Espex The Demon Mage. (1)

Chapter 19: Titled

Novice black robed mage wondered the battlefield of the Harrow, picking up bodies and burying them. They may have been enemies but the knights were still people and as such deserved a burial. Tate over watched the process and even helped when he could. He was old and age was creeping up on him. Using so much mana in short amount of time had tired him, after freeing Haya and Espex he wondered off commanding the burial process to begin, His assistant overlooked most of this operation.

"Isis when will the others arrive they seem to be taking a lot longer than usual."

Isis replied her blue and pink eye bright, the pink eye now a mellow blue "Soon, Amun is taking them,"

Tate looked worried. "Ah I was hoping he was far too busy to come here, we may have a problem."

Isis looked up in confusion her pink long hair being held back by her silver head piece. "What do you mean sir?"

"Didn't you know? Amun isn't from this plane of existence, that's why he wears odd clothes and has a weird manner of speech. When Espex was younger and learning his powers he somehow sucked him in trapping him here. I took him in the school and he learned mana. Amun was a fast learner and powerful. More powerful than me at his age, but he has so much hate for Espex for dragging him here. He has never forgiven him."

Isis just looked at Tate, understanding why, yet she felt there was sadness in the old man when he told her, like it was somehow his fault.

Out of the forty novice mage that leaped into battle, only eighteen made it out alive. The ones that died had their names forever engraved in history as the first warriors that died in the Skov civil mage war. Each titled in honour of their great acts.

Espex managed to dress himself with clothes from the victims of the battlefield. He took most of it from the knight's armour, shoes, chest and gloves. Luckily for him his trousers stayed on when he transformed.

"It is good to have clothes on." Espex said with a smile on his face.

"Indeed your ghostly body was not nice to look at," Added Samth with a cheeky red lipped smirk. "It is good to see you Espex." Espex just looked at her and kept his smile on his purple shadowed face, he needed a shave. His eyes still glowed dimly while he looked at her big blue ones.

"I am the one who is sorry, Samth... I wish I didn't bring you into this world."

"Don't be! This world is dangerous but its living, I would have stayed in that tavern the rest of my days, knowing nothing of the outside world. Thank you," Cheering up the topic. "Anyway I got my title I am on par with you Espex Demon Walker." pointing to herself "Meet Samth the Angelic."

Espex laughed and looked at her in a new light; He had always looked at her as a little kid who caught his attention, now he saw a dear friend. "Pleased to meet you Samth the Angelic, but you are far from on par with me." Samth puffed up her skinny pale face and rolled her eyes away. Espex chuckled in his low strange accent.

"Espex...Grix." Samth said "Is he dead?"

Espex looked at Samth and smiled. "Nope, he took a beating but I cancelled his summon once he got kicked. Hold on." Doing what Espex does best he placed one hand on the muddy ground and another on his chest, chanting the words he knew all too well he invoked the spell. "Rik Ta protettur zghar!"

The ground rumbled and out popped Grix a small blue rabbit dog, His torso bandaged and his green trousers ripped. He stood looking at Samth barked and zoomed up her body. Samth screamed with delight and tears ran down her face. Espex smiled and Grix barked merrily.

"I missed you Grix!"

A few minutes passed and the Harrow was nearly cleared of bodies and blood. Everyone muddy and tired were wondering or sitting down taking a breather. Tate sat with his advisor and his three guards. Isis sat with Espex, Samth and Grix.

"You are really him! Espex the great demon." Isis wide eyed, almost rolling over her purple lips. Espex just looked back at her with a little disgust but pride also. He nodded at her. "Wow!" Samth watched and listened as Isis asked Espex multiple questions much like she had asked him when they first met. This went on until the sound of marching came from the dead Harrow woods. Everyone stood up and got ready for another attack. The only one who did not was old man Tate. He simply stayed on the ground, calm and collected. He was right to do so. It was all the other mage, Numbers far too great to count. In the lead of the rest was Amun, stained in blood. His hood down but his wool fire branded hat on his head hiding his hair. His freckled skin covered in splattered blood. The countless mage dressed all differently walked towards the novice, or talking to each other. Amun went straight to Tate who sat on the ground.

"Sir are you ok?!" panic and worry in his voice. Tate nodded and Amun let out a sigh of relief. "Good, I am sorry I was too late. I see a lot of graves. Do not worry I have dispatched with the rest." Tate looked at him with anger and disbelief, Mana hit Amun and his unique trousers hit the mud. "I am sorry!"

"So you should be I never gave you an order to kill. They were beaten and on the run." Great anger in old man Tate's voice.

The pressure left and Amun was left on his knees in front of the old man. "I am sorry."

"I know, Go round up everyone, we are going to return to Gord." Amun looked up with haste and confusion, why go back to a city? King Coext knows that's the main city of mage. It would be too predictable "I know what you are thinking. Why go back to the city. I shall tell you its great walls have never been breached, it is our home and as we speak Haya is talking to the mayor of the city."

Amun just nodded and stood up. "Oh and one more thing, Espex is here. Under no circumstance do you attack him, He has a new titled mage with him, and she is young but powerful. I would say she will be more powerful than even me someday."

Hate fuelled Amun's round face, bitterness in his voice. "Who is the girl then? When did she get her title aren't all us titled mage meant to be notified?" He blatantly did not ask about Espex.

Tate looked at Amun. "Yes you are meant to be informed and I am informing you, she is called Samth and her title is The Angelic."

Amun looked at the bearded old man. "Why Angelic? What can she really do?"

Tate replied swiftly. "Espex found her in a small village no more than a month ago, in that time she has managed to copy and complete her own new Spell, Inspired by Espex very own Twirl Ball. She has also managed to pull of high level wind mana and use earth mana, all feats that should take years." Amun stood jaw dropped. What talent he had to meet this woman. "I want you to gather everyone here." Amun did as told. Within ten minutes everyone was standing on the muddy ground looking at Tate. "Well done everyone today was the first in many battles and hopefully victories. We shall mourn our dead once we reach Gord once more. Right now I have good news to overshadow the horror that will come in these coming days. A new Mage among us has been titled. Samth is her name and she will now be known as Samth the Angelic," The crowd all cheered and celebrated, Samth went red and kept her head down in the crowd. Grix clapped its gloved hands and barked with joy. Espex clapped hard as did Isis with her big pink eye.

"Yes well done, with her we now number in the twenties of Title mage here alone. Haya will gather more around Skov who support our cause and bring them to Gord. That is where we will go and plan our next step. I need only ten more minutes and we shall depart." Everyone seemed to disperse. Espex grabbed Samths skinny wrist with his new white gauntlet gloves. She and Espex walked up to Tate.

Samth nodded with a faint smile "Thank you." Tate's big beard and grey lips smile and cheer were in his face.

"I am afraid I cannot come with you Tate, Even though I am the cause of this war, You know I have more pressing matters." A serious tone in Espex words. Tate looked at him and nodded.

"Espex you are not the only reason this is happening. This has been coming for a while now. The king has gone mad, kidnapping his own people for reasons unknown. He must be stopped. Alas I could have done with you two on the front lines, but you are right. I hear that he is north in your homeland Espex." Espex purple eyes glowed a little brighter and a smirk crossed his face.

"Samth looks like we may be wearing seal skin again."