Emerald Knight

Chapter 4

A/N

Sorry for the late update, I have been terribly busy. But here it is now, a new chapter, and story unfolds.

Happy Reading! :)

Dedicated to my beautiful friend

zohasalahuddin

Thankyou for your lovely comments, and the votes!

○○○○○○○○○

Fae songs light the path, their magic makes everything glow, like a kiss of star dust. The sun shines bright yet soft, its rays bathing every leaf, warming the land. The birds enchanted by the play of Fae songs and sunlight, sing, sing for the glory of Isrodan and the old God. The spring gurgles and bubbles, a happy stream, before disappearing into the dark depths of rocks and stones. And an old man walks on, carrying his heavy load, moving silently like a shadow in the dark. Little does Azlor know, that his scent invites those with an empty belly, the vicious creatures that know no honour, nothing but feeding themselves and the joy of the kill. Yet Azlor walks on unaware, perhaps even unprepared. The high wizard has never been one to forgoe caution, but yet he seems lost in a world of his own,paying little attention to the beast silently tracking him, and waiting to pounce.

The hunger beckons and promise of warm blood soaking it's cold muzzle, it's coppery taste tantalising it's taste buds, the weak prey, and the Bronth attacks!

It's roar fills the forest, it's running akin to charge of a hundred men, it's snarls an ongoing battle horn. And Azlor breaks out of his reverie, alerted to the immediate threat to his life, his mission. He has come too far to lose at the hand of a dumb beast. He takes out his wand , a wand made of smoked diamonds with a gold streak running in a random pattern and ending in a copper tip. But perhaps luck is on his side, as an arrow pierces the throat of the charging bronth and a blade finds it's way between it's shoulder blades. The beast roars and snarls,infuriated by the injuries and presence of unaccounted enemy. A blur of black charges, the blades aiming at every possible weak spot, but deflected by swipe of a paw or two. The beast starts to drool, poisonous saliva drips down, burning every leaf it touches. It aims for a bite, but this isn't Rodan's first encounter with a bronth and he knows their tactics well. He avoids the bite and imminent death. But it's not enough, the vile creature are vengeful by nature and nothing less than killing it will suffice. He lands expert blows, cutting off a front paw, yet while avoiding the jaws, miss the back paws, and the beast tears open his left arm, four wide inch deep bone revealing gashes, and blood rushes forth. Rodan rolls back, trying to gain the upper hand again, while two well aimed arrows find themselves embedded in bronth's skull, through the eyes and out. The beast drops dead, and Esmeralda jumps down, eager to see her brother, her only family, her blood.

"Rodan, rodan, are you ok?"

Excitement of fight over, adrenaline left his system and he crashes down, only able to reply with a grunt of pain.

Azlor rushes to Rodan's side, while Esmeralda tries to bandage the wound with her scarf.

"Esmeralda please let me"

He takes out his water skin and washes the wound, the bones show and wound ripe. Rodan losing blood by the second, and his breath pained and laboured. Azlor takes out a salve from one of his pockets, while Esmeralda calls out to all gods, old and new. Salve applied, wound bandaged, yet the bleeding doesn't stop. Rodan's deathly pallor gnawing at Esmeralda's insides, what if she had shot the arrows earlier. Azlor presses along the wound, forcing the vessels to close but to no avail. Magic his most sacred secret his last refuge.

And he takes out his diamond wand. It's magnificence breathtaking, even the sobbing Esmeralda captivated by its grandeur, it's brilliance, it's beauty.
"Casuturo healidè"

A warm salmon glow wraps around the length of Rodan's arm, from shoulder to the finger tips. The glow gradually increases in intensity till it dies down.

Esmeralda mesmerised, Azlor waiting patiently.

Colour returns to Rodan's cheeks, he flutters open his saphire eyes. His saphire colliding with worried emeralds, and he sits up straight, while a hand firmly pushes him down. He recognises the wizard and lies back down.

"Rodan I am so sorry, I should have shot it sooner, I am so sorry."

Tears running down her face, worry etched on her face.

"It's not your fault Dee, any sooner and your arrows might have hit me"

His reassuring smile soothes her a bit but not enough.

"How are you feeling now? You lost a lot of blood, you fainted."

"Actually I feel better than I have in ages, since you don't let me sleep enough"

His attempt at joke brings a smile to Azlor and Esmeralda's face.

"If that's so then lets take a look at your arm Rodan, your sister has been worried beyond words"

Azlor smiles, using rest of the water, peels off the bandage, and cleans the arm while saying the same spell as before. Esmeralda and Rodan gasp simultaneously.

"But how?"

Her question directed at the wizard.

"Have I developed some super healing or Azlor is a wizard"

Rodan's excitement and astonishment clear on his face.

Both heads turn towards Azlor, asking for answers. He studies them for a while, thinking for a while, chooses to answer them truthfully.

"No,you haven't developed any super healing, and yes, I am a wizard, infact High Wizard of Isrodan. The spell I used is a second degree healing spell. That's how his wound is clean, closed and healed."

He smiles at the end of his explanation, while the siblings look at him bewildered, for they have never met a wizard before, much less High Wizard of Isrodan. Their mother used to mention the use of magic, it's power and magical hierarchy. But seeing the said magic in action gave a rush incomparable.

Esmeralda ever curious could not keep from asking the question as it presents,

"But what are you doing in the Elder Woods, they are certainly no place for the High Wizard."

"Our destinies take us many places, we might or might not want to be"

Azlor's cryptic reply fuel her curiosity, but politeness makes her stop.

Azlor appreciating their politeness, replies in kind,

"You both are very brave indeed. Nobility of your actions have me indebted to you for life."

Esmeralda took his hand as a gesture of acceptance, and Azlor again had that feel of the impenetrable wall, except that it had a warm emerald glow to it now. He took Rodan's hand under pretence of checking for the injuries, and his reading gave similar result, except that the glow was saphire.

Their actions, their agility, the mastery of their skills, and the intriguing readings, left Azlor desperate to seek answers. That glow called to him, called to explore the hidden depths, the magical truths. He tried to fight the impulse, but finally succumbed.

"Both of you have been exceptionally kind to me, and I would like to atleast do something infinitesimally kind for both. Our mind hold are our true depths and potential, if you don't object, I would like to give you a read of yours.

The offer seemed harmless enough, and intriguing at the same time. The consented to the reading, not knowing that what that might be revealed, and that that was never hidden, may change everything, new beginnings, or new ways. No one knows yet the great plan was set in motion, and everyone has but to achieve his destiny.

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○
A/N

Show some love please, your votes and comments will make my day!