Chapter 7: Ironic Conspiracy

Struggling to breathe, to gasp for air into his lungs. He felt the pressure on his throat, the ground sliding under his back. He held onto the staff as if it was the only thing that mattered.

“Unghh…”

 

Sairek groaned out as he felt himself being dragged over a rocky portion of the forest trail. He had struggled to get out of the hold many times now. But the beatings he had taken in the stomach and sides had made even the strongest struggles he could dare muster become nothing but shuffles and audible groans.

 

“Shut yer bloody trap, brat!” He heard a voice yell out; sounding like the guard.

 

 

*BASH!!*

 

 

“Agh…!” Sairek let out in response to the pain of feeling a blow go to the back of his head. His consciousness swayed viciously for a moment, threatening to collapse on him, but being determined, he managed to adjust it and barely recover it enough to stabilize his grip on it. Thankfully, it wasn't the strongest blow he had taken so far. He wasn't sure what hit him. If he wasn't on his back and being dragged by his cape, he was positive even in this state, he could have done something… but the constant blows he was taking now and then was clouding his intelligent young mind. That and the being dragged part was distracting him from the burning discomfort.

 

He tried to calm himself as much as he possibly could so he could think as clearly as possible. He needed to formulate a plan and quickly. Judging from how long he had been dragged so far, from how far Nayleen and he walked, he’d imagine it was no more then forty minutes before he was in the village again.

 

His eyes opened partly as he examined his staff which he barely gripped with his right hand as he was dragged away. Making as many calculations as he could without moving too much; he didn't want to give out signs he was thinking of a plan, not giving signs he was in any state to retaliate.

 

There were only two spells he could use where his staff didn't glow out of the magical powers used. The soldier was walking behind the man who was dragging him. If a spell glowed, he'd alert it before he could finish. One of these spells was his wind spell, although, he couldn't see how this would help him. The reason it didn't glow was because, in reality, the spell itself was too weak to actually emit a glow. It was simply pushing air which was usually often used to create a strong wind in one area for a period of time. He could only see that being an annoyance. The other spell however, his earth shifting one… That one didn't glow either. Moving and shifting the earth was actually a simple task and had been the first spell he had actually learned; it was being able to actually take chunks out, lifting it up into the air, and how quickly one could do it was what made the spell useful. All of Sairek's spells were "flexible" spells. They didn't depend on the power of the magical incantations; rather they depended on the power of the user. Apparently, Sairek did not have very much power, even with using a Yggdrasil staff.

 

Sairek soon had the plan formed in his head. He didn't know if it was a good plan, but he was the only one he could see that he could even do. Quietly gathering as much Ethereal in the air as he could, he soon muttered as loud as he dared “Ethirul…” And the earth in front of the one dragging him soon dropped down by at least a foot. This caused the man to nearly fall and stumble and the fall lightly twisted his ankle which soon dropped him to the ground.

 

“What the hell--?” He heard the voice say, before he felt himself tugged harshly... but as he skidded across the ground, he no longer felt any pressure behind him pulling him by the cape; he knew his plan had worked. He had finally been released. He groaned out in pain, his body stiff and bruised from the beatings it had been forced to endure as he fought to stand on his feet, needing to use his staff to do so.

 

He quickly opened his emerald eyes, forcing them to focus together. Pants inhaled and exhaled out of his lips. There were indeed only two of them, the man he saw on the ground he recognized as the man who he strained him -- he was an elite guard. This made Sairek falter. He didn't know what he was going to do to get out of this now...

The only other man there was the one holding Nayleen, who had quieted down quite a bit during the time she was being dragged which must have been at least over 15 minutes.

 

“You bloody brat!” The soldier yelled out towards Sairek.

 

“Don’t stand there you fool!” The other shouted out in anger. “He can hardly stand, kick him to the ground already!”

 

Sairek watched as the soldier charged at him, while holding Nayleen. The boys' eyes sharpened. As the man got closer, Sairek lifted up his staff and pointed it just a few feet ahead of the man’s feet. Once again, chanting the magical words “Ethirul!” Although out loudly rather than just a mere mutter as he did a moment ago. A few chunks of either caked dirt or rock rose up from the ground in between Sairek and the man. The soldiers' feet stubbed into them, making him begin to lose balance in his charge. Sairek, despite the pain in his body, endured it as he charged forwards, releasing Ethirul to smooth out the ground again. The child ducked against the ground as he skidded against it. He was using his sliding to gain extra momentum for the low swing he threw with his staff. It ended up smashing against the mans' left leg, causing him to lose any minimal balance he had before. The man began to fall forwards, releasing Nayleen in instinct to catch himself. She quickly slipped out of the hold as the soldier crashed into the ground, unable to catch himself for he was weighted by his own armor.

 

Sairek soon came up in front of the soldier, yanking the helmet off him by grabbing onto the top crest that was on the helmet.. “Balinzer!” Sairek soon shouted in an angry chant. The staff glowed orange with the flame on its gnarled head. The mans' eyes widened as Sairek swung the staff with both hands to the left across the soldiers' face. The staff felt more then just a piece of wood slamming into his cheek. It felt like a molten steel rod. The soldier roared out in pain. Sairek reared the staff back, striking him again on the other side of his head. This was as much as the soldier could take before being knocked out from the boys' powerful blows. Nayleen quickly wiggled out of the man's arms and soon stood by Sairek.

 

Sairek turned around, facing the other man as he stumbled a bit and supported himself against the staff, holding the weapon against the ground with both of his hands.

“Don’t underestimate me…” Sairek quietly growled in bated anger. His anger however was not able to sustain his fatigue. Seconds later after speaking he stumbled and collapsed, catching himself onto one knee, only managing to hold himself up from falling over completely because of his staff supporting him. His body was absolutely weak from over exerting himself from the lack of sleep, the damage he had taken and now the use of spells and physical combat. Nayleen quickly bent down and with her support, helped Sairek rise back up straight as they both glared at the remaining threat.

 

“So you are smart…” The male muttered. The man chuckled at the sight of an exhausted boy who needed the help of a female child. “Being intelligent does you nothing though when you aren't even in shape to take a few blows, boy…”

Saireks' head dropped as he clenched his teeth at the words. His head rising when he heard a metallic ring, and his exhausted eyes soon focused on a glinting weapon in the man's hands. It was a rapier. Other than being a weapon that could potentially kill him, it was specifically bad because even though Sairek practiced blocking with the staff a few times, he was particularly bad at evading or blocking stabbing or thrusting attacks; something a rapier is specifically designed to attack with. Sairek wondered where in the robe, if he was an elite magician, he kept the rapier -- or why he used one rather instead of a staff. Perhaps the man felt he didn't need a staff to help amplify his magic.

 

Sairek did not retort back to the comment the man made though. He merely panted trying to recover his body and regain stamina. The man continued to gloat. “What’s wrong boy? You look a little tired! I didn't think a couple enhanced kicks here and there would have been enough to make you hardly able to stand! You look like you’re about to fall over and eat the dirt!”

 

Enhanced kicks... so that's why they had made him fly all over the place like a ragged doll. The man probably used magic to make the force of his kicks amplified. Sairek though couldn't resist the urge to counterattack verbally. “Really…? Correct me if I am wrong... but I am pretty sure that not even 3 minutes ago... you were the one who ate the dirt...!” he shot back.

 

The man opened his mouth to speak, before growling. “Oh, trust me, I will make sure I drag you back to the castle, face down this time!” Sairek let out a tired chuckle, taking pleasure in the fact he ticked the man off with his retort.

 

Sairek watched as he soon ran at him, rapier brandished. He had to lose the support for his body as he lifted the staff up and in fact pushed Nayleen back out of the way. She looked like she was about to protest but there really wasn't much time He never remembered himself feeling so heavy...

Even with two hands, he struggled to keep up with the attacks the man swung at him. The man swung the rapier around swiftly, using swing and stabs, trying to get around the child’s blocking. Sairek knew he was in quite a bit of trouble. He only had to miss one block and he would be out. That was nearly happening with every attack that he defended. The only thing that was keeping Sairek standing was the fact that his body was pumping adrenaline into his body to heighten his senses and the knowledge that if he did fail to block a blow, it would have all been over. The man wanted him back at the castle; he didn't think it was a live or die situation; a rapier wound especially with these specific types of clothes wouldn't kill him unless it was aimed at a vital point. The man was trying to strike the majority of the time at his stomach.

After just managing to successfully block a series of attacks, Sairek was too slow to react to something that he was beginning to hate this man for; kicking. Sairek stumbled a bit as he took a foot to the face as his vision filled with the mans' robe. The man soon went down and Sairek felt his legs give way as the man tripped him by sweeping his legs out from under him. Sairek felt the world tip up as he faced towards the sky before he let a weak grunt of pain and exhaustion from landing down onto his back. He didn't have any time to react to anything before he felt the mans' foot slam on his chest, nearly winding him once again. This man liked to play dirty; that was for sure; but there never were rules when it came to combat. Sairek let out a groan as he tried to push his body up, but the man needn't even try to keep Sairek down.

 

“You’re smart, but when it comes to combat, you sure suck, boy.” The man let out with a smirk. "And I didn't even need to use magic this time."

 

Sairek would have made a clever retort, except that it wouldn't have done him any good. Instead of thinking up retorts, he tried to think of any possible way out of this. But none came to mind. He didn't believe he could cast any spells because simply muttering the magical words would cause the man to just silence his incantations one way or another. Sairek didn't want to provoke the man of knocking him out.

To his relief however, he heard the man yell out, the weight of the man off of his chest. Sairek gasped breaths of air as he craned his head up to see what was happening. To his relief, he saw that Nayleen had tackled the man to the ground and soon brandished out a weapon; holding a dagger to the mans' throat. She held a secondary knife in her other hand.

 

“Well well,” Nayleen let out grinning. “Looks like the tables have turned. You may be good in combat. But when it comes to actual strategy, you’re nothing but stupid.” She retorted for Sairek, who couldn't help but let out a little grin as he slowly pushed himself up. He was really struggling now to stand up on two feet, even with the help of his staff. He felt he should just stay down; he was in no condition to even be standing. "Try to do anything, magic or otherwise and I'll make sure you won't think of doing it again." She threatened.

 

“What the hell is with this?” The man let out. “His highness never told me that two kids would be this vicious!” He peeped out.

Sairek tilted his head a little bit. "So, father did order you to try and bring me back..." he grumbled in distaste. "Despite how much I pleaded with him not to do so in my letter... I'm not surprised anymore..."

 

Sairek’s ears soon caught the sound of one person clapping from behind him. He turned his head around, and soon spun around completely -- nearly falling over as he did so as he let out a gasp. He couldn't believe it, his father was clapping at him with two soldiers standing at his side.

 

“Wh...What...? F-Father!?” Sairek let out in disbelief.

 

“Alright, I’m confused. What’s going on here?” Nayleen let out, not releasing the man as of yet.

 

“Father??” Sairek repeated again as his the King approached the both.

 

“I apologize, Sairek.” His father said. “I needed to see if you was truly being serious... if this was just an excuse... if you was truly prepared... or just eventually walking into your own demise. I needed to make sure you wasn't in over your head.”

 

“You did this?” Sairek asked for confirmation, receiving it as his father nodded to answer. Sairek looked stunned as his father continued explaining.

“Sairek, I couldn't just let you go without the knowledge that you were unable to handle yourself, as well as others who may decide to follow you. I couldn't just stalk you until you proved yourself. And I couldn't bare the risk of actually letting you be in danger without knowing. The only way I could think of to know for sure, was to have my men attack you myself..... even if it meant harming you."

Sairek watched as a small smile crept on his father's face. "I am still unsure if you can handle yourself... but if it were an excuse, you would never be this determined and serious to leave the castle in such a manner."

 

Sairek felt strangely overwhelmed with emotion. Despite how weak he felt, he dropped his staff onto the floor and managed to sprint over to his father, soon embracing him in a tight hug. He took comfort feeling his father’s arms wrap around him. Sairek closed his eyes, relieved to not have his weight on his legs anymore.

 

“Will you be returning to the castle to properly prepare?” Sairek’s father asked, although confused when Sairek didn't respond. “Sairek?” His father asked again. Lightly pulling the boy away, noticing he was rather limp.

 

He had succumbed to sleep in his father’s arms.

Author's Note

Last edited on: March 11th, 2013

Changelog: Text should be remedied completely now (not faded out anymore)

Changelog [December 21st, 2012]:

- Typo fixes

- Edited some text in speech and descriptions

- Weird suit guy who I never really liked is no more.

Changelog: [January 11, 2012]

Moderate/semi-serious changes in this chapter. Once again, I made it far less random, and made it a 'bit' more obvious for the conclusion for this chapter. I can't really say too much without spoiling it though for those that read author notes before the actual text.


Changelog:

- Fixed Nayleen's gender in some sentences. (Um... oops?)

- Several other typo fixes/corrections

- Changed how 'The Man' looks slightly (his clothes).

- Changed almost -all- combat descriptions to be more fluid, crisper, easier to understand.

- Made the combat 'not lethal' (You will need to read to see what I mean perhaps).

- Changed conclusion of the chapter to a better version that just makes more sense.