8 The Portal (1/2)
HooHoo HooHoo
Resonating in the air, the shout of an owl was clearly audible by the two humans running in the forest. They obviously didn't care about it; they were totally focused on not losing their breath. The two moons above their heads were not big enough to produce a sufficient amount of light, but that didn't bother the two painting men. Both of them was dressed in a dark robe, with a red hood. Their faces were hidden, but their bodies were not. One was clearly fat and the other skinny. That helped neither of them in their fanatical run. At one point, the fat one stopped for a second and call his companion.
”STOP eh, eh, eh I AM, eh, eh, dead …ehhhhhhhhhhh”
Without even waiting for an answer, he sat on the ground and put his back on a tree. There, he began to rest a little. The skinny one was no better, and realizing that even if they kept doing that, it would be pointless, he stopped too. Their destination was at least half of an hour away from where they currently were resting. But he still took this opportunity to complain about the lack of muscle of the other runner.
”I told you eh, eh, no, I told the grandmaster, you shouldn't eh, eh, shouldn't have been chosen!”
The fat man began to look at the other with angered eyes. He was the one that carried the chest since the beginning, of course, he was more tired. The other was just complaining and wasting his breath. He began to look at what was in his hand. A golden chest, with a lot of scriptures on it. There was a lock on it, but what was important was all the seals and magic protections surrounding it. If someone not from their organization happened to touch it, he would die instantly. As for the key, the skinny man had it. Finally, not panting anymore, they began to quarrel.
”Jean, if it was you that carried the chest, you would probably not be able to even lift it. Look at you, the wind could make you fly!”
”I see; you are attacking my physique. Well, Luc, if you were not that fat, we could have reached the grandmaster already. Even him know that you are a liability on a secret operation like this one!”
”I am still stronger than you! It is not because you reached the fifth Circle before being 30 years old that you are the best. This father of yours reached that point two decades ago.”
”WHAT THE FUCK? What are you calling yourself? My father? Go and die of old age already!”
Following the incessant bickering of the two mages, everyone in this part of the forest could hear them. But at that point, they didn't care about the secret mission, it was about honor and pride. Well, none of them had those things, but they didn't care. It could have kept going for a few minutes if only something usual didn't happen.
”… old enough to be your father, you don't even know who your mother is, so why can't I be your father?”
”ENOUGH! You are the last … wait. What is this?”
Jean, the frail-looking mage, was looking down of the big magician. More precisely, at the thing in his hands. Luc, realizing that something was off since he stopped insulting him, noticed the red light leaking from the keyhole. The two of them inspected the protections and seals but found nothing broken. They were both mages of the fifth Circle and while it was not extremely threatening, it was still impressive. In these current days, only one person was a mage of the seven Circle and he was a living legend. As for the sixth Circle, no one was openly of that rank, mainly to protect themselves from the numerous assassins that will come.
After a few minutes, and seeing the light getting stronger, they wondered if the prediction of their grandmaster was finally happening. Inside the chest, was a relic from the ancient times, from a war that everyone knew. One of the few objects that belonged to the dark gods that appeared on this planet. A red crystal, that no one knew how to use it. It could absorb the mana of those that put their hands on it, but not a single reaction was provoked after countless years. But everyone changed a few weeks ago.
Their master told them that the dark gods will be reborn and a new era of despair and blood will arrive. All the believers and cultists spend their magic inside the crystal, believing that the prediction will be fulfilled. Two days ago, Jean and Luc were tasked to retrieve the crystal from their headquarters and join the forces of the cult against an unknown enemy. Right now, the two mages only knew where to go, not who they will be fighting. But the grandmaster told them, that by killing their target, the crystal will finally awaken. Realizing this, the skinny and the fat suddenly jumped in the air, shouting with joy in their voices. To them, that would mean that the gods will grant them their wishes, for they were true to their words in the ancient times.
”Wait, wait, wait, that means they already won! So, maybe we should open it?”
”You're right. Whoever died tonight, I thank you. But it will take some time to unlock everything, Jean, you still have the key?”
”Of course, what do you think, that I would lose it?”
”Well, you have so little on your body, maybe your brain was affected?”
”YOU…”