Chapter 65: An unexpected Twist III.

Chapter 65: An unexpected Twist III.

The moment Ezekiel regained consciousness, he knew something was amiss. He couldn't make out anything in the absolute blackness surrounding him. He was lying on a hard, wooden surface, and he could hear the sound of hooves on the ground and metal-rimmed tires on cobbled streets.

Ezekiel didn't move an inch, instead using his [Perfect Spatial Awareness] to take in his surroundings. He did not want to give away the fact that he had regained consciousness. The radius of his spell had reached around three and a half meters after his last use of a space affinity crystal. He could clearly identify his surroundings through it.

Zeke was lying in the cargo hold of a carriage, a cloth draped over the loading area. He knew those kinds of carriages well, as the farmers of his village used them to transport wheat and grains. He took a moment to evaluate his own situation next. His hands and feet were tied with chains and manacles, and he had a gag in his mouth. The restraints and his position made it clear that he was a prisoner. He didn't know why, but his unknown assailants were transporting him somewhere.

Through the use of his spell, he could make out two people sitting on the coach of the carriage. Both of the men were staring ahead as they guided the vehicle through the streets of the capital. Ezekiel recognized from the quality of the tiles beneath the carriage that they had left the noble district behind. If he had to guess, Ezekiel would put his money on them being in the crafter quarter right now.

Ezekiel's mind raced as he tried to piece together what had happened. He had been on his way to meet Maximilian when he was ambushed. But by whom? And why? Zeke decided to just stay put and watch the two men as the carriage made its way through the city, he needed more information before he could act. He lay there, taking in his surroundings, his mind working quickly to process what was happening.

As they left the main street and entered one of the dark side alleys, one of the men finally spoke up. "Are you sure he's not going to wake up?" the first man asked, his voice filled with uncertainty.

The second man scoffed, his voice full of disdain. "I've used that tool to knock out ogres before, and they didn't wake up for hours. How would a little first-year mage be able to wake up before we leave the city?"Ñøv€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.

The first man didn't seem convinced. "I don't know, Ed. They told us to be careful with this one. There must be a reason for that."

The second man just shook his head. "When will you ever learn to relax? We managed to catch him. He's chained and gagged. So what if he were to wake up? Can he run away like that?"

This seemed to calm the first man down, as he relaxed back against the backrest. Ezekiel realized that judging from how nervous the first man had still been, not much time could have passed since he was taken. He relaxed a little at that realization. The capital city was huge, and they seemed to be moving through a lot of back alleys. At this pace, it would take them hours to leave the capital.

Ezekiel waited for the man to speak again and decided to think of an escape plan in the meantime. Some time passed before the first man spoke again. "Why would that guy pay us so much money to get rid of a first-year Fire Mage? I thought they were pretty much all under the control of his family anyway?"

The second man, Ed, responded in a conspiratorial voice: "He is not a Fire Mage, Sam."

Sam was taken aback by that claim: "What? With that hair? He has to be." Sam said.

"No, he's a blood mage, perfect affinity, even," Ed replied.

The moment Sam heard that the person they had kidnapped was a blood mage with perfect affinity, his demeanor completely shattered. He whisper-shouted at Ed. "Please, Ed, please tell me that the guy we just kidnapped is not the rumored student of Maximilian Bombastus von Fucking Hohenheim!"

Sam thought for a moment, his mind racing to find the answer. "They have more power, more money, and better connections?"

Ed nodded, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "That is true, but those things were all accumulated over time. The reason they were able to attain all those things is because of their bloodline."

"What bloodline? You actually believe in that crap?" Sam asked, his voice tinged with confusion and disbelief.

Ed paused, weighing the merits of continuing the argument. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to press on. "Yes, Sammy, I do believe that," he said, his tone dripping with disdain. "Do you truly think it's mere coincidence that almost all the mages in the empire hail from noble families? And of the roughly one hundred individuals with perfect affinities produced in the last thousand years, nearly ninety have been from one of the four great families. Can you truly call that coincidence, you fool?"

Sam was taken aback by the numbers, unable to form a proper response. He simply asked, "What do you think is the reason for this, Ed?"

Zeke was also interested in this theory, and he listened intently as Ed spoke. "So, you know how the core merges with the body as soon as a mage reaches the level of Arch Mage, yes?" Ed asked Sam, who nodded in response.

"There is a rumor going around," Ed continued, "that if those with a perfect affinity reach the Arch Mage level, something special happens. Their body gets attuned to the element so much that it changes them on a fundamental level. Apparently, the children of those people are almost guaranteed to have the same affinity, and a high one at that."

Ed leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Let me tell you, Sammy, there is a reason all those kids from the four great families always have the same affinities as their ancestors. And every time a kid with perfect affinity is born, they can train him to the Arch Mage level and 'refresh' their bloodline."

Sam frowned, trying to make sense of Ed's words. "But what about the others? The kids with perfect affinities who aren't born into the great families?"

Ed leaned forward even farther. "Ah, that's the crux of the matter, isn't it? You see, if a commoner were to produce a child with a perfect affinity, there are two ways this could go. In most cases, one of the great families would simply adopt the kid. But if the mages refused, it would be seen as a threat to the established order. The great families wouldn't do anything right away, in my opinion. They merely wait and see if the mage manages to reach the Arch Mage level before passing away. If they don't, they don't do anything. But if they do, they eliminate any competition by eliminating the entire bloodline."

Sam's mind reeled with the implications of Ed's words. "But then why are we acting against this brat now? Why not just wait and see what happens with this child as well?"

Ed shrugged. "I suppose it's because of old man Maximilian. He's always been a thorn in the side of the great families. And with the child in his care, they can't force him to marry into one of their own. Not to mention, that there is no great family of Blood Mages in the empire anyway, nor will there ever be one. I think the great families have grown desperate. They see him as easier to eliminate now, while he is still young and weak. Rather than risk him growing into a powerful force they cannot control.

"Imagine, my friend, trying to catch a Space mage once they learn to teleport. It would be a nightmare. No, it is far better to strike now, while the opportunity presents itself." Ed leaned against the wooden backrest of the carriage, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air.

Zeke listened with a mix of fascination and horror as Ed spoke. The man had revealed a dark truth behind the powerful bloodlines of the empire's mages. He knew that the mage might not be absolutely correct in his assumptions. To Zeke, however, this new information cleared up a lot of the mysteries that he had been wondering about.

As the conversation drew to a close, an idea began to take root in his mind. One that he knew was dangerous, yet it might be his only chance in this situation.