The Runic Alchemist

Damian was shocked to his core, the amount that he had sensed in the handsome knight before was not even one fifth of what he was showing right now. The blue runic circle was on the verge of breaking, Damian had calculated that 10+ premium parchments would at least give him 30 seconds but it was already at it\'s limit in just 15.

Coming back to his senses Damian immediately dismissed the wormhole spell and ran towards the wall with Anthony.

Damian didn\'t know whether the captain managed to stand tall against the mana draining spell or the spell broke, but in both cases it didn\'t change the thing he had to do. Taking out another scroll from his storage Damian hurriedly spread it on the ground and activated it, making Anthony and himself standing on top of it. His mana had dipped below 15% of his total now and he was running on fumes.

Damian could feel noticeable difference in his body which was feeling more and more tired and sore by now.

A solid dirt square raised beneath their feet, continuously elevating them up high, it was barely the size of two A4 papers put together but Damian and Anthony somehow managed to squeeze in together and watched the distant broken headquarters building as they scaled the high wall.

It was a modified version of defense wall spell that created a thick wall of dirt, Damian had just changed the dimensions. The premium parchment could go up to 20 meters before running out of the mana capacity with this dimensions and burning up.

He had seen the headquarters walls before today and he guessed it wouldn\'t be more than 15 meters so for a good measure Damian kept the spell ready for 17 meters. Math did not fail him, and the structure stopped growing anymore after reaching just a little over the top of the wall. Damian jumped down on the wall and supported Anthony and Sam behind him.

Damian could not sense the captain of the king\'s guard\'s mana any longer, he was out of range. But Damian did not take any chance and immediately took out a big ship building spike and a giant rope and buried it on top of the wall with back of his sword handle.

Tying the rope with the spike on one end and making a closed foothold with another end, Damian made Anthony hang on it as he slide the rope down the wall little by little, the old man didn\'t weigh much at all. Then taking Sam with him Damian climbed down the wall with some effort and finally they disappeared in the black of night with hundreds of building as their cover.

Damian did not sense anyone around them but he just could not relax. Until he found out how people masked their mana presence, Damian would never fully rely on his mana sense again.

They did not return to Damian\'s inn, or the abandoned building the crew was supposed to meet at, instead Damian and Anthony with Sam headed down the docks where ships lay.

Damian had enough of this city, before going for the mission tonight he had booked a passage on a ship that was going to leave at first light. Of course he had to sell his basic healing potion recipe to his business partner to make up for the money needed for three people\'s fare. It wasn\'t cheap at all but he had managed to buy a small cabin for himself where they could rest in private.

The money was already paid and he had access to the cabin on the ship right after he paid the money. All they had to do was somehow get on the ship and stay there till it left the docks in the morning which according to Damian\'s calculation shouldn\'t be more that 2-3 hours now.

Huffing and breathing heavily Damian and Anthony finally reached the downtown area and could see the outline of various ships standing in the distance. With a sigh of relief, seeing their freedom right in front of them Damian and Anthony walked rest of the way as fast as their tired legs could take them.

"Leaving without saying even a goodbye to your teacher..? That\'s just rude you know..."

As if someone pierced his chest and squeezed his heart to the extreme, Damian felt a suffocating feeling of despair that he could not explain at all. They were so close, just a few meters, their ship was right there. But without those few hours of privacy they were done for.

If the princess was here then the city knight\'s guards would be too in a few minutes. Even if he managed to defeat her with barely 10% of his mana they will catch up and stop the ship no matter what.

Damian turned around and looked the teenage princess he wished he never knew, she had no joy on her face either. Damian understood what she was here for. And it was his own words that had brought her here, he was the only one to blame for this frustrating failure.

No matter how hard he tried, shit just never worked out for him on this goddamn night.

"Princess..."

"You have really outdone yourself here little mage, I can not believe you succeeded.. What even are those guys doing in the knight\'s headquarters..."

"Sleeping I guess..." Damian said half heartedly while reaching for his sword.

"You can\'t leave Maximus, you are done."

"Yes, I know."

"Why are you resisting then..?"

"What is my other option..? Serve a king who orders executions of little kids, who\'s life they themselves ruined..?"

"You know there is more to it than just that..."

"Is it..? Look me in the eyes and tell me that his mother and father\'s death was worth the feeble addition to your father\'s useless army..? Tell me that all those people\'s death in that little village tavern was worth it for one tiny soldier for your king...?

Fight me if you wish and call all your noble knight\'s for aid and be done with us, but don\'t you dare give me that \'There is higher purpose here\' bullshit..."

The princess\'s eyes was cold and emotionless but Damian did not miss the slight quiver of her lips, the soft clenching of her fists and the cold eyes trying their best to remain cold and find better argument behind her actions and failing.

"I can\'t go back empty handed, either you give me the boy or you come with me..."

Damian breathed in and out and controlled his overflowing emotions, What was he even doing here... Telling a princess, her father was shit..? What did he expected her to do anyway..?

Damian tiredly raised his sword up, Anthony backed away with Sam behind Damian. The princess just looked at Damian with pity in her eyes, then throwing her coat away, she revealed two beautiful swords strapped to each of her leg. Looking at Damian straight in the eyes, the princess took out both her swords. One pure white as if made of moon light another dark purple, ominous and creepy.

The beautiful princess with exquisite sword in each of her hand, wearing breeches with sword belt and plain white tunic under her leather armor looked a picture right out of a fairy tale but all Damian could see was a face of all the despair he felt put together in this hopeless situation, which finally he could just fight.