Beringianus stood by the window and looked out over the city as the red rays of the sunset made it look as if it was on fire. He sighed loudly to himself as he recalled what had happened during the day. It had all started around midday, when someone knocked on the door to his office. He granted the person permission to enter and an almost crying Cricetus entered.
Beringianus felt a cold shiver down his spine, this was truly the first time he had seen Cricetus this close to tears. He immediately asked what the matter was and got the news that would come to change the fate of many.
Criceuts swallowed and looked down on the polished black stone floor before he answered.
“Your Excellency, a great mistake have happened.” He paused, as if grasping the energy to tell what had happened. “We had kept five of the most dangerous convicts in the royal dungeons. However, by the usual ten’ o’clock guard switch we found the guards, assigned to guard the prisoners, stuffed in a cleaning closet, knocked out and their uniforms missing.” Beringianus had a bad feeling in his stomach but he had to ask. “I see, and what do you want to say with that. Has something happened to the convicts?” Cricetus looked up at the emperor and answered in a weak voice. “…They have escaped your Excellency. They probably disguised themselves as guards and we estimate that they escaped around the morning meal.” As soon as he’d said the last word big wet tears started running down his cheeks and Cricetus started to cry. “I am so very *hic* sorry, *sniff* your Excellency. I have made an unforgivable *hic* mistake but I beg You, please don’t fire me. I have nowhere else to go.” Sobbed Cricetus.
Beringianus stared at his servant and old friend. ”Of course you won’t be fired. You are my oldest and most trustworthy friend. We will just have to come up with a solution to fix this mess. Do you have any suggestions?” Cricetus looked up at his rulers face with relief and disbelief. He could not understand how someone so powerful could have such kindness for an old servant. Cricetus chose his words carefully, since he didn’t want to say something that could make things worse. “If your Excellency doesn’t mind me saying, I think your Excellency should speak with the royal court magus. He is sure to know what to do to catch the escaped convicts.” Beringianus thought about the unexpected suggestion. He wasn’t particularly happy about going meet and speak to the old coot. It was well known that the royal court magus was quite weird, but desperate times calls for drastic actions.
Beringianus sighed deeply, it could almost be interpreted as a groan, before he answered the nervous Cricetus, whom which had interpreted the silence as disagreement to the suggestion and tried desperately to think of another idea. “Yes, I shall go and speak with the magus. It was a wise decision Cricetus. I just have to overcome my aversion and go and counsel with the court magus.” Cricetus sighed silently in relief and quickly excused himself and left as fast as was polite.
As soon as the door closed did a slight groan escape from Beringianus as he turned around and walked towards the tapestry that hung on the wall that faced the direction of the east tower. It was a portrait of his great-grandfather, the only ruler that had succeeded in keeping the peace between Edelholz and the neighboring country. The same day as Beringianus grandfather was crowned as the new ruler, did the peace treaty break and the neighboring country declared war against Edelholz. The fighting has continued to this day, however Beringianus has managed to uphold a fragile truce between the two kingdoms. Beringianus gazes up at his ancestor and thought as always that the elf stared right through him with his ice blue eyes that looked so much like his own. If you compared the two, you would find them practically identical with the only thing which told them apart were their hair. Beringianus hair was slivery white and flowed down to his waist when it was let down, while the ancestors hair was black as coal. The King pushed the tapestry gently aside to reach the thing which was behind it.
A cool breeze travels through the room, even though no windows were opened. Unexpectedly there was no wall behind the tapestry, but an opening big enough for a very muscular and tall elf to go through.
It was with great reluctance that Beringianus stepped into the secret passageway to the royal magus's chamber. He shivered when he walked past the door openings now covered by a layers of magic and stone. This path used to be the dungeon where the political prisoners were held before it was renovated into the pathway to the royal magus. He hated to walk past these remnants of a cruel era, only to imagine how it easily could have been him in there, had he been born a few hundreds of years earlier. He brushed of the cold shiver that went down his spine and tried to remind himself as to why he even walked on this horrible path.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
He wished he could forget the reason behind it as he wanted with all of his heart to turn around and never have to meet the magus. Beringianus hurried his steps and almost ran the rest of the way. When he finally reached the big wooden door did he stop and hesitate, was it really such a big crisis that the ruler himself had to ask the castle magus for advice? Get it together, Beringianus! Of course, it is a big enough of a problem that you have to call for the magus, and in any case, how in the world could you otherwise catch those damned escaped convicts. He gathered his courage and just as he raised his hand to knock on the door he was interrupted by a voice from inside. “Come inside, you are expected.” The voice was calm and collected, but Beringianus could feel the power behind the short sentence. He opened the door quickly and stepped inside. The room was filled with mounted animals and jars in every size and shape filled with mysterious liquids. In the middle of the room stood a black circular table made of an unknown stone like material. There were small chairs of the same material placed around it.
In the farthest corner of the room stood a figure and looked out of the only window, that was more like a hole in the wall than an actual window. “It pleases me that you come seeking my aid willingly” said the shape emotionlessly. “Yes, we have an emergency. Five convicts have escaped, the five most dangerous ones. What should we do?! Even though they are elf’s have they most likely already crossed the border to our ever-loving neighbors. If they have succeeded there is nothing we can do!” stated Beringianus with sadness and exhaustion. “Well, I have a good strategy if that is the case” said the dark shape comforting. “R-Really?! What is it? There is no time!” said the ruler. “All in its own time, I believe that you wish to hear what my beloved has to say first.” Said the shape as it turned around. The dark hood hid its face so only darkness was seen, but Beringianus knew that its face constantly shifted into different shapes, so he was quite grateful to not be able to see such a disturbing thing. But what truly bothered him was what the magus just had said. Its beloved referred to its spiritual guide from the spirit realm, which was what gave the magus “good” advice if needed.
If Beringianus felt discomfort to be in the magus precense, it could not compare what he felt when the spirit came to visit, every hair on his body stood up and he felt as if the spirit could read his deepest thoughts. He felt completely open and as a ruler of a kingdom and an elf, that was something he loathed to feel. “If you deem it necessary, magus.” Said the ruler as dignified as only a ruler of royal blood could say. The magus walked towards the table and emptied a small bag that had been inside his long sleeve. The sand that came out of the bag was the same shade as the table and thus it looked like the table had grown a miniature mountain. The magus started to quietly mumble something under his breath and the sand started to move as if a wind blew on it. Finally had the wind shaped the sand into a upside down cone and different shapes started to form in the miniature tornado. Then a hissing voice that was so unpleasant that even though Beringianus didn’t understand a single word it still creeped him out. As the voice died out the same happened to the wind and the sand was once again piled into a miniature mountain that the magus quickly collected it in his bag and hid in his sleeve. “My beloved has spoken. The condemned ones have unfortunately already crossed the border to our neighbors. Bur do not worry, my beloved has wonderous news. My beloved has predicted of a golden conjurer that can cross over the border without breaking our “truce”. I will cast a locating spell to find the chosen one to be sure that the conjurer comes in time. If your Excellency allows, would I like to open a portal to every adjacent dimension so that there will be no doubt that the chosen one will succeed in arriving.” Said the magus. “But if you open that many portals, it will increase the chance that something else comes though. Something that fulfills the demands yet is not the chosen one.” Said Beringianus thoughtfully and added “Moreover you risk opening a portal to a dimension we have had no contact with.” “That is completely reasonable consequences you bring up; however I have a solution for those also. You just allow everyone that comes through come to the castle, as they cannot go back without my aid and your permission.” Answered the magus quickly. Beringianus was quiet for a while. “Well, then. That is how it will be. Open the portals!” the ruler ordered and quickly left the room with the magus unpleasant laughter still echoing in his ears.