A miserable cacophony of voices echoed throughout the open air as nearby peddlers and cart-bound merchants called out to nearby passersby as they walked beneath the shadows of the city’s main gates.

There were plenty of eager merchants and trinket pushers that were bold enough to rush towards one potential customer or another, stuffing their faces with whatever they happened to be selling on this particular day.

Most of those that had the displeasure of being subjected to such crude methods pushed the circling predators away or ignored them until the cackling beasts found other targets that might prove weaker than the last, but for every one of these stubborn customers who refused such tactics there were plenty of those that had been convinced, or practically forced, to buy one of the many products that had been thrusted into their hands or faces.

Seeing such successes only proved to those using such forceful methods to their utmost capabilities.

And when such attempts were forced upon a sharply dressed traveler wearing a lightly colored jacket with distinguished gloves tightly wrapped around the beast of burden’s reins, the hooded figure brushed them aside with expertly delivered kicks to the faces.

For the horse bound figure, it came as no surprise that such eager jackals made their way towards him. The man carried with him an air of confidence that was unmistakable as being one with nobility and the clothing that he wore on his person was of such fine quality that it would bring shame to even the vainest of elves.

Yet the shame that such a described elf would never come to pass as they had been slain by his very hands some years prior to today.

“You all act like starving scavengers in a plague-infested city.” Aurelius snarled to one of the many unfortunate merchants as he stomped his muddied boots against his latest victims face. As he watched the man fall to his knees, clutching at the shattered bridge of his nose as blood poured out from in-between his trembling fingers, a fierce scowl, born out of disgust for those surrounding him, broke out from his usually gorgeous features.

The man’s howling cries of anguish was still not enough to disperse the crowd however, yet the growing chaos had garnered the attention of nearby guards and they rushed towards the scene, ordering for the crowd to disperse immediately and back away from the hooded figure.

Fists began to fly through the air as both guards and merchants alike struck one another in their attempts to prove the victor in such a heated brawl.

As the crowd around him began to disperse and turn their attention towards the lightly armored guards, Aurelius used this opportunity to break free of the obstacle before him and move further into the city and away from the developing chaos that began to consume the city’s streets.

“It seems like everywhere you go these days, chaos erupts out of nowhere.” Proclaimed Argonok as he kept astride with the mounted elven prince, stepping closer towards the beast of burden as more guards rushed towards the increasingly violent brawl.

“Argonok,” Aurelius laughed as he called out the name of his travelling companion, keeping his fists tightly clenched around the reins of his steed and the increasingly softening gaze of his black-and-silver eyes forward. “I didn’t think that there would be a day where you calling me handsome would sound so lyrical.”

The Fireguard’s harrowing face twisted in utter disgust as he looked up towards the golden haired prince, choosing to remain silent lest the Fae-Blessed elf say something else that was equally as grotesque to the dwarf’s nonexistent ears.

“Of course,” Aurelius began to tease as the two of them passed the last of the peddlers. Looking down at the dwarf, the elven prince couldn’t help but offer him a playful smile for what he was about to say next. “I think that you’re far more handsome than me. Why, you’re practically mesmerizing to look at.”

Disgusted by what he had just heard, the dwarf let out another fierce scowl as he turned to look away. Mumbling to himself about how ridiculous the prince had become over the past several years.

“At least now I know why those wives of yours are always fat with kids.” The dwarf remarked as he waved his hand in front of his face, gesturing to the prince that he wanted no more of his teasing.

Aurelius threw his head back with a hearty laugh, his shoulders trembling with pure joy at having heard such words being uttered by the dwarf.

Baffled by what the hooded man was doing, several of the nearby pedestrians turned to look at him with strange looks upon their faces, but after having caught the tiniest glimmer of his shadow-enveloped face it was enough to turn their watchful concern into blinded admiration for the beautiful elven royal that strode through the streets atop of a powerful warhorse.

“When was the last time that I saw you like that?” The prince asked with genuine curiosity as he ignored the growing flock of young women as they called out to him. “Was it back during Minos? Where we tried to bring my second brother back?”

With his eyes twisting to the side as he grew deeper in thought over his companions’ question, Argonok let out a hum as he thought back to the times where an illusionary spell had been casted on him to help disguise him as the two compatriots made their way to the isle of Minos.

“That sounds about right,” The dwarf started to say as he turned back towards the elven prince only for him to watch as the golden haired elf smacked away the hands of several women who became too greedy for his liking.

A chuckle escaped from the dwarf’s smiling lips as he watched the elven prince wave off several more of the women as they continued to call out to him, desperate to seek even the slightest bit of attention from such a gorgeous looking man.

“It’s different when the women groping at you aren’t your wives, isn’t it?” Argonok let out with a pleased tone as he smiled at the prince’s misfortune with strange women. “Though it won’t be the last time that it happens, I’m sure of it.”

“Let’s just hurry along and get away from here.” The prince snarled as he inspected the sleeve of his jacket, checking to make sure that there were no tears in the fine and expensive fabric.

Seeing as there was no need to worry any further about the state of his attire, Aurelius let out an exhausted sigh as he clicked his tongue and kicked at the sides of his horse, telling it to pick up its pace and take him away from the small crowd of eager women.

It was shortly after arriving at a suitable inn that Aurelius was able to stable his horse and sit down atop of a nearby bale of hay, finding a moment for himself to relax after having traveled for such a long distance.

While the journey to Ranislava’s capital was never a very tiring or particularly dangerous one, the elven prince had been particularly anxious during the entire time that he had spent on the seemingly endless amount of roads that snaked their way around the kingdom.

He found that he would always act in such a manner whenever he had to spend time away from his three wives and many children.

Thankfully however, the long journey of retribution was over and done with and he no longer felt burdened at having left his ever growing family behind.

“Don’t look now,” Argonok called out in his usual tone, forcing the elven prince to tug at the sides of his hood, keeping his pointed ears and peculiar black-and-silver eyes away from any of the onlookers that were prowling in the immediate vicinity. “But I think I see a few of those sorcerers that letter was talking about.”

“I see them.” Aurelius grunted as he kept his head lowered as he planted his hands between his parted legs, entwining his fingers together as he sensed the gaggle of hooded magicians walk proudly through the streets.

Standing no further than an arm’s length apart were five men wearing similar attire to one another, their backs straightened out in unadulterated pride as they walked through the lightly populated street. The men conversed amongst themselves with audible, jubilant voices as they followed behind an equally peculiar individual that had already caught the attention of the Dark Elven prince even before the small group of men had entered into his eyesight.

Leading at the forefront of the obvious gathering of students was none other than a High Elven sorcerer.

To the prince, it was obvious that the other elf could be nothing other than the master to such a goofy looking gaggle of apprentices and the annoyed expression worn upon the instructors’ face proved his suspicions correct.

Yet even though their outfits had brought a smirk to the prince’s lips, the students wore them with pride.

“How far along do you think they are?” The dwarf asked as his gaze followed the small band of chick-like apprentices.

Aurelius could only shake his head as he gave his answer. “Who knows.”

Upon hearing such words, Argonok looked back at his companion after having his attention piqued by the predatorily growl within the prince’s tone.

“Seeing as how they could walk around with such confidence, then you think they would have to be pretty far along. Don’t you think so?”

“Who knows.” Aurelius repeated to the dwarf as his irritation for what he was seeing was barely being held in check.

Several weeks prior to this trip he had spent what little spare time that he had sifting through a series of correspondence between Iskra and her friend, Anne. It was during this snooping that the Dark Elven prince had learned about Ranislava’s recent exposure to magic as well as the establishment of a magical university.

It was also through that very same chain of letters that he had learned that none other than a delegation of High Elves were responsible for such events having unfolded within the once magicless kingdom.

However, when he had confronted his primary wife about such concerning events unfolding in her homeland, Iskra had treated the entire affair as if it was of no concern to her.

This had greatly upset the concerned elven prince and to make matters worse, the letter was over three years old by that point in time.

He couldn’t just sit idly by and ignore the whole ordeal without having checked out the situation with his own eyes.

Shortly thereafter, he had set out for the south with the official reasoning being to spy upon Ranislava’s recently established culture of magic.

At least, that was the official reasoning that he had given his wife for his return to the southern lands of Ranislava.

There was another reason for his being here, and the three sealed tubes by his side were proof of his secondary intentions for racing south towards the capital of Iskra’s mother kingdom.

“They’re gone.” Argonok proclaimed as he stepped away from the corner of the barn, no longer able to see the backs of the chain of apprentice sorcerers and their elven master.

Aurelius peaked out from underneath his hood as his attention was brought back towards the present and away from his wife’s nonchalant attitude.

“It doesn’t matter,” He said as he rose from his impromptu seat. “We’ll be able to catch up with them any time that we please.”