Seeing how determined Ean was in obtaining Rex, Markus knew they were not going to be able to leave without a fight, he was worried that even with their combined strength, they would not be able to do more than slow him down, Ean it seemed, had enough power to destroy an entire town of some of the Magnus family elite soldiers. Even though Markus was on of the three great generals of the land, he knew it was going to be hard, if he was by himself, he would be able to focus on his target to provide an equally matched fight, but he knew Ean would target Rex and his companions, maybe even Lacey and that would distract him giving Ean an edge. “For a general of your calibre, you seem hesitant Markus, is that fear or something else?” Ean sneered seeing the look on Markus’s face as he was deep in thought. “I have no fear of you, even with this new power you’re boasting” Markus said coming back to his senses and waved his hand at Ean, which wiped the smile from Ean’s face at his disregard for
Seeing that his killing blow had been stopped so easily, by one hand shook Ean to his core, looking up to see who had done it shocked him even further, standing in front of him was a man covered in red scales and green eyes, he knew who this was instantly. “Brother..I.I.” Ean stammered, completely lost for words, being in his brothers’ presence seemed to destroy every bit of arrogance he just had. “You have gone too far this time” the emperor said shaking his head with a look of pure distain in his eyes, lifting the blade away from Markus with a small stain of green blood on the blade, Rector summoned a ball of golden light in his hand before throwing it close range at Ean’s chest, sending him flying a good distance from where Rector and Markus were, rolling over a few times he stopped, laying motionless on the ground, satisfied, Rector looked back to Markus before whispering to him with a smirk and wink, “sorry I am late old friend, thank you for the flare, was a good idea.” Noddin
Riding North on their horses, Rex, Markus and Charr chatted, updating Markus on all the events that had transpired right up to their rescue from Shaitan’s arena. “You fought against an elder spirit and won??” Markus asked Rex after Charr recounted the battle with Balrog and her minions. “An elder spirit? That thing was from the spirit realm? Fafnir only said they had a prior grievance and asked to deal with her” Rex asked, he did not know much about the spirit realm, only the patches Fafnir had told him during their lessons. “Yes, the spirit realm is a place that only one human has gone and returned, it is a dangerous place for the living, it is where the soul of mystical beings like the dragons go after their deaths. Speaking of dragons, why did you not use Fafnir to help me deal with Ean, or at least against his assassin inside of the arena?” Markus asked raising his eyebrow at Rex. “That is something I don’t fully understand, Ean’s daughter did something to me, it seems to have
Feeling the force of so many magic users bearing in on him made Rex feel strange, he started to feel tiny surges of strength in waves course through his body, making him shudder slightly. Markus seemed to sense changes in Rex and whispered to him, “Are you ok Prince, what’s going on?” “I don’t know, I feel strange and my chest is starting to ache” Rex replied clutching his chest. As the witches came to close their circle around the group, Charr rushed out roaring swinging his axe trying to claim one of the women surrounding them, in his mind, if he was going to die, he would die like a real warrior, fighting until the end, he had forced one of the women back out of the circle and was dodging from side to side while bringing his axe skilfully into the fight, it seemed the woman was also just as quick, slipping past each swing and thrust. “I like the mountain men, always full of honour and courage” smiled Markus, seeing what Charr had done always made him feel honoured to be in the co
Once Rex and Charr were brought in and were laid out onto the free beds, the physician got straight to work, starting with Rex, she went straight into the basic check-up, with deft hands and an expert eye, ran over his body, before having a quick conclusion. “His temperature is through the roof, his pulse is weak and his breathing is very shallow, there is also this strange marking on his chest, any idea what this is and why it’s here?” the doctor asked Markus, pointing to the red symbols on Rex’s chest. “I don’t know what that is or why it is there” Markus said shrugging his shoulders, before an idea suddenly came to him, “that is the reason we need to the prince back to Dracones, to research those symbols with the academy, it was to be completed under secrecy, so I implore you, to keep any of what happened here it to yourself, for your sake and your towns.” He was trying to get the doctor to treat Rex as quickly as possible so they could return to the road, also while ensuring the
Turning to see Rex slowly sitting up, groaning from the effort involved and wincing in pain while doing so, both Markus and Rebeka’s faces lit up, Markus because he knew Rex was ok and after letting him rest a little, he could ask him about the mysterious circumstances involved in the escape from death, while Rebeka was happy seeing her patient wake, gladdened Rex had not passed away, otherwise she was certain it would be the end of her time as a physician and might even cost her own life for the death of a royal. “Your mouth tastes like that because the good physician here mixed in some stuff with dung, you know, to help you heal” Markus added, with a serious tone. “You f**kin what!!??” Rex spat, scratching his tongue with his fingernails, “Quick! Get me water! Heaps! And toothpaste! Any words of this treatment I will lock everyone away!” Seeing his reaction to his joke, Markus burst out in laughter, while Rebeka had just wiped the look of shock from her face, she was worried Rex w
“Priest Deacon, that is enough! It is late, they have travelled all day, we can reconvene soon, give them all time to rest and adjust and we will hear the exploits in a few days” Emperor Rector said loudly, standing up, which silenced Priest Deacon instantly, bowing his head, cupping his hands over his head. “Of course my emperor, I was too eager to see if your son possessed the great traits of your bloodline, I apologise to you and to the young prince” Priest Deacon said backing away while still bowing, coming to rest back in his seat. “As I said before, they will have some time to rest and recover their strength, there are matters that myself and General Markus must attend to and by then the final preparations will be complete and I will lead the ceremony for my sons return” Emperor Rector sounded, walking towards Rex and Markus, as he passed all the people present bowed their heads and cupped their hands over their heads in respect. Rex saw him coming and noticed everyone’s sign
“Get up, quickly now! We have to move, let’s go!” yelled the voice again, with a smirk at seeing Rex’s stunned face. “What is going on? Who’s here?” Rex blurted out, ripping his head around frantically, his brain still frozen from the shock of suddenly being woken. “Well, if I was someone here to do you harm, you would already be dead, you aren’t ready quickly enough” chuckled the person. As the fogginess cleared Rex recognised the voice and he saw a familiar face, “Bloody hell Markus! You scared the absolute shit outta me, why can’t you wake me up properly?” he responded sharply, sitting up while rubbing his eyes, he then realising the sun hadn’t even started to appear on the horizon yet, “Bit early don’t you think?” “No such thing as too early to train, you won’t always get the chance for a wake up at nice hours if your life is at stake, I want to show you something before we go to my training grounds, go and fetch Lacey first though, you and her have training with me after our s