79 The Duke of Bloomstar (2/2)

”How did you get that flame?” The man asked as he walked over to Will. His domineering presence was enough to make Will annoyed.

The Duke was wearing robes of turquoise and gold. On each of his fingers there laid a gold ring. This man was clearly not used to being crossed. He reached for Will's arm and tried to snuff out the flame.

Will's arm jerked back, and when it reappeared, his silver and gold sword appeared at the man's chest.

”Clearly you and your family are in need of a lesson in manners.” Will sneered as he pushed his way into the living area.

He entered a very spacious room which seemed to be a greeting hall of sorts. A rug of turquoise and gold lay on the cobblestone floor. On every wall their lay a lantern with the same color flame ad the one at the door. Gold lined the walls, giving the greeting area a lavish appearance.

”Y-your father will hear of this!” The Duke stuttered as he tried to step back from the sword. ”I'll forget this ever happened if you bow before me and apologize for this insolence!”

”I should be telling you the same!” Will's eyes lit up in anger. ”First your daughter tries to seduce power from me, now the arrogant father thinks me to be a servant!”

”You turned down my daughter's request?” The Duke's look turned dark. ”I requested your father to give her the flame. He told me you were the only one who could gift it. You would go against your father?” He sneered at the foot of the blade.

”Why would I give her an affinity?” Will mocked the man. ”Or rather, why should you keep yours?” Will raised his other hand to the man. A thick stream of flame went from the old man to Will's palm.

The Duke staggered back as he felt the power draining from his body. His eyes widened from shock as the last wisp of turquoise left him.

When the flame in its entirety entered Will's palm, he absorbed it into himself.

”W-what have you done?” The Duke stuttered as he lifted both of his hands. Try as he might, he could not summon up his flame. His shocked expression turned to outrage as he took something from within his robes. Will saw clearly that the man had a palm sized Crystal within his hand.

The Duke held his hand out to Will and began to summon the flame from within. ”You didn't think you could keep such a marvelous invention secret from me, did you?”

Will raised his hands in mock surprise. He allowed his sword to return to pendant size as he stared wide eyed at the man.

”You know,” the man said smuggly. ”I was here playing the part of an ally so I could get my hands on these little gems.” A cold gleam was cast in his eyes as he stared greedily at the Crystal. ”With these, who needs a relationship with your kingdom? Your father was so weak, he couldn't even get over the loss of a child. Such a failure doesn't deserve such a reputation!”

”You were only here to get crystals?” Will asked quietly. ”Even if you have them, it takes a wielder to fuel them.” He looked at the stone within the man's hand.

”And a wielder I was!” The man shouted as he looked arrogantly at Will. ”And a wielder I shall be again.” He smiled at Will with such greed it made Maya step forward.

”Will is not someone you can bully around.” She said as she summoned her aura.

”Maya.” Will turned to look at her. Without allowing the Duke to see, he gave her a small wink. ”You should go and get help.”

Maya understood at that moment that her help wasn't needed. She turned to leave, but then she heard the old man laugh. ”Do you really think your guards would lay a hand on me? I'm who pays them!”

Maya turned to him with a look of disgust before leaving the room entirely.

”So you have been here for a year, pouring all of your energy into this Crystal?” Will asked in order to bring the man's attention back to him.

”Not just this one.” The man said smuggly. ”I have enough Crystals for an army! All full of a years worth of my power, and more to come after you give me back my power!” The Duke looked deranged as he spat more and more at Will.

”What's your plan? To come back and take over Ebonhart? What if your power isn't good enough to take us over?” Will questioned.

”Your words ring true, that is my intention. You have a king with no power, and resources that can turn the tide of leadership!” The Duke went on. ”As for if I have enough, that's why I have you, right?” The Duke turned for a moment and grabbed another Crystal from a table. ”You will be our battery!” He pushed Will into the hallway, out of the small estate.

”I thought your plan was only to take your power back, how do you plan to leave alive with me?” Will prodded the man.

”I had originally intended to let you go, but this is just too good of an opportunity!”

The Duke pushed Will in front of him and held the stone to his back. ”If you try anything, the power within this Crystal is enough to kill you in seconds.” He spoke darkly.

As they walked the corridor, Will kept his attention to the stone that was pressed against his back.

They walked out of the corridor and into the entryway within fifteen minutes. Will intentionally walked slow.

”No matter how long you stall, there is nobody who can help you, kid.” The duke said lazily. ”With this stone, I can ensure we leave the kingdom without so much as a scratch.”

”Duke Weinried! What is the meaning of this?!” The king sounded from the bottom of the double stairwell.