Chapter 39: Pawns and Predators

Gradually, the group found its rhythm under the night sky. Crelos disappeared into the folds of his master's tent. Knights on watch, traced the camp's outskirts. Others gathered near a fire, their conversations a blend of laughter and plans of future wages.

Compared to the atmosphere outside, inside Darius's tent, urgency filled the air. Sweat poured down his brow as he hurriedly etched the final array around him, his movements frantic.

After finishing the last rune, Darius leapt to his feet and directed a slender strand of mana toward the outer ring of the array. The moment his mana touched it, the array briefly ignited with light. His face remained tense, veins and muscles pronounced under the strain. This glow cascaded from the outer ring to the inner, converging on Darius at the center.

As the second array ignited, Darius drew a deep breath and exploded, "FFFFFFUUUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKKK YOOOOOOUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!" He doubled over, exerting all his might, scorn etching his features, "CUTE?! CUTE?!" he mimicked disdainfully, "WHO THE FUCK IS CUTE?!" The second array throbbed, visibly straining under his fury. "You lucky son of a whore! If only I were stronger! I'd have crushed you into paste for daring to touch me!" the memory flashing through his mind, sending a shiver of rage down his spine.

Darius unleashed a furious tirade, his voice thick with curses and threats of vengeance. He spoke of humiliation and pain, each word a promise of retribution. After minutes that felt like hours, he hunched over, exhausted, hands braced on his knees, breathing heavily.

"In all my years, I don't think I have ever wanted to kill something that much," he murmured, sinking to the ground. "Luckily I managed to hold back."

Once Darius had completely calmed, his gaze moved to the outer array, 'Messy, but it'll alert me if anyone comes within 3 meters. Plenty of time.' His attention shifted to the next array, 'This concealment array is practically worthless...'

'I'm losing it again.' Without channeling his mana, Darius closed his eyes, settling into meditation, his breath finding a steady rhythm. 'Again, my emotions almost got the better of me. Arrogance, selfish and reckless, doubt...even now,' he acknowledged silently. Opening his eyes, he let his gaze drift towards where Haku was, 'I need to concentrate on getting him out of here, not that pervert.'

With a firm set of his jaw and a sharp slap against his legs, "Okay, I need to devise a plan. Neither of them likely intends to take me home. I could wait and see how things unfold, but honestly, I'm not sure I can trust myself not to attack next time."

Inside the boundary of his array, Darius sketched the camp's layout, 'I have two options, wait or act. Waiting leaves me passive, vulnerable to the unknown.' As he finished the map, Darius marked where he observed the knights stood watch, 'odds are they see nothing to gain from a dud, plus, I can tell they hold no warm feelings for my family.'

Staring at the impromptu map, his expression was blank, "....this is shit." Darius sat down, his head falling back as he stared at the tent's fabric, "I can't trust that freak or that mage, but if I act, no matter what, I'll bring attention to myself. Even if I escape, with Haku, from a camp full of knights, in the middle of the night, from the depths of Fang Root...there is no reality where they would think a dud could do that. They would report to the tower, next thing, we have mages knocking on our doors. Why did i come here?! I should've just shadowed them, aimed to snatch him back!"

He gripped his head as he sighed, "even that would of been a long shot."

Darius eventually sat up, his movements decisive and quick as he began to adjust the concealment array around him, "I'll just have to kill them all."

----

Behind his expansive desk, Hoggle sat with eyes closed, a hand poised above an open book. Across from him, Crelos appeared serene, though hidden in his sleeves, his hands were tightly clenched.

The room was quiet, save for the occasional crackle from the fireplace. Hoggle's face randomly twitched, his heavy cheeks quivering with each movement. Abruptly, his eyes snapped open, flaring with intensity. "That damn snake!" he yelled, slamming the book closed. Leaning back, his grasp on the chair's arms intensified, small cinders spreading from his fingers.

Leaning in, Crelos's voice broke the silence, "What did the tower master say?"

Hoggle's gaze narrowed on Crelos. A pause stretched between them before he sighed, "We are to return to the tower in the morning. With the Valdene boy."

Confusion etched Crelos's face. "What?" he questioned, disbelief in his tone. "But he's a dud. What could the tower master possibly want with him?"

A smirk crossed Hoggle's face, a soft chuckle escaping him. "He's not interested in the boy himself. He's interested in the opportunity the boy presents."

"Opportunity?"

Hoggle shook his head, leaning forward, his tone both mocking and dark. "For a child with such a bright future, you have no brains when it comes to these things."

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"Once we bring him to the tower, we'll send word to his parents, telling them we found a child, wounded and unconscious in the forest. After bringing him back to the tower for treatment, we'll say we discovered who he was and sent for them." Hoggle's expression morphed into a sinister smile. "And when the Valdenes, frantic with worry, get to the tower and find their child dead, what do you think the renowned Blue Wolf will do?"

Crelos's eyes widened, his breath catching sharply. "But master, he's just a child. I know the Valdenes are despised, but this is... this is..."

"Quiet! Do you know better than the tower master?!" Hoggle's red aura flared violently. "The Valdenes are a blight, their very existence an affront!"

His face suddenly froze. Lightly coughing, Hoggle's aura retracted as quickly as it had surged, his voice softening. "Crelos, my boy, this is the way of the world. In the quest for power, one must recognize the grim reality. All life is trivial on the path to ascendancy."

Crelos's gaze turned hollow, his face betraying no emotion as he observed his master. His eyes eventually fell to the floor, his hands going limp.

With a dismissive gesture, Hoggle instructed, "Head to your tent and ponder over what I've said. That serpent Ramman has been tasked with handling the boy; consider him as good as gone."

"Ramman?!" escaped Crelos's lips before he could restrain it.

Raising an eyebrow, Hoggle scrutinized him, "Why such concern for a mere dud? Is there something I should be wary of, Crelos?"

"No, not at all, Master. I understand your point; it's just Sir Ramman makes my skin crawl," Crelos replied swiftly.

Hoggle dismissed his concern with a wave, "Forget about that oddity and the boy. Go, reflect on our discussion. Your potential is vast, Crelos, but talent alone won't keep you alive in this world."

Crelos stood, offering a bow, "Understood, Master. I'll heed your advice." With that, he turned, making his way out of the tent, Hoggle's intense gaze trailing after him.

The moment Crelos exited, he hastened to his own shelter, pushing the flap open and sealing it shut behind him.

Collapsing onto his cot, he cupped his face in his hands, a heavy sigh escaping him, "I'm sorry, Warwick."

----

"Done." Darius looked over the upgraded concealment array. "They won't pick up on anything now, and with this illusion array, they'll only see me sleeping, whether they use a vision spell or peek inside." Around the detection and concealment arrays, a third one had been laid out.

"No time to waste," Darius swiftly assumed the lotus position and directed a thread of mana toward the new illusion array. Light from it extended to the other two, igniting all three arrays.

Darius closed his eyes and initiated the Arcane Talisman Technique, restoring his mana. 'The plan is to take Haku first, then find a place to hide him close to here. After securing his safety, I'll return to camp to cut the root of this problem before they even realize we're missing.'

A grim smile spread across Darius's face, 'as long as they don't catch on immediately, they'll keep underestimating me as a dud...'

Shortly after, Darius's energy replenished, his eyes snapped open, shining with intense light, "First, lets see who is on watch."

Darius's Arcane Gaze surged from his eyes, sweeping over the camp. Auras flared before him, distinct and clear. Among them, he spotted the weak, flickering blue glow that could only belong to Haku. The sight of it, so dim and fragile, injected a surge of haste into his veins. Quickly, he then tallied four knights on patrol—Clemet, Morgan, and Winch among them. A fourth, enveloped in a purple aura, marked another Tier 2 knight.

In the camp's circular layout, with the carriage near its heart, seven additional knights were scattered—some by the central fire, others in their tents. Three vibrant auras stood out in his vision: Crelos, in his cot; Hoggle, surrounded by plates of food at his desk; and Ramman, lounging among pillows, his aura unsettling.

Darius spotted a faint aura, almost hidden, lightly glowing from within rather than around—a signature unlike any other. 'Must be the elf slave. What am i to do with him? And then there's Crelos...'

After a brief moment, determination set in his eyes. "Sorry, family comes first."

Darius took another look around. 'Clear.' With a pulse of his wind mana, he quietly exited his tent, making a beeline for a position nearer the carriage, leaving behind his double, resting undisturbed.

Staying out of sight, he extended his senses, keeping tabs on everyone in the camp simultaneously. After pausing to ensure he remained unnoticed, he darted to another tent. Inside, a knight was deep in slumber as Darius silently passed by. The air grew thick with the unpleasant scent of sweat, prompting him to hasten his steps.

'Just one more move.'

As Darius prepared to make his final dash, a flicker of movement caught his eye. One of the knights lounging by the fire stood up, stretching lazily. "Gonna water the shrubbery." To Darius's surprise and frustration, the knight began to meander in his direction.

Darius's heart thumped louder, a jolt of adrenaline sharpening his focus. He pressed himself closer to the ground, shadows cloaking his form as the knight approached, unknowingly coming perilously close to his hiding spot. The knight's footsteps grew louder, each step pounding in Darius's ears. Time seemed to slow as the knight paused, mere steps from Darius's concealed position, before continuing on, blissfully unaware.

Breathing a silent sigh of relief, Darius waited for the knight to distance himself before moving again, his body tensed for swift, silent motion. With the knight now preoccupied, Darius seized the moment, darting towards the cart of goods nestled near the center of the camp.

He arrived at the cart, his heart still racing from the close call. Hidden in the shadows, he paused, catching his breath and steadying his nerves.

Darius inhaled slowly, steeling himself, 'prepare for the worst, stay in control.' He rose to his feet, and there, amidst the dim light, lay Haku.

The sight struck Darius badly.

Haku's breaths were shallow, his once sleek black fur now a matted mess, stained with mud and blood. A visible gash marred his side—superficial, but festering, attracting flies. Haku lay there, grievously hurt and unconscious.

Darius's heart thundered in his chest, breaths shallow and quick. His wind aura began to swell, as strands of his hair lifted slightly in response, his hands slowly curled into tight fists.

From out of nowhere, the unexpected sound of a scaled horse's hoof scraping the ground acted as a sudden anchor, pulling his heightened senses back to the pressing task before him.

'Too close.' Darius thought, as he leaped into the carriage, his landing barely making a sound on the wooden floor. Haku lay within a modest cage, piled amidst various other items in the center. The cage was fastened with a ornate metal lock, notable for its lack of a keyhole.

'Not touching that,' Darius thought, his aura receding like a morning fog. Switching tactics, he lifted a finger, the tip of his nail lightly glowing with a deep blue.

'If I circulate a small amount of water fast enough...' coaxing a single water droplet to form at his fingernail's edge, with focused precision, he set it spinning. A faint hum rising from his finger as the water gained speed.

With a swift, deliberate movement, he swept his finger across the hinges. The cage remained still, giving no hint of what had just occurred. The water, charged with his intent and speed, passed through the metal like it was air, severing the hinges cleanly.

Releasing a held breath, Darius extended his hand, easing the cage door open with minimal force, ensuring the lock remained untouched. He nudged a sizable sack with his foot, positioning it under the door for support.

Turning his attention to Haku, Darius's touch was tender as he caressed the fox's fur, placing a hand lightly on his head. Mentally, he gently nudged at Haku's consciousness, 'Haku...Haku, come on, buddy. It's me, Darius.' While his physical actions were focused on Haku, his awareness remained broad, his heartbeat quickening in the silent tension.

Haku's breath grew faster, his ragged body releasing a faint whimper, 'Darius? I'm sorry...you shouldn't...' His thoughts trailed off as exhaustion pulled him back into unconsciousness.

Darius, with a careful embrace, gathered Haku into his arms. The fox felt markedly different to the touch, a difference that ignited a fierce rage and sadness within Darius, a feeling he was forced to quickly suppress.

Leaping lightly from the carriage, Darius touched down without a sound. He cast a sweeping gaze over the camp, reassessing the positions of everyone, a thought flashing urgently through his mind, 'What is he doing?!'

Darius kept a vigilant watch over the various auras around him, noting each movement, every step, and breath. Yet, one presence eluded his focus, an aura unfamiliar and faint, barely registering in his mind. It was the elf slave, the very one who now stood before Darius's tent.