Hidden World: The Archmages(Draft)

Chapter 6 (Draft)

AURELIAN AWOKE TO find the fire he had made smoldering, smoke drifted into the air-the sky was barely turning bright blue, the stars were faintly still visible.

     Aurelian sighed as he sat up from the bare ground he had slept on, ‘how am I going to convince that child to come back with me to the Archmages?’ He understood why the mage didn't trust him, having poor knowledge of what it even means to be a mage.

    When Aurelian found the village she’d came from, there were only dead bodies of mages. Their small homes were even destroyed as well as any crops or farm animals. Nothing was spared, proving the electromancer’s words to be true.  

   The soldiers of the Kingdoms had slaughtered them, ‘but why? The mages have so little in this world as it is...even their magic is dwindling…’. The world of Mirri was nothing like the world he was raised in, the mages were given opportunities to take on different roles with their unique magic.

        But seeing the mages in Mirri....they were nothing like the Archmages had said they’d be.

   Aurelian got up stretching and yawning, he was sent to Mirri by the Archmages to fulfill a task they said would be simple.

  “Bring The Mages of Mirri back to our world, for Mirri is of no need of mages anymore, the mages should be willing so little convincing is needed”. Jasmine had said.

    Aurelian felt awful and somewhat tricked by the Archmage to find her words utterly wrong.

    The mages he did managed to find before the electromancer were pitiful and weak. Their villages were an utter mess and most were weakened in their magic to the point that they were dying.

    Aurelian being furious was going to go storming back to the Archmages and question them on why they've turned their powerful eyes away from these poor people.

      But then he encountered the electromancer, who he needed to be a witness.

    Aurelian could sense her Magi even from where he was standing at this very moment, she was still weak from her wound and was traveling at a slower pace than usual.

   Tracking her down wasn't a problem at all, convincing her to go with him was.

       Aurelian made sure the fire was completely out and all of his stuff was packed into his convenient Brown sack. The birds chirping to the morning made Aurelian feel slightly better.

           He shifts into the deer he had first encountered the electromancer.

     Aurelian takes off at a swift pace through the woods, his hooves lightly brush the ground.

                                       *      *      *

It was mid morning when the sun gracefully washed the woods in a morning gold glow when Aurelian finally came upon the mage.

  She was sitting down with her back against a tree resting perhaps.

        Aurelian flicked his ears back and forth wondering how he was going to approach her this time.

      He stayed hidden in the cover of the woods not wanting her to see him yet.

    The girl snapped her head up when a loud whinny filled the air, Aurelian knew immediately that it was merely Nóir but the mage seemed to be frightened when the large black stallion lands in a more clear area a little ways from her.

        The mage rose to her feet still clentching her side, pain was clear in her eyes as she winced.

        Nóir tucked his mighty wings onto his back, his dark eyes were focused on the mage. He approached her in long graceful strides, Aurelian slowly emerged from the cover of the trees and bushes.

    Shifting back into himself, “it’s ok, he won’t hurt you this time” he tried to assure her.

    The mage seemed angered by his appearance however,

  “Why do you keep following me?” She spat at him.

  Nóir stopped and looked over his shoulder to see Aurelian, Aurelian merely walks up to the stallion and places his hand on the stallion’s soft muzzle.

      Warm breaths brushed Aurelian’s hand making him smile, “see? He didn't mean to attack you before but now seeing that you're a mage he’s just wanting to say sorry”

   The mage leaned up against the tree and crossed her arms, “is that what he's telling you?” She says sarcastically.

    Aurelian smirked, “don’t be silly-just because I can shift into animals, that doesn't mean I can understand them” he chuckled stroking Nóir’s broad neck.

      “Nóir was made by the Archmages long ago to protect the pegasuses from potchers-that’s why he attacked you” Aurelian explained.

    It was slightly hard for him to believe that he’d encounter a Guardian while in Mirri.

      Nóir is said to have unmatchable strength, ‘She has no idea how lucky she was for him to not have killed her instantly…’ Aurelian wanted to say.

     The girl was hesitant, but to Aurelian’s surprise she slowly came up to Nóir.

   Her hand ran down his forehead slowly, his dark eyes were fully focused on her’s.

       “I’m sorry for hurting your wing…” she said softly, Nóir grumbled softly and raised his head up high and proud which was far out of reach of the mage’s hand.

    Her blue eyes widened as Nóir presented his healthy wing,

 “You’re wing! It doesn't even look like I hurt it!” She gasped.

  Aurelian chuckled, “nonsense child-it’s been days since you’ve last seen him, therefore he’s had time to fully heal before now”.

      The mage seemed to glare at him, “stop calling me child, I happened to be sixteen” she said holding her head up high.

   “I'm sorry-but you failed to tell me your name, and from the looks of it you look to only be twelve” he says honestly. The mage’s cheeks glowed red, “I do not!” She cried offended.

        Aurelian raised an eyebrow at her, despite her rather small size-she certainly was no push over, or she wasn't allowing herself to be.

  “...My name is...Arwen” she finally says, Aurelian smiled softly.

“Well it's nice to meet you, Arwen”. Nóir grumbled softly, Arwen continued to stroke his strong neck seeming to be in deep thought.

   “Arwen...I don't know you at all, just as you don’t know me...but if you’d just come with me back to the Archmages...we could have something done for what has happened to your village…” Aurelian tried again.

      Arwen sighed, she was quiet for a long time, Aurelian thought she’d say “no” again but something in her blue eyes said otherwise.

    “I guess I ain’t got a choice do I? You’ll just keep following me anyways…” she stepped away from Nóir and looked at Aurelian in the eyes.

    “Fine, but if I sense that you’ve just been lying to me I will go my own way”. She said in a serious tone.

    A bright smile crown Aurelian’s lips “oh believe me, you’ll be wishing I was lying once we get there”.

(I wanted to give a go at telling this chapter in Aurelian's POV. 💙  Vote, Comment below 💙)