Sern was, along with everything else in the vicinity, flung back against the wall by an invisible force. Completely taken by surprise, he dropped the remaining knife and grunted with pain as his back connected with the wall. A rain of smaller items, and the big desk, hurtled towards him. He threw his hands up to protect his face before he got the air knocked out of him by the heavy desk. He gasped for breath, pinned against the wall as various small items pelted him.

  A moment's silence followed, and only the dust in the air moved. Stunned, Sern lowered his hands and stared at the mage. The man started mumbling again, tracing new lines into the air. Sern pushed against the table and yelled, fearing for his life. He managed to force the heavy desk away from him enough that he could breathe and move again. Ducking down behind it, he tried to find his knife in the mess of items, dirt, and broken furniture but gave up almost immediately. He coughed in the dusty air and pulled out three more knives when a moan from the side drew his attention. Listarl, grumbled on the floor, breathed in some dust and sat up coughing violently. The mage gave him a worried look but didn't stop chanting.

  Seizing the opportunity, Sern threw another knife at the man. This time he didn't block it. Instead, to the boy's absolute astonishment, the man disappeared. Sern thought he heard a soft thunk and possibly a suppressed groan, but didn't see anything. Eyes wide, he stared about the room.

  Listarl stood, a confused look on his slack face, his sword held loosely, the tip pointed towards the floor. Felisei sat up on the floor too, a dim look on her dirty face. Dust moved on the floor. A small red drop appeared on the floorboards. Then another. Sern yelled and pointed. At his frantic pointing and yelling, Felisei snapped her head around, searching. She reached out and grabbed a hold of something invisible. Dragged back, she yelped in surprise but hung on. Sern hurled another knife at the invisible target and was rewarded with a groan. Felisei cried out and snatched her hand back.

  ′What happened?` Sern called, louder than needed.

  ′I dunnow. I think he kicked me,` she yelled back, equally loud, gawking after the invisible mage.

  ′Was that...` Listarl looked around, still confused.

  ′The mage!` Sern yelled and pointed. ′He went invisible, like poof! But I hit him! Go, get him!` Scrambling to get around the desk as fast as possible, he stumbled and fell over the pile of items and furniture.

  ′What happened here?` Listarl asked as he reached out to help Sern get out of the debris.

  ′Uh,` Sern panted as he emerged from behind the desk. ′He said stuff an' everything went flyin'.` He pointed again after the mage. ′We gotta get him!`

  The friends ran after the robed man, following the trail of blood-drops on the floor as fast as they could. They led out of the room and into a corridor. Despite the dark, they managed to follow the tracks to an intersection. Sern kicked something with his shoe. Startled, he gasped and looked down to spot one of his knives. He scooped it up before hurrying after his friends. Around a bend led a long corridor lined with many doors. One slammed shut some way ahead.

  ′There! He's there!` Felisei cried. Realizing she was in the lead, she slowed to allow for Listarl to get ahead. She didn't want to be first against the mage again. She'd thought she'd get killed that time and didn't want it repeated. But she was glad they'd found him. He couldn't cause Ranloo problems when detained by them.

  Listarl roared and ran shoulder first into the door as soon as he reached it. It didn't budge and he stepped back with a grunt, rubbing his shoulder. He braced himself and ran into the door again with a loud slam. The door didn't seem to notice his attempts to open it. Not even a slight tremble moved the wood. Sern grabbed the handle and pulled at it. The door wasn't impressed.

  ′I think it's closed with magic,` he whispered.

  As if in answer, a light flared, glowing through the crack under the door.

  Listarl nodded and lifted the sword. ′I'll get through it. Locked or not.` He struck the door with a heavy blow. As he repeatedly bashed the door, wood chipped, splintered and broke.

  ′Stop it!` A shrill voice yelled. They stopped for a moment. But hearing nothing more, Listarl continued to break the door again.

  Sern watched as Listarl beat the unmoving door with his sword. It took longer than he'd liked. It would have been much more effective with an axe. He glanced down the corridor, then back to the door. Worry gnawed at him. Was Ranloo still alive out there? That reminded him. His eyes went to Felisei where she waited behind them.

  ′Felisei?`

  She turned her head to regard him, surprise clearly visible on her face for a second before she nodded.

  ′Ranloo's wife's here,` he said quietly. She nodded, a slight crease between her brows. ′She's in the house. I think I saw her,` he explained.

  Her eyes widened. ′Where?` she whispered and glanced up and down the corridor.

  ′In the centre, on the second floor. I saw a light in a window an' someone standin' there.`

  Felisei glanced to Listarl. ′Don't you need help here? He's a mage.`

  Sern shook his head. ′I don't think he'd run if he could fight us efficiently.` He tapped a finger against his lower lip thoughtfully. ′An' I think I hurt him.`

  She nodded, her face composed but pale. ′I'll go look for her. D'you know what she looks like?`

  Sern shrugged. ′Like an elf? Pointy ears?`

  Her lips tightened and she crossed her arms.

  ′What?` he hissed and flung out his hands wide.

  ′You're impossible,` she sighed. ′But I guess you're right. She's a wood elf, right?`

  He nodded.

  ′So, she's probably blonde then. Not dark like him?`

  ′No. I know that much,` he agreed. ′You should go. Hurry,` he urged.

  She nodded and jogged down the corridor. Sern watched as she stopped by a door further down the hall and opened it. Right before she vanished from sight, he called out to her again.

  ′Good luck! An' watch out.`

  She turned with a surprised look, flashed him a smile and raised a hand before vanishing. Sern turned his attention back to the stubborn door.

  The wood broke with a loud snap and the tip of the sword punched through. Soft blue light shone through the hole, lighting them up. Listarl gave a satisfied grunt and yanked the sword back for another blow. Sern readied a knife again, prepared for anything. The door broke down after a few more hits and they forced it open.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Listarl charged into the room with a roar. A chair smashed down over his head. He cried out, grabbed at the chair with his free hand and yanked it out of the mage's grasp.

  The man backed away from Listarl with a gasp and raised his hands. ′Keep away or I'll cast a spell on you!` he threatened.

  Listarl hesitated briefly before seeing through the bluff. Grabbing the mage by the front of his robes, he almost lifted him off the ground, pulled him close to his bearded face and growled. Their noses almost touched and Listarl pressed the sword against the side of the man's head, behind his ear. ′If you say another word, I'll kill you.`

  The mage's eyes widened, swiveled sideways towards the sword, and back to Listarl's face again. He raised his hands and shook his head, lips pressed tightly together.

  ′Good. Now stay put,` Listarl demanded and let the man down, spun him around and pulled his arms behind his back.

  Sern watched the mage closely, tapping his knife against the palm of his hand, ready to throw it if the man uttered a single word. Sometimes he glanced at the floating ball of light in the air. The mage stared back at him, his face pale and sweaty, a defeated air over him. His robes were bloody above the belt and on his left arm. If he hadn't gone invisible he'd probably be dead.

  ′Do you have anything to tie him up with?` Listarl asked with a glance, blood trickling down the side of his face.

  Sern nodded and handed the rope out without taking his eyes off the mage. The fact that this man could probably kill him with words alone, made his skin crawl.

  Listarl tied the mage's hands behind his back and shoved him out of the room when the light in the air winked out and left them in darkness. Shouts followed. A push unbalanced Sern and he staggered back as someone rushed past. Instinctively, he twisted around after the fleeing mage and gave chase. Blinded after the bright light in the room he couldn't see, but he heard the man. Catching up in no time, he grappled and bowled him over. The man yelped and lay still, groaning on the floor.

  ′Don't move!` Sern yelled and stepped down on the squirming shape, a whimper telling him he'd hit a sweet spot.

  ′You alright?` Listarl's deep voice asked from behind.

  Sern nodded. ′Yes.` He blinked a few times, looking around in the dark. His eyes slowly adjusted back to the gloom, revealing his surroundings. Grabbing the man, he half-pulled, half-helped him up from the dusty floor. The mage didn't dare fight back now that Listarl stood beside them again.

  Listarl grabbed the mage and walked him down the hallway, pulling him by his robes. Sern followed, ready to stab him in the back if he did anything suspicious. They returned to the messy room where Listarl stopped.

  ′I should go and help our friend before it's too late.` He glanced towards the mage. He didn't say anything but gave Listarl a poisonous glare. ′Stay here and keep an eye on him,` Listarl added in a low voice.

  Sern nodded, grabbed the arm of the mage and led him towards a toppled chair. Listarl picked it up and Sern unceremoniously pushed the man down on it. ′Stay put, an' don't say a word,` he hissed and moved the knife in front of the man's face. The mage paled, his eyes following the bright blade back and forth.

  A rattle and a displeased grunt from Listarl made Sern look away from the mage. ′What're you doin'?` he whispered loudly.

  ′The door won't budge,` Listarl muttered and pulled the handle again.

  Sern glanced at the mage who avoided looking at either of them, a slight smile on his lips. ′Oi!` Sern slapped him on the head with the flat of his dagger. The man flinched but stayed quiet. ′Why isn't the door openin'?` Sern asked slowly, pointedly.

  The mage slowly shook his head in answer.

  With a surge of annoyance, Sern placed the knife under the man's chin, making him cringe back. ′Answer me,` he hissed.

  The mage frowned. ′I wasn't allowed to speak,` he said slowly, clearly afraid to startle the boy and get killed.

  Sern nodded, his mouth twisted into an angry grimace. ′You're allowed t' answer questions,` he said. ′But the moment you say a word I don't get...` he let the sentence hang unfinished and moved the knife closer to the man's throat, nicking his skin.

  The mage swallowed audibly and nodded a fraction.

  ′Why isn't the door openin'? Is it locked or did you put magic on it?`

  ′Both,` he said quietly. ′To keep the vampire out.`

  Sern nodded. ′Thought so. Remove it.`

  The mage gave him a look that spoke volumes of what he thought about Sern's intelligence.

  Sern wanted to hit him in the face but simply glared at him. ′Do it!`

  ′Don't kill me when I speak words you don't comprehend then,` the man snapped.

  ′Must you speak to remove it?′ Sern asked suspiciously, not thrilled about the prospect.

  The man sighed. ′It would be easier with my hands untied, but I assume you won't let me lose.`

  ′Damned right,` Sern muttered. ′Do it. An' if I for a second think you're doin' anythin' else than openin' that door, you die.`

  The mage nodded and turned his attention to the door. ′You're making a gave mistake,` he dared to protest.

  Sern huffed. ′Mind your own business an' open the door.`

  ′By Serron's Wings. The gods will punish you for this,` he muttered but did as told.

  Uvin entertained the thought of casting a spell on the thugs, despite being exhausted already. But they might realize what he was doing, and he didn't doubt the boy's threat of killing him. He could blind them or cast an entangle spell if his hands were untied. Or raise a magical shield. But what good would that do when his hands were tied and they weren't attacking him? He had to accept that his situation was such that he'd either help the enemy or get killed. He didn't like either.

  Focusing on the door, he started dispelling the magical barrier in front of it. The young thief shuffled nervously, his face pale and sweaty, the knife quivering in his hand. His eyes fluctuated between Uvin and the door. Uvin feared he'd get stabbed simply because the boy was too scared. Speaking the magical words, and sapping his energy, the spell around the door came apart. He sighed and nodded, fatigued. He couldn't take much more of this. ′It's done,` he said shakily.

  The boy licked his lips nervously and nodded. ′Where's the key?`

  ′In my satchel,` Uvin replied slowly and looked at the bag hanging by his side.

  The boy took a deep breath, reached for the bag, and hesitated. ′Don't move or say a word,` he threatened.

  Uvin nodded. He was tempted to headbutt the boy as he leaned in close, but caught a hostile glare from the huge man by the door and thought better of it.

  The thief rummaged through his bag, then stepped back with a ring of keys in his hand. He tossed the keys with a faint jingle to the giant who caught them with his left hand. He still grasped the sword in his right.

  ′Try it,` The boy said hoarsely.

  Listarl tested the keys. The third one fit and he turned it with a loud click. To Uvin's surprise, he didn't immediately open the door, but went to the window beside the door and peeked out. The loud crack of an explosion rang from the courtyard.

  Listarl looked out and spotted Ranloo fighting the two hunters in the dark and rain. He bled from several wounds, and quarrels protruded from his back and chest. A big man with partial plate armour and a thick brown beard tried to hit Ranloo in the side with his axe. Ranloo stumbled sideways, barely avoiding it. Then he fled. The tall blond hunter lifted a sun-medallion and shouted something.

  A beam of bright golden light shot out from the medallion, lighting the courtyard in a sharp glare for a few seconds. Listarl's lips pulled back into a feral grimace at Ranloo's agonized cry. Hurrying to the door, he flung it open and ran straight for the bearded hunter with the axe.