Ertimus

The boy had been a bastard, a kings bastard holding an ancient gift deep within his blood lines, how could he have even known he was traveling with the most dangerous child in these war torn lands. By all rights he should turn his Daemon on the boy as who knows what would happen should any of the remaining houses vying for the throne should get his hands on him. He couldn't kill him and call himself a young lord of honor, this La'velle just saved his life and his families position all in a mear moment, the Oakleafs had sworn themselves and their Mages to house Windsal of the south. Greggan had lost conciousness shortly after killing half the household guards, he had placed the blade of his titansword at the throat of lord Oakleaf, the man begged for mercy once again as Greggans blue energy swept across the Autumn witches and mages alike sucking them dry and descintegrating whole daemons.

Ertimus was traveling with the last Arcana, bastard or no he was the last of the old kings and had the best claim to the open throne, the other citiies may decide to seek peace through him and put im on the throne and turn themselves onto the north, his house would have no choice but to bend the knee and lose whatever hold they had on the south. Greggan was still young, a boy of eight, he could not by any right rule the land itself and a regent would have to be appointed. His father would be the perfect regent, then Ertimus himself. Greggan was his ward after all.

The sun was bright with out the hinderance of clouds in the sky but the wind was cold and clung to them a million small hands tugging at their cloaks. Every once in a while the hands would pull with a sudden burst of strength whipping their cloaks sending cold air down their backs. T

they were atop large destriders, large beasts meant to hold a rider and his provisions, they were welll supplied with two large sattle bags, a bedroll, a small cask of wine on each horse meant for his father, and they were being escorted by two oakleaf mage-guards, which was comical to him as they were easily killed by just Greggan, and they were even easy for himself to best using his titansword. He did not plan on keeping the guard with them for long as even with a sworn oath he knew it to be a false oath and word of Greggan was probably already to the Citadel and would be set upon by the magestrate within a few hours.

They wouldn't have lack luster mages to battle then, most of the house guard of Oakwood were versed mostly in arcane magic which was their weakness when Greggans blood abilities decided to manifest. House Arcana was not named ironically, the first Arcana king chose that name to remind the mages that he could alone decimate most of their forces as elemental magic was as rarely tamed as a new autumn witch was to be born. Of course that was hundreds of years prior and now most decent mages could wield both elemental and arcane magic. Ertimus himself had mastered all the elements and arcane magic, but was struggling with the developement of his own shadown magic.

He had made the small company stop as he overlooked the landscape atop his horse, they had came toa large hill and he thought it was best to ride as though he didn't suspect he was to be betrayed. His Daemon had decided to keep the form of a ladybug for the trip so he could sit on his masters shoulder and give him council unnoticed. "I suggest we make for the long road and follow it directly, if we try to take the plagueswamp we ourselves may not return."

The plague swamps were almost out of the way, but it was easier for them to either lose their shaperones or outright kill them and make a go of losing the magestrate before they could ascend on them. Ertimus pondered over his options, his hand rubbing the pommel on his sword. "I don't like the swamps either, there is queer evil magic at work there, but I do not think we would even make it to Aerios before the citadels forces find us again. " He was whispering to his shoulder which had not been missed by his guards who say uneasily in their saddles.

Greggan looked uncomfortably on, Ertimus would look his way from time to time as would the guards. they feared him, even Ertimus, at least the Oakwood men wouldn't try to attack them for now out of fear of Greggan sucking their magic from their bodies. The hollow husks of the previous men he had killed stilled burned in their minds, their faces froze with their looks of anguish and terror. No meat for the crows, just bone for the worms.

"We take the long road." One of the gaurds had decided to speak out, our lord commanded we keep you safe, the safest road is the long road." His mount stepped forward, unlike Ertimus's is wa armored and had the oakleaf banner draped off its hindquarters, " I'm sorry milord but I must insist we take that route."

Ertimus was more annoyed than angry, "does your lord think me stupid? We just killed most of his gaurd and threatened his life and his cities. No amount of oaths would lead me to believe he is not planning retribution. I did not ask for you to accompany me, you were forced on me, If you wish to take the long road then by all means take it, but I shall take my own way even if it means just me and my ward."

The captain did not like this answer but understood he was not really able to do much about it, they were just arcane mages, and not enough to take on the autumn witch, let alone his arcane sucking side-kick. "As you wish milord lord, we will go where you point us."

"To the plague swamps it is." Ertimus spurred his horse with his heel and headed in the direction of a dark mass of trees miles off in the distance. "its a few days ride to the edge of the swamp from here, we'll go directly south through it and come out at my fathers allied house, house Rayner. From there you will depart us and find your way back home." The guard bowed his head as he scowled, " we have been ordered by our liege to escort you home and by the Gods I plan to follow my orders. We go where you do until we reach your home."

until you have me killed, Ertimus heeled his steed and headed in the direction of the plague swamps. they wouldn't escape the magestrate men on their way to them if they stuck to the roads, but they would fair much better in the cover of the swamps if they could use its natural obstacles to their advantage they may be able to stay ahead of them before they manage to make their way into the southron lands. " it would be best if we kill the guards in the swamps, hide them in the waters and let loose their horses across the countryside. No reason to make it easy for them to find us, nor give them more men to use against us when the time comes." His daemon whispered his council into his ear, they both had agreed that they had to kill the guards but neither knew how or when they should do it. Ertimus was not a huge proprietor of violence or death. He took no joy in it as his father had.

His father crossed his mind often when he had to make these decisions, his fat bald face with his icy blue eyes piercing into his own. His father valued ruthlesness when it came to his enemies, and bullying tactics on those weaker. Ertimus hated those qualities but often found himself the windsal his father had valued on many occasions. He had killed his first man before his eleventh name day. Ertimus fondled the pummel of his sword, bulky awkward thing that it was it still made him feel stronger, he liked his sword better than magic even if he wasn't a trained swordsman.

No mage tended to be especially talented in weapons of war, their bodies were meant for magic and tended to lack the strength necessary to wield them in any meaningful manner. Some weapons were magical but were still not wielded by human mages, something about the gift of magic that left humans awkward with weaponry aside from the occasional magical archer.

He had taken this off of one of the sellswords back on the ship, and he had used its magic to defeat the sea banshee that had plagued poor Avery. His contorted face frozen in fear and pain poisoned his dreams even now and during his long sleep after. He shuddered as Avery crossed his mind, the blades elvish magic repelled the cursed soul and Avery to the depths of the cold sea. Titan blades were truly magical treasures and he still couldn't believe they had on eon that ship and that they were to stupid to know how to use it.

The blade was heavy even compared to heavy two handed swords forged in thick mountain steel that the knights of Aerios loved to use. sharper than any sword known so far and twice as strong it held the natural ability to repel magic and cut through enchantments, but it also could if so inclined be used to battle the many cryptoids that made their home in this world. The elves forged these blades and even now keep the very trees that produce the blade to themselves in the ire. Though the elves were known to sell some from time to time and gift them to their allies so the blades did have a prescense in the realm. They were highly coveted and it was said that AhridTown had equiped all their knights with the blades, how true that was is uncertain. It could be true as Ahridtown was extremely wealthy due to its slave trade but it also could have been propaganda to seed the house that held the city as the new royal family.

Ertimus called Greggan closer to him as they rode closer to the swamps, the trees looked black and unwelcoming as the shadows dripped against the field before it. This was the swamp in the daylight, pestulent as its shadows crept along its treeline. The wind blew decaying smells into their faces as they grew closer, " these woods are home to some of the most vile creatures in the realm, stay close i fear if we separate you will not live long enough for me to find you. Eos stay with him and protect him as best you can." The daemon was a crow as he followed his masters command and perched himself on Greggans shoulder.

"A crow seems fitting for this place." Greggan said scanning the treeline in the distance, the feint smell of decay clung to the breeze, the small party moved slowly against the wind which had begun to increase in verocity as they rode closer. The sky had begun to grow dark as dusk began to settle and the moon took the place of sun. Ertimus did not allow the company to stop to rest or water in case they were being tracked, though he did slow their pace for Greggan who had begun to form blisters on his thighs and buttocks.

Ertimus had grown up a Magelords son and had taken to riding for sport and pleasure, he felt at home astride the beasts as he was to shoes. Even with his small wards pleas for a rest and his daemons urge to let the horses rest so they didn't end up hooves up before they ever made it to southron lands. "If we stop we very well may be taken captive before dawn, I for one do not plan to be political prisoner for the magestrate of fools." As the time passed the moon and stars were all that were left to light their way and the sprawling fields of sweet grass had started to field more thick rooted trees who's roots slithered throught the brush like a snake threatening to trip a horse and seriously injure it and its rider.

Ertimus finally resigned ot the fact that he had to order the company to make camp, though he wouldn't allow a fire to be made and he had them sleep on the cold forest floor. Him and Greggan had chosen to lean against a pair of young pine trees with a bag from their sattles as pillows. He watched as his ward whimpered from his sores, he had begun to forget that Greggan was still just a little boy, he wasn't even passed ten and he had emense power inside him. All that power and there he lay against a tree with blisters up his thighs and ass crying like a girl.

"Greggan do you want me to help you?" He had had enough of the crying and Greggan was more than done with the burning and aching of his legs and ass. "ple-please Ertimus, it hurts so bad." more tears fell from his eyes making the blue look like the deep blue lagoon of his home port Lagoondeppes. He suddenly missed his home as Greggan dropped his breeches, Ertimus snapped out of his daze as he saw the poor boys bum. Blistered and red, blood had smeared inside his undercloaths making the whole thing even worse to see. Ertimus opened the sattle bag he was using as a pillow and pulled a few vials of ground herbs and a pot, he poured some whine from a flagon he had packed along with him.

The concoction of wine and herb began to bubble as he used some magical fire to heat it up, he said recited an incantation and began to stir the mixture until it began to have a sweet smell, then it began to froth until it resembled a spongelike substance which had taken on the blood red color of the wine. . Ertimus removed the fire and collected the red spongey substance. "This will heal it and remove the pain, this will be kind of embarrassing but i need you to put your hands on the tree and lean forward. I have to apply it."

Greggan groaned but did not protest and the pain had started to subdue as soon as the spong touched his blistered skin. Ertimus worked as fast as he could, being careful to not accidental brush against anything he didn't want to become aquianted. "Ertimus? what if we dont make it out of the swamp alive ourselves? I mean im not as familiar with all the realms geography and i do not know what legends are true or not, but isn't the swamps home to some nasty business?"

Ertimus smiled as he finished up the last and more intimate areas that had been afflicted, "I do not wish to curse us again, last time I answered that question we had every sort of bad luck you could on the way here. Let's just say there are some really nasty bastards in that swamp and we will no doubt come across at least one or two of them. That's the point, at the very least you and I will make it out because I have shadow magic. These other mages are just arcane mages and if it gets too deep i'll shadow port us away."

An even more puzzled look came across Greggans face, "Shadow port?", there were so many things he didn't know as a common folk bastard boy, Ertimus being an Autumn witch had only meant he had a Daemon, it hadn't accured to him that he could also have special magics. "I can use the shadows to transport us out of the swamp."

"Then why dont you just do it now, save my buttocks some pain and time as well as not risk our lives for whatever it is you've been doing since the ship." Anger prickled up his neck, " I was saving you and those boys life, or did you forget that."

"And if you had just ported us off that ship none of us would have died! Avery, flick, we would be at your home right now cleaning stables and laughing at the supper table instead of in the belly of the ocean." Greggan had tears in his eyes as he spoke, he was upset and forgetting to keep his voice low, the guards came to where the boys were, Greggan pulled up his breeches as one of them coughed to let them know they were there. "are you boys alright?"

" you forget yourself sir, I'm a Lord. I should take your tongue and teach you some respect but i'm tired and sore from riding. Go back to your men, we leave at first light." The Guard bowed and followed command, he was in no hurry to upset a spoiled lordling, especially not an autumn witch and his demon boy who sucked the magic from his foes.

"feel better?" Ertimus watched the direction the guards had made their camp as he spoke and put away is salves and Greggan put his breeches back on their correct station. " aye, my arse doesn't feel like its roasting over hot coals, thank you Ertimus."

"Greggan you must stop calling me by my name in front of other people, at least until we are no longer followed by unwanted guests. We aren't on our ship any longer. They will think me weak and then we will have true problems." His words were both arrogant and true, any other houses or soldiers or even their current guard would be tempted to attack them thinking their claims to be false and them to be just common folk telling tales and attacking nobility under a false house. All were deady notions to be had in their current state.

Ertimus could see the hurt in his friends eyes so he smiled to show he wasn't cross with im, " we have to get to my father as fast as we can, once we are in the southlands we will be safer, many of the southern lords have declared their houses to mine and any one of them will be a safe haven for us, as a matter of fact I believe Bell family lands are right on the other side of the swamps, if we are set upon we will head for them."