180 Bob the Archmage (1/2)
COUGH COUGH BWARG
Barely holding his weakened body still standing, the man in his prime was still violently coughing. Even after thousand of years being alive, he had never felt that weak, besides when he was still a kid. Looking at the black veins that were visible on his right hand, he used it on a nearby table to support his shaking legs. But barely a second later, he was once more caught by the insidious disease that plagued his body.
COUGH COUGH
Finally giving up, he only had the time to fall on a chair before his body betrayed him. Looking around him, he could see countless potions, cures, and vials. All of them were filled with something that could only be found in his Tower. Not even the Organization could put its hand on his own creations. And he thought that somewhere, something he or his disciples had made would help them fight back. But he was deeply wrong this time.
COUGH COUGH
Knock Knock
”Archmage? Are you alright?” Hearing the burly voice of Four, the last surviving Hero of the Age of Darkness couldn't even answer. Feeling his throat too dry, he picked up something randomly, before putting it back immediately. He was maybe thirsty, but not enough to drink the poison that was in this potion. However, right next to it was a healing potion, that he immediately swallowed. Normally, just drinking half of it could replenish the blood of even the most wounded man. But for him, the only effect was that it had a nice taste and it was composed of water.
”Yes, yes. Ent… COUGH COUGH! How are the others?” Looking at the man with white hair that looked older than him, all he could see was his disappointed face. ”Not very good, Two is the only one still capable of staying awake. As for the others, it had already been a day since their last conversation.”
One had to know that if all the human nations lost many men during the war against the Dark Gods, the Tower of the Archmage suffered an even worst fate. Considering the small number of disciples in the first place, the fact that four of them died was horrible. Now, seven others were harmed, including the Hero himself. But nothing they had to manage to ease their pain and the body of some were on the brink of collapsing.
”Where are the dragonroots I asked for? They should have arrived a day ag… COUGH COUGH!” Not having the time to finish his sentence, he picked up another healing potion, before drinking the entire potion again. However, when he lowered his head to look at the other party, all he could see was his angered face. Usually, it would have taken him just a fraction of second to understand what happened, but his mind was still blurry and far too slow for his liking.
”What is happening? Four?” At this word, the disciple took a single leaf from his bag, showing it to the Archmage. The normally red and lively leaf had taken a black color, completely burned. ”This is the last leaf of the dragonroots. The convoy had a surprising accident on the way. Right before entering Durthang. A large number of bandits appeared all of a sudden.”
Carefully grabbing the plant, the Hero was still too clumsy and accidentally reduced a part of it into dust. ”Bandits? Here? Attacking someone specifically dealing with me? Who are they taking me for? WH… COUGH COUGH!” As he was standing up in anger, another row of coughing forced him to fall back. But his anger was still not appeased as his disciple explained what it meant.
”They were not bandits, master. They were soldiers of the Synnada Empire. They are using this opportunity to get rid of you. The last Hero.” After the death of her father, the new Empress of the empire was far more prone to doing ruthless actions. And because of the fact that the Archmage appeared less and less in those last years, she did not really accept to have such a monster right next to her door.
”Brainless woman! Just because Lord Darkwater doesn't have a lot of time to live doesn't mean no one will resist her. And if she thinks she will be able to resist the Dark Gods without my help, she is even more ambitious than his old dad. But now I understand how she manages to outwit all her brothers and gain control of the throne. COUGH COUGH!”
Drinking another harmless potion, the Archmage kept complaining again. ”Still, that doesn't explain that she would harm me, without a good reason. The only possibility for her to do that is to …” Finally understanding the crux of the problem, he could only see Four nodding his head. ”THOSE STUPID GODS! I knew they were dumb thousand of years ago when they chose that smug bastard of Massalia. But to make the same mistake twice, they truly want this planet to be destroyed.”
DONG DONG
Hearing the alarm bell that was placed inside the Tower, both men looked at each other. Not even in their wildest dreams, someone would still dare to attack this building, even if the Archmage was wounded. After all, even without the Hero, his disciples were powerful enough to deal with it by themselves.
”Go see what is the problem.”
”Yes, master.”
Seeing that the old man left, the Hero began to grab a table nearby, before painfully getting up. Carefully advancing, he approached a closet that was not different than any of the others right next to it. Opening it, he entered the small opening located inside it. Leaving the room that was used by everyone in the Tower for multiple experiments, he entered his own personal laboratory. In fact, everyone as powerful as Four could do the same, it was just that they were intelligent enough to not try to peek in his secrets for no reasons.
”I pray you, Aria, for in those dark moments, only you can be our hope,
Monsters, demons, have come to kill me and my kin, to set this blessed lands to blaze
Is it my fault? Am I this weak? Why no one can stand against them, even your pope?
Blessed Aria, what are our sins? For you to let your virtuous believers in this …”