COTN House of Genoe Part 6

6. Pursuit

Malech placed the six containers he held at his waist belt on the floor. He can hear the serpents outside the Dome as they assault the magical barrier. He opened each of the container covers and then raised the Oracle over the containers. He chant some spells he knew and soon the containers starts to vibrate. Each of the container then had some mist appearing and its began formed into living shape. Malech finds himself looking at his previous peers that also include his son, Berhan.

"Hello, Sorcerer' and hello to you, Berhan." Malech held out his hands in a friendly gesture. The spectre forms immediately reacted as when they were alive then. They went to their tables and frantically tried to do their potions or spells to counter the coming attack but they find that their incorporeal form does not allowed them to touched anything. Then the realization hits in to their mind, and they all turned to look at the lone sorcerer standing there.

"Yes, you are all dead. But I am not. Not yet anyway. I need your help to get out of this place but first I need to destroy this city. The magical barrier around is weakening. Can we work together?"

All of them except his son lunged at the sorcerer but they seeped through his body.

"Fellow sorcerer' and wizards, please console yourself, that I would avenge your death. First we need to get this city destroyed."

"Malech, our magic is weak. We were just fools to think we can control Seti. Above all, we were fools to believe you."The one who spoke is the only dwarf here. His name is Gelia, one of the great wizards then of the Dwarfs. He is a half the height of Man yet his body frame is as wide but his limbs are shorter than them. What he may lack in height he made up in strength.

"Gelia, he may be working with Seti who is his brother in blood. I doubt his intention is genuine to kill. Maybe he could be working to keep the brother alive." The one who speak is an elf from House of Karen. "Am I not right?"

"Master Corin. I was wondering when you would speak up.I have no time to argue or explain. All six of you cannot control Seti on your own, but together all of you could. Your names were not picked up in random order but based on a selective understanding." Malech explained himself to them. "My son took my place. That was why I come here often. I was teaching my son the finer arts. I was imprisoned by Lord Netsu which created an imbalance."

Malech looked at six of them. They in turn looked away and then Gelia nodded.

"Good. We have a short time. This is what you must do." Malech showed them the list of things he needs. "Show me how to do it. I would do the last. With my son, Berhan."

It took them a day and night to complete the needed potions and spell. He placed the containers on the floor.

"It not for me to asked of your sacrifice after what you did but the war has just started. Your services may be needed for more ahead. Its your choice. If you do not joined, I would lay you with full honor as a peer of mine."

Gelia was the first to slipped back into the container, while the rest followed suit leaving Berhan and Corin.

"I am doing it as I hate to be left out in seeing Seti die without my help." Corin slipped in and there was Berhan.

"Father, its true what Kiring told you but there is no more love in me for her. I want her dead for trying to harm you. I am with you." Berhan slipped in back to the container. There was no time for Malech to speak to his son but his expression if seen by anyone would raised a query like the one in his head.

Malech walked away shaking his head. He picked up the large canvas bag and proceeded to the doorway. He took a deep breath and then picked a potion from the bag. He splashed it on his robe and then opened the door. The serpents ignored him as he walked past them. Thanks to the potion by Corin, the potion make him intangible to the serpent who took on his scent. He walked fast and without stopping. He soon reached the sunken wall and he looked at it. He called up the stairs and walked it up. He reached the top and looked down at the city of Aleria.

He reached into the bag and took out the potion in the large container. He then pulled out the long metal rod from the bag given to him by Gelia. He placed the rod into the ground. He laid his hand on it and then he called up a spell which made the rod burrowed itself into the ground. Malech carried up the large container to pour the content down. It seeped down into the ground through the narrow hole burrowed by the rod. He emptied the contents and then he took out the second container which he placed on the ground. He kicked it over to spill the contents which is powder. He then reached out for the spell that he can create a wind to sweep the powder contents over the city. Those are the five things he got from them. Now he would do his part. He reached up with his hands above his head. He chant and then he called out loud. The clouds moved over the city and it rained. The torrent of rain came down hard and it soon flood the city.

The fireworks starts then.

The potion in the ground has flowed all over the city beneath ground and spread wide across it. When it comes to contact with water, it become acidic and burns anything that is with scales. That forced the serpents to move out of their hiding spots in the ground. When they reached the ground, they find the scent intoxicating and they would soon cease moving.

"I did it." Malech smiled.

"Not so, Master Malech. I move the children out. The army is with Seti. You killed the old ones and many young ones but they are not children. They are still children of the Serpents." Malech turned to see the Queen standing there. She is not alone but accompanied by two dark Scorpions of one is missing a pincer. "My guards survived the attack as they are also immune to the serpent poison."

"I was wrong, Kiring. You are a worthy Queen." Malech can feel the container holding Berhan vibrating. "would you like to stay for the funeral?"

"Only yours." Kiring replied and her guards came forth. Malech reached into the bag and took out the last container.

"This is from Berhan." Malech hurled it at Kiring but the dark scorpion with the missing pincer jumped in to stopped the container. It broke on contact and the potion splashed out. The creature jumped back as the potion burned into its shell and pincer. Some of the potion got onto Kiring face and body. She screamed out loud and ran off to the back. The remaining creature came forth to attack Malech.

Malech reached into the ground and he used the spell to pulled out the iron rod. Its his only chance and when he got back the rod, he threw it at the dark scorpion. The rod on contact with the shell began to burrowed itself into the creature. The creature shrieked out in pain till the rod came out near the tail end of the creature. By then Malech had run the opposite direction to escape any more traps. More to it, he has to warned the others.

He ran towards the forest and then he realized the mistake.

He stopped in mid stride and then crouched down to rest. It did not take long for the serpents to find him. There were five of them; poisonous and deadly and they are fast. Malech reached out for the nearest tree roots. He chant a spell that invoke the trees to work for him. The roots lashed out to strike at the serpents on the ground while the branches shake off the ones on the tree.

He ran hard then for through the forest stopping at different trees to invoke the same spell. He soon reached the river and across it was the hill. He ran to it and stopped at the river bank. He can see the serpents in the water and they are waiting for him. The trees are too far from the river bank, and he had to go over.

"Master Malech, you can run but you can't hide from me. I know how to remove those spells." Malech turned around to looked at his previous apprentice.

"Kiring, you looked like a wreck." Kiring has half her face bandaged and her left arm covered too. "You sure looked like a ugly sister in law to me. I wondered how Malent can picked you."

Kiring screamed out for her guards to kill Malech. Serpents of all types and sizes are coming out, and this made Malech ran across the river without thinking. He was not thinking as he ran but he soon find himself swept off the feet into the air.

"Cedi?" Malech looked up from the Gryphon talons holding him tightly. The flying creature looked back at his burden and shriek out a low tone sound. The Gryphon soared high above the tree tops while Malech closed his eyes as he disliked heights.

The Serpents did not give up as they tailed the Gryphon as it flew overhead. It landed him on a stony hill top so that Malech can clear his air sickness. Malech looked at the Gryphon and smiled.

"You may go now. I would find my own way to safety." Malech indicate to the creature to go, but it just looked at him and refused to fly.

"Ok then. I would go with you but you must take me to a new place. I need to see some old friends." Malech mount the creature on its back and direct it new destination.

At the bottom of the hill, a solitary lady stood there and watched the creature fly off with her prey. She did not hear the arrival of another of her kind on the top of a dark scorpion. The newly arrived creature let its rider off next to Kiring.

"Malech escaped?" Seti asked of his his lover. Kiring nodded and bowed before her King. "You fool! Now he would warn Lord Netsu and our plan is known."

Seti kicked out at his lover causing her to fall back against a tree. Kiring got up on her knees and bowed again to her King. She did not utter any words for her failure to stop the old sorcerer.

"You would do best to do one other task for me. Failed that and you need not returned. I would seek you then."

"Yes, my King. What am I to do?" Kiring asked from her King.

"Remove your friend, Pipa. She is a threat now since she had acquired new acquaintances from the House of Micha. I know from my followers that she is with a warrior there. Find them both and removed them. Fail me not, or die before I seek you." The King climbed back on the scorpion and rode off.

"Yes, my King. Its shall be done."