ULTRAMagic Shadowland - Chapter 1
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It was a calm day in the strange realm known as The Unlight. The wind whistled gently past the timeless rocks and occasional shrubbery, and over the dusty roads traveled a carriage drawn by several horses. The four passengers aboard were on their way to Shadowland, a kingdom that had been taken over by a foul villain who had tried to overthrow it. One passenger was a young adult angel who had been invited to join the group and was looking to explore the Unlight. Another was a truly strange boy pushing the definition of existence, with great magical potential. The third was a mighty queen who had recently set her life back on track and had an unfortunate history with the man who had occupied the kingdom. The last was a strong and aged blacksmith who had a score to settle with the aforementioned villain.
“I have to ask, Mr. Schindewolf, what makes Milosh such a dastardly man? Aside from the obvious” Gabriella questioned.
“Many things, lass,” Barna replied. “He’s a liar, a swindler, and a cheat. Milosh couldn’t even win an eating contest against an infant if he tried. He’s the type that tried to eliminate the competition rather than bettering himself. Prior to his expulsion from The Iron City, he had a habit of stealing and nicking off other people’s work and convincing beggars that he was some kind of guru that would solve all of their problems.”
“Goodness. What culminated in the expulsion, if I may ask further?”
“Well at first he kept a low profile. It was a sort of ‘don’t deliberately walk into a bear trap’ kind of situation. This changed when he had the brilliant idea to move right across from the Raynots. I knew something was up when Radovan came by asking for information on Milosh, given my past encounters with him. Eventually things escalated to a point where his grace couldn’t stand that rat’s scheming and petitioned the king to have him expelled. That day is a bit infamous given that that is also the day Dunja here left us in what came to be known as The Schism.”
Gabriella looked over to her in an inquisitive manner. “Your majesty?”
Dunja sighed. “Yeah, arguably my worst moment possible. I’m still trying to find a silver lining to it all…”
“Well hey, it led to Blood-Wraith’s birth and him discovering me, didn’t it?” Aureolus put forth.
“You know what? Yeah, there is that.” This made Aureolus happy. Dunja then turned back to Gabriella. “If you’re wondering about my experiences with Milosh, he’s a filthy worm. Creepy, perverted, and changes his ideology on the fly.”
“My mother mentioned that last bit when I was at Blood-Wraith’s house. How bad was it?”
Dunja had a smile that indicated vindication. “Well, first he tried saying that everyone was important, because of course. Then it changed to we-me and the blades-were the most important beings. Then his story was that he was a reincarnated god…” Dunja was taking delight in the incredulous looks she was receiving from Gabriella and Aureolus. “And finally he got on about this nonsense that everything needed to be centralized in our hands, that we needed to control everything and lead the helpless masses to a glorious future where no one starves and everybody is a hunter by night or some cockamamie bullshit like that. And of course, everyone had to work for the greater good which was his excuse to be a lazy pig. Adding insult to injury, he was never consistent, which made leadership borderline impossible with him around.”
Aureolus was confused. “Controlling everything? The greater good? What? How does any of that make sense? What does that even accomplish besides making a mockery of the Cosmos and depriving everyone of their ability to live as intended? Give me a second…” He then performed a simple alchemical transmutation that created a rock in his hand. “This is mine, I just created it. I don’t mind giving it to someone if they need it, but that is my choice to make. If I say no, then oh well. That person needs to get their own rock.”
“And it’s not hard to do given how many rocks are out there, ha” Barna pointed out. The carriage then hit a big rock, causing it to jolt upwards a little. “Ow! Blasted Unlight certainly has an ironic sense of humor…” he remarked as he neatened his short, blonde hair while the others chuckled.
Gabriella nodded in agreement, resuming the conversation. “You’re both correct in your assessments. I’ve learned about and witnessed this mindset Dunja described. It always ends up being a foot in the door for oppressive tyranny by those too cowardly to stand up and face life head on, like they are supposed to. Many try to pray to us angels for help, but more often than not these issues are self-correcting. These people find the strength to cast off their oppressors and lead their society in the right direction.”
“Self-correcting… funny how that works out,” Dunja remarked.
Barna gave a slight chuckle. “I’d dare assume you and Val deal with those kind of ne’er-do-wells on the regular in your universe, aye Gabriella?”
“Unfortunately,” she lamented. “Curiously, Dunja, what was your stance on basic human freedoms under Milosh?”
She gave her a mildly incredulous look of critique. “I was under Milosh, sweetie?”
Gabriella giggled. “My apologies…”
“Don’t worry about it, dear. I hate to admit it, but one of the first things we did was take away the right to speak by outlawing speech critical of us. Of course this was Milosh’s idea, as I find that letting people speak their minds keeps them quiet, but I digress. You should’ve seen that little weasel-he started this nonsense by saying we needed to be sensitive about people’s feelings, which he used to crowbar in nonsense about how the Shadowlandians were a threat to us! US. You know, the ones with all sorts of powerful magic?”
Gabriella tut-tutted. “That’s how all authoritarians start when they try to take people’s rights away. Make it sound like you’re doing it for the greater good and slowly turn up the heat. Outlawing dissent is the epitome of a weak regime that can be toppled at any moment…”
Dunja snickered. “Do tell, dear…”
Gabriella laughed. “Right, I keep forgetting you were there first hand.”
Barna quietly sighed and shook his head in disgust at what was being described. Truthfully he wanted to take a good jab at outsiders, but held his tongue. He did not want to offend Gabriella. Despite being apprehensive about her tagging along, her mother, Valentina, had been insistent on her daughter going to Shadowland with them. Given the Dark Angel’s bond with Blood-Wraith, Barna had no reason to doubt her. The leery blacksmith looked out the window of the carriage as it pressed on. Things were starting to get a bit mountainous, indicating they were at the halfway point.
“Oh! Dunja, we’re approaching Dead Man’s Pass proper” he pointed out.
“Right! Driver? Can we stop at the upcoming fork in the road?
“Sure thing, your majesty.”
The group got out once the carriage came to a full stop. One road was clear, but the other was blocked off by a strange barrier that twisted and warped with various colors. “Well this brings back memories” Dunja said regretfully.
“What’s going on here?” Gabriella asked as she brushed her long, brown hair aside.
Dunja drew one of her whip blades, leaving it unactivated. “It’s a spell I erected to keep The Iron City out. And now…” she plunged the sword into the barrier. It began cracking like glass, shattering as she twisted her weapon like a key. “... it’s gone,” she proudly declared as she blew some of her lilac-colored hair out of her face. This elicited applause from the others.
“So how do we tell the lads back home about this?” Barna wondered.
The group thought for a couple of minutes until the silence was broken by the shrill call of a bird. Looking up, the group saw what looked like an owl flying towards them. “Turi!?” Dunja cried as she moved into position, holding up her arm like a perch. The owl landed, hooted, and began rubbing his head against Dunja’s face. “Turi! My poor baby, I missed you so much! I’m so sorry…”
Gabriella chuckled. “This is your owl I take it?”
“Yes yes! He left me after the schism and I’ve been worried sick about him ever since…” Turi continued to rub up against Dunja as she scratched behind his ears. He resembled a great horned owl with metallic, black and white feathers.
“Well I’ll be…” Barna said as he also gave Turi some scratches. “I was wondering where Turi went. Ha, he was probably off hiding, waiting for you to return to us.”
“Turi, I know we just got back together and… ow! Quit nibbling my fingers!” The others chuckled, getting the impression this playful behaviour was common. “...We need your help. Can you take a message back to Englehart? It’s very important” Dunja requested as she finished scratching his head, with Turi replying with an enthusiastic hoot in confirmation. The driver then gave her a pen and paper, allowing her to write down the message. Once it was ready, Dunja gave it to her owl. “Thank you, Turi. Don’t worry, I promise I’ll be back home soon.”
Aureolus was amazed as Turi took off and vanished into the horizon, his feathers gleaming in the daytime light. “Whoa, cool! I want a bird of my own!”
Barna laughed. “Are you sure my boy? Birds like that are quite the responsibility.”
Thinking about it, Aureolus pondered the idea for a minute. Did he have the patience for a familiar? “Hm… yes. I’ll even get Blood one too…maybe, I don’t know about that one. He’s a bit busy after all.”
Barna laughed once more. “Alright then. It never hurts to have a messenger bird. Sten should have control of the aviary back by now, so we’ll see what’s there” He replied as they all got back into the carriage.
Once on the way again, something that had been bothering Gabriella popped back into her mind. “Barna, may I ask you a question?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“I’ve noticed that, well, you seem to have a specific attitude towards certain individuals, particularly from outside the Unlight. Is this because of past encounters or solely Milosh?”
This was a bit awkward for Barna. “Well, yes… Milosh that is. I uh… well you see, Milosh is a bit of a special case, and not in a good way.”
“I see… but am I to understand that your friends, Claudius and Weaver, are also outsiders?”
“Yes? What are you getting at?”
“Well I’ve overheard that you are suggesting that The Iron City closes its doors to outsiders for several decades…”
Dunja gave him a mildly incredulous look. “Yeah, about that-how do you plan to do that, Barna? That seems a bit overboard… and going over our heads. I don’t mind people visiting the Iron City… and I dealt with Milosh for how many years?”
“Well no, I’m not saying they can’t visit, I’m just suggesting they don’t move in until we get back on our feet…”
“That better be quick then, because me and Blood are starting the guild soon” Aureolus reminded him. “I can guarantee we’ll have to let outsiders in at some point.”
“Boy, that’s to be expected,” Barna rebuked. “I’ll trust them if they go through that much discipline…”
“So there’s a requirement for your trust?” Gabriella questioned. She was starting to get a little self-conscious, but was not quite done yet.
“Argh! No, that’s not what I’m saying…”
“Barna, I get that you’re worried and I fully understand your concern-but not all outsiders are bad. More individuals such as Milosh exist, no doubt about it. They aren’t the norm, however. Some outsiders can be truly enriching and will go on to spread the good word about you when they return to their people…”
He let out an exasperated sigh. “Look, I’m not dull: You, Valentina, Claudius, and Weaver are good people, some I’d even trust with my life. It’s just that me and my brother are still recovering from the schism and the great hunt. I’d just like some time to get my head on straight…” Barna then noticed the carriage was getting close to Shadowland, a perfect chance to change the subject. “We’ll finish this later. We’re getting close to our destination and we probably should discuss that.”
Gabriella relaxed in her seat. “Fair enough, Mr. Schindewolf.”
Dunja softly shook her head. “Well if that’s the case, don’t worry about any shadow constructs. With the shadow orb gone, Torunn probably went into overdrive destroying them.”
“So who do we have to worry about then?” Aureolus asked.
“Milosh’s cultists, or The Followers of The Eternal Church…”
Now Gabriella was confused. “That was the best name he could come up with?”
Dunja groaned. “I know, right? Me and Andelin knew it was a bad idea from the start, but Milosh had Gratiana’s support. Apparently it’s actually supposed to be called ‘The Eternal Order,’ derived from The Thundering Order of ancient Feuerland. The Arlotti family were fairly involved with it from what Gratiana has told me, so you can imagine why she would be okay with it.”
Barna could sense Dunja’s lingering regret. “Past actions aside, I’m not worried about Milosh’s mooks. Your blades and the church itself are my chief concern.”
“Yeah, I know how you feel about the former. Andelin shouldn’t be a problem…” For some reason that caused a chill to run down her spine. “I hope… but Gratiana? Oh boy. First things first: we track down Torunn.”
“Agreed.”
“And Aureolus? You’re going to like Torunn, I can guarantee it” Dunja said with a wink.
“Nice,” he replied. “I mean, she already sounds cool, but I’ll take your word for it.”
Barna nodded. “You wouldn’t be faulted for thinking she was hewn from the side of a mountain, haha. Now when we get to Shadowland, we’ll be met by Claudius and Weaver. Presumably we’ll also run into Allan and Folkvar not too long afterwards. They’ll take us to see Sten, where we can finally iron out a plan of attack.”
“Alright, I’m eager to meet his highness, Folkvar!” Aureolus said with enthusiasm. “And his majesty, King Sten.”
Dunja immediately felt a knot shoot into her throat. “Yeah, haha, that…”
Gabriella turned to her. “What’s the matter?” She asked.
“Aside from everything? I need to get on my hands and knees and apologize thoroughly to Folkvar…”
“I take it there’s an elephant in the room?” Gabriella questioned.
“Aye,” Barna answered. “You could say that. I wouldn’t worry, Dunja. The lad may be a bit sore from the whole ‘Darkborne’ incident, but I’ve never known him to hold a grudge.”
She exhaled with worry in her voice. “Here’s hoping you’re right…”
Next: Chapter 2
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
Master Post - Patreon
It was a calm day in the strange realm known as The Unlight. The wind whistled gently past the timeless rocks and occasional shrubbery, and over the dusty roads traveled a carriage drawn by several horses. The four passengers aboard were on their way to Shadowland, a kingdom that had been taken over by a foul villain who had tried to overthrow it. One passenger was a young adult angel who had been invited to join the group and was looking to explore the Unlight. Another was a truly strange boy pushing the definition of existence, with great magical potential. The third was a mighty queen who had recently set her life back on track and had an unfortunate history with the man who had occupied the kingdom. The last was a strong and aged blacksmith who had a score to settle with the aforementioned villain.
“I have to ask, Mr. Schindewolf, what makes Milosh such a dastardly man? Aside from the obvious” Gabriella questioned.
“Many things, lass,” Barna replied. “He’s a liar, a swindler, and a cheat. Milosh couldn’t even win an eating contest against an infant if he tried. He’s the type that tried to eliminate the competition rather than bettering himself. Prior to his expulsion from The Iron City, he had a habit of stealing and nicking off other people’s work and convincing beggars that he was some kind of guru that would solve all of their problems.”
“Goodness. What culminated in the expulsion, if I may ask further?”
“Well at first he kept a low profile. It was a sort of ‘don’t deliberately walk into a bear trap’ kind of situation. This changed when he had the brilliant idea to move right across from the Raynots. I knew something was up when Radovan came by asking for information on Milosh, given my past encounters with him. Eventually things escalated to a point where his grace couldn’t stand that rat’s scheming and petitioned the king to have him expelled. That day is a bit infamous given that that is also the day Dunja here left us in what came to be known as The Schism.”
Gabriella looked over to her in an inquisitive manner. “Your majesty?”
Dunja sighed. “Yeah, arguably my worst moment possible. I’m still trying to find a silver lining to it all…”
“Well hey, it led to Blood-Wraith’s birth and him discovering me, didn’t it?” Aureolus put forth.
“You know what? Yeah, there is that.” This made Aureolus happy. Dunja then turned back to Gabriella. “If you’re wondering about my experiences with Milosh, he’s a filthy worm. Creepy, perverted, and changes his ideology on the fly.”
“My mother mentioned that last bit when I was at Blood-Wraith’s house. How bad was it?”
Dunja had a smile that indicated vindication. “Well, first he tried saying that everyone was important, because of course. Then it changed to we-me and the blades-were the most important beings. Then his story was that he was a reincarnated god…” Dunja was taking delight in the incredulous looks she was receiving from Gabriella and Aureolus. “And finally he got on about this nonsense that everything needed to be centralized in our hands, that we needed to control everything and lead the helpless masses to a glorious future where no one starves and everybody is a hunter by night or some cockamamie bullshit like that. And of course, everyone had to work for the greater good which was his excuse to be a lazy pig. Adding insult to injury, he was never consistent, which made leadership borderline impossible with him around.”
Aureolus was confused. “Controlling everything? The greater good? What? How does any of that make sense? What does that even accomplish besides making a mockery of the Cosmos and depriving everyone of their ability to live as intended? Give me a second…” He then performed a simple alchemical transmutation that created a rock in his hand. “This is mine, I just created it. I don’t mind giving it to someone if they need it, but that is my choice to make. If I say no, then oh well. That person needs to get their own rock.”
“And it’s not hard to do given how many rocks are out there, ha” Barna pointed out. The carriage then hit a big rock, causing it to jolt upwards a little. “Ow! Blasted Unlight certainly has an ironic sense of humor…” he remarked as he neatened his short, blonde hair while the others chuckled.
Gabriella nodded in agreement, resuming the conversation. “You’re both correct in your assessments. I’ve learned about and witnessed this mindset Dunja described. It always ends up being a foot in the door for oppressive tyranny by those too cowardly to stand up and face life head on, like they are supposed to. Many try to pray to us angels for help, but more often than not these issues are self-correcting. These people find the strength to cast off their oppressors and lead their society in the right direction.”
“Self-correcting… funny how that works out,” Dunja remarked.
Barna gave a slight chuckle. “I’d dare assume you and Val deal with those kind of ne’er-do-wells on the regular in your universe, aye Gabriella?”
“Unfortunately,” she lamented. “Curiously, Dunja, what was your stance on basic human freedoms under Milosh?”
She gave her a mildly incredulous look of critique. “I was under Milosh, sweetie?”
Gabriella giggled. “My apologies…”
“Don’t worry about it, dear. I hate to admit it, but one of the first things we did was take away the right to speak by outlawing speech critical of us. Of course this was Milosh’s idea, as I find that letting people speak their minds keeps them quiet, but I digress. You should’ve seen that little weasel-he started this nonsense by saying we needed to be sensitive about people’s feelings, which he used to crowbar in nonsense about how the Shadowlandians were a threat to us! US. You know, the ones with all sorts of powerful magic?”
Gabriella tut-tutted. “That’s how all authoritarians start when they try to take people’s rights away. Make it sound like you’re doing it for the greater good and slowly turn up the heat. Outlawing dissent is the epitome of a weak regime that can be toppled at any moment…”
Dunja snickered. “Do tell, dear…”
Gabriella laughed. “Right, I keep forgetting you were there first hand.”
Barna quietly sighed and shook his head in disgust at what was being described. Truthfully he wanted to take a good jab at outsiders, but held his tongue. He did not want to offend Gabriella. Despite being apprehensive about her tagging along, her mother, Valentina, had been insistent on her daughter going to Shadowland with them. Given the Dark Angel’s bond with Blood-Wraith, Barna had no reason to doubt her. The leery blacksmith looked out the window of the carriage as it pressed on. Things were starting to get a bit mountainous, indicating they were at the halfway point.
“Oh! Dunja, we’re approaching Dead Man’s Pass proper” he pointed out.
“Right! Driver? Can we stop at the upcoming fork in the road?
“Sure thing, your majesty.”
The group got out once the carriage came to a full stop. One road was clear, but the other was blocked off by a strange barrier that twisted and warped with various colors. “Well this brings back memories” Dunja said regretfully.
“What’s going on here?” Gabriella asked as she brushed her long, brown hair aside.
Dunja drew one of her whip blades, leaving it unactivated. “It’s a spell I erected to keep The Iron City out. And now…” she plunged the sword into the barrier. It began cracking like glass, shattering as she twisted her weapon like a key. “... it’s gone,” she proudly declared as she blew some of her lilac-colored hair out of her face. This elicited applause from the others.
“So how do we tell the lads back home about this?” Barna wondered.
The group thought for a couple of minutes until the silence was broken by the shrill call of a bird. Looking up, the group saw what looked like an owl flying towards them. “Turi!?” Dunja cried as she moved into position, holding up her arm like a perch. The owl landed, hooted, and began rubbing his head against Dunja’s face. “Turi! My poor baby, I missed you so much! I’m so sorry…”
Gabriella chuckled. “This is your owl I take it?”
“Yes yes! He left me after the schism and I’ve been worried sick about him ever since…” Turi continued to rub up against Dunja as she scratched behind his ears. He resembled a great horned owl with metallic, black and white feathers.
“Well I’ll be…” Barna said as he also gave Turi some scratches. “I was wondering where Turi went. Ha, he was probably off hiding, waiting for you to return to us.”
“Turi, I know we just got back together and… ow! Quit nibbling my fingers!” The others chuckled, getting the impression this playful behaviour was common. “...We need your help. Can you take a message back to Englehart? It’s very important” Dunja requested as she finished scratching his head, with Turi replying with an enthusiastic hoot in confirmation. The driver then gave her a pen and paper, allowing her to write down the message. Once it was ready, Dunja gave it to her owl. “Thank you, Turi. Don’t worry, I promise I’ll be back home soon.”
Aureolus was amazed as Turi took off and vanished into the horizon, his feathers gleaming in the daytime light. “Whoa, cool! I want a bird of my own!”
Barna laughed. “Are you sure my boy? Birds like that are quite the responsibility.”
Thinking about it, Aureolus pondered the idea for a minute. Did he have the patience for a familiar? “Hm… yes. I’ll even get Blood one too…maybe, I don’t know about that one. He’s a bit busy after all.”
Barna laughed once more. “Alright then. It never hurts to have a messenger bird. Sten should have control of the aviary back by now, so we’ll see what’s there” He replied as they all got back into the carriage.
Once on the way again, something that had been bothering Gabriella popped back into her mind. “Barna, may I ask you a question?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“I’ve noticed that, well, you seem to have a specific attitude towards certain individuals, particularly from outside the Unlight. Is this because of past encounters or solely Milosh?”
This was a bit awkward for Barna. “Well, yes… Milosh that is. I uh… well you see, Milosh is a bit of a special case, and not in a good way.”
“I see… but am I to understand that your friends, Claudius and Weaver, are also outsiders?”
“Yes? What are you getting at?”
“Well I’ve overheard that you are suggesting that The Iron City closes its doors to outsiders for several decades…”
Dunja gave him a mildly incredulous look. “Yeah, about that-how do you plan to do that, Barna? That seems a bit overboard… and going over our heads. I don’t mind people visiting the Iron City… and I dealt with Milosh for how many years?”
“Well no, I’m not saying they can’t visit, I’m just suggesting they don’t move in until we get back on our feet…”
“That better be quick then, because me and Blood are starting the guild soon” Aureolus reminded him. “I can guarantee we’ll have to let outsiders in at some point.”
“Boy, that’s to be expected,” Barna rebuked. “I’ll trust them if they go through that much discipline…”
“So there’s a requirement for your trust?” Gabriella questioned. She was starting to get a little self-conscious, but was not quite done yet.
“Argh! No, that’s not what I’m saying…”
“Barna, I get that you’re worried and I fully understand your concern-but not all outsiders are bad. More individuals such as Milosh exist, no doubt about it. They aren’t the norm, however. Some outsiders can be truly enriching and will go on to spread the good word about you when they return to their people…”
He let out an exasperated sigh. “Look, I’m not dull: You, Valentina, Claudius, and Weaver are good people, some I’d even trust with my life. It’s just that me and my brother are still recovering from the schism and the great hunt. I’d just like some time to get my head on straight…” Barna then noticed the carriage was getting close to Shadowland, a perfect chance to change the subject. “We’ll finish this later. We’re getting close to our destination and we probably should discuss that.”
Gabriella relaxed in her seat. “Fair enough, Mr. Schindewolf.”
Dunja softly shook her head. “Well if that’s the case, don’t worry about any shadow constructs. With the shadow orb gone, Torunn probably went into overdrive destroying them.”
“So who do we have to worry about then?” Aureolus asked.
“Milosh’s cultists, or The Followers of The Eternal Church…”
Now Gabriella was confused. “That was the best name he could come up with?”
Dunja groaned. “I know, right? Me and Andelin knew it was a bad idea from the start, but Milosh had Gratiana’s support. Apparently it’s actually supposed to be called ‘The Eternal Order,’ derived from The Thundering Order of ancient Feuerland. The Arlotti family were fairly involved with it from what Gratiana has told me, so you can imagine why she would be okay with it.”
Barna could sense Dunja’s lingering regret. “Past actions aside, I’m not worried about Milosh’s mooks. Your blades and the church itself are my chief concern.”
“Yeah, I know how you feel about the former. Andelin shouldn’t be a problem…” For some reason that caused a chill to run down her spine. “I hope… but Gratiana? Oh boy. First things first: we track down Torunn.”
“Agreed.”
“And Aureolus? You’re going to like Torunn, I can guarantee it” Dunja said with a wink.
“Nice,” he replied. “I mean, she already sounds cool, but I’ll take your word for it.”
Barna nodded. “You wouldn’t be faulted for thinking she was hewn from the side of a mountain, haha. Now when we get to Shadowland, we’ll be met by Claudius and Weaver. Presumably we’ll also run into Allan and Folkvar not too long afterwards. They’ll take us to see Sten, where we can finally iron out a plan of attack.”
“Alright, I’m eager to meet his highness, Folkvar!” Aureolus said with enthusiasm. “And his majesty, King Sten.”
Dunja immediately felt a knot shoot into her throat. “Yeah, haha, that…”
Gabriella turned to her. “What’s the matter?” She asked.
“Aside from everything? I need to get on my hands and knees and apologize thoroughly to Folkvar…”
“I take it there’s an elephant in the room?” Gabriella questioned.
“Aye,” Barna answered. “You could say that. I wouldn’t worry, Dunja. The lad may be a bit sore from the whole ‘Darkborne’ incident, but I’ve never known him to hold a grudge.”
She exhaled with worry in her voice. “Here’s hoping you’re right…”
Next: Chapter 2
ULTRAMagic Alternate © 2022 William Ford II (ChaoticTempleKnight)
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