Sytravious: The Lost Warlock Of Moruz (The Oathbreaker Book 1) (22 page)

“General, the tournament champion is at awaiting your arrival at the royal stables.  He is here to claim his prize.”

“Fine,” Kenshiro groaned and marched on to meet with Sytravious.

Sytravious had been summoned that morning to claim his final reward for winning the tournament.  The stables were magnificent and housed every royal horse in Havencrest.  Nysight insisted on coming along because he worried about Sytravious venturing on royal turf by himself, but his stepfather remained hidden within earshot on the opposite side of the wall that surrounded the stables. 

              The general approached from the east entrance, and escorted him into the stables to look around.  The two did not speak to each other as Sytravious looked over the stallions and mares, making the time pass slowly in silence.  He was aware of how Kenshiro watched his every move, but he was not in a rush to select his prized beast. It was plain to see that the general was impatient and annoyed by having to be here.  Sytravious stopped in front of one of the stalls.

              “Do you like that stallion?  He is a bit temperamental, but that is nothing you will not be able to sort out in a quick fashion, I am sure.”

Sytravious studied the large horse in question, as it paced around its stable.  The well-toned steed was dark grey with a black mane and two different colored eyes.  “I will not pretend to be versed in horse training, but my father used to ride a lot in his younger days and I think he would like this one very much.  I will take him.”

“Of course you will.  Why would you not select the largest war horse in the whole stable?” the general inquired in a muttering breath.

Sytravious pretended not to hear Kenshiro’s remark, and walked into the stall to observe the horse closer.  The stallion backed up, snorted at Sytravious, and shook its massive head while kicking up the dirt around them.

The general snickered.  “Be careful. It would be an absolute tragedy if our champion met his end by the hooves of an angry horse.” 

Sytravious glared at him.  He was not going to let him get under his skin so easily.  He assumed Kenshiro must have been harboring some sort of built up anger towards him, having to do with winning the tournament, so he decided to confront him.  “I am sorry, General, but have I wronged you in any way I am unaware of?  Or are you this pleasant with all your guests?”

“You better mind your tone when you speak to me.  You may have the whole city and court under your spell, but I am not impressed by your performance, not even a little bit.  I would recommend that you enjoy this short-lived moment of fame, take your gold and the stupid horse, and ride back to that dank inn you crawled out of.”

Sytravious could feel his anger rising from within his chest, and he clenched his teeth hard as he tried to control the fire within his mind.  Seeing as the black flame was powered by his controlled rage inside, it always erupted more powerfully when he loses his temper.  Sytravious knew that right now, in front of the general, was not the appropriate time to reveal this secret.

“So you
do
feel as if I have wronged you by winning the tournament?”  He scoffed at the general.  “Fortunately for me, impressing
you is not and was never my ambition.  That being said, I hold no grudge against you even if you unjustly hold one against me,” Sytravious said.

Kenshiro stepped up as close as he could, got in Sytravious’ face, and pointed his finger at him while speaking with a controlled anger.  “You can pretend to be humbled and
surprised by your victory, but I am no fool.  Someone has planted you here.  I am still unclear on what your end game is or what you have to gain from all this, but I will find out.  You must want something from the warden, Jezra, or even Raiven.”

Sytravious stared back into Kenshiro’s dark eyes and did not say a word, but the mention of Raiven’s name must have given something away because the general laughed and started to clap his hands, as if congratulating himself for a job well done.  “Oh, I get it now!  I did think you were being entirely too polite to Jezra at dinner, and eager to go on your little tour with Raiven.  Do you really think that you stand a chance against me when it comes to the hand of the most coveted girl in the kingdom?  Wait!  Do not even answer.  I almost feel sorry for you because you believed you had a chance.”

He had enough of the general’s condescending attitude, so he turned his back to him.  Placing his hand on the horse’s neck, he petted the creature until it lowered its head.  Sytravious caressed the stallion in a calm manner, feeling anything but.

“I understand how you can jump to conclusions about my ambitions and capabilities based on the history of the kingdom, General. I also know why you believe the odds are not in my favor because no man in my position has ever achieved such things.”

Kenshiro folded his arms across his chest and nodded his head.  He was happy with the admission.  “Yes, you are exactly right. History never lies, and it can always teach even the most
ignorant of us a lesson.”

“Sorry, I was not finished.  I was going to say that no man in my position has ever achieved such things, yet here I stand, taking this beautiful creature out of your royal stables.  I faced the best fighters the city has to offer, and still won.  Then, I sat with the royals at your table and walked away with my reputation intact.”

He turned to face the general again, whose face was reddening with fury while he fidgeted with his sword hilt, but he would not let Kenshiro deter him from what else he wanted to say.

“History never lies, but I am no history.  I am the present and I am presently taking this horse home - not to a dank inn, but to my bright future.  There is no need to worry, though, because I will never get in your way since guardians do not fall under your command.  The position has been offered to me, and I have decided to accept.”

Kenshiro flinched when Sytravious mentioned of joining the ranks of the guardians.  “If you actually believe any promise that was made to you, as far as guardianship is concerned, then you are in fact the fool I believed you to be.  You will
never
get within ten feet of Raiven ever again!  Of that, I am certain, and you would be wise to avoid any attempts otherwise.”

“Thank you for the warning General, but I will let Raiven decide if she ever wants to see me again, not you.”  He mounted the horse and steered it around the commander, who made no effort to move out of his way.  Then, as he went to ride off, Kenshiro grabbed the reigns of the steed, preventing him from moving forward.

“Do as you please, but remember this: as long as I reside in Havencrest, I command
all. 
You may not be aware of this fact, but
nothing
happens in this city without my consent or knowledge, and that includes temple visits.”

“Good day, General.”  Sytravious snatched back the reigns and raced out of the stables.

“Tread carefully!  Your path is treacherous, indeed,” Kenshiro shouted loud enough for him to hear over the strong gallop.

He slowed down the stallion to a stop once he thought he was far enough.  His stepfather sprinted towards him and Sytravious climbed off the horse. 

“That was stupid,” Nysight stated.  “I was listening to the entire exchange from behind the stables.  I cringed several times during that testy conversation.  You should have handled that with more poise, son.  The general is a dangerous man to cross and you do not need his sights set on you.”

Sytravious kicked a rock on the ground, still frustrated over his exchange with Kenshiro.  He felt barely able to keep his temper under control.  He was seething and it had taken all his willpower not to lash out at the general.

“Damn him! If he thinks I will just bow down to his will, then he is mistaken!” Sytravious shouted.

“Calm down. Do not make yourself such an easy target.  What did you expect to come from such a confrontation?  Do you plan to carve out your destiny by crossing blades with everyone who challenges your goals?  Does that even sound logical?”

Sytravious knew he had let his fury get the best of him, and even lied about accepting the offer to join the guardians.  In fact, he was not certain how serious Jezra had been the night before, but he would have to do everything in his power to make sure Kenshiro would not get the last laugh. 

“Sytravious, do not dwell on what has just happened. How about you share with me your plans for the future and this new calling to become a guardian, instead?”

“I do not know about my future.  All I know is that I will be with Raiven in the end of it all.”

“This path you are choosing for yourself is proving to be a challenging one.  Did you really have to fall in love with the priestess,
of all girls?”

“The same could be said of you, falling for my mother.  We both know she was not the safest gamble of all the women you could have chosen.” 

His stepfather grinned and shook his head. 

“Nysight, our feelings are mutual.  It is not as if I am the only one in this venture.  She is encouraging me because she knows it will be the best for us.”

“I guess it is my mistake for believing that when given the freedom to pick, you would choose a more practical path.  Once your mother catches wind of your little romance, mutual feelings will not stop her from trying to exterminate the relationship.”

“I will worry about my mother when the time comes.  In the meantime, I must hurry and safeguard my spot among the guardians.  I need to see Bryce later because he will know how to go forward from here.”

Chapter 20

The Legionnaire

H
ellios sipped his cheap, bitter ale and let it spill down his salt-and-pepper-colored beard before wiping it off with his sleeve.  He was never one to fuss over manners or appearance.  His long, unkempt, dark brown hair was pushed back with a scarf that he secured around his forehead.  Beneath his long overcoat, away from prying eyes, he concealed a dragonite steel sword.

              The bar he had followed Nyxseous to was tucked away deep in the slums of Havencrest.  The Trapper House was the perfect place for his type.  It was not well-known for its fine dining experience either, which kept the soldiers away and out of his business.  His cold, grey eyes followed the barmaid as he watched every move she made.  He did not let her beauty distract him, though, as he had been warned about her ability to ensnare men with her looks.  Instead, Hellios waited for the right time to make his move.

              Nyxseous seemed oblivious to the danger he posed as she collected empty mugs onto her wooden tray to bring to the back kitchen.  He suspected her shift would be over soon, and was already planning to follow her.  Hellios had voyaged from afar for this precise moment.  This mission had been years in the making, and it all sprang into action when rumors of her sightings had reached his camp.  His father, General Cairo, had many spies still embedded within Moruz, but the news had reached him just in time to get a head start on any plan Lord Fheng could prepare.  Cairo had not wasted a moment dispatching his best assassin, his only son, to eliminate the traitor
.
 

              Nyxseous appeared to be saying goodbye to the barkeeper when she wiped her hands off on her apron and then glanced in his direction.  He let his eyes wander over her to the opposite end of the bar, hoping she thought he was just another admirer, but when he looked in her direction again, she was gone.  He scanned the area once more, then tossed a few coins on the table, and stood up to pursue the fugitive.  The hour was late, but that did not concern Hellios because this task would not take him more than a few minutes. 

              This was no bounty hunt.  It was not the promise of a reward that motivated his actions tonight, but instead, the sweet taste of revenge.  He hastened his pace to catch up to Nyxseous.  She turned down an alley and then it was just the two of them traveling down the quiet passage.  For days now, Hellios had scouted all the streets and knew the perfect place to strike was coming up.  He let his hand find the hilt of his sword beneath his coat.

              Nyxseous continued walking at a leisurely pace, but was most likely very aware of his presence behind her.  He was ready to defend any trick she might have up her sleeve and she did not disappoint him.  The witch suddenly twisted around to face him with impressive quickness and threw her cloak back over her shoulders at the same time.  She held up her hands up as if ready to fight her would-be attacker, but he stood his ground.  Her steel blue eyes glowed in the darkness and did not express even a hint of fear.

              “If you wanted to approach me, you could have flirted at the bar like everyone else,” she said.

              “Sorry to let you down, but I have no such flattery to offer you this fine evening.  I come bearing a different sort of gift.”

              “Whatever you have, I do not want it.  You are not the first man who has tried this little move on me, but I will have you know, the last few did not fare so well.  Do you know who my husband is?”

              Hellios laughed and stepped closer, clenching his sword hilt even tighter.  “You actually got some poor fool to marry you?  I do not envy him one bit, besides he has no bearing on my purpose here tonight.  Do you know who I am, Nyxseous?”

              The mention of her true name made her wince, yet she did not break eye contact.  She studied him head to toe, slowly bringing her hands together as she glanced around to be sure no one was around.  Then, she focused on him with the evilest smile on her face.

              “Who you are?  I think you meant to say, who you were!”  She yelled and released a black fireball from her hands.  It flew at him like an expertly shot arrow, but Hellios was not surprised as so many poor souls before him had been.  He unsheathed his sword and cut right into the flame attack, causing the black fire to engulf the blade’s edge.  Hellios got into his offensive fighting stance and held his sword high behind his shoulder.

              Nyxseous stared in awe at his sword.  It was a long sword and the unique steel was a dark, metallic grey color.  The hilt was forged into the shape of a winged serpent, and at the sight of it, a look of worry crossed her face.  “That is my father’s sword.  Where did you get it?”

              “This sword has been in my father’s care for many years now, ever since the fall of the great Lord Byronicus.  It amazes me you dare refer to him as a father, after your treachery.  The Fifth Legion has not forgotten your deceit that led to our fall, and I have been sent here to right that wrong, Nyxseous, so prepare yourself.  Your fate has led you to this moment, where Byronicus’ own sword will bring you to justice!”

              He came at her and swung the flaming sword.  She dodged its scorching edge.

              “You foolishly helped seal your fate by attacking with the black flame, an art well known to the legion.  Perhaps you have forgotten, but the more you use it, the more powerful this blade becomes.  You know better than anyone that King Daegon had dual weapons forged for the purpose of channeling the VanDrake magic into them.  This is the sword, and I am assuming you took the halberd when you fled Moruz.  No matter, I shall reclaim it to its proper place.”

              “You are very brave, indeed, to a fault I fear.  Your confidence shall be the very poison that betrays you in the end of this meeting,” Nyxseous replied.

              They engaged one another in battle yet again with fire and steel crashing against each other. Nyxseous ducked and jumped away from countless swings of the blade, while Hellios was mindful of her black flame counter strikes.  The deadly magic barely missed him each time she launched an attack, and he noticed each one got closer and closer to finding its mark, with the last one burning off some of his beard.

              She caught Hellios by surprise when she added high-level hand-to-hand combat techniques to her arsenal.  He had been trained to expect the deadly flame technique from her, but the well-placed front kick she landed on his hip threw him back with enough force that he fell.  He landed on the ground and stared up at her in disbelief before standing up.  He twirled his sword around a few times to reestablish his grip.

              “You are proving to be a more worthy opponent than I anticipated, but you are still unworthy of the name VanDrake.  I will not falter until your last breath is drawn.”

              “Then I suppose I will have to get used to you being a nuisance for a while longer, because I have no intentions of falling tonight.”

              Hellios saved any smart reply, and instead ran at her, jabbing his sword to point at her heart.  She jumped back in response.  He sprung forward into a front flip and swung the blade down with both hands, using his falling speed to add momentum to the force behind the slash.  The sidestep she took was enough to avoid being hacked in two, but not enough to evade being hit all together. 

              The blade’s edge cut her across the shoulder, exposing the flesh.  She cried out in pain and fell down on one knee.  Blood did not flow from the wound because it had been scorched shut from the flame, and that same enchanted blaze is what made the pain much worse.  Hellios knew he had the perfect opportunity to finish her off, and pulled back the sword over his shoulder to strike it down across her neck.  Bringing back the head of your target was necessary in the Fifth Legion as proof of the kill. 

He paused for the briefest moment, looking down at Nyxseous, and thought it such a waste to cut out the VanDrake line forever.  He even felt the slightest pity for her, but then put those feelings aside.  He sliced down at her neck, but his sword was met by the edges of dual daggers.  Just then, a powerful knee came crashing into his ribcage causing him to trip into the alley wall, making him gasp for breath.

              “Hellios, stand down!”  Nysight shouted as he blocked Nyxseous from any further attacks.

              He regained his balance and held his arm against his ribs, when the shock hit him.  The man was the old leader of the legions armies whom they had presumed dead, the legendary General Nysight.

              “General…”  Hellios gasped.  He fell to his knees and bowed his head in respect.

              “If you still regard me as such, you would not have dared attack my wife.”

              Hellios look between Nyxseous and Nysight with surprised confusion.  The reality of her husband’s identity had become clear, and his whole mission objective was suddenly flawed.  He threw his sword down and held his hands up in surrender.

              Nyxseous moaned in agony, and tugged hard on Nysight’s pant leg.  “I need warm milk and Rosewood herb right away or my wound will spread,” she managed to utter before passing out.

              “We have a lot to talk about, but not here in the open.  I will explain everything, but first, do I have your word you will not harm her?”  Nysight asked.

              Hellios looked at the unconscious witch, and then back to his sword.  Although he was baffled, his mind was made up.  He would not be killing anyone until he knew the whole story.

              “You have my word, General.”

Sytravious stood outside the temple of Vesalys and stared up at its highest tower which twisted into the evening sky.  The crescent sun was glowing purple on the horizon and the moon was centered in the sky, reflecting off the white stone walls of the tower.  Twenty feet in front of him, two guardians stood at the entrance.  He studied their green and gold armor, trying to imagine if he could ever wear the traditional outfit himself.

After his conversation with Kenshiro weeks ago, he could not resist the urge to speak with Jezra.  The High Priestess had suggested he could have a place amongst the guardians, and he had wanted to find out how sincere the offer was, but the two guardians blocked his entry.  He stated his business with a sense of urgency, not wanting to waste more time than was necessary.  Nyxseous would wonder where he was if he stayed out too long and he wanted to get back before she could pester him with questions of his absence.

“I am Sytravious, and I have come to seek a meeting with the High Priestess.  Can you please inform her of my arrival?  I am certain she will grant me entrance.”

              “Her Holiness has requested that she not be disturbed tonight.  You may return tomorrow during daylight to submit another request,” the guardian replied.

              Sytravious sighed and stared up at the tower windows.  He could see a faint light coming from the top floor and wondered if that was Jezra’s quarters, or perhaps Raiven’s.  Since their conversation at the stables, Kenshiro had made good on his word to see to it that they stalled Sytravious from entering royal grounds.  Every time he had attempted to get in the castle, the elite guards would block his way and give the most ridiculous excuses as to why he could not proceed.  ‘The warden has private guests; there is an illness in the court; the High Priestess is not here; maybe he should try the temple,’ were just a few of the explanations he got. 

              The list went on and Sytravious had grown tired of it.  He then tried to meet her in the temple, but every time he went, he was informed Kenshiro had summoned them to the castle.  Only a few days ago, he had seen Raiven and Jezra standing on a balcony of the temple and the guards had the nerve to tell him the priestesses had not been seen all day.  It was a never-ending circle that always led to him returning home in vain.

              “My apologies, but I have asked to see Her Holiness several times during the day and she is never here.  Do you think it is possible to inform her in any way?  I am almost positive she will be pleased to hear I have come to see her.”