The Arcane Tides

"Our parents aren't...here."

Kael cocked a brow. He bit his tongue rather than ask if they were dead. If they weren't, they were back suffering at the hands of the bandits. If they were, then there was no point in reminding them of that fact. Either way, what the girl said was true. They weren't here. He scratched his head and let his power fade from around his face, revealing that he was indeed a ten year old boy. This caused the girl to blink and lift her head a little almost in wonder.

"Woah...y-you're my age!"

Kael nodded, and the girl stood up, brushing off her filthy clothes. He frowned at the way she was carrying herself, almost as though she contained some noble blood. That could be very good or very bad depending on the noble. He had no desire to get mixed up in royal favors but regardless of her blood he couldn't just abandon her for it. She took her tattered dress in her fingertips and gave a curtsy, bowing her head while her younger brother peered out around her.

"Thank you for saving us Mr....?"

Kael cleared his throat.

"K-Klein. My name is Klein."

He used that name often while adventuring in his previous life and while he didn't think these little kids were a threat, he also didn't want to risk them blabbing to their friends about who he was and what he did.

"I am Guinevere Van Nellis, you may call me Gwen. A pleasure to meet you, Klein."

Van Nellis. There were 5 highest layers of nobility in the Kingdom of Auburn Vale- Vicount, Then Count, then Baron, then Duke, then the Royal family of Princes, Princesses and the King and Queen. Those below, such as Knights or Paladins didn't have lands of their own but tended to serve one of the greater houses.

Of the 12 provinces, the four smallest belonged to the Vicounts Hathawaye, Eastone, Glass and Thorlye. The next largest three belonged to the Counts Huffe, Fairburn and Wilmere. The three after that to the Barons Ore' Debenhame, Ore Sudworthe and Ore' Evreux. The "Ore" portion indicated a step above the lower nobility and put you in the discussion for the ruling class. The last two pieces of land and by far the largest two, making up almost forty percent of the country were the houses of Duke Van Postel and Duke Van Nellis. The entirety of these lands belonged to the crown, who was safely kept in the grand capital of the Ashervale. 

He felt a cold sweat on the back of his neck.

"What are the children of Duke Edgar Van Nellis doing out here?"

The girl winced a little but then put on her brave face.

"We are...not his children. My mother is his sister. We were...taken forcibly while returning from the capital."

So what...did Duke Nellis just skimp on protection for his niece and nephew? He knew there was more to the story, but held up a hand as he turned his head, peering into the dark of the forest. He heart footsteps rushing, carried on the wind of Aether he'd scattered into the area around him. He would back up against them and cover them with his small form as he stared into the dark. He could feel them shivering in the cold of the night and rather than risk them watching him fight and kill, he put his hand on the stone face behind him. This would hurt a little.

The stone gave way against their back as he forced the wall to make a very small cave. He backed up with them inside, the shock evident on their faces. Then, he closed the stone wall in front of them back to its original form. He left a hole no longer than a finger so that air would funnel in and along with it...sound. Then, he went to a knee and collapsed back onto his rear, breathing heavily. That took a vast majority of his mana. Still, he listened as these people approached, the two kids with him almost holding their breath. The crunching of leaves could be heard after a couple moments, so he pushed himself up and peered out, barely able to make out the shapes of the bodies of some grown men.

"Someone killed my wolves."

The voice was almost pleased, as though he'd been hoping for something to entertain him like this. Another voice spoke up.

"There must be others in the woods, boss. Someone who else who can do this." The first man grunted, kicking over the body of the animal. Then he said- "Yes. A powerful mage, it seems." The other men that Kael couldn't see broke into whispers, a little worried at that fact. "It doesn't matter. You lot fan out- we've got the time and we've got the numbers. We can't let someone who did this live- think of our reputation." Laughter. "Find who did this and string them up. My pets can feast."

The sound of crunching leaves could be heard as they all jaunted off, but the lead one who spoke first stayed, crouching as he gave voice to his thoughts.

"Now...what spell could have done this to you, my beauties?"

Kael crouched and picked up a pebble, looking back out through the hole for several seconds until the man stood. He put the pebble in the hole and slapped it hard, shooting air magic through the hole as hard as he could. The rock flew like a bullet, slamming into the brown vest of the men hard and erupting out the back in a spray of gore. Like a puppet with his strings cut, the body fell backward and landed hard, unmoving. The stone path opened from the hole enough for them to crawl out- Kael barely had the magic left to open it.

As their feet touched dirt again, Kael looked around, sensing that nobody else was near and moved over to the body of the man. He was bald, wearing gems and the like. He had a scar over his left eye which was white with blindness. Mouth slightly parted with blood coming out his mouth, the girl spoke up.

"Y-you....killed him? Just like that?"

Kael sniffed.

"I'm not looking for boss fights or extended dealings with evil men. I thought it best to end him, now."

The girl covered the boys eyes but not soon enough. He saw the body and hugged his sister. Gesturing, Kael said- "C'mon. We need to get back to my family before these psychopaths find them."

They started off at a jog around the cliffside, looking for an easier way back up.