He sighed. "You do not understand. Perhaps some glances from your own life?"
Before I could say a word, I was now at the Greater Gate of the Temple. The guards lay dead, scorched by a vengeance they never saw coming. Swift yet brutal. I drifted inside, though I didn't want to. Two men and woman were surrounded by nearly fifteen attackers. They dragged the woman away and tied the men up before setting them alight. Their screams threatened to explode my brain.
I drifted ahead, my eyes unable to believe the carnage. Up and coming mages, all slaughtered without standing a chance. And many children who could barely cast a light spell, burnt to ashes. And some being burnt even as their tormentors laughed and taunted them. How could it be that they seemed to find out every hiding place? Even as I wondered, a young woman in her early twenties was dragged out by a trio. She was forced to kneel while they taunted her.
She did something I didn't expect at all. She froze herself. The only way she could be violated was if she unfroze. And that, only she could do. Powerful spell. Strong spirit. Yet, as I expected, the men melted her into a puddle. Defiance couldn't save her, yet it was better than what she might very possibly have suffered. I saw myself hide. I then drifted off to another hideout. The Master of the Temple faced the leader of the attackers. He had ice blades in both hands. He was quite a formidable fighter. Where were the rest of the Council? Including my fiance Anzen Tarkid. They were probably busy herding the rest into safety.
I drifted off, and stood outside a door. The Provisional Council Room. I stepped in. The councillors all sat dead in their chairs. Each stabbed in the chest by an ice shard. And branded on the face. And their killer stood in front of me. Anzen.
"Ugh! Where did she go?! I was sure I could destroy this worthless Council in one shot. Guards!"
Two enemy fighters marched in hurriedly.
"Search for a woman. Young. And she'll have the dress of a Councillor. I want her dead or alive. Under no circumstances, is she to escape."
"Yes, milord" They walked out. One of them was the one whom I would kill a while later.
My heart was shattered. Someone who I'd trusted to be there, was with the enemy the whole time. How was it that I never saw it? A Councillor was definitely involved. How else were all the hideouts discovered so easily?
"You see," said that awful voice again, "You were betrayed by your own. Him you considered a friend simply used you for himself. What makes you think you can handle the power you seek to acquire? What makes you think that the power won't destroy you?"
To be continued
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