Ayrix felt drawn to the source of the magic pull. His Nosferatu was pointing like a compass arrow to whoever was in the distance... "They're in the trees..." Ayrix whispered.
"Don't follow me...if any of you were to combat a magician you'd probably end up dead in ten seconds. I'm not the most powerful Druid, but I can take a whole lot more magic and survive." He remembered the night he had been struck by Excalibur and had somehow lived to tell the tale...it is rare that the Excalibur tome is ever used, but even rarer for someone to survive. He knew he had an amazing resistance to magic, and also knew why, but he could never tell anyone.
Ayrix became smaller and smaller in the distance. It was almost dark outside, and the party was a league out of the gates of City Ostia on the border of the wilderness. Ayrix stepped ever closer, his Nosferatu lighting his way with an eerie purple glow on the ground.
Yes, closer, you have nothing to fear... A voice appeared inside Ayrix?s mind. Ayrix jumped, his Nosferatu breaking down into smaller bits and flying off.
?Who?s there? How have you broken into my mind?? Ayrix shouted. He gripped his head and tried to look around, but he was enveloped in darkness. He had not realized how far he had wandered into the forest.
?I said, WHO?S THERE??
Closer, now, closer... Against his will, Ayrix found himself moving closer to the source of the magic aura, and while mindlessly following the direction, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head and saw a bright light above him. He was unable to move.
I want you to kill your friends, then come back here. Do as I say, Ayrix Ayrischon of Etruria. The Count Reglay has ordered their death and your return and submission... The light came from a staff a few feet above him, and he saw the silhouette of a person in a formal sage outfit in front of him. He couldn?t move, but when the man above him waved his staff he felt all control go out of his body. He got up, ran out of the forest, and saw his friends in the distance...a sudden urge to kill them came over him, and he activated his Fenrir, clutching two purple flames in his hands...he walked closer. He felt his face contorting and his body twitching as he stepped closer to them.
Kill them... The voice whispered to him. He couldn?t resist.
?No...? Ayrix thought. He was standing a few feet from them, their faces, which were lit up by the light of Fenrir, were in terrible fear. Tear had his sword drawn, Reane had her bow ready and aimed at Ayrix.
?I won?t kill them...? Ayrix thought. Oh, but you must!
?No, I refuse to...? Ayrix searched his mind for some way to control his body. He summoned all of his magical power at the last moment has he felt his arms raise to release the spell.
He heard someone from the group say ?Please don?t make me do this, Ayrix...? He felt his fingers begin to open. He concentrated all his magical power to his fingers to stop it.
How dare you resist me? The voice hissed. Ayrix then tried to move his hands, and by making them move a slight bit on his own he then felt a small amount of control rush forth over his whole body. He tried to speak.
?Don?t...shoot...under...sage?s...control...flee...? And before the sage could exert control over his body again, Ayrix shot the Fenrir flames at himself, causing him to fall to the ground unconscious.