after a long submersion. She opened her eyes a bit and regretted it as they stung, she clamped them tight in an effort to curb the pain. “Thank you.”
“Shush now, don’t talk little Rose.” The old man gathered her into his arms and used his robe to cover her body up fully. Once he stood up he called for his staff which still hovered nearby. He marveled at the change in the wooden weapon. It had gone from being a light brown to an almost obsidian color, which was odd for just absorbing magic. He scolded himself and made a note to check on it later. Walking as lightly as he could he stepped out of the doorway and into the hall, creeping over the unfortunate elf that lay burned to his bones in front of the door.
“Leonidus, you’re a sight for sore eyes ain’t ya?” A gruff voice said in its thick southern-desert accent. He knew the voice well.
“Premus, it’s been a while.” Leonidus turned around slowly with the Rose still in his arms and regarded the man. He was a human and he wore simple clothing that looked almost exactly like the sands. He would be handsome if it weren’t for the stern look on his face and the lines of age that had begun to creep in. The tall, athletically built man brandished a sword in one hand and had his other free and to his side. “I’ll not let you take her to whomever your vile master is now you churlish bastard.”
“This little cur will be coming with me. That was quite a display: I’m sure you’re drained something fierce after attempting to contain that kind of might.” The human spread his legs a little wider and apart, taking a defensive stance before the wizened old elf. “Just give her up and no one else has to die.”
Leonidus did not bother with further conversation. He used the staff floating behind him to erect a physical barrier crafted of pure magical energy. To his surprise the wall was double in height and width as usual, crumbling the stones around it as if they were paper and bleeding into the next hallway. His eyes were wide with shock as he regarded the staff yet again then shifted his attention back to the scowling human. “As I said, she is not going with you.”
“Son of a whore treeling!” The human shouted through the barrier as he tested it with his sword and found it completely solid. “This isn’t over Leo.”
“No, I suppose not.” With a light gesture he caused the wall to collapse into itself and encapsulate the sand-clad brigand in an orb of magic energy. Leo turned away from the spitting and sputtering man and walked down the long corridor toward his chamber. “I’ll be back to check on you later.”
The old elf looked down at Rose and sighed softly, shaking his head at the recklessness Nina displayed in teaching anyone the ways of magic. Those who were not tutored in its use could hurt themselves and others quite easily. The naarabi girl in his arms did not deserve the life she had been thrust into but he knew what fate had in store for her. Hearing the battle dying down in the main room he headed that way instead, knowing Merik would have some sort of healing tonic on him at all times. The scene in the common room was better than he had expected, few elves had fallen during the battle.
He spied Merik across the room and headed for him immediately, pushing through all of the staring young elves around him with no regard to their scampering to get out of his path. Once he was near the muscular elf he laid Rose out on a cot by the wall and motioned to Merik. “I need a tonic, just a light one mind you.”
Leonidus waited for Merik to reply and gave a few sips to the shivering Rose and handed the vial back behind him in a hurry. Once he was sure she was resting soundly he gathered himself up and surveyed the room and barked an order that made all but Merik scurry about like a pack of rabid dogs. “Bring Ninanthia to me this instant!”
“That little whelp taught Rose how to gather magic.” Leonidus said in a heated tone as
“Shush now, don’t talk little Rose.” The old man gathered her into his arms and used his robe to cover her body up fully. Once he stood up he called for his staff which still hovered nearby. He marveled at the change in the wooden weapon. It had gone from being a light brown to an almost obsidian color, which was odd for just absorbing magic. He scolded himself and made a note to check on it later. Walking as lightly as he could he stepped out of the doorway and into the hall, creeping over the unfortunate elf that lay burned to his bones in front of the door.
“Leonidus, you’re a sight for sore eyes ain’t ya?” A gruff voice said in its thick southern-desert accent. He knew the voice well.
“Premus, it’s been a while.” Leonidus turned around slowly with the Rose still in his arms and regarded the man. He was a human and he wore simple clothing that looked almost exactly like the sands. He would be handsome if it weren’t for the stern look on his face and the lines of age that had begun to creep in. The tall, athletically built man brandished a sword in one hand and had his other free and to his side. “I’ll not let you take her to whomever your vile master is now you churlish bastard.”
“This little cur will be coming with me. That was quite a display: I’m sure you’re drained something fierce after attempting to contain that kind of might.” The human spread his legs a little wider and apart, taking a defensive stance before the wizened old elf. “Just give her up and no one else has to die.”
Leonidus did not bother with further conversation. He used the staff floating behind him to erect a physical barrier crafted of pure magical energy. To his surprise the wall was double in height and width as usual, crumbling the stones around it as if they were paper and bleeding into the next hallway. His eyes were wide with shock as he regarded the staff yet again then shifted his attention back to the scowling human. “As I said, she is not going with you.”
“Son of a whore treeling!” The human shouted through the barrier as he tested it with his sword and found it completely solid. “This isn’t over Leo.”
“No, I suppose not.” With a light gesture he caused the wall to collapse into itself and encapsulate the sand-clad brigand in an orb of magic energy. Leo turned away from the spitting and sputtering man and walked down the long corridor toward his chamber. “I’ll be back to check on you later.”
The old elf looked down at Rose and sighed softly, shaking his head at the recklessness Nina displayed in teaching anyone the ways of magic. Those who were not tutored in its use could hurt themselves and others quite easily. The naarabi girl in his arms did not deserve the life she had been thrust into but he knew what fate had in store for her. Hearing the battle dying down in the main room he headed that way instead, knowing Merik would have some sort of healing tonic on him at all times. The scene in the common room was better than he had expected, few elves had fallen during the battle.
He spied Merik across the room and headed for him immediately, pushing through all of the staring young elves around him with no regard to their scampering to get out of his path. Once he was near the muscular elf he laid Rose out on a cot by the wall and motioned to Merik. “I need a tonic, just a light one mind you.”
Leonidus waited for Merik to reply and gave a few sips to the shivering Rose and handed the vial back behind him in a hurry. Once he was sure she was resting soundly he gathered himself up and surveyed the room and barked an order that made all but Merik scurry about like a pack of rabid dogs. “Bring Ninanthia to me this instant!”
“That little whelp taught Rose how to gather magic.” Leonidus said in a heated tone as
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