The Forgotten Ceremony

Underneath the moonlit night, in a seemingly eternal fog over the massive body of water known as Takaea, Frederick and Sebastian rode together in the millennium dawn. As per tradition, it was riding at dawn to go straight to Portsmouth, located in a large marsh on the other side, which while still in the kingdom of Juskaya, was almost bordering the nearby Kingdom of Halfall.

Not many ships would ever travel to Portsmouth. However, this ship was different. The Millennium Dawn, previously the ship captained by the legendary FlameFists, had been turned into a vessel for transporting prisoners systematically to other kingdoms that were more prepared to deal with criminals.

In this case, it was dark magic. A ship with such a legendary status would only do work that was deemed important. In this case, the most important job of all. Making sure that those who were deemed as the worst criminals to ever walk the earth were safely executed with no interference of any sort.

Frederick and Sebastian were well aware of their predicament. They stood in a corner below deck, as they had been forced to do, and tried to wrap their brains around the magnitude of their situation. They were now wanted internationally and were sailing directly to their death.

Frederick looked around at the dimly lit walls and sighed. The scene was almost more depressing than what was happening itself. His eyes kept being drawn to the knight who guarded the stairs, his eyes watching over them like a hawk waiting to swoop down and make a kill.

He also realized that the knight at the stairs was not the only person keeping guard. As he squinted his eyes, he could just make out the light of eyes hidden in the shadows. There were at least three other guards down below the deck with them, watching from the darkness. He sighed.

He mumbled under his breath in annoyance to Sebastian, who was also standing nearby, leaning on some crates. "If we're to die, I'd prefer they hurry the process up. I hate suspense." Sebastian nodded his agreement to his friend as he wondered if there was any sort of way out of this mess.

Deep down, Sebastian felt a sense of guilt weighing on his conscience that he couldn't silence. He had been the one to use the dark arts after all. Frederick had only been caught as an assistant, an accomplice. But even assisting a dark arts user is punishable by death. The Red Cross made sure of that.

Deep down, the two of them knew the laws against the dark arts were bullshit. At least, that was what they believed. Dark magic could do great harm, but it could also do great good if utilized correctly. Sebastian felt the Red Cross should understand that better than anyone, so he could never understand why it had been banned. But, nevertheless, his questions would have to wait for another time. If there was even another time.

Frederick noticed the peril that was overcoming Sebastian and tried to reassure him. "You didn't do anything wrong. Anyone with admirable morals would have done the same, no questions asked." Sebastian wasn't sure, but he found comfort in his friend's words.

Sebastian glanced around, also taking note of the guards before replying to Frederick. "If we're to die in this mess, I'm so sorry for getting you involved as I have, my best friend." Frederick looked surprised at the apology but eventually shook his head.

"Don't apologize. You know better than anybody that the ban on the dark arts is utter blasphemy. If pursuing the truth and my beliefs are considered crimes, then I would willingly be a criminal, dear friend."

They exchanged a glance of appreciation with one another as they sat in silence together. Sebastian knew Frederick would always say it wasn't his fault, and maybe he was right. But for now, Sebastian couldn't help but believe it to be true. One's truth is subjective, after all. That's what he liked to tell himself.

The old wooden ship creaked and shuttered as the wind raged on, howling in the night like an animal. Frederick shuddered, knowing all it would take was a single collapse for everybody on board to be drowned in the cold, unforgiving sea just below them.

"There isn't one singular thing you can do to help us, Sebastian? No magic for this one, huh?" Frederick inquired with a hint of desperation coating his voice. He looked around at all of the men and women in cells underneath the deck. He silently thanked the Gods that they had been fortunate enough to be gathered after the ship was already out of cells. That's why they were leaning on the side of the boat, as everyone watched them so intently. Their haul of prisoners this time was clearly much bigger than normal.

Sebastian shook his head with a sigh, as he also couldn't help but be grateful they weren't in a cell. It at least gave them a chance if the boat went under. Or a chance at escape. "If I try to cast a spell, they'll rip me to shreds before I can even begin. We have no choice but to wait for Portsmouth." Frederick bit his lip in anger at hearing his friend's words.

"Escape isn't gonna make its way to us, you know! We have to be the ones to make our escape. I will not sit here idly while we slowly arrive at the doorsteps of death!" Frederick whispered angrily as he tried to rip the bindings that were keeping his hands bound.

As strong as he was after many years of being a hired blade, a mercenary, he couldn't get the binds to break, which he supposed shouldn't have been very surprising. Unfortunately, the guards had all witnessed what he was attempting, and the knight from the stairwell raced over before Frederick couldn't even understand what was happening.

Sebastian watched as his friend was thrown to the ground in a primal fury and stomped repeatedly, blood shooting out of his nose. The knight's face was not visible to Sebastian under the heavy warrior's helmet he wore, but Sebastian was certain the knight was smiling.

Sebastian held back the rage, threatening to explode in his chest as the knight continued to relentlessly attack Frederick. This wasn't an encounter Sebastian wanted involved in. It took everything he had not to defend his friend and worsened things for both of them, but he managed.

By the time the knight was finished, Frederick was a bloody mess on the floor, seemingly unable to stand on his own anymore. His nose was broken, and Sebastian could tell at first glance. The knight towered over Frederick in a seemingly sadistic display of power. Sebastian could feel the knight's desire to finish him off, but he knew he couldn't.

The knight snarled. "You're lucky, punk, that knight code believes death is a write of passage that should be done in a proper manner if possible. Even if I disagree, I'm bound to follow. If it were my choice, this bloody floor would be your final resting place."

The knight glared over at Sebastian, and he felt his chest tighten. Would he be next? But the knight only stared at him before eventually speaking. "I understand the two of you arrived here together. Well, if you also want to be made into an example, try casting a spell. Then we would have the authority to kill you, you filthy little warlock."

Sebastian scowled at the knight. He heard several brave voices booing the knight from their cells behind him, to which the knight immediately walked past Sebastian and approached them. "Unless all of you want your hands taken as souvenirs, I suggest you check yourselves."

The silence immediately grew thick enough that it was uncomfortable. The silence was only broken by Frederick struggling to breathe and coughing as tears streamed down his face. He began to struggle to his feet once more. The knight looked at him and laughed but said nothing.

As Frederick rose, the knight walked past him and towards the stairs once again, clearly done with them. Sebastian glared intensely at the knight as he kept walking, back turned to them. His focus was broken when he heard the soft weeps of Frederick next to him.

"Sebastian, my face. My nose is broken, isn't it? How ugly am I now? Do you think it will ever heal?" Sebastian's heart grew heavy, hearing his friend so pained. It wasn't usual for somebody like him, but he could understand why.

He spoke to Frederick, gently as possible, knowing there would be no easy way for him to hear it. "Frederick, my dear friend, I am not one for the sugarcoats or false sense of hope. Your nose is fixable, but it's never going to look the same again." Frederick continued to weep quietly next to him.

Eventually, he tried to compose himself enough to look at his friend, but all the hope had left him. "Thank you for the honesty, Sebastian. This is why you're the best friend I could have ever had. I'm sorry that we're both going to die today, I wish it wasn't so."

Frederick fought the instinctual urge to grab his nose because of the pain. He knew that was only going to make it hurt worse, and he could no longer breathe well from the nose. But he knew eventually he would need his nose to quit bleeding, so he pinched his nostrils shut and held in his screams of pain.

Sebastian's strong suit had never been comfort, and he held in his anger at himself for not knowing what to say. His friend needed him. What kind of friend didn't know how to help? Eventually, he sighed and just said the first thing that came to mind.

"We are not going to die today. It's too early to give up hope. I understand how you're feeling, Sebastian. They may batter your body and scar you, but don't let them scar your spirit. That is how you truly lose the battle."

Frederick wished he could agree with Sebastian just this once. But the Red Cross wanted them dead. There was no way they would be able to survive. It seemed naive to have hope at a time like this. He knew Sebastian said it from a good place and meant well, but he couldn't feel better just because of his friend this time.

Sebastian knew what he said hadn't made his friend feel better. All he could do was sit there in silence as Frederick slowly managed to compose himself. Eventually, he spoke to Frederick once more. "I'm sorry that I have no clue what to say, Frederick. I'm terrible at these things. But it's all going to be alright. Once we get to Portsmouth, we absolutely are going to slip away. I promise."

This time, though, Sebastian's words did reach Frederick. He looked at Sebastian in surprise. His friend was never certain of anything like that. As much as Frederick wanted to believe this was the end, he felt a growing sensation throughout his being. Hope? He couldn't say, but seeing the look in his friend's eyes told him everything he needed to hear. It was only over if they let it end.

Frederick very, very carefully wiped his tears, careful not to touch his nose, though the bindings made that much harder. He nodded at Sebastian, realizing he was right after all. He was important. He was going to do great things. He couldn't let his story end here, not like this. Not being hung or beheaded in Portsmouth. Not anywhere.

The sudden fire in his eyes made Sebastian smile at his friend as much as he could anyway. Before he could realize it, his mind was in a far and distant place. He was remembering the time he had spent with Frederick, Julius, and Amira back in Azmarinth. Thankfully, the two of them hadn't been caught. They were all in this together.

He remembered his fondest memory of them together. It was a few hours after Julius had been accepted as a Paladin and came home to Azmarinth to see them, with his new suit and status. The four of them had so much fun together that night. They walked all around Azmarinth, they danced, they sang, and spent the entire night together, something they usually didn't have time to do.

He remembered it warmly but was snapped back to reality by the cracking of a whip. His eyes darkened, and his heart dropped as he remembered his current reality, as he watched a cloaked man whipping a prisoner who was bound to the wall. He screamed in agony, only to be whipped again.

Frederick realized this man didn't seem like any of the other guards on the ship. He seemed like a straight torturer instead of some sort of guard. He focused on whatever sound may be coming from that side of the ship and tried to make them out over the loud creaking of the wooden floors.

"I'll keep whipping until you answer me, you dirty little smuggler. Where have you hidden the seafarer's chalice?" He demanded, as his whip connected with the man's already raw torso, as he bellowed in agony once more.

"I... Already told you! I'm not telling you shit!" The man struggled between his raspy and shaky breaths. The hooded figure sighed, making a tsk tsk sound as he pulled a surgical knife from his pockets and held it up to his own face to look at it.

He finished examining the blade and spoke softly. "You know, if you're going to die anyways, I guess there isn't any harm in roughing you up, right?"

The cloaked man walked closer again, surgical knife in hand as the man cried and pleaded, begging him for mercy. He was shown none. Frederick watched in horror as the fingers on the man's left hand were methodically cut off one by one, all while he screamed in bloodcurdling agony, begging for mercy.

The torturer made no note of the screaming and sliced the last finger as if he was preparing carrots. The idea of fingers being sliced like carrots made Sebastian specifically feel ill to his stomach. He wasn't sure he'd ever look at carrots the same again.

Sebastian tried to hold in his emotions, but seeing the man bound to the wall in his pitiful state, he couldn't help but begin to weep and despair over the cruelty. The desperation of the man. Sebastian didn't think anyone deserved this, regardless of what had been done.

"Now, I'll ask you once more. Where the hell is the Seafarer's Chalice? Your life is forfeit. Wouldn't you rather live your last moments in as much comfort as you can?" The torturer asked the man again, as blood from his chopped fingers dripped down the wall they were bound to.

The man cried and sobbed, still begging for mercy repeatedly. Frederick looked at him with undying sympathy. This torture was about wearing him down and breaking his spirit, not slowly killing him. He heard a sigh, and the torturer raised the blade again.

Before he could continue with whatever he was about to do, the man gathered the strength and courage to speak once more. He rasped and struggled, his voice shakily forming a coherent sentence.

"An illegitimate band of savages is all the Red Cross is. Every single one of you shall be condemned to eternal darkness! The seafarer's chalice doesn't belong to you, you bastards!" The torturer looked at him, amused.

He humored the man by speaking more with him. "I am indeed a member of the Red Cross. A high-ranking one at that. The Red Cross is in control of this entire ship, you know. Illegitimate savages? Maybe that's what a rogue would describe us as. Have you ever self reflected?" Frederick bristled in anger as he continued listening. Sebastian listened blankly.

"Our band of'illegitimate savages' is bringing order to the world whether you people want it or not. Most terminally ill patients won't accept that there is a problem until it comes to affect them heavily enough it can no longer be denied. Waiting won't make the problem less real. We, the Red Cross, will fix this ill world before it is too late. This is the will of Destrasitas."

Frederick had heard enough and stopped listening. Sebastian suddenly grew fascinated with the conversation at the mention of Destrasitas. He knew that the Red Cross worshiped the God of the Underforge, Destrasitas, but, was this his will? Sebastian was suddenly very curious.

The hooded man continued. "Destrasitas hates soul magic? We banned soul magic. Simple as that. Destrasitas will liberate us and free all of us believers from the shackles of society. Dark art users will not be allowed to ascend with us. Neither will anybody else who doesn't give their full life to the cause."

Sebastian had long known the Red Cross was essentially a religious cult, but this helped show it and paint the truth of the situation. They were to be killed because a God didn't approve of the magic he had used. Splendid. Frederick continued to tone them out. However, he couldn't tone out the screams of the man whose fingers were once again being chopped. His heart felt like it had been shot, having to listen and hear such horrifying screams.

The torturer laughed at the man's peril and simply asked him once more. "Where is the Seafarer's Chalice?". When he didn't receive an answer, the whole process began again, but this time, instead of fingers, he began to chop away at his ankles. Not enough to remove his feet, but enough to warn him of what's to come if he doesn't confess.

As the man endured more and more torture, Sebastian felt queasy to his stomach. And as much as he tried not to, he couldn't help but vomit at the horrendous sight of what was happening. Frederick glanced at Sebastian in alarm and patted him on the back. "Sebastian, stop watching. They aren't speaking now anyways, you're not missing anything." Frederick advised, and Sebastian decided to listen. It wasn't worth paying attention anymore.

They collectively tried to get their mind off the screaming that they were hearing, and we're only partially successful. Frederick, in his desperation, chose to strike a conversation instead. He lowered his voice, knowing they shouldn't be discussing this.

"So, Sebastian, do you have a plan for us to escape once we arrive?" Frederick asked his friend, hoping for something concrete. Sebastian shrugged his shoulders, which wasn't exactly reassuring to him.

Sebastian replied eventually after, seeming to give it some thought. "Nothing, that's a guarantee, though I do have an idea. Whether they try to hang out or behead us, I should have time for a singular spell...." Frederick was intrigued and waited for Sebastian to continue. But, he didn't.

Frederick was about to ask him why he stopped talking, but then he followed Sebastian's view and realized. He was staring directly at a figure in the darkness across from them. Entirely cloaked and shrouded by the darkness except for their eyes that seemed to reach through and pierce into Sebastian's soul, as if daring him to continue.

Sebastian sighed as he still didn't look away, not blinking. Whoever it was would have to blink eventually, and he didn't want to be first. That would be submitting, and that was something he would not be doing. Not to whoever this was. Eventually, the eyes blink, and the person disappeared entirely when they blinked, never to appear again.

This put Frederick on edge. He couldn't tell if they had seriously disappeared or were just hidden better than they had been before. Either way, he definitely didn't think continuing their conversation was safe anymore. The person in the shadows could have been listening in this whole time if they were unlucky.

Sebastian quickly looked around, realizing that he now knew what to look for. Eyes. Everybody guarding them were clearly masters of stealth, and it was providing him quite the ample amount of anxiety. Thankfully, he only saw one other pair in the darkness, and it wasn't near him.

He looked back at the original spot one more time before concluding the person had teleported, not slipped away into the shadows more than before. Sebastian continued. "If I have time to cast an ash spell, I can create an ash cloud which will blind everyone. We can use it to escape!"

Frederick was surprised to hear him say it aloud. For all Frederick could tell, that person could have still been listening, but he also trusted Sebastian to not get them caught or found out, so he whispered a response. "I'm glad your magic turned out so useful in the end, Sebastian. You may end up a lifesaver after all, so don't be so hard on yourself."

Sebastian bit his lip. Undoubtedly, Frederick was talking about the reason he had first begun to use the dark arts to begin with. It was only 2 weeks ago that one of his best friends had been torn to pieces by ogres. Laura. He has been unable to cope with the loss and decided to turn to soul magic in a desperate attempt to save her.

There is no sorcerer in all of recorded history able to bring the dead back to life. Yet, through his experiments with the dark arts, Sebastian learned something interesting. While no one else possessed the ability, he did. Even if Laura's corpse only managed to rise for a few moments before falling, it proved he had the potential. Even if that potential was to have him executed.

"Frederick.... Don't say I'm a lifesaver before my magic has actually saved anyone. As it stands, my magic is the reason we're going to be killed." Sebastian mused, remembering what the ogres did to Laura, as intense sadness and hatred bubbled inside his chest like burning lava.

Laura had gone to collect herbs before she accidentally stumbled into the pack of ogres. When she didn't come back for an entire day, Sebastian and his friends knew something was wrong. Their investigations eventually brought them to her mangled and torn body lying in the woods. That day, Sebastian vowed revenge no matter the cost. Laura deserved vengeance.

Frederick shifted slightly to grab a chair that was underneath a nearby table. He used his foot to pull it over to him before sitting down. This would help him preserve what little amount of energy he had left. He softly spoke to Sebastian. "I suppose you're right, but regardless... Your magic is a blessing, not a curse."

Frederick was always so eager to make others happy. Sebastian couldn't help but sigh at it, but he still smiled. Frederick was very good at making him feel better. He didn't do anything out of the ordinary. It was just because he was being himself. Because he was being Frederick.

More screams erupted from the man being tortured. Sebastian flinched at the sounds he heard but tried not to take note. Frederick was in horrible pain, but he realized, at least he wasn't being tortured. He used that fact to provide what little comfort he could.

Before either of them could tell what was going on, they heard a loud commotion above the deck. Frederick focused his ears and could just make out the captain's voice, shouting out, "Portsmouth up ahead, everybody!". Frederick wasn't sure to be excited or alarmed. Sebastian was still struggling to hear what was happening.

Frederick struggled back up to his feet, expecting that in moments, they would be getting transported into the city. "The captain said that Portsmouth is right up ahead, Sebastian." He whispered as the crew above them cheered with joy, drowning out his voice.

It didn't stop Sebastian from hearing him, however. His heart lurched, realizing how close they were already to their destination. As he pictured Portsmouth, the oldest city in Juskaya, as he had seen it in his history books, his stomach growled.

Not due to the architecture, of course. But the two of them had not been fed since the journey began. He had no clue how long that had been, but he had fallen asleep several times, so it was likely a great period. Frederick noticed the stomach growl and sighed as he held his own stomach.

"Perhaps depriving us of food and keeping us weak is how they intend to stop any prisoner from running away." Frederick proposed as he heard the captain's voice once again. "Everybody, prepare to move the prisoners!" It was at that moment that Frederick realized that the ship was no longer moving. They had come to a stop.

The knight that was perched at the stairs raised his voice. "You two, the ones without cages! Get over here. You're up first. That way, we don't have to worry about leaving you behind, of course." Sebastian was weary of doing as he was told, but he knew he had no choice. They slowly approached the man, Frederick , specifically, looking a little fearful after what had happened.

The knight laughed slightly, seeing the look in Frederick's eyes. Sebastian glared intently but quickly stopped realizing that was a good way to be next on the list of prisoners to hurt. The Knight also noticed Sebastian and scoffed. "Good thinking, Warlock. Even if you possess some fancy soul magic, you aren't immune to a beat down."

They all began walking up the stairs, guarded closely by the knight escorting them, and two men with spears pointed to each of their backs. The tips of the spears dug into their backs, causing pain and discomfort, but they couldn't show it in fear of what else may happen to them if they did.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs and walking out onto the deck, they were greeted with the bellow of the captain from the wheel of the Ship. "Well, if it isn't our two prized prisoners! Ah yes, you two are something special. Maybe this time I'll earn 6 figures instead, eh?"

Unfortunately for them, the captain was right. Nobody in history had managed to raise the dead. So when the Red Cross figured out what Sebastian had managed to do, there was a heavy priority placed onto the two of them. Sebastian, by no means, was an expert wizard. He just possessed a gift.

Soul magic was as the name stated. Magic that affected the soul. It was banned due to its incredible power, but Sebastian had found out he possessed a power that was one of a kind even among soul magic users. It was the ability to command the soul directly.

He didn't know what other kinds of soul magic was out there since it had all been banned, but he knew what he possessed was special. With Laura, he had reached out and placed a hand on her forehead. It had been experimental, and he hadn't expected it to work, but he had been reading a book on soul magic.

Since the body was the vessel for the soul, the two were intertwined with one another. He had focused hard and commanded her soul. Return. That was the only word he spoke, and for a few moments, her soul did, in fact, return. He knew he had the potential for more, but he hadn't grasped it yet. The Red Cross knew that, too. They sought to eliminate him quickly before he rose to become a real threat later.

The crew aboard the ship looked at them in fascination and hatred. Everybody on board was a powerful supporter of the Red Cross. Frederick sighed. He hated these people. He could see two of the smaller crew members who seemed to be the ones who operated the sails, gathering a plank and throwing it over the side to connect with the port.

"Get a move on, everybody! We've got a big haul and not the time to match it, I've got places to be!" The captain ordered as Frederick and Sebastian were pushed forward towards the planks by spearpoint. Despite the gravity and importance of their current situation, Frederick couldn't help but admire the city before him.

The architecture was beautiful. Compared to the newly done stone buildings he had in his hometown Azmarinth, these buildings were made of refined wood among other various things. You could definitely tell this town was older than most of the others.

Though, he realized that maybe the city hadn't been overhauled in its structures at all because of its location. It definitely wasn't an easy place to get to. Even if you were in the kingdom from the beginning, you were not traveling overseas.

Sebastian and Frederick stepped into port, as the spears in their backs still threateningly warned them of what would happen if they quit walking forwards. The ports at least were new looking. The paths were cheap, which was expected, but the port itself was made of stone, only wood where it extended over the water.

Sebastian admired the architecture, but it wasn't new to him. As an intellectual, he spent a lot of time reading, and how could he avoid the glamor and beauty of reading about Portsmouth? Though he hadn't seen it, he already knew exactly what to expect.

"Ay, thank you for your service! We can take it from here!" A short man with a powerful accent said as the spearmen nodded and turned back around, heading towards the ship. The short man approached them and signaled for someone to follow him.

Frederick manages to spot several guards and remove themselves from the crowds that were swarming the port and come over. Every single one was dressed from head to toe in chainmail armor. There were 7 guards approaching them. He gulped in anticipation and fear.

Sebastian, more than fear, was taking notice of the crowds. These people all were staring at them. It seems the average person was already well aware of who they were and why they were being hunted, which would not make escaping easy. He could hear them whispering too. He wondered what it was about. But, surely about them.

The shorter man, who also was not armored, beckoned for the guards and the now captured Frederick and Sebastian to follow him. Everyone did as they were instructed as they walked the winding dirt paths beyond the docks. The city was so.... Old. It didn't look right to Frederick the longer he stared at it.

As they walked through the center of town around a giant fountain of a man holding a fish, the townsfolk began to glare at them and give them dirty looks. It became very apparent that their presence here in Portsmouth was not wanted. Nevertheless, they kept walking with the guards until they made it to their destination, and Fredericks heart skipped a beat.

There stood the hangman's noose just up ahead. Every part of Frederick has tensed, realizing he was so close to where he was to die. There was already a crowd waiting for them at the gallows, too. Sebastian was amazed at how quickly the word had spread around town.

"All of you, take these two up to the executioner and accompany him while he does his work. I have business I must go and tend to." The shorter man ordered as he began heading back towards the docks. Frederick was happy he was gone. The man's facial hair was so badly managed that it had been making him uncomfortable the entire time.

The guards walked on all sides of them and brought them closer to the gallows, until after a few of the slowest minutes the two had ever lived, they arrived in front of the gallows. The crowd roared in excitement as they saw that it was finally time for the show to get on the road. The executioner, completely absorbed in his work, hadn't actually noticed their approach. He finished tying the hangman's noose and turned around, realizing it was Frederick and Sebastian.

"Ah, you too. Sebastian and Frederick, was it? Quite the special case, you know..." The Executioner studied them curiously, taking note and mentioning the strong physique of Frederick in specific. "It's a real shame, Frederick. Had you not assisted a user of the Dark Arts, you would have made quite the fine knight."

Frederick snorted. "As if I'd ever want to be a knight. So concerned with their honor, they never realize the truths of the world." The man was surprised by that answer but said nothing. He only nodded in response as he examined Sebastian.

"So, you're the one capable of bringing the dead back to life, huh? I must say... You don't look like the necromancer type." He mused as he shrugged it off. "Oh well, not everybody looks the way they act. Come up to the gallows you two. We can make this as quick as possible."

Sebastian shuddered. He knew the only real reason he was in a hurry was because the crowd was already growing impatient. Their complaints could be heard easily, it was no secret. They did as they were told, however, and followed the man as they all approached the gallows together.

Frederick felt self-conscious because of his nose, but at the moment, that was the least of his concerns. The executioner began to ready the ropes once more and beckoned for Sebastian to come closer. "You're up first, mage. Let's get a move on, I'm a busy man, you know." He ordered Sebastian, but he didn't come any closer.

His heart was racing. He realized if he was going to make his escape, it was now or never. Frederick realized it too and was looking at him expectantly. Sebastian's mind stopped racing as he quickly focused and began to speak the words for his spell.

The guards reacted first, immediately rushing towards Sebastian to prevent him from getting the chance. But they were too far away to make a difference. The executioner noticed too and lunged at Sebastian, thrusting a knife that had been on his belt. But Sebastian was the quickest of all, and before it could connect, he had finished his incantation for burning ash.

Frederick began running, already knowing what to expect. The words of magic were alien to all those who did not know it. However, out of knowing his friend and the situation, he could tell it was burning ash. Sebastian opened his mouth wide and exhaled a large cloud of ash that was also lit aflame.

Immediately, he could hear the choked screaming of the executioner through the ash, knowing that he was probably living his last moments right now. It wasn't a kind thing for Sebastian to do, but in this cutthroat world, it was survival of the fittest above all else. He could faintly hear the screams of the other guards, too.

The strain on his throat from the spell was enormous. It left his throat raw and dry, which caused him to cough and gasp for air, unable to find any in the cloud of chaos he had created. Sebastian could not control which sections of ash were burning, and so all of it did. Including the ash he was in.

Frederick had managed to slip away and get outside of the radius before the fire had appeared, and thankfully, he didn't think anyone had seen him either. He prayed Sebastian would make it out in time, but it seemed unlikely hearing the loud screaming of a crowd he was currently hearing.

Sebastian had limited the radius to just outside where the crowd was, not wanting to kill innocent bystanders, so they were safe, just alarmed. He quickly began to sprint in one direction, desperately trying to escape to air. He could hear the struggles behind him growing distant, when suddenly, he felt something go flying past his head, just barely missing.

As he ran lower, hoping to avoid whatever that had been, he heard the drawstring of a bow being pulled back. Archers! They weren't in the ash, but they were firing into the cloud wherever they heard noise. He wondered if they'd killed anyone that wasn't him at this rate.

An arrow whizzed right overhead, just where he had been before he began to run lower. His eyes widened in fear, realizing how close he just was to his own certain death. Eventually, as his eyes watered and he choked, growing weak to the point he was forced to crawl on all fours from suffocation, he just barely managed to poke his head out of the cloud

He gasped desperately, sucking in all of the air that he could, and coughing out all the smoke he had breathed in by mistake. This sudden intake of oxygen caused him to feel dizzy and nearly faint on the spot, but he managed to cling to consciousness by a thread. He laid there for a moment, unaware of everything around him. Eventually, the confusion faded, and suddenly, he realized what was going on. as he struggled up to his feet, his hunger began adding onto the already fatigued state he was in.

His body was frail. He was not born with a powerful body like Frederick. Just short sprints, as he'd just done, were incredibly trying for him. If there was one thing he was jealous of, it was definitely that. It made him slow. He couldn't help but feel the jealousy in that moment as he ran away as quickly as he could, albeit not very fast.

He was still far too close to the site of the ash to even consider resting. He was still surrounded by houses in Portsmouth. Thanks to his exhaustion, he hadn't even realized until he was sprinting that the flames from the ash had lit fire to the binds around his wrists, burning the binds off.

He looked at his hands in horror as he also realized he had too much adrenaline to realize how severely he had been burned. No wonder he was sluggish. Lots of his skin was blistered, and some of it was purple and falling off. It was not a pretty sight. As soon as he noticed the state of his body, that's when he realized the horrendous pain he was in.

It almost caused him to fall over again, but he managed to remain upright as he kept going. He wondered if Frederick had been spared the burns. He certainly hoped so. He didn't need to wonder for long because he quickly saw Frederick in the tree lines that marked the end of Portsmouth and the start of the Krivele Jungle. There was not a single burn on him, to Sebastian's relief.

Sebastian made it to the tree line, managed a quick wave, before he fell face first into the grass, no longer able to hold himself up. "Hey, are you okay!?" Sebastian heard the panicked voice of Frederick above him, making him smile a little that his friend cared so much. His smile was quickly replaced, though, as he remembered the screams he had heard through the ash.

He slowly gathered the strength to speak to Frederick. "Whether I'm okay is of the most minor importance right now. I'm almost certain that the executioner and every single guard that accompanied us is now dead. And that would mean that I am now a murderer on the run, and you're my accomplice."

Frederick's reaction showed no signs of surprise. He just continued to stare at him with the same worry and care he had before. Sebastian was surprised but spoke again, his voice barely a whisper after the damage it had taken. "I'm a murder... Frederick, I'm a murderer. I...killed them."

Frederick didn't know what to say to this, so he just said what felt appropriate in the moment. "You killed those men in self-defense. They would wrongly execute you for trying to save a life? They weren't executing you for being a 'criminal', they were executing you because they were tyrants. Be proud Sebastian, you protected yourself against the foolishness of the Red Cross on this day."

Sebastian didn't have the strength to argue or to continue to voice his disagreement. Thanks to the magic flowing through his body, there was a good chance that by commanding his soul to mend, he could help reverse the damage. But he couldn't right now, not when he was this beyond exhausted.

Frederick looked at him in sympathy. He decided to add to what he had said previously. "I understand how you're feeling, old friend. But, rest up, we can speak of this at a later date. You need to recover. We can stay right here. I don't think they would've expected you to have made it out either, meaning they are only after me right now. We're in such an obvious spot that they'll breeze past it, thinking we're trying to cross the border already."

Sebastian wanted to mutter his disagreement even worse than before, fearing that their obvious position would be noticed in a heartbeat. But he had a point. Why on earth would someone who avoided execution remain in the same city. Let alone, the same kingdom?

He decided to trust his friend, and within seconds of making the decision, he had fallen unconscious into a deep, heavy slumber. Frederick sat down, leaned against the back of the tree nearby. He was also incredibly tired, but before he could sleep, he wanted to watch out and make sure that there really was nobody on the way.

His hands were still bound, so even if they had been headed towards them, there was nothing he could've done. So, in the end, he decided he also would place some trust in his own decision making, and dozed off right next to Sebastian. They had done it. They had both survived their trial, even if only temporarily.