by Logan Jacobs
“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 disheveled 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 as
sembly 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 guard
s 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.
