The chimpanzee siblings were coddled by Zira throughout the night, finally knowing a warmth they had not felt since their own Mother had held them so long ago.
Zira felt the soft and damp fur of the chimpanzee siblings and remembered her own children, killed by the monstrous Red Dragon. She thought about how Willem had killed the Red Dragon whom had burned down her home and killed her children and she finally found solace within herself.
Despite being in a new area filled with the humans she had been taught to fear, she slept peacefully and defenselessly with two small offspring in her arms.
When dawn finally broke, Zira and the two chimpanzees awoke together and spent all their time together. Zira would wander the Training Grounds, greeting the various soldiers and military leaders. When breakfast came around, she lead the two chimpanzees to the mess hall where the soldiers had gathered to eat and talk among themselves.
Zira gathered food for herself and the two siblings, and showed them how to properly eat without stealing from the soldiers around them.
In the afternoon, she attempted to teach them how to speak, not through their voice, but by various gestures of the hands.
This continued on for a couple of weeks until it was time for Zira and the soldiers to gather at the gate to march against the Blood City.
Within Willem's Private Sanctum.
As Willem crafted weapons and armor for the upcoming fight against Blood City, Kinsey entered his study room without first knocking. Her face was filled with distress as she beckoned for Willem.
"Willem, it is dire! The King attacked Archus!" Kinsey motioned for Willem to follow her.
Willem stopped infusing the sword he was holding and sent his magical perception out of the study room to where Archus was, as a precaution.
The old King knew Willem was fond of Archus beyond just being Master and pupil. With such similarities, under different circumstances they could be considered Father and Son.
From his magical perception, Willem more or less understood what had happened to Archus.
Willem followed Kinsey from the study room into the bedroom where Archus was getting his wounds dressed.
As their eyes met, Willem noticed an almost imperceptible glint of happiness from the old man who had taught him magic. No words needed to be spoken between them, as Willem and Archus had a mutual understanding.
As Anna finished bandaging Archus' broken arm and hand, he stood from the bed and clasped his uninjured hand on Willem's shoulder.
Willem stood firmly, waiting for his Master to speak.
"You have done well, Willem!" Archus' throat was gritty and his face was full of emotion, something that Willem had not often seen from him before.
"My one regret is not having told you, Master." Willem smiled as he accepted Archus' praise.
"If you had, I would have joined you and landed a few good hits on him. So you were not able to succeed in ousting him from the throne?" Archus' face showed a complicated expression.
"I could have killed him, but he still has use in my plans, that is the only reason he is yet alive. If I had known he would retaliate against you I would have put him down like the dog he is." Willem explained.
"So you kept him alive, and now he seeks to keep you from the throne. He said if I did not put you in check he would cut off my head in front of the Bastion of Hope." Archus laughed as he removed his hand from Willem's shoulder.
"He has already moved his children into seclusion, thinking that I would use them against him. I cannot tell if he is underestimating me or overestimating himself." Willem admitted to Archus.
Though Kinsey and Anna were in the room, they had already understood that nothing would happen to their Master, and felt a bit awkward about being a part of the conversation. As Willem and Archus conversed, they quietly backed out of the room and closed the door behind them.
"The meeting has been held, everyone is in favor of fighting Blood City. This was your decision?" Archus asked.
"That is right." Willem nodded his head.
"Then, I will ask something of you right now, and I wish you not to judge me when I explain myself." Archus took a pillow from the bed and placed it on the ground, sitting on the pillow while crossing his legs.
"I would not think to, please tell me what I can do." Willem did exactly as his Master and sat cross legged on the pillow.
"Have you ever wondered why I have given you such special attention, when I have taken no other pupil? Surely you know that most Grand Mages have anywhere from three to five pupils that they train at any one time." Archus questioned Willem.
"I have been curious, but since you have never mentioned it, I decided to keep it to myself." Willem answered openly.
"Truthfully, I had never had any intentions of taking a pupil. When I first saw you, surviving as best as you could and just beginning to awaken to your magical power, you reminded me of my Son." Archus tilted his head so that Willem could no longer see his face while he stifled his tears.
"You have a Son?" Willem approached the topic as cautiously as possible.
"I had a Son." Archus was on the verge of tears as he recalled a young boy's visage. "In every way he was like you, and he was even similar in age."
"What happened?" Willem hesitated for a moment, before asking carefully.
"He had just awakened to his magical power, an Earth Mage just like me. In my excitement, I immediately enrolled him in the Academy, eager to see him push the limits of his new found power." Archus slowly spoke like he was reading from a book. "When I offered to take him as my pupil, he insisted on going alone and earning things of his own merit."
"Admirable..." Willem whispered.
"Yes, admirable. But he was adamant about right and wrong, something I had taught him. From the very beginning of his new journey he was self righteous and brave. So when he saw an older student bullying a younger one, he stepped in to defend the younger student." Archus wiped away his tears. "The older student got angry and used a magic he was not able to completely control and ended up burning my Son alive."
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Willem covered his mouth with his hand after a gasp had accidentally escaped.
"Magical duels at the time were not frowned upon, as long as it was for teaching or competition. When I felt his magical string break, I knew something was wrong and teleported to where I last felt his power. I was a few seconds too late to save him and could only watch his last moments as he looked me in the eyes." Archus tightened his hand into a fist. "The students who had watched and did nothing tried to explain to me what happened, but in my grief all I could think of was revenge."
"Against the other Mage?" Willem was perplexed.
"No, against the Mage's Master. The Mage who killed my Son was the pupil of another Grand Mage belonging to the Academy, known as "Pacharus the Undying"." Archus furrowed his brows as a wave of anger washed over him.
"Did you find him?" Willem waited patiently while Archus continued to work through his anger.
"I did not find him. When he heard about what happened, he fled the Bastion of Hope in the night. In an effort to absolve himself of any wrongdoings, The One True King claimed to have exiled him, knowing I could not disobey a royal decree." Archus released his fist and breathed deeply. "Pacharus took all his research and was accepted into the Blood City as an equal thanks to his knowledge."
"As an equal?" Willem was surprised.
"Despite all the humans they capture being used as slaves, Pacharus is known to be living a lavish life. For you though, that just makes him easier to find. He would be the only human who does not look like a slave." Archus looked to Willem knowingly. "If you find him in Blood City, I only ask you to bring me his head."
"This is a request that I gladly accept, Master." Willem bowed to Archus as he spoke.
"In many ways, you have already exceeded me. To be called Master by someone who I consider my equal is already embarrassing for me." Archus scratched his head and stretched his back. "When you leave, it will be as a pupil seeking revenge for his Master. However, when you return, it will be as a hero who is in every way better than me."
"Master." Willem nodded his head in acknowledgement and placed his right hand over his chest. "As you command."
"Good, good. Now, what shall be done about the King?" Archus was curious about how Willem intended to retaliate against the old King.
"I have not killed him yet, for a few reasons. Not long ago, I had a dream that felt completely real, almost like a vision of the future. I am convinced that I have already seen his end, and unfortunately it means that the Bastion of Hope will fall to the Magical Beings. However by that time, we will already have expanded our forces and taken half of the territories they own." Willem conjured some tea that Kinsey had been preparing in the kitchen for Archus and himself to drink. "While he lives, anything I write to him he must do for fear of death. Even if he struggles a bit, his fate has already been sealed the moment he stood against me."
"You saw visions of the future in your dreams?" Archus seemed to have not even heard the latter half of Willem's explanation as he focused on those words.
"Is something the matter, Master?" Willem passed the tea cup to Archus so that he could drink it.
"I remember reading old documents about something called 'dream seers'. They have the ability to see the past and future in their dreams. As I recall, it was a special ability that one Magical Being family was known for. If only I could recall what their name was." Archus scratched his head as he sipped at his sweet tea.
As Archus searched through his memory for more information, Willem uncrossed his legs, standing up and stretching. It had been a while since Willem could just stop and enjoy a conversation without ulterior motives, which was refreshing for him.
"Ah!" Archus stopped scratching his head as he snapped his fingers, remembering the name of the family.
"It was The Thousand Eyes Clan of Magical Beings that had a special ability to see the past and future through dreams or meditation. They could also enter and eat other people's dreams, turning them into nightmares." Archus recalled what he had read from a musty old tome in the restricted section of the Grand Library.
[Is this what Jörmungandr meant when he said I was not a human?] Willem thought to himself while he listened to Archus' explanation.
"Do you think I have some connection to The Thousand Eyes Clan?" Willem looked at Archus with confusion.
"Only those with the bloodline can use this power, but according to some recent research, even the most diluted blood can use a bloodline ability to some extent. Your parents may have been human, but if you trace your lineage long enough you may find a Magical Being's presence." Archus nodded his head.
Willem sighed heavily.
"I think it is my turn to tell you a story, Master." Willem sat back down on the pillow and crossed his legs.
"Very well. Enlighten me." Grand Mage Archus stroked his beard as he quietly listened to Willem.
Willem removed from his breast pocket a small wine stained letter and handed it to the Grand Mage.
The Grand Mage looked over the letter somewhat incredulously, questions written all over his wrinkled face.
----------------------------------------
It's been about 10 days since the last update. I would like to explain to you all that I have just started a new full time job and the updates might come more slowly until I am able to sort out time for work and my personal life as I do not wish for one to interfere with another. The chapters will continue to flow, albeit a little more slowly. Thank you all for your understanding, and with a new full time job I no longer have to worry about securing funds! Still, any donation is appreciated.