Dark Magic

I carefully stepped out of the secret room back into the storage room, scanning for any signs of enemies. The room was clear, so I headed back into the hallway, opening each door to make sure no one would sneak up behind me. When I made sure no one was on this side of the manor, I made my way into the foyer.

From the foyer, I could hear Tyven laughing, a clear bad sign. I pressed up against the wall and peered back into the lounge. Everyone was incapacitated, save for Tyven and a pair of maids. The lord was gleefully inspecting my **** party.

“It’s over Wulford!” I shouted, bursting into the room. “Your totem’s been destroyed! Just give up!”

“Hm? Is that so. Kill him,” ordered Tyven, stepping back towards the far wall as the maids retrieved the blades from above the fireplace.

“Coward!” I yelled, blocking a strike from the older maid. I pushed her back towards the bookshelf and parried a strike from the more nimble younger maid.

“Adventurers like yourself are always such fools. A pitiful sense of honor like that is going to get you killed. If you refuse to kill them, you’ll die,” cackled Tyven, watching from the sidelines.

“Shut the hell up!” I cursed, wrenching the blade away from the older maid before delivering a swift blow to the side of her head with the butt of my sword. I carefully leaned the **** maid against the wall before focusing back on the younger one.

Her attacks were much faster and more focused than the older one, likely having had some training before being turned into a thrall. However, it was clear the maid outfit was hindering her ability, judging by her sloppy footwork in the heels. I dodged a thrust and activated steal to take away her front shoe, causing her to stumble. Using the opening, I knocked her **** too before laying her down gently.

“How amusing,” chuckled Tyven.

“Why did you do it?” I demanded.

“Whatever are you referring to?” he said, goading me.

“**** Phillip de Gascoine. Why? Murdering some random noble with dark magic is a surefire way to get caught. What’d he do?” I asked, inching closer towards him.

“Simple business, boy. He was lending to people he shouldn’t have, so we went after them. When he didn’t take the hint, he had to be removed,” he said.

“Who’s we? Who are you working for?” I demanded, circling around the couch towards him.

“Ooh, it seems I’ve said too much. It’s been a fun show, really, but it must come to an end now,” he said, raising a hand towards me.

“It’s no use! I told you, I destroyed the totem already,” I said, pointing my blade at him.

“Indeed you did. One of them at least,” he laughed, the pendant around his necklace shining a sickly green light as a green flame appeared in front of his hand. It shot towards me with surprising speed, and on instinct, I swung my blade through it, the enchantment causing the small flame to dissipate. “Oh? This will be more fun than I thought.”

He shot another pair of green fireballs towards me, which I desperately deflected. I rushed around the couch towards him and he retreated towards the fireplace, preparing another spell.

“Now, die!” He yelled, launching another fireball, this time much bigger, but it was going towards the others.

“Countershield!” I yelled, diving over the couch to get in between the fireball and my party. A transparent disc of magic energy stopped the fireball in its tracks before launching it back towards Tyven. I glanced back at the others, ensuring they were okay.

Sofia and Flora were asleep, leaning up against one another on the couch closest to the wall farthest from the entrance. Niko was slumped over on the couch as well, nearest to the entrance. Lucille sat in a chair next to the entrance. Alice however, was being held by the dark mage at knifepoint.

“Give up or she dies,” Tyven declared, drawing a bit of blood to make a point. I faltered, standing in place.

“Let her go,” I said. “We have reinforcements on the way. There’s no way you can escape, just give in and we’ll go easy on you!”

“What a useless bluff!” He said, weaving another spell in his off hand. He slowly backed towards the entrance of the lounge, dragging Alice along as a meatshield. “Now, accept your fate, and die!”

His palm glowed bright green as the spell neared completion, another ball of green flames appearing in front of him. As a blinding light washed over the room, I braced for impact, covering my face with my cloak. Yet, no impact came.

The gemstone inside the pendant around Tyven’s neck was thoroughly shattered, a dagger embedded inside the stone. Tyven was shocked into near silence, stammering like a fool. Seizing upon the opportunity, I closed the distance, swinging my blade and severing the still outstretched arm from his body.

Tyven shrieked in pain and disbelief, dropping the knife and clutching his newfound stump, dropping Alice in the process.

“Thank you, Niko,” I said, catching the still **** half-elf. “But, how are you awake?”

“Hmph,” she smirked, retrieving her dagger and pushing the wounded dark mage to the ground. “Drugging the tea? Really? Thats the oldest trick in the book, I’m surprised they even fell for it.”

“I-impossible...I’m...” muttered Tyven, babbling from the shock.

“Guess we should make sure he doesn’t bleed out. Gotta take him back to the guards,” sighed the catgirl. I nodded, gently shaking Alice awake.

“Hmmm? Where...oh, Flynn. Uh, where are we?” She said, yawning.

“The Wulford Manor, remember,” I said. She nodded in understanding, shakily getting to her feet. “Think you can take care of that?”

“Of course,” she said, crouching over the dark mage and beginning to cast her healing spells.

“Niko, can you wake the others? I want to make sure the maids are okay,” I said, worried I’d hit them too hard. She nodded and I stepped back into the hallway, sheathing my sword. The younger maid was still lying ****, slumped against the wall, while the older was stood in the middle of the hallway, back turned. “Hey, are...you alright? Sorry about that earlier, I didn’t really...”

“...” the maid didn’t respond whatsoever. She simply stood still in the middle of the corridor. Slightly unnerved, I slowly approached.

“Hello?” I asked gingerly, tapping her on the shoulder. Still no response. I stepped around in front of her.

The maid had a complete blank expression. Her eyes lacking the shine of consciousness, looking like those of a dead fish. I waved my hand in front of her face, but no response yet again.

“There’s no point,” said Sofia, exiting the lounge. “He told us. Her soul has been used. She’s only a husk now.”

“That’s-” I said, gawking. “Surely something could be done?”

“If anyone could, they’d be at the university,” said Sofia. I nodded grimly, then moved to the other maid, gently shaking her shoulder.

“Are you okay?” I asked as she opened her eyes. Her eyes darted around warily, taking in the scene, before screaming and lashing out, knocking me over as she scrambled to get away.

“Ophelia,” said Tyven, his one arm being held behind his back by Lucille as she led him towards the door.

“No!!!” shrieked the maid, curling into a ball, protecting her face even as tears streamed down it.

“Hey, hey, it’s alright. He won’t be hurting anyone ever again,” I said, trying my best to be soothing. “Get him over to the guard. Sofia, can you take that one to the university?”

“Of course,” said Sofia, starting to lead the older maid by the hand.

“M-mother...?” whimpered Ophelia, shakily standing only to fall to her knees again upon seeing her mother’s lifeless stare. The girl passed out from the shock of it all.

“What should we do about her?” asked Flora, looking at the **** girl pitifully.

“I’m not sure. We can’t leave her here. Let’s get him taken care of, then we can figure out what do do with her,” I said, carefully picking Ophelia up, carrying her out of the manor.