Chapter 82: A Dark Mage
The sound of horses galloping came to a halt as the group reached the edge of a dark and unknown forest.
The eerie ambience was unsettling, with the occasional sound of strange creatures echoing throughout the atmosphere and the scent of rotten bark wafting in the air.
At his command, Brone, the burly and fierce-looking Bargesian leader, signalled for the group to pause their journey. They had yet to reach the Cassian border and were headed towards Gantz at Kaizer’s order.
He dismounted from his horse and cautiously moved a few steps forward, motioning for his group to stay back and wait for him.
As he surveyed his surroundings, his eyes were drawn to a marked tree. However, before he could investigate further, a hooded figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere, silently materialising before him. Brone was taken aback by the mysterious man’s sudden, dramatic appearance and tensed up.
"You startled me, you st*pid mage!" he shouted.
His voice was laced with irritation and surprise as he jumped back and instinctively reached for his weapon. If it wasn’t for his quick observation, he would’ve drawn out his scimitar and launched an attack on the man.
A shrill laugh escaped from the hooded figure as he pulled back his hood to reveal a sly grin.
"Why... Is the most notorious Barges warrior easily scared now?" teased the mage, who appeared to be a man who looked like he was in his fifties with a wrinkled face, dark, hollow eyes, and messy grey hair.
Brone scowled at the man, his pride stung by the insinuation. "Of course not! What do you think I am?" he rebuked.
"Then why did you get startled so easily?" the mage asked, his tone amused.