10: Thralls

"Hey, can't we talk this over through pints?!" Zen gasped when a greatsword swung toward his head. It slammed down to upturn sand and rocky soil.

Zen cursed the debris that stung his eyes. He narrowly avoided another blow as he was wiping to clear his vision. "Damn it. I didn't want to bring it out."

He unbuckled his belt and began pulling it out.

"What are you doing?" Vo looked confused as he blocked and parried an enemy's blade.

But Zen continued to remove his belt and snapped it to make it taunt, then ran a finger over some of the length, muttering a spell to transform it into a black thin mage staff.

"You're a mage?" Vo couldn't hide his surprise.

"Did you think I was a rogue because I looked all cool and badass?" Zen laughed as he twirled and wielded his staff like a polearm. "I'll forgive you for that misconception."

The warrior guards were knocked back on their arses by a curved airwave attack, Zen's staff had cast.

But the warriors rose with a red magic flowing through their veins to make them physically stronger.

Zen twirled his staff and slammed an end to the ground to release another airwave attack, but it failed in knocking the warriors back.

Vo stepped forward to counter a blow for Zen, he masterfully pushed the greatsword back then rolled to avoid a low angled strike,

Zen countered the strike with a low arc sweep of his staff. When he wasn't casting spells, he was wielding his staff in polearm combat. But using the magical tool was taxing on his energy levels.

However, Vo was able to keep fighting and going harder as the enemy's attacks became stronger.

"Vo, I can cast a spell to drain the dark magic from their spirit energy. It will inoculate them."

"How long will it take?" Vo stepped back when there was pause in the fight, panting for breath.

"Seconds."

"Do it."

Vo countered blows and navigated the fight away from Zen, so the man could cast his spell.

As he observed the warriors fight patterns and their sluggish movements, Vo could tell they were enthralled at someone else's command and mastery.

"Shane, slow them down." Vo ran his fingers across his blade and twirled it one hand to draw in spirit energy for a blast attack.

"Got it. One airbind coming up."

A ring of silverish air magic was released from Shane, it soared toward the three warriors, gathering them into a tornado-type bind.

"You could've held off the wind. It's messing with my hair!" Zen growled as he twirled his staff and slammed it to the ground to cast his spell.

As Vo saw the silverish magic lift off the ground around Zen, some of the man's shirt lifted out of his pants to reveal a small lotus tattoo on his torso. Zen saw his eyes on his stomach and hastily tucked in shirt with one hand.

The dual attacks managed to drain the spirit energy from the enthralled warriors, so they laid on the ground unconscious.

"These Nox Mortre better be ready for Anul's wrath." Zen frowned.

"The mark on your stomach, it's the same as the flower image on that stained glass." Vo glared at him. "Who are you?"

Zen awkwardly chuckled as he transformed his staff back to being his belt, and relooped it into his pants: fixing up his image.

"Surprise. I'm the Lakshima you're seeking." He let out another awkward laugh and gulped at Vo's heated glare.

"But you're a man." Vo was confused.

"Lakshima's a symbol of someone's authority. Nothing said it couldn't be a person." Zen explained.

"Then back at the cell..."

"I may have known who you were when I saw you. Or still are but without the crow contact, I couldn't say anything." Zen clicked his tongue, as he fidgeted with his hands.

"You know Akari?! Tell me where she is!" Vo grabbed him by the collar.

"Easy lover boy. I know that you saved her. She's in Reisch but I left her at the border town of Lashay when she told me to find you and give you a message."

Vo released him, feeling his head hurting. "She's back with her family?"

"I don't know, but she told me this. Her song for you she still sings. Dark days come. All centered on you."

Vo slumped to the ground. "Why can't we be together? Ten years..."

Zen sighed and eased down next to him. "I don't know. I'm just an acolyte for the nightingale. But I think she believes you can do the good that none of us can." He sighed again when he added, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I had to be sure the message would be received in good faith. Too much at stake. She was worried that by freeing her, you brought forward a continental war."

"She's blaming me?"

Zen hastily added, "No, no, far from it. Maybe. I don't know. I'm only going by what I was told."

Vo nodded and patted his shoulder. "Thank you for bringing this message." He rose and added, "So you've done your task, guess you'll head back to report?"

Zen huffed. "Report where? My task was to deliver the message. Anyway, I'm a Lakshima, if my mistress can't be with you then, by proxy, I'm to stand by you in her stead."

Vo huffed. "Right. You can go back to do your acolyte business. I release you. Anyway those fairies gonna send a courier for you."

"You say that too readily and quickly!" Zen growled. "I have you know that many gentlemen beg for my services!"

Vo laughed and winked with jest. "I'm sure they do, lover boy." He went to check on the unconscious warriors.

"That's not what I meant! You incorrigible beefcake!"

Lyra and Sam rushed to the scene to see the men examining their fallen comrades.