Sytravious: The Lost Warlock Of Moruz (The Oathbreaker Book 1) (2 page)
Read Sytravious: The Lost Warlock Of Moruz (The Oathbreaker Book 1) Online
Authors: E.B. Acevedo
“So it was spoken, it shall be done. The blood oath is set,” Oblis declared. Then without warning, his smoky wings surrounded her.
She was overcome with paralysis as thousands of persecuted, agonized souls surrounded her. Nyxseous watched in horror as countless hands tore at her navel and into her womb. The ghostly hands stretched and pulled from deep within her body to remove the lifeless baby, before placing it on the ground. Oblis dumped the woman from his hand onto the ground next to the infant.
She snatched her newborn son off the ground and wiped blood from his tiny body. It was apparent that he should not have been born for several more months. She hugged his limp body as blood poured from her abdomen. Her eyes widened with distress and she looked up to Oblis.
“Fear not. Watch and be at peace,” Oblis responded with a deep mumble. With chains dragging from his wrists, he scooped up the child, held it close to his gray wrinkled lips, and recited a chant in an ancient language. The great jinn then sucked in the baby’s last breath, waited, and then breathed magical fire into the lifeless body. The enchantment, which was a mixture of Oblis’ core and the infant’s soul, brought the unresponsive child back to life. He began chanting once more, whispering dark magic into the boy’s soul until the newborn began to shift in the creature’s hand. Oblis looked at the small child with pride and greed.
As the baby began to cry, the jinn reached down to place his other hand over Nyxseous. She felt heat radiate around her, which was accompanied by a red glow. A few seconds later, she could hear the clanking of chains over her son’s shrill cries. She opened her eyes to see the rough gray hand handing her the infant. The witch looked down bewildered at the sight of her completely healed body.
“Take your baby so he may have his short life of revenge. Never forget our oath here today. I will be watching you both closely, very closely. Now go.”
She took her boy from the hand of Oblis, and the monster began to retreat into the flames, dragging his chains with him. Once it seemed the flames had consumed him, the fire dimmed and the cavern cooled down. Nyxseous sighed and embraced her newborn baby. The last several hours felt like a nightmare that passed in a blur, but it had happened. Everything was real. She had made a deadly oath with Oblis for her child’s soul. She looked down into her son’s crystal blue eyes and a saddened smile spread across her lips.
“Oh my precious baby boy, may the gods forgive me.”
A Chance Encounter
South West Havencrest
Year 1135
T
he cool autumn breeze blew through the trees, creating a chill in the air. Sytravious took his time walking through the Foxfire Woods. He did not usually make the effort to walk to this particular spring, but after the rigorous training session this morning with his stepfather, he felt he deserved the small break.
As he approached the hidden spring, he could see a thick layer of steam that sat on the surface of the water. He knew this private area would provide his mind and body with the warmth and relaxation it needed. The haze was so dense that Sytravious could not even see the opposite shore. Without hesitation, he proceeded to take off his shirt and kick off his heavy leather boots.
He sat down on the spring’s ledge, before easing his body into the warm water. Once his feet touched the floor, he walked further in, going deeper with each step. Sytravious waded through the steaming springs until his broad shoulders were submerged. Once he reached his desired depth, he paused and immersed his head for a moment. He brushed the water out of his face and pushed his long dark hair back as he popped back up from beneath the water’s surface. He exhaled, and through the sounds of trickling water dripping from his hair, he thought he heard laughter nearby.
Of course, it was possible for someone else to be here, but the thought had not entered Sytravious’ mind until now. Curious to see the source of the carefree laughter, he swam towards the noise. As he got closer, through the rising fog he could see a beautiful breathtaking young woman. Sytravious froze at the sight of her. Every muscle in his body tightened when he laid eyes on the innocent picturesque scene in front of him. He noticed she wore only an undergarment that had once been white, but was now transparent. It felt inappropriate to continue to stare at this stunning stranger this way, but he could not help himself.
Her long, wet, brunette hair fell over her shoulders, part of it fanned out behind her as it touched the water, and the rest covered her breasts. Her fair skin was flawless and looked as if it could feel like velvet. With each move she made, Sytravious took in the image of perfection and he imagined how it would feel to touch her soft skin.
His eyes followed her as she began to wander to the shore. Without the concealment of the water, more of her body became exposed and Sytravious could not tear his eyes away from her. Even from the side view, he could tell she was a petite girl and despite her young age, her body was quite curvaceous. With the undergarment clinging to her skin, the water gracefully trickled down her supple breasts, flat belly, and full hips, before disappearing back into the spring. Sytravious continued to gawk at the young beauty’s impeccable figure, having never seen a girl so exposed before. It was clear to him that he should not be watching her this way, but her radiance was ensnaring him.
As he debated whether he should swim away and forget this encounter or make his presence known, his curiosity, and strong desire to know this girl, overpowered his common sense. The further she strode away, the less of a chance he would ever see her again. Despite every concern he felt about unveiling himself to this girl who he knew nothing about, the possibility of never having this opportunity again was just not an option for him.
He began to swim over to her, trying to conjure up a sensible way to introduce himself. All sorts of wild thoughts were coursing through his mind when the smiling young maiden looked back, spotting him. It was at that moment he caught a glimpse of her angular, glittering honey colored eyes. The smile faded from her face, and her joyous expression was replaced with a look of alarm. He knew he had to speak now or else he would risk frightening her even more.
“That had to be the sweetest smile I have ever seen,” he said.
Startled and panicked, the girl let out a high-pitched shriek. Her hands covered her exposed body and she plunged down in the shallow water. She seemed scared and unable to move. The uncomfortable moment felt as if it lasted an eternity. He held his hands up and turned his back to her in attempt to ease her fear. Even without looking at her, the damsel’s effortless beauty still burned bright in his thoughts.
“What are you doing in my bath?” she screamed at him.
Her sudden tantrum snapped Sytravious right out of his daydream. He should have expected it, but he was still caught off guard by her accusatory tone. He looked over his shoulder, and raised an eyebrow in surprise. His crystal blue eyes caught a glimpse of her in his peripheral vision, and he snickered at her.
“Pardon me my lady, but unless I am somehow mistaken,
this is a public spring. It is open to all citizens. So I am not sure how it qualifies as yours, or even a bath for that matter.”
Her mouth dropped in shock at his shrewd response. “Very well sir, I suppose it is not really mine. However, I am still a young woman who happens to be swimming in my undergarment. It is about a simple matter of privacy. A lady ought to be able to enjoy the springs without worrying about strangers with prying eyes. Is there no consideration for a girl’s privacy anymore?”
Sytravious noticed her tone of voice, while still stern was not quite a shout anymore. Feeling that her anger was subsiding, he allowed himself to regain his composure. His heart was still pounding hard from the thrilling range of emotions he had just experienced in these brief moments.
“Now please sir, have the courtesy to allow me to dress without having to worry about your wandering stare.”
He rolled his eyes and gave an exaggerated exhale, expressing his frustration with her accusations. Sytravious could hear her moving through the water and thought it would be best to fulfill her request by keeping his back to her. He did not want to scare her away.
Sytravious decided to break the growing silence between them, and continued with the conversation, “I do suppose there is a matter of privacy for a lady in her bath. However, as I mentioned before, this is a public spring. Nobody told you to bathe here. But I will say, because of your poor judgment, I have never seen a better sight in all my days.”
He thought he heard a small chuckle, but he did not receive a response from her. Perhaps it was his ears deceiving him. It was more likely that she was shaking her head in disapproval. Then he grinned while he envisaged her body dripping with sparkling drops of water behind him.
“Look, I am not trying to be rude miss, but there should be no expectations for privacy when you swim here. It is communal area, and you are the one who chose to swim in nothing but your undergarment. At least I had the decency to keep my pants on.” He laughed at his own comment. “Do you not have a bath at home? If I did not know any better, I might think your intentions were to tempt any potential spectators by flaunting yourself.” Sytravious hoped his words would not ring true. “Though, I suppose it is none of my business, just making an observation, my lady.”
“If you must know, I happen to swim here almost every morning and never have I had to deal with such an interruption before. It is something I have been able to enjoy in private, until today. Obviously, I did not expect any onlookers, such as yourself. So please do not insult me with such assumptions.”
With her response, he felt relief and assurance that she was the pure and innocent girl he had conceived her to be.
“Alright, you may turn around now.”
He was grateful that she had not dashed off while his back was turned. He let out a small sigh of relief and turned around, careful not to reveal how eager he was to lay eyes on her again. She smiled at him. Her tranquil demeanor suggested she was not angry with him and had only been defensive due to her initial surprise.
“Actually, it has never been possible for me to expect much privacy in my home. Not when there are countless eyes on me from the time I wake up.”
He watched her every move. She twisted her sopping chestnut brown hair in an attempt to wring out the water. He focused on her face, an image of perfection, but then he hesitated for a moment and took the time to observe her unique attire. Sytravious’ mind was racing as he began to piece together whom this maiden was.
Covering her tiny feet were fancy slippers that were encrusted with sapphires and pearls. She wore a delicate blue dress that was tailored for her body. The luxurious fabric draped over her figure and tied behind her neck. Her petite shoulders were bare, until she pulled an ivory hooded cloak over them. The cloth shimmered with golden embroidery that was laced along the edges, accenting the sparkle in her golden eyes. The matching pin she used to fasten the cloak was in the shape of a hand with a halo around it, the insignia of the temple of Vesalys. He tilted his head to the side as he studied the revelation in front of him. It was without a doubt the Priestess of Havencrest.
“Surely now you can appreciate why I had yet to mention it, but my name is Raiven. I am the Priestess of Havencrest and a disciple of our goddess, Vesalys. Well, soon-to-be Priestess, I am actually still in training. My mentor and the Head Priest of Havencrest, Master Vienken is currently the temple’s protector.”
The grin on her face left Sytravious to deduce that she expected him to be taken by surprise, but the arrogant smirk that spread across his face as he began to tread through water, only proved he would not be deterred by this newfound fact.
“You are full of surprises. I find it unfair that you waited until after I have teased you to share this bit of information with me. How is it that a priestess finds herself this far away from the temple? When traveling such a distance alone, there are far worse things that could entrap you besides my charm. Have you not heard that there have been womach sightings around here?” He stepped upon the shore to join her.
“Womachs? No, but what gave you the impression I was alone?”
Sytravious glanced around for any sign of a guardian. When he returned his gaze to her, he saw the maiden eyeing his dripping wet body. In that moment, he felt a twinge of triumph, but it was short-lived as he recalled Raiven’s status and knew it was possible for her guardians to be in the area. The unease within him grew because he understood being in her presence did not qualify as being cautious. This insignificant meeting would enrage not only his mother, but the temple guardians as well. Any misconception of the events that had occurred could lead to his immediate incarceration.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, he knew that his deep attraction to her had already clouded his judgment. His common sense was overridden by his fascination with her, and his courage became stronger than his fear. That was all it took to expel the anxious feelings from within him. With each passing moment, he relaxed and became his confident self again.
“Well?” he questioned and raised his eyebrow to prompt her reply. He scanned their surroundings one last time and said, “You are definitely alone, Priestess. There is no way they would allow you to be so close to potential harm. You had me there for a moment.”
“Very well, you got me. I have been sneaking away from my guardians so that I may enjoy some time alone. They may guard me on a daily basis, but I do not need protection. I know this may come as a surprise to you, but I am capable of more than just healing. I can handle myself in most situations.”
“I do not doubt that you are capable of taking care of yourself. However, you should still be concerned about being caught out here with me. I mean, what will people think?” He mocked and feigned shock as he widened his eyes.
She also took part in the joke by covering her mouth in pretend astonishment. He studied Raiven as she stood there exuding purity. Her child-like innocence was part of what captivated him.
“If I were you I would be much more concerned about being found out here with
me
, but I will not tell your secret if you do not tell mine.”
Sytravious took notice of her playful tone and it only made him wish to spend as long as possible with her. He decided to carry on with the jesting if it meant postponing her departure.
“Secret? What secret of mine would you know about?”
“That you were spying on me while I was improperly clothed, of course. If you can keep quiet about this encounter between the two of us, then I may be able to pardon your inappropriate behavior.”
Sytravious’ jaw dropped in disbelief. Though he was impressed by her capability to place all the blame on him, he was still insistent on defending his honor. He shook his head and repeated his argument again. “Despite what you think Priestess, I was not spying. Any man, or woman for that matter, is entitled to a morning swim in the woods of all places.”