The plan was simple yet needed massive amounts of magic. I was going to use Casidhe to make formations around the entirety of the Sea of Leaves. These formations would essentially neutralize the mages of Lapoint, or block it? According to Casidhe, it had never been done before, so who was I to argue? I was running on pure instinct and whatever the hell was in that bark-tasting liquid the Foliorans kept drinking.

“We need to set three major focal points around the country. The three will act as the core to an even greater magic circle. Weren’t you supposed to be special?”

“Dammit Casidhe! Everything was peaceful for a second! Can you pull this off without me?”

“I’ll have to have some additional mages. Do the Folioran…?”

“Have mages that studied human magic?”

Rulard interjected with a smug grin on his face. Leyara rolled her eyes at her father and continued for him.

“Yes darling, we have a specific corps of mages that studied human magic in order to prepare for moments exactly like this.”

“Assuming they are even slightly less incompetent as this undead -- ugh!”

A casual backhand knocked her from her seat and through the wall behind her out into the hall of the military base. The surrounding elves were all startled and had terrified looks on their faces. The look wasn’t because I just slapped someone through a wall, it was because out in the hall way Casidhe was drooling in pure ecstasy squealing in delight.

“That’s more like I’m used to. So, Your Majesty, will this plan work?”

Rulard was visibly shaken, but then began shaking with laughter. His beet red face growing even redder as he guffawed and barked in laughter.

“Bwahaha bwahah, it doesn’t look like we have a choice and yes, she is disgusting, I see what you mean now. Let’s lay out on this map the best exact locations for them.”

We poured over charts and maps for the next several hours marking the places we needed to put the magic circles. The first location was near the Limithian Grand Duchy in an area known as, Ice Floe. As the name indicates, it’s a freakish area that is eternally winter and frozen over year-round and filled with glaciers and caves.

The second location was south near the Dead Zone and the ocean with the final location was in the Southwest of the Sea of Leaves near the border of Angleton and Sea of Leaves, not actually too far from my cave. Theoretically, the 3 magic circles would create a massive one that protected the entire Sea of Leaves. It’s the best plan that we were able to come up with, however with some of the duties on the trip, I was going to have to Leave Ron again. He isn’t going to like this…

Ron had recently developed quite the soft spot for Duskra and spent most of his time with her. Not that I’m jealous. However, he has been referencing how much he would miss Duskra when we leave for the next leg of our, “bone searching adventure”. He also said that while sweating from the eyes and wetting himself after tripping on his own tongue and knocking over a fruit vendors cart. Hopefully, he will be happy with more time with Duskra. Only time will tell.

After everyone agreed with the locations the questions and quibbling began anew. Who the fuck says, “begin anew”?

“We will need at least 8 mages for each cite to keep the magic circles active and rotate. We will design it to need as little magic necessary to be as powerful but 4-man rotation every 6 hours should leave everyone just fine and we can have more sent later if necessary.”

All in all, the Folioran had over 100 mages versed in human magic. This was an incredible boon overall. Once Casidhe and I lay the magic circle out and pump it with as much magic as we can, the Foliorans can take over.

“I think I speak for everyone here when I say, that’s obvious you dumbas – CRACK! At least that’s how I heard it.

A quick kick to the side of Casidhe’s chair and through the wall and out into the street with that disgusting, lewd grin on her face. Rulard was guffawing as were a lot of the dark elves present. The few seated hear her were panting so heavily they looked like they might sweat from their eyes at any moment. I just half smiled and shrugged at them.

“I would never miss an opportunity.”

The cleaning staff was near sobs as they looked at the multiple holes in the walls. Maybe I went too far this time. I take for granted I’m slapping people through walls, well Casidhe doesn’t really count as a person, but still and she’s a woman. I should feel worse about this, I think.

“Pshhh.”

I struggle to stifle my laugh. One quick glimpse of that perverted face as she pants and sweats with her tongue lolling out of her head reminds me that creatures like her have no traditional classifications other than Pervy Gross Perv.

“Restore!”

The word left my mouth before I even knew what happened. I didn’t even wave my hand theatrically and both holes in the walls were restored. Even one of the generals’ scarves were fixed. Casidhe immediately wiped the drool from her mouth and began studying the walls muttering to herself. Why is this the only time she’s normal? Wait, did I know that spell?!

“I didn’t even know I knew that spell! It just popped in my head and out of my mouth! Awesome!”

Leyara moves next to me as she appreciates the effects of the magic. Casidhe slowly turns her head over her shoulder. Her face a mask of pain as she inevitably knows what’s coming and can’t stop it OR won’t stop it.

“Finally, your useful for something, ya undead idiot!”

I moved to silence her for good this time, focus points be damned, when I felt a movement and Leyara flies through the air with a very impressive flying kick. Bruce Lee would have been proud. Leyara’s foot connects with Casidhe’s jaw and the look of confusion on her face was worth everything I owned. Casidhe bounced off of the wall and passed out.

“How does she survive backhands through walls, but a flying kick works?”

Leyara wipes pretend dust from her hands.

“Takes a woman’s touch.”

The smug look on her face and the continuing raucous laughter from the other Foliorans present set the mood as we finished for the day. Messes were cleaned, maps handed off to cartographers to verify topography, generals left to smoke and return to their families as Leyara and I got into our carriage and headed home.

“Is it really going to be okay having you and her meet with the Grand Duke of Limithia? They are already unnerved about allying with an undead. Throw in a legendary pervert like Casidhe and things may not work out well.”

“I will figure something out. Maybe trade her a spell or something for her best behavior. Besides, the Duke guy doesn’t seem like a stick in the mud according to your father.”

“You can’t believe everything he tells you. All of his information is from a bachelor party 20 years ago.”

“You have those here?”

“What, bachelor parties?”

“Yes those. Do you also have stri….”

The carriage came to a stop interrupting my sentence. Probably better that I think. If they didn’t have them, I would have to explain why and if they did, she might be upset I know about them. Option three and she stays uncaring and awesome as usual is most likely but still. Women can be hard to navigate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Name: Vampir Darkness

Date of Birth: Reign 23rd in the year 3015

Title: Someone who says, “begin anew”

Race: Vampire

Mount: Drak – Undead Squirrel (Senior Disciple)

Current Value: 239.9 million Gold Coins, Approx. 149 trillion Gold Coins worth of Invisibility Potion, Resurrection Token

Magic Pocket: Pretty much one of everything (verified), Undead King’s Crown and Sword, Squirrel Saddle

Powers: Mesmer, Animal Transmutation, Super Strength, Mach 3 Speed, Immunity, Regeneration, Epic Backhands

Magic: Source (Custom) Magic, Folioran Magic, High Magic

Weaknesses: Holy Water, The Sun, Leyara’s Smile, Excited Squirrels, Undead Squirrels – Drak only really, Casidhe’s stupid face.

Strengths: Sword Fighting, All Magic (Except Holy), Making Barrettes for Squirrels, Drak after imprinting and changing him completely. Casidhe’s flying kick.