“Not a fan of liquor eh? You should’ve told me before he poured eh whatever bottoms up. We gotta live a little in these hard times.”
He chugged Alceran’s drink and looked over.
“What’s your business here friend? Traveling? Farmers don’t wear fancy armor like that. That’s for sure. Come on. I feel like I’m talking to myself.”
Alceran looked to Ree with a cold death stare that momentarily sobered up the man.
“I am Alceran. I am new to this place and seem to be lost. Perhaps you can give me some information. Friend.”
Ree nodded his head, the booze spoke for him and he smiled.
“You are pretty deep in the country to be lost. I suppose I can try to help you the best I can. You are in Ashfall. Us Ashborn tend to the mines and we all work together to work the greenhouse and produce. Then the Zealots fight and protect us.”
Alceran looked at Ree and his burned mark as he rambled away.
“Hmm, Ashborn. Ember born. Is it related to fire?”
Ree became confused as he ate a few nuts he had. He stated getting more suspicious
“You really aren't from here are you? Yeah Ashborn are upper classes, those blessed with the gift of fire from Calwen. Ashborn though are the opposite. No fire, no blessing. So we get stuck doing the bulk of the work, it’s life though.”
Alceran took in the words thinking’s. A small scheming smile hit his face.
“Do you hate it? Being slaves to those above just because you were born different?”
Ree shifted and faced Alceran with a somber look he raised his hand slowly and the bartender gave him another drink. He quickly gulped it down.
“Sometimes. For sure sometimes. I help patrol but they look down at me and mock me continuously. I hope I can prove my worth when a planar beast shows up. Until then, it’s not so bad. I’ve gotten the attention of an Emberborn woman. Her name is Paella.”
Ree grinned a little while talking about her.
“Face like a princess and a bit well endowed too. She uses her magic to warm me when I’m sore. I’m hoping one day to seal the deal then boom all my problems are solved. Especially if we have Emberborn kids. HA but I do love her. She’s always nice to me.”
Alceran grinned a little as he whispered a few words to the man.
“I think you could better impress her if you show you are a strong man, Ree. A slave's life doesn't quite match you nor anyone with ambition. Let me ask you and answer seriously. Do you want more?”
Ree nervously shifted over to his side then back to Alceran he leaned in close.
“I don’t know what you are implying but you better be careful. Undercover Zealots are always around. If they hear you asking that so casually you’ll be arrested and tortured for information. I don’t know where you are from but the Theocracy takes these things seriously.”
Ree got up and walked away with a fearful look in his eye taking slow steps away shifting around nervously. He slowly blended into the crowd of people while Alceran sat. He grinned a little as he felt eyes on him. He looked around but couldn’t see anyone in particular yet he felt amused. He got up calmly and exited the bar outside. Other than the patrols at the underpass the village was fairly silent despite it snowing the air was fairly warm. He walked up the stone steps scouting around trying to find anyone.
Reaching the top of the steps he saw tucked away a small opening in the edges of the mountains laid ahead. It had wooden supports on the outside. Along with a zealot soldier standing guard on the outside holding up his mace like it was a torch. In Alceran’s mind he heard a voice speak to him very briefly.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“In the cave. I am waiting for you.”
Alceran looked around confused as a hand gripped his head. The voice didn’t hurt him, it was more so curious.
“In the cave huh? Challenge accepted then.”
He walked towards the cave ready to challenge whoever that voice was. As he walked into view of the zealot’s light. A harsh voice called out.
“Area is off limits back off civilian.”
Alceran continued forward ignoring the robed man’s words, his eyes focusing on the entrance behind the man. The zealot though doubled down and issued another warning.
“Back off now!”
His free hand glowed with fire as a spell got charged up. Alceran stopped and eyed the man issuing his own command.
“Back away this is your one and only chance. Enjoy your pathetic life.”
The moment his words hit the Zealots ears he hesitated briefly and looked down at his hand and looked back at Alceran ready to shoot fire at him with his hand blazing. Before he could shoot an attack, he felt three simultaneous impacts in his body as he started feeling cold.
Alceran already had his hand raised. Three sharp skinny icicles were embedded in the Zealots chest. Two in the lungs and one in the heart. Frost started spreading through his body. He tried to call out for help but the air left his body leaving him only to lightly whisper a few calls to his comrades. Then collapsing onto the ground leaving a light bit of blood. He slowly crawled away only managing a few feet before loss of blood forced him to stop dead in his tracks.
“One meager spell and you fell. I hardly even used any mana. These zealots may not be as big of a threat as I was hoping.”
Alceran walked forward stepping on the man he just killed while grinning to himself. Then entering the mines with a steady pace Alceran peered into the darkness. It was narrow with wooden supports with random pieces of wall that seemed to be picked through. With the smell of stale air and fresh earth filling the air. The mage confidently walked forward letting his footsteps echo through the pitch black cave. After a few minutes he could feel a cold breeze going around as the cave expanded.
Alceran opened his hands and spawned fire which illuminated the caverns. The cave split into multiple paths that looked to be explored and picked apart with multiple rail tracks converging. Alceran walked forward, for a brief moment he felt a strong mana presence that teased him as he walked forward. For a moment it seemed to match and then surpass his own. His eyes looked around at the many tunnels while his hands glowed as he readied a spell.
“Show yourself. Stop hiding. You called me here.”
He flexed the muscles in his arms and punched the air five times; each punch spawned an explosive fireball that shot down each tunnel. He heard four consecutive explosives as fire lit up darkness in a brilliant crude light. The fifth however went silent down the tunnel in front of him like it never existed. He stared down at the cave and stepped forward with another spell ready to fry whatever foe teased him. Just as quickly as the presence showed up it vanished along with its mana. Alceran still walked forward cautiously looking around while he shot a small firebolt into the darkness, briefly lighting up the dark passage which revealed nothing but a wall up ahead and a note left on the ground.
He walked over and snatched it from the rock.
“I see great potential from you. I believe in your goals. I sensed you the moment you arrived. Prove you're not a fraud and take control of this village in less than four days, leave the buildings and people intact. They are important. Otherwise use your beasts and whatever you have at your disposal.
- Your secret admirer.”
Alceran crumpled the note and threw it away then grinned. He turned his back to the stone wall taking a breath now that his nerves calmed.
“I haven't even been here that long yet I’m already known by someone strong. A useful ally or a potential enemy. Dangerous either way but I’ll play your game. Four days will be easy. I won’t need half that time.”
He now walked out of the cave thinking to himself about all he had seen. Coming up with a strategy now while thinking of all he had seen.
“Fire soldiers have fire magic and are coordinated. I’ve yet to meet their commanders. But the Ashborn are interesting. Pseudo slaves essentially, I could exploit that as well. I bet the idiots would never expect an attack from within.”
The man was in deep thought while outside the cave flashes of light were seen along with shouts of various men. Alceran stepped forward with his arms loose.
“More lambs approach then.”
Walking out he approached five zealots; they all stood back and had fire ready to shoot at them. While a dog barked and was ready to pounce at him.
“You are under arrest. Hands up or you die. Your crime is suspected murder.”
Alceran hands glowed purple ready to put down the soldiers when up above a gust of wind wooshed over his head. He looked up and saw another Zealot riding above on a hippogriff, a winged beast half eagle half horse beast. It landed above on the top of the mountain while the Zealot spoke out. She had a stern female voice with elf ears poking against her hood while she wore a mask in the shape of fire.
“I suggest you stand down. Murdering a zealot is a big crime but I’m obligated to arrest you and question you if you don’t put up a fuss. Solace here gets mighty fussy with enemies who try flashy things. What’ll it be, chap.”
Alceran looked around at the woman and then at the soldiers. Hearing her words he became more curious and raised his hands to his head while grinning confidently coming up with a new plan
“I’ll comply. Don’t make me regret it. You interest me”
Under her mask Scarlet grinned an evil smile. She raised her hand and spoke out to her comrades.
“Cuff him and bring him in. Seems he is deciding to be civil. Bring him to the interrogation room. I’ll be waiting.”
She kicked her leather boots on the side of her mouth and it let out a loud cowl and took off leaving puffs of dirt and snow as she flew off to the building overseeing the village. While Zealots moved forward slowly, circling Alceran cautiously. The steam from their robes worked together to heat the area up. Alceran closed his eyes preparing for a light beating. He felt a kick in the back of his shins forcing him to the ground. Then a few Zealots pause him to the ground while a knee went on the back of his neck pinning the mage. Then his arms got forced behind his back.
Through it all Alceran stayed silent not going then the satisfaction of hearing him grunt while they pinned him. Then another grabbed his arms with a heavy pull and pinned them together while a cold metal rod melted down by two men that warped and wrapped Alceran's armor around his wrists keeping his hands locked together. The heat seeped through his armor which felt like it gave his wrists third degree burns. Still he stayed silent as they pulled him off the ground. Alceran grinned at one of the men and was immediately punched in the face.
“Cut the smile or we can beat it off you.”
Alceran responded while nudging his head towards their dead teammate.
“Make me, he didn’t impress me. Maybe you can.
Those two words immediately triggered the Zealot. He landed a left hook against the mage drawing blood while another pulled his mace and smacked Alceran in the back of his head. The rune lit up and fire bathed Alceran’s figure searing him. The fires made him grunt a little still out of pride; he kept his smile even as he was dazed. Another mace strike was ready to land but one man called out.
“That’s enough. Scarlet wants him relatively intact, let's bring him over.”