39 Strength in Numbers (2/2)
He did nothing to conceal himself while travelling the roads. It seemed he was more at home within Crystallia than he would have his own back yard.
It would seem as though the man had lived within the land since birth were it not for his strange appearance, which attracted a patrol only a few paces up the road coming towards him.
Two crimson knights came to a halt when setting eyes on the strangely dressed man and dismounted their horses. Usually when doing so, they commanded the road. Countless other times they stopped those travellers of whom tried to make more distance on the kings road after curfew. Anyone within the kingdom of Ebonhart new there was a fine for disobeying the laws.
”What do you make of this guy Christopher?” The guard to the left questioned as the man closed the distance slowly.
Christopher was a guard in the time the crimson king was at his best. He remembered the days of glory they once had. When the crimson knights fought for the people instead of this practical form of slavery. He remembered the times in which they would come upon a stranger on the road and greet them instead of the interrogation he knew was about to happen.
Christopher looked at his partner Loren for a moment as the stranger drew near. The man had been with him on patrol for years now though he joined as High Advisor Aremesis had come into power. He never knew the mercy in which was almost the law of his time. Even now he could see the man's hand twitch over his military issued gold embroidered scimitar. Christopher could only sigh as he put his hand up to the traveller of whom stopped only feet in front of them.
”Halt stranger, the Crimson Knights on behalf of the King of Ebonhart would have words with you.” Loren exclaimed with enthusiasm as he drew his blade. ”You as well as all within the kingdom know the toll for travelling at night, pay up so we can be on our way.”
The stranger only stood his ground while Loren moved in close for a better view. ”I don't think I've seen your kind within our patrols,” Loren said as he tipped the man's hat upward to get a better view of his face.
What happened next took only seconds, though to Christopher it seemed more like an eternity. He saw a green glow outline the man. It stood out so eerily against the brown of his outfit almost as if he didn't want anyone to mistaken it for a trick of light. When Loren tipped the man's hat, Christopher could see the green glow within his eyes regardless of the night sky that had set in recently. The man had only to tap his foot on the ground to send cracks upon the dirt road. It was clearly a threat to get Loren to back off. He clearly didn't see anything as Christopher's eyes widened. He only knew one man to have that power.
”Loren back off,” Christopher tried to get his partner to give the man some distance. He only stared back with a murderous grin on his face before turning back to the stranger.
Tapping the point of the scimitar to the strangers black shirt, he heard rattling underneath. ”What have we got here?” he said as he tried to take the dog tags from his neck. ”If you have nothing to give me, I suppose I'll just take these.” he said with a laugh. He believed this man to be a weak man of whom lost his voice in fear to a superior opponent. His partner knew better.
With one more tap on the ground, the stranger took a step back be for Loren could take his tags. The tap sent cracks in the guards direction as if a spider web had been shot from below. Christopher could only watch
With wide eyes as his partner fell within the ground.
Realization hit Christopher as he remembered who this man must have been. He fell to his knee the moment the thought occurred. ”My Lord,” He said as fast as he could. ”I apologize for my partners actions, he is much too new to remember the Desert Sage.”
The man smiled at his title. It had been much too long since he had heard it. ”Rise.” he said in a voice that could only belong to a superior. ”Tell me what has happened within Ebonhart to make my knights into such thugs.”
Christopher bowed his head to the ground as much as his slightly burly body would allow. ”The king has been absent from his kingdom since his family went missing. What you see now is the result of High Advisor Aremesis taking control.” He spoke with an indignant tone. Christopher remembered the times in which the true flame shone in their path, when he knew their cause was a righteous one.
The sage looked upon his once proud soldier with a sad expression. ”A lot has changed since the last time I have visited this land.” Though the power of the kings flame had all but gone out, he could feel a power growing in the distance, the color of a crimson aura gave the sky an appearance of a sun set. He couldn't blame this knight for not seeing such power, even back in the day the King never bestowed his gift upon his men. It took one with the gift of the aura to be able to sense others. He had been following that same power through many towns in the past week. Hawk Ridge, Night Watch, Crimson Peak, Hollows Edge, Crystal Cove and Nearwood Village had all been laid bare upon his travels. He had seen scattered ash left upon the inside of every cottage. If it kept up, his old friend would be king of no one.
Though all of the villages had been completely emptied, he could feel the power growing within the artificial sunset. He had never seen such power accumulated within the same place in all of his travels.
No matter how he looked at it, soon his power would be needed once more within the kingdom. ”You will accompany me on my travels.” he said to the guard with an amused expression playing on his lips. ”Your training is going to come in handy in the times to come.”
Christopher saluted his new charge. He knew he had no other choice but to go along with his old acquaintance as he began walking away.
I don't know what Will is up to, but one thing is for certain. He thought as he stared at the red sky ahead. Things will be interesting from here on out. The sage smiled to himself with eyes gleaming a bright sheen of green.