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

by Acevedo, E. B.

  The loud sounds of the rocks blasting away interrupted him. Sytravious lost his footing and fell to his knees from the force of the tremors. The ledge of the cliff shook from Jezra’s powerful spell work. Lightning bolts began to break through the blocked tunnel, and inside, he could hear Kenshiro urging her to continue.

  “Son, you are right. I am not your general. No matter what Nyxseous told you on her deathbed about your real father, you are my boy! You belong to me, and always have. So please, do as I say. My time is done, your mother has left this world, and she took my soul with her. I am finished, but you still have so much to accomplish. Now, go!”

  He could see the tears in Nysight’s eyes as he clapped Hellios on the shoulder. Sytravious felt helpless, and just as he opened his mouth to respond, Hellios rushed at him with blinding speed. He yelled out to his stepfather and reached out for him in desperation, but Nysight had already turned his back. The image of his stepfather’s swords clashing against Kenshiro’s blades was the last thing he saw before they fell off the edge of the cliff.

  Then the rush of the wind filled his ears as they spun towards the crashing sea below. Tears flowed from his eyes, and with his last bit of strength, he whispered a spell. They hit the water hard and the sea devoured them. The impact knocked the wind out of him. His nose and mouth filled with water. Sytravious watched Griever drift down into the dark abyss below, before unconsciousness overpowered him.

  * * *

  Epilogue

  That morning off the coast of Springdale, the waters were rough. The old galleon navigated through the sea, careful to avoid the navy fleet that had arrived in the city’s port the night before. From her view on the upper deck, Saycerach was witnessing Kenshiro’s soldiers pour off naval ships. At first, she worried they had followed Saliz from Havencrest.

  The warlock had failed to show up yesterday morning, and they had been awaiting his arrival so they could depart. Saycerach did not care if Saliz made it or not. Frankly, she wished he had never came on the mission at all because he had been a thorn in her side for ages, but despite her desire to abandon him, the crew insisted they wait one more day. However, when she saw the soldiers arrive before Saliz, she demanded they leave at once.

  After observing the soldier’s actions, she was relieved to see they were not after her ship and was curious as to why such a force would venture this far south. She sighed and sat down to watch the disturbance. The crew had pointed out the series of lightning strikes on the sea cliffs before rocks exploded off the mountainside, into the sea below. Whoever was on the receiving end of those spells were in for a bad day. She snickered at the sight of two men falling from the cliff.

  “Hey, you think one of them was Saliz?” someone called up to her, “We should go check. He would be livid if we left him floating out there. Saycerach rolled her eyes and groaned, but she knew he was right. Her master would see to it that she would be punished if she left him behind.

  “Fine, let us go to the cliffs, but when we get there you had better hurry up and find him. I do not want to get caught pulling him on board.” She was only eighteen, but in Saliz’ absence she became the commanding officer.

  When they reached the cliffs, the crew scanned the choppy waters for any signs of life. She leaned against the railing of the deck, hoping they would not find him. His death would make her next in line for leadership of the Thirteenth Legion, which meant she would be the first witch to command a legion since Nyxseous’ short-lived rule of the Fifth.

  “Out there, see!” they cried.

  Saycerach grumbled and walked over to the ships starboard bow. She stared into the sea at the floating body, and smirked. It was evident the man was not Saliz. “Pull him up so we can see who Havencrest’s military was so desperate to extinguish.”

  The crew did as she ordered and lowered their hooks into the water, until one of them finally was able to grab the man’s shirt. Then they pulled his limp body onto the main deck, and surrounded him.

  “Get out of my way you idiots! Step aside!” The crew made a hole for her to pass, and she marched right to the center. “Hmmm…What have we here?” She kneeled next to him, and brushed the wet hair out of his face. He was handsome, and his strong physique was visible even beneath his soaked garments. She lifted one of his eyelids, and gawked in amazement when she saw his crystalline blue eyes. Something glittered around his neck and she pulled the amulet from his neck. “Check his satchel,” she mumbled.

  The men rushed to remove the leather bag from his shoulder, and opened it. She heard a thud and gasps from the men. Saycerach shifted her gaze to her crew as annoyance built up inside of her.

  “What is it, then? What is in the bag?”

  “You had better take a look yourself ma’am. You are not going to believe it.”

  She picked up the leather satchel, and opened it. She was taken aback, but then an evil smile slowly spreaded across her lips. Her sudden laughter confused the men.

  “Who is this man?” one of them asked.

  “Who, indeed,” Saycerach said as she lifted Nyxseous’ severed head out the bag. Black storm clouds surrounded the ship and lifted it out of the sea, into the sky.

  “Where to, ma’am?” the navigator yelled.

  “To Moruz! I have a special gift for Lord Fheng.”