The Demon Lord And His Hero

Now that Artemus was back safe and whole, Sebastian's worries were laid to rest, or so he thought. Fresh concerns assailed him when Magnus and Lucien finally arrived, looking grim and hurried. The latter slipped off the panther's back and visually assessed Artemus' well being.

"Mu-mu, I'm glad to see you in one piece but we have to leave now. I'll explain everything after we put some distance between us and this forest."

The others didn't have to be told twice. They were out and moving towards the nearest gate to the path. After exiting about a hundred kilometres from the forest, Lucien finally told the group about who they met. Sebastian had plenty of questions about who Traxdart was and why he had spared them at Lucien's request.

"Now isn't the time, Sebastian. I'll tell you when we're somewhere safer," the redhead had answered.

Sebastian had known that the brothers were hiding secrets from them but he'd respected their secrecy. It wasn't his business sticking his nose in their personal matters. Now, it had changed. Their lives were in danger and he deserved to know what was going on.

_____

Instead of going straight home, the group went in the opposite direction to find Rowan.

The anti mage was currently at the Isle of clear water, a place where rain was ubiquitous all year round. Artemus knew that the blond was involved in some kind of rebellion that was taking place there. Rowan had no business meddling in the politics of a kingdom so far away from Sigil but Artemus trusted that the blond had his reasons for doing so.

Before getting to the Isle, the group made a stop at a village so that some rest could be had. Artemus and Alka were both exhausted since they were the only two who could open the gates. The plant mage had spent himself completely and could no longer open another gate. Artemus had some energy to spare for continued travel but the decision to rest was wiser for the long run.

"Innkeeper, we need five rooms," Sebastian told the middle-aged man who had been roused by the knocking on his door so early in the morning.

"We only got three rooms, sire." The innkeeper had a solemn demeanour and tired wrinkles on his morose face.

"Fine. We'll have to make do with three," Sebastian replied. He and Artemus would take one room while Lucien and Alka could share rooms with Akida and Magnus. Abigail would of course sleep on an extra bed in their room since she was attached to Artemus and asked for him every time she opened her eyes. Sebastian wasn't heartless but he wished he could have the room alone with his anti mage. A part of him even worried about Abigail's future. She was orphaned by the ghoul attack so what was Artemus planning to do with her? He looked at his weary anti mage who appeared far from the perfectly groomed self that he always presented.

"Akida, you wanna share a room?" Alka asked the avian.

"Fine by me."

Magnus and Lucien glanced at each other. It wasn't like they hadn't been sleeping together already.

Sebastian took care of the payment while the others were led to their rooms. There were still a few hours left before twilight but Lucien wasn't sleepy at all. His mind whirled from all the thoughts it kept generating about the prophecy.

When he slammed the door shut and turned around, Magnus was already taking off his rain-soaked shirt. Lucien had taken fresh clothing from Alka's bag and desperately wanted a bath but the innkeeper had told them that they didn't provide in-room tubs. He had to wash up at the well behind the inn.

"Where are you going?" Magnus asked Lucien.

"To the well. I'm muddy and wet. Can't go to bed like this."

"I'll come with you then. I smell like rotting leaves and musty soil."

____

Lucien was grateful for having good eyesight because the clouds were back, shrouding the moon's glow so that darkness prevailed in the inn's small courtyard.

Magnus didn't seem to have any trouble of his own either.

"There."

Lucien saw the dark silhouette of the well and began walking towards it. A wooden bucket attached to a rope was sitting beside the well. The redhead lifted the bucket and threw it into the well.

"That's weird," Magnus said to Lucien when they heard a sound that was anything but a splash. It sounded like the bucket had hit something solid.

They both looked at each other and then bent over the well to peer inside but the darkness was overwhelming.

"Can you throw in some fire?"

"Yeah. Pull the bucket out first."

After Lucien took the bucket out, Magnus set a strip of his shirt on fire. He threw the rolled up piece of the shirt down the well and for a brief second, they both saw a purple and white thing floating in the water. It was the object that the bucket had impacted against.

"No," Lucien immediately said to Magnus. "We don't have time for this. Let's go to bed."

The fire mage grabbed Lucien's arm as he was walking away.

"Someone's head is inside the well, Lulu."

"And that's none of our business, Magnus."

"I know. But-"

"What do you want us to do? Investigate it?" As far as Lucien was concerned, they had bigger things to worry about, like getting away from Traxdart and finding Rowan as soon as possible. Artemus already had a letter written and sealed for the Sanguine. It was slated to be delivered by a bird at the next stop.

"No. But it seems callous to just pretend we didn't see it."

Lucien sighed because Magnus was right.

"Do you want me to talk to the head then?" He asked. If the kill was fresh then there was a chance that Lucien could pick its brain for information. An older kill would require an elaborate ritual that the redhead wasn't prepared to conduct at such short notice.

"I don't think it's possible since the head looked like it was cut off close to the chin. No neck, no vocal cords."

"So what now?"

"We wake up the innkeeper."

____

Ten minutes later, a deeply frowning Sebastian was at the well, listening to the innkeeper's heartbroken sobbing. They'd taken out the head and the innkeeper had identified it as that of his teenage son.

"Do you know who might have done it?" Artemus asked the crying man.

Cradling his son's head tenderly, the man nodded and closed his eyes.

"Who did it?" Lucien asked. "And why?"

"Sire, it would do you no good to know this," he said after composing himself. "Your stay has been disturbed by the death of my son. Please be on your way as soon as you can. It's for your own good."

Lucien had half a mind to agree with the innkeeper and go to sleep. But it was only right that they try and help the man if it was in their power to do so.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Artemus gently said to the grieving man. "Tell us what's going on. We may be able to help you catch the person who murdered your son."