They said he was crazy, but I never believed them. He was sane as you and me. He was, though, accused of a crime that he never admitted although evidences were strictly against him.
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Wealthows shriek had attracted Altair and Theodoric attention, which immediately came back to see her. The High Elder gave a great shuddering gasp of fear when he set his eyes on Nerva.
"Oh bugger!" Altair burst out, taking one great swing to bring out his giant hammer.
"Let Wealthow go! You're supposed to be dead!"
"Take it easy!" said Theodoric, who was brandishing his lance.
"We won't harm you, just give her back to us!"
"No, Altair, Theodoric!" said Wealthow as she struggled against Nervas grip.
"Don't go near, dont harm him! Don't harm him!"
"Bugger, Wealthow, bugger!" said Altair in disbelief.
"You're still worried about his safety?!?"
"I was afraid of this!" the High Elder sobbed from his place.
Nerva was surveying them with sharp yellow eyes as he retreated, still bringing the struggling Wealthow with him. "Get out of my way." He said.
"Get out of my way or I'll burn this woman into ashes."
"NERVA YOU'RE INSANE!" the High Elder shrieked.
"Do not force me to use spells on you!"
"Speak to yourself, you toasted Hode." Nerva spat.
"I am not falling for your tricks again. Afraid of me, aren't you, you stinking old man?"
If the situation weren't so serious Altair would have laughed his head off.
"Charge!"
Theodoric attacked, lance pointed forward and ready.
"Theodoric, no I said!" Wealthow cried.
"Stupid, brainless Knight." Nerva said in outrage.
"How dare you challenge me! FROST DRIVER!"
There was a great crunch, and Theodoric was imprisoned in a solid block of ice.
"Bugger!" Altair gasped.
"Oi! Wait up! OI!"
Nerva blasted the wall with one shot of a Fireball. Wind suddenly gushed into the room. Behind them Altair could see the rooftops of Geffen.
"W-what are you doing?" Wealthow stuttered.
"Where are we going?"
"Shut your mouth, woman, or else I may have to kill you for keeping it open." Nerva whispered.
Altair and the Elder were unable to do anything when Nerva jumped from the hole with Wealthow in his arms. Then they heard the terrified screams of the people below the Tower. Altair rushed to see what was going on, and he saw Nerva hoist Wealthow onto Theodorics protesting Peco-peco and run off with her and the animal. They were heading toward the western gate.
"We dont have time!" Altair said, rounding to the frozen Theodoric.
"I'm getting you out!"
Altair lifted his hammer high and whammed it with all his might into the block of ice. The ice shattered and Theodoric came crashing to the floor, coughing. Altair bent and picked the Knight up by his armpits.
"Up up, Theodoric!" Altair staggered under the combined weight of the Knight and his armor.
"Get up, they're getting farther away!"
"W-where are they?" Theodoric asked as he pushed his slopping hair out of his eyes.
Altair led the way from the Tower. Theodoric was fast at his heels. The people of Geffen were having a wide hysteria. People were running around screaming, children were sobbing and the guards were trying hard to suppress the tumult. Altair and Theodoric zipped through Geffen's narrower streets.
"Blast, if only Sibyl was here we'd have no trouble!" Theodoric whined.
"I'll get that Wizard even if it's the last thing I do!"
"Or we could use some of Signys landmines to slow them down as well!" Altair agreed.
"Ah, shut up, just run!"
Wealthow was perched onto the Peco-peco rather haphazardly. Her mantle was already slipping off her head because of the confused birds ferocious strides. All she could see was the paved streets of Geffen and a hundred pair of legs that were running from them. She could feel Nervas knee just below her breasts.
"Where are you taking me?" Wealthow asked fearfully.
"You should not be doing this to me! I requested for your release! I was the one who asked for that Sleeping Draught to be removed!"
The Priestess twisted her head a bit to see Nervas face. The Wizard was gaunt as a corpse, but he was handsome nonetheless. He did not seem to hear what she said. His sharp eyes were kept at the road, his hands tightly on the Peco-pecos harness.
"I released you!" Wealthow screamed.
"You shouldn't be treating me like this! Let me go!"
Her mantle finally fell off, and her long brown hair went wildly across her face. She gave a piteous moan as she saw her mantle crushed under the Peco-pecos feet. Then the bird gave a wild wobble as Nerva steered it toward the western gate. Wealthow could see the feet of the guards.
"Stop right there!"
"Stop! STOP, WE SAID!"
A slight frown appeared on Nerva's face. He extended his right hand, pointing the tip of his Arc Wand to the guards. Wealthow felt the color drain from her face.
"NO, GET OUT OF THE WAY!" She yelled.
Too late. Nervas commanding voice rang in her ears.
"FIRE PILLAR!"
A great pillar of fire appeared, swallowing the two guards in billowing clouds of the blaze. Wealthow could hear their agonized screams. She covered her ears with her hands and gritted her teeth. The western wall flitted past them. They were already outside of Geffen.
More screams rang in Wealthows ears. It was the voice of young Novices and Mages. She tried to look up, to warn them all to get away, but it proved to be exceedingly hard. She was bouncing wildly on the Peco-pecos back, and Nervas knee was already causing her pain.
"Nerva, stop! Dont kill them! Dont kill them! Stop it! STOP KILLING THEM!" Wealthow cried.
"I'll kill anyone who stands in my way, Priestess." Nerva replied.
Their eyes locked. Priests always had the ability to see inside a persons soul. Wealthow saw that Nervas soul was one who lost to despair, who wanted to get back to all those who abused him before. He was ready to prove his innocence no matter what the cost.
Wealthow yelled in pain as Nerva picked her up by the hair and sat her straight before him. Now she could see properly, but she still couldn't escape. Her eyes darted downward to Nervas Arc Wand. She swallowed nervously.
"WEALTHOW!"
Both Nerva and Wealthow looked around. Altair and Theodoric were already emerging from the western gate. Frowning, Nerva pointed his wand at them.
"ICE WALL!"
A huge wall of thick and solid ice covered the exit. Wealthow could hear Altair and Theodorics screams. Nerva gave a hollow laugh and returned his eyes to the road.
"You give me no other choice but to fight you!" said Wealthow.
