Inside a perfectly adorned room, a white haired man sat on a throne adorning an elegant purple robe.
Beside him was a harpist who made melody with the strings, and a bowl of grapes on his armrest.
He tapped his fingers to the harp's melody and occasionally the grapes flew into his mouth with magic.
After the hectic day at the palace, this was a treatment he needed.
But then…
Four figures in similar robes to the man on the throne ascended on the balcony, and they shoved through the guards, who were visibly shaken by their presence.
They marched into the room, and it became silent, the maids, guards, and harpists froze while looking at the group.
"Ahhh, my brothers, what a surprise, you should have contacted me so I could prepare a banquet." The man said getting up from his chair.
"That won't be needed, Siyash, our time here is limited, and so is yours," one of the robed men said.
"What do you mean Bartho? Is something big coming? Has another threat been found?" Siyash asked, raising his brow.
Bartho inhaled deeply then continued
"Siyash, you have been a good brother, but the mage association wants you out. You still haven't provided a valid response to the act that took place in your castle."
Siyash's eyes widened from surprise, and he took a step backwards.
"What do you mean? I thought that the situation was sorted out at the last meeting." Siyash retorted.
"You weren't invited to the meeting we just came from right? That's where your fate and the people of your castle's fate were decided." Bartho responded.
"And you didn't defend me? After all we've been through with this association, I thought you had my back…" Siyash exclaimed but his speech was interrupted.
"That does it! We didn't come here to exchange formalities, we came here to restore order, and you went out of line, Siyash. Today, you and everyone under your banner will cease to exist." An elderly mage with an eye patch spoke from the group.
As he finished the statement the onlookers in the room moved towards the doors and windows so they could escape.
Bartho noticed this and cast a spell on them, making them slay themselves.
"Noo!" Siyash yelled, "Brother, why are you doing this? Killing my faction members in front of me? Is this how you repay everything I've done for you?" His eyes glowed red with fury as he watched the scene unfold.
'You bastards, I'll kill you all and take down that stupid association.' Siyash thought, clenching his fists to conjure a spell.
But something strange happened…
'What's happening to me? Why can't I move?' He looked to the side and saw the other three mages pointing their staff at him.
'What! They're truly trying to kill me, that's the soul sealing spell, I'll be dead in seconds if they succeed.' Siyash, still frozen in place, circulated his mana from within, then formed a barrier to protect his mana core from the spell.
'That should slow it down while their mana is being drained by the spell, then I can break free.'
But his actions didn't go unnoticed.
"This is taking longer than usual!" The elderly magus yelled while casting the spell.
"I think he has blocked his mana core, it should be over by now." Another responded.
The mages discovered his plan, but it was too late, a large amount of their mana had gone to waste.
With a dark beam of energy swirling on his fingertip, Siyash lifted his hand towards them. The spell still had its effect, so he was slower than usual.
'Just a little more and you idiots will regret trying to overthrow a grand magus.' Siyash winced.
This was it…
"Bartho!" The elderly Magus yelled.
"You leave those peasants and give us a hand." He commanded.
Bartho hesitated, this was exactly what he was trying to avoid, ending his brother's life. That's why he went after the residents.
Bartho clicked his tongue. Then faced them from behind.
'I could join my brother in his quest for revenge against this damn association. But they outnumber us, and what about the supreme magus? Who will take care of him?'
'I'm sorry brother, you should have played along.'
Defeated internally, Bartho joined them in the spell casting. And this surprised Siyash more than anything. He was watching the man he raised poison him.
'Did he just…? After everything you've faced, Bartho, this is the path you've chosen. To become a coward. You disgust me.'
Siyash's body began to glow faint blue, the grand magus spell was complete.
Cautious about the effects the magus cast a protective barrier that would shield them.
Then the blue wave of energy radiating from Siyash spread throughout the castle. Freezing its inhabitants in a blue layer instantly, just like Siyash who stood before them.
After the effect faded, the Magus released themselves and walked towards the statue of Siyash.
"Siyash would have had a bright future, such a pity." The elderly Magus sighed.
"Is he really dead?" Another asked.
"He has to be, his mana core has been poisoned, and his soul has been sealed, so as everyone in this castle except us," Bartho responded with a straight face.
"For a second, I thought we wouldn't pull it off. Your brother was a very powerful Magus, that's why we brought you along. You're his weakness." The elderly mage said.
'What did you say? You all had this planned out to use me as bait against my brother?'
But Bartho didn't voice out his thoughts, he couldn't stand against the three grand magus, not now, that meant suicide to him, so he nodded in agreement.
"Let's burn him down at once." Another added, already levitating towards the balcony.
The rest followed behind and stopped a distance away, facing the castle.
"The death of Siyash and everyone under his banner has been confirmed." The elderly Magus stated, then he conjured a little fireball and hurled it towards the castle.
In seconds, the small flame turned into a wild fire, setting the large castle ablaze. The Magus, seeing this, was satisfied and flew away from the scene.
*****
'Those idiots, they kicked me out of the association because of what? Forbidden magic, and then they convinced my brother to turn on me, such an ungrateful fool'
'I will have my revenge, I wonder what they offered him?'
'Does that even matter? Wait… how am I still conscious? Where am I?'
Memories of Siyash's life started flashing before his eyes, especially the painful ones. Memories from his childhood, the losses, the rejections, the pain that caused him to plot against the mage association.
Then other memories entered his mind, huge mountains and green landscapes, grand temples with dragon designs and symbols. Images of a man, a woman, and a little girl he had never seen before, people in different colors of robes fighting with their fists.
'What are these? I don't remember anything like that, they don't even look like mages.'
The memories didn't stop appearing, and Siyash could differentiate which were his and the strange ones.
Then the memories seized, and a bright, blinding light blocked his sight, and after it, came an unimaginable pain that pierced through his head, then Siyash's eyes snapped open.
'
I'm... alive? But how?'
His thoughts were cut short when he noticed a red liquid dripping from a body slumped on top of his.