Richard Tuttle - Winged Warrior

Lady Mystic rose and brushed herself off. Her mind whirled with a thousand thoughts as she wondered if it was too late to save Aakuta. If the dark mage had been captured, the soldiers would bring him before Vand. If she truly cared for him, now was the time to show it. She could run to the temple and magically attack the soldiers bringing Aakuta in. She could free her lover, and they could escape into the jungle to live in peace.

Lady Mystic ran towards the temple. Curious people were already beginning to line the streets in anticipation as columns of soldiers and mages entered the city from every direction. The soldiers lined the streets, keeping the rest of the citizens off the roads. Lady Mystic jostled the crowd to get a position where she could see the captive being brought to the temple.

A ripple of confusion ran through the crowd as no squad of soldiers marched along the parade route. Only a single mage walked between the lines of soldiers barricading the route. Lady Mystic scowled when she saw the mage’s face. It was Xavo.

When Xavo passed, the soldiers dropped their barricade and let the citizens roam freely. Lady Mystic shook her head in confusion. She desperately looked around for someone that she knew that would still speak to her. She saw Santiock, a high officer in Vand’s army. He had always been friendly towards her in the past. She pushed her way forward and softly called his name. Santiock’s eyes scanned the crowd looking to see who had called him. His eyes landed on Lady Mystic and he frowned. He hurried towards her and grabbed her elbow. He guided here away from the milling crowd to a place where they could talk privately.

“So even you are afraid to be seen talking to me?” frowned Lady Mystic. “Is this my reward for years of loyalty to Vand?”

“One does not tempt the hand of fate around Vand,” Santiock shrugged indifferently. “Why did you call my name?”

“I must know what happened today,” declared Lady Mystic. “Why was Xavo marching the route with no soldiers and no prisoner?”

“He alone survived,” explained Santiock. “His squad managed to track the escapee into the jungle and kill him.”

Lady Mystic frowned at hearing Aakuta called the escapee. It rubbed a raw nerve.

“His name was Aakuta,” snapped Lady Mystic, “and I doubt that Xavo has the power to kill him.”

“Aakuta was powerful,” Santiock’s brow knitted with agreement. “Never has one so insane been able to use magic effectively. His strange spells of light left little of Xavo’s squad.”

“I thought none of the soldiers survived?” questioned the Emperor’s daughter.

“They didn’t survive,” replied Santiock. “What I meant when I said his spells left little was just that. The remaining pieces of Xavo’s soldiers were small and unrecognizable. Their bodies were entirely shredded.”

“And yet Xavo remained alive?” Lady Mystic pushed skeptically.

“He was apart from the soldiers by twenty paces of more,” explained the officer. “While Aakuta was shredding the soldiers, Xavo attacked Aakuta with a fireball. It was a fatal attack.”

Lady Mystic’s heart skipped a beat as she heard the words. She did not believe that Aakuta was dead.

“So Xavo says,” retorted the Emperor’s daughter. “Xavo always plays the part of the great mage. Where is Aakuta’s head if he is dead?”

“Xavo is a pompous braggart,” agreed Santiock, “but not this time. I was close by. The brilliant light drew my attention even before the screams of death were heard. I saw the soldiers’ body parts fly through the air. I saw Xavo deliver the killing blow. I helped drag Xavo out of the fire that erupted in the brambles. He was intent on cutting off Aakuta’s head, but he would have died trying to get it. The flames grew at an astonishing rate.”

Tears welled up in Lady Mystic’s eyes and Santiock shifted uncomfortably.

“I am sorry, Lady Mystic,” consoled the officer. “I know that you cared for Aakuta, but loving a traitor is not a wise thing to do these days. I must go to the throne room in case there are questions surrounding this incident.”

Santiock waited a moment for a response from Lady Mystic, but there was none. The officer turned and strode towards the temple. He hurried along to catch up to those heading for the throne room. He did not want to miss a minute of the session because Vand was often known to freely give out boons after a victorious mission.

The throne room was crowded as everyone sought to be in Vand’s presence in case spoils were awarded. Santiock squeezed his way towards the front of the room, earning him more than one jab in the ribs. He did not care. Unlike the other pretenders in the room, he had helped Xavo flee from the fire. That at least should give him some standing if rewards were showered on anyone.

“Quiet!” demanded Vand. “I want to hear the report. Speak Xavo.”

Xavo moved to stand before Vand. He bowed low and reverently before straightening and smiling at the Emperor.

“Aakuta thought he was clever,” reported the mage. “He used a spell of fog in an attempt to avoid being captured, but it did not work. He fled into the jungle and everyone lost sight of him. A sound was clearly heard some distance away and most of the groups converged on it. I did not. I remembered your demonstration of the air tunnel and knew it was a trick. Instead, I led my troops in the opposite direction. We left the jungle trail and moved silently through the dense foliage. That is when Aakuta struck. He attacked my men with some hideous light spell. My men immediately died, but I avenged them. I struck Aakuta down with a powerful fireball.”

“What nonsense is this you spout?” scowled Vand. “Aakuta was cursed. He had no mind for using magic, yet you speak of fog, and air tunnels, and even some light spell of death. I will not tolerate such lies in my court.”

“These are not lies,” Xavo quickly replied as he pulled a glass bottle from his pouch. “Aakuta found away around the curse. We found this bottle in the forest behind the temple where Aakuta must have been spying on us. I think it contained some type of elixir that negated the curse. That is the only explanation that I can think of.”

Vand held out his hand, and a guard swiftly raced to Xavo and took the bottle from his hand. The guard brought the bottle to the Emperor and placed it in his outstretched hand. The Emperor held the bottle up and gazed at the slight accumulation of liquid in the bottom. He uncorked the bottle and sniffed the contents for several moments before throwing it to the floor in disgust. If anyone had been close enough to hear the Emperor mumble under his breath, they would have heard him curse his daughter.

“Where is Aakuta’s head?” demanded the Emperor.

“My fireball was much too powerful,” answered Xavo. “Aakuta’s body was burned along with a large section of the jungle. Soldiers are still fighting to put out the blaze.”

“Then we have no confirmation of his death,” scowled Vand. “That is unacceptable.”

“We have many witnesses,” offered Xavo. “Indeed, I was dragged out of the fire as I sought to take Aakuta’s head regardless of the peril to my own life. I knew that bringing his head here would please you.”

“Where are these witnesses?” asked Vand.

A dozen men raised their hands. Santiock was one of them, but he frowned at the number of others who were claiming to have helped. Santiock stepped forward and bowed before the Emperor.

“I was nearby,” Santiock offered to the Emperor. “While some will make false statements in your presence to gain your favor, this is not such a case with Xavo. I witnessed the attack on his men. The spell was indeed deadly, and their bodies were instantly shredded. Xavo did indeed strike down Aakuta with a fireball, igniting the brambles present there. He did indeed draw his knife and attempt to sever Aakuta’s head. I, along with two others, pulled Xavo out of the flames. He was not happy that we had done so before he had retrieved the head of Aakuta, but we had to save his life.”