Fantasy The Clueless Wizard (Completed)

[ArcticFox]

But Arden's spell fell flat and fizzled in midair! The chair broke, causing Shade and Felaren to both fall to the ground. The elf swung the rod at Shade, who jumped off of the dark-haired man before it connected.

Felared was holding a shiny golden apple in the same hand that held the amulet. Arden suspected the apple was what caused her spell to falter.

"You're going to pay for this, Shade." Felaren said angrily as he got to his feet.

Shade didn't waste time arguing as he jumped toward the elf again. The assassin was clearly the better fighter. A few kicks and punches were thrown before Felaren crawled away from Shade, who was now holding both the Amulet of Planewalking and the golden apple.

Felaren continued to crawl backward until his back was against the tower wall. He had the Sphere of Annihilation in his hands once more.

To everyone's horror, he said a few words in a language Arden didn't recognise and tossed the sphere toward Shade. The sphere landed at his feet and begun to pulsate even faster.

"Farewell." Felaren smiled as he got up and ran down the tower steps two at a time, still clutching the metal rod in his hands.

- Grab Kogan and drag him out of the tower.
- Grab Alexei and drag him out of the tower.

 

[Yokai]

》Grab Kogan and drag him out of the tower.

That small, malicious whisper in the back of her mind had been right all along it seemed. Arden was nothing without her magic. And as her spell fizzled out into that nothingness, the two men separating from their fight, the sinking feeling in her stomach began. Only to become a bottomless pit at the sight of the sphere.

They were going to die.

Everything after that was pure instinct and adrenaline. Arden turned towards where she knew Kogan was standing frozen -- because she was so hyper-aware of his presence these days -- and pushed desperately. Hands wrapping around his midsection as she tried to tug him through the door. Arden wasn't sure but she might have screamed over her shoulder at Shade to grab Alexei. But the assassin was probably long gone by now and he wouldn't help her.

 

[ArcticFox]

To her surprise, Shade nodded, grabbing Alexei and carrying him out of the tower, saving his life. A high, keening wail pierced her eardrums from above. Shade was faster than her and made it out of the tower first. She was behind, dragging an impossibly heavy orc through the door, when the tower exploded!

Arden could see the blue energy from the Sphere of Annihilation streaking through the stone wall around the door. There was enough power to level the entire city of Yriss.

A great burst of hot air pushed her and Kogan from behind. She was shot forward like a cork out of a bottle, the book she examined before the interruption still in the pocket of her cloak. Blue light shot from every window of the tower and the people in the street screamed with fear.

She and Kogan were thrown through the air, landing roughly on the ground several feet away. Shade carried Alexei away from them and down the street, not turning around. He was still holding the golden apple and the amulet. The Yrantan empire has gained two powerful artefacts today.

The tower exploded in every direction at once and all of the citizens standing in the street dropped to the ground. The concussive force of the magical detonation was so overwhelming that Arden lost consciousness.

--

"Hey, boss."

Arden slowly opened her eyes to see Kogan's face above her, his expression worried. The power of the rod must have expired, since he was moving normally.

The tower was gone. A shiny circle of glass-like stone was all that remained.

The power of the sphere had been so enormous that they weren't showered with debris - instead, it vaporised every piece of the structure. The magic tower must have contained the power of the sphere, saving the city but destroying itself in the process.

- Search for Shade and Alexei immediately.
- Find a room in an inn to rest.
- Leave Yriss and camp outside of the city.

 

[Yokai]

》Search for Shade and Alexei.

Kogan's familiar face hovered over her when her eyes opened and Arden didn't have the mental capacity to do much more than blink up at him slowly. Then she was essentially throwing her arms around him in a tight and desperate hug. Kogan was alive and somehow she hadn't killed him with her own ineptitude. And, somewhere out there, Alexei was hopefully still alive too.

Moving so fast had made her head spin and Arden released the orc suddenly as if she had been burned -- recalling Kogan's warning -- as a mumbled apology surfaced.

It took a long moment for everything to come back to her and when it did Arden had to force herself to stand. It was either she stood up or curled into the fetal position and cried for an hour. Crying definitely appealed to her the most right now, especially if that telltale prickle behind her eyes had anything to say about it, but Arden was getting good at repressing things.

"We need to find Alexei," Arden said, desperately ignoring the fact that she'd been prepared to sacrifice the gentle knight. It left the taste of ash in her mouth. Alexei had been nothing but kind and sweet to her. She'd literally cuddled with him. "The sooner we find him, the better."

 

[ArcticFox]

Kogan was tense when she hugged him and he did not move to embrace her in turn. When she moved away, she could see that he was as awkward and flustered as she had been, murmuring an apology of his own in turn, although neither had anything to apologise for.

thankful that she changed the subject, Kogan was quick to agree and they set of through the chaotic streets.

The busy streets became even busier as many citizens came to investigate the loud noise and marvel at the missing tower. The only thing that survived the explosion was the book of binding magic that she took.

There was no sign of Shade anywhere and the citizens weren't very helpful, since nobody seemed to want to get into trouble by meddling in someone else's business. Arden's whole body ached. Kogan had said something about taking a break when she saw a nervous-looking woman wearing a military uniform.

"I have a message from the Emperor." She said, handing her a piece of paper.

Dear Arden,

I would like to meet you. Shade has told me what has occurred today. I have your companion. I also have the Amulet of Planeswalking and the magic-cancelling Apple of Discord.

I promise you safety. I will allow you to enter my palace and leave without harm. We need to discuss Felaren and your part in the war against Traethia.

If you choose to abandon your friend, I will have no choice but to kill him.

Sincerely,
Emperor Cassius of the Yrantan Empire

The woman shifted nervously, waiting for her answer.

- "I have no choice but to go."
- "I would be crazy to go."
- "I should just kill you now."
- "The Emperor is laying a trap for me."

 

[Yokai]

》"I have no choice but to go."

Once the head rush had cleared Arden was left to wander the streets with a bone deep ache. Everything hurt in a way she hadn't felt since the ballet competitions she used to participate in as a teenager. Ballet had taught her many things, it had made her walk fluid with her feet turned out, shoulders set back, and posture rigid. It had taught her persistence, how to hide what she was feeling, and to take the words of others with a grain of salt. Mainly it had taught her how to appreciate pain. Which was probably why it was Alexei's absence that hurt more than her injuries.

Standing before the messenger now, a letter from the Yrantan Emperor clutched in her tired hands, Arden acknowledged that this was most likely a trap. She also acknowledged that she was going anyway. There was no anger that she could muster at Shade's actions because as long as Alexei was alive then she figured she could live with herself.

"I'm not going to attack you," Arden assured the nervous messenger with a low sigh. Watson was luckily there to catch her weight as she leaned heavily against him. "I have no choice but to attend... when does the Emperor want to meet me?" Honestly she was a little curious about what the Emperor could want with her. If this wasn't some elaborate trap, that is. Which it probably was considering Arden's luck.

 

[ArcticFox]

"Now. It will be safe." The messenger said. "A notice of parley has been spread through the city. If Emperor Cassius breaks this truce and kills you, he will lose the trust of the people and they will stop following him. They don't all agree that he should have made the truce, but they know that he is honour bound to follow it."

The Emperor had made a bold move. The Yrantan Empire was made of many conquered nations. If this truce was broken, then every faction within the Empire would fear for their own wellbeing, since all their promises of safety would be worthless too.

The messenger was visibly relieved when Arden agreed. As they passed through the city, she heard heralds announcing the notice, just as she had been told. Kogan followed behind her, as scowling as ever, once again silent.

The palace was enormous. Arden started to get a feel for what the Yrantan Empire's army would be like. The doors were guarded by both regular soldiers in full plate mail and giant orroks in plate armour. The six-armed, muscular monsters would be a nightmare on the battlefield.

She was led through large rooms filled with opulent decorations.

The throne room of Emperor Cassius of the Yranta was ten times larger than King Tobias's throne room back in Blackcliffe. The Emperor was wearing full armour and had a large two-handed sword at his side. He was holding the golden apple in his hands and had at least two dozen guards circled around him.

She had heard the Emperor was a warrior as well as a ruler. Despite being sitting on the throne with a large army at his disposal he looked like he knew how to use his sword.

- Greet him.
- Ask for Alexei.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

》Greet him.

Ghosting through the grandeur of the palace Arden couldn't help but feel intimidated by the obvious display of power and wealth that she saw. The notice of parley had only quieted Arden's anxieties to a low, indistinguishable buzz that now sat low in the base of her skull. It was clear to her that this whole 'safety' thing was fragile and fickle and unlikely to last. The Emperor wanted something from her now but that didn't mean he wouldn't strike her down without hesitation in the near future. With his big scary sword too.

Coming to a halt Arden found it difficult not to grimace at the sight of him perched upon his throne, her expression one of grim resignation. Because of course she was sent into a war and ended up on the losing side.

"Emperor Cassius," Arden greeted politely but without a bow. He wasn't her King, though it seemed more personal than that now. King Tobias didn't trust her, at least not completely. And honestly? Arden couldn't blame him. She hadn't been raised in this world, hadn't been raised to swear allegiance to kingdoms or crowns. Arden was loyal to people. It just so happened that the people she was loyal to belonged to Blackcliffe and that the Yrantan Empire was a threat to those people.

Had she arrived in Yranta she wondered whether things would have been different. Then, thankfully, she recalled all the slave lines on the way through here. Yeah, fuck that noise.

"You wanted to discuss something with me in return for my companion?" Arden asked, the exhaustion had made her voice steadier as she couldn't find the energy to be frightened anymore. Well, at least for the moment. Let's be honest; Arden was always at least a little bit frightened.

 

[ArcticFox]

"What gave me away?" The Emperor said with a firm and steady voice, but there was a smile on his face. "If you are so eager, then let's get down to business. Felaren is the most knowledgeable scholar of magic in the Yrantan Empire. He unveiled the hidden tower in the center of our city and his greatest wish was to become the Wizard of Yriss."

As the Emperor spoke, the guards in the room stood at attention and watched her with blank expressions on their faces. Kogan was forced to stand a couple of steps away, where the guards kept close watch on him. Emperor Cassius leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees as he continued.

"I made a deal with Thomas. I would give him the Amulet of Planeswalking, which we guessed was in the tower, and he would sabotage Blackcliffe.

"I would have been happy to have let the wizard leave this world. It was only through Felaren's impatience and impulsiveness that things turned out as they did. My offer to you is simple. You kill Felaren and I will give you the amulet so you can return to your own world."

- Agree.
- Refuse.
- Ask why he wants him dead.
- Ask for Alexei.
- Ask to join the Yrantan Empire.

 

[Yokai]

》Ask for Alexei.

So... eager? Arden's eyebrow twitched indignantly. What was he expecting her to do? Talk about the weather first or her preference in palace decor?

Suddenly she felt far too young to be standing in front of an Emperor bargaining for the return of her friend. It made no sense that they would want Felaren dead by her hand when they already had the Golden Apple of Discord (or the Magical Cockblock as she'd creatively dubbed it). Shade could easily hold his own against the Wizard wannabe and was an actual assassin to boot.

"So, you want me --" Arden gestured to herself, squinting at the Emperor dubiously as if trying to communicate this point. "-- to kill your --" Again she flailed her hand in his general and haughty direction. "-- creepy Wizard wannabe. For the chance to... go home?" There is a small thread of longing underpinning her voice, even though she'd already made her decision on which realm she preferred it was still tempting to have the choice. Not having to worry about being murdered everyday would be nice.

"I... before I decide, I want my companion back." Arden didn't want to make this decision when she hadn't even seen Alexei.

 

[ArcticFox]

"No." The Emperor said flatly. "You can have him once Felaren is dead. There is no other way for him to leave this palace alive." His tone was final. Arden did not have much choice, if she wanted to save Alexei.

- Agree.
- Refuse.
- Ask why he wants him dead.
- Ask to join the Yrantan Empire.

 

[Yokai]

》Agree: ask why he wants him dead.

"Oh?" Arden said eloquently, expression lost as she chewed on her bottom lip. Piano fingers tightened around Watson briefly as she reflected on her options. Leave now and flee back to Blackcliffe, leaving Alexei to die. Or hunt down a deranged elf and murder him in return for her companion. It was surprisingly easy to come to a decision.

Would she murder someone for Alexei? The answer was a resounding yes.

"I agree to your terms," Arden replied, head tilted up to regard the Emperor with dark and questioning eyes. "But... why do you want Felaren dead so bad? And by my hand, no less?"

 

[ArcticFox]

"Felaren's betrayal makes it look like I break my word." Emperor Cassius said angrily. "This is unacceptable. I must send a message to the entire empire that my promises are solid.

"Here is where I think he has gone." He continued.

Arden was given a map of Yriss. An estate to the south had been circled, and it looked like it wasn't even that far away. Since Alexei was being held in the palace, where Emperor Cassius had the magic-nullifying Apple of Discord, breaking him out of capture would be impossible.

Alexei's life was in her hands. The Amulet of Planeswalking could be hers. She might actually see her home again. That is, if she wanted to at all.

- Ride directly to the location on the map.
- Ride cautiously and camp to rest.
- Leave for Blackcliffe.

 

[Yokai]

》Ride cautiously and camp to rest.

So, the Emperor had promised Thomas the Amulet in return for Blackcliffe's sabotage but when Felaren killed him that promise was broken? She supposed that promises meant a lot in an Empire where his word was law and loyalties were held together by thin threads. But, if that were the case, then that sounded like a very fragile and easily exploited alliance. What exactly had Emperor Cassius promised these people?

Arden accepted the map gingerly and stared down at the circled area, fingers tracing the outline of the estate. The constant buzz of apprehension deepened; there had to be more to this task.

"Alright," Arden breathed, barely resisting the urge to press the heel of her palms against her eyes. Instead she rolled up the map and tucked it away. "Anything else before I go?" She asked, though her mind was already on the task ahead. Hopefully there would be the chance to rest, even if it was only for a moment, as Arden was still tried and aching. They'd need to be cautious on the journey -- if only because Arden didn't trust the Emperor or Felaren not to put down traps.

 

[ArcticFox]

The Emperor dismissed her and they took their horses and rode on. Arden was given back her mare, while the pony was kept in the royal stables. She did not look humorous any more, but then again, neither of them were in the mood for humour anyway.

They rode carefully on the first day and would reach their destination in the morning. That night they camped in the damp air, since rain followed them the whole day. Kogan built a fire and sat on the ground close to it, drying off. After a moment, he looked up at Arden and spoke.

"That Wizard pretender has some nasty magical items at his disposal. This will not be easy." He said, voice serious. "You be careful, I'm not eager to look for a new employer."

- Answer.

 

[Yokai]

》Answer.

Rain matched the sombre mood that followed the pair as they departed from the palace and through the streets. Normally Alexei’s conversation would lift their spirits so, of course, his absence only made the gloom more apparent. Guilt ebbed at the back Arden’s subconscious as she stared into the flames, eyes a black mirror and expression suspiciously blank.

Kogan’s words visibly startled her from her thoughts and she snorted without humour. The orc possessed the peculiar habit of voicing his concerns while simultaneously making it very clear where Arden stood. Not for the first time she wondered what she even saw in him, and then was disgusted by the fondness that accompanied that thought.

She wrapped her cloak tighter around her person, chin tucked within the collar as her gaze drifted over to where Watson rested by her side. But Kogan was right. Who knows how many magical artefacts Felaren had stolen away before the Tower fell?

“Mm,” Arden hummed noncommittally as she glanced back to Kogan, flashing him the first smile since they’d departed that tower. It was meant to be reassuring but it just looked jagged and tired. “If I die then I’d suggest not taking up employment with anymore Wizards, we’re more trouble than we’re worth.” With the oncoming war she doubted it would be hard to find better employment, perhaps if she were lucky the stubborn orc would become a bodyguard for a merchant. One that would take him away from the fighting. She scrunched up her nose at the thought and turned her gaze back to the flames.

 

[ArcticFox]

"You are right." Kogan nodded. "You are quite a handful. Maybe I'll just return to Kingsguard, better food and better company that's certain." He grinned. But quickly his mood changed and the look in his eye was somewhat melancholic. "Say, boss, if you get through all of this and get that fancy amulet, are you going to use it? Go back to your own world? I guess you'd want to, you must have family as well."

- Answer.

 

[Yokai]

》Answer.

Briefly Arden entertained the thought of lying to Kogan or at least evading the question and any ensuing uncomfortableness. But, for once, it was pushed aside in favour of being honest. They’d spent a lot of time together now and she trusted him enough to give him her Tragic Backstory™ if it could even really be called that.

“Honestly? I doubt my family even knows I’m gone,” Arden responded softly, not lifting her gaze from the flames. She felt much less vulnerable that way as she didn’t have to try and interpret Kogan’s expressions. Making people uncomfortable wasn't as fun as she made it out to be. “I used to date this guy who was… he wasn’t very nice to me --” Understatement of the fucking year. “-- but I stayed with him because they liked him and I wanted them to like me.” She makes a ‘what can you do?’ gesture with her hand and grinned roguishly.

“Anyway, he put me in the hospital, I dumped him and they haven’t spoken to me since. So, yeah, there isn’t really much for me to go back to.” Arden snorted without amusement. “Except maybe not living in constant peril.”

 

[ArcticFox]

Kogan's eyes widened as the story went. When Arden finished, he stood silent, and it was obvious that he was at a loss for words. The orc was the type who took everything in stride, a person who either never stopped to think about anything long enough to be fazed by it, or simply a person that did not have anything really bad happen to him.

"Then, don't go." He only said, looking at her with his usual steady gaze. "Stay in Blackcliffe. You are our Wizard, you will always have a place there." He stood up and walked over to her, crouching in front of Arden, but still managing to stay taller than her, and his voice changed. It was not soft, on the contrary, it was firm and the words were spoken through gritted teeth. "I'm going to assume that a hospital is a bad place, so, boss, if anyone ever lays a hand on you here, I will be there to put them straight in their graves."

- Say something.
- Kiss him.
- Hug him.
- Stay silent.

 

[Yokai]

》Kiss him.

Heavy silence enveloped them as Arden trailed off, her attempt to diffuse the tension with light-hearted humor having fallen short. A small part of her instantly regretted even bringing it up in the first place; she'd made things awkward and it was hard to come back from something like 'oh yeah, I was a victim of domestic abuse and I'm totally fine now!'. But Arden had changed a lot since that first week after Paul, even more so since she'd arrived in Blackcliffe.

When Kogan spoke up again she tensed visibly, brows furrowed and crowded in together to form a deep crease as he crouched before her. There was nothing else to do but meet his gaze now, expression a little lost and confused. Because threatening bodily harm upon those who hurt her? Yeah, that was the kind of reaction she'd wanted from her own parents. Hearing it from Kogan made her chest burn.

"You really shouldn't say those kinds of things to me," Arden smiled, a little sad and a little hopeful. "I attract trouble, remember? Apparently it doesn't matter what world I'm in." She was leaning forward into Kogan's space now and for a second her gaze flickered down to his lips. "But yeah, I'll stay." Then she is kissing him for the first time since he'd specifically told her not to that second day in the Tower.

 

[ArcticFox]

Kogan didn't move away when she kissed him. He did not reject her and he did not bring up the rule he was so determined to follow. Perhaps just like Arden, he too had forgotten in in the heat of the moment. His lips were warm, even if his tusks made the kiss more forceful than intended. He leaned forward, hands reaching out toward her, grabbing at her wet cloak, fumbling with the ties.

"I'm sorry, boss, but there's no stopping now. Anything that happens is your fault." Kogan moved for only a moment to smirk at her, stripping her cloak off and throwing it aside. His lips touched hers again and his firm chest pushed against her, forcing her down on the ground. His kisses were urgent and needy, and it looked like he had been holding back for a long time, before finally letting himself go.

- Let it continue.
- Stop.

 

[Yokai]

》Let it continue.

Arden shivered as the cold air hit her exposed skin and her cloak was casually discarded. Her hands, which had previously been clasped together in her lap, instinctively came up to cradle the sides of Kogan's face when he deepened the kiss. His muttered warnings making the edges of her lips curl up in a smile that could be felt. Because of course he was swearing off any responsibility that resulted from their actions.

As he crowded into her space, and her back hit the floor, Arden began to realise that she wasn't going to keep her promise to herself. She was going to fall into bed -- erm, ground? -- with this man -- uh, orc? -- and there wasn't anything she could to do to convince herself otherwise. Maybe she would regret her decision but right now Kogan was closer than he'd ever been and her heart was hammering stupidly against her ribcage. For now, she'd just deal with the consequences and the heartbreak later.

"Slow down, Kogan. I'm not going anywhere." Arden whispered against his lips instead of saying any of this. Dexterous fingers making quick work of the buttons on her shirt -- it wasn't her favourite but she'd be damned if he ripped any of them off. And he totally would.

 

[ArcticFox]

"Yeah, well, I'm not letting you change your mind." Kogan paused to say, then very quickly removed his own tunic and undershirt, leaving his muscles exposed. The wind had picked up then, but the fire was enough to keep them warm. Not that Kogan would leave her a moment to rest that night.

--

A new day dawned on them and Arden awoke in Kogan's arms. The big orc yawned and stretched, pulling his arm away and making her head hit the ground. He noticed it and laughed.

"Sorry, boss, not the best at... uh, cuddling." He said somewhat embarrassed, then to cover it up quickly stood up and collected his clothes.

The fire had burned down, but they were covered with one of their blankets and the warmth of their bodies kept them from being uncomfortable during the night. It didn't mean that Arden wasn't completely sore, her back was probably bruised and she would not have a pleasant time in the saddle that day. But, hey, at least it was fun.

--

They rode carefully that day, and when they arrived at the location marked on the map, they were not that tired. The estate south of Yriss looked like it belongs to a moderately successful merchant or minor noble. It had a stable, a guardhouse and a manor house. Several soldiers stood at key locations.

"Leave this to me, I'll provide a distraction at the entrance while you go out back and sneak in." Kogan said, looking confident.

- Let him cause a diversion.
- Summon a storm with your staff and destroy the whole residence.
- Set everything on fire with your spell.
- Sneak out back together.
- Walk up to the front door and knock.
- Give up.

 

[Yokai]

》Let him cause a diversion.

If Arden had felt awkward that morning then she didn’t show it. Instead she pouted at the rude awakening, gently slapped Kogan’s chest, and rolled over to apologise to Watson for having replaced his position of cuddle buddy with a warmer alternative. After that it’d taken a while to discover where Kogan had thrown her cloak but she’d dressed quickly and they were off again. Definitely no feelings here, no siree.

One hand shielded Arden’s obsidian gaze as she stared up at the estate in quiet wonderment. It was surprisingly picturesque, all things considered. The young woman wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting when they’d been informed of Felaren’s whereabouts but it definitely wasn’t this. Maybe a decrepit stone building with a spire, some dead trees, mayhaps a moat? Instead they got this cute place.

“Oh? Well, I’ll leave you to your fun.” Arden affirmed, glancing over to Kogan and feeling a little curious about his confidence. Still, she dismounted from her stead -- smothering a grimace at the movement -- and prepared to sneak around back. It was around this time that she wished she’d invested in some stealth magic.

 

[ArcticFox]

Kogan did not create a diversion, more so than slaughter. He, very swiftly for his size, stepped to the pair of the guards at the entrance, slamming a fist in the first one's gut and then punching the other in the throat. None of them made a sound as they crumpled down the to ground. Now that the path ahead was open, there was no need for Arden to look for a different entrance.

The orc went first, surprisingly stealth all of a sudden, leading her through a corridor and up the stairs, avoiding other guards.

"I didn't know this would work out so well." He admired with a small smirk.

They saw to guards as they moved up the stairs, but they could see that a set of doors was laid open. Felaren was sitting at a desk, reading a book while still holding the magic rod in his hand. He looked up at them.

- Say you are there to kill him.
- Cast a spell at him.