Tale of a Hedonistic wizard-Chapter 453: Escaping the tower

While the heated debate raged on, Angelina caught Jaegar’s eye with the subtlest of glances.

In that fractional moment, understanding passed between them. The young wizard gave an imperceptible nod, his fingers curling slightly at his side—a gesture that would go unnoticed by anyone who wasn’t expecting it.

Angelina stepped backward toward Jaegar, her movements so smooth they appeared natural to the untrained eye.

As Badock and Arthur argued over their next course of action, Angelina moved close to Jaegar.

"—must inform the Emperor immediately!" Badock was saying, his staff thumping against the stone floor for emphasis.

Arthur nodded gravely. "If what Angelina says is true, then the entire imperial security—"

The air around Angelina and Jaegar shimmered almost imperceptibly, like heat rising from sun-baked stones.

Before any of the three men could react, the space where the witch and young wizard had stood moments before was suddenly, impossibly empty.

"Angelina!" Badock shouted, lurching forward too late. His fingers passed through empty air where she had been standing.

Gawter’s hand had already moved to his sword, but he paused, realizing the futility of the gesture. "Displacement magic," he said, his voice tight with frustration. "High-level."

Arthur’s face darkened with anger. "Even in her weakened state, she can still perform such spells?" He shook his head in disbelief. "She’s more powerful than I remembered."

Badock cursed under his breath, running a hand through his silver-streaked hair. "We could track them, but..."

"But we have more pressing concerns," Gawter finished for him, his deep voice resonating in the chamber. "Angus and the Black Hounds pose an immediate threat to the realm."

Arthur nodded reluctantly. "The Blade Sovereign speaks wisely. We must alert the Emperor without delay."

"Very well," Badock conceded.

"Let Angelina have her respite for now. We know she wouldn’t harm the boy." He looked at the other two men with grim determination. "We need to move quickly. The Emperor must be warned about his brother’s treachery."

The three men departed with haste, their cloaks billowing behind them as they strode through the Tower’s grand halls.

Gawter lingered for a moment at the threshold, his weathered face turned toward the space where Angelina had vanished.

A complex emotion passed across his features—concern, respect, and something deeper.

Then he turned and followed the others into the gathering darkness.

Angelina couldn’t fight all three of them, not in her condition right now. If she was at her best, those three wouldn’t even raise their hands in front of her. But she had to leave; it was only better for her and Jaegar.

She couldn’t let her boy be grabbed by them. They would lock him up and do all sorts of experiments on him. She knew those people at the tower were more cunning and greedy than they looked.

---

Miles away, across rolling hills and beyond the city’s sprawling influence, the air in the yard of a modest farmhouse rippled like disturbed water.

Angelina and Jaegar materialized on the gravel path, the displacement spell completing its work.

Jaegar stumbled slightly forward, a bit more unusual teleportation than the one he used. "That was..." he started, then shook his head, unable to find the words.

"Necessary," Angelina finished for him, her breathing laboured.

She used a spell for this teleportation to make them not follow their trail.

The spell had clearly taken a toll on her already depleted reserves. The farmhouse before them was modest but well-maintained, surrounded by fields of golden wheat that swayed gently in the evening breeze.

"Come inside before someone senses our arrival."

The young wizard followed her through the weathered wooden door. The interior was simple but homey—worn furniture, shelves lined with books, and glass containers filled with mysterious substances, dried herbs hanging from ceiling beams.

The air smelt of lavender and something undefinably magical.

"Sit," Angelina directed, gesturing toward the couch as she headed upstairs. "I need to get something."

Jaegar nodded, stepping back outside to settle on the weathered porch steps. His mind raced with the revelations of the day. His father—a traitor.

Not just any traitor, but an agent of the Serpents.

The knowledge sat like a heavy stone in his stomach.

Angelina returned minutes later, her complexion slightly improved. She carried a small bronze box, intricately engraved with arcane symbols that seemed to shift when not observed directly. Setting it beside her, she lowered herself next to Jaegar on the porch steps with a soft groan.

"You took a restorative potion," Jaegar observed, noticing the faint herbal scent clinging to her.

"Just a temporary measure," she replied, patting his shoulder gently.

"Don’t concern yourself with that man, Jaegar. Angus may have sired you, but he does not define you."

Jaegar’s head snapped up, his eyes flashing. "I wasn’t thinking of him," he said, his voice tight with emotion.

"I was thinking of my mother. Where she might be. If she’s still..." He couldn’t finish the sentence.

Angelina’s expression softened. "Your mother—my daughter—is strong, Jaegar. Stronger than anyone knows." She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

"We will find her and bring her back. I promise you that."

"How?" Jaegar asked, his voice small despite himself. "We don’t even know where to begin looking."

"We start by finding the others," Angelina said firmly. "The children of chaos, we need to save from the serpents. While the ones we found may have kept their lives, we can’t be sure of the next ones. I am not sure how they did it, but extracting chaos from one would really suck out their life essence too. It seems like there are quite a few capable individuals in the serpents."

While they were talking, the air before them began to shimmer before them.

A swirling portal of emerald energy materialised in the farmyard, expanding until it was large enough for a person to step through.

First came Eradarin, the old sage, his white beard nearly reaching his waist, his robes adorned with astronomical symbols that seemed to move of their own accord. His eyes, though clouded with age, held the wisdom of centuries.