Chapter Nineteen
Futility of Vengeance
SYNDIRIN, AFTER GUILTLESSLY murdering the beloved Arigwhen, began to take his next step in his plot on Drewth. Leaving Arigwhen’s body, he recast his Invisibility spell and left unnoticed from the castle grounds. After some distance, he revoked his Invisibility spell and doubled back upon his path to the castle, heading back toward it, calmly, coolly, as if oblivious to any recent happening, any treachery.
And distantly, coming from the castle, down the path, came charging Drewth, mad, infuriated, uncontained, with his sword still in hand. Odd, he thought: Drewth should be grieving over the body of his wife that was killed in the slave-rebel Driadon raid! Where was he headed?
Nonetheless, Syndirin seemed to have noticed the distressed state of Drewth, and seemed to be concerned – but not too concerned to be unnatural of his usual self.
He hastened his steps toward Drewth, who doubled his own speed at Syndirin, sword raised, eyes glaring madly.
“Drewth!” Syndirin uttered, concern showing in his expression. “What has happened?”
“You worthless wreck! You filthy murderer!” Drewth roared with boiling blood. “Die, you liar, deceiver!!”
Drewth knew! Syndirin saw. How? What mistake did he make in the entire deception?
Taking no additional moment to continue on his failed deception, the false concerned expression he was wearing quickly changed to the true pitilessness that was Syndirin’s feelings. His wicked sneering smile crossed over his face, his eyes flashed the same wickedness and narrowed as he again cast his Invisibility spell and darted to the side, out of the range of the deadly slashing sword of Drewth.
He cackled at the enraged and confused Drewth, who went hacking in the direction of the laugh, missing, missing. “I was only guiding you – forming you into a more powerful character, moving you upon the path to become a ruler, a champion – not the weak-hearted lover she was making you.”
Another angry slash of Drewth’s sword crashed futilely to the ground.
“And you so hold onto these emotions, these pathetic feelings?” he laughed pitilessly. “I will leave you to suffer for the rest of your life, to know that you could not protect your love, in your weakness! To live a painful and weak life; to watch those around me fall in death that would get in the way of my destiny.”
“Watch – another of my victims,” Syndirin said with a malicious smile that would not be seen but was known to be there by Drewth, and meaning to indicate the nearby event: an escaping prisoner that was soon to be slain by a pursuing group of horsed soldiers. The prisoner halted in his run, wheeling around, with a halberd brandished in two fists, to face what would seem a definite defeat against so many attackers.
“No Syndirin! Another shall not die today, and never again – I swear by the sword in my hand! No, not another death!” he roared, charging toward the outnumbered prisoner to aid him in battle.
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