Mage Assassin Chapter 9

My legs couldn’t keep up with my body, but I still ran faster than I ever had before. Birds dashed above my head, and I could hear creatures jumping from branch to branch among the treetops. I stumbled over the glowworms and continued at a breakneck pace, and my only thought was to get back to the kingdom before the fire caught up to me.

I risked a quick glance behind me and saw the orange light getting more distant. It seemed like Ignis’ wrath was mostly confined within the fields of the Ardere, but the titan had to be furious.

For all I knew, it was only a matter of time until we all felt the full extent of his anger.

But the Forest of Hud was strong, and as I continued to run, it began to shield itself from the burning threat. The vines that hung around the trunks of the trees started to tighten their hold and thicken like armor, and the trees themselves grew upward. The trunks seemed to cluster together, and their leaves started to form a dome-shape above, as if they were making sure everything within the forest was protected.

Then new plants started to break through the forest floor and rose until they were more than fully grown. The shrubs knitted together and formed barriers of holly hedges as another defense, and all around me, the forest became denser and stronger than ever.

It was like it refused to be burned by Ignis’ wrath.

Despite all of this upheaval, though, I felt a glimmer of relief in my chest, because there was no molten, golden flood behind me. The ember fields hadn’t begun to seep over the land, which meant Cinis was still okay.

For now, at least.

I leapt over the stout hedgerows, fumbled around the growing trees, and barreled onward through the shielded forest, but the closer I got to Ocadia, the harder it was to get through the thick woodland.

I continued to sprint anyways until I was almost crawling through the foliage, and I did my best to hurdle over the roots of the trees as they sprawled outward and upward. Eventually, I had no choice but to slow down, but as soon as I did, the vines started smacking me out of the forest.

I wasn’t far from the edge of Ocadia, but the vines seemed eager to force me out, and with each whip, my heart skipped a beat.

“I’m almost there!” I growled as two more vines snapped at my calves.

Then, with one quick thwack on my ankle, I fell to the forest floor. The vines wrapped around my feet before I could even stand up, and they started to twist around my body. I kicked and grunted to break free, but within a matter of seconds, I was completely engulfed by the thick, green vines.

With one quick surge of energy, the Forest of Hud hurled me out of its grasp, and I crashed out onto a cobblestone street of the city. My swords clanged as I rolled to my feet. Then I scowled at the overgrown treeline and felt its anger permeating the air.

A thick wall of hedgerows extended along the entire perimeter, and spiky holly leaves the size of my hand barred anyone in the kingdom from even trying to enter.

“Alright!” I scoffed and straightened my rumpled attire. “I understand your frustration, but I did try to warn the woman about the repercussions of her actions--”

The trees hissed at me, and I jumped a few inches away.

“I’ll fix it!” I hissed back. Then I stood there for a moment and readjusted my tone to a more respectful one. “All of this aside, I am eternally grateful to you for allowing me safe passage through your enchantments--”

A hissing vine shot out to thwack my leg.

“I’m going!” I snapped, and I turned on my heel and left the pissed-off forest behind me.

The forest may have been annoyed with me, but after spitting me out the way it did, I was pissed with it, too. I let out a harsh huff and side-eyed the trees that continued to creak and grow, and I wrenched at my garments to remove my disguise.

Once I stuffed the borrowed knight’s uniform in my satchel, I checked for any broken skin from the hissing vines, but there were no visible injuries.

“Hmm,” I muttered with a scowl.

It was just after dawn in Ocadia, and I was still in the southeast part of town. I had a bit of a walk ahead of me before I would reach my estate, so I continued north at a quick pace. I needed to speak with my Master about the morning’s events, and I hoped he could give me some insight.

Master Abbot was an intelligent man who had the water gods to give him clarity, and he would have seen what was happening by now. Even if he wasn’t able to watch over me in the ember fields of the Ardere, he would have at least seen the smoking skies, and I knew he would tell me to be logical about this. I knew he would tell me that the only being to blame for this mess was Ignis.

The fire titan had deceived us both, and in my opinion, not even Cinis was to blame for any of this. She may have acted rashly, and out of some desperation and anger, but she did what she thought needed to be done. She confronted the titan who wanted her murdered, and who was willing to cause irreparable damage to our world in the process.

I looked around the kingdom to see if any more fires had sprouted, and there now seemed to be five patches of black smoke in the distance. I concluded there was still no immediate danger to our people, but I still had to act quickly.

It only took ten minutes of walking before I started to hear the first few outbursts from the people within the kingdom, though. Everyone who was strolling around seemed to notice the smoke shafts in the distance all at once, and many others started pouring from their estates.

As I broke into a jog, I noticed a cluster of elves in the street, and they were heading toward the castle with haste. Other members from several more estates rushed in the same direction soon after, and I saw conjurers, elementalists, wizards, warlocks, and sorcerers among them.

I knew which house they all belonged to by the garb they wore, but they seemed to be dressed in their finest fabrics today.

The elementals wore colors to signify which element they belonged to, and they were all richly pigmented and made of satin. The warlocks had thick, gray, cotton robes that looked rough and sack-like, and the conjurers wore a softer style in a deep plum. The goblins wore a mint-green robe, and all members of every estate wore some variant of a brooch to signify more clearly what house they belonged to.

Dressed in so much finery, they could only be going to see the king.

The king held an assembly anytime something in the kingdom was out of place, and it could be for anything from minor instances to peace-threatening issues. There was a drought last year that killed off the crops, and an assembly was called over it, and another time, it rained so heavily that most of the southern quarter got flooded. Then there was the month when one of the necromancers accidently brought back three-hundred dead beings all at the same time.

The city didn’t stop reeking for weeks.

The more severe the issue, the more magical beings the king summoned to the assembly because he was only human. He only ever appointed human lords, human ladies, and human treasurers, but after the threat of a magical uprising many decades ago, he made a deal with the more powerful beings.

In return for them keeping the peace and not overthrowing the monarchy, the king would listen to their complaints and call upon them when he needed help. The king made up a council of magical advisors, and it brought peace to the kingdom, but it also worked in his favor, too. In times like these, when he knew no ordinary human would have the knowledge or power to stop such a force from spreading into the land, the king could always rely on his magical advisors.

Even if the process of assembling them was a bit… chaotic.

Herds of people rushed past me, and I grew wary of their anxious faces and frazzled behavior. The king was certainly competent, so I hoped he would calm everything down a bit, but I couldn’t be sure. Things could get out of hand quite easily in a place like Ocadia, and nobody knew these fires were from Ignis. They didn’t know this was on account of his plot to murder his own niece, and they certainly didn’t know my estate was in any way involved.

But I did.

I knew all of the necessary details, and I’d feel a lot less anxious if I knew how the council of magical advisors, and the king, were planning to handle the attack.

I changed my course and banged into the first person I could see. My body immediately mirrored into a boy who was much younger than I was, but luckily, he was tall for his age. I rushed past the people and bounded through the streets. My attitude seemed normal since everyone ran in different directions, and some called on their neighboring estates to check that they were okay.

Then the griffons, dragons, and other flying beasts started to circle in the sky above. Luckily, they were not allowed beyond the borders of the forest, so they couldn’t descend on the city and cause more chaos, but they could probably see where the fires were stemming from.

I neared the castle grounds not fifteen minutes later, but then I quickly realized I was in the wrong body to enter.

Only advisors of the king would be permitted to sit in on the assembly. Everyone else out here was clustered with their families and in their night garb, and I stood among them with a young face and no invitation to enter.

I had to come up with a quick plan.

I looked around the area to see if there was anyone I could mirror who was able to go into the castle, but nothing stood out at first. All I could see were crowds of humans and other beings who just came to see if they could pick up on the news quicker. I started running back against the current of the crowd, and they pushed to the side when they saw me coming toward them. I ran away from the castle, and through the town centre, until finally I was by the abandoned stalls. There were less people here, but it gave me the opportunity to look more clearly at the beings rushing toward the castle.

And then I spotted a perfect target.

A druid leader was cautiously running toward the castle, and he had a look of panic on his face. He wore a fine robe like the other advisors did, but instead of long fabric that dragged behind him, his outfit was more modest. It was simple, made of beige cotton, draped at the shoulder, and was held together with a brown belt.

I guessed the simplicity was so he could still do his healing work if he needed to. After all, helping and healing others was the druids’ job in this kingdom, but what he didn’t know was that he was about to help me.

I hunched down by one of the stalls, and then I pretended to have a bad limp.

“Druid!” I called out in a childlike voice. “Druid, help!”

I was away from the paths and the crowds, so the druid looked all around to figure out where the sound was coming from. Then he halted and twisted in a circle until he finally found me, and he rushed over for help.

I had never been too close to a druid leader before, mainly because, as an assassin, I did the exact opposite of what he did for a living. The paths of an unknown killer and a natural magic healer rarely crossed, but when he got closer, I saw the lines on his forehead were severely deepened with worry. He kept looking at the castle and then back at me, as if he had a debate going on in his head, but then he must have concluded that helping a young, injured person was more important.

I made sure I stayed somewhat hidden in a shadowy area so nobody could see us, and I started to huff in pain and hold my leg like it was broken.

“Are you okay?” the thin, hooded druid asked.

“I think I’ve hurt myself,” I said in my most pained voice.

“Okay, let me have a look,” the druid said and dropped to his knees to get to work.

I pressed my body against the wooden wall and rolled up my pant leg, and I pretended his touch hurt. I flinched every time he pressed on the “pained” area that apparently was somewhere near my ankle, and the man furrowed his wiry brow in concentration.

This simple touch meant my transformation could begin, and it was time for phase two of my plan.

I looked from left to right to make sure the coast was clear, and while the druid was hunched over my leg, I swiftly clamped my fingers on the arteries at the sides of his neck. Five seconds was all it took, and I resisted his yanking around until he slumped to the ground. Then I checked his eyes to see if he was completely out of it, and I let my transformation begin.

Within a few seconds, I grew the druid’s same face, my body got taller, and even my fingers became thinner and grayed on the ends. Before even waiting for the transformation to be completed, I was already swapping my travelling cloak with his outer robe, and I reattached my weapons underneath the flap of fabric.

I was prepared to enter the assembly.

The only problem was that I now had a druid strewn at my feet who looked dead, and he was in nothing but long underwear.

I couldn’t just leave him there.

I checked the surrounding area once more to make sure nobody had seen me going about my work, but everyone fleeing down the paths toward the castle seemed highly preoccupied with panicking. I thought about the stalls in the area, and I tried to come up with a place close enough to drag him to. It would need to be somewhere where the shopkeeper would understand the situation I gave them and be tactful about it.

Lekran, the herbalist, wasn’t far from here, but his stall had no walls, and he wouldn’t be too pleased about me hauling an unconscious druid into his care. Druids were some of his best customers. Then I remembered one of our closest allies, the alchemist named Xerzor, had a walled-in stall in the centre of town.

Even though Xerzor’s magical practices weren’t exactly permitted this close to the castle, he had a discrete amount of work going on at his private meeting place in the area. In turn for our estate keeping his secret, he always kept our secrets as well, and he was a fiercely loyal friend to the Master.

I gathered my satchel again, and then I hooked my arms through the druid’s armpits so I could drag him to the alchemist’s shop.

The shop was only a stone’s throw away, and it was in a derelict area that was rarely busy. The structure itself was simple, wooden, and made to look discreet. There were three windows, one on each side of the cabin-like structure, and it had a decked area out front with a simple railing surrounding it. There were no signs to suggest that an alchemist worked there, but this was because he didn’t want to draw attention to it.

Much like my own estate house, Xerzor’s customers had to know how to find him in order to seek his services.

I grappled with the incredibly tall man for a couple minutes, and then I pulled him up the wooden-slatted steps of Xerzor’s stall before I dropped him and knocked on the door.

“Xerzor!” I hissed. “I need you to come out here.”

I knocked several times, but there was no answer. I moved to the nearest window and cupped my hands around my face to try and see if there was anyone inside, and then I saw Xerzor and his thinning beard hobbling toward the door.

The moment he opened it, he narrowed his eyes skeptically, and I grinned and let him look straight into my two-toned irises while he pieced things together. Xerzor was one of the few in the kingdom who knew my true identity, and I could see understanding dawn on his face as he realized who the “druid” actually was. The alchemist shook his head and laughed.

I had come to him in many disguises before, but it was the first time he had ever seen me as a druid.

“So, you’re a druid today, huh?” Xerzor snorted.

“Yes, Xerzor.” I smirked. “More specifically, I’m this druid.”

I pointed to the unconscious man below me, and the alchemist’s eyebrows furrowed deeply when he looked down.

The tall druid in long underwear was slouched against the wall of the building with his mouth open and his tongue stuck out, and Xerzor kicked his foot like he was checking if he was still alive.

“He’s not dead,” I quickly confirmed. “It was just a pressure point, but you know, I had to act quickly. Can you look after him until I can return with his robes?”

“Suppose I’ll have to,” Xerzor chuckled. “You’ve left a body outside my shop. Again.”

“Again?” I repeated. “When have I ever-- ohhhh…”

I raised my eyebrows as I recalled the unconscious baron I’d once delivered to Xerzor. I needed to assassinate his brother-in-law who was in Ocadia for only one afternoon, and the whole job was a bit slap-dash.

I cleared my throat. “It won’t happen again.”

“It will happen again,” Xerzor chuckled, “but never mind that.”

“Thank you so much for this,” I said. “You’re really helping me out here.”

“I know.” He shrugged and looked down on the body. “You better go quick, though. We don't want people looking over here and wondering why there are two of the same druid, and one of them is unconscious.”

“Go it.” I bowed my head.

“I trust that whatever you’re up to is in our best interests?” the alchemist added with an arched eyebrow.

“Of course, it is,” I said and winked in his direction.

Then I jogged back up the street and into the crowd with my new disguise complete, and I tried to play the character well. I was certainly no healer, quite the opposite, but I just hoped nobody would talk to me.

When I headed up the stairs of the castle, I was met with a wall of king’s guards, and the knights took one look at my druid outfit and let me straight in. Then they continued trying to hold off the rest of the public, and I strolled right into the castle of the king.

The members of the other estates were standing in the middle of the entrance hall, and the energy in the room was buzzing while the murmur of their conversation echoed off the walls. I stood at the back of the group so I wouldn't be seen, and I looked around at my surroundings.

Very few subjects of the kingdom ever had a chance to get in here.

The inside of the castle was more gothic in design than the outside was. Black beams and fixtures hung across the high ceiling, and gargoyle statues perched around the edges with looks of disdain on their faces. Black tapestries lined the walls beneath the statues, and the floor was black-and-white tiling. A red carpet ran through the center of the room, and the king’s crest was stamped at the end.

“Sorry I’m so late,” a woman’s voice said behind me. “Oh… hello, Druid.”

I cringed as the voice turned colder, and I glanced back, but I kept my two-toned eyes directed toward the floor. Luckily, I recognized this woman’s attire anywhere because it was nothing like the others in this assembly.

This was Nara, the Headmistress of the Witches’ Estate. She had reigned over her estate for about a century, and while she was less snobby than the younger witches in her house, she still had an air of cockiness about her. Nara was also famous for hating the monarchy, and she made this clear by her lack of interest in the rules.

This was probably why she liked to dress so scandalous.

Instead of a long robe, Nara wore a black, corseted dress, but the thick, flaring skirt was cut off just before it reached her knees. Her black, high-heeled platform shoes made her stand half a foot taller than she actually was, and they drew a shocking amount of attention to her long, pale legs. The style was both elegant and bold, and it was fitting in this cold and dark castle.

“Hi, Nara,” I said in my borrowed voice.

Nara offered an even colder “hmm,” in response, and as her body twisted away from me, I glanced up at her face.

Her black, curly hair was wild and even had a twig sticking out of it, and her painted lips were pursed into an annoyed line. She clearly didn’t want to continue a conversation with me, but I could understand why.

The thing with druids was, even though they were the healers in the kingdom, they weren’t necessarily liked by everyone. In fact, they had plenty of magical enemies, especially beings from the western and southern quarters. This was because there were beings there, like the witches, who dabbled in darker magic, and sometimes, these beings rather enjoyed the idea of inciting violence and hurt into the communities. It was just their way.

The druid healers interrupted their efforts and made those who were hurt better again. They also told the king when they found out about these dark magic dealings, so witches and their allies were somewhat casted out from many societies in the kingdom.

Still, even though the interests of the magical estates were all different, they were all called to assemblies to help in whatever way they could. Hopefully, one or all of them would help save the kingdom from destruction.

I didn’t say anything else to Nara, but the witch stood next to me in a stiff silence, and her shoulder brushed lightly against my druid robe. I kept my gaze straight ahead while she did the same, and I waited for the double doors of the king's assembly hall to open.

As the minutes ticked by, I surveyed the group of magical advisors, and from where I was, I could see just how many of us there were in here. The last time such a large council had been called together was about a decade ago, when the Kingdom of Altaya threatened to expand their land by conquering this one. I’d hung around the castle grounds that day much like everyone outside was doing now, and I remembered being in awe when the assembly reemerged and paraded down the front steps.

Suddenly, the large, black, double doors finally parted to reveal the room where the king sat.

Nara tossed her wild hair over her shoulder and strutted forward, and once we all entered the room, I looked around and admired the massive hall.

The same red carpet trailed all the way to the king’s feet, and chandeliers that held at least fifty candles each hung from the domed ceiling. The floor was made of marble, and the pillars were made from black stone, and the sun beamed down from a glittering, skylight window high above us.

A plethora of human guards lined the perimeter of the room, and they stared at the magical advisors like we were the ones causing trouble.

A collection of ornate, hand-carved chairs were placed in front of the king’s throne, and one by one, the magical beings took their seats. As an intruder, I didn’t want to draw much attention to myself, and I settled in at the very back seat, farthest to the right.

The king looked dishevelled and worried as he sat on his velvet throne, and he greeted us with tight lips and a hard nod. He didn’t look like an old man at all, but he was well into his seventies. His hair was auburn and curly while his body was brawny and well-trained. He usually wore a crown on his head, but this morning, his head was bare

The guards grabbed the enormous black doors at the front of the castle, and they pushed them closed so a deafening silence fell around the assembly hall. Then they closed the doors of the hall itself, and my limbs began to buzz with anticipation.

“You all know why I’ve called you here,” the king began.

“I think everyone in the kingdom knows why you have called us,” a voice from the other end of the room replied.

The whole group erupted in chatter after that, and I listened while they spoke about how the sky was going red, and the land would be on fire within a few days.

“Calm,” the king ordered over the chatter.

“How can we be calm when we’re literally going to burn to death?” Nara shot back. “What in the hell is going on in your kingdom, Your Highness?”

“Yeah,” another voice echoed. “How are we supposed to combat something like this?”

“What is ‘this?’” someone chimed in. “That smoke’s not natural! It’s painting the world red!”

“I’d say we should accept our fate,” some other, bored voice said not far away from me.

I presumed it was a warlock.

“Accept our fate?” another advisor scoffed. “Some of us actually have children and families, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I would rather fight than just get burned to death.”

“Fight what, Fineus?” a man challenged. “For all we know, that damn forest started all this in order to reclaim its land.”

“Oh, yes, blame the forest,” Nara mocked. “Typical sorcerer…always pointing the finger at the natural world. Why don’t you go buy yourself a nice little nymph to spend the day with while the rest of us do the real work? I saw you the other day in the western quarter, and--”

“Look, all I'm saying is that there has to be a reason, a cause, something,” the sorcerer fiercely interrupted. “And if we know what or who started this, then maybe it can be taken care of before the whole of the southern quarters goes up in flames.”

“Enough!” the king shouted. “I have gathered you here for a reason, now quiet down and pay attention.”

Everyone did as he said, and the king took a few deep breaths as he waited a moment to speak, but then one advisor sighed in irritation.

“What?” Nara finally snapped, and I smirked to myself.

“This assembly will get nowhere if everyone keeps on bickering,” the king snapped back. “I have brought you all here because you hail from the strongest estates in the kingdom, but your strength is wasted here if all you do is argue amongst yourselves.”

I nodded in agreement with the king, and the room maintained its silence.

“There are only five isolated fires so far, so Ocadia is in no immediate danger, yet,” the king proclaimed. “But we do need to find a way to fight them off before it gets worse.”

“Can I just speak, then?” a man called out.

“Yes?” the king stiffly returned.

“I think it’s those damn fire mages who have something to do with it,” he replied. “How else do we explain all those isolated fires just popping up out of nowhere?”

“How could the fire mages even get that deep into the forest?” Nara sighed. “You know if they took two steps in there, Hud would either smother them or push them back out.”

“But fire mages would make sense,” someone else chimed in.

“Not remotely!” another spoke. “The forest wouldn’t allow such devious attacks from our subjects. Even if a fire mage did get through, Hud would kill them before they even lit a twig!”

“Well, I think it is the only logical explanation,” the first voice shot back.

“As do I!”

“I do as well!”

“I object!” a booming voice rang out, and an Archmage rose from his seat. “My fire mages have no hand in this, and I take personal insult--”

“Prove it,” the bored warlock chuckled.

“Pardon me?” the Archmage huffed and turned around. “I owe no proof to this assembly other than the obvious fact that this fire is like nothing that has burned within this kingdom before. It is no work of a mage. This I know.”

“Correct,” the king raised his voice. “It’s Ignis.”

“Ignis?” Nara shouted, and her voice ricocheted around the hall. “Like… from the stories? Fire titan and third brother of Helios? That Ignis?”

“Yes,” the king confessed.

“You’re telling us he’s really out there?” The witch shot to her feet, and her short dress bounced as she did. Then she propped her pale hands on her corseted waist. “We’ve got a fire titan just sitting outside our beloved Ocadia?”

“Settle down,” the king ordered and gestured for everyone to stay in their chairs. “It’s true. The Ardere of Ignis resides to the south of Ocadia. Quite close, I’m afraid.”

“And you’re sure this… this fiery beast is to blame for this?” Nara pressed.

“Considering the first signs of smoke started near the Ardere, yes, I believe so,” the king confirmed. “But there’s still no grounds for chaos. I’m sure it’s something we can fix.”

I furrowed my brow at his bold statement, but I obviously kept my mouth shut.

“Do you think this is an intentional attack?” someone asked.

“Yes,” the king quickly said. “It would make sense that someone like a fire titan would get restless. Living peacefully is not something fallen gods like to do, and they’ve been there for many, many years. Perhaps old Ignis has gotten bored.”

“Gotten bored?” Nara guffawed. “You think someone would want to set the whole land on fire and destroy everything that exists here… because of boredom?”

“There are only five small fires,” the king reminded her. “They’re isolated.”

“Hmm,” she scoffed. “For now.”

I saw a few of the advisors near me shoot looks of disbelief at the King. They all seemed restless and like they wanted a clearer explanation, and I couldn’t blame them. I admired the king’s level head, but I didn’t doubt those five fires could get out of hand if he wasn’t careful.

“Titans are awfully difficult entities to deal with,” the king started again. “However, nobody in this kingdom has done anything to entice their anger before. I do not know what to expect of this. I am not even convinced Ignis’ powers could get beyond the entire forest if he tried. Hud is a fearsome place, but this alone does not ensure our safety. This is why I have called you all here, and why we, as a kingdom, have to band together. I don’t know what Ignis has in store for us, or what he is trying to achieve, but this needs to be quashed before anything larger breaks out.”

“Like a war?” someone feebly suggested. “Do you think we might have to fight?”

“It is too soon to tell,” the king answered. “But what he has already started continues to worsen, so as my council, you should remember that war is always a possibility.”

Chaos broke out within the hall as the leaders of the council all stood with outrage and shouted over each other.

I stayed as quiet as the king and slouched in my chair as I shook my head, and a few arguments boiled over for a moment before the advisors turned their complaints back to the king.

“It can’t be!” someone shouted. “Ocadia isn’t prepared for war! We simply can’t handle it at this time! We are without the proper resources!”

“That is a lie!” the king boomed, and the group quieted a little. “We are not even preparing for war, you are all blowing this out of proportion. It is only a precaution! There are only a few small fires right now, and the world isn’t about to go up in flames. Even if there were a war, we are a land full of strong beings, and we can conquer any foe! It may take a lot of guts, and even bloodshed, but Ocadia will never fall because I am the king, and I refuse to let my kingdom perish!”

“Bloodshed,” someone scoffed. “Well, that’s just great, isn’t it? And I bet you're going to task the magic ones with the job of fighting so that all your precious little humans will be alright.”

The king didn’t calm his audience down this time.

Even the human guards were offended now, and they joined in the arguments as everyone started to pace the hall.

I watched the king pinch his nose with his fingers like he was seconds away from beheading half the advisors in this room.

“I have had enough of your heinous accusations!” the King finally roared and rose from his chair.

The guards backed down at once, and the fury in the room dulled to a low grumble.

“But I have kids,” an advisor shouted. “I have heirs. They can’t die over this titan.”

“Then we must prepare to quash this before more fires start spreading,” the king retorted. “As I have been saying, we have magic, we have strength, and we have everything we need to fight this.”

“But how many are we fighting?” a conjurer beside me asked. “Is it Ignis alone, or his followers as well?”

“I don’t know to be exact,” the king admitted. “I haven’t seen any beings from the Ardere for many years, but there can’t be nearly as many of them as there are of us. We can do this, and this is your time to step up. For Ocadia.”

“How do you expect us to know how to fix this when we didn’t even know Ignis existed until a few moments ago?” Nara challenged.

“I don’t care how you fix it, witch, just do it,” the king snarled.

“And in return?” the sorcerer asked. “What do we get if we are successful in the defeat?”

I wasn’t surprised by the man’s question, and the king didn’t appear to be, either. He’d been dealing with this council for decades, and I could tell he knew exactly how to play into their hands.

“Ohh… the rewards would be great,” the King fed to his magical advisors. “You would first be hailed throughout Ocadia as the one estate capable of ending this entire fiasco. The one estate worthy of coming to the aid of Ocadia when a great fire titan decided to threaten us all.”

Greed and hunger seemed to ripple through the magical council as they all eyed each other up and down. It was clear they were no longer in this conversation together, but rather competitors in their own sick and twisted game.

But this was how it always was with the estates.

And the entire kingdom really.

Estate versus estate. Class versus class. Race versus race.

They never truly wanted to join forces. There was too much malice, and too long a history between them all. So, competition was the best means of accomplishing anything.

It also meant my business was always in demand, so I couldn’t really fault the system.

“Furthermore,” the king continued now that he had everyone’s attention. “I am offering one of the most rare and magical staves in my collection. Consider it a reward to any house who subdues the situation entirely. Let it be yours to wield freely.”

And that sealed the deal.

The hall was all conversation now, and ideas seemed to spew from every mouth about how this titan might be beat.

I listened to them all fighting about their best ideas to stop the fires, but I knew none of them were going to be effective enough to actually fight the titan. If they had seen the ember fields for themselves, or felt Cinis’ powers, they would have realized that fire ran through the blood of every being in the Ardere. Ignis’ followers all would have trained with it as well, and they wouldn’t succumb to the pathetic antics being tossed around the assembly hall.

I couldn’t help shaking my head at the sudden change in the atmosphere, either. The entire council had gone from being annoyed with the king, to trying to show each other up for him, and I rose from my seat as the nonsense continued.

The king knew what he was doing.

I couldn't stand watching the squabbles of the council anymore, so I headed to the double doors. Even in such dire moments, every magical entity still needed to be seen as the most impressive, the most vital, and the most honorable in Ocadia.

But honor wasn’t about a title or the king's approval. It was about doing what was right, with no strings attached, and I could see through their calloused ways.

Unfortunately, I could do nothing for them.

I couldn’t tell them exactly what was happening because it would mean not only blowing my cover, but also telling them of Cinis. I knew the beautiful descendant would be blamed for all of this if they found out what had happened, and I couldn’t allow it. Not when I knew it was Cinis who wanted peace for the Ardere. I also couldn’t afford to have the whole kingdom know of the rare power I possessed, so the truth of the situation was best kept to myself.

I thought about the Master, and how he told me only I could have handled the task of going to the Ardere. Then I thought about the binding symbol he’d bestowed on me. The Master had the utmost faith in my abilities, and the task he gave me at the Ardere of Ignis was my responsibility now.

I had every intention of handling it.

“Druid!” the king suddenly called to me, and I paused at the double doors. “Where are you going? This council is not dismissed!”

I didn’t dare turn back around. The hall had started to quiet, and I could almost feel the eyes of the advisors on my back. So, I stood still with my back to them all as I took a steadying breath.

“I value things greater than a prize,” I announced in my borrowed voice. “I value the livelihoods of the citizens who live within the kingdom. It is my job to heal, and now, I shall go and see how to heal this land.”

“Hmm… well spoken, Druid,” the king replied. “I expect the rest of you to go and do the same.”

The guards swung the doors open ahead of me, and I strolled down the red carpet and toward the castle entrance. Then the next set of doors parted, and I was greeted with the throng of beings still clamoring up the stairs. The guards barred their advances while I shoved my way through, and I kept my head down as I wormed through the endless crowd.

“What’s happening, Druid?” A tiny sylph shot through the air and whispered into my ear. “Are we all going to die?”

“No, we are not,” I responded, and I didn't say more.

I couldn't stop bumping into people in this crowd of spectators, and second by second, I could feel my powers beginning to respond. Too many people’s hands or arms were brushing against fingertips, and my next mirror would force itself on me if I didn’t get out of here soon.

Then cheers erupted all over the grounds.

“My subjects!” the king’s voice boomed from the castle entrance. “Fear not! Ocadia is in good hands!”

“It is,” I said with a smirk. “Just as soon as I gain some intel on how to kill a fire titan.”