Chapter 5 - Wise Men

"Gregor, I see that you haven't lost your skills even after fifteen years."

"Moore, it's not safe here. There are men after me."

"Yes, I know. These are my men." Moore gestured to the field of bodies behind him.

Gregor's eyebrows knitted over.

"These are your men?"

"Just worthless fools."

"What are you on about Moore?"

"So, how long has it been?"

"Moore."

"Did you find the book?"

"MOORE! What is the matter with you! This is not the time for a chat." Gregor shouted.

"WHAT IS THE MATTER?! The matter is that even after sixteen years you Gregor still trouble me to no end!" Moore snarled at Gregor before regaining his composure.

Moore encircled Gregor only to stop and look at the Tower then back at Gregor.

"So where is she? My men didn't see her but I know she's here."

"Who?"

"Are you still going to play games with me?"

Moore's eyes sparkled with rage.

"Lady Ashlen! Where is she!?"

Gregor gave Moore a perplexed look and bitterness filled his heart.

"Why would I know where your wife is?" Gregor replied.

"You still dare to try and mock me?" Moore said.

Moore pointed his finger at Gregor.

"Don't play games with me. You left the capital and took her with you! She had left me at the altar for you! A poor bastard! An Orphan!" Moore said. "For sixteen years you laughed behind my back, living together! Where is she!"

"Lady Ashlen was never with me. I left the capital when I heard the news that your marriage was moving forward." Gregor said.

Thinking of Lady Ashlen, Gregor felt a bit weak but the feeling in his chest was burning hot. Gregor remembered something and tried searching his pocket for a treasured possession only to realize he had given it away. The compass that helped him on his journey was given to him by Lady Ashlen and he, in turn, gave it to Nero.

"I knew you were going to get in my way, Gregor! I sent men to kill you that day you left the capital! I should've paid for stronger mercenaries!"

"Those men were yours?" Gregor said. "They chased me and tried to my get information on the book of knowledge."

"Of course, they did, I told them to." Moore waved his hand like it was a matter of fact.

"What?"

"I wasn't going to let you have the book, Gregor! You even ranted and raved about it to everyone! People know its power!"

"Moore, I wasn't looking for power but insight."

"Rubbish. You've always been selfish and power hungry. The very reason I loathe you, Gregor."

"Why? Aren't we comrades? Friends? Aren't we Wise Men? Haven't we went through the same trials and tribulations?" Gregor said.

Moore laughed at Gregor's question. He never once thought they were comrades, friends, or a rival. He saw Gregor as an obstacle. Moore took a step forward with his fists clenched. His fiery red eyes burned with the anger he felt. Moore believed that Gregor had the book of knowledge and gained numerous insights.

"Allies? Friends? No, never! You were a stepping stone but you kept moving higher. All my life you had stolen everything from me! All those accomplishments should've been mine! You took everything and left none for the rest of us! They may call you Gregor the Great but I know your true name, Gregor the Greedy!"

Moore was always jealous of the accomplishments Gregor had achieved in his lifetime. Moore always thought that if Gregor was never there, he would be the wisest and most accomplished man alive. Moore had come from a noble lineage and Gregor was just a street orphan. The King and people of the Kingdom of Or'Vale had always fancied Gregor over himself. Even his fiancé had known feelings for Gregor.

Lady Ashlen was engaged to Moore at a young age, he knew her before Gregor. Even when all three were known as heroes as part of the Four Wise Men. Moore only felt contempt and disdain for Gregor. It was only when Gregor disappeared did Moore's power grew, and his reputation went even further. Yet the anger and rage he felt did not ease, it only intensified.

Lord Moore had chased Gregor all this time when he was gone he felt he still had something to prove. When he heard the news that Gregor left to find the Book of Knowledge, his thought was to find the book before him. He sent men to follow Gregor and obtain his information but none returned. Then Gregor went missing for sixteen years, abandoning his position and titles.

Moore only recently had information come to his hands that Gregor had entered the Sea of Trees fifteen years ago. Moore had only gotten hold of this information because of an arranged marriage between the Duke's son and an Orc girl. Emissaries had been sent between Southscale and Westwolf to supplement the marriage. This is where the human emissary had heard news of Gregor being in Southscale and his destination being the Sea of Trees.

Town folk of Southscale had talked about seeing a powerful wise man from the Kingdom of Ore'Vale. Someone that the Chieftain of the town had personally entertained. Hearing this, Moore had taken a platoon of knights and his Dark Mages with him to personally find Gregor or the book. Moore didn't really expect to find him, it was more of a whim. Knowing that the Book of Knowledge could be his he couldn't pass up the chance. Now that he found him, all passed aggressions rose within Moore and made him demented at the very sight of Gregor.

Gregor calmly placed his arms behind his back and shook his head. He looked up to the cloudy sky and felt a pain in his heart. His eyes showed a feeling of pity when he looked back down at Moore. The face was as obvious to everyone there that Gregor pitied Lord Moore, both were known as Wise men. Gregor actually pitied his peer and his face had an almost indescribable sadness. Moore's face distorted and the rage he felt exemplified.

"Don't think you can beat me by only having the book of knowledge! I have far surpassed you!" Moore roared.

"I don't have the book," Gregor replied. "It's not here."

Gregor looked back at the Tower. Moore followed his eyes to the Tower and then moved toward Gregor.

"If you don't have it, then I don't need you anymore," Moore said.

Moore had taken Gregor's suggestion and believed the book was still in the Tower. Moore wasn't thinking rationally, he only thought about getting the book. If he had found the book he believed his power would only multiply. Magical energy surged around Moore and searing flames raised out from him. His body surged in a red flame aura. Moore's affinity for magic reflected his personality. He was as arrogant and hot headed as fire itself. Moore and Gregor were polar opposites even for their magical affinity.

A fiery aura surrounded Moore and Gregor stood his ground. Moore is one of the Wise Men so his magic was in a realm few would reach. Each Wise Men had their own affinity for different magic and their special abilities varied. Moore had the affinity for Fire and his ability was to produce magic from his emotions. He didn't have a need to chant or carve words to use his power. It would always burn as long as he felt it would.

Moore was always in a rage that caused it to fan the flames of his magical power. Moore didn't know whether this rage was caused by his own emotions or the magic itself which affected him. He just knew his emotions would illicit the most of his magical energy. Because of this people would stay clear of him and only treat him with the utmost respect. This fits him perfectly as a man who thought of himself above others.

Moore punched his fists toward Gregor and flames emerged with each arm. Gregor quickly moved his hands to motion the rain water on the ground to form a shield. The confrontation of water and fire would evaporate as mists in the air. The Dark Mages watched with smiles on their faces, they believed their Lord to be the strongest of the two. Moore stomped on the ground and flames ignited, sprawling forth toward Gregor. Gregor motioned his hand with a sweep and the water on the ground made a wave smothering the fire.

Nero had a calm expression on his face but some confusion ran through his mind. He knew his father had more devastating spells in his arsenal and yet he didn't use them. What Nero didn't know was that his father had simply forgotten the spells and not of his own accord. Gregor was handicapped against Moore but still, he held his own.

Gregor pointed his index finger to the water and said "Spike!"

The puddles on the ground formed into pointy spikes. Gregor motioned his hands toward Moore and the water spikes flew like tentacles. Moore scoffed at the attack and held his hands together. Soon flames in the shape of hands emerged and held the spikes. Again both elements collided and evaporated in the air.

Gregor relaxed his posture while Moore kept a menacing glare.

"You won't win Moore, at best we cancel each other out." Gregor let out a sigh.

"You know Gregor, I still haven't forgotten this scar you gave me." Moore felt the faint scar on his cheek.

"Moore…I was saving your life!"

"No, you weren't! Gregor, You were always jealous of me! You wanted to stop my breakthroughs in magic!"

"You were using forbidden magic!" Gregor had a stern expression. "It would've destroyed the city!"

"It was going to stabilize! I know it was!" Moore said.

Twenty years ago in an effort to overtake Gregor, Moore had conducted experiments with a variety of magic. He had heard news of magical enhancements that were being made on the Eastern Continent. Moore spared no expense in gathering that knowledge and trying to amplify its effects. Even when the price to be paid was in human sacrifices.

The Royal Capital trembled and blindly wild magic was emanating from Moore's home. Gregor and the other Wise Men rushed over only to see Moore hysterical. Wild magic in the color of blood was destroying his home and the city. Moore laughed as he thought he finally found a breakthrough. His laugh would turn into hatred as Gregor stopped the experiment with his magic. An explosion occurred and Moore received scars on his face that he healed except for one. It was to remind him of what Gregor had done.

Moore had almost destroyed the Royal Capital and Gregor had prevented it. There was no punishment settled for Moore since he was a nobleman and his family had vast influence in the capital. Still, there was a royal decree that anything involved with that magic would be forbidden. The King established that on that advice from his Royal Wizard, Gregor. Moore only saw it as Gregor preventing him from surpassing him. This only added another rage inside his heart that would fester.

"Now I will show you what I've accomplished since you were gone." Moore gave a murderous smile. "I will destroy you!"

Moore pulled a blood red vial from his pocket. Nero saw the vial and didn't know what it was but it felt familiar. Gregor saw the vial and gave an intense gaze to Moore.

"Blood magic!? No one in the Kingdom should use it! I forbade its use!" Gregor said.

"You aren't the Royal Wizard anymore...I am!" Moore drank the vial of blood.

Moore's body convulsed as he screamed. The fiery aura that surrounded him became blood red. His muscles spasmed and grew, his veins protruded and turned blood red as well. Nero felt agitated, he felt something was wrong with the magical energy Moore was letting out. The four Dark mages felt an eerie chill down their spines. Gregor involuntarily took a step back from the magical energy Moore was releasing.

"You! Gregor, the Greedy. You had stolen everything! Even Lady Ashlen! But there is one thing you can't take from me Gregor because I will be the one to take your life!"

A red aura of fire erupted from Moore's body. Flames colored like blood writhed around him as his face twisted. Moore looked more and more like a madman focused on the destruction of Gregor. The mana he emitted was intense and powerful. The grass and water around them evaporated while turning into ash.

Gregor had used up almost all the water around him. The sky had already cleared of clouds and the water that laid on the ground was purged from Moore's energy. Gregor felt the intense heat emitted from Moore and sweat dripped down his face. Gregor was in dire straits without his grimoire and water to manipulate. The very moisture in the air was being burned by Moore's ravenous blood fire.

Moore waved his hand and a blood red phoenix emerged which flew toward Gregor. Taking out a mana stone of earth from his knapsack, Gregor crushed it and let it fall to the ground. A wall of dirt and mud grew up to shield Gregor. The blood red phoenix rammed into the mud wall turning it to ash as it disappeared.

"Ha! That was just an appetizer." Moore laughed.

Moore looked at Gregor and spat blood-red lava towards him. Gregor couldn't react in time and the lava hit his leg melting through flesh and bone. Gregor let out a painful scream as he tumbled down.

"Yes, that's where you should be Gregor. On the ground looking up at me!"

Nero tensed up as he saw the scene and he wanted to go help his father but he couldn't. He was scared, he never saw this kind of power before, he had never seen his father suffer injury. Why can't I move? Nero thought as his heart and body struggled.

"Have some more!" Moore said.

Creating balls of fire on the top of his palms, Moore threw them at Gregor. Gregor clenched his teeth and raised his palms up.

"RISE!" Gregor yelled.

Geysers shot up from the ground beneath them. Underneath the Sea of Trees were caverns filled with copious amounts of water and earth, enough to feed the green landscape. They engulfed the fireballs and rose up even higher. Gregor motioned his hands downward and pointed them at Moore. The water then formed in the image of a dragon and splashed down toward Moore. Nero gave out a joyous expression only to turn into shock when he saw Moore burning away at the water dragon.

"Oh you tricky bastard, Gregor. There's still water here?" Moore had a mischievous grin on his face.

Moore clenched his fists as he focused his magical energy into his arms. With a roar, he threw his fists into the sky. A pillar of blood flames surged forth above him. His veins pulsed with red light as magical energy seem to pour out into the sky. Moore gave out a maniacal laugh as he glared at Gregor.

"The flames of my hatred burn up to the heavens Gregor!" Moore said. "Not even the Four Gods can save you!"

"Moore! This is dangerous! You don't know why will happen if you continue this!" Gregor said.

Moore shook his head, he had already gone beyond the point of no return. All his desires, all his emotions, they screamed at him for one thing, to end Gregor. Moore motioned his hands and fanned the flames around him, they sprawled forth towards Gregor. The geysers that Gregor controlled moved about to block the blood magic. The two forces deflected off each other and hit the Ivory Tower.

The Dark mages were in shock and horror as they saw the Ivory Tower's walls get damaged. They had used their own magic and did no damage to the Tower. Yet these two Wise Men whose magic were deflected ended up destroying pieces of the Tower. If they had taken that magic head on, they knew they would no longer live to tell the tale.

Blood magic and water magic collided only to bounce off each other. Both forms of magic fell down to the ground, blowing up the very earth. The magic was like explosions as they hit the trees and the Tower. The Ivory Tower no longer looked as white and pristine as it used to. Its walls were falling apart, the magnificent inner rooms were shown. The top of the Tower crumbled in half and the Dragon crystal appeared as if you could peer into the soul of the Tower.

Gregor had wasted almost all the supplies he made to traverse through the Sea of Trees. He knew he couldn't be stingy as this battle was on a heavy scale. Moore was aiming for a life or death battle and was giving up his life force through blood magic. Gregor could only hold back and defend against the onslaught of Moore's blood magic. Still, even handicapped, Gregor could hold his own.

The battle of Wise Men raged on until darkness converged in the sky. Sounds of magic littered in the air surrounding the Sea of Trees. Gregor's blue robes were tattered in rags almost. Blood and burns covered him around his body. Moore looked like a demon covered in red blood, yet he was never injured from Gregor. The Blood magic that was in his body seem to come out from his pores and skin, it was like his body was purging itself.

Nero felt his breath slowed as he sees the Tower almost in shambles and his father beaten to a mess. The expression on his face grew increasingly nervous as he watched the battle between the two Wise Men. So much destruction, so much power he thought. As Nero watches his father battle Moore his hand grasped onto the hilt of his short sword.

This feeling of being powerless, Nero did not want to feel this ever again. Nero never followed his heart as would other people his age. He always thought clearly and looked at the potential outcomes. Perhaps it was because he was raised by Gregor that he became like this. Or was it because he did not know any other options than the ones Gregor taught. Nero wouldn't know until he had met other people in the World. When his mind and heart struggled eventually his heart had won, he had decided he would intervene.

"Yes! This is how it should be Gregor!" Moore laughed.

"Moore, your body…it's breaking down," Gregor said. "Don't continue this fight!"

"Ha-ha nonsense! You're beaten and bloody, Gregor. You've wasted all the magical energy you had!"

Moore walked up to Gregor in a sense of triumph. He knew he had won but now felt the need to gloat over Gregor. Suddenly Moore was blasted by a force of the strong wind. He flew and tumbled over for meters. A crash of thick smoke covered the area surrounding the Ivory Tower from the Sea of Trees. Nero had wasted his mana stones in order to help Gregor. He grabbed his father and tried to hold him up.

"Let's go!" Nero said. "We can run now!"

Gregor moved then hesitated for a moment, he didn't want Nero involved in this fight. If they moved together and were chased, it was likely that they both would be defeated. He couldn't take that chance. Gregor was already losing his mind slowly, he had grown so old and weary. He had chased the Book of Knowledge, he regretted not having chase, Lady Ashlen. Looking back at the decisions he made in his life, the only good one was raising Nero.

"No, I will hold him back. You go," Gregor said. "Run. GO RUN!!"

Nero looked into his father's eyes and saw decisiveness fill them. Gregor gave Nero the most radiant smile he saw his father make. Gregor motioned his hand and said "Fly." A wave of water came to wash over Nero and pushed him back toward the Sea of Trees. Nero couldn't fight the water as it carried him back.

"NO!" Nero yelled. "DON'T! FATHER!!!"

The smoke that filled the air suddenly blew away. A fan of flames was pushing them out and Moore was at the center. His fiery blood aura billowed and Moore gave Gregor a menacing stare. Madness filled his face but a twist of a smile on his mouth.

"Gregor, even when you are going to die! You still have tricks!" Moore said. "Fine! I'll end it. Die."

Gregor stood up and dusted himself off. He looked back at the Tower and saw its heart. A sadness filled him and he knew what he had to do. It looks like I will die with this Tower after all Gregor thought.

Moore fanned his flames and motioned his arms in a circling motion. As he twisted his hands a tornado of blood fire appeared. It spun and spun and spun until it grew into the size of the Tower. Moore laughed as he released the tornado toward Gregor.

Gregor motioned his hands to the air and yelled "RISE!"

With the last bit of his magical energy, he withdrew another geyser from the ground. He looked back at the Tower and saw the Dragon Crystal shining a red aura.

"SPIKE! FLY!" Gregor commanded the water.

The water formed into a pointy spike which flew toward the crystal stabbing it. The Dragon crystal cracked and reverberated unleashing a torrent of magical energy. Bright light reached into the sky in the form of a dragon. A deafening sound of a roar was unleashed surrounding the Tower and the Sea of Trees. Gregor, Moore, Nero and The Dark Mages could only cover their faces at what was happening.

"Forgive me, Moore, even now, I can't give you my death," Gregor said.

The Tower began shaking and was collapsing over itself. The ground moved and cracked underneath. Gregor who was underneath the Tower looked up into the stars and coughed blood. An explosion emitted from The Tower and covered the surrounding area. Nero reached out his hands screaming frantically as a golden light filled his hands. Gregor disappeared in particles of light as the smoke and rubble enveloped him.

Nero watched in utter disbelief when the waves of water dropped his body to the ground. The magic had ended, which could have only meant one thing…Gregor had died. Tears flooded down Nero's face as he struck his head down to the floor. He screamed and cried at what happened. His fists pounded the ground as if he couldn't stop. The pain of losing his father was unbearable for him.

"YOU BASTARD! GREGOR!" Moore frothed at the mouth.

Moore was almost insane with his fiery as he watched the Tower breakdown in a smoking heap. The explosion burnt at Moore's body as his body reverted to its original shape. The Blood magic he used had left him and sucked away at his vitality. The power would only last for a couple hours at most and he thought it was enough to deal with Gregor. Until the very end, Gregor had fought Moore every step of the way. Moore let out a scream of frustration, even to his death Gregor had stolen from him.

The Dark Mages had rushed to their Lord's aid after the smoke and rubble subsided. Moore had a perpetual face of agony and anger. His body was failing from the blood magic but his anger against Gregor could not vanish. Moore flailed around as the Dark Mages held him up.

"Dig! Dig everything back up, leave not a trace hidden! I want everything that was in the Tower to come back up!" Moore said.

The Dark Mages stood still.

"FIND ME THE BOOK!!!" Moore screamed.

"Lord, what about the bodies of the men?" Cyrus asked.

Moore looked at Cyrus as if he asked a stupid question.

"Leave those fools who couldn't even save themselves. Use any means necessary in unearthing the Tower!"

"But it'll take days my Lord." One of the Dark Mages replied.

"Then get started, dimwit" Moore gave them a glare.

Moore was frustrated looking at the pile of rubble that once stood an Ivory Tower. Then his anger and demeanor slowly cleared up. He regained his composure of a dignified noble once more. The anger that burned in his heart was still there but wasn't prevalent on the surface. The Book of Knowledge was going to be his and Gregor won't be in his way anymore. Yet Moore couldn't stand the sight of the area anymore.

"I'll return to the Kingdom." Moore stood tall and his expression calmed.

"I leave the rest to you, Cyrus."

"Yes, Lord."

Moore walked away as the Dark mages behind him began the process of searching and unearthing the Tower. Moore needed more blood magic, he would have to export more goods from the Eastern Continent. Right now he didn't want to be in the Sea of Trees and be reminded of Gregor. Moore had felt he had won when he fought Gregor but now he didn't feel like he won at all. Moore disappeared as the darkness of night covered the Sea of Trees.

Darkness had surrounded Nero as his body was on the ground. Nero stood up and backed away slowly as he faced his eyes at the rubble of the Ivory Tower. Gregor had given up his life so that Nero could live. Nero remembered Gregor's words which told him to run. His body moved toward the Sea of Trees and ran. Nero was running like a wild animal in the forest.

The Tower crumbled and the seal of protection it provided had shattered. Nero had reached the outer limit where the Tower once offered its protection. This was the farthest he went by himself and now he ran past it without a single thought. The Ivory Tower had lost its power source and meaning, it was the only home that Nero knew. His heart ached but his mind told him to go and his body moved.

Nero took his sadness and ran, he had hoped to run far so he could not feel it anymore. You would not be able to tell him apart from wild beasts as he moved with an utmost sense of urgency. He ran until his ears could no longer hear the rustling of trees and the sounds of creatures. Now only the sound of own beating heart remained in his ears. Nero had never been this far from home before. He only knew of the forest surrounding the Tower and he could barely navigate through the Sea of Trees.

Every breath Nero made sounded like a loud roar that echoed in the Sea of Trees. Nero began to breathe heavily and as he did, it echoed like explosions. Eyes seem to follow him as he moved through bushes and around trees. Shadows in the dark moved and scattered around Nero. The lush green of the Sea of Trees was only a dark mess to his eyes. Only glimmers of moonlight reached down showing a path for him.

Nothing seemed to matter anymore for Nero as he ran. Yet he understood that his heart and mind still grieved. Gregor was gone, the Tower was gone. His family was gone, his home was gone. All Nero knew had come to pass him but he didn't know how much it would hurt. Why did this have to happen to him? Why did those men want Gregor? What is the Book of Knowledge? They had taken from him things he cherished and it hurt him so badly. Nero could not tell if the tears in his eyes were from the wind rushing to his face or the sadness in his heart.

Finally, Nero stopped almost exhausted to the point of collapsing. He staggered to hold himself up and leaned against a tree. He didn't want to feel anymore, but the pain in his heart wasn't going away. He clenched his fist and punched the tree. Rage and helplessness came over him. He continued hitting the tree to the point that his knuckles began to bleed. He closed his eyes and touched his forehead to the tree trunk.

Nero thought about everything his father had done for him. He started thinking about what he learned under him. Images filled his mind of the time he grew and studied under his father. His father was a Wise Man and a great hero, Nero finally realized that first hand. Now he felt if only he had done things differently, his father would still be with him now.

Nero felt the weight of his items and he remembered the Book of Knowledge. He took it out of his knapsack and felt like throwing it away. It was the very cause of their trouble. Yet Nero couldn't let it go from his hands. Gregor had given his life up for it and he didn't dare part with the book now. A golden light faintly shined through the leather straps binding the book. Nero unraveled the book and its light whipped through the Sea of Trees.

Nero scanned his surroundings and he saw a wretched landscape. It was the first time, his eyes had laid upon the real forest known as Sea of Trees. The forest's trees organically twist and turn, their roots winding across the forest floor in treacherous threads. The ground was uneven, rocky, and perforated with varying vegetation. Trees seemed too tightly packed for the winds to pierce through.

There were no animals to be seen and the forest was eerily quiet.

Nero realized the absence of sound and wildlife. He held the book up and the golden light shined brightly. Nero turned around behind him when a giant shadow passed by him. He stumbled backward and shut his eyes at the quick movement. When he opened his eyes, he saw a gigantic claw mark on the tree and fear covered his face.