The Seven Relics of Magicians

The Killing

Warning: there is violence in the end of the chapter

Anthony Locke

I approached it, and saw a single ruby in the center of the light, the ruby was quite large, and was flawless. Looking into the floating gem, I could see various things at once. But what interested me the most was that I could see Astaire in one of the visions. He had been tied up on a chair somewhere, and I imagined that it was somewhere close. Whatever it was, I should try to be discrete during my search, I didn't want to attract attention of any denizens of this place. The cobble stone floor was quite slippery probably because of moss. I walked past the cage and turned to the dark tunnel I had previously seen.

I walked silently, nearly hugging the wall, hoping that straying into the darkness was going to help me lay undetected

Eventually, the tunnel divided into two different ways, and I had to choose. Something made me choose left.

I headed through the leftmost path, still careful not to alert anything that could be around. I finally reached a large chamber, that looked like it was used as a torture room, a {maca} was in the center of the room, probably used to tie people up, and at its side, a table filled with instruments for the most inhuman methods of torture. I backed away, unsure of what to do next.

Surrounding the table were cages, which they probably used to keep their captives on, but that was most surely not were Astaire was being held.

Soon enough, I headed back, and on the way, I found a note that had been dropped by someone, most likely.

I picked up the hastily scrawled note, and tried to read it, but it was too dark. I put it in my pocket, and kept walking, this time taking the path to the right, a path that I found to be short. Eventually, at the end, a chamber that had chairs placed carefully following a weird pattern was, and people also awaited something there. They had their attentions were turned someplace else, so they didn't notice me yet. I crouched and walked past them, hoping they wouldn't notice me in this gods forsaken darkness.

I readied another shot, as I looked around trying to identify who was the strongest of them all. Ask I could find was a man that dressed differently, dressing in a black robe and a red hood.

So I took the shot. Carefully controlling my breathing, and making sure I didn't miss my target, I hit exactly where I aimed for - the forehead

The man fell down quickly, dead in a second. The attentions were now out of whatever they were looking at (for I haven't seen what it was) and eyes stared into the shadows where I lurked. Obviously, they quickly found me, and one of them shouted "Kill the intruder!" On top of his lungs. There were at least ten of these men over here, and they were all mages, that was what I found out when multiple energy arrows were thrown at me, leaving me with no option but to try and doge. Leaning to my right, I rolled out of the arrows' reach. Shooting was not and option, and I could not fend this all off alone.

That is when it struck me. I still knew some spells. I focused on what I remembered to do, and what came to my mind firstly was an energy shield spell. "Hasyu-Niv hil sefire-niv lieshin il isen teriath-niven!" (This meant The power of the gods bless me with their protection literally it would men Power-The of Gods-The bless me with protection-their) I shouted, hoping it would work. For my amazement, it did. I drew my sword and darted towards them, hoping this would keep up for enough time for me to kill at least five of them. I struck one of them down, cutting through his chest and throwing the body at another, who fell to the floor, struggling to get up, I thrusted the tip of my sword against him, readying myself for the other one to come, he conjured a sword and shoot himself against me. My shield won't last that much I thought, picking an arrow of my quiver and stabbing him with it, when he agonized, I finished him by decapitating him with a single blow to the neck. Adrenalin rushed inside me, and that is when I threw myself against the seven left ones. In a blood crazed rush, I passed through them like a tornado, taking two of them with me. I punched them against each other, throwing them to the ground while they were stunned, drawing my dagger and doing open their throats. I turned back and threw the dagger against one of them, the dagger didn't hit precisely, but hit strong enough to knock him back, leaving me time to head back to where I had dropped my bow, where I picked it up, sheathed the sword, and with five more arrows, I finished this. I strapped my bow back to my back, and looked at the few wounds this madness I had just done gave me. I do not regret this. I thought, as I watched all their bodies laid on the floor. I walked to the chairs and sat down, recovering from what I had just done. Eventually, I looked at what they were looking at. It was Astaire, who looked at me in terror, silently. I walked up to him.

"Here" I said, as I cut the tall man up, his silver hair dirty from being dragged by those men. Those dead man.

"What..." He began, stuttering. "What have you done?"

"Do not question, Astaire. If you would see where they would take you to, you would be thanking me. Actually, you should be doing that right now."

He merely nodded, wide eyed, still shocked

Soon enough, I brought him to the portal, then back to the cave. Samwell was looking through the place, searching desperately for us, when he saw the portal open and we step through.

"What did they do to you there?" Was the first thing I asked Astaire when we got there.