Heroes Never Die ✓

Chapter 18 The Deceiver

When the red mist disappeared from behind his closed eyelids, Gawyn opened his eyes and found himself alone in front of the palace.

"Sky? Zephyr?" he called, looking around, but there was no answer. He also noticed that ghosts had disappeared, leaving the place empty and eerie. He cursed and waved his hand through the air, where Skylar was standing just a moment ago. There was nothing there.

He gripped the handle of his sword tighter and walked back to the main gate to look back at the city. The streets were vacant and quiet. It seemed he entered a place where the only illusion remaining was the town itself. Curious.

But the disappearance of Sky and Zephyr worried him. The sorcerers needed to isolate them for some reason, which was a wise move. And they did it far too easily for his taste. He turned back and strolled towards the castle.

All his muscles were tense as strings, and the hair on his body was standing on ends. They surely awaited him inside, but he had no other way of getting out of this situation. He needed to destroy this illusion first, but to do that, he had to find the ones responsible for casting it. And they would be surely hiding in some dark corner, letting their filthy spells and half-dead slaves deal with him.

He clenched his teeth and stopped at the palace threshold. Let them come for him. He was ready to send them to hell where they belonged. His heart throbbed at the thought of Skylar trapped in some magic illusion all alone, but he trusted her and her skills. He would find his way back to her, whatever it takes.

And then they would show the sorcerers that they were not the ones to be trifled with.

He walked into the vast hall. His steps echoed throughout empty walls. The place was beautiful – rows of stone columns rose high up to the sculpted arcs of the ceiling. The windows were fitted with colourful stained glass depicting robed people with books, probably symbolising the nation's drive towards knowledge.

Gawyn scoffed - it served them well. Some things would be better to stay forever undiscovered. He admired pursuing knowledge to move economics and industry forward for the betterment of all people. But seeking old and forbidden lore, the domain of ancient gods and spirits for selfish reasons of getting more power for oneself, would always lead to destruction.

He passed the entrance hall and stopped at the grand staircase leading up. After the first landing, the stairs were divided into four separate ways leading to different palace sections. Gawyn looked up. Countless staircases led in all directions, some small, while others wide. There was no way he would ever be able to find anything in this vast place.

"Are you expecting me to just walk around this place for the rest of my life?" he asked no one in particular. "Because if yes, that is a dreadfully boring way of torture."

"It is so like you to just ignore the convoluted rules and demand the most straightforward resolution," answered the voice behind him. He certainly did not expect to hear that voice ever again. He felt all the hair on his body standing on ends again, and his heart lost a beat.

He turned on his heel, drawing his sword and pointing it at the figure leaning lazily on the closest pillar.

"Is that a way to treat your brother?" Alarat asked with his easy smile, his blue eyes shining brightly.

Gawyn looked him up and down. He seemed perfectly accurate - from the tip of his toes in the most fashionable boots to the seemingly unruly but carefully styled brown hair and perfectly trimmed beard. "You are not him," he said coldly. "Alarat is long dead."

"Oh, death is such an annoying little thing, you know." Alarat waved his hands with exasperation and straightened. "What do you think happens to us when we die?"