"What did you say happened to my Commander?!" a nobleman yelled at his servant bowing before him.
"Commander Lucion...is dead Duke Weldior." the servant stuttered, fear welling in his being.
Duke Weldior slammed his fists into his table covered with plates of food. The impact both shook his more than generous meal, and the servant standing before him.
Leaning against his chair, Duke Weldior pinched his nose in contemplation. The Duke was a handsome man, at the age of fifty six he looked twenty years younger. Though his weight and generous gut made sure no one would mistake him for a youth.
The youths we're always fit in Winter Haven, be they nobles or commoners.
Walking into Weldior's room was his Captain, Levion Vorris.
"My lord, has the news reached you yet?" Captain Levion said.
Opening his eyes, Weldior stood from his chair and made his way to his window.
"Your Commander was a fool." Weldior said, now standing in front of the window overlooking the castle.
"Everyday I lectured that reckless boy to be more careful. The fact that he was a second Tier Star made him all that much foolish. How could I lose such an important piece on the chessboard now that I'm so close?" Weldior asked, his gaze intent on the pedestrians below.
As the Duke thought, his eyes narrowed to the young maidens out and about, eying their cleavage as they made their way in and out of the castle.
Be they maid or noble, Weldior did not discriminate. As long as they were ample.
'Shall we halt on our plans my Lord?' Captain Levion asked, his voice funneled through the Mindmend Arcana that keep conversations away from prying ears.
'No, time is of the essence. The longer we delay, the stronger the King becomes.' the Duke turned on his heel, eyes fixated on his Captain.
'Prepare me a seat at the Caverns Arena. I will be needing a new Commander to lead my army,' the Duke said.
'Understood my lord.' Captain Levion said with a bow. Then, he turned and made for the door.
'And one other thing,' the Duke called out, halting the Captain in his place.
'I find myself burdened with a burning deep within me.'
'I shall prepare a maiden for you tonight my lord.' Captain Levion said, then made to leave before being halted yet again.
'My tastes this day is for the tender and pure Captain.' Duke Weldior said, stroking his beard with a grimace on his face.
'I shall provide you with a tender maiden that has never been touched my lord.' Captain Levion said, a hint of disgust written on his face.
A good thing he wasn't looking at the Duke.
'Very good Captain, now be off.' Duke Weldior made his way to his table and began to gorge himself once more.
The Captain said nothing further, he exited the room and close the door behind him. Now away from the Duke's sights, Captain Levion clenched his fists, wishing to himself that he did not have to serve someone so vile.
Yet he found his hands tied, the Duke was part of something greater. And he needed him for that.
"One day." Captain Levion said as he made his way down the hallway of doors.
***
"Does this Arcana trouble you?" Caster asked with a grin. Sitting on a chair inside the room of an inn, Caster mused as Kael stood in front of a mirror, trying his best to Weave the Arcana to transform his image.
Failing once more, Kael slammed his fist into the cupboard below the mirror.
"If my memory serves, you promised to endow me with powers to take my revenge, in exchange for my soul." Kael bent low and began to wash his face in the bowl resting on top the cupboard.
"And how exactly have I not kept my end of the bargain?" Caster asked with a wide grin.
"You are the god of mischief Caster, not the court jester." Kael picked out a towel and cleaned out his face.
Caster laughed.
"You are right so. But again, I am the god of mischief not the god of charlatans. You do not require a Weave to wield more than half of your Arcanas, only those with little to no complexity to them." Caster pushed against the wall with his feet, so his chair stood on only two legs.
Putting both hands behind his head, Caster fell his kids so as to get some shut eye.
"If it has no complexity, then why is it I find it a problem to Weave?" Kael dropped the towel on the cupboard and made his way to the window beside their small bed.
He peered out into the snow-covered city before him, Winterhaven at long last.
"Perhaps it is because you possess no talent at all. I wonder if you would be able to even Weave a single Arcana had I not paid for your soul." Caster remarked, and Kael chuckled.
Feeling annoyed, Kael called forth an Arcana of which he had named Castello's Grip. An Arcana that granted him the ability to move objects with his mind.
Gripping the foot of Caster's chair, Kael attempted to pull on it, but as he did so, he felt a tug on his own leg. And before he knew it, he lost his footing and crumbled to the wall.
Caster broke our into laughter.
"You forget Kael, I am the god of mischief here." Caster continued to laugh, and Kael couldn't help but frown.
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
"He's here." Caster said.
Kael wasted no time getting onto his feet, then he made his way toward the door.
Sliding the latch, Kael pulled the handle. And on the other side of the door stood a young man.
"I have the information you seek," the young man said, then he outstretched his right hand.
Looking at the man's hands, Kael rolled his eyes. Then calling forth another Arcana he named Castello's Satchel, Kael summoned a pouch full of silver coins from smoke.
The young man paid no mind to the Arcana mastery before him, instead his thoughts were fixated on the pouch full of coins.
In the blink of an eye, the pouch was all but snatched from Kael's hand.
The young man pulled his jacket and placed the pouch in a hidden pocket before dawning a smile.
Kael did not care for his smile, he raised a brow, still waiting patiently for the young man to speak.
"The Duke will be visiting the Caverns Arena tonight,"
Upon hearing this, Kael slammed the door in the young man's face, then he turned on his heel so he could face Caster.
"It is time?" Caster asked.
"It is time." Kael responded.