The Wizard III

"Tell me about this 'Prince Ulric' Rugar. We are not from these lands, so forgive our ignorance of your leaders." Willam Spurred his steed to match pace with the Steel Clad Horseman. 

"I am honored to count myself as one of his boyars; our prince is a good and just man. His wisdom and strength are beyond his years; he has made great strides in turning the princedom into the foremost realm in the north." He replied.

"Would a boyar be similar to a knight?" In truth, Willam already knew the answer, but here in this foreign land, he played the role of a traveler new to the land and not a learned wizard. 

"Yes, though there are some differences. Unlike in the Southlands, we are not granted our title by swearing allegiance in a church. Instead, our Jarls or Princes give us the honor; my family has had the honor to serve the Rurik's for generations." The pride of the words welted off the boyar. 

Rugar, unlike his five other subordinates, spoke fluently in the southern dialects, so conversing with him had been much easier than the others. He had found the man generally likable, if not boring. Still, his constant bombardment of questions had kept the Sergeant from investigating the group more. The task had started to become harder as they traveled, he had to ensure his questions were not too intrusive or inquisitive. Hrothgar had better luck with talking with the man; they shared war stories and tall tales whenever Willam could not think of anything to ask. 

"Did you hear about the Goblin That walked into the brothel?" Hrothgar, as if he sensed Willams thoughts, joked. 

"No," Rugar admitted

"A goblin, waerbeast, and deamon walked into a bar..." Horthgar began 

Willam retreated from the conversation, he had found little desire to share the man's crude humor. Had he not been on a mission a vital mission the pleasantries would have been welcomed, but since he had set out from the citadel his focus had been solely on planning(or dreading) the days ahead.

"The sooner we are out of this land the better." He whispered to himself.

"My love." His wife greeted him as she took up a position to his left.

Her presence had been a source of both strength and fear for him. On the one hand, she was the second most experienced explorer in their small caravan(Behind himself) and a source of comfort besides. On the other, however, she was a weakness, a person whose safety he would prioritize over the success of the mission.

Had it not been for her adamant refusal to let him leave without her, he would have left her In the safety of the libraries and laboratories of their home. 

"I am a woman grown and your wife, In case you forget, I am considered a great battle mage as well." She argued when he had shown her the order of the Grand Master. 

"Selene, I wish to retire after this." He had pondered his future long and hard. Thanks to his magical bloodline, he would still have another century at the minimum to live. "Picture it, A large estate by the Mindar Sea, Our house will have a great study and a lush garden."

Selene's eyes sparkled at his words. "And children?" she asked

"Many, too many to handle, but just enough to care for without worry of going mad."

He had bent over backward working for the Association for decades; surely they would not deny him the right to start a magical bloodline. Such rights had to be earned, few, he could confidently say, could match his deeds in service to the grandmaster.

Selene reached over and held him firmly by the shoulder. Her excitement at the prospect of a family was plain to see, even unspoken. "One last quest then." She said 

"Just one more."

But that was still a long way to go. There was no easy way to be sure where the heart of the prophecy lay. It would be a painstakingly long process of scrying the strings of fate of hundreds of thousands of people spread across half the world. Only the knowledge that fate had been altered to suit their needs dozens of times had spurred them to action. 

The trees suddenly parted from their home, nestled along a small stream. The suddenness of their disappearance only compounded the great beauty of the sight ahead of them. 

Distant mountains with white peaks soared high like unmovable guardians of a rich princess; they descended until they smoothed into a flat plain along side roaring rivers of black water. The melting snow from the peaks kept the area fertile and green, dense forests teeming with wildlife surrounded the flat grassland. 

"Pantmawr,". A thick wall of spiked wooden palisades surrounded the inner houses and market at the center of the grassland. Small farming plots dotted the outskirts with their adjourning houses. The town, despite its new change of rulership, looked to be bustling with activity. With the rich countryside and nearby rivers, the town could very well turn into a major city in the coming years. 

The group gained speed as they eagerly moved towards the relative safety of the town. Willam felt the same as them, it had been over a week since they had left Runswick's and they would soon need supplies. 

As fast as they had gained momentum they stopped, so suddenly Willam steered his horse to avoid running into another. 

"What is it?"

He was answered by a distance soul-piercing scream and iron on leather as weapons were unsheathed. 

He understood then. The black rivers that ran down the mountain were not actually rivers but instead plums of smoke and fire. What was mistaken as bustling trade and farm work was the opposite.

It was a great slaughter. 

"TO ARMS! TO ARMS! PROTECT THE PEOPLE," Rugar shouted with sword drawn. His five companions chased him down the road, eager to join their leader in battle.

His fellows look at him, awaiting their leader's decision to join Rugar or to stay their hands. 

"Take a defensive posture; we will wait to see what happens." his mages and Hrothgar began to channel magic and place wards around as they drew up into a circle formation.

They wouldn't have to wait long. A cry rose from all around, and dozens of warriors swept like a tide wave into the formation. 

The fighting began in earnest.