Tess

She had no plan to let them near her father until she got every last bit they knew about magic. It was clear that the boy with the red headscarf knew something about it. He was still smiling, and it was starting to get to Tess. He was just too calm and the smile now seemed creepy.

Tess, with the two strangers in tow, went out to the garden. The entire time walking with them, something seemed off about it. But Tess just couldn't place what was missing. The boy still smiled, with the small cloaked kid clutching onto his arm.

The boy didn't seem at all bothered: surely he should have noticed that she had brought them to the wrong place. Tess stopped in the corner of the garden, away from all eyes. Tall hedges blocking them from view.

She turned on the dark boy, “Who are you? And how do you know of magic?”

The boy’s smile widened, “My name is Lost, and I have an important mission to fulfill. So, if you would be so kind as to take me to your father, then I can do it properly.”

Tess’ jaw dropped slightly at the blatant disrespect. No commoner would ever talk to a Royal like that. She snapped her jaw closed quickly, resisting the urge to send the boy to the dungeon.

“What do you know of magic?” Tess tried again, her voice strained.

The boy clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Well I suppose there's no getting around it.”

Tess cocked her head to the side, eyebrow rising slightly. But before she could say anything, the red headscarf wearing boy spoke again.

“Over two thousand years ago, there was a magic user who made a plague. Not your ordinary type of plague, mind you. It was one derived from pure magic. The magic user turned it into a unpredictable, chaotic thing. It spread across the land, mutating magic and non-magic creatures, twisting them into her minions and some were driven to insanity. Eventually she was defeated, but at a grave price. She was defeated by being locked away at the price of the world's magic, for if she was not defeated, then all beings would be in her control. Recently, the magic of the world and the plague were released, returning magic to the land but also unleashing this plague. The magic user is dead now, but her plague will still spread, driving every living being to insanity.” The boy looked around calmly, like he had just asked if Tess was having a good day.

“I… Mmmh… What?” Tess was at a loss for words. But how did he know this? And why wasn't it in any of the records in the archives about the Old World?

Lost shrugged, “Eh, I didn't really think you would understand. To put it simply, magic has returned and some are learning to use it. There is a plague that is going to slowly destroy this world using the newly returned magic, if it goes unchecked. I have come here to request the help of the elves.”

“H-help?” Tess asked, unsure of how to handle this conversation. She may have just gotten tangled up in something far bigger than a war between humans and elves.

“Yes, your help. I need to use your vault to banish the magic once again, it’s the only way I know how to fix this,” said Lost, staring at her evenly.

“You said again?” Tess asked, unsure if she should keep talking to this person or to just lead them to her father so he could deal with them.

“Yes, again. I was the one who trapped and locked away the world’s magic,” Lost said, his smile gone.

That's when it hit Tess, like a hammer. There was only one person she heard of to ever trap magic, The Dark Swordsman.

Tess took a step back, pulling out the dagger hidden in her sleeve, even though she knew it would be useless. She held it out in front of her, fear spreading through out her mind.

The man people thought of as a god today, an evil god. The man thought to have immense power, enough to defeat a thousand men. The man who is ruthless, cold and recorded in history as The Destroyer. The man who caused the Great Catastrophe. The man who should have been dead.

He raised an eyebrow, “Why are you pointing a knife at me? I thought we were your guests. I know you think I destroyed that border keep or something like that, but I swear I didn't.”

Tess stayed silent for a while, trying to calm herself down. Even being in the presence of this man was a sin in most religions. Lost and the hooded figure just stood there silently, watching, waiting.

“W-what do you want?” Tess blurted out finally.

“I already told you. I need to get to your Vault. So I can imprison this plague of magic, before the world is consumed by it,” Lost took a step forward, Tess a step back.

“It-it was d-destroyed!” Tess stuttered, still holding the small knife out in front of her.

Lost frowned, “That can’t be, if it's gone then…” Lost trailed off.

Tess lowered her dagger an inch, unsure if he was going to attack her.

“Dammit!” Lost shouted, looking at the sky, he let out a stream of curses. Tess, if she wasn't afraid, would have blushed at his colorful vocabulary.

After a few minutes, the curses slowly stopped and Lost fell silent. He started mumbling incoherently. Looking up, he stared at Tess, who was shaking.

“I thank you for telling the truth. You have been very helpful. I must now leave, but here is a parting gift.” He stepped quickly towards her, the figure on his arm following him. Tess shrank back, but wasn't fast enough.

She let out a terrified scream, and plunged the dagger into his chest, it sank in without problem. Lost wasn't fazed, he only frowned and looked down at the dagger in his chest.

“Huh. You really are scared of me,” said Lost, smirking slightly. Tess let out another scream, letting go of the knife. It clattered to the ground, phasing right through Lost.

Tess stared in horror at him. “W-what are you?!”

“I’m not actually here, this is only an illusion. I felt like someone had noticed me as soon as I entered the city, so I decided to come to the castle, but as an illusion.”

Tess gaped at him, she knew about illusions. It was a form of magic.

“Now don't move, this is a parting gift to help you master your magic. I don’t want some inexperienced magic user blowing themselves and others up.” Tess didn’t get a chance to say anything, as he reached out his pale hand. Plunging it into her forehead, she felt a burst of extreme pain, tears streamed down her face. Then he swiftly pulled it out. Backing up he spoke, “I thank you again. I would also apreciate it if you called the bounty off my head, but from what I have heard about your King, I highly doubt he will do it.”

“Wh-what?” Tess asked, she had no idea how to react to this situation. Here she was, in the presence of a man considered an evil god by most. And he was thanking her, after plunging his hand into her head.

“I said thank you. Goodbye,” said Lost. He and the small figure next to him vanished. Without a puff of smoke or sound, nothing. Like they weren't ever even there. She sank to her knees. This was too much for her mind to handle, she even started questioning if he was really even there.

Moments later, around 6 royal guards came running into sight. Seeing their princess on the ground crying they stopped. “Milady, what happened?” One of the guards said, stepping forward.

Tess wiped her face clean, standing up. “I need to talk to my father.”

The guards nodded, two went off to get the king.

She walked over to a bench and sat down, trying to collect herself. Slowly sifting through her mind, her eyes widened. She knew what his gift was, and what a gift it was.

Tess, completely forgetting about her fear, started to sift through what he had put in her head. He had left her with the knowledge on how to cast spells, and how to properly learn to replenish her magic. He had showed her how to use magic.