ASHES OF BETRAYAL THE SORCERER'S VENGEANCE

CHAPTER 17

Joran’s eyes narrowed as he stared blankly into the void of the night. His hand trembled violently as he held fast to the now crumpled letter, just as if his life depended on it. His soul was ravaged with thoughts that he didn't have the answers to. His teeth gnashed mercilessly and he was a shadow of himself.

Working as a respectable court mage now, the shock of the blood letter left him dazed.

In his hand was a bottle of wine, and he gulped it down his throat, the latter escaping from the corners of his lips.

He had spent the whole night awake, staring at the letter, after the horrific way he found it. Asleep a few minutes ago, a loud cry by a thousand voices he quickly recognised—shadows called his name and told him he had been marked.

There was no reason why, how, or who was behind it, but when he got hold of the letter, all his questions were answered. Reality dawned on him and he now understood that this was more trouble than he could ever imagine.

With another sip, he muttered.

“There's only one person who can send this, but no, Kael is dead, I have to believe that.” 

Paranoia set in and his brain had forgotten how to think. He was hanging in between the lines of sanity and insanity, life and death and he could clearly see his fate.

However, just as he stared, a loud knock cut through the silence, and he quickly took his stance and positioned himself to strike.

But the knock didn't stop and it only made his heart race harder. It felt like a thousand hands pounded against the door all at the same time and he clearly couldn't help but fear.

“Who's there?!” He finally snapped, his voice shaky. Green orbs of magical essence with a fierce and burning heat were now in his hands as he approached the door, shaking.

Suddenly, a loud cry rang out and he immediately dropped to the ground and rushed back to his feet, scampering back to his room, his heart racing even harder and his breath faltering.

“Who's there?!” He cried as the door creaked open. The footsteps kept approaching and left him reeling even more than before.

He began to release green fiery balls into the darkness, but the sound of the footsteps didn't stop. After a back and forth, he knew it was only someone, far away from here messing with him.

He stood up slowly, not letting go of his guard and approached the courtyard, his eyes narrowed. But then, he had found the door open and now, footsteps were littered all over the place, more like a thousand souls walked through scattered paths.

He knew this was clearly shadow magic and something more. With his mage abilities, he burned the ground with a loud cry, revealing the real footsteps.

It was a long and scary one, but he knew the enemy had brought the fight to him, so there was clearly no going back this time.

He moved with caution, counting his every step as he advanced, studying the paths carefully.

The chilling sensation that was created by the breeze of the night left his skin pricked with goosebumps. 

He followed the paths created by the footsteps and finally arrived at a dark alley. His eyes scanned through the area and his soul trembled. 

“Who's there?!” He cried, still shaking in the dark.

His voice only echoed into the night, disturbing the peace. But he knew someone else was here, he could feel the presence of another being here, a stronger essence, one that seemed too familiar.

“I know you're hiding in the dark, that's cowardly of a warrior,” he spat. “Show yourself! Let's end this honourably!” He cried.

But still, he has yet to receive a reply. His weariness grew now and he couldn't help it. His breath was fading away slowly and his stance trembled.

In frustration, he kicked his leg into the air, sending a striking magical energy into the empty space, and destroyed a wall in the abandoned building. 

However, it only got more interesting. There was a glowing orb inside that building and a shadow of someone standing by the side was clearly visible.

“You cowardly shadow!” He cursed and quickly advanced.

But the next voice he heard stopped him and he froze right at the spot.

“Be careful on the ground you approach!”

His eyes narrowed as he tried to remember that voice, a voice that was just too familiar, a shadow he clearly knew…a female.

“Show yourself!” 

“You speak of honour as though you fight honourably!” The voice is added and he turned sharply.

“Elira?”

Just then, another voice cut in to join the drama.

“Well, well, well, well. It's been a long while, old friend.”

His heart stopped for a brief second as he tried to understand what was going on around him now. His soul trembled violently as he tried to join the pieces of the puzzle together, and he only knew this was danger.

“You're dead?” He asked, not knowing when the words left his lips.

“Kael, you're dead?” This time, he spat with contempt.

“Well, surprise then,” the voice chuckled.

“You're supposed to be dead?” He spat angrily now, a strange fire burning in him.

“No, you're dead!” 

And immediately, he turned sharply and unleashed terror on him, releasing massive fireballs in his direction, but Kael dodged them skillfully, as if he were toying with him, and this only fueled his rage more.

But he didn't relent; he kept on releasing the fire, and Kael continued to dodge.

But he paused for a while now, observing everything carefully. Kael moved swiftly in the dark and stood behind him. But Joran, being a mage, felt his presence, just too close to him and his burning magical energy and knew he was now a shadow and quickly muttered a boundary spell, but was stopped by Kael.

He raised his scythe against the wall, pinning him sharply, destroying the boundary he had made as he moved with his scythe.

“Let me go!” He cried as he was pinned against the wall by shadow magic.

“Don’t be in a haste, mate, we're just beginning…”