Blood of the Merciless

Chapter Fourteen

14.

The group rode on horseback through the barren lands. Florian sat behind Ashe as they rode. Alaric had explained the circumstances of how he escaped certain death.

"Why did the snake help you?" Thorin asked.

"I don't know," Alaric answered.

"So the snake just helped you for no reason?" Thorin continued.

Alaric shrugged. "I felt Slavio trying to communicate with me but I couldn't understand anything." Alaric glanced at Florian who till this point had not spoken to him yet. Florian just kept his glance over Ashe's shoulder. He also noticed Ashe glancing at him strangely.

"You want to ask me anything, Ashe?" Alaric asked.

Ashe hesitated before she spoke. "Yes, it is about Jerial."

"Can't say I did not see this coming," Alaric said. "Yes, Jerial is my father or at least was my father."

The group fell silent.

"My father, Jerial the Merciless, Great Lord of Adhu Aqua. One of the strongest casters to ever exist. Some would even argue for the strongest. He was loved by many and feared by all. What made him stand apart from all other Great Lords at the time was his great intellect. Under his control, Adhu Aqua was prosperous. Alas, his untimely death threw the city in turmoil."

The rest listened to his story intensely.

"Do not be fooled, however, my father was a horrible man. He treated me and my... never mind that wasn't important. After his death, I had nowhere to go. Priest Able found me and the rest is history."

"Why'd you never tell us about him?" Florian asked. He still looked forward.

"Simple, it was never important. We all have dead parents."

Before anyone could speak, Alaric sped up with his horse and now rode ahead of the group. "Nixum, ahead! Stay behind me!" He yelled.

Thorin and Ashe rode their horses closer to Alaric.

"What are you going to do?" Ashe asked.

"A trick I learned from my father," Alaric whispered.

Come on, you have been too quiet.

Out of sight to the others, Alaric's eyes shone a bright purple. The shark-like nixum seemed to respond to him. They separated, seemingly making a path for them to cross through.

Happy?

Extremely.

Once they were past the nixum, Thorin piped up. "How did you do that? Caster's tried to tame the nixum for years."

"It is a curse," Alaric answered.

Florian scoffed.

After they passed the nixum threat, Thorin took the lead once again. She led them toward a different direction, claiming that the new way will lead them directly to Isern.

"I don't think I can trust you anymore," Florian said. He said it while staring ahead. Nobody questioned who he was talking about.

"Florian, that is-"

"It is okay, Ashe. I understand completely. None of you has any reason to trust me." Alaric stated.

The mood turned sombre.

A few hours later, a tall building broke into the distance.

"What is that?" Ashe asked.

"Isern. That tall building is where we will find Chapman." Thorin explained.