“The sorcerer in which commanded the raid on our village stole away into the sunset,” said Demoy. “He was accompanied by his personal guard of three Gyroophian elite soldiers, and I was told by the other prisoners that he took Lady Richardson with him. Once he learned that she was the wife of Sir Richardson, leader of the Euretheyese forces, he happily took her as his personal hostage…” My heart shattered as the new sank in, and rage overcame my body.


“Where did he go?” I shouted in puzzling rage, cringing at the thought of losing my beloved wife after all we’ve been through.


“He rode north east into the direction of Gyroophia, and fled only a short while ago in his chariot.” Demoy answered, doing his best to help.


“I will be back,” the words slipped out of my voice with deep meaning, as I knew I must hurry to save Evelyn. “Feed the people before starting the march back to Euretheyum,” I ordered Arthur, “and whatever you do, do not wait for me…” With that, I quickly ran off in search of Heremeus. After a few tireless minutes of looking, I found him nestled under a tree, and quickly boosted him up before hopping on. As we rode out of our makeshift camp, I scooped up a bow and arrow, along with a spear, in hopes that more than one weapon would help me to rescue Evelyn. With that, I galloped into the setting sun, hoping that I wasn’t too late.


A short while after, I could make out three horses and a chariot running hard through the grassy ground, and was relieved that I had been able to catch up to them. “Thank you Heremeus...” When I was finally in firing range of the group, I could make out five distinct figures. Three were on separate horseback, and two were in a chariot being pulled by a pair of horses.”Evelyn is in the chariot… along with the sorcerer…”


I readied my bow and arrow, and then screeched a piercing war cry, hoping to gain the enemy’s attention. Sure enough, the sorcerer’s guards fell back, and charged at me head on. The sorcerer continued to ride away, in desperation.”Run while you can.” I thought.


As the first Gyroophian “immortal” approached, he rode his horse hard at me, flattening the grass which he barreled over. I set and fired a bow right at him, aiming for his only weakness. Swip. The arrow pierced him between his eyes, and he instantly dropped off his horse. “Those archery lessons sure paid off…” I chuckled to myself. As the other two guards closed in I raised my spear, and aimed at the closest enemy. Thump. I sent the spear flying through the air, cutting straight into the soldier’s vision slot, and sure enough, he too fell from his mount. “One more to go…” This last Gyroophian seemed to understand that I knew how to kill him, so he attacked with more caution. As he circled around me, I continued to rotate Heremeus, making sure never to lose sight of the trooper. When he finally decided to attack me, it was too late. As he charged, he raised his sword over his head in hopes of slashing down on me, leaving his body vulnerable. I sent him reeling off his horse with a blow to the stomach with my broadsword. Dazed and laying on his back, I grimly shot off an arrow into his piercing black eyes, and quickly set off to catch up to the sorcerer.


Not long into my chase once again for Evelyn, I spotted the chariot slipping into the shadow of the setting sun. I spurred Heremeus into a sprint, and in no time at all, I was side by side with my wife, and her kidnapper. The sorcerer shot bolts of a magical concoction through his fingers in my direction, and their green bodies narrowly missed Heremeus and I. “I have to get him out of the chariot…” I knew that it would be nearly impossible to save Evelyn while she was racing along the grassy plains, so I improvised a way to stop the Gyroophian chariot.


I took my shield which was latched onto Heremeus’ side, and threw it as hard as I could in front of the wheels of the chariot. As I had hoped, it became jammed in one of the wheels, and the chariot tipped over, leaving its occupants dazzled on the ground. I quickly leaped off of my steed, and raced towards them.


As I neared the fallen chariot, I was stopped dead in my tracks. “Don’t you dare move Sir Richardson.” The sorcerer’s voice was low and raspy, and his elongated facial features were menacing. “If you try any funny business, then your wife will cease to exist. Do not forget that my magic is more powerful than anything you’ve ever seen before.” I believed every word the man said, as his long black robe and jet black hair completely contrasted his pale white skin. His slender fingers made it hard to believe that his power was released through that very point.


Not having any alternative options, I quickly reached to unsheathe my sword, but as I did, the sorcerer took a step towards Evelyn, and sent a bolt of his magic to my hilt. The sword seemed to dissolve into the howling wind, and I wondered how I’d explain the disintegration of his sword to the King.


“Drop all of those weapons now or she will be no more!” the sorcerer chuckled, as if enjoying this cruel game. Reluctantly, I dropped my bow and arrow, and a large dagger on my belt as well.


“There, I am no longer armed. All that I ask is that you release my wife, and I will let you go, with no harm whatsoever.” As I pleaded with the man, his face changed from curiosity to anger, as if insulted by my words.


“You honestly think that you can beat me!” his voice screeched in the air, piercing my ear drums. “I hold all of the cards! I am the powerful one! She shall pay for your incompetence.” Just as he raised his hands to unleash some terrible force upon my wife, I sprung into action. Being a knight, my armour concealed many parts of my body, places in which I could conceal many useful weapons. In the lower back portion of my armour, I regularly placed a small blade in between two plates of steel, and the sorcerer had thankfully not noticed it. “Oh, not only will he now notice it, but he will feel it as well.” The blade swiftly emerged from my waist, and I whipped it at the sorcerer’s chest. Slice. The sorcerer dropped to the ground, holding the blade that penetrated his heart, watching his own blood trickle down his robe. His face wore a dreadfully surprised appearance, and he screamed in agony at his defeat. He finally slumped over on the grass, and I knew that he was deceased. “It’s a shame that he didn’t think to use his own magic to protect himself…”


“Elijah….Elijah…Elijah!” the call came from my beloved, as she raced into my arms once again. “I thought that I was going to die, and that nobody would know what happened, and that…” her chest heaved as she gasped for air, and I quickly calmed her head.


“Shhh, don’t worry Evelyn. You’re safe now. I got you . Nobody can separate us. Not now, not ever. You are mine, and will always be.” As I reassured her, I reached into a pouch that I had carried on my waist and pulled out the bracelet which she’d dropped during her abduction. When she saw it, her eyes sparkled, and she quickly extended her hand and allowed me to slip it onto her wrist.


After a heartfelt reunion, Evelyn and I clambered onto Heremeus, and we slowly set off into the darkness for home. The wind howled in our ears, the moon gleamed down upon us, and the sound of hooves in the distance grew nearer. Evelyn fell asleep in my arms, slumped backward on Heremeus, and the feeling of her soft skin made it seem as if time stood still.


By sunrise, the column of Euretheyese soldiers and civilians was now visible to us, and the kingdom of Euretheyeum stood nestled on the horizon. The sight was a welcome one, as the separation from my kingdom, my people, my friends, and my wife, was now over.


The End