Tale of a Hedonistic wizard

Angus remained silent for a moment, his gaze unwavering from the palace. Then, he turned slightly, just enough for the other two to catch the sharp glint in his eyes. "This is not about vengeance," he said, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "we are just trying to bring balance to this chaotic world. My son, I hope he understands that."

Elsbeth tilted her head, her smile widening. "And yet, you chose to keep him away for so long. Was it guilt? Fear? Or perhaps you thought the boy unworthy."

Angus's expression darkened, and the temperature around him seemed to drop. "I needed him to grow untainted by their lies," he said firmly. "But now the time has come. The truth will find him, whether he is ready or not."

Rhedel interjected, his tone laced with pragmatism. "Then we should move swiftly. The Empire's watchful eyes grow sharper by the day. The events at the Elf Witch Academy and the Wizard Tower have already stirred the waters. We must act before the ripples reach the wrong ears."

Angus nodded, his focus sharpening. "We will move. But carefully. I will not risk unnecessary losses before the grand design unfolds."

Elsbeth stepped closer, her presence almost ethereal yet brimming with dark power. "What of the boy? Will you bring him to us willingly, or will he resist?"

Angus's lips twitched into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Jaegar will come. He's more like me than he realises. Once he learns what lies within him, he will have no choice but to embrace his destiny."

The three stood in a charged silence, their combined power suffusing the night air.

Then, with a wave of his hand, Rhedel conjured a dark portal, its swirling vortex a mix of shadow and crimson. "The stage is set," he said. "Shall we begin?"

Angus turned back toward the palace, his expression resolute. "The humans have ruled long enough. It's time for the shadows to remind them that the sun does not reign eternal."

With that, Angus stepped into the portal, his figure dissolving into darkness.

Elsbeth followed him, into the portal behind him, her laughter echoing like a haunting refrain.

Rhedel lingered for a moment, casting one last glance at the capital below before stepping into the void. The portal closed behind them, leaving the rooftop empty once more, save for the whisper of the wind and the distant glimmer of the imperial palace.

-

The capital city, cloaked in the stillness of night, was abruptly disrupted by an unnatural ripple of energy.

Jaegar awoke with a start, his sharp instincts alerting him to something amiss. He sat upright in his modest chambers, his keen gaze sweeping through the room, only to land on the faint glimmers of the city's lights visible through his window. For a moment, he simply stared, his mind attempting to piece together the disquiet in his chest.

Shaking his head, Jaegar swung his legs over the side of the bed and rose, his movements fluid yet deliberate. He quickly donned his black attire, the simple yet practical clothing fitting snugly over his well-built frame.

Before he could step out, the faint sound of fluttering caught his attention. His eyes darted toward the source, narrowing as a small, glowing object entered his room through the open window.

It floated in midair before him, revealing itself to be a parchment—a letter sealed with an unfamiliar insignia that bore a faint magical glow.

The letter opened on its own, the seal dissolving into shimmering particles. It floated gently into Jaegar's outstretched hand. As his eyes scanned the contents, his expression darkened, his brow furrowing deeply.

"Eradarin…" he muttered, his voice low yet laced with urgency. The letter was brief but unequivocal, summoning him to Angelina's farmhouse immediately. The message spoke of an urgent matter concerning Angelina, though it offered no further details.

Jaegar's grip on the letter tightened, his knuckles whitening as he crushed the parchment in his fist. Without hesitation, he vanished from the room, a faint distortion in the air marking where he had stood.

-

Meanwhile, in the heart of the capital, the night erupted into chaos.

The Wizard Tower, an imposing structure that dominated the city's skyline, suddenly came alive with blaring alarms. Pulses of magical energy surged through the air, reverberating through the cobblestone streets below.

A sense of panic spread among the guards and citizens alike as the news spread: the Tower's prodigy, a young man destined to be the next Wizard Lord, had been kidnapped.

The men of the Tower, a formidable society of arcane elites, mobilized instantly. Wizards in flowing robes flooded the streets, their magical auras glowing as they activated tracking spells and detection wards. Their leader, a stern man with streaks of silver in his beard, barked orders to his subordinates.

"Search every alley, every corner of this city! No one gets in or out without our knowing!"

The night sky above the capital shimmered as layers of protective wards were erected, sealing off the city. Faint sigils glowed on the walls and gates, ensuring that no magical exit could go unnoticed. Wizards gathered in circles, their synchronised incantations weaving a net of surveillance over the sprawling metropolis.

Despite their efforts, there was an air of helplessness among them. The kidnapping had occurred within the Tower itself—a fortress of arcane might. The fact that someone had infiltrated its walls, abducted a promising young wizard, and vanished without a trace was a humiliation to the society's prestige.

In one of the high chambers of the Tower, an elder wizard stood before a glowing orb that displayed the events of the night. The orb flickered, showing fleeting glimpses of the intruder—an obscure figure cloaked in shadow. His movements were impossibly smooth, his presence barely perceptible even to the Tower's formidable wards.

"It's not possible…" the elder murmured, his voice trembling with a mix of awe and dread. "No one could penetrate the wards like this… not since the days of Rhedel."