JRWI stories :)

Grey (day 9) (late arc 2 spoilers)

"Okay, guys, we need a plan before walking into this one." Mountain turned to his group. Br'aad stared dazed back. He really wasn't paying attention

"Why?" Br'aad mumbled, leaning against the doors he was supposed to enter.

"Because the guy we're capturing is a power wizard?"

Sylnan crossed his arms. "Why can't we just kill him?"

"Because we need him alive to have all of Jacquot's army" Vel growled, rolling her eyes. "Do you never pay attention?"

"Sometimes." Br'aad muttered, playing around with the wand of wonder in his palms.

"Okay," Mountain clapped his hands, "Me and Sylnan will take the front and you guys-" Br'aad's mind went off to think of the fight. They'd get this guy, get recruits to the army, fight Ungaro and hopefully win. Then, he can do performances of his magic, maybe settle down. Maybe travel.

Who knew!

"C'mon." Mountain mumbled, pushing through the door. Sylnan followed behind, waving on Vel, Taxi, and Br'aad.

Br'aad's eyes flicked across the room. A large piano sat in the middle of what he assumed to be a living room. Two staircases rose up around the sides. Fire burned in the fireplace accompanied by two chairs and a couch. A figure cloaked in the shadows of fire rocked in one of the chairs.

"Took you long enough to show up." He rose from his seat, twisting to reveal himself to the party. Mountain launched forwards, trying to lash at the man, only to be flung backwards into the large piano. He let out a grunt as impact hit.

Sylnan ran forward next, getting a good slash across the wizard's chest before being struck across the face with the man's staff. It sent the half-elf stumbling back, blood leaking from the wound.

"Sylnan!" Br'aad launched forwards to attack the wizard. The party's harsh "No"s didn't stop him.

The half-elf aimed the Wand at the man, still running forwards. Nothing seemed to happen. He gave a curse. The wizard gave a cruel smirk. He reached his hand out, grabbing Br'aad's wrist.

"Warlock's and their gods." The man hissed. Br'aad felt a bolt of energy shoot through his body. He felt burning at his fingertips. The pain was so strong, his head dipped as his knees locked. He felt himself collapse onto the cold floors.

Br'aad's breathing felt so much harder. A raspy breath after another, he was still alive even as the pain ripped through him.

He stared at his fingertips, he watched in horror as the golden tattoos seemed to flow out of his fingertips. Gray replaces where gold once was, and where purple was before. Bright light was being purged from him.

Dull cries of his name rung in his ears as his eyes slowly shut.

"Wha-" His throat felt raw as he coughed out a word. The light behind his eyelids felt unreachable.

"Br'aad? Are you awake?" The panicked sound of his brother's voice was strength enough to open his heavy eyes.

"Yeah?" His lips felt chapped and stuck as he tried to speak. Br'aad was no longer on the wooden floors of the Mansion the Wizard had attacked him in.

"How do you feel? Are you okay? Can you move-?"

Another voice cut in, it was Vel's. "Give him a chance to reply, gods."

Br'aad looked around, his neck was sore, his head was pounding. Vel and Sylnan hovered around him. Taxi walked to Sylnan's side as Mounting pushed past Vel.

"Why didn't you follow the plan? I specifically told you 'Don't. Make. Contact. With. The Wizard. Guy.'"

Br'aad felt it come back to him fully now. He sat up quickly, even as his body gave pain in return. He stared at his hands, the marks. The tattoos. They were all grey. He felt at his face, the warm power that used to pulsate from them was gone. Only cold skin.

"What happened to me?" He growled, pushing himself out of the blankets of the Inn he must have been brought to. His eyes locked with the wizard who was gagged and tied up in the corner. "What did he do?"

"He... he told us after he did it." Vel gulped, grabbing onto Br'aad's shoulder and pulled him back to take a seat on the bed.

"He severed your connection with the gods. You don't have magic anymore." Sylnan looked as though he hadn't slept in days. "I thought you died."

"He WHAT?" Br'aad fought the urge to run over and punch the wizard. "Can he reverse it?"

Vel and Taxi flicked nervous looks to each other. "He said he'll only do it if we free him and don't turn him over to Jacquot."

Br'aad sunk his hands onto his head. He had nothing now. He was just as useless as he was when he was a child.

He couldn't fight Ungaro, now they couldn't be helped by the Storyteller. They would surely lose. Or atleast, Br'aad would hold them all back.

"What are we gonna do? I think an army is worth more than a little bit of magic." He gave a dry cough. Tears pierced at the tips of his eyes.

"I... I don't know." Sylnan looked over at Br'aad, he bit his bottom lip, tears in his eyes too.

Br'aad was useless again.

And it was his own fault.