Eight Intertwined

29 - Heathcote

There were more guards hiding in the area than Therion had expected, he had to admit. They had been more than fine with letting Therion and the rest of the party roam the manor at first, but it seemed as if Heathcote had given them a single to pull them all back to the treasure room at a moment's notice. There had to be at least a dozen of them, not that Therion was particularly paying attention to them. He was too focused on Heathcote. 

Therion had to admit that Heathcote was much more durable than he expected. He released a small blast of fire magic, something that he had taught himself years ago, before following up with a dagger attack. The rest of the group was focusing on the guards themselves, though some were doing better than others. 

"We aren't trying to cause you any trouble!" Tressa exclaimed. She hadn't taken the revelation about Therion being a thief well at all, and he could hear it in her voice. She used a blast of wind magic to knock the nearby guards off their feet, sending many of them falling backward into one another before they hit the wall unceremoniously. 

"Consider this one final test," Heathcote announced, though Therion had no damn clue what that was supposed to mean. He dodged a swipe from Therion's dagger before following up with a slash of his sword. Therion raised his own blade to deflect the attack, a growl rising in the back of his throat. He hadn't ever known an old man to be so agile and threatening in combat, and he hated that he was being forced to test the limits of his instincts against someone who had proven himself to be so frustratingly unpredictable. 

"I don't know what you want from us, but we'll be out of your hair as soon as you'll let us go," Alfyn said next. He was struggling to keep a smile on his face as he sent a small attack of ice out to immobilize the guard closest to him. 

"There is something very important that I require from your party, and if you are able to succeed, then the time will come for me to explain," Heathcote replied, once again keeping his responses as vague and cryptic as he could possibly manage. 

Ophilia was the only member of the group who seemed to wish to come to Therion's aid. In truth, it was much more complicated than that; everyone else was focused on the sheer number of guards in the area, leaving Therion to occupy their leader. Perhaps there was a quiet sense of uncertainty in the air regarding Therion because he had been the one to get them into such trouble in the first place, but he couldn't care less even if he tried. He worked best alone anyway. 

Ophilia, however, didn't seem to think so, and she sent a pair of icy attacks in Heathcote's direction to knock him off balance before sending out a wave of magic that overwhelmed Therion's senses. It took him a moment to register that this was healing magic, something that he had never experienced until that moment. He had never gotten close enough to a mage during a friendly encounter nor had he ever needed it when he was around users of the arcane arts. Even though it was a new feeling, it wasn't entirely unwanted, Therion had to admit. 

Therion used this opportunity to rush in Heathcote's direction. He slashed his dagger at Heathcote mercilessly, thrusting his left hand forward to use an attack of fire. This knocked Heathcote to his knees, leaving the man notably dazed. He held at his head with one hand in an attempt to regain his footing. 

Cyrus seemed to recognize that Heathcote had been distracted, and he turned away from his work in distracting the Ravus territory soldiers to flick his wrist at Heathcote. Ice immediately began to mount against the ground, spreading toward Heathcote at breakneck speeds. It didn't take long for Heathcote's lower body to be fully encased, and part of his torso was left shrouded in the icicles as well. 

This lapse of focus on Cyrus' part offered the chance for one of the remaining soldiers to attack him, but Olberic jumped in the way with his sword braced for the strike. Sparks flew in every direction, and Olberic pushed the man backward, causing him to stumble once again.