"Aren’t you cold dressed so thinly like that?" Sir Adler asked me as I rode on the horse beside him wearing nothing but a simple black coat under a black cloak.
"Cold doesn’t bother me," I answered.
"Is that a magical fabric or something?" Another knight asked and I chuckled.
"That sounds like a good idea. If I make one, your place will make a good market for me."
Besides, it did sound like a good business idea, if only I could get Silas on board then I could also start trade with the North. But Silas might just be quite pissed right now so, I’d have to wait for some time.
"What family are you from?" A knight whose name I learned was Ivan asked.
"What kind of magic do you do?" Another knight Stephan asked, he seemed like he was the youngest of the group aging only seventeen.
"I’m a Water Mage and my family isn’t that... famous."
"Water Mage? But I’ve never heard of any family who had water as their affinity." Ivan muttered and then looked at me.
"Can you show us what your magic could do?" Stephan asked with his brown eyes glinting.
"I’ll show you when the time comes," I smiled making him grumble.
"How old are you?" Sir Adler asked.
"Take a guess."
"Fifteen?" He guessed and I snorted.
"Then, seventeen? Same age as me?" Stephan chirped.
"No."
"Twelve?" Ivan asked and I looked at him.
My disguise was set to be of a guy in his late teens but there wasn’t a solid age that I stuck to.
"Don’t tell me you’re younger than that?" Zayn, another knight who had joined the conversation asked jokingly.
"I’m in my thirties." I said making the knights around me laugh.
"And I’m eighty, come on, Ocean!" Stephan laughed.
I laughed along but didn’t say anything else, the less they know the better.
As we passed through the towns, the people praised and cheered looking at the heroes of the Seraph Knightage. Some of the knights waved at the people and received some small gifts while I and Lyall silent trodded along.
I could see the Frosthail mansion that was close to the mountains, the mansion seemed unlike any other place I had seen, it was covered by the huge walls and the only thing visible clear past those walls was the spires. There were also a massive wall that ran throughout the fringes of the foot of the mountains.
"Quite high walls." I commented.
"Those are for the times when there is a severe attack or a war, those walls are our first line of defense. The ancestors of Montaire family had built those walls as a sturdy foundation of the North." Sir Adler explained and I nodded.
On our way we had to cross a small forest, I almost expected the journey to be done but just then the horses started to panic a little and the knights stopped as well. They unsheathed their weapons and so did Lyall as we all looked around.
I inhaled deeply and noticed the scent of blood and dog.
"Wolves." I mumbled and as if on cue one wolf pounced from the bushes and the knight closest swung his sword and stabbed the wolf.
The other wolves also attacked after the first one and the knights started their work, I gestured Lyall to stand by as I watched the knights fighting.
They were good, they were fast even with the large swords and heavy armours. The wolves were especially tough oppenents because they could work in packs and were fast and strong at the same time. The pack acted like a well coordinated machine and were able to take down large animal with their strategical tactics itself.
For now there were at least ten rogue shifter wolves who were wreaking havoc around us.
Some knights were having hard time as the wolves were quite a lot in number compared to the knights.
I gave Lyall a nod and he moved in an instant, he pulled out his sword and slashed through the leg of one wolf and engaged with another.
I sat on my horse which was calm unlike the other horses, and watched the bloodbath around me.
I saw Stephan fighting off one wolf but there was another who aimed to pounce on him from behind, I swung my arm and a water slicer cut through its body making it fall to the ground with its insides and blood spilling outside.
The knights who saw that were stunned but they didn’t have time as the wolves were relentless. Some of the wolves then tried to come my way but I finished them off quite quickly taking down four by myself and then looked at the knights who were also finished.
"Ho-How were you..." Ivan gasped as he looked at me and I shrugged my shoulders feeling slightly tired.
"You were so cool, Ocean!" Stephan shouted.
"That spells were so amazing!"
"You cut those wolves into half just like that!"
"It’s not just like that," I spoke as I stifled a yawn.
"It consumes energy and mana." I explained and noticed a twitching wolf.
A sense of Deja Vu washed over me as I saw it get to its feet and baring its fangs at me.
I shot a lance shaped water spell at it and the lance went right through its head creating a clean hole through its skull and brain matter.
"What the..."
"Be careful for the next time please," I said, "make sure they are killed completely or you might lose a teammate."
I could recall how I died because of the same mistake, it was the kind of experience that I went through and I didn’t want to see it again for myself or for anyone else.
I didn’t say anything throughout the rest of the way as I kept recalling the memories of my subordinates and the missions that I had gone on. Somehow travelling with a team like this made me feel nostalgic.
It took a few hours for us to reach at the Frosthail palace and I stared at the huge walls that lined the palace. The large gate was lifted and we entered, I couldn’t help but feel as if I was in a Dark Ages castle that housed some supernatural creature.
In the time that I had spent in this world, I had come across magic, mages, the real Prince and Queen but this place was different in all senses. It seemed like a place out of some Dark Age horror movie, its vibe was way different from what I was used to.
There were people working inside and I couldn’t help but notice the tension in the air, the space was quite large but what shocked me was the castle itself.
It was a huge castle but instead of marble or granite that I usually saw, this one was made purely of stones and wood. It was quite a massive building which made me wonder how did they build such a huge castle without technology in these times.
"How was this thing made?" I wondered aloud watching the rugged beauty of the humongous palace.
"It’s so huge!"
"It is built this way to accomodate the people from the kingdom during the times of war or some attack." Sir Adler said as the knights stopped.
I got down from my horse and Lyall came beside me and Adler asked us to follow him.
Lyall and I walked beside him watching the large corridors and the halls that stretched on with the burning torches and the sunlight from the large windows lighting the way.
It seemed like a dreary castle if not for the slight decorations that seemed to put a little life to this stony existence. It might be the endeavour of the previous Grand Duchess.
I looked at the portraits that lined the walls and noticed the people in them. They all looked quite strong and sturdy just like the walls that surrounded this territory.
The sounds of Sir Adler’s footsteps echoed throughout the corridors while Lyall’s and my footsteps were muffled as we had to make it out habit to move without making any sound. It was quite a hassle because Lyall was an assassin and I was an ex-agent and also an assassin-in-training, Lyall was teaching me his skills.
Sir Adler stopped in front of the large double doors and asked me and Lyall to wait outside.
I looked out of the large window that was close by and saw as how the entire territory lay in front of us covered in snow.
"It’s quite different from the other regions of the kingdom." Lyall commented and I nodded.
"It’s my first time seeing so much snow." I admitted.
Even though I was a Frost Mage by bloodline yet, I hadn’t seen so much snow ever. It was a justified that why this place was called Frosthail.
"Are you really not cold?" Lyall asked and I looked up at his flushed face.
"I’m a Water Mage, my element is cool enough so, I’m good with low to high temperatures." I explained and he sighed releasing a cloud of smoke.
"Besides, it’s quite unpredictable place," he started again, "the attacks happen at any time and at any place."
"That’s why it’s a perfect place for us." I said.
"The evolution happens in the times of dire need for improvement."
Just then the doors opened and Sir Adler called us inside. Lyall and I walked in the large hall and I was instantly met by two familiar presences.
One of them, I was expecting to see but the second one was a bit unexpected.