Asher the Insane

16 - Rene The Young King and Leoren the Old Wizard

There was a time when the monarch of Landsfor and his closest ally sat in the royal banquet hall in relaxation.

That moment wasn't now.

The most recent ruler of Landsfor, Rene Retaire, sat in a state of rage, worry, and other negative emotions that had begun to rise up inside of him even before the annual conflict with their primary rival kingdom, Kathe.

He slammed his fist into the large table filled with delectable foods in front of him and cried, "Damn it all!

"What is it, my lord?" Leoren, the elderly figure known as High-Invoker, asked the king.

He mumbled numb, "It's nothing," in response. "I simply can't stop thinking about what occurred."

The old man sprang up from his chair and bowed to his monarch, saying, "My lord, my heart genuinely tears with grief."

"Leoren, stand up and quit addressing me as Lord. I had thought that since I have been Rene to you for my whole life, it would continue to be so for the rest. Do not bother yourself with my sorrows. Nobody could have imagined what has happened, no one could have predicted circumstances like these," he said, dispelling the worry that had followed the old wizard ever since that day.
"You know you are like an uncle to me, I know I can share these uneasinesses I carry with me.It hasn't been long since I ascended to the throne, and I have struggled with self-doubt at every turn. I had hoped that participating in or winning the yearly spar would boost my bravery, but with that man..."

Leoren got up with no difficulty, something that man his age should have already struggled with a decade ago, "Tranquillize, youthful Rene. Perhaps it bears true that thou hast not held the seat of king long-lasting, the seventeen of years I spend fastened to thine side have given me the awareness that thine rule would be tremendous."

Rene felt secure in his role as young king as he was believed in so thoroughly by someone he considered to be close family despite his eyes being sorrowful and heavy with duty."I appreciate your trust in me," he said.

There was stillness for a while.

"Who was that man?" The king began.

"He proclaimed himself to be Asher Burell," Leoren answered as fast as his aged mouth allowed him to.

"First, he claimed himself to be Seiya," Rene continued, "why?"

"Never have I heard of such a man, neither ones of the twice named. He was of great power."

"Not greater than yours," the king looked at the old mage.Hesitant the mage had to challenge what the king had said, "there is true regret in these words but, I cannot agree."

"What do you mean?" The king had not expected his words to be refuted.

"Reflect at the first skill he hath set against us, the vortex which had smitten at least fifteen chiliad of men on the field. Not once in my life had I seen such a spell," Leoren admitted.

"How are these men by the way? This Asher stated that he did not actively try to kill. This is also one of the questions one must wonder," the king put his hand to his chin.

"None one dead."

Again there was a silence.

"I must share my disquietude with you who is my king. When first you called me to lay my sword upon him you saw yourself that he split himself into multiple.When first they came they were no match of mine and I dispatched them but when twice the next time they were almost of mine own strength, maybe equal. I fear when he appears next, his chaos will be unseen before that day."

"What shall we do?"

There was a sad glint in the eyes of the old man, "...I do not know. He can be our doom. He will be our doom."

"That is insane. I'll kill him first, next time my eyes lay upon him," Rene said in anger.

"That would be a grave choice. Dismayed, I must say, what else is there to do? Before we will be given the chance to stop him once and for all he will have wreaked havoc among all the world."

"We shall try to find out anything about him before he'll do anything. He said that his companions goddess was called Alexandra. Maybe we'll find something about her."

"There are a myriad of goddesses with that name, some long ago forgotten. Not one under the stars to praise their names in darkness or shadow.
Knowing who he meant is like finding the right corn of sand in a desert."

"We must," and deep in thought, the king asked himself, "who is that man?"