By Richard LeBlanc
Chapter Four
Enchanter watched as Toymaker and his colleague walked away. The wizard was a red mage - but if he was one of the ones behind the numerous attacks on him as of late - why would he just walk away now? He decided to dismiss it. By the sounds of it - Toymaker had his own fair share of problems.
"Well, that was interesting." Enchanter began. He looked around - but all of the ladies he had been talking with earlier had quickly hurried away while he was dealing with Toymaker. He was going to resume his quest when a large brutish finger poked down on his shoulder. He slowly looked over his shoulder and saw a large ogre looking down at him.
"Wizards no welcome here." the ogre grunted.
"No? Not even me?" he asked curiously. The ogre sneezed and then snarled at him.
"You try cast spell at me?" it snarled.
"Oh - how pleasant - you've been warded. How cute." Enchanter muttered.
"I take you to magistrate." the ogre began.
"What about my good friend? He's a wizard too - why just pick on me?" he asked coyly.
"No other wizard here." the ogre grunted. Enchanter looked around - true to what he said - Toymaker was long gone. He sighed and shook his head.
"I presume this magistrate knows what is going on in this area?" he asked.
"Magistrate know everything. you come." the ogre ordered.
"Yes - me go." Enchanter mocked quietly as he followed the large ogre through the streets. Enchanter looked around the place to see if there was any sign of the little troll he was after. Nothing seemed grab his attention - until a wispy white flag fluttered out from its pole. Enchanter stopped and looked at the way the translucent fabric hypnotically moved with the wind. It was then that he could have sworn that he saw the face of a woman in the flag - but in the blink of an eye - it was gone. He frantically lookd around - but both the flag and the flag pole were gone.
"No stop!" the ogre grunted.
"Where did it go? I saw it - her." he muttered. His mind flashed back - to a time before he had learned of his powers and what he was. He remembered the nightmares - so graphic - so real - and he remembered the soothing face and voice of an almost angelic woman that made them all go away. He could feel his hands shake as he reeentered reality.
"It was her." he added. the ogre nudged him forward. Enchanter's eyes glowed green. rage began to well inside of him. although he usually avoided physical conflict - this time -this ogre had pushed him once too often.
"I..." he began as armor made of thorns coiled around the wizard.
"Have..." he continued as more thorns grew. Enchanter was now bigger than the ogre.
"Had..." he continued as he wound his arm up.
"Enough!" he shouted as a powerful back hand sent the ogre soaring towards the castle in the distance. Enchanter then began to frantically looked around for any sign of what he had just seen - but nothing stood out. He groaned and shed his armor. Seconds later - a dozen ogres were surrounding the wizard.
"Let me guess - You want to take me to the magistrate?" he asked coarsly.
"You come with us." the biggest ogre retorted. Enchanter groaned and motioned for the stupid ogres to lead the way. As he was escorted through the streets - he began to smell the scent of - burnt meat? He also began to see numerous burn marks on the stone roads. It was then that he began to fathome what Mellanie meant when she said that they didn't like wizards here.
"Witch hunters." he muttered. He had dealt with their kind before. When they were hunting in small packs - they were annoying. when they set up root in one place - and had numbers in the hundreds - they became dangerous. White hunters - white wards. He began to wonder if there was yet another wizard that was involved in this little game. He opted to remain silent for the moment.
Just be patient - find out what this Magistrate person knows - and then get the hell away from here. Enchanter thought to himself as they approached two giant doors. Above them - engraved in stone was the phrase - All ye who pass through here shall find justice. Enchanter smirked. he had a feeling that what he and they believed to be justice were two different entities.
"You go in!" an ogre grunted.
"Fine. Don't wait up." Enchanter retorted. he moved his hand towards the huge door. Much to his surprise the doors slowly opened before him. Magic doors - warded place. He would have to be very cautious about this. He took a deep breath and entered the huge castle. as soon as he passed through the doors - they slammed shut. Enchanter looked at his hands and could feel the ties to his power weakening.
"Oh - this is not good at all." he muttered as he looked at the long hall before him.
To be continued...
