The Homecoming 145.

Magic Battle...

Invisible, whilst standing upon the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic.
Palvarc the dark druid looks up at a tower on a corner of the keep that his magical staff is pointing to.
The spellcaster who is the advisor to baron Harkonin, narrows his eyelids and waits.
Then he slams up some wards as his staff jerks down in his hands, pointing down at the roof he's standing on.
The dark druid assumes his magical opponent is now upon the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic, as he is.
Baron Harkonin's advisor is correct in his assessment. There is indeed another practitioner of magic on the roof of the largest keep in the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
Blurred and shielded as he stands upon the central keep of castle Lé Dic.
Helbe the elven thief looks to where he can sense the dark druid Palvarc. Who is just over sixty feet from him.
Upon the right shoulder of the young elven noble, is the ground pixie who is attached to him, Narladene.
The tiny winged creature is quietly informing him what the spellcaster from the Harkonin fief, who she can clearly see, is doing.
The elven magic user slightly nods his hooded head as he listens to the naturally magical creature whisper to him that baron Harkonin's advisor is more or less pointing his staff at the elven masterthief.
The elven master assassin from the island principality of Laerel grins as he contemplates what he'll do.
Hoping that it will stroke the ego of the dark druid from the fief across the border to the east.
The elven princeling figures it probably will, considering he will give away a slight advantage he has over the spellcaster who serves as the personal advisor to baron Raevar Harkonin.
The dark druid Palvarc's staff keeps fairly steady, continuing to point at where an invisible spellcaster is standing opposite the personal advisor of the head of the Harkonin family.
Then suddenly he blinks in surprise as a figure appears about sixty feet from him, here on the roof of the central keep of the massive castle that's been the home to the Lé Dic family for centuries.
The dark druid immediately recognises the figure on the roof of the central keep. As the spellcaster who he ran into earlier today. In the west of the Lé Dic fief.
And as the figure in the white hooded cloak stands there, looking in this direction.
Palvarc wonders why he made himself visible. Considering the dark druid can't sense what the fellow on the roof of the main keep of castle Lé Dic with him, is up to.
Well, aren't we sure of oneself, Palvarc the dark druid thinks to himself as he looks across the roof to where the other spellcaster stands.
The advisor to baron Harkonin sees that whoever it is, they're elven. As he's just able to make out the sharp features of their face.
So he knows that his opponent here on the top of the central keep of castle Lé Dic, is probably way older than him, and more than likely way more experienced than him magically.
That doesn't mean they're more powerful than i am, the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east thinks to himself, who then wonders why the other spellcaster is just standing there, looking in his direction. He gets his answer just a few moments later.
"Show yourself druid" calls out Helbe the elven thief in the common language, the elven magic user then adds "I know you're there, so no use hiding".
Baron Harkonin's advisor who can't even sense the elven spellcaster standing about sixty feet from him, who he can clearly see now, and who his staff is pointing at.
Waits a moment as he contemplates what the figure in the white hooded cloak just said.
Then realising he might have more of an advantage if he drops a spell, which is obviously ineffective since the elf knows he's here. The dark druid from the Harkonin fief becomes visible, strengthening his wards as he does so.
Seeing baron Harkonin's advisor become visible. The young elven noble from the principality of Laerel slightly nods his head, and glances at Narladene who is on his right shoulder.
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel wonders if the staff the dark druid has, that's pointing this way. Is pointing at him, or it's actually pointing at the ground pixie who is attached to him.
The elven princeling has a sneaking suspicion that it's actually pointing at Narladene now. As he figures that the captured pixie within the magical staff, sees her as the greater threat. Which is infact correct.
The elven master assassin wonders if baron Harkonin's advisor knows this. He rather doubts it. As any spellcaster who uses a magical item like that staff, that has a naturally magical creature held prisoner in it.
Is only concerned about themselves and the obvious threats they see against them.
After dropping his invisibility spell, Palvarc the dark druid, whose staff is pointing at the elf in the white hooded cloak across on the west side of the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic.
Is silent for a few moments, then he calls out "Where's the baron?".
"He's around somewhere" is the reply of prince Helbenthril Raendril who briefly pauses before adding "Don't worry, he's still alive" the elven masterthief continues with "Unlike those poor villagers in the west of the fief you killed earlier today".
Palvarc slightly smiles at that, the memory of the quick sacrifices he made in the underground druid's circle in the west of the Lé Dic fief before midday.
Though the dark druid isn't completely sure the elf is telling the truth about the baron. He sees no reason why he would lie about something like that.
"So why have you kept him alive?" calls out the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east.
"So his enemies, the lady Linara and sir Percavelle Lé Dic can put him to death" is the reply from the young elven noble who knows exactly what he's going to do "After they defeat his army of course" adds the elven magic user.
Glancing away to his left towards the south wall parapet of castle Lé Dic. Palvarc sees the defenders of the massive castle fighting the baron's men upon the battlements.
Then the dark druid, who is part of a conspiracy to spread the old ways throughout the kingdom of Druvic, making not just the druidic way, but the dark druids beliefs popular again throughout the kingdom.
Lifts an eyebrow, then calls out "That's not very likely to happen" Palvarc continues with "There's less and less Lé Dic soldiers upon the battlements as the day wears on. My baron's men are gaining sections of the south and east walls at ease now" the spellcaster from the Harkonin fief then adds "It won't be long before there's too many of them on the battlements, and in the castle. That the Lé Dic army, will have to surrender or face being wiped out".
"That's what you think" calls out the elven princeling from the island of Laerel, that lies far away to the south, off the west coast of the Southlands, the elven magic user then silently adds, but what are you actually thinking of now?
The young elven noble, who like all elves, dislikes druids, and their form of worship and beliefs. Knows that baron Harkonin's advisor already knows that he's casting. As his staff is warning him that he is.
After all the elven magic user's shield spell, that doesn't allow to him to be sensed, is up at the moment. So are his wards, both protection and barrier spells.
But the elven master archer wonders if baron Harkonin's advisor knows the specific spells the elven princeling is casting. He rather doubts it, as the pixie captured within the dark druid's magical staff wouldn't be able to tell him.
It probably just gives him a feeling through the staff of someone else casting that's a threat to Palvarc. So one more spell cast by the elven magic user won't be much of a difference, or if any at all.
Helbe the elven thief reads the mind of Palvarc the dark druid as the two of them stand upon the roof of the central keep of the massive castle that's been the home to the nobleborn Lé Dic family for generations.
Nope, I'm not going to do that, nor am i going to do that, i won't do that either, or that too, the elven masterthief thinks to himself as he reads the mind of the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east.
Ah so that's why you didn't attack the castle yourself, prince Helbenthril Raendril thinks to himself, the highly talented elven spellcaster then sourly adds, because your stupid fucking auguries told you that the baron's attack upon the castle would fail if you did.
Slightly shaking his hooded head in disgust at that, the young elven noble who is the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel, murmurs in the elven language to Narladene "Get ready".
The ground pixie who is on the right shoulder of the elven master assassin she's attached to, and who is invisible to the dark druid on the eastern side of the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic.
Nods her tiny head that's she ready. As the two of them have already spoken about what they'll do when the elven princeling would confront baron Harkonin's advisor when they returned to castle Lé Dic.
The elven magic user sourly smiles as the dark druid strengthens his wards. In particular his protection spell, so that the young elven noble is no longer able to penetrate them and read his mind.
Palvarc who got a brief warning from his staff, usually to do with spellcasting. Which the elven magic user is already doing. Increased the strength of his barrier and protection spells.
Then calls out to the tall, lean figure standing on the west side of the roof of the central keep "You might as well hand the baron back".
"No that's alright, I'm pretty sure he deserves to be executed" calls back the elven master archer as he waits for the dark druid to act.
"Well it's your death then" loudly says the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east.
"Well about that" calls out prince Helbenthril Raendril, who continues with "If i die, you'll never find the baron. I'm pretty certain he'll be long dead before he's found".
That might be a possibility, Palvarc thinks to himself, who then silently adds, but i'll find out where he is before i kill you.
The advisor to baron Raevar Harkonin then calls out to the elven spellcaster "Think what you like, but that's never going to happen".
"Like you attacking this castle right?" says the nobleborn elf from the principality of Laerel, who then adds "It's never going to happen".
How does he know that? the dark druid thinks to himself, who after briefly pausing, silently adds, probably guessed most likely, since i haven't actually attacked the castle at all.
The spellcaster from the Harkonin fief slightly steps forward, and keeping his staff leveled and pointing directly at the elven magic user on the western side of roof of the main keep of castle Lé Dic.
He then calls out "Last chance, tell me where the baron is" followed by "If not, you'll die".
Let's see about that then, Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself, whose power of foresight earlier this morning, told him that he would die if he directly confronted baron Harkonin's advisor.
It's why he hasn't done it today at all. Instead having Shur Kee the monk earlier in the day directly confront the dark druid.
And he doesn't plan on doing it now, here on top of the roof of the central keep, here in the middle of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
The highly talented elven magic user waits. And he doesn't have to wait long after baron Harkonin's advisor takes a step forward.
For Narladene the ground pixie quickly whispers to him "Now".
The young elven noble who is the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel. Magically leaps forward towards the dark druid Palvarc, who an instant later activates his magical staff.
A beam of dark green energy shoots from the point of the staff at the leaping elven master assassin. Who in mid air, magically turns into a dozen of himself, all leaping towards the advisor to baron Harkonin.
Palvarc's eyes open wide in surprise as his target turns from one to a dozen. As he could never imagine any spellcaster could make that many lifelike illusions of themselves
The beam shot from the end of his staff goes through one of elven spellcasters, and continues on into the sky to the west.
Then suddenly his staff jerks upright and back in his hands. Almost whacking him in the face. As if it's trying to point directly at him.
That indeed, is exactly what it's trying to do.
The dark druid cries out in pain as there's suddenly an awful searing feeling of pain in his left eye.
He lets go of his staff with one hand, and goes to clutch at his left eye with the other.
After pulling her tiny sword out of the left eye of baron Harkonin's advisor. A rather devilish looking grin appears on the beautiful looking face of Narladene the ground pixie.
Who sees the elven magic user she's attached to, land about thirty feet to the right of where the dark druid is staggering back, groaning in pain.
The elven princeling was the fifth figure in that direction. He keeps the other greater illusions he's created up.
So that the disoriented spellcaster from the Harkonin fief, who is now blind in one eye. Spins around trying to figure out which of the elves in the white hooded cloaks is the real one.
While his staff is still upright, pointing to where Narladene, the real threat to him, is hovering near his head.
With your eye suddenly blind, and you're in a lot of pain. You kind of don't think that clearly.
And as his magical staff continues to point upright at the ground pixie that's invisible to him.
He hauls it down, points it at another of the elven magics users in the white hooded cloaks. And shoots off a beam of dark green energy at it.
The tiny winged creature, who like all of her kind. Is immune to spells easily passes through the wards of Palvarc the dark druid again. And once again she stabs her sword, which though is small. Just a two and half inches or so in length, is incredibly sharp.
"Aaaahhhh!" screams Palvarc in pain as he drops his staff, and grabs at his right eye now. The advisor to baron Harkonin who is now completely blind.
Goes to grab at his belt, where he has a healing potion. He yelps in pain, as something awfully sharp goes into that hand.
Then the dark druid, who still has his wits enough to keep his wards up. Hears the elf away to his right, say to him "You might as well give up, because this is not going to end well for you if you keep trying".
"Damn you" mutters Palvarc, who goes to cast a spell in the direction he hears the elven magic user. Even though it's a struggle for him to cast more than two spells at once. Not to mention he's now blind.
The spellcaster from the Harkonin fief doesn't even get the chance to cast. As he suddenly feels pain in his already blinded right eye. Then across his face, down to his mouth, which feels like it's been sliced open as his mouth fills with blood.
Then he howls in pain, as something is jabbed into his left ear.
His left eardrum bursts, and he drops to his knees, with blood running down his face, and out of one ear.
The advisor to baron Harkonin tries to clutch for his staff that he dropped. But he moans in pain as something stabs him in the left hand.
Helbe the elven thief looks at the dark druid kneeling upon the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic, with a bloody and ruined face.
The elven magic user looks at the grinning ground pixie hovering next to the head of baron Harkonin's advisor and quietly says in elven to her "Finish it".
Palvarc the dark druid suddenly hears a distinctly female voice say into his right ear, his good ear "This is for that staff, and who you've got trapped in there".
Narladene the ground pixie then stabs her tiny sword into the throat of the badly disfigured, and blinded dark druid.
With her being so small, just four inches in length and not particularly strong. Even with her extremely sharp sword. It takes her a while to slit open the throat of Palvarc the dark druid, and kill him . . . . . .