Moving Target

" I understand that we have to get on the road, But why don't we just use that crack or gate spell thingy we used in Kylia?" Lionel was sitting beside Drindle. He had a scroll spread out in his lap. The two had been on the road for more than a week.

"It's inefficient and the magic usage increases exponentially as the distance grows." The old man was holding the reins of Harthling. Two other figures were in tow as well.

A familiar deep male voice spoke nearby Lionel. "What spell are you working on there?" Matthew was riding a horse along side the wagon. He was leaned to the right, looking over Lionel's shoulder at the magic scroll in his lap.

Lionel barely glanced to his right before Drindle spoke up. "I know Galorian made it clear that I had to bring you two along, but mind your own business."

Matthew looked slightly taken aback and answered quickly. "You know I am a teacher after all. It's hard to not want to help." Matthew had grayish blonde hair. He appeared to be middle aged but, upon closer inspection of the professor's eyes his age became clear. The man was much older than his appearance let on. Lionel guessed that he was more than as hundred years old.

The boy spoke "How old is Galorian?" A derisive snort came from Lionel's right.

Drindle had difficulty not showing his contempt for the archmage when he responded. "That fuddy duddy is still just a baby. He is only six hundred some odd years old."

An incredulous light shone in Lionel's eyes as Matthew began to speak. "When Mage's can begin to use magic from their environment, their aging process begins to slow down. Master Galorian began to master environmental magic submission when he was forty." Matthew shifted on his horse before continuing. "The aging process never stops, but the environmental magic sustains the mage's Life for a long time."

This was news to Lionel and he filed the knowledge away. Drindle never mentioned anything about a mage slowing down the aging process. Lionel just assumed mages were different and aged differently because of that. "What's the oldest a mage lives to?" Lionel asked his question interestedly.

Matthew glanced over at the almost bald head of Drindle. "depends on when they start training. but the oldest recorded mage in history is Drindle. Nobody even knows how old he is, since he is such a stickler for privacy." A serious expression formed on his face. a stark contrast to the one just moments ago. "We need to talk about our defences, Drindle. I know you don't like having us hanging around, but we are here to help protect Wastrial"

Lionel recalled Galorian's adamant disagreement with the queen. The arch mage did not think it was wise to let a possible weapon out of their hands. Lionel felt strange being considered a weapon but he didn't know what the Amulet he absorbed was, and therefore didn't know whether it was a weapon or not. The two things that finally pushed Galorian to relent was; an agreement to send along two of the archmages most trusted and strongest Mages, and an understanding that if the Amulet was something powerful Lionel must swear to defend Wastrial with it. Drindle had agreed to the affirmative and quickly reviewed the contract that Galorian wanted to put on the boy.

Lionel could still feel both chains of magic near his heart. One of those chains was From Drindle and represented the Master-Apprentice bond, the other Chain was the newest and seemingly heaviest. Drindle had ensured that the new contract wouldn't bind Lionel too tightly but that was all he could do.

Lionel was caught up in his thoughts and wasn't paying attention to the two men bickering back and forth.

"Well who asked for you to come along? If a mage can destroy a Daemon with magic he either knows something I don't or he is incredibly strong. Either way both of you are no match for him." Drindle spoke matter of factly and didn't show his usual signs of grumpiness. Instead he seemed more alive somehow. Lionel glanced at the geezer coming back to his senses. He could tell Drindle was enjoying himself, but he wasn't quite sure why.

"I am sure you know there are ways to exercise daemons, are you sure your daemon wasn't just exercised?" This had been a common occurrence over the past week. Matthew would want to set up a coordinated defence and Drindle would just tell him that the only defence was to get Lionel to the Library.

As the two men continued to bicker Lionel pulled out his Knowledge Tablet. 'Why is it so strange for a mage to kill a daemon with magic?' that question had been bugging Lionel since they met the queen and the council of advisors. Drindle drastically changed and opened up about their situation after Shir-ka was destroyed. The old man's response made Lionel want to know why and what Drindle was afraid of. The parchment that made up his Knowledge Tablet shimmered as a lot of text appeared. Lionel quickly began reading it.

Daemons and Angels were both considered magical beings and were comprised of dense magic. Similar to how a human was made up of matter, a Velthum was made up of magic. Because of that Daemons and Angels both had high resistances to magic. Daemons though, faced off against a harsh environment in the Demonic Realm. That harsh environment would harden them to magic. Only physical weapons could be used to kill daemons. As Lionel finished reading one passage stuck with him. 'Daemons must be exercised and sent back to their plane, trying to kill one with magic is nigh impossible.'

"...I'm telling you, it can't be done" Drindle was retorting to Matthew.

"Well have you ever tried it?" The professor asked frustratedly.

"Yes, many times and I almost lost my life a handful of times from it." The old man was looking over Lionel's shoulder at the Knowledge Tablet. "Literally cutting down a Daemon with magic is a fool's errand. Only other Daemons are able to do it and even then th..." As if speaking those words brought a sudden realization, Drindle pulled out his strange wooden box from his robe. "To me Flodella"

The box that Drindle had whispered to and used to control the weather opened with a click. A white light shone brightly. The light faded to reveal a majestic woman floating in front of the still moving wagon. The woman was in a kneeling position and faced Drindle "My Liege" a beautiful angelic voice rang clear. The woman, Flodella, was not like any other woman Lionel had ever witnessed before. She had porcelain skin with no blemishes, and wore a platemail chest and skirt of white metal. A mace hung from her side, but the biggest difference was the two large wings that held her aloft.

Lionel immediately recognized the woman as an Angelic Velthum. The boy's studies had not ceased since Drindle made him his apprentice. The boy had learned a great deal about the other Realms. Including more about the different lifeforms that made up the flora and fauna or each. Lionel knew that this angel, Flodella, was a velthum from the Sentient class. Her appearance easily denoted her Realm of origin.

Matthew was stupefied at the sight of a beautiful woman hovering in front of them. The other companion that was traveling with Matthew elbowed him in the ribs. Galorian's other trusted mage was none other than Nora. She had been silent the majority of the trip so far. Her hair shaded her face but her lips were a hard line. Lionel felt as if the woman was angry for some reason.

Drindle ignored the commotion from the two unwanted pests. Instead he looked directly at the floating woman before giving her an order. "Flodella, fly to the grand library and warn Catarina that an unbound Enthraller has attacked Wastrial, Tell her I fear it is a prodigy of Salgathar."