Arablest/ Prototype

Of course, waiting alone in a room was boring. I didn’t have much to do here, so I decided to check if I had a scare, a thought that somehow never occurred to me until now. I wondered why I hadn’t thought of doing that, when I had a lot of spare time back then. Perhaps I was just nervous and wanted to, well, do something to pass time rather than just, well, sit here and be nervous.

I looked down, unbuttoned the tunic I wore and raised my shirt, checking my stomach and feeling for a scar. I expected to at least see a scar of some sort, seeing that I was stabbed in the stomach with what appeared to be a dagger. I had a scar on my knee where I tripped back at home and tore a small chunk of flesh after landing on a sharp piece of metal. The scar is still there to this day, so of course I expected a scar on my stomach as well.

I felt along my stomach, finding… well, nothing. I looked down and saw nothing but a thin white line. Not even evidence of stitching, which my knee had required.

Is this what… magic can do? I wondered, the thought dominating everything else in my mind. There was barely any evidence for what had happened. They should have been a scar, and I tried not to believe what I saw with my own eyes.

I properly put my clothes back on, intending to think about it, when General Ira returned with Durand, Raymond, and of course, Brixus. Joseph, Kal, and Leona had joined as well, it seemed, probably because they were curious.

“So… What is the reason you called all of us here?” Brixus asked first. He looked bored, standing there with a broadsword belted on his side. In fact, the only person here who wasn’t armed was me. s

“Brixus… you were there when I… er, when we were attacked. Surely you saw the attacker’s face as you ran, right? You had enough time to break down the door and run and left me there.”
“I…I… no, I didn’t see his face. It all happened too fast, really. Yes, yes, I didn’t have time to get a look at your… our attacker’s face.”
“So you have no idea who attacked me, is that it?” I asked, hoping Durand would do what I wanted him to do. Hopefully Ira was thinking what I was thinking when she briefed Durand, but then again, how could she not?

“I.. no, I had no idea. I don’t have a clue as to who attacked us. No clue at all.”

Durand stayed silent. I had hoped he would have said something then.

”Really now?” I replied. “Because, I have a feeling you do know. Not only that, but I’m sure you know that person really well. Or perhaps, it was you the entire time.”

There was a gasp from some of the people here, I don’t know who. But Brixus immediately exploded after I said it was possible he was behind it.

“What? What is this madness you speak of? Have you gone insane? You don’t even know me, and here you are, accusing me of knowing not only who attacked us, but that I know him well? How would you know so much, boy? I would say that you’re trying to frame me for something! Perhaps you are sent by an enemy of mine, to—“

“Then,” I shouted, interrupting him. “Explain who could have attacked us when the room was empty when I searched it, the only window locked before and after I was stabbed, and the door shut with only the two of us in it!”

“Enough.” A voice broke through, stopping both of us. We both had been yelling at each other by now, and I hated yelling.

We all turned to see who said that. Brixus nor I hadn’t said it, and neither had Raymond.

It had been Durand. Finally, he had decided to speak, although I wished he had done so sooner.

“Brixus, you yourself have caught yourself in a well laid out trap by Jeremy. Even I hadn’t thought you would have done this,” Durand continued. “You were the one who had stabbed Jeremy, trying to trap him in that room and kill him off. I don’t know why you would attempt this, but now Jeremy has laid a better trap for you, and you walked right into it. You are guilty of attempting to murder Jeremy, and there is no denying it!”

“Are you serious? How can you trust this word of this one mage, a mage whose behavior and temperament is so bad that even General Ira refuses to take him as her apprentice, even if he’s more skilled?” Brixus shouted.

“Because I’m not mad, nor am I stupid. You are a threat to many of us, especially since it was because of Jeremy that saved many of our lives; more lives than you would like to think.”

Me? Save lives? When did I save a life? I wondered. But I didn’t say anything, because the argument was in my favor, anyways.

“…Very well. I refuse to back down, but if that is what you say, Durand, than I know that you are another enemy of mine now.”

“Brixus…of all people… Arrest that man and place him in prison.” Raymond spoke quietly and clearly, mainly to the guards. “General Joseph and General Ira will accompany him to the prison.”

“Wait!” I said. “Let me ask him one more question.”

The guards looked to me, and then to Raymond.

“Go ahead.” He replied. “But make it quick. I have many matters to deal with.”

“Brixus. Do you know anything about… the rebelling lords and such? Are you a part of them?”

“The rebelling lords? The rebel because they are simply not satisfied with Raymond’s rule. And as for being a part of them, you probably wouldn’t believe me even if I told you, eh? What makes the difference?”

“Just answer the question.” Raymond asked, now interested.

“Whatever I say, you won’t believe me. So, even if I said no, you’ll probably think I’m lying anyways.”
“Answer the question.” I replied.

“No, I’m not a part of them. I had nothing to do with them.”

“You didn’t even talk to them? Convince them to attack Raymond? It does seem like an interesting coincidence. The lords rebelling as we were travelling and the mercenaries sent to kill us on the way. It all fits pretty well together, now, doesn’t it? If they all had succeeded then someone Raymond and Leona wouldn’t be on the throne and someone, maybe even you, could have taken the throne. “ I rambled on, the words spilling out of my mouth with the occasional stutter. The thought had just occurred to me, and I hadn’t had time to prepare this. “I bet you were behind all of this.”

“What? What you are speaking are lies! You know very well yourself that I was in Raalte when you left! It’s not possible!”

“Lies.” Durand said. “You just told me that you did convince the lords to attack Raymond, although indirectly. That’s why the lords don’t know who’s leading them, because they don’t think they are. All you did was push them enough to band together against Raymond. In effect you were behind all of this.”

“Damn you, Durand, and your abilities to read other’s minds.” Brixus quietly muttered.

Raymond drew his sword, for he did not have his lance with him, and was about to restrain Bricus right there himself with the help of Ira and Joseph who had realized his intentions when Brixus leaped backwards out of the way.

“Too slow.” He said, smiling. With a whirl of the cape he was wearing, he spun around and in a single movement drew his weapons, stabbing one guard with a dagger and the other with his sword before anyone else could react.

The guards slumped onto the floor as he withdrew his weapons, and was about to leave the room when Ira and Durand attacked Brixus with their magic, everyone else advancing with their weapons.

Brixus turned around again to face us just when Durand and Ira’s combined attacks smashed into Brixus, fire and wind spinning, burning, and slicing around Brixus in an attack so fierce that I expect Brixus to be dead.

But when the magic finally dissipated, Brixus just stood there, sword and dagger in hand, smiling.

“He can use magic too?” Ira said in disbelief. At that, every once else paused, wary of Brixus.

“See you later.” Brixus smirked, and what appeared to be runes similar to the ones Durand drew in the air back in Thanti arranged in a circled on the floor around Brixus. And then, with that, it appeared that he teleported out. Or, at least that’s what it looked like to me.

Raymond swore, angry.

“Hey.” I said, and everyone turned to me. “At least we know who was behind this.”

Raymond brightened. “Of course! We do know who’s behind this. Now all we have to do is take him out. Jeremy, I believe we don’t need your help anymore, this responsibility falls on me. You have been extremely helpful your time here, from escorting my only daughter safely and helping us during our times of need with your knowledge. Now it is time to return the favor. How about we help you home, now?”

“Really?” I asked, extremely surprised, happy, and full of hope at the same time.

“Yes. I’m serious.” Raymond said.

“Let’s do it!”