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Part 1

It was lightning and raining heavily.

The loud, incessant tapping of the drops on the roof tiles was only drowned out by the distant rumble of thunder.

Right on the side of the road, at a crossroads near the border between Brunen and the Cardíz Empire, there it stood: the small tavern, far away from any larger town or inhabited village.

It was extremely popular with travellers as it was the last opportunity to stock up on supplies, enjoy a cold beer or sleep in a real bed before crossing the border to the east.

That evening, the tavern was particularly busy, as many travelers wanted to seek shelter from the approaching storm, which had been announced by the rain and thunderstorm.

However, hardly any of the visitors were in the mood to celebrate.

Almost everyone entered the tavern soaked and with muddy boots.

But the innkeeper didn’t mind; travelers often stopped by to seek shelter from the rain and storms.

He stood behind the bar and instructed his daughter, a young girl of just fourteen, to tap more beer for the guests, while his wife stood at the fireplace and cooked mushroom soup.

There was an unpleasant atmosphere in the inn.

Each guest tried to avoid eye contact with the others.

They pushed the countless travel bags they were carrying under the tables with their legs for fear of being robbed.

There was a conflict not far from them.

Soldiers were already stationed at the borders of the two great empires.

Neither side has yet provoked open combat or even war, but many people have already left their homes out of fear and migrated westward alone or with their families.

After news of the fire at St. Tristanius Church spread, residents feared that the situation at the border might soon become more tense than it already was.

The king announced that this was a cowardly attack on the faith of all the people of Brunen, caused by an old enemy.

Even though he did not announce it officially, everyone knew that he was indirectly blaming the Cardíz empire.

Ultimately, no one among the common people knew what had really happened that evening.

The fear of war was clearly visible on the travelers’ faces.

Children clung to their mothers’ skirts and looked around in fear.

They were frightened. Every guest was frightened when there was a loud noise coming from a corner.

“Damn it!” yelled a young man with dark, tousled hair in a worn blue tunic. “Where’s my beer?”

The innkeeper’s daughter flinched as she was filling a jug under the tap.

“For God’s sake, just watch!” came a loud voice from the corner.

With shaking hands, the girl turned around and walked carefully around the counter.

Sweat ran down her forehead as she walked toward the young man’s table.

He looked at her darkly.

The beer in her hands sloshed from left to right in the mug as she carefully placed one foot in front of the other.

She was afraid of the man. It was clearly noticeable.

He looked like a crazy tramp who you didn’t want to get too close to.

“What’s going on now? Do you want the beer to get warm?” the young man asked venomously, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms in front of his chest.

The girl became more nervous with every step. The beer was already spilling over the edge.

The impatient guest became increasingly angry and tensed his upper arms.

Then it happened. The young girl slipped on the muddy floor and landed with a thud on the parquet floor.

She had to watch as the beer from the mug mixed with the black mush and seeped into the cracks in the wooden floor.

Inside she shuddered, but outwardly she was frozen.

The girl heard the young man get up from his seat and throw his chair to the side.

“Are you stupid?” he grumbled, spreading the fingers of his right hand. Blue flames began to flare up in it. “I’m going to give you a good scolding.”

The innkeeper came out from behind the counter, excited, followed by his frightened wife. “Please, sir, I’m really sorry. I’ll bring you a new beer right away, but please don’t hurt my daughter!” he begged.

The young man looked at him angrily.

“If you can’t teach your child manners, then I guess I’ll have to,” he snapped.

The guests in the tavern all looked away. None of them dared to utter a sound.

The flame in the young man’s hand flared up wildly. “Stand up, otherwise it will only be more unpleasant for you.”

Tears ran down the girl’s nose and cheeks. She still couldn’t move. Her eyes were wide open, she didn’t even dare to blink.

A soft whimper escaped her mouth, expecting a terrible pain to come over her at any moment.

The dissatisfied guest gritted his teeth. The corners of his mouth turned into a malicious grin. His expression seemed crazy.

Suddenly the door of the inn slammed open and everyone’s eyes wandered towards her.

Rain and wet leaves were blown inside. The wind whistled through the bar.

The storm had already intensified, so that the entire entrance area was flooded with rain.

The guests looked spellbound at the man who entered the tavern wrapped in a black cloak.

His boots made a dull sound as they hit the musty wooden floor.

The young man waved his right hand in the air, and the flame, which had previously flickered threateningly, went out.

He watched with interest as the man closed the door behind him and walked towards him.

The young man looked down at the girl.

“Go away already,” he said annoyed.

The girl didn’t need to be asked twice. She grabbed the fallen jug and jumped up. She ran into her parents’ arms, whining.

The young man put his chair back up and sat down with a relaxed posture.

The dull sound of wet boots on the wooden floor echoed through the restaurant.

“You must be Rikard,” said the hot-tempered young man, pointing to the empty seat opposite him. “I almost thought you wouldn’t show up at all. I don’t like being kept waiting. Make a mental note of that.”

The stranger sat down. Water dripped from his cloak as he let the hood fall back.

The wrinkled face of an old man appeared.

“So you are Valentin Gillis,” he said in a hoarse voice. “Forgive me for being late. The storm delayed me.”

“I don’t care at all,” the young man grumbled. “You’ve wasted my time.”

“I promise you that this meeting will pay off for you. I have a generous offer for you,” the old man promised, wiping his wet face.

“Your offer must be really good. My services are not cheap, you must know that, old man. But looking at you, I doubt you have anything to offer me.”

“You were an aspiring student at the Magic Academy, weren’t you?” Rikard asked, blinking.

“I was, but what are you getting at? – Are we just here to talk? – What a waste of my valuable time.”

“Of course not,” the old man interjected. “I’m certainly not here to waste your time. But I still wonder why the grandson of a former member of the Magic Council was thrown out of the Academy.”

Valentin Gillis groaned loudly and rolled his ice-blue eyes. “I’m tired of this question. What do I have to do with my grandfather? – Are you trying to convince me that I’m a disgrace to my family? – Well, unfortunately you’re a little too late. Others have already told me that. Valentin Gillis, the disgrace of the entire family. Are you happy now, old man?”

Rikard ran his hand over the white stubble on his chin. “It is not my place. I am here on my master’s orders.”

»And what does he want from me?«

“Before you had to leave the academy, you learned some forbidden spells.”

Valentin laughed. “And your master wants me to teach him.”

“Not at all,” replied the old man. “My master wants to help you develop your skills even further.”

The young wizard spread his fingers again and let a blue flame dance in his hand. “I don’t think your master can teach me anything more.”

Rikard raised one of his bushy eyebrows and blew out the flame with an icy breath.

The wizard’s fingers became stiff and ached as if he had spent the night in freezing cold.

“How did you do that?” he asked angrily.

“Your sleight of hand may intimidate these fools, but not me,” said the old man.

The guests in the tavern were silent. None of them wanted to attract attention. No one dared to stand up, even though the mood was depressed. They were afraid and stayed out of the matter.

“You are also a magician,” noted Valentin, examining the old man carefully. “Interesting.”

“I am. But that is not the topic. My master has been watching your career and would like to get to know you.”

The young man leaned back in his chair. “He would like to meet me?”

“You have great talent, but talent alone does not make you a master.”

“To a master?” asked Valentin suspiciously.

A convulsive grin appeared on Rikard’s face. “I’m talking about unlimited power. Powers that no wizard has ever imagined. Powers that no wizard could ever attain.”

“If no one can obtain it, how will your master help me and why should he do it? What does he demand in return?”

Rikard looked at Valentin mischievously. “Master Rowan has been working on this for decades. He is a pioneer in his field and has acquired ancient knowledge. This enables him to give you that power. He only wants one thing in return. One thing with which you can directly test your newly acquired skills. There are a few people who are after my master’s head. You are to eliminate them for him.”

“And that’s all he wants? There has to be some catch?”

“Well,” Rikard replied, “there is a certain risk. As mentioned, Master Rowan has been working on this for decades and has had to endure many failures. But now he has found the key to infinite power. But for that he needs someone like you. Someone whose magical abilities can withstand the procedure.”

“Procedure. Are we talking about a curse or a black ritual?”

“No, no, it’s something completely different. It has little to do with magic, but your body must be able to withstand it.”

“So I could die doing this?”

“The chances are very low. Think of it more like having an ulcer removed. The chances of recovery are very high, but there is still a small risk that an infection could occur. Nothing in life is free, you know that.”

“Hmm,” Valentine thoughtfully ran a hand through his shaggy mane. “Unlimited power, you say?”

“Unlimited power.”

The young wizard held out his hand. “I will meet with your master. The offer is indeed very tempting.”

Without batting an eyelid, Rikard accepted the handshake. “You won’t regret it,” he replied happily.

___________________________

Further west, in the highlands of Rabensberg, there was no sign of a storm.

Leuven’s covered wagon rumbled along the uneven country road, while the mare expressed her displeasure by swinging her head wildly from side to side and snorting loudly through her nostrils.

The young merchant sat on the coach box, wrapped in his thick blanket. Only his head and his shaking hands, which were holding the reins, were visible. He was moaning and complaining. “Of course that counts!” he complained.

“You’re wrong,” replied the half-demon coldly, climbing through the opening in the tarpaulin and sitting next to the young man on the coach box. “If one can even speak of a rescue, then in this case it would be thanks to Ida.”

Ida, the mare, neighed as if to agree with Evan.

“And who led them through the alleys?” Leuven asked, raising an eyebrow presumptuously.

“You certainly didn’t. You never had them under control. I’m wondering how you managed to lead them to Rabensberg. Although, with all that noise, I couldn’t sleep a wink either,” Evan replied, turning his face away.

His eyes fell on the road. The sandy path was lined with ruts, caused by the wheels of many wagons that passed through this area. But one thing bothered him.

“We haven’t seen another cart for over a day, and this is the way north. You’d think the roads would be busier. Are you sure we’re not lost?”

“Of course I’m sure!” snorted the young man next to him. “Besides, don’t try to change the subject. I saved your life, so we’re even.”

“Even?” Evan asked in surprise, grimacing. “I saved your life three times. How can you call it even?”

“Three times? I think that Eldári really messed with your head. It certainly wasn’t three times,” snorted the merchant.

“First the Karraks. They would have eaten you alive. At least if they hadn’t ripped out your intestines for fun. Then I took you to Haren Castle. You would have starved miserably in the wilderness, and last but not least I took out Hintz. So that’s three times. I’m not even counting the rescue from the city guards who almost arrested you.”

“Nonsense!” shouted Leuven. “I’ll let the Karraks get away with it, but not the other two times. I would have found something to eat, and the story with Hintz, if we hadn’t gone to the castle, we would never have met him. Besides, he was after the prince and his wife. So I was never in any danger.”

“Not at all,” Evan objected. “The Hintz would have killed everyone in the castle, without exception, and I stopped him.”

Leuven looked at the half-demon, irritated. “Yes, but if you hadn’t been there to stop him, then I wouldn’t have been there either and would have been out of danger.”

»Doesn’t change the fact.«

“The fact is, you saved my life once and I saved your life once. That makes us even.”

“No. If anything, Ida saved my life.”

Once again the mare neighed in agreement.

The young merchant shook his curly mane with the embroidered beret.

It was obvious that he did not share his companion’s opinion at all. “Oh, this discussion is nonsense. Arguing with a half-demon is like trying to teach your dog not to shit in the house. The only difference is that the dog learns at some point.”

Evan yawned loudly. “I’ve been saying that for two days, but you keep bringing it up.”

“But of course it’s my fault now. How could I be so presumptuous as to portray the half-demon as the culprit? It was stupid Leuven again.”

The mocking words left the half-demon cold. He looked back at the road and clicked his tongue. “I’m really not sure if we’re on the right track.”

“Oh my God,” the young merchant groaned and rolled his eyes. “If you don’t believe me, just look at the map yourself.”

“If I knew where she was, I would do that too!”

“Where could it be? Move a little and I’ll give it to you.”

A war of words broke out between the two. They slid wildly back and forth on the coach box, causing the cart to wobble.

“No, not there!” Leuven complained.

“That’s where you pointed!” Evan replied.

Before their argument could escalate into a scuffle, a loud hissing sound, followed by a dull thud, interrupted them.

Ida stopped abruptly and heaved her massive body into the air, neighing loudly. Evan and Leuven almost fell off the coach box.

“For the love of God, what’s going on?” asked a frightened Leuven, looking around wildly as Ida stampeded her hooves back onto the path.

Only a moment had passed before Evan climbed down from the cart.

“I hate it when you do that,” groaned the young merchant.

A puddle of blood and entrails spread out before them. In the middle of it, almost unrecognizable, was an arm, a leg and the remains of a torso.

“Damn it. What’s going on on Brunen’s streets? There are always corpses lying in the way,” Leuven complained, and this time he also climbed down from the coach box. He moved towards his companion, who held out an arm in defence.

“You’d better stay where you are,” he said seriously. “That must have been something pretty dangerous.”

“Your nose is simply brilliant. How did you come up with that?”

Even these mocking words could not irritate the half-demon. He kept his serious expression.

His gaze wandered to the sky. It was clear. Hardly a cloud was to be seen.

“Where the hell did that come from? It didn’t just fall out of the sky.”

The half-demon tried to see something in the blue sky, pricking up his ears and concentrating, but nothing. There was nothing to hear, nothing to see, and he didn’t sense the presence of anything evil.

He examined the human remains that were scattered on the street.

“Male, that’s clear. But the age can no longer be determined. Wait, what is that?”

“What is what?”

“Don’t ask stupid questions. What does that look like to you?” The half-demon pointed to a piece of flesh in the pool of blood.

Leuven tilted his head and thought for a moment. “Looks like an arm.”

“Brilliant, you sleuth. I mean those cuts on your arm. Could be from claws.”

The young businessman shook from head to toe. “Don’t you dare say that it must be something big.”

Evan looked at him soberly. “Judging by the tracks.”

Then he looked up at the sky again. “But something big that can fly? We should have noticed that.”

“I have a theory!” Leuven raised his index finger. “What if he was simply thrown far?”

“Please what?”

“Yes, maybe it was a giant who was practicing throwing with the poor guy.”

Evan shook his head in dismay. “Don’t talk nonsense. Bring me the map instead. Maybe there’s a village nearby where we can ask around.”

“You really want to know why he fell from the sky? That’s none of our business. Besides, we wanted to go north in a straight line. You’re the one who keeps stressing how important it is that you find this Roland.”

“Rowan,” snapped the half-demon, “now just bring me that damn map.”

“Yes, yes. Suddenly I’m good enough for you.” Leuven put his hands on his hips and trotted over to the cart. It only took him a moment to find the map in question.

Evan sighed and looked after him. “At least I trust you to bring me this damn map.”

“I appreciate your eloquence,” said the merchant, handing him the map with an angry look. “But you still need to work on your aggression.”

The half-demon bared his teeth. He forcefully grabbed the map and rolled it out in his hands.

His eyes moved quickly from one point to another on the tattered paper.

“We’re here,” he whispered, looking further. “There’s a small village. Not an hour away from here.”

Evan rolled up the map again and pressed it roughly into Leuven’s hand. “Let’s go.”

“Suddenly we have to hurry again,” the young merchant gasped, looking at the human remains floating in a red-brown soup of blood and innards. “But I agree with you. There’s nothing keeping me here.”

He quickly followed Evan into the wagon and urged the mare on.

“Which way do I go?” he asked his companion.

“Follow the road northeast. Then we’ll pass through the village of Garven,” Evan replied.

The merchant nodded as the cart began to move.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

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