Mox just stood there, some mixture of fear and admiration creating a debilitating speech impediment in his brain. The man in question had to have been some giant half breed. Not a single man in their convoy even reached his shoulders. Short cropped hair and a beard that was long but seemed to have some semblance of tame to it. His eyes were a deep emerald color, as if the forest itself permeated his soul. Wearing leathers that at one point probably fit him more comfortably, he was dressed rather modestly for someone so intimidating. Muscles radiated his power while he somehow maintained a slender and athletic frame.
As he regained some semblance of active thought, he remembered what Roson had given him. While it may not have been a smart decision to reach into your pocket when presented with a threat, the man was so clearly above Mox’s level that it was as if the idea of him being a threat never entered his mind. As it was, Mox finally managed to retrieve the small seed. He placed it in the palm of his hand and reached it out to stranger.
The man reached out and took it before turning it over in his hand a few times. A slight blue glow started to appear on the seed and he closed his eyes, his face contorting as if in some sort of pain. Just as suddenly as it had all started it came to an abrupt end as he looked up at Mox and eventually let his eyes travel to the carriage.
“This is a memory seed, it absorbs the memories of the one who carries it. This one was tied to Roson, he is a…friend.” The man finally spoke. His voice a deep baritone that matched the vigor of his body.
“I owe him a debt, and fortunately for you all he has decided to cash it in tonight.”
Mox audibly sighed before collecting himself. “I’m Capt..” He barely started introducing himself before the man held up his hand.
“I know who you are Captain Moxon. There is no time. I’m not happy that you lot are here, but I don’t intend to betray Roson’s trust. Follow Rudy, he’ll take you to mother. She’ll take care of the Queen. I’ve got some intruders to take care of.” As he said that the man looked back the way they came and began jogging.
“I”m sorry but I never got your...name?” Before Mox could finish the man had gotten into a sprinting form and within four giant steps was out of earshot.
Turning to face the giant ape that was staring him in the face, Mox spoke. “You must be Rudy?”
The Ape snorted and turned back down the road, nudging with his head to indicate for the rest of the convoy to follow.
As they trudged down the muddy road in the pouring rain, all everyone could do was try to endure all of the shocking events that had unfolded in their lives over the past half day. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other; right behind the giant gorilla.
---
Ethissen was old, old enough to remember what the Alessians had done to the Bruxian kingdom before Ulag’s incursion had forced the two kingdoms to reconcile with each other as well as the three other main powers on Oro. As far as he was concerned however, not old enough to put the past to rest. The late Alessian King Varigen led campaigns of slaughter in Bruxian territory, often attacking undefended villages. He wouldn’t forgive them….couldn’t forgive, especially with the man’s cowardly son on the throne.
The Lion had given birth to a snake, and his position as an advisor to the current Bruxian royalty had given him a front row seat to the man’s nefarious political tactics.
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So as he seethed in the shadows, he gathered supporters. Those who, like himself, still held resentment towards the old regime.
This wasn’t sanctioned by the Bruxian monarchy or elder council, and if everything had gone to plan there wouldn’t have been any risk of things getting back to the Alessians in regards to the specifics of the death of their heir.
Unfortunately, their intel hadn’t mentioned that the Aegis Knights would be included in the escort party. That meant Commander Roson, and that meant a potential for his discovery. The two had a long history of violent interaction followed by begrudging cooperation.
After the ambush and subsequent departure of the Queen’s carriage, Ethissen finally made himself known on the field. While he was never one to employ stealth combat tactics, Roson wasn’t his target and any head on attack he could launch likely wouldn’t have inflicted enough damage to grant his men passage past the wall of knights.
So while under the influence of a dozen different mages casting dampening spells on his location, he conjured one of his strongest attack spells, Seventh Tier: Magma Lance. In a throwing stance the spear formed just above his hand, the heat radiating from it almost too much to bear. As the Lava spear materialized it hardened almost instantly turning into a semi solid magma as he launched it with both physical force and magic manipulation. As it flew through the air the spell caused the magma to superheat, and a mere 20 meters from the Aegis Knight’s formation it exploded outward in a shower that sprayed across anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in its radius.
The result was as devastating as one might expect. Most of the knights lay dead or dying, and although Roson wasn’t one of them, his armor was melted away in several places showing nasty burns across his arms and chest.
With that one spell Ethissen had created an opening for his army to move in pursuit. They did so with much haste, leaving 200 men to clean up the remaining Alessian forces as well as Roson.
They hadn’t been following the escapees long when the rain picked up and washed away any signs of their tracks. Ethissen hadn’t been a fool however, and had kept a Clairvoyant in reserve as a failsafe. So it was that a blue line extended down the road ahead of them, indicating the clairvoyant's path spell was still working. Tracking magic had a tendency towards inconsistent results, but the more recent the magic signature the better.
What was confusing was that the path was leading them into the Dreamer’s Forest and not back towards the Bruxian Capitol. True, it was likely they wouldn’t have made it before being caught from behind, but it would have been the most likely chance at survival they had. Aside from that, the old mage was no stranger to the rumors surrounding the old road. It had been closed years ago, deemed unsafe for merchant travel regardless of extensive efforts to secure the route.
It was a small matter though, his prize was in there and so he would follow.
Barking orders for his men to tighten up and form lines, they proceeded down the road. There were signs that the trees had been burnt away, further emboldening the group as their pursuit picked up in pace.
When the first wave of soldiers entered the clearing where the road began, their reaction was similar to the Alessians. As more and more filed in they were awestruck at the unnatural beauty of the place.
As the last of the pursuers made their way onto the road, the gap in the forest behind them suddenly closed itself. Trees sprung out of the ground, appearing to achieve several years of growth in a matter of second. The soldiers all drew their weapons and prepared themselves for combat as they looked around for any sign of danger.
Ethissen however had his eyes forward. He felt...something. Something that by all rights shouldn’t exist. As his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the vines and flowers he saw a man walking towards them.
“You shouldn’t have come here old man.” A deep voice resonated in the tight forest corridor.
Ethissen was visibly shaking at this point, and he pointed his staff at the man in question. “You...you shouldn’t be alive!” He shouted. Terror began spreading in their ranks as they’d never seen the old man so shaken. He was widely known for his strength, so who could cause him such fits they all wondered.
The voice resounded with a deep laugh, full of malice and intent. “Well, life’s a bitch aint it?”
The only remaining sound in that part of the part of the forest was a singular ‘’THUNK’, as each and every one of them was met with a root spear that found the gaps in their armor, killing them instantly.