Lord Drusus POV

In the city of Ocaephis…

“Lord Drusus, one of your captains has returned. He seeks an audience with you,” one of my servants said deferentially.

“Fetch him.”

My servant bowed, and left the office. Ever since my father had left the city to aid the rebellion, I had taken over the governor’s castle in the center of the city. With him gone, I was hoping to increase my influence in the city, but the council of nobles left in his place were proving to be rather stubborn. It was…frustrating to say the least.

“My lord!” my captain exclaimed as he burst through the office door. I frowned at his bedraggled appearance. His face was covered in blood and dirt, completely unlike his usually refined air.

“What happened to you? Where are my slaves?” I demanded to know.

“My lord, please forgive this useless servant of yours!” He said, kneeling with his head bowed. “I failed to retrieve the elven slaves you desired.”

“How is that possible? 19 of your soldiers should have been plenty to deal with a few peasants, should it not? Or are you lot truly so incompetent?” I spat.

“No my lord!” he denied frantically. “I had full confidence we would fulfill your wishes had we not been ambushed! One of the ‘peasants’ appeared to have been a mage in disguise. When we went to confiscate the slaves in your honorable name, the peasant ambushed and surrounded us with an army of golems. I was barely able to escape, but my brothers weren’t so fortunate.”

“A mage you say? And one with an army of golems to boot…” I muttered.

After a brief questioning, my captain revealed a few interesting tidbits of information. The mage traveled with an old man and young girl. Like he had said before, the mage’s identity was unknown due to the mask he wore. Most intriguing of all, however, was the army of golems this mage commanded. My captain swears upon his life that two of the golems in the shapes of dogs had access to the hellfire, something which I thought impossible.

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“This mage…he may just have his uses.”

“Go get yourself cleaned up. Your failure is forgiven this time, but you will not enjoy the consequences should this happen again.”

My captain paled and quickly excused himself. I sat down heavily on my chair before letting a long sigh.

“It is a shame that I couldn’t get those elves. But perhaps this isn’t a complete loss.”

“Gradien! Get in here!” I yelled.

“Yes, my lord?” my servant asked as he opened the door.

“Prepare a slave. I’ll be down in 10 minutes.”

“As you wish, my lord.”

Moving quickly, I went back to my bedroom and rifled through one of my drawers. Finding the steel dagger I was looking for, I pulled on a pair of leather gloves. With that done, I left and walked towards the spiral staircase that led downstairs.

“You, you, follow me,” I ordered the two guards standing sentry beside the stairs. Looking at each other, they followed me as I made my way all the way to the ground floor.

“Open it,” I ordered one of the guards once I came upon a rusted trapdoor on the floor. With a grunt, the guard pulled on the iron ring, revealing a set of steps.

“Stay here and stand guard. Make sure nobody disturbs me.”

I walked down the steps into the gloomy and damp dungeon. Rows of cells were built into the walls to my left and right, their inhabitants huddled in the corners. Coming to a large door, I pushed it open. The room before me was large, with thick stone bricks lining the walls and floor. In the center of the room was a thick wooden table, upon which a muscular man was strapped. My servant Gradien stood beside the table, organizing a set of tools on another table.

Hearing the door scrape open, he turned around before realizing it was me.

“Ah, my lord. I have prepared a slave, as per your request. This one is a captured warrior from the land of Thenia, as evidenced by animal-like qualities and slit pupils. This slave was somewhat expensive, priced at 10 gold coins,” he said, as if describing a fine wine.

“Good job Gradien. Leave me now. If there is any urgent business, have it wait until I am finished here.”

“Very well, my lord,” the servant said, bowing as he exited the room. Picking up a scalpel from the table, I turned to the slave, whose eyes were wide with fear.

“I hope you’re ready. This won’t be fun, for you at least.”