Abducted by an Evil Sorcerer [M4M] [Fantasy] [Threats] [Kidnapping]

Transcript

Where have you checked so far? Not the mess made it to the upper floor. Good.

There's every nook and cranny. And please, be careful. This is the home of arcane coppers, after all.

You wouldn't be surprised if they set out a trap or two in case I'm stupid. And I can't waste my time deactivating everything for you. Yes, anyone you find are to bring to the main hall.

One of them has got to be the master arcanist. The others will be his apprentices, too. Life serves well enough for the faint.

Why are you hesitating? Don't be afraid of them. They can't cast spells on you.

Only create the framework for them. Hurry up and continue this journey. One day, I'll get my hands on better disciplined soldiers.

Oh, is this a library? Well, I think I'll just collect some of the notes and research materials here before they trample them to bits. Oh my, what detailed work.

I do feel a bit guilty for spoiling the center of study with our little battle. It can be hard to direct my magic towards a more productive use, and destruction is so second nature. Well, I'll be solving that problem soon.

As soon as I find that slippery arcanist. What a commotion. Did you find him? Oh, is that.

.. No. This one must be an apprentice.

They're much too young to be him. Bring them to the main hall anyway, like I said. Not that I know what he looks like, exactly.

Departed from the public before I had my chance to meet him. It's been strange, only knowing someone by the legacy they leave behind. Well, under the circumstances, best not get my expectations too high.

Well, under the circumstances, best not get my expectations too high. What? Haven't found him yet.

Hmm, well then, I have an idea. Come, follow me. Hmm, if I could have the attention of everyone in this residence for a moment.

This message is meant for the master arcanist who reigns here. And who is even now eluding my soldiers. Don't be too afraid, I haven't found your hiding place yet.

I am only projecting my voice to these castle walls, in hopes that my message will reach you. I hope you are listening carefully. I apologize for ruining your retirement.

And I do apologize for the destruction I've already brought to your beautiful abode. But it's you I'm after. And if it gets me closer to you, I will gladly suffer some more collateral damage.

Oh, please understand that I have little time before the soldiers of this kingdom are alerted to my mass presence here. So, here's the deal, arcanist. Your apprentices and colleague are being rounded up as we speak.

Come to the main hall and surrender yourself to my soldiers. Then they will be harmed. If you don't, oh, I'll have these innocents hacked to ribbons.

Are we clear? Let's go. Oh, I should have done this from the beginning.

So much time could have been saved. Not to mention all the doors that we had to break open. Ah well, my mistake.

Men, seize him. I want him on his knees. That's it.

There. So, this is the master arcanist of Oak Ridge? Of which I've read so much about.

At least, I hope that you are he. You do somewhat match the description I was given. And I can think of no other reason for you to be wearing those senior clothes.

Ah, good. I'm an admirer of your work. So, you've heard of me as well.

So, you've heard of me as well. That makes me very happy somehow. Then I won't bother with this hood.

Yes, you recognize me, don't you? My, I must be getting awfully notorious around here. Let me make a proper introduction though, just to be polite.

I am Rupian, the court mage of this southern kingdom. And it is a true pleasure to meet you, master arcanist. Well, as you have probably heard, I'm no one's court mage anymore.

But I don't think I'm quite used to being called a mage king yet either. Oh, there are great many things that I want from you, my sweet. Let's begin.

Mages and arcanists have a strange kinship, don't they? A mage can have all the magical potential in the world. But without an arcane crafter to make and maintain their spells, they would fail.

And it has more complex than setting a house on fire. Don't ask me why that was the first example I came up with. Hmm, do you smell something burning? Oh, but at the same time, an arcanist could paint symbols on any object all day.

And it wouldn't make a difference if someone like me wasn't there to imbue it with energy. We are two parts of the engine that move magic through our world, after all. The force and the shape that harness it.

Now, that I've struck out on my own, I have plans for these kingdoms and the corrupt kings that lead them. I already have the magical force to carry my ambitions out. But I do need the best hands to harness it.

I need you. So, you. ..

Ah, ah, ah, ah! Careful! What did you think? If I got close enough, you could take a swing at me? Hold him still.

You'd rather die, you say? Oh. I wouldn't kill you, arcanist.

That would be such a terrible waste. I would run through all my options before it came to this. I would kill you.

That would be such a terrible waste. I would run through all my options before it came to that. For example, I could ask these good men of mine to start killing your students here, as I had promised before.

Would you like that? Would you like it even more if I were to make you watch? If you don't like that idea, how about I tell you a story? Back when I was serving my old king, he was always asking for me to show off my magic to him.

Something he liked to do when he was in a very particular mood was have his guard bring a prisoner from the dungeon into his court. He would have the prisoner sat before me, and then he asked me to make them entertain him and his guests. Now, my old arcanist was never very good.

Why else would I be here, after all? But I made do with my own brute force methods. Oh, how I could make those poor creatures scream with my magic.

Roasting them, freezing them in increments. Summoning a cloak of thorns for their weary bodies. Or even something as simple as applying pressure, bit by bit, second after second.

Slowly crushing their limbs, or playing with their insides as they beg me to stop. Those are the kinds of things his majesty enjoyed. But there was a spell I myself enjoyed.

One that I used to reach deep into them. To coil through their heart and take out their deepest, most personal nightmares. That's one I would love to try on you.

I think you would scream loud enough once we get started. So please, refuse me once more, so I may demonstrate it. No? Well, in that case, I think you had better cooperate, so I'm not tempted again.

Oh, sorry. You're useless to me. Well, what a curious thing to say.

I mean, I already explained all this stuff to you about the engine and the. .. What? An accident.

What kind of accident? What do you mean you can't see the lines anymore? Let me see your face.

Hold still. I know, I know, I frightened you earlier. But settle down.

I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to take a look. I see it now, yeah.

So your right eye is completely blind. I always wondered why you retired from crafting so suddenly. What happened? You never tried to have it fixed? You managed alright with it.

That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard an arcanist say. Were you just afraid to go under the knife? What was the real reason?