Swordmaster

Era of Chaos

"Is he dead?"

Leandyr squinted as light filtered through his eyelids, and clenched his jaw at the pain radiating through his skull. Chanting reached his ears, a cadence of ancient words that rolled into each other like the notes of a long lost song. Magic surged through his body, its gentle hum dragging him from the haze of semi-conciousness.

"He's coming to, give him some space."

He opened his eyes and blinked several times to clear his vision. Boran's was the first face he saw, his steely eyes holding both concern and anger as he chanted a healing spell. Ridivan and Enver were nearby, the former assessing the carnage while the latter looked down at Leandyr with a grim visage.

Leandyr tried to roll to his side, but Boran planted a firm hand on his chest to stop him. It was in that moment that he noticed the heavy chain of stone beads resting over his heart. An abius chain. So Boran was using Leandyr's own magic to heal him.

"Out of my way." He yanked his body more aggressively and pushed himself to his feet, swaying left and right before finding equilibrium. The remnants of his sword crunched under his feet, and he looked down at his sorry reflection in their silvery depths. A nasty bump marred his temple, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"What in damnation did you do?" Boran asked, his voice a deadly whisper.

"What did I do? Those worthless, white-faced wenches took Lady Hiroh. They used forbidden magic. Some kind of time altering spell." He looked at Ridivan and Enver in turn, his nostrils flaring like an angry bull's. "Where. Is. Barish?"

"And why should I believe you?" Ridivan asked. "You've been looking for an excuse to attack them since the Queen died. And considering your recent track record, I wouldn't be surprised if this," he gestured to the destruction around them, "was unprovoked."

"He authorized them to use force, Ridivan. Force. On me." Leandyr turned to leave them to their speculation, but stopped when Enver spoke.

"I suppose using forbidden magic would be the only way they could defeat both the Swordmaster and Lady Hiroh," he said. "What reason would Barish have to send all six of the Yilmaz?"

Ridivan scowled. "Because he knows just how stubborn Leandyr can be."

"I concur," the High Priest said, rising to his feet. "But..." He looked around at the bloody scene. "Stubborn as Leandyr may be, he wouldn't betray the King without good reason. And the fact that Barish felt the need to use force on him is troubling."

Enver gave a nod of agreement. "We need to find him. We should search the castle first and if we don't find him there... What do you think Van?"

Ridivan's face clouded over faster and darker than a summer sky. "So you're taking his side—"

"I'm taking no one's side. I love you, Ridivan. Dearly. But right now, your devotion to your King is clouding your judgment. Barish lied to me about those documents. I want to know what's going on. I'll understand if you can't set your biases aside." Enver nodded to Leandyr. "You should get a weapon."

"Wait..." Ridivan sighed through his nose. "Videlia will know where Barish is. In addition to the Yilmmaz, the castle guard keeps tabs on him as well. Just in case. She should be in the quadrangle running drills with the off duty guards."

Relief flooded Leandyr's body. "I'll meet you all there then. And... thank you." With that, he took off, sprinting towards the castle. Trees and people blurred past him, and his vision narrowed in on the west tower. He burst through the outside door and pounded up the steps, ignoring the burn in his legs and the throbbing in his head.