Page 32 of Ruins of Magic
Chapter13
“Look,” Arion said, pointing to the castle looming in the distance. “That must be it. The idol has to be in there.”
“I’d guess it’s in the throne room,” Garron said.
“Too cliché,” Valaria teased as they walked along.
“Well where would you keep an idol of yourself?” Arion asked her.
“In my chambers of course.”
“That’s not vain at all,” Garron teased her back.
Valaria shrugged. “Ryze was obsessed with himself and his power. It’ll be in the throne room or his personal chambers. We’ll see.”
“It’s getting late. We should probably stop for the night before we head in. It’ll be too dark in the castle to see anyway,” Arion said.
“I thought you were the one born of light,” Garron teased.
Valaria laughed. “I don’t think that’s entirely what they meant.”
“Whatever.”
“It’s been a long day. I’m not sure I can take another trial tonight and survive,” Arion said honestly.
“Are you sure you don’t want to talk about the first one?” Valaria asked.
He gave her a funny look and nodded. “I’m positive.”
They ate more of their meat and one berry each for their meal. The conversation was light and fun. There was a triumphant feeling in the air. Two trials down and only one remaining, then they would grab the idol and get back as soon as possible.
Taneth and Leeric were likely going insane with worry and surely word had gotten back to the king as well. He would be furious with the lot of them. Arion only hoped it was all worth it.
As the cold of night set in, the three of them once again huddled together with Valaria squished between the two men for protection. They all hated being left out in the open with no covering, but there was no where else to go unless they made it to the castle, and who knew what obstacles awaited them there.
Every time Arion closed his eyes, he saw Valaria drowning again. He reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her closer to him. He knew he shouldn’t be touching her like that but having her in his arms helped ease some of the apprehension he felt reliving that nightmare. The others were already deep in sleep when Arion finally drifted off.
He awoke shivering in the dark. His first instinct was to reach for Valaria, but when he did, he came up empty. Wide awake, he sat up and looked around. They were nowhere to be seen. Instead a dozen tiny rat like creatures standing more like a human than animal were surrounding him. Imps.
“What do you want?” Arion asked.
The imps looked confused staring around at other until one finally stepped forward.
“You speak imp?” he asked.
“I can understand you, yes, and clearly you can understand me too. Now what do you want and where are my friends?”
“None of us alive today have ever seen a human speak imp,” he explained. “Our ancestors tell of the great and powerful dark sorcerer who once ruled this kingdom. He will come again and we await his second coming.”
“You are still enslaved to Ryze after all this time? Why?”
“His magic holds us hostage. It does not dilute with each generation and only a few months ago we began to feel his oppression stronger than ever. Our master will return soon. We must prepare his house.”
Imps were largely considered a nuisance and little more than vermin amongst the magical creatures. They had been extinct for years outside of Keptra and those remaining were all enslaved to Ryze, even from the grave.
Arion had read of them during his studies and had noted the mention of them amongst the druids, so he wasn’t entirely surprised to see them there.
“Where are my friends?” he asked.
