Ch.24

Clouds as white as the winter's first snow speckled the air, a soft autumn wind blew through the green meadow ahead.

"You know Nikos the sun should be setting soon and we should really head back." A young girl of twelve stood leaning on a large maple tree.

"Not yet. You go ahead, I will catch up in a minute." The boy replied.

"Ok fine."

As she walked away twelve year old Nikos Airus sat there taking deep, slow breaths of the wind.

"I should really get going." He mumbled to himself. Getting up off the soft grass he brushed off the specks of dirt and grime that lined his attire. Nikos family was never rich but they made it by as his father worked in the local lords manor as a gardener with affinity for nature magic and his mother was the local seamstress allowing him to have some of the finer cloths in town.

Evenings like this were rare, as this time of year the first sprinklings of snow would have already fallen. Nikos sped up knowing his mother would panic if he was out too long. A quaint cabin stood before him, it's wooden frame well maintained as if the wood was still living, which thanks to his fathers magic was. A woman stood on the porch, hair auburn like the leaves on the trees around her, she stood there with a refined sense of stout professionalism.

"Nikos! Were you accompanying the lord's daughter again?" She asked in a tone that implied it wasn't a question.

"Well.." He stuttered in response.

"You know you can't do that. The lord will have our heads if you do."

"I'm sorry..."

"Your father will be home soon so get ready. We're heading into the city tomorrow so don't run off in the morning."

"Alright mother." Nikos said with a sigh.

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The walls of Voxhull loomed in the distance, the city never gathering the funds to repair them. Marks of war scoured them, leaving a long forgotten scar on the once great empire. Nikos loved the city, its architecture built for war, sloped roofs designed to cause falling objects to roll off. It was a city made to fight.

The streets they walked were dimly lit, the morning sun never quite reaching down the alleyways.

"Now Nikos stay close. Some of these people are dangerous."

Out of sheer curiosity Nikos took a look at a man sleeping against the wall.

Jasper (???-WarBorn)— lvl.??? 0/0HP 0/0MP

—3rRor: too low level to see stats : must be within 5000 levels.—

"What..." Nikos stammered. "Come on." A tug on his arm made him carry on down the road.

The day passed without problems, with his good behavior Nikos went with his mother to watch a military parade. The gleaming silver as the army marched forth inspired something inside Nikos he couldn't describe, It was a sense of pride and joy. He knew what he wanted to do.

"Imma become a soldier!" He exclaimed on the walk home. "I want to be a hero and march like they do!"

"Nikos you're barely twelve, live like a child for a while. Plus your father would kill you if you joined the army." His mother replied with a shake of her head.

"I know but I'm level 9! If I can get one more I can become a mage then I will for sure get in!" He said excitedly.

His mother quieted down knowing she could never change the stubborn child's mind. Their cabin appeared before them, the wood alive as ever except for the missing door.

"What!" His mother exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Nikos asked.

"Nothing honey but if I say run you run. Got that? Don't look back no matter what you hear. Run to the city. I love you Nikos and I always will, I'm proud to be your mother and am sad of what might happen but just listen to me. I want you to purge this kingdom, remove the corruption from every nook and cranny. Your name means the people's champion, show them you are."

"What?!?" He cried. "I don't want to."

"Too late." A menacing voice came from the doorway as a man built like a bear stepped out. In his hand he held the severed head of Nikos father.

"Dad!!" Nikos cried.

A look of pure rage flooded his face as he took a step forward. A hand shot out and pushed him back.

"You run Nikos! Now!" Screamed his mother as she drew a previously hidden serrated dagger.

The man charged at her wielding a massive broadsword, a swing aimed at her head was gracefully dodged as she plunged the dagger into his thigh. The man let out a scream before exploding, having shot a fireball at the ground beneath him.

Nikos cried as he saw his mother engulfed only for her to blur and appear five feet behind him.

"Very fast mistress of the wind. Shame you ever retired."

"Lord Alistor promised to leave me alone if I complied." She shot back a look of pure menace in her eyes.

"Yes, that was until your son decided to fool around with his daughter."

"Their kids! Let them live!" She cried.

"I just do this for the money." He replied with a shrug.

"I'll kill you." She said in a voice that implied it was a promise.

Her eyes glowed a bright blue as dozens of clones appeared around him. They all held the same dagger waiting. A moment of silence held in the air before the clones started charging forwards. They came in pairs weaving around the giant as he slashed his sword cleaving every third one in half.

As the wounds started to add up he released a roar summing dual whips of flame he began systematically eliminating the clones until the sharp scream of his target rang out in his ears. Her dagger went flying as she screamed in pain with the flames digging straight into her thigh.

"I've got you now." He stated. Pulling her towards him he plunged his blade into her heart.

A terrified Nikos could only watch in fear as his mother was killed, a smouldering rage burned inside of him.

Slowly he crawled his way over to the lost dagger, picking it up he noticed how it was slick with his mother's blood.

"That's it." He whispered to himself. He waited until the bear man had his back turned to the bush Nikos was hiding in before jumping out.

With all his strength he plunged the dagger into the man's back, or so he thought.

The blade bounced off, not being strong enough to go through the skin. The man turned around and smacked Nikos across the head.

"You run, boy and never look back. I'm leaving you alive because I was a good friend of your mothers but don't think I won't hesitate to kill you if you try anything, get it."

Nikes could only nod in fear as the man stood above. He stood up and ran as fast as his little legs could carry him before collapsing in fear and sadness.

The man wiped tears from his eye as he buried the body of one his party. Money was its own poison.

"Mistress of wind may you forever blow." He mumbled before walking away.

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"Wake up." A sharp jab struck a sleeping Nikos in the shoulder.

"Hmm what?" He asked in a sleep deprived state.

"Get up. We have work to do."

"Who's we?" He asked.

"Oh right, my name is Jasper and I want to help you change the world."