Espex The Demon Mage. (1)

Chapter 13: Travel

"Arch-Mage what is wrong sir!?"

Turning the Arch-Mage answered. His voice low brittle but most importantly powerful. "The Demon star falters." The Arch-Mage wore a large white robe that covered his body from neck down, His arms only exposed to the hands, They were old and frail his veins over the skin almost. A large brown staff in his right hand as a walking stick, but stood twice his size. Pointing to his advisor a man known as Mehuk. He was a very tall man with no hair and dull grey eyes, always trying to please the Arch-Mage. He wore the same attire as the Arch-Mage but his robe was brown and he possessed no stick. "Gather the novices, its time they know what we train for." His words absolute and certain. His advisor bowed and left the room. The Arch-Mage rubbed his white hair and white long beard. "Where will he be?"

"Knowing the knights, probably being carted off to the road of harrow."

The Arch Mage turned to see Haya, standing at his window blocking the evening light. "Ah good he can get there in no time. What of the girl?"

"See is safe Arch-Mage. She is connected to him but for what reason I do not see." Haya said.

"I agree my sight has been blurred lately, since the King of Skov has gone crazy and started capturing Mage, I have not seen brightness. I only see darkness." He said it as an almost forbidding truth. "Haya I want you to tell the girl of Espex, and I want you to keep her out of this. She is young and still new to the teachings of mana; after this has been dealt with I will invite her to the Gord city academy of mana, myself." Haya nodded knowing that is was the highest of honours to be asked to join the school by the best.

"I will go and tell her; afterwards I will make my way to the road, to slow them down."

"Be safe Haya." With a nod light encased the mummy and he was gone.

Looking back out of his window the scene was of the rooftops of Gord and the main gate.

"I fear this will get messy, Espex why did you never do what I told you, my worst pupil. Yet my most powerful." A chuckled past out his old grey lips and beard. "And my favourite."

Three days earlier...

"Kill him men!" Screamed a wild blood drained Kruem.

"Hold that order men." A man on a large brown horse, his armour like Kruems before Espex tore it off him. He wore a large helmet shaped of an eagle. Sir Jaq of the twelve Knights of One. "He is to be captured, knot up that man in rope and take him as prisoner."

Anger burst from Kruems eyes and mouth. "No! He Dies Here!" pointing to his lost arm, "Look what he did he must be punished!" The knights all stood ready to kill or capture.

"Kings order state that man is to come back to the castle." Jaq was calm not like Kruem who now was only fuelled by rage. Jaq's face was hidden within the darkness of the helmet, but his voice strong and gentle. "That's an order men!" The knights did as told and grabbed and tied up the now unconscious Espex. "Listen well Kruem, The kings orders are absolute If we did not follow them we are no better than these Mage. Destroying our peaceful dream world for Hyarod." Kruem huffed and kicked the ground while clutching the robe his arm used to be. "Do not worry this task was a success, the king shall reward you as he is a good man. Now come we have a week of travel ahead of us."

"Fine," pointing to his men that carried Espex with rope. "Put him in the horse and cart cage."

The knights nodded and carried the ghost white unconscious Espex towards a large steel cage, that was pulled by two large white horses. Getting thrown into the cage Espex smashed against the bars bruising his body. Luckily for him he was completely out. "OK men lets go, it's about four days to get back with this sad sack of cargo." The remains of the first and most of the second legion that was brought to the city of Gord marched and trotted themselves towards north and to their great king. As a missions success was always worth the people who lost their lives to make it succeed.

Days past as Espex sat in the cage now awake. He could only watch the surroundings and white knights as he stayed trapped in the cage. His purple hair was growing slowly and his eyes glowed duller than usual. His new teeth still bothered him as now and then he bit down on his cheek and cut flesh. The wound on his chest from one of the knights was starting to get infected.

"This damn cage is stopping my mana." Espex said to himself. To his right Jaq trotted on his large horse, still fully clad in armour he turned to Espex.

"This was made especially for capturing Mage. Don't bother to use mana." with that the conversation ended and that was all the comfort Espex got all day.

Knights would spit in the cage for revenge of the knights he killed. Espex got barely any food or water just enough to keep him alive and moving. The cage just enough to let him sit up straight but no more and with his bare feet and wrists tied down with thick harsh rope movement was little. Espex jaw was starting to form a slight shadow of purple hair, usually he would cut it with his short runed knife but he lost it when he transformed.

"We should just kill him like Sir Kruem said." A knight said as they walked with the cage.

"Don't be an idiot the kings' orders are absolute, you could be hanged for this talk shut up and walk."

Thoughts of what would happen to him when he got to the king. That would they do to him, none of this really mattered to Espex. What he thought about the most was Samth. He took her into this world of magic without really telling her the risks. Why didn't he take her straight to the academy?

"Am sorry...Samth. I hope Haya takes care of you."

"Shut up Demon!" A sneer came from a knight of one. "Soon you will be dead. So enjoy this view."

Espex looked out at the green pastures of grass and wheat. Farmland heavy, with woods in the far distance. The knight was right this was going to be his last good view. He sat trapped watching it. With a faint smile on his ghost white face. "A good sight for my last."