Reginald jumped to his feet, his eyes going wide. "Stay here." He ordered before dashing out of the room, Triss and the woman hot on his heels. Wind roared down the hallway, pushing against them as they made their way to the front door.

  "Percival! Face me!" The voice boomed again, and Triss felt the words reverberate in her bones. They passed the small door they'd entered, still shut, and rounded the corner to the main double doors.

  The entrance to the castle was obviously designed to overwhelm any visitors. The arched ceilings rose high overhead, the stones intricately laid to eliminate all gaps. A massive golden chandelier hung in the center, nearly fifteen feet across and covered in brightly glowing orbs. In the center of the foyer stood a giant, surrounded by the splintered remains of the front doors. He was at least twelve feet tall and covered head to toe in black scale armor with silvery barbs protruding from the arms and legs. Triss thought at first it was a demon of some sort when she saw the head, but realized it was a helmet stylized to look like one. Long red horns stuck out of the top of the helmet, their points nearly reaching the chandelier. The trio skidded to a stop when they came across the giant, but then Reginald took a step forward.

  "Who are you?" He asked the towering figure. The giant turned to face him, bending slightly as though examining a wounded creature he'd found on the ground.

  "Where is Percival Arcanus?" The giant boomed, though this time it came from the figure and not from the entire castle like before. It had to have been a spell, Triss realized. The giant had used magic to project his voice. Something about that angered her. How dare he break their door and stomp in like he owned the place!

  "He's not in. Can I take a message?" Triss said, stepping up beside Reginald. Stupid! She thought to herself, promising for at least the hundredth time to think before she spoke.

  The giant turned slowly to her, tilting his head slightly to the side. The helmet had a T shaped slot in the center where eyes and a nose would usually be. Instead, the helmet was filled with an inky black darkness that seemed to stretch forever. Then the figure began to shake, a choking noise emanating from the black helmet. He was laughing, Triss realized. The figure threw his head back and laughed, the sound too deep and alien. "Brave. But foolish." The figure said when it finished. "Where is he?"

  "Gastonia." Triss replied, saying the first country she could think of. "The king there sent an assassin a few months ago, and Percival is planning to have a conversation with the king about it."

  The giant turned towards her and Triss could feel his eyes on her in the inky black of the helmet. "Lies." It held a hand towards her, and Triss took a hesitant step backwards.

  "We don't know exactly where he went." Reginald suddenly said, stepping forward and putting himself between Triss and the giant.

  The giant paused. "Half truth. Tell me, banished one. Where has he gone?" The giants voice rumbled.

  "Somewhere near Holintis." Reginald replied.

  The figure stared at Reginald, hand still outstretched. Then he stood. "Truth. What else do you know. Do not lie to me."

  "Three days ago he said he had to go to Holintis, and that he didn't know when he would return. He left yesterday morning." Reginald said.

  The figure growled in frustration, then turned and swung a heavy fist at a nearby wall. Stones exploded outward, shattered to pieces by the blow. Dust and gravel flew through the air, and Triss quickly covered her head with her arms as sharp bits of granite rained down on them. Something heavy hit her, and she fell to the floor, the heavy thing landing on her. The thing groaned in pain, and she recognized the sound. It was Reginald. He'd been knocked into her and they'd both fallen. She struggled to get him off, but the draconian was deceptively heavy. The dust swirled around them, and she managed to get a look past Reginald towards the giant. He towered over them, fist raised and ready to strike. There was no way they could move in time.

  "Stop! In the name of the wizard council I command you to stop!" The young woman's voice rang out. The giant slowly turned to face the woman, who was just out of Triss's vision.

  "The wizard council?" The giant boomed. "You are their representative?"

  "I am Naiela Sade, wizard of the tertiary order, and I carry the full authority of the council." The woman said. "I am tasked with investigating a series of murders involving wizards. Where were you four nights ago?"

  The giant made the same alien laughing sound. "This is who the council sends? An apprentice?" He laughed again. "Tell your council I command them to drop this investigation at once, and to leave me to my business. They know who I am."

  "The council does not listen to the commands of dark wizards." Naiela replied haughtily.

  "I AM NO DARK WIZARD!" The demonic figure thundered. "Call me that again, and I will tear your eyes from your skull so you may watch me pulverize your corpse."

  "If you've killed-"

  "I've killed dark wizards. As is my right." The figure said flatly. "Tell your council to stay out of my way. Do this, and you will live. If another of your ilk comes for me, I will make sure you personally pay for it." The giant straightened then, turning towards the shattered door.

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  "You...you can't seriously believe the council will let you continue!" Naiela exclaimed.

  "Tell them. You will see." The giant walked towards to door.

  "Who are you?" Naiela said in a quiet tone.

  "You aren't worthy of knowing my name. Describe me to the council. They will know. The high council will." And just like that, he was gone. Out into the pounding rain and flashing lightning.

  Reginald let out a groan, and Triss tried unsuccessfully to push him off. Then she felt the weight begin to lift, and she pushed hard. The draconic slid off to the side and she was able to get free. That's when she realized it wasn't Reginald moving, but Naiela pulling on him. Once Triss was free the council wizard let go and Reginald slumped to the floor.

  Triss scrambled to his side, searching his body for obvious wounds. She didn't find any, but she could tell he was still breathing at least. "Help me get him up." She said over her shoulder to Naiela. "I don't know what's wrong with him, but I think we should get him somewhere we can keep him warm. Maybe his room." When no answer came she looked up at the other wizard. Naiela was staring out the hole where the door had once been, her pale skin even whiter than before.

  "Hey!" Triss called, snapping her fingers. "A little help here?"

  Naiela jumped at the sound and hurried over. "Is he dead?" She asked.

  "No, but he's definitely hurt. Come on, help me get him to his bed." The two young women lifted the heavy lizard, each holding one side. They passed through the hallways with agonizing slowness, each step a struggle. Triss was glad Reginald had chosen rooms on the first floor. She wasn't sure they could get him up the stairs. "I'm making him teach me that floating spell as soon as he wakes up." Triss muttered under her breath.

  They finally reached Reginald's room and got him onto his narrow bed. Triss put a pillow under his head and pulled a heavy blanket over him. He was still breathing, eyes closed. "Damn it!" Triss said in frustration.

  "What?" Naiela asked.

  "I don't know what else to do for him. If he were human I might be able to figure something out, but I have no clue about a draconic's physiology." Triss replied. "Do you know anything about them?"

  Naiela shook her head. "I've only heard about them in stories. I've never met one before today."

  Triss cursed again. If Percival were here, he would know what to do. If course, if Percival were here he'd have had to fight that monster. Maybe it was better he wasn't. There had to be someone who knew something. Maybe that old witch in town?

  I told you to avoid her.

  Triss nearly slapped herself. Grounth! She had the answers in her head the whole time. Grounth! Is he going to be ok? What do I need to do? She thought at the spirit.

  First, get a knife.

  A knife? Why?

  Because he's defenseless. This is a perfect opportunity to eliminate him. The spirit replied.

  Triss cursed at the spirit. I can ask Percival if he knows how to get rid of you. I bet there's a spell to send your spirit to hell.

  There was silence in her head for a few seconds. You need light. Open his eyes and put light in front of them. If the pupils shrink under the lights, he will likely be fine. Either way, keep him warm and comfortable. There is little we can do. Grounth replied at last.

  Triss summoned an orb of light, the spell coming together quickly due to repetitive practice. She pulled Reginald's eyelid open with two fingers and shoved the light closer. His pupil shrank under the orb's pale light.

  "What are you doing?" Naiela asked quietly. Triss turned to the other woman who was sitting on a stool in the corner, hugging herself. Her skin was slowly regaining it's pinkish hue, but she was quite obviously still shaken.

  "Checking for a concussion." Triss replied, having recognized what Grounth was telling her to do.

  "Ok." Was the only response.

  Triss moved over to the other wizard. "Hey. Are you ok?"

  Naiela started at the words, then sat up straight. "I don't need your help, dark wizard."

  Triss rolled her eyes. "You council wizards are all alike. Arrogant and narrow minded." She replied.

  "Better to be narrow minded than a dark wizard." Naiela spat.

  "No. No, it really isn't." Triss said. "Maybe some day you'll mature in your thinking."

  "I wouldn't count on that." Naiela replied coldly. Then she seemed to realize what she'd said and narrowed her eyes. "Playing with words. Just the sort of thing I'd expect from a dark wizard."

  "Whatever. The storm should be over soon. You can leave then."

  Naiela glanced over at Reginald's sleeping form, and a strange, almost sad expression crossed her face. The mask was back in seconds though. "I will stay until he recovers and can answer questions. I will find that dark wizard and destroy him."

  "And how do you expect to do that?" Triss asked. "You saw that thing. He'd crush you like a bug. Not that it would be a huge loss."

  "Please. I am no ordinary wizard. I am an assassin wizard of the tertiary order. I'm trained in all manner of combat techniques and weapons." Naiela replied haughtily.

  "Yeah? How come he called you an apprentice then?"

  "It was an intentional insult. Obviously. Is there nothing between your ears but air?"

  Triss glared at the other wizard. "You are a royal pain in the ass, you know that?"

  Naiela grinned evilly. "I will be more than that when I have the answers I need, dark wizard."

  "My name is Triss. Stop calling me dark wizard." Triss replied.

  "Ashamed?" Naiela laughed.

  "No, annoyed. I have a name. How would you like it if I called you apprentice instead of Naiela?"

  Naiela glared. "You wouldn't dare."

  "I wouldn't dare what, apprentice?"

  Naiela jumped to her feet, reaching for a wand that wasn't there. She growled in frustration. "Dark wizard." She spat.

  "Lapdog." Triss replied.

  "Fool!"

  "Really? It's a good thing you're not a dark wizard if that's the best insult you can manage." Triss said with a smirk, then leaned forward. "It's a necessary skill for a good dark wizard." She said conspiratorially.

  Naiela pulled a dagger from her belt, holding the dark metal Blade out towards Triss. "I am no dark wizard."

  Triss grinned. "Not with insults like that."

  "I'm going to kill you. I thought I should leave you alive until the draconic told me what I needed to know, but I will simply have to extract the knowledge by force."

  "Yeah? You might want to deal with that first." Triss replied, pointing down.

  Naiela cursed as she saw the curls of smoke rising from her pant leg. She dropped the knife, hurriedly slapping at the spot until the smoke finally faded. "Stop doing that!" She screamed in anger.

  "Ladies, if you don't quiet down, I'm going to put you both on time out." Reginald said weakly. Triss turned to see the draconic beginning to sit up in bed, his wand already in his hand.