As Devon came to the sun's light was just painting the tops of the trees red. The morning light created a red haze as it shined through wispy fog that hung close to the rain drenched ground.
He sat up and his head exploded in pain causing his eyesight to dim momentarily.
At first he forgot where he was. He felt his clothings dampness clinging to his body and looked around the rain soaked alleyway. The night before immediatly rushed back into his mind.
"Cripes!" He cursed. He had lost the package.
Now the war was going to really turn nasty.
Because of the weak supply of magic his protection spell failed last night as he exited the inn.
Now he had lost the package, the content of which was going to make the magic situation much worse.
Once the artifact was utilized and it drew from the existing magic, all wizards on our side will become pretty much powerless.
"There you are," Jerik's voice bounced off the wet walls of the dank alley, "I have been looking all over for you."
Jerik walked over and extended a hand and helped Devon to his feet.
"Thanks for the distraction." Devon said.
"Tell me you got the package." Jerik said a pleading look on his face.
Devon responded by looking down at his feet without a word the blood rushing to his face.
"Damn the gods!" Jerik cursed.
"Twas Jarrod that got me." He answered defensively, "I thought you were watchin him for me."
"I was," Jerik responded rubbing his bruised chin with a wry smile, "who do you think kept that weasel from nixing the package before you got it? Then the little bugger got away from me."
"Well," Devon stated, "If Jarrod's still got the package he will be headed to the Heron's inn to collect from the Captain. I suggest we get there before the little weasel does."
"Let us not tary then," Jerik answered, "besides, we are being followed."
Devon looked into his face and Jerik winked.
"Our little red headed friend?" He asked with a smile.
"Yep."
Devon and Jerik made their way hastily up wet village streets. They were met by wary stares from the village folk who had woke from wet slumber and were beginning a new dank day.
These went unnoticed as urgency fueled their breakneck pace. They knew that if Jarrod got to the captain before they could get to him all wizard and magic folk alike would have to bend to the will of the Regent.
Once the Regent had the object within the package he would disband the wizard orders and send them into exile, or even worse. The wizards would be rendered powerless.
Saybon, the Regent, was once a turtor in the Orders but failed the trials. He was expelled in disgrace. Devon and Jerik knew he harbored a great hatred for the Orders. They knew Saybon hated only two others more than the wizards as a whole. Devon, Jerik and Saybon all tutored together. They WERE all best of friends. Now they were aligned on opposite sides of the political fence and Devon and Jerik had become the object of the Regents ire.
They reached the top of the hill where the Heron Inn sat and rounded a corner and ran into Jarrod knocking him to the coblestone street.
Jarrod had been been admiring the package with gloved fingers as the collision occured sending the brown paper package skiding across wet stone and into a alley shrouded in early morning shadows.
The three men stared awestruck a brief moment at one another without a word. The uncomfortable silence was dispelled by a high pitched laughter.
A young woman with strawberry blond hair, and a sprinkle of ginger freckles across her nose immerged from the shadows with sword drawn and the package in her hands.
"Looks like you lose boys," She said backing down the street not daring to turn her back on the three men who stared dumbfounded in her direction. Then she immediatly discoverd the reason for their blank stares when she bumped into the impenetrable armor clad body of the Captain.
She turned to look up into the eyes of the towering soldier and smiled weakly at him.
"I will take that lass," he bellowed ripping the package from her grasp and shoving her to the ground.
Captain Moncrede studied the brown paper package in his hands. It had seen so much action these past weeks yet it looked as if it were just wrapped seconds ago.
"Magic," He muddered. He knew what was within the package. He knew how important it was to the cause of the war. It would mean victory.
Now he pondered to himself, for which side?
"Sir," the soldier asked for a second time, "the prisoners?"
"Huh?" He looked up at the young soldier.
"What are we to do with them?"
"Oh," his eyes fixed on the awkward collection of souls before him. He knew what was to become of the two cloaked ones, "send those two to the dungeon. The Regent has plans for them."
Devon and Jerik exchaged a worried look.
"As for the other two," he scratched his beard without taking his eye off the package, "execute them."
Devon was dragged away sputtering protests and curses. The strawberry red headed one did not make a sound as her captives grabbed her and marched her up the street.
