Arrows landed in between Ms. Wells and the girl. The girl lit up in screams as Ms. Wells had a terrible look on her.

  "How could you–" Ms. Wells began to say when she noticed Victor.

  "Say another word and this one goes through your head, Romona." Victor sternly spoke. Romona gulped and lifted her hands off. "Extinguish the magic."

  "Fine! Don't hurt her!" Romona shouted. The magic in her hands died as she held them in the air. Victor looked over at the blonde girl. She was scared at what was happening. Victor had a sour look on his face.

  "Release my charge and we can go our separate ways, Wells." Victor ordered.

  "Y-your charge?" Romona looked at Xylus. Xylus was groaning in pain as the vines and thorns continued to pierce him. Blood oozed out of all the small puncture holes.

  "Why would he be under your care? Who paid you to protect a Dark Spawn? You know they're bad news! A bad omen!" Romona shouted at him. Victor knew Romona well. She was one of the best Mages in the Myst Kingdom. A high ranking mage who retired and decided to live a simple life, studying the Mystfall Forest.

  Victor knew Romona had taken in a child just like him. He heard whispers that his one was special. "Loved by all the elements," or "loved by all the gods" is what the whispers would say. The blonde girl was scared of him. She shook as Romona tried to shield her. Victor motioned at Xylus.

  "Let my charge go and I'll let you off." Victor ordered Romona.

  "You dare tell me, a Grand Magus, what to do?" Romona shouted. Her temper was obviously one of the things Victor didn't like. Everyone blew it off because Romona was smart, a Grand Magus of the Myst Kingdom. She had retired and took all of her knowledge with her. She didn't share it with the other mages. She was greedy to hold onto the power she had climbed and earned. She obviously wanted both lives when she knew she could only have one.

  "Do it now before I take the child." Victor threatened. Romona narrowed her eyes.

  "You can't do anything, Exiled. No magic to help you. Only mere Glyphs. I would like to see you try." Victor smiled. The sounds of the girl yelling alerted Romona.

  Xylus had grabbed her and quickly pulled the girl backwards.

  "Sorry." Xylus whispered. "It's life or death for me." He pulled her back as the girl desperately tried to get herself out of his hold.

  "Niya! Release her at once Spawn!" Magic lit in Romona's hand. In a blink of an eye, Victor had closed the distance and grabbed the woman's hands and quickly locked Glyphs onto her.

  "Let go you, Exiled buffoon! Don't you know who she is?" Romona shouted. She tried to use her magic but the Glyphs Victor had put on her disabled her magic. She knew Victor was very capable of killing but seeing him disarm her only made her more mad. "Release me, Victor!"

  Romona slammed her foot into his. Victor ignored the pain as he slammed her onto the ground, pinning the Grand Magus.

  "You think I'm useless, Romona?" Victor asked. "You should know I'm fully capable of doing 99% of the things I could've done then. I don't need such intricate magic to fool you."

  "Don't hurt her, Spawn!" Romona cried. "You can't hurt her!"

  "Please, let me go!" Niya shouted. "Why're you doing this? Don't you know who I am?"

  'Oh boy, she's full of herself isn't she?' Xylus thought.

  "Run, Xylus!" Victor ordered.

  "Sir, what about–"

  "Remember what I said?" Victor shouted. Xylus sighed. He quickly drew into the girl's skin creating the same Glyph Victor had used on Romona. Niya cried in pain as blood fell. Gray glyphs appeared on her as Xylus released her.

  Xylus spun around and ran.

  "You taught him how to use that Glyph?!?" Romona shouted. She tried to shake herself out of Victor's grasp. She watched as Niya cried in pain, clutching her left arm. The gray glyph pulsed brightly as she fell into her knees.

  "Victor, when I tell the Order what you're doing, they'll definitely not allow you back!" Romona spat at him. She wrestled to get free but Victor simply kept the same hold on her. He looked at Niya. She seemed shocked about the whole situation.

  'He did put the glyph on right.' Victor nodded.

  "Romona, even if you do go tell the Order, Father Westhall will back me on the kid. He's special." Victor told her. The glyph snapped and the energy in Romona flew back into her. She exploded in fiery energy, sending Victor flying. She rushed towards Niya calling her name. Birds sqawked and fled the scene as she crouched near Niya.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Niya, dear! Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Let me remove it for you!" Romona went into momma bear mode for her charge. Niya was special. She had only six more months until it's would be admitted into the Academy and her main job would be done.

  She would personally guide Niya until she graduated and let fate choose what would happen. Romona removed the glyph with ease and used earth magic to heal the girl.

  "Don't cry, dear. It's just a scratch. You'll be alright." Romona reassured the child. She could hear Victor coughing as he waved the smoke away. Romona quickly healed the girl and instructed her to stay behind her.

  "You! I should have really let you die all this years ago, Cross!" Romona snarled. Victor pushed out of the smoke, patting flames and clearing his lungs of smoke. He had taken damage but the amount of burning glyphs told Romona what she needed to know. Victor had already anticipated the explosion.

  "Stop your yapping, Romona. If you want proof I can–" A fireball flew out at him. Victor had anticipated her attacking him but he didn't think she would do it so suddenly. He watched the flames come straight for him. It was then he heard the sound of rushing footsteps. Someone had rushed in front of him and took the attack with their shield.

  "You!" Romona stuttered. "W-Why are you here?!?"

  - - -

  Xylus ran for a while. He was panicking and looking behind him. He didn't know if that woman would break out of the Glyph. Victor had told him the Glyph only works as a surprise temporarily. If they're skilled enough, they'll break out.

  The leaves crunched beneath his feet. The cold air rushed past him as he pressed forward. 'How long do I have to go?' Xylus wondered. He listened to a loud explosion in the distance. He saw a puff of smoke and birds flying away. 'Crap.' Xylus continued forward. He would have to go into one of the caverns at this rate.

  Xylus made his way downhill, listening to the stream grow louder. He moved close enough to spot the stream and followed it. He didn't want himself to be exposed near it. He followed it for a while until a large cavern mouth opened up. The stream had gone into it and Victor had specifically not go in it.

  'Sorry, Mr. Victor. You know I don't listen well. I hope you understand.' He quickly made his way down. The darkness taking him. He moved deeper into the cavern until he was sure no one would follow him. The darkness would've made it hard to navigate, but he had acquired Dark Sense when he leveled to five. It allowed him to see in the dark up to 60 feet.

  His rapid breaths grew louder as he felt himself slipping. He shouted as he tried to grab onto one of the rocks for support, barely catching himself as he halfway fell onto his butt.

  He slowly lowered himself and listened to his breathing.

  'She would've definitely killed me.' Xylus thought. He pulled his bag off. He noticed his own blood stained onto the bag. It wasn't the first time but the new crimson stains reminded him of his wounds.

  Xylus dug into the backpack and found a red potion. It was a small healing potion that Victor had given him. It would heal 30 HP if Xylus used it all. It had about six uses and would restore 5 HP.

  'What's my current HP?' Xylus asked.

  [Current HP: 30/70]

  The woman had done serious damage to him. No wonder why he felt nauseous when she did it. If she had continued, she would've literally snapped him in half, ending his life. Xylus sighed and uncorked the bottle. He drank all of the potion, restoring 30 HP and bringing his HP up to 60.

  "This'll have to do. I only have two more. I need to save them for emergencies." Xylus whispered. He felt his wounds closing. The Healing potion did well to heal the external wounds quickly. He corked the empty bottle and put the bottle back into his bag and tightened the strap. He put the backpack back on his back and carefully stood up.

  "What am I gonna do now?" Xylus asked. "What should I do? I got caught and that Grand Magus woman or whatever is definitely gonna tell everyone… Ahhh, what do I do?"