11. Captured
Malech saw the trap too late to evade it. He was taking a rest at the tavern on the trader' trail when he watched three Man dressed as traders walked in. He should had noticed they have a bandanna knotted at the wrist. Its the same color and design. What should had intrigue him that there was more of them in the tavern who had those on the wrists. He got up to move but was stopped by the next person sitting next him at the long table.
"Master Malech, you are in now. So don't leave just yet." Malech looked to the one who speaks; an elf with a patch over half his face. He is dressed in the trader attire but his wrist says differently. "You should know us well."
"The Council of Magic does not interest me then and won't do now. You can keep your agenda to yourself. More to it, the Council of Magic cannot defeat the Seti. You did not that, and you won't now." Malech placed his hand on the elf with the half face in patch; the elf fell down in pain.
Malech got up to face the rest: there are ten of them in the tavern wearing the bandanna. He looked at them closer and now the faces comes back to his memory. He smiled and then laughed out aloud.
"Council, my foot. You are all the charter members only. The one from Midlands, I believe. I recognise George there, and also Smithy. So tell me your plan. But if you are not my match. Neither of you or all of you together." Malech picked up his goblet and finished the drink. One of them threw a weak kinetic spell but Malech had anticipated the move and block the spell with a returning spell on a bigger force.
"Pick him up." Malech indicate to the fallen elf.
"There would be no such need." An unidentified voice came out.
Malech turned to see the whole chapter on the ground. They are all dead as they have been decapitated of all limbs and head. There was one other person standing there and he was none other than Lord Netsu. He is dressed in a white robe that flow to the feet but it no ordinary robe. This one is made of the fine sable fur and has matching hood. Beneath his robe is the dark double chested jacket with marching pants that tucked into a set of dark leather boots. The emblem on the jacket is the flaming sword; the motto of his avenging mood when he kills his enemies. That sword is in its scabbard safe from its avenging mode at the waist of its master.
"Minions, they think they can negotiate with me on your capture." Lord Netsu looked at old sorcerer. "Malech, how are you?"
"I am fine, father. I can see you have not lost your touch of death. How does it feel to be a Man for once?" Malech looked at the man standing there. "I see you still have the raging sword with you; the Fangoran."
"Malech, I would prefer a more suitable place for the family reunion but I have not many family members to take up seat on the table. So pardon me if I did not organized it." Lord Netsu pulled on his hood to turn for the doorway.
"You had invited Malent." Malech spoke out to his father. That stopped the Lord at the doorway.
"Nothing evades your sight. Or nose. Or whatever you have. Yes, he is here. Come out, Malent." Lord Netsu motioned to the bar. There was a metal display of a coiled serpent. It dissipate into a figure of an Elf in a green robe made of leather that encased the person. It was not really a robe but its a skin cover over the body that drape over like a robe. Once open, it reveal the person inside. He is no more an elf, but a serpent skinned person clad in a green tunic to the knees. His skin is all scaled and his eyes are not not of elf but a reptile. His ears are missing but there are now a slit over it. The jaw is protruding with the lips missing and the in place of teeth, are fangs. His hand is a webbed in between the fingers but he is wearing a set of leather boots.
"Don't be alarmed by his new look. I think he is doing well in his metamorphosis. He knew the risk and he accepted it." Lord Netsu looked at his second son. "Yes, I sent him to command the Serpents while you take on the Elves. I move with Man, and soon we would conquer all."
"Father, you need not do this. What are you doing? You destroy the Elves. Is that part of your plan?" Malech confront his father.
"The Elves were not easy to controlled like Man or Serpents. I had to reduce their numbers so that it can be managed. You stood in the way with your help that defeat the serpents and then the Dome. Malent had to go to hiding while you became a new threat. I had you imprisoned then." Malent is not talking but he did show some signs of irritation.
"You got me now, so what's next? Another imprisonment or joined me offer?" Malech questioned his father.
"Yes, your choice." Lord Netsu looked at his two sons. "Malent did and now its your turn."
Malech stepped back and shook his head.
"So be it." Lord Netsu raised his hands to conjure up a spell. He threw the spell at Malech. Malech find himself frozen in his steps.
"Take him back." Lord Netsu told Malent. The King of Serpent looked at his father.
"No! < Hiss > I should not < Hiss > had believed you. <Hiss> Stop your < Hiss> plans." Malent stood in between of Malech and their father. "He < Hiss > is not us."
"No one can stop my plans." Lord Netsu pushed with his kinetic spell at Malent, but the later defended himself with a kinetic shield.
"Do not < Hiss> harm him. < Hiss > Not ever again." Malent conjure up a spell which sweep him and Malech away, leaving their father seething in anger.
Malech find himself in the forest again, not far from the tavern. He sees Malent standing there. Malech reached with his mind down to his finger and he began tapping them. Its not any trivia movement but he is calling up a spell which broke the holding spell.
"Good, < Hiss> you are free. < Hiss > I want you to do it yourself. < Hiss > Now go." Malent told his brother. Then he turned to look at Malech. "There < Hiss > would be a war soon. < Hiss > Man and Serpents < Hiss > and your friends would be in the middle. < Hiss >. Be prepared."
"Malent, there is no need to fight., We could unite against Father." Malech walked towards his brother.
"There would be. < Hiss > I changed the plans. < Hiss > I am taking control." Malent walked away from his brother and then disappear into the forest leaving Malech standing there alone.
Malech sat down on the tree root and ponder. His thought was on himself; what is happening and why all these conflicting directions. He lost a son and lover to the last war, and now he finds a new war involving his own brother and father. The two could had been in the last war too but there are now coming to surface. This new war now involves his two apprentice; one which sided to his father and the other to his brother.
So many confusion and yet he feels he is holding the balance on the war.
He does not know what to do.
He is finally getting lost.
He need to get away.
From all of it.
I am sorry, Cedi. I am sorry, Medi.
I am sorry to myself.
"Its sad that you know the truth. Its so more sad that you choose not be with me. You are pathetic, Malech. I would destroy you now. Then Malent. I don't need all of you." Lord Netsu is standing there. He raised his hands up again, but this time Malech is upset and more to it, he knows why he need to do this. He raised his right hand and lashed out with a cold spell onto the sword at the waist of the Lord. The cold spell pained the sword, Fangoran and it lashed out with its flame. The flame pushed out the Lord from his spell and Malech lashed out with the second spell that is a magical blade that cuts into the soul. The blade cut into the Lord's left thigh and he screamed out in pain. Malech jumped back and ran the opposite direction.
He had to run far as he could not battle Lord Netsu alone. He needs the others. He know why he could not rest until the Serpents are destroyed because he is not part of the family with Lord Netsu. He was adopted by the Lord to cover his true identity. He is Lord Netsu' enemy's son. The one that died fighting Lord Netsu as the earlier Set before Malent. His real father died not on the battlefield but by deceit of Lord Netsu.
Netsu buried the memory until the last Serpent War. Malech found some indication of the memory surfacing as the spell Netsu placed on him was cracking. He was discovered by Lord Netsu and the Lord influenced Berhan' volunteer to the Dome, forcing Malech to be exposed to the Serpent Lair. It would had worked but Malech was fighting it too much. Lord Netsu arranged for the apprentice to imprisoned him until Lord Netsu can figure out how to weaken his mind again.
He almost did but he was rescued too soon. Malech visit to Aleria strengthen his feeling to fight the Serpents on the death of Berhan. When he opened the old scrolls, there was a scroll which gave him the spell to work off the remainder of Lord Netsu' spell. After he left Kiring with Shana, he has dreams of his own life and his real father. He had visions of the betrayal and that was why he became more confused. The two he considered his own family is his enemy, but his biggest regret is the mother he learned to love.
She is the one holding back his need to go on, but on seeing his fake father still wanting to kill him, he decided to seek closure to all the issues.
That includes stopping the Serpents too.
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