The following work is fiction, and all similarities to existing works are purely coincidental. The author (myself) hereby attests that the author is over 21 years of age, and that this material is intended for those over the age of 18 (or the legal age in accordance with local, national, provincial, or state laws). The author will not take responsibility should the reader decide to take the risk to access this material, and does not take responsibility for any offense towards violence, sexual intercourse between consenting adults, and depictions of fantasy.
Copyright:
This material belongs to the author (me), and the author does not consent for anyone to copy, distribute, or sell the work as their own in any shape or form. Permission to post on other forums will be permitted provided that the poster seeks written consent from me, and that the forum is for non-profit and benefits the LGBTQ community.
A note on the story:
I have always been a fan of fantasy role playing games as well as DnD, and take inspiration from those sources. However, I have researched extensively, and would never intentionally copy works of other people.
If you are looking for a story that immediately jumps to sex and erotica, then perhaps this story is not for you.
Feedback and Comments: soulwinn735@gmail.com _________________________________________
CHAPTER IV
Spewing deep crimson from the gash in her throat that she made with her own two hands, Elnur remembered vividly how the Queen of Lazevasca defiantly glared at him even within the throes of death, and how even as she drowned in her own blood, she maintained an ice-cold stare. Even with her husband and rule facing an imminent end, Elnur respected her decision to courageously end her life on her own terms, and in remembrance, he did not allow his men to defile or desecrate her body. As he now occupied her chambers, Elnur found it odd to be sleeping on her silk sheets, and being surrounded by remnants of her life. From the portrait of the Queen that hung on the far wall to the faint smell of floral perfumes that clung to the sheets and fabric, Elnur could feel her spirit linger in the air, and he often imagined her pacing up and down the room in the same pathway that he took to her bath. Kerkenes had given him the room shortly after the fall of the capital, and tasked a team of slaves to cleanse her existence from the room. At first, Elnur found her hand-picked furnishings to be rather luxurious and foreign, but he had grown accustomed to it, and so they were left as a testament to her resolve and legacy. Elnur felt pity for the King, because he was not granted such an honor, and his body was quickly stripped of all valuable jewels and clothing. In an act of cruelty, his naked body was unceremoniously thrown into a shallow grave, and the servants of the castle were forced to bury him without a headstone. However, the Queen was entombed with the other members of the royal family, and despite Kerkenes seeing the idea as being foolish, he allowed Elnur to do at least that. After all, Elnur saw much of himself within her, and how he could relate to having to forcibly adopt another nation's culture as a means of survival.
Elnur's father was an imperial scribe whose duty was to write decrees that reflected the empire's will, and his mother, a linguist, was often tasked with translating these decrees so that all subjects would be able to easily access them. Though in public, his parents expressed outward support for the empire's doctrine and its ideologies, they were completely different behind closed doors, and were advocates of a movement to liberate their homeland from the yoke of Gichari oppression. His parents taught him about the forbidden histories of his people, and how the Gichari falsified themselves as the progenitors of their culture and civilization. Speaking a unique language, Elnur was told that his people were once divided into many nomadic clans and tribes who herded sheeps and goats, but had established a major city that served as an exemplar of his people's values in maintaining an interconnected if not familial relationship with others. Elnur's clan in particular hailed from this magnificent city on the White Sea, but despite their rich culture, his people were fewer in number compared to their neighbors, and when the Gichari invaded, their culture was erased from existence. Forced to adopt the Gichari system of names and language, the histories of their people were burned, and their native tongue was banned from use. Teaching children that they were offshoots of the superior Gichari race, the culture dwindled with each successive generation, and finally became a mere husk of what it once was after a century and a half of indoctrination. In attempts to maintain their culture, the intelligentsia compiled whatever surviving sources they could, and established a network of cultural preservation and political dissidence.
Bathing and cleansing himself thoroughly, Elnur wrapped a patterned turban over his curly brown hair, and trimmed the stray overgrown strands in his beard. Applying a series of scented creams and lotions to his body, Elnur donned the traditional loungewear of Gichair men which consisted of a loose fitting robe over trousers, and as a finishing touch, he wore a single earring with a precious stone mined from his homeland. The earring was a parting gift from his parents when he was selected to join the imperial military academy, and Elnur had promised them that he would return home in one piece, but he did not dare to mention that their rearing had instilled a sense of independence and rebellion within him. He was enamored with the idea of how his people once were, but also the idea of being an independent people and nation once more. In truth, he had always despised the Gichari translation of his name, and much preferred the name Gashwin that was used by his parents, and reflected what he believed to be the best interpretation of light and clarity.
As Elnur made his way towards Commander Kerkenes' chambers, he marveled at the intricate details that had been carved into the stone pillars of the palace's halls, and let his fingers trace the bodies of animals both real and fictional. He wondered what it was like for the former king and queen to have lived in such luxury on a daily basis, and how the court functioned before their ultimate end. Passing an indentation on the stone wall with a pile of rubble swept to the side by the servants, Elnur recalled how on his way to the Queen's chambers, he had found a senator dead from a magical blow, and saw that the death was almost instantaneous. Elnur thought back on the young knight who had accompanied the Queen to the audience chamber, and how he witnessed the knight using white magic from the corner of his eye as he battled with the senior kingsguard. White magic was not known for its brute force, and was often considered one of the weaker forms of magic for offense, but the way that young knight used it was certainly not what Elnur expected. The servants of the palace told him that the Queen had handpicked the young knight as one of only two retainers, and that she was a formidable woman with an impeccable knack for judging character. Based on these tales, Elnur was surprised when the Queen informed him of the young knight's cowardly escape from the palace, and he knew that she was lying. The young knight had an aura of purity about him, and Elnur wondered what became of him, but what was certain was that they would most likely meet again.
The door to Kerkenes' chambers was left slightly ajar, but even from a distance, Elnur could smell the scent of love making. As he pushed the door in, a single beam of morning light fell upon the bed, and Elnur could only make out what he assumed was a mass pile of flesh. He could not tell where one body began and another ended, but as his eyes adjusted, Elnur made out Kerkenes' thick snow white hair, and made his way towards the former king;s bed. As the commander lay in a half asleep stupor, a male slave from the harem had the commander's flaccid cock in his mouth while another male slave licked the commander's nipples, and Kerkenes moaned between soft breaths. Trying not to be pulled into the pile of depravity, Elnur opened the curtains, and let the light envelop the room before he sat on the sofa, and he saw Kerkenes' brown eyes looking at him with a grin. As Elnur watched the commander gently push the slaves away, he saw a slave follow the commander on his knees, and in a desperate attempt to maintain his position in the harem and win Kerkenes' adoration, the slave eagerly licked the commander's shaft with every step Kerkenes took. Waiting patiently as he heard the bath water begin to run, Elnur felt a hand on his thigh, and looked over to see a new addition to the harem looking at him with pleading eyes. Gently shaking his head no in refusal, the newcomer attempted to put his hand into Elnur's trousers, and Elnur grabbed the slave's hand before it reached its prize. Once again shaking his head, the slave nodded, and went to help another slave open the curtains. Watching the slaves enter the bathroom and returning with buckets of soapy water, they began to clean the cum that had dried onto nearly every surface, and Elnur sensed the heavy smell of semen being replaced with fresh pine. Kerkenes emerged from the bathroom then, dressed in a similar fashion to Elnur, and approached Elnur with a soft smile. In accordance with tradition, Elnur knelt on one knee, and gently kissed Kerkenes' hand before standing and exchanging kisses on the cheek. He had always hated having to greet Kerkenes in this manner, and did his best to hide his hatred of the commander himself.
Strong and bulky, Kerkenes was a seemingly indomitable man, and Elnur knew that a fight against him would mean certain death. He had watched the commander best the captain of the kingsguard with a ferocity he never wished to experience, and for the most part, Kerkenes was unaware of Elnur's loathing towards him. Kerkenes was always cordial and friendly with him, and despite the unreciprocated feelings, the commander was oddly fond of him. Elnur was often the person who Kerkenes confided in, and perhaps Elnur's discovery of the new imperial weapon only solidified the commander's admiration for him. As the commander pressed the tip of his nose against Elnur's, Elnur stared into the brown pools, and struggled to stifle his urge to pull away.
"Is there a reason why you have interrupted my morning routine with the harem?" Kerkenes' eyes flickered in the light.
"The Lazavese senators are awaiting us in the royal audience chamber, agha."
Kerkenes rolled his eyes: "Hmph, the fools are the most dishonorable men I have met, and they believe that they can beckon me at their discretion. Without our aid, their coup d'etat would have failed, and it was only a convenience for us that our arrival in the city coincided with their plans. I ought to teach them a lesson. Perhaps I will ask for their oldest sons to join my harem, I have never slid my cock inside the ass of a nobleman before."
Despite the commander's harsh words and condescension of the senators, Elnur felt that he had a point, and the senators were an affront to loyalty. Shortly after learning about the fall of Uria, several senators wasted no time in sending messengers pleading their allegiance to the empire, and how they would provide any resources to fund the occupation of their country. Allowing imperial troops to station themselves in provinces that these senators controlled, it was almost child's play for the empire to solidify control of the fertile central and southern regions, but with the senator's actions coming to light, the situation quickly collapsed into a state of civil war. With the northern and eastern provinces declaring independence and war, the Lazavese in the central and southern regions found themselves divided along two fronts, and even with the empire providing additional manpower, the front constantly shifted, and they were losing ground. Kerkenes did not see much trouble in this, and argued that the senators had become too ambitious in their attempts to solidify their grip on power, but he did not want to lose any more troops than he already had. As Kerkenes and Elnur entered the royal audience chamber, Elnur passed by the faded bloodstain where the king remained for hours, and felt twelve pairs of eyes follow each and every step he took. Sitting immediately to Kerkenes' right side, Elnur tried to figure out which senator had the brownest nose, and was the one who had ordered the deaths of both the king and queen. As a symbol of good faith, the senators had arranged for a vendor of traditional Gichari coffee that was boiled on a bed of hot sand, and had laid out a spread of Lazavese pastries and cheeses. Before serving the commander a slice of cake and a cup of coffee with cream, Elnur made a Lazavese attendant take a small taste beforehand, and called the translator in preparation.
The oldest senator and mouthpiece spoke first: "Lord Kerkenes, thank you for gracing us with your presence today, we are here to discuss a battle plan for the war on two fronts."
Kerkenes nodded: " I told you people that it was foolish to kill your sovereigns in cold blood, and now you are trying to seek help in a problem you made for yourself. Tell me what disaster or self-destruction you wish to present today?"
Elnur saw several of the senators grow red in the face, and he knew he needed to keep the facade up as a loyal soldier: "I must warn you that your lack of gratitude will be met with death if I see it."
The old senator looked at the others in panic: "Now now, we are not here to place blame, but we ask for your troop's assistance in replenishing the front line. As you know, the battle for the Sfantu Swale is underway, and we are also losing ground against the Northerners. We ask for reinforcements so that we can execute a much greater plan."
Kerkenes scoffed: "As we stated in our earlier deal, the imperial troops are here under my command, and I will allocate them as I see fit. But I will humor you, what grand scheme do you pathetic weasels have? Surely it is not another attempt to turn half the country against you and I, is it?"
A younger senator spoke: "We believe with this new plan, we can solidify some support from the troops, and to undermine the rebel's cause."
"And what would that be?" Elnur was curious.
"As you know, the king and queen were not the ideal match or couple, and it was often discussed and rumored that they both enjoyed visits from others. It is only natural that a bastard or two would spring up, but only for the king. We were surprised that the queen never had a bastard, but regardless, we have found a rallying point for the people." The old senator smiled with missing teeth.
Kerkenes raised a brow: "I see, so you found a random whore in the red light district who claimed that they have a king's bastard. Congratulations, I did not know that a whore's child could use their mouth and body as a substitute for noble upbringing."
The old senator shook his head: "Fortunately, we learned of this bastard's birth relatively quickly, and she was fortunate to be taken under our wing. We taught her everything that she needs to know, but we kept her ignorant enough for us to implement our will through her. We brought her along with us, if you want to see proof?"
"This should be good, show me the miracle whore child." Kerkenes chuckled.
Elnur watched as a senator nodded at a Lazavese guard, and found himself fixated on the door. A moment later, the guard returned, and next to him stood a maiden dressed in a simple white linen gown, but even for a bastard, she was the spitting image of her late father. With pale skin and copper colored hair, her jade green eyes were round and soft, and her expression was vacant like her father. Though Elnur preferred the company of men, he could not refute the fact that she was beautiful, and the way she walked was both graceful and noble. The senators had taught her well, and she curtsied before taking the place of the old senator who moved off to the side. Kerkenes looked at her, and rather than cowering, she stared back at him with no change in emotion.
"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Ariana Mihalea De Lazevasca, my father was the king, and I wish to take his place under your guidance. I was told about the glorious achievements of the Gichari empire, and I wish to allow that glory to be emulated and adopted by my people. I wish for you to remain at my side as a military advisor, but also as my regent while I learn the ways of governance.
As you know, treacherous rebels have taken arms against the senate, and by extension, they have taken up arms against the heir to the throne. This is the highest form of treason, and if you assist us in re-establishing my rule over the nation, I will reward you immensely."
Kerkenes smiled, and Elnur knew that he was intrigued: "And what reward would you give that I do not yet have here, little girl?"
The princess smiled then, and Elnur found it to be a rather disturbing one: "The senators loyal to my cause have failed to inform you that in the north, there are several pathways that lead to neighboring nations along with rich deposits of ore, and in the east, there is also direct access to a river that flows through a nation that borders empire controlled lands. If you help us in gaining control of these rebellious regions, you will have my permission to move troops through these key routes, and the empire will be able to expand even further. As I am aware, these neighboring countries are rather weak militarily, and will be easy picking and valuable assets with their innumerable amount of natural resources.
However, if you still aren't convinced of my ability to rule and be loyal to the empire, I and my council of senators have devised a plan that will help us turn the tide against the rebels."
Elnur looked at the senators who smiled wicked grins, and he felt his mind race. He needed to find a means of stopping this expansion, but he needed the details before he could make his move: "What would that be, princess?" He asked.
"I believe we can spin the story of my father's demise, and we can say that the bitch Lady Inanna was the orchestrator of his assassination, and that the rumors of the senate plot was a ploy and means for her to legitimize rebellion against the crown. I am willing to come out publicly, and say that she also had the queen killed to build sympathy. I believe if we play our cards right, we can spare some casualties in the upcoming battle, and maybe we can get some troops to desert her cause. Without an heir or a will or a witness to the senate's crimes, her movement will fall apart with my reveal to the public."
Kerkenes scoffed then, and Elnur saw the princess' fist clench: "You are forgetting a small detail, little girl."
Princess Ariana's lips narrowed: "And what would that be."
Kerkenes looked at Elnur: "Tell her about the unexpected hole in her plan."
Elnur pictured the young knight then: "Oh you mean the young knight that might have escaped."
The Princess' expression became filled with rage then: "How do you know he survived?"
Elnur was about to speak when another guard spoke up: "Forgive me your majesty and honored senate, but may I speak?"
"Is it about the escapee?" Ariana replied.
"Yes, after the palace was taken, we were notified about the royal guard who escaped, and we took hunting hounds into the woods. We looked for two days, and we finally found human remains within the woods, not far from here. The remains had remnants of the clothes that the escaped guard wore, and we concluded that he likely died of his injuries, and that animals had gotten to the corpse. Whatever information that he had, it died with him."
The room grew silent then, and Kerkenes sipped his coffee: "I see, so I suppose the little girl's plan can work."
Princess Ariana's composure returned: "Do we have an agreement? Or would you like to negotiate your terms, Commander Kerkenes?"
Kerkenes looked at Elnur, and whispered: "I will hash out the details with the little girl, if you would, go check on our guest in the dungeon, make sure he is alive."
Elnur nodded: "Yes agha."
Kerkenes turned back towards the princess: "I wish to discuss the terms of our assistance and support, my second in command has some business to attend to, but the translator will remain here. Elnur, please go with the guard, and attend to our guest."
Elnur looked at the guard who spoke up earlier, and nodded: "I hope your majesty and the senate will reach a compromise with the empire."
As Elnur exited the hall, he began making his way towards the lower dungeons, and the guard from earlier followed closely behind. Elnur found something off about the guard who tailed him, and then the realization came to him, he had never seen this guard before. He noticed the details then, but he could not perform his magic in such close quarters. Unlike the typical officers of the imperial army, Elnur had kept his talent a secret, but he had inherited a gift from his mother's line that was thought to be lost, and that was the power to use ice magic. Even Kerkenes was unaware of this gift, and Elnur kept it a closely guarded secret. The guard who followed him was wearing his crest on the wrong side, and Elnur could tell that even though the armor was a suitable side, the guard had difficulty walking in it. It was evident that the person was not used to wearing heavy armor, and another giveaway was that the guard did not have a weapon. The senators had instructed all guards to carry weapons at all times, but maybe the guard had forgotten, or maybe, the guard was an imposter. Elnur was not sure whether his intuition and deduction was right, and he needed to gather more information. As the two climbed down the stairs leading to the dungeon, Elnur felt the guard come closer and closer, and he coated his knife with ice.
Elnur knew that he had only one shot, and he needed to prove his theory to confirm whether he needed to kill the guard behind him or not: "You mentioned that you found a body in the woods, but where was it exactly?"
"The hounds found it to the northwest, I am sure he escaped from the secret passage in her majesty's room."
Elnur readied his knife then: "That's interesting, none of the other guards ever mentioned passageways, and I am assuming knowledge of such passageways would be closely restricted to only the most loyal of royal guards." Elnur turned then, and saw that the guard was about to bring down a heavy torch onto his head, and he instinctively grabbed the guard, and used the weight of his armor to throw him down the stairs.
Landing just outside the cell of their sole prisoner, Elnur ran down the stairs, and jumped onto the guard's body, and held the ice coated dagger to the guard's throat :"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right here and now. Who are you?"
Rather than answering, the guard remained silent, and to his horror, Elnur watched as the guard's body disappeared, and realized that he had been tricked. Feeling a knife to his throat, Elnur felt someone grab the back of his head, and heard a whisper: "I suppose I messed up, and underestimated your observational skills. You do not need to know my name, just release Sir Johan."
Elnur realized that he might die: "Please, I am not what you think I am."
"You are Gichari scum, and you deserve to die. Where is the key?"
"If I release Sir Johan, then the palace guards will notice that he is missing. How can you expect to escape when they find me dead?" Elnur tried to move away from the blade, and heard footsteps then, and watched as two of the queen's former servants descended the stairs.
"I specialize in illusion magic, and will use a servant to take Sir Johan's and your place."
Elnur had underestimated the Lazavese, and tried to find a solution. He did not want to die, not here, and he needed to find some leverage to preserve his life, and then it clicked, he realized that he had key information: "If you let me live, I have something that can help your cause."
A faint voice called out from the cell: "What would that be?" The voice feebly asked
The mage in armor whispered excitedly: "Sir Johan, are you alright?"
"I am fine, just weak." Sir Johan replied "Let's see if this Gichari is useful to us."
Elnur knew that it was now or never: "I am not Gichari, and I have no love for the empire. I know how we defeated the Lazavese at Uria."
The mage's grip tightened on the knife: "If you are talking about your weapon, we know how it works."
"Fuck." Elnur cursed in his mind, but then he remembered the flowers "I have the source in my room, and in exchange for my life, I will give you the source and help you prepare a counter for it."
"Do we trust him, Sir Johan?"
"We must, we might not have much time before they realize he is taking longer than usual." Sir Johan sighed. "Unlock the door, but one wrong move, and I will slice your throat open." The mage commanded.
Elnur did as he was told, and he opened the cell door to reveal a pair of piercing blue eyes looking out at him from the dark. As the flames of the torches illuminated the dark room, Sir Johan laid slumped against the wall, and he appeared rather emaciated and frail. He had refused to eat for the first couple of days of his internment, but even hunger can have an effect on a seasoned hunter. Though Sir Johan had lost quite a bit of muscle mass, he stood with the strength of someone going off to battle, and limped out of the cell with a stern expression. Elnur watched then as the older and more frail of the servants entered the cell, and the second servant took the key from him.
Sir Johan pushed back the loose strands of hair that clung to his unwashed face: "How long do we have before the magic wears off?"
"Sir Johan, I used some mana with the earlier attack from the Gichari. We do not have much time, I can probably make an illusion that lasts roughly two hours. But we need to move quickly."
Elnur was mortified: "You plan on letting them rot here?"
Elnur felt his hair being pulled back, and the mage in armor pressed the knife just enough so that it wouldn't cut his throat: "You animals killed these servants' children at Uria, and they wish to join them. Do not lecture us on morality when you killed apprentices who could barely tap into their mana, they were innocent and posed no harm, but you cut them down anyways."
Sir Johan grabbed the knife handle then: "Ease yourself, we are only losing time, the meeting should be ending soon. What I propose is this: I want you to make an illusion so that I resemble the servant in the cell, and the Gichari finds a way to lead us from the castle. The second servant will also follow, and when the time is right, we can disguise him as the Gichari. The Gichari will be our prisoner . Gichari, this mage will kill you if you try to escape, you will return to the meeting with him, and then get us the source of your weapon. I will spare your life if you do as you ask."
Elnur accepted his fate: "I will do as you ask. Let us make haste."
Being led back up the stairs with Sir Johan limping behind, now disguised as the elderly servant, and with the mage and other servant walking at his side, Elnur felt the knife in his back. The mage and he returned to the audience chamber with Sir Johan and other servant waiting outside, and found that the meeting had ended. Looking at him with the same vacant expression as before, the princess passed him by, and he could see a small smile of satisfaction on her lips. It seems that the meeting had gone her way, and Kerkenes seemed also satisfied as he had servants gather the remaining food. The mage took his position alongside the other guards, and Elnur approached Kerkenes, he thought about running, but the mage probably had another means of killing him. This was his chance to escape the empire's clutches, and to begin his own path to liberation.
"Did you reach an agreement with her highness?" Elnur took a pastry offered to him by Kerkenes.
"There weren't many terms, but all were fair. I saw nothing wrong with assisting her in her game of power. A puppet is a puppet, and in fact, she is simply an extension of the senator's will. She has no sense of self." Kerkenes bit into a pastry."How is Sir Johan, is it?"
"Frail and defiant as always. At least he ate something recently."Elnur felt the mage's eyes on him. "Do you need me for anything?"
Kerkenes shook his head: "I have the servants who can entertain me, I will see you for supper."
"Yes agha." Elnur exchanged kisses and knelt as Kerkenes walked with a member of the harem at his side.
Elnur made his way back to the mage then, and quickly ordered him to follow. He was used to having an escort in the palace, and knew that this would not be out of the ordinary. He led the mage, Sir Johan, and the remaining servant to the gates of the queen's former garden, and turned to them.
"The source of the weapon was planted here several days ago, I recommend you cover your face, and do not touch it if you want to keep your magic."
The mage looked at Sir Johan: "If I lose my magic, I cannot execute the second part of the plan"
The servant held up the dagger that was taken from Elnur earlier: "I will follow the Gichari into the gardens." Elnur felt his arms being tied behind his back then." Walk"
Elnur felt his own dagger against him as he showed the servant the gardens, and he felt it almost somber with the empty beds of flowers. Kerkenes wanted to grow plants and other crops from the homeland, and so he had ordered the servants to clear away the flowers that the queen had meticulously planted. The servants seldom went beyond the gate now, and many had somber expressions as they looked at the bare dirt. As Elnur walked past the pond, he saw a group of ducks swimming around, and imagined that the queen would often spend her days here. He found it to be a peaceful place, and he gently pushed a duck aside with his foot as it tried to nibble at his ankles. The familiar smell of rot and sweetness filled the air then, and the servant gagged before pulling up their shirt. Kerkenes had planted several beds of the magebane flower as he called it, and even though they were beautiful, they stuck out from the natural bushes and plants around them. Nodding at the servant, the servant quickly donned gloves, and placed quite a few flowers into a tote that he carried. They returned to Johan and the mage who stood at a safe distance with a mouth and nose covering, and Johan wrinkled his nose.
"The flowers are sealed, they won't harm you." Elnur said
"Good. The horses are waiting at the back entrance, Sir Johan, are you able to ride?" The mage asked with a tone of worry.
"I am not a frail old man, I will be fine." Sir Johan took the tote bag from the servant, and made his way towards the back entrance with the servant helping him along.
The mage turned to Elnur: " Come, you will ride with me Gichari."
Walking through the massive empty courtyards, Elnur did not see a single soul, and wondered if fate had a hand in making sure their escape was devoid of conflict. However, a more likely possibility was that the few guards they had were allocated to the princess, and most other guards had defected. They were still waiting on the troops to relieve them from the provinces loyal to the empire, and so this day was the most fortunate for such a risky escape. Elnur followed the mage, and soon saw a pair of horses at the ready. With great difficulty, the servant and the mage helped him onto the horse's back, and as Elnur turned around, he saw a perfect copy of himself looking back. The mage had gotten nearly every detail correct, and there were only minor imperfections.
"Eerie isn't it?" Johan asked from his horse.
Elnur nodded "Yes, eerie."
The mage spoke to the servant: "The illusion will last only another hour or so. When you start to see the image fade, it is important that you position yourself accordingly. They will notice the Gichari being missing, and so you must avoid your culpability. I thank you for your bravery and communication. May the gods bless you."
The servant nodded and bowed: "May the gods guide you." Elnur heard his voice being replicated as well.
Sir Johan readied the reins: "Where are we headed, mage?"
"It is too dangerous for us to head east at this time, so we head for the northern headquarters of Piatra Regina. Once we reach, we will begin your rehabilitation, and we will inform Inanna of your safe arrival. I sent a messenger ahead about the "princess", and Inanna will know what to do."
"Onward." Johan called out