Espex The Demon Mage. (1)

Chapter 28: Our Lord

An old man with a rather long walking stick paced through the thick snow of the north. He was sporting a long beard with grey tips his short hair was in the same fashion grey at the top blonde at the bottom and white at the top. He was clearly in his middle fifties. He made his way up a small slope that overlooked a village with a large church in the middle.

He spoke to himself while stroking his beard. "So this is the place. Fure said I will find three mage here."

Silence in the great hall. It was maddening so many people in a hall yet not a sound was being made it was almost as if they weren't there. Ashra stood ready smiling at Dypes. Both locked in a stare down waiting for the other to make a move. They both stood in this lock for a good minute. Neither of them looked away, always into their deep brown eyes. Espex stood in the ready if he needed to jump in. Fure watched on in disbelief as did most of the crowd. Dypes once thought to be the weakest of the three boys was now standing proud at the top, even giving the current lord a hard time. Ashra smiled but it was all a front to hide her panic and distain for Dypes, she needed to make sure she was playing with him otherwise the people would lose faith in her. In her desperation she burst forth first throwing out her left hand to grab a unprepared Dypes by the shoulder, He tried to counter with his right hand but her hold was too strong her fingers dug deep into his peach skin. With Ashra's free hand see clenched her fist and smashed it into Dypes skinny body. Dypes tried to scream but little came out just a sharp squeak. She followed the attack up with another then another, this kept happening until after the eighth hit. Dypes dropped to the ground gasping for air eyes tearing up from the pain, his mouth spilling a little blood.

"You may be strong Dypes but I am stronger that is why I am lord." Her words true.

On the floor he looked up at the towering body of Ashra. Her scarred face looked down on his beaten body with a twisted smile. She bent down and grabbed Dypes by his long brown hair pulling him up. The pain caused Dypes to scream out, hair being ripped out his air as she picked him up.

"You will not receive the same mercy as Haya. You cannot be allowed to live. You are too much of a threat to me and my rule. If only you had kept your magic training hidden in five years you may have beaten me."

Espex was looking on at the horrific event, his only brother being held up by his hair and goaded at by the lord. His fist was being clenched so tight blood was spilling out. Fure caught it at the side of her sight. Fear was running through her old head. She needed to buy time for the boys but how? She was of no match of the lord let alone the boys. Haya was still on the floor. Completely out tears and blood staining his face cover.

Dypes painfully turned his head back to Espex. Every word he spoke a pain. "Espex remember that thing I told you about?"

Espex just looked at his brother in confusion. What was he talking about in his current situation? Had he gone mad because of the defeat?

Ashra just laughed. "The last words of an Asura, I will grant them I am not heartless talk to your brother one last time."

"Remember Espex. I said I never read the book." It suddenly hit Espex the purple book Dypes had found. What of it though what was he saying? "I lied, you must find it." Turning back at Ashra Dypes smiled. He placed both his hands on the arm holding him up by the hair. "Ashra for the current lord you are a little stupid."

"How dare you!" Dypes received a punch to his face with from her free fist.

Dypes just laughed as his broken nose spewed forth blood and mucus. "I haven't used magic yet I have trained every day. Why is that?"

"You know it is futile young one that is why. You are not like Haya."

"Correct and Wrong. Normal magic would be useless you would find a counter." A cough of blood spewed forth from his young lips. "However I have magic that you have never seen." His grip on her arm got tighter. Her arm turning red from the sheer pressure of the hold. Ashra however was not worried.