That's So Wizard

Chapter 51 - What Makes Us Closer

The view from where Daveon and Deena sat was breathtaking—a blanket of snow over what appeared to be a city that never ended, sprawled out before them in the distance. They rested on a fallen tree, up a hill, and enjoyed the refreshing, calm silence that nature brought. The weather was mild, and they were bundled up to be warm and comfortable.

"So I heard you were the one to summon that demon," Daveon spoke finally, breaking the lengthy moment of naught but the sound of wind.

Deena nodded.

"I've been thinking a lot lately," he continued. "That was bad to do. But you did it for a reason, and nobody was seriously injured. We were lucky, though. I know you like demons, but—"

"You don't need to lecture me."

"I didn't mean to."

"I know what I did was wrong." She shook her head. "I'll never do it again. I've also been doing a lot of thinking."

From behind came the footfalls of the red-garbed Renatta. She crossed her gloved hands in front of her body, and smiled.

"Everybody makes mistakes, Deena," she said.

"It's true," came a fourth and final voice, this time from Arlandria the elf. "There is no avoiding it. Even the Elves, who often consider themselves to be perfect, make mistakes all the time, whether they admit it or not."

Deena stared towards the snow between her boots. Through those around her were friends, she felt uncomfortable due to the attention. Upon noticing, Daveon let out a soft chuckle, and looked back towards the city skyline.

"We have other problems to deal with," Daveon said. "Who knows what kind of threats we'll have to deal with in the future? The past is behind me now... Behind us, I mean."

"Tyreth is still out there," Arlandria spoke softly.

Renatta nodded. "And that handsome Noah fellow is still around somewhere."

The druid rose up from his seat and stretched. "We've needed what's happened, I figure. The mistakes. The obstacles. It's why we were all brought together like this. I still can't believe it all started with meeting Eldrian. I wonder what him and Kevin are up to this morning."

"I'm living with Deena again, so I don't know," Arlandria said with a shrug.

The sun had finally crept fully up over the horizon, bathing the white-covered landscape in a vibrant light. Four friends, beaten by both their own selves and others, were closer together than ever before.

***

Maybe it was morning, or it was still the dead of night. Eldrian had no idea. Their battle with Noah Jackson was a blur of flashing lights, explosions, and then an oncoming darkness. His powerful sword paired with his exceptional wizardly abilities were too much for just the two of them to handle, especially after such surprise. Kevin's shield was obliterated in a single strike. They were simply unprepared, and they paid for it, having battled and lost to their first government-sanctioned wizard.

Both he and Kevin were hanging by their wrists in a dank, dim room. Metal shackles bound their ankles as well as their wrists, but that wasn't the worst of it.

Inside of the shackles were tiny spikes digging into their flesh. Blood came trickling down their arms, and across their toes, and struggling for freedom only dug them deeper in. They struggled to find their focus, but when they did, they saw only a table and chair in the center of the room, with a game of chess set up, already in progress.

The door creaked open soon after. Noah stepped through, still garbed as usual, and with his umbrella hanging to his side.

"You're both awake," he said.