Return to Jorgaldur Volume I: the battle mage

The counts of Tenakk

A man was in the middle of the room, tied with ropes that stretched from his feet and hands to the floor and ceiling. He was completely naked, and there were wounds all over his body. Lashes, cuts, burns or blows were distributed throughout him, and his health was below 50%.

To his surprise, he could see that the man was level 7 in magic leather, which made him a master capable of teaching others. And his level was 20, being hunter his class.

Eldi approached the man, who couldn't see him, since his eyes, which seemed to have lost all traces of life, were looking at the ground. And although they were somehow different, after hearing the footsteps he thought that they were coming back to torture him.

"What's going on here?" An unknown voice asked the victim, at the same time that he seemed to be regaining strength.

He looked incredulous toward the front to meet the worried face of a man he had never seen, and who was healing him.

"Who... Who are you?"

"My name is Eldi. Tell me, what is happening here?" Repeated the question.

"The ... counts ... I was required to fix the magic platforms ... But it's impossible! They should ... be in their place. And the countess ordered to tie me... And she began to torture me," the man stammered before going into a panic. "Dina! My daughter, you have to save her! Please! She is only six years old..."

Tears appeared in the man's eyes, who had regained some vitality, some hope.

"Calm down, what is about your daughter?"

"The count... in the rear room... he likes little girls... and..." he sobbed, unable to keep on.

Eldi believed he couldn't feel more anger, but he was wrong. That was even beyond what he had seen so far.

"Is the whole family rotten?" He muttered to himself.

He cut the rope from the man's right hand with a dagger, and gave it to him, so he could free himself, while Eldi was heading to the door. He had healed a part of his lost health, and applied Regenerate, Steel Body, Lightning Aura, Projectiles against me?, Magic against me?, Magic Mirror and Steel Fists, hoping that, with all of that, he could fend for himself. Now there was something more urgent to care, something that horrified Eldi. But, when he was heading to the door, the woman returned.

"Oh, look, we have a rat. Who are you?" the countess faced him, sure of her superiority against someone who was 7 levels below her.

Eldi looked with a sour face at the level 35 mage who had just arrived. She was a dangerous but not impossible enemy, as mages are vulnerable to melee attacks, and often have problems against warriors if they cannot keep their distance. In addition, they were relatively close now, and in a closed space with multiple places to hide.

What surprised him the most was that the mage began to recite a very powerful but long enchantment, something that no expert mage would do without coverage, as it was a grave mistake.

Fearing that it could be some kind of trap, Eldi took a small vase and threw it at the countess, with the effect of hitting her head and interrupting her enchantment. Incredulous, he saw that she hadn't been able to dodge it. In fact, she hadn't even taken any defensive action. Maybe, his standards from the game were a bit high, but the countess performance looked almost ridiculous. However, like her children, she had no real battle experience, only in practices against previously trapped animals, or against tied prisoners who were executed by herself.

"How dare you?! When Walia finishes with the girl, I'm going to get him help me to torture you until you ask us to kill you!" She exclaimed, furious because she had been beaten.

The mention of the girl reminded the man that he had no time to waste, in addition to making him feel a deep hatred towards that woman. He took out a spear and, as he had done against her children, used Javelin against her. It went through her in the face of her disbelief, after which she lost her head through Decapitate.

With no time to think about what he had just done, Eldi looked at the man, who had freed his other hand and was frantically cutting the rope from one of his legs. He stared back, his eyes pleading to hurry, without needing to say a word. Immediately, Eldi ran out of the room, leaving the decapitated body of the countess behind.

Soon, he reached a door and opened it, but there was no one there. However, he heard voices in the next room, so he ran towards it.

"I want to go with dad..." a girl sobbed.

"Slap!"

The sound of a slap made her shut up.

"Close your mouth and do what I tell you," ordered a middle-aged man.

Suddenly, the door slam opened and Eldi found the count dressed only in a robe, and trying to take the clothes off a little girl with her face covered in tears. The count turned in surprise, but he had no time for anything but to see the eyes that looked at him with deep contempt, with repulsion. A blow of a hammer sent him against the wall.

The count was level 25, and Propel had damaged him considerably, in addition to stunning him. Not only had it been the direct blow of the hammer, but the impact against the wall.

"Dina, I am your father's friend. He will come soon, but, for now, close your eyes. I will take care of everything. Okay?" he asked the little girl kindly.

She nodded with reddened eyes, and closed them obediently, squeezing them tightly and placing her hands on them. Perhaps by instinct, perhaps by having taken away that nasty man, or perhaps by the kind tone, but the little girl had decided to trust the stranger.

Taking advantage that she was no longer looking, the visitor killed off the count without wasting time, whose only resistance were his laments. He left the mark on his forehead and took the girl in his arms, putting his body between her and the bloody scene he had left behind.