SWNOVELS Chapter 4: Recruitment
The following day, my few followers and I were to make our debut. The location we have chosen is East Wich Valley, a small town with one of the best marketplaces. East Wich had many visitors due to the attraction their shops brought. However, it was not heavily guarded and it was perfect to reach out to many casters at once.
“Are you ready to make history my brothers?” I asked the five of them. All of them wore dark robes that covered their faces, from their hoods drooping down.
The five weren’t anyone special, just petty criminals. They were merely “hired muscle” so to speak. I was just using them to gather some real foot soldiers, and a few skillful witches or wizards to help me lead them.
“We are...Dark Lord,” spoke a follower.
“Very well...to East Wich.” We all cast Varos with several pentagrams forming beneath our feet.
“East Wich Valley,” we stated our destination in unison.
We all vanished from the Phoenix Estate, reappearing in a dark alley in East Wich Valley. East Wich was a series of alleyways that sold similar merchandise, placing all the wand shops in one alley, spell books in another, and even having an alley filled with just sweets and candies. The alleyways all converged at the town square, an open area in the center of East Wich.
The alley, we were in, had shops that sold potions, and not too far from town square. I gripped my wand tightly as we walked up the alley. I noticed an elderly wizard started to walk out one of the shops. However, he froze as we all looked over at him. The old wizard quickly returned inside the shop, closing the door behind him.
We continued walking, venturing from one alley into another. As we came out the Charms alleyway, we finally entered town square. It was full of different races, not just witches and wizards but also Goblins, Elves, and even Dwarves. Some of the other races also had magic capabilities.
The loud conversation, within the crowded square, died down as many began to stare at us. As we started walking again, the people backed away fearfully in all directions. This made it easier for us to make our way into the center of the crowd.
We stood within a circle, made by the frightened people. “Spara,” I cast. A little light emitted from my wand, which also produced a noise similar to a microphone turning on. This was known as the Speaker Spell.
As I put the tip of my wand up to my throat, “Hello,” I greeted to all with welcoming, open, arms. The spell increased the volume of my voice, like a microphone would. “My brother, wizards, and sister, witches, I come seeking your aid. For far too long, we’ve been confined to live in the shadows of man.
After we give them a world, for themselves, they choose to neglect it...pushing the earth into a state of decay.” I walked slowly in a circle as I faced and addressed the crowd. “And now...they even have the audacity to use their weapons against us! Well, brothers and sisters, I say enough is enough.”
Just talking about the non-caster’s fired me up to the point where I was tightly gripping my wand and my other hand was balled in a fist. “Humanity has become a disease, corrupt, and they must be cleansed for our sake,” I continued boastfully. “Join me, rise up...for those who do shall rule both worlds beside me.”
My attention diverted from my speech as I saw guards were approaching. They were not Inquisitors, the Council of Magic’s personal security force, just common city guards. We watched the guards as they rushed through the crowd with their wands already in hand.
I lowered my wand down by my side, ready for what is coming next. The six guards burst from the crowd, one in front of me. The guard swiftly cast, “Pacify.” I raised my wand up, holding it sideways, in front of my chest.
I could feel as his spell struck my wand, causing it to jerk slightly in my hand. The air blurred around my wand for a brief moment. As the blurriness faded, I knew I successfully blocked his spell with my defensive stance.
If his spell would have landed, I would have been temporarily lobotomized for about an hour. Luckily, I trained for this. I waved my wand at the guard, using Sola Trapis as my counter spell. His soul was ripped from his body and consumed by the wand. This caused some gasping and screaming from the crowd.
I heard as my followers were still engaged in with the other guards. Four of them managed to deal with the guards that approached them. However, the fifth had two guards attacking him. He took one out but the other used Solidify, a stunning spell, on him.
The follower fell to the ground, flat on his back, as the muscles in his body hardened like stone. I stepped forward to deal with the remaining guard myself. I waved my wand at his. The guard’s wand shot out of his hand, flying over to me.
I reached out and grabbed the wand. I walked slowly over to the guard, who was now disarmed, like a predator does its prey. As I got close, he fell to his knees. It was a way of showing me that he was at my mercy and a means to beg for me not to take his life.
I kept my wand pointed at him as I stood, hovering, over the guard. “You were brave...” I spoke softly. “However, your bravery was out of stupidity.”
“Please...don’t,” he begged.
“And the cost of stupidity...is a heavy price to pay. Hex...” A little light emitted from the tip of my wand. “Eternity.” The light changed from white to gold as the guard started to age rapidly. He hollered in horror as his skin wrinkled and hair turned white.
This spell was known as the Aging Hex. His cries grew raspy in tone as he started to look elderly. The guard aged to the point of death, falling to the ground as a dried, dusty, corpse. I tossed his wand on the ground, beside his head. With the guard dealt with, I turned my attention back on the crowd.
I used the Spara spell once more, putting the tip of the wand back up to my neck. “I do not wish to fight you,” I started again with a friendly tone. I reached out to the crowd as if I were extended out a helping hand. “Instead, I ask, who will stand by me?”
“I will...” spoke a voice from the crowd. A young wizard, wearing a stylish cherry red suit, stepped forward. He had a red dragon walking cane that he used to add to his suaveness. He had short, shaggy, brown hair, a clean shaven face, and hazel eyes. Upon his chest, laid a broach that depicted dragon scales.
“You are of the royal family Drake, are you not?” I inquired.
“I am...the name’s Damien Drake.”
“Son to Devlin?”
“The one and only...”
“Last I heard, your father was locked away in Black Water Hold.”
“Imprisoned for having similar believes like yours, that witches and wizards should be ruling both worlds.”
“Your father was given a sad injustice...one that we shall correct together. In joining me, you set in motion his freedom. That I can promise.”
“Then it would seem you can add two down from the house of Drake. But may I be as bold to ask, who are you sir?”
I looked around at the crowd. “I was formerly known as Corvin Phoenix, of house Phoenix,” I shared, standing tall and proud. Many were shocked, gasping to hear that it was me under the mask. For they knew me as an outcast and a non-caster as well. “However, you may call me by my newly found title...the ‘Dark Lord.’”
“As you wish, Dark Lord...”
“Tell me, does any of the other royal families share our views?”
Damien gave a little grin. “I might know of a few.”
I walked over to Damien, placing my hand on his shoulder. “You will be a great asset to my cause,” I spoke humbly. “Know that I shall bring honor to not only our families’ names, but to those who stand with us.”
“I have no doubt in that my lord.”
“Good...then let us return to my family’s estate, where you can share with me those royal family names.”
“Dark Lord,” called out a follower.
“Yes?” I asked.
“What should we do with him sir?” he asked, pointing to the follower that was stunned by the guard.
“What do you think?” I shrugged my shoulders. “Leave him...”
“Of course sir...”
My followers and I all gathered together, including Damien now. We used the spell Varos again, stating the Phoenix Estate as our destination. We vanished from East Wich Valley, reemerging in the backyard of the mansion.
We all entered the house, from the back patio. As we walked into the living room, I instructed Damien to share who he thought would make for good allies. “There is one person I’m for sure will join,” he claimed, but with a hint of awkwardness. “She is...a close friend. Her name is Micah, of House Manticore.
The others I am not so certain. They could take some persuading. There is Benjamin, of House Basilisk, and Hector, of House Hydra.”
“Tomorrow we will go visit them. I will convince them to join. Be assured of that...”