=Wilde Jagd |
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"I am Edel Drud von Himmel; the Frozen Flame. A line mage of fire and water and the Law of Aachen. I paid a great deal of money to get my hands on those three Tristainian alchemical samples. It's a pity two of them died in transit. At least their bodies made excellent reagents which more than made up their cost."
Wilde Jagd made eye contact with the Noble. He didn't have the stereotypical appearance of a noble who got fat off the work of others, but his eyes always made it clear that he was sneering at you. He was charismatic and one could forgive him for his arrogance, but not for what he had done to Miki and Amalda.
"These girls are not mindless beasts!" Paul faced the Noble, standing ready to act.
"On the contrary," The noble explained, "It is common knowledge that alchemical constructs like Faeries are trained via imprinting and mimicry. Their actions and emotions are simply replications of what they have witnessed the Tristain alchemists and commoners servants do. Pretty brilliant if you asked me, make thousands of Faeries to use as cannon fodder while claiming that they are a race of newly arrived first borns to evade the prying eyes of the Inquisition. Or perhaps they were the ones who funded it..."
Edel shook his head and gestured towards his escort who all drew short muskets and aimed them at the intruder. Upon further examination, these guards were far better equipped than the patrols he fought. Their armors had elaborate details and etchings on them. These men appear to be apart of his personal guard.
"It took me a while to retrain it to be obedient and subservient, but it was worth it. As for Amalda..." The owner of the mansion continued his explanation, "I saved her from her own savagery. She was originally living in a tree beyond the reaches of proper civilization. If anything, she should be grateful that I rescued her and introduced her to a real culture."
Taking his father's lesson to heart, he quickly lowered his stance and raised his shield ready to brace for the blow.
"Amalda! Miki!" Paul's shout brought the two girls back to their senses, "We are out of time! Take what you can and get out through the window!"
"As if I would let you." He raised his hand ordering the guards to prepare to fire, "Oh yeah, I never got your name."
"I am the Wilde Jagd." he answered the noble's curiosity.
"The same name as the hero in that commoner's children story?"
"The one and only."
"You should have stayed in those lines." Edel brought his hand forward.
The guards fired their muskets. A quartet of thunderclaps and gunpowder smoke filled the room. All four bullets collided with his shield and shattered leaving only a scratch where it struck on the Faerie equipment.
Having seen the four muskets fail to do their job, Edel drew his wand and with a quick flick of a wrist sent a fireball the size of a large dog at the Wilde Jagd.
The Eternal Crusade released a brilliant light as the fireball connected with the shield. It seemed that the anti-magic properties were true. The spell burst and the fires washed over the brilliant armor. A fireball of that size should have cooked him alive, but all it did was singe his skin. That pain was brief, probably because of the Faerie spell he casted earlier. What a useful spell.
"Maybe you should have read between those lines." Paul retorted.
"Those muskets should have pierced even steel armor at this range and that fireball should have cooked you alive." Edel appraised the situation, "How dare you cheat! Fight fairly and die with what little honor you commoners have!"
"That is a terrible reason to play by your rules despot." Wilde Jagd readied himself, "And stop tainting the Germanian language by... speaking... it..."
Bright blue lights danced between Paul and Edel catching their attention. Dazzled and enchanted by this otherworldly sight they turned their attention towards the source; Miki's chanting. She had stood up during the battle and faced the Edel and his escorts. With both hands up and facing the Noble and his escorts she had chanted to summon a dazzle of blue lights that spilled onto the floor between Paul and Edel.
"Please step back Wilde Jagd." She requested of him. Paul nodded and moved.
As soon as he stepped back a sheet of ice formed where he stood before, creeping towards the Noble and his escorts at a terrifying pace. Edel and the guards backed away from the encroaching ice only to see it erupt and cover the doorway. When the spell ended, the entryway was coated in a thick wall of ice. Edel and his escorts were stuck on the other side of the ice and now were trying to break through with blades and spells. The spell bought them time they could use to escape.
"Thank you Miki," Paul turned to face the two girls, "but if you knew magic-"
"Our cages were enchanted to electrocute us whenever Miki tried to cast magic." Amalda answered before he could finish his question.
Wilde Jagd nodded. He thought that it was best to stop asking questions until his mom and dad can speak to them. "Are you two ready to leave?"
The Undine was silent instead salvaging what she could from the room. She wore her friend's black capelet and beret. She strapped the cutlass to her hip, the spear was collapsed into multiple sections and along with the crossbow and quiver; fastened to her back and held the shield in her hands. She then faced the Faerie remains and other assorted objects on the wall.
"Amalda. Wilde Jagd. Please cover your ears." Miki requested again.
The two did as the Undine requested as she chanted again. This time longer and it ended with a wail. Even with the armor muffling the screech, the sharp note was painful to the ear. Wood, glass along with the remaining Faerie reagents shattered, metal crumpled and that side of the room was barely recognizable.
The entire wall that once held the remains of her friends and their equipment was demolished, they escaped through a window shattered by the sound. Miki and Amalda followed the Wilde Jagd on their way out through the mansion grounds towards the back. They stopped at the tall wall that separated the mansion with the forest outside Aachen.
"What are we doing here?" Amalda asked, "My wings are clipped, I can't fly."
"It has been a minute since I opened that door right? Not a problem." Paul assured the Winged girl and he drew the Order of Malachai.
With a two handed strike he used the Order of Malachai to punch a hole in the wall. The loud thundering boom was loud enough to awaken the town.
"I hope you two can still run."
Rumors spoke of how much faster, stronger and tougher Faeries were compared to humans. Miki had confirmed all of them by matching Paul's speed with ease. Amalda however had spent far too long in the cage and was carried in Miki's arms like a bride. Paul kept a sharp eye on their corners and behind them. If any guards chased them, then he would have to kill them to prevent his family from being spotted.
He thought about his choice of words. Not stop, not delay, but kill. He has never even thought of taking someone's life until today. It dawned on him why, it was the armor he wore and the axes he used.
It was easy. Paul thought to himself. As Wilde Jagd, his armor made him all but impervious to their attacks. In ax in return could strike at them with impunity, cleaving metal and flesh alike. The Eternal Crusade's anti magic properties have proven basic spell craft to be impotent to him. In addition, the Faerie spell he learned must of also given him a bit of blood lust. It was a harrowing feeling.
When they got to the cabin Paul was exhausted. He was safe now. It was a good thing too. The moment he saw his home the anxiety that had been suppressed by that spell returned to him in full force. The knowledge of the deeds he had done for the sake of saving two girls weighted him down.
As planned, Paul's brother David was waiting for them.
"Wilde Jagd!" David called out, "Bring them in here, we have some food and clothes they can use!"
"You can trust him." Paul assured the two girls. "Inside you will get some food and winter clothes. He will then lead you to another cabin where the rest of his family is, they will be joining us for the journey ahead."
"Journey?" Amalda asked, "You mean to Tristain?"
"Yes Amalda." He answered, "And when that is done I will help you find your home."
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that Wilde Jagd." the voice of a very angry noble called out looking at the cabin, "I can't believe the you commoner rabble dare to oppose me, the divine proof of a higher power!"
"Wilde Jagd." Miki's voiced her concern.
"I will be fine." He answered lacking breath.
"That is the Eternal Crusade armor set isn't it?" Miki took his hand, "Please take off your glove."
"What?"
"My highest skill may be water magic but it's barely above 400." She explained, "I can't buff you while you wear that armor set."
He did as he was told again taking his gauntlet off. Miki took his hand and held it close to her face and she chanted. With each chant that ended a wave of Faerie magic flowed through his hand and throughout his body and another began. The minor burns healed, exhaustion faded, his eye sight improved, his thoughts were more focused, he felt stronger, faster, better.
"That is the last of my mana." Miki spoke between breaths, "Good luck."
"Thank you Miki." He answered putting his gauntlet back on and patting the girl on the head. "Now go."
Paul turned to see the noble wand in hand. He was clearly ready to fight. He was melting the snow around him, forming the water into two large blobs to protect him while he casted. A dot mage could easily take several commoners in a fight. A line can do far more. Suicide doesn't even cover the insanity of what Paul was doing.
He took another deep breath and chanted the spell again, the spell that allowed him to rescue two girls and anger a noble. An impossible feat made possible.
"
a hśgr réttr orð"
"Impossible is just a word."
The noble sought fit to introduce himself yet again, "I am Edel Drud von Himmel the Frozen Flame! A line mage of fire and water! If you are intent on pretending to be some folk barbarian hero then I will grant you a proper end! One that reminds you commoners never to oppose us!"
He pointed his wand at the ground and two water blobs formed increasing their to four. "By my law you will be put down!"
Edel wanted him dead and having seen his family's home would want them dead as well. This Noble had to die. It he was allowed to live, then not only could he threaten his family or the two girls, but he could also kidnap others for his twisted collection. He needed to end Edel to keep those he saved and those who are at risk safe.
This time however, Paul would properly introduce himself.
Those who exalt the ways of the dark...
Consider yourself the Wilde Jagd's mark!
