The Warlord

Chapter 5: Evelaen

I see three figures in the shadows of the alley as I race towards the sound of struggle. It is obvious that a kidnapping is happening, or perhaps something worse. I grit my teeth and increase my pace, my hand ready to draw my sword at any moment. Two men, one holding the young girl in place, the other threatening her with a knife to her neck. I am halfway there when the one with the knife pulls away, and before the girl can struggle, the second thug places a rag over her mouth.

Cursing, I fly into the air, landing a blow onto the one holding her with my foot. Flesh and bone connect with my sole, and he grunts as the force throws in onto the alley pavement. Wasting no time, I immediately turn around and prop the girl up against one of the alley walls. Her eyes are already glazed and drooping, and she is in no condition to flee, which means I have to end these thugs here and now.

The one with the knife has overcome his shock and I whirl around as he lets out an irritated cry, racing at me with weapon in hand. My sword is out of its sheath in an instant, and I knock his knife out of his hand with one simple swipe. He screeches to a halt, standing there, gaunt and thin with slicked back hair, trembling in fear.

"M-Mustafo, Mustafo get up!" His voice cracks with fear as he realizes that I have knocked out his partner. Sweat drips down his forehead, and he bows, shaking. "P-Please spare me! I'll let her go! Please!"

"Pathetic." My tone is cold, sharp, unforgiving. I extend my hands and my magic coils around his neck before squeezing his throat. He begins to choke, his hands feebly clawing at my magic, trying to rip it apart with the little power he has. As soon as his eyes roll back into his head and his body sags, I let him go, smiling in satisfaction as he crumples to the ground. Common thieves, and nothing more.

I send out my personal alert down a stream of magic to the royal guards stationed here in Koraness, letting them know they will have two more prisoners to place in their cells. Turning to the girl, I loosen the rope tied around her with my magic before tying the two thugs with it, making sure to place a seal on their bonds. I kneel before the girl and pull out a small glass bottle of mazarok pee from the pouch around my waist. I hold it under her nose, and sure enough, the acrid scent jolts her awake.

"Don't worry, you're safe from those thugs." I make sure to keep my voice calm, soothing, relaxing. The girl blinks a few times, her eyes still drowsy, before rubbing her face and staring up at me.

I see her eyes flash over my outfit, taking in the royal crest on my armor, the sword strapped at my hip. Smart girl, to assess her situation. "Who are you?" I frown at the hint of fear in her voice. Strange, but it might be the aftereffect of the shock.

"A simple royal guard. I heard sounds of struggle here, and came to investigate." Doubt clouds her eyes, but it disappears, though I can tell she still has more questions. Royal guards have sterling white armor, and rarely fight with swords, but she knows it is best for her to stay quiet and follow me. "Are you alright? Do you need help with anything?"

There are specks of tears in her eyes, and she appears to be on the verge of crying. "I-I'm fine. Thank you. If you hadn't rescued me, I would've been in the-" There is a hitch in her voice before she continues, "the Slave Trade."

A foreigner, then. That would explain the strange, plain clothing, and the lasting shock. Koraness is not known for being a friendly town. I stand up and extend a hand, hoisting her up. She dusts her billowy dress and tugs the hood of her cloak over her head. "Don't worry. The rest of the royal guards will be here soon enough. You'll never have to worry about those thugs again."

Relief spreads across her face, but I can see her features tighten a bit in terror. I narrow my eyes; there is more to this girl than what meets the eye. I will have to tail her then, find out if this was more than just a simple kidnapping. Trying to make myself seem like the unaware, noble royal guard, I take a few steps away. "Are you sure you're fine? I can call the local hospital."

The girl shakes her head and walks to the herb shop, reaching for the key stuck in the hole. She is too stiff, too poised. There is definitely something going on. "I'll be going now. The other royal guards will be here any moment, so don't worry." I give her a fake smile, trying to make her think that I am nothing more but a soldier for this town. I walk briskly out of the alley, making a sharp turn towards the central roads. Let her think that she has been left alone, let her think that no one is watching.

I count to thirty before I turn back to the alley and press myself against one of the walls leading into it. The girl is gone, as is the dangling key. Maybe she was just a frightened shopkeeper. But as I take a step towards the herb shop, I hear a crackle underneath my boot. A pouch of gemstones, most likely flung from where the thugs caught her. I pick it up and spill the contents onto my palm. Realization dawns on me as I stare at the cold stones in my hand. Toret, Leveron, Gesmine. That girl is a witch.