Into The Storm

49

Rosalis stood hunched over a map. She stared at it for quite some time, her mind racking away. Uliraf walked up to her.

"So," He asked. "what have you come up with?"

Rosalis groaned and scratched her head. "Okay, this is a pyromancer that we are talking about here, the only one in the world. He won't be hiding anywhere near any of the kingdoms, because that would be too much of a risk, someone will surely find out about him. He cannot hide underground because of the coal miners. Hiding in any of the kingdoms would just be plain suicidal. So, there is only one place that he can go to." She placed her finger down onto a part of the map. "In the mountain near Wolfholde."

Rosalis, Graydon and Uliraf arrived at the mountain and walked inside it via a cavern. They walked through it, following a single path. Suddenly, they heard a screech and spun towards the sound. A fire wraith hovered into view, its robes grey and burnt, its hands black and crisp. Suddenly, it cast a fireball and they all dived out of the way as it flew by them. The wraith released a stream of fire and they hid behind a wall, trying to not get burnt to a toast. Uliraf drew out his longsword and slashed through the wraith's robes, but to no avail to cause any damage to it. They were outmatched. The wraith suddenly grabbed hold of Graydon and he screamed as smoke rose from his wrist. He stopped screaming after a couple of seconds as his skin turned grey and cracked. His eyes turned to stone, fire burning behind them. The wraith released what was left of Graydon and the lich turned its head to Rosalis. It swung its sword at her and Rosalis had no choice but to defend herself. "Please!" She yelled at her brother. "Graydon! Listen to me! I am your sister!"

The lich kept fighting her and suddenly kicked her, bringing her to the ground. She rolled out of the way as it stabbed its sword down onto her. Rosalis got up and continued to fight it. It was then that she realised the horrible truth. She had no choice. There was no other way. Rosalis rammed her blade right through the breast plate, giving him a quick death. Graydon's heart ripped in half and Rosalis drew her sword out, letting him collapse to the ground. Suddenly, the fire wraith screamed as it was engulfed in flame. Its robes turned to stone and crumbled away. Within moments, there was nothing left apart from a pile of broken and cracked concrete. Rosalis collapsed to her knees and dropped her sword. She grabbed her brother' corpse and bewailed, tears streaming down her face. Uliraf stared in shock and sadness. After allowing her to mourn on her own for a few moments, he stepped up to her and got down onto his knees. Taking her, gently, he wrapped her in a hug and she sobbed into his pauldron.

"Shh, shh, shh," He told her gently. "it's alright. Everything is going to be okay."

Rosalis still sobbed, having no words to say.

"It's alright. We'll give him a funeral. Come on, I need you more than you need me."

Rosalis stifled her sobs after a few moments and wiped away her tears. She sniffled. "Okay...okay."

They stood up and turned, spotting a newcomer out of the corner of their eyes. The pyromancer stood there, clad in grey, cracked robes. He was bald and had a large and thick moustache that travelled down his face in two large separate bushy ropes. He was blind in one of his eyes, there being just a white space in between his eyelids.

"You are the pyromancer?" Uliraf asked.

"Yes." He replied in an unbelievably rough and gravelly voice, sounding like he had been eating stones and dirt for a hundred years. "You seek me out, I presume?"

"That be true."

"So what is it that you seek?"

Rosalis gave a long and loud sigh, composing herself. "We need your help."

"My help?"

"Yes."

"And what is it that you need my help for, pray tell?"

"My kingdom was taken from me, and I want it back. You would be an excellent addition to our army. Burn and kill as many knights of Frinnor as you like. I will not stop you. As a last resort, I shall allow you to burn down the entire kingdom. If we win, you will have had your fill of bloodshed. If we lose, you have the satisfaction of burning the kingdom to the ground. Either way, you still get what you want. What say you?"

The pyromancer suddenly laughed, revealing his two rows of black teeth which seemed to be made of coal. His tongue was as black as tar. He shot his head back and his laugh echoed to the sky.

Rosalis and Uliraf looked at each other and he leaned over to her as the pyromancer still cackled. "I think that he agrees." He whispered.