Chapter 31: Cursed knowledge
Rachel looked on in horror as D walked past her back towards the wagon, blood still dripping from his fingers. Somehow she hadn't noticed he'd grown taller and filled out, no longer was he the scrawny child she'd seen those days before the school opened. No, in such a short time he'd grown a few inches taller and many pounds heavier. "Is that really the boy I tried to scold not so long ago?"
"Excuse me. Have you seen the Headmaster! I've come to get my last paycheck." Larian interrupted her thoughts as he called out almost cheerily to her.
"What?" She looked over at the mad professor, tears once again streaming down old dried paths on her soot-smeared face. "The headmaster is dead!" She gulped down a sob remembering the horrors of the first attack, the headmaster rushing out giving his life just to buy a few more seconds for fleeing students.
"Oh bother. Fine I guess we are done here." Larian sounded only slightly annoyed as he sat back down at the wagon's settee motioning D to hurry it up.
"Wait! You are going to leave me here?" Rachel hugged herself looking around the destroyed academy. Her family were lesser nobles but their land was in the same direction the attacking forces came from. She had no idea where to go, her life had been sheltered. The worst thing she'd endured before the attack was an overly aggressive suitor. Even then there were always guards or friends she could rely on. Now, she was alone and felt more powerless than ever before.
"Well, not if you get in the wagon. But do hurry up." Larian clicked his tongue at the horses getting them to start turning the wagon. Rachel watched as D hopped up effortlessly into the back of the wagon landing beside two other familiar faces. She hesitated only a moment before gathering up her skirts and rushing towards the wagon with almost the same intensity as her previous desperate sprint.
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"Hello! We are looking for the command tents for the invading armies!" Larian called out cheerily while waving at the group of armed men charging towards them. Letting out a sigh as they didn't even slow down he swiped his hand releasing the readied spell and watched four heads roll free as the bodies collapsed.
"Honestly, has no one taught any of them any manners?" He started to click his tongue before remembering his mistake. "Damn. I meant to just wound them. D, this is a perfect chance to test my theory on you eating more humans." He clicked his tongue humming cheerfully hoping the next group they ran into also resisted.
In the back of the wagon D just grunted his face propped up on his hand while he watched as they rode through the stone-paved streets. He'd never really given the capital city Gar a good look but now that he gazed upon its destruction he felt an odd nagging sensation and the regret he hadn't paid it more attention before its destruction. Rachel took in the words and looked from the humming Larian to the brooding D with her mouth hanging slightly open in horror. When she glanced at the girls she expected them to have a similar look. But instead found the student Pena staring at D with such a wistful look it made her blush while the scarred servant girl glared daggers at Pena.
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Much to Larian's disappointment the next group they ran into hesitated when he called out in such a friendly manner.
"Oi! Who you be?" A man in a set of actual armor wearing an emblem of the Melay military asked.
"I'm Larian Skyfall! Evening. Do you know where the one in charge is?" Larian sat there smiling away while mentally cursing.
Looking from the overly cheery man the soldier's eyes slid over D, Jane, Rachel, and then finally Pena who was hunched down her face half turned away. "Oi! You! You be the lord regent's pet, yes?" Frowning the man asked.
Face suddenly flushed crimson Pena glanced around at the others her eyes locking with Janes that bore an odd look somewhere between mirth and malice. Swallowing hard she squared her shoulders. "I am Lord Regent Managal's… personal... assistant, yes." Pena had tried to think of an acronym on the spot for pet and failed. 'Damn it. That little runt had better not say anything. Stupid, stupid, stupid….' Her thoughts continued to rattle off.
"Lord Regent's up at the castle. As his PET I guess we can let you head on up there." Snickering, the soldier motioned them on having noticed her embarrassment.
Pena burned his face into her memory as Larian clicked his tongue heading in the direction of the castle. Sitting back down she heard the expected comment. "Who's someone's pet now!" Jane was snickering at her. Pena was about to lunge at the girl when Larian interrupted.
"Lord Regent Mangal? I should have known. He is an expert monster tamer. His family skill in domination magic is well documented. You should have told me you were his, tell me, have you any insight on the spell they use? Boy! You might be interested to know they use an enchanted wand for their subjection magic so it's a type of ward." D said nothing as he stayed in his brooding position but his eyes did flick to Pena.
"I don't know anything about it really. And I don't serve him because of the spell, honestly. He is a great man! He's never treated me poorly, He's always been very supportive." Pena felt her face flush with embarrassment and a sharp pain pulsed in the back of her skull.
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Lemin scurried through the castle, his robes gathered in one fist muttering to himself. His king was currently leading the final defense of the castle. By his orders, Lemin was heading towards the king's personal rooms and the secret entrance they held. Yet, enemies were everywhere and he was forced to detour time and time again, saved only by the timely appearance of one of his visions. With each new vision, he felt something was off, almost as if the ether weave was guiding him somewhere other than where he wanted to go. Licking his old lips the man wished he had a drink, anything would be fine. "Cooking sherry would be divine nectar at this point. DIVINE Nectar!" He exclaimed after having to turn down a different hallway again.
Lemin was shocked and skidded to a stop with a high-pitched shriek of terror as a group emerged from a door just in front of him. "No! Alas even my seer's sight couldn't save me. Doom and death have befallen me. Quick at least! Make my death quick at least!" He fell to his knees wailing out ever the overly dramatic person.
"Lemin is that you?" Glancing up at those words Lemin was shocked to find his old student standing in front of him.
"Larian? LARIAN! My boy, how are you doing! What brings you to the castle during such terrible times, TERRIBLE times?!" The old seer pushed himself up to stand before his former student.
"Well, actually we were hoping to join up with the kingdom and defend the capital!" Larian lied without missing a beat.
"We?" Glancing past his old student he spotted an odd gaggle of youths. Bobbing his head at the tall pretty young woman, the slightly smaller and less pretty young woman, then the tiny scarred girl who he tsked at in pity, then finally his eyes swept to the boy. Laying eyes on D his whole body began to tremble as incoherent words started bubbling from his mouth. Larian grasped him by the shoulders trying to support the older man. Larian watched in mild shock and more than a little curiosity as the old seer's eyes rolled up in his head. Blood began trickling from the corner of his eyes and dripping from his nose.
Suddenly the almost skeletal frame of the old man seized up almost bowing backwards before going limp. His eyes fluttered open to look up at Larian. "My dear student. I always knew the weave had more in store for you, but never did I know how much of a burden it wanted to place on your shoulders."
Larian was shocked, despite looking on death's door the old seer spoke perfectly as if nothing had happened. In truth, he was more calm and coherent than normal. "Forgive me Larian for burdening you with this cursed knowledge." Reaching up the old man clasped his haggard hands to the side of Larian's face.
Those with Larian watched in shock as his body tensed up and pulled back so far his body almost formed a C from the kneeling position. Yet no matter how far back he pulled the old man clung to his head almost as if his hands were stuck there. Larian's mouth was open wide in a silent scream and his eyes rolled back into his head as images filled his mind. Flashes of sights and shards of knowledge flooded him like a downpour with no rhyme or reason. Then slowly they started to pull together forming a chain of fragmented knowledge that gave him a glimpse of past, present, and future. Countless different chains were formed until he felt as if he would go mad living so many lives at once.
Then one by one they started to drift away until soon the endless numbers of chains of fate fell away into the void leaving only one. He saw the events that were, the ones that were happening now, and the ones that needed to happen. Only then did the withered old hands fall from the side of his face, what felt like an eternity had happened in less than the beat of his heart. In his arms, the now frail and pallid old man smiled a content smile yet his eyes were sad. "Pour one out for this thirsty old man if you would Larian my boy."
Rachel was the first to rush up to Larian, the most compassionate amongst the group. "Are you ok? Is he ok?"
"Oh, I'm fine! He sadly is dead though." Larian responded in his ever cheery tone yet when he glanced up to Rachel his cheeks were wet and a drop of blood fell from his nose.
"Come along then. We have somewhere we need to be." Larian laid back the old man gently before hopping up to dust off his hands.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Eleraan
Eleraan So, question. Do you have a favorite character and why? Just curious, I personally think Larian is my favorite. The oddball obsessive nut job kinda cracks me up but I think they only work because they have such a straight man in D to play off of. What do you think?
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone