[mystogan]

first of all this story has become a hot thread in the forum, so thank you very much to everyone for all the views and reads, i hope you continue enjoying the story.

this chapter was very exciting to write, though it took some time mostly because of my others works and stuff. But the chapter is here, its a bit long ,but all that exciting and a very big event is to come next in the story.

"Chapter 24: Scars"

Spoiler for Chapter 24: Scars:

At a fine night when the lights of isengard were shining and the city was lovely as always, the two moons in the dark sky were partially aligned. Fiora was walking through the streets escorted by a man, she wore a white frock tunic with a tight black corset that lifted her cleavage, short sleeveless jacket, black leggings brown boots, she turned an alley and was making her way towards home.

“oh come Fiora, just one, just one real date” he said, he walked a few steps behind her which looked as if he was following. He wore fine clothes and looked a man with a high status.

“go home Fred, i already told you a straight no. Stop bothering me again and again” she said with frustration.

“give me chance, just tell me what you need me to do?”, he kept following her while she turned in circles to get rid of him, she finally came to her doorstep with him still lingering behind her.

“come on now” he said and caught her hand. She quickly turned and pulled away her hand.

“leave me!, i said i am not interested. I am saying nicely so just go away”she said

He came closer and caught her hand tightly and pulled her towards him, “oh shut up!, i have waited enough for you to open your legs by yourself, i’ll just do you right here, forcibly if i have too”, he held her and tried to tear off her shirt.

A figure dropped near them from the roof above,“the lady said she is not interested. Get lost or you’ll never be able to fuck a woman” said arwin

Fiora saw arwin, he looked fresh and neat, his hairs were cut short than usual. He wore a dark green tunic with a black vest unbuttoned and folded outwards at the top, belt with knot tied on the waist corner, his usual insignia wrist band on his left and a leather bracer tied with four buckles on his right forearm, black leggings with boots and he looked better than ever.

“what did you say!?”yelled Fred, he pushed fiora aside and approached arwin,

“you little shit”he said and attacked arwin.

Arwin blocked his fist and caught his hand, he turned and got behind him in an arm lock, he pushed him ahead and kicked him in the back. Fred fell to the ground on his face, arwin turned towards fiora

“since when do you have a crazy stalker?” he said and then he was thrown away with a sudden blast of magic , he flipped mid air and landed on his heels sliding backwards. He looked ahead and saw Fred on his feet with a magic aura in his hands.

“so you can use magic”, both arwin and Fred leapt at each other with their magic at hand, suddenly they were surrounded by strings of Zaiphon, it pulled back arwin and kept Fred in place, arwin looked behind and saw fiora use her magic.

“dont’ you dare touch him” said Fiora to Fred, “please go back, before this turns ugly” she added. He stepped back and retreated. Arwin got up and came to fiora

“why would you save the guy who was just now trying to rape you!?”said arwin

“it’s enough, he is the nephew of Lord Renoux, a spoiled rich brat , it’s been a few days since he is following me around, let him go for now we don’t want unnecessary trouble”she explained, “and what were you doing here by the way, stalking me yourself?”

Arwin knelt in front of her on one knee and bowed his head, “i am ......sorry, i misbehaved and hurt you when you trying to help me and also said foul things about you, i am sorry. And thank you for healing me when i needed it” he stayed like that for a few moments to hear her response, but she said nothing, he looked up and saw she was grinning and enjoying the moment. she took his hand and got him up,

“apology accepted”she said with a broad smile.

Later that night when they went to the guild, everyone’s eyes were fixated on arwin.

“i am sorry for how i behaved and i’ll be careful from here on”he averted his eyes downwards as he said, then he looked at them, they had their lips shut as if holding something in their mouths, “fine go ahead” he added

Everyone burst out into laughter,

“you should look at your face” said Gus while laughing

“just relax man, we’re cool what’s with the apology” said Erica while laughing

“oh please you were enjoying it din’t you” said arwin

“well, i won’t say no, it was very funny” she replied

“well it won’t be any fun if one of us din’t snap like that one’s in a while. But still it’s good that you’re back to your senses” said gilbert

Later when everyone was gone, arwin was standing alone in the back yard in the silent night under the moonlight, gazing at the stars on the horizon. A light gust of wind was blowing that wriggled the grass and the tips of his hair.

“you look better”, came Irena’s voice who came beside him and gazed in the same direction as his.

“are you okay?”she asked

“i am fine”he replied

“so what will be your course of action from here on?”she asked

“i need to figure things out first” he said

“alright then” she said and left

(Arwin) but i know what i want, i will kill him no matter what, no matter where he is, i will find him.

Next day arwin came to the guild and met everyone as usual, he took a chair to sit at their usual table, when he sat the chair collapsed and arwin fell to the ground, while everyone laughed at the comedic moment.

“oh you are getting really fat”said Erica

“i am not fat”he said while lying on the ground , “how did it even broke”, he took the broken leg of the chair and saw the nails were pulled out forcibly at the joints of the seat”

He tossed it aside, “ya very funny gus” said arwin angrily

“why are you looking at me?”said gus chuckling, he had a smug face and shared a look with erica

When arwin tried to get up, suddenly a burst of pain rose in his back, mid way standing he moaned in pain and fell again.

“oh!!, mother fucking!.. son of a bitch!”he yelled, placing on hand on his back and twisting on the ground, “ahh!!,kill me now”he said

“ok fine i pulled out the nails of the chair, it was funny prank ok, it was me. Stop overacting to be hurt. It’s just pathetic”said gus

“to hell with you and your prank asshole, my back is killing me, i am not pretending”he said

“you really hurt?” asked Erica

“what the hell does it look like?”he said

“ok ok, let’s get you up”

They got him up and settled in a chair, it took a while for him to get adjusted and back to normal, till then he was moaning and yelling abuses.

“wow, you are even more delicate than a little baby. How can just falling from the chair hurt you that much?”asked Erica

“it’s not the chair”he said, “it’s been happening for a few days now, my injury in the lower back is paining from the inside,i thought it would go in a few days, but....”

“that’s right, you were stabbed in the lower back till the stomach on the other side” said Fiora

“can’t you do anything”he asked her, “you patched it up before right”

“there is only so much i can do with Zaiphon, you could try some potions but it will only stop the pain temporarily” she said

“looks like what you need is a proper healer, luckily i know someone who is both”said gilbert.

Later than afternoon, arwin, gilbert, Erica, fiora and gus were going through the forest in the outskirts of the city.

“how much further it is?”asked arwin, “i don’t understand why the rest of you are coming”

“well who ever this doctor is, she will have to test how much it pains, right”said
gus

“so?”

“so i think it might amuse me”said gus

Arwin released a sigh and carried on, they followed a brook and climbed and jumped over some some fallen trees, which was much difficult for arwin with the pain screaming in his back. After every turn, gilbert was tracking their course. After some time they finally arrived at Muriel’s place.

They walked infront of the door in the trunk of the giant tree, surrounded by giant roots. gilbert knocked the door and held his insignia locket infront of the emerald peephole. There was a click sound and the door swing open.

The young group entered the tree, as usual the place had an odour of potions and scents, various things hung from the ceiling in baskets other than alchemical lamps, such as herbs, crops, ingredients and many other stuff. The table and the shelf on the wall were filled with books, instruments, jars, potions, etc. They came inside and saw a lady dressed in a blue-white gown standing in front of them.

“what is the meaning of this? gilbert, why are there so many people in my house against my will?”

“who is this woman?”asked Fiora

“hey i know you, Muriel right?”said gus, “good to see you, i thought you were dead?”

“well i am also glad that i am not dead” she said

“my friend here needs your help” said gilbert

“No, what do you think this is, a fucking infirmary ”she said, “that you bring anyone here and i fix them up”

“trust me i am not really enjoying being here, i wouldn’t be here if this could be done somewhere else”he said

After arguing and convincing Muriel, she finally agreed to take a look at arwin’s condition, he lay on the inner bed topless on his chest while the others waited at the distance and watched.

“ok kid now tell me how much it hurts”, she tapped a wooden stick on the point of pain in his back.

“it doesn’t hurt on the outside the pain is from the inside, it’s like.... ”, she swing the stick on his back.

“AHHHH!!!!, i’ll cut you bitch!!!” he yelled in pain, she did it again and he again screamed in pain, while the others watched,

“hey it does amuse me”said gus with a chuckle

“so it’s that bad, huh”said Muriel, she placed her palms around the scar in his lower back, a magic circle appeared around his wound, she murmured some incantation and a dark aura appeared between his hands, there was a spark and she was pushed back. she got back to arwin and examined the injury, she pulled his pants little down to a lower waist line.

“hey!, what are you doing?”he said

“not what you think, besides i am not interested in kids like you”she said, she further examined the injury and the pain. she closed her eyes and cast another spell, images of arwin’s battle flashed in her mind and she saw how he was stabbed. suddenly she slipped into another memory and some other images of memories from long ago started to flash in her mind. Large amount of painful memories poured into her head, she quickly severed the connection and opened her eyes and was back in her house again. She got up and asked arwin to dress up.

“there is a curse set upon your injury”she said, “it is a dark spell that is keeping the wound from healing, it has only healed from outside but the pain will reside on the inside. Using potion and drugs won’t be any help but for now, i have reduced the pain so that you could do your tasks with minimum hindrance. But it is still not healed and i do not know how to break the curse”she explained

“you can’t?, then what am i suppose to do now”she said

“be cautious, do not take another hit in that place”she said, “that’s all i can do for you. Now get out of my house”

Arwin got up and joined the others and they exited the tree, as soon as last one of them was out, Muriel fell to the ground shocked and shivering

(Muriel)that kid, such darkness in him, there is nothing but pain and suffering......

As the young party of mages were at the outline of the forest,

“who is she really?, how do you know her?”asked Erica

“she was in the guild before you and Fiora joined”said gilbert, “she is a very skilled alchemist and herbologist, uses magic for healing and...a.... she.....”

“....she was courting the master”added gus

“the old man used to court her, a woman so much younger than him?”questioned fiora

“oh no, she is actually a eighty-six year old hag, she uses magic to maintain her appearance and her physic”said gilbert, “.....so but they broke up and she left the guild and came here to live. She wanted to leave long ago, but the old man has something precious of her’s without which she can’t leave. And he doesn’t let go of it, so as to keep her close. Wouldn’t surprise me if he sneaks out every now and then and comes here secretly to meet her”

“ya wonder if this is where some of his meetings took place”said arwin chuckling, who was fine now and the pain had disappeared thanks to Muriel. But the painful scar still remained.
.................................................. .....

Ewen was rushing through the corridor of his office on the fourth floor, in the second tallest tower of the council’s main structure. He was breathing heavily and drops of sweat were running down in neck. He dropped down from the balcony, used magic to stick to the outer wall of the tower and slided down straight towards the ground. When he reached the first floor , he kicked off the wall and leapt ahead and landed on the cobblestones. He quickly sprint towards the next tower,he jumped over the decorative plants crushing some beautiful flowers under his heels, he ran through the fountain spoiling his white coat and finally reached the base of the tower, where everyone else was already arrived at the scene.

He slowly came forwards and his eyes widened in shock with the sight before him, gareth was crucified on the outer wall of the tower, with a stream of blood running down the wall and formed a red puddle at the base. Ewen was shaken as he saw the bloody corpse of his master.

A murmur broke among the crowd, and people looked at each other with suspicion,

“that’s enough!, get him down from there” ordered the Belizarius, the archmage, to a party of knights, “and get him inside and cleaned. All the high wizards gather for a meeting immediately, rest of you get back to your work”. At his command everyone started moving except for ewen who stood still in shock.

A hand came on his shoulder, “come on ewen, we have to go”said avaline, a young woman in her mid twenties same age around ewen and one of the high wizards of the magic council.

Half an hour later, the four high wizards were in an dimly lit enclosed space, there was a giant magic circle on the floor, with each of them standing on their own circles , floating in mid air.

“as you are already aware, a serious crime has occurred just now. Our fellow wizard Gareth Blackwood has been murdered”said Belizarius

“the criminal not just killed him, but nailed him on the wall. It was clearly a message to us”said Griselda, another of the high wizards. she was a middle-aged woman in her late thirties.

“master ewen, i can only imagine what you must be going through, but you have to be strong. First Vincent left and now gareth is dead, our position has been weakened like never before, that is why the event of his death shall be kept a secret.” said archmage

“a secret!?, what are you saying!?, a proper strict investigation must be issued. We must contact the nobility for their assistance” said ewen

“he is right archmage”said avaline, “we not know where the criminal must have fled by now, we need help of the nobility and their guard forces”

“silence!, young ones. Lady avaline i do not have to explain you how delicate is out position with the nobility. I understand master ewen is in grief and i respect his sentiment, but we cannot appear weak in our standing with the noble houses”

“so what!?, we do nothing!?, someone just kills a high wizard and walks away, clearly the criminal is no ordinary assassin. Gareth was very highy skilled in combat as well as his knowledge of the magic, the assailant is no ordinary person”

“rest assured about that matter, as you have said this is no ordinary person, so i myself will be investigating this matter. With my power and authority in the nobility and the guilds i promise you i will bring justice to gareth” said the Archamge

“for now i suggest that gareth’s body be safely concealed in the frozen tombs of the ancient among the secret vaults, where only the four of us have access” said Griselda, “and for now the gates of Agarta have been sealed, so we execute a mass memory spell, to erase the memory of this event from the minds of everyone who works in the council. We cannot risk any leaks of information.”
“i understand”said ewen and he disappeared avaline followed behind him and the two young mages were gone.

“keep an eye on him”said Belizarius to Griselda, she simply nodded and disappeared as well.

Ewen appeared in the corridor out of thin air, as the only entrance to the secret meeting place was to teleport there. Avaline appeared in the same place as him, but by then he was already gone.

Late in the dark night when everyone is the council was back in their quarters, Ewen was sitting alone in the gardens on the pavement of the fountain. Avaline came and sat next to him.

“are you alright?”she asked

“i am fine. But something is not right, even though he was old it won’t be so easy to kill gareth in silence. why would someone kill him in the first place”

“Belizarius is clearly trying to hide this matter, to protect his political position”said avaline

“it’s on the inside, something is going on in the shadows and its here in the council. With gareth gone, i cannot trust anyone here. Clearly gareth must have been an obstacle to some scheme, that’s why he was killed.”

“what now?”she asked

“i will find the murderer and i will open up whatever this conspiracy is. Ava, are you with me?”

She came close to him and put her hand in his and entwined her fingers with him,

“i always am”

At the same moment on the top floor of the heighest tower of the four, in the archmage’s quarters,

Belizarius was using his magic, he formed a blue aura in between his palms then he threw it infront, a crack in the space opened up with outlining of blue aura and between it a person could be seen through it.

“i have cleared the passage and made an opening for you Kevin”said belizarius

“you have my thanks, i shall make my move soon”said Kevin

“sure and do not forget about the item i asked. Do not fail me, the rest is up to you”

“you will have your price .............and i will have mine”said Kevin and the connection was gone.