted slightly as he contemplated. Aadrik opened his mouth slightly, about to say something, when Mazdeline spoke up.

"I'll do it." She said, looking the king in his eyes. He seemed shock at her sudden outburst, but then doubt quickly shadowed his features.

"I don't know.." He muttered hesitantly, looking down slightly. Then his eyes once agin met hers. "Have you had any training?"

"Plenty." She responded with confidence. Like hell she was going to let some other being handle this situation. She didn't trust anyone else but herself.

"I can accompany her, In canse anything were to go wrong." Mazdeline's eyes snapped towards Aadrik as he spoke. She was about to speak up once more, about to snap I think the hell not when the king's voice cut through the slight tension.

"Then it has been decided." He said loud and clear "Mazdeline Loranthus, you will be accompanied by Aadrik Korath to save your father and our renowned Archmage, Zerath Loranthus."

Mazdeline inwardly groaned as Aadrik sent her a smug grin, but atleast her offer had been accepted.