Sorcerer… Cyborg???

Chapter 190: Quercus

The flames around Anteris only grew higher and higher, and the edge of Kothar's cloak caught fire. His long curls burned away, and the palm of the hand he stretched out to Anteris began to scream with pain.

{Kothar! Enough! Come away from him, please!] Silane yelled, but she knew that her protests were in vain, she could feel Kothar's determination.

"Duke, please. Come away! We will take the city regardless!" Kothar stepped even closer, and spoke through blistered and burning lips.

The flames roared up to the sky, and then, as if they had never been there, they disappeared into thin air. Anteris turned suddenly, and looked at the young man who stood mere meters behind him, having braved the flames of Anteris' fury.

"As determined as always. Why can I not have my revenge, for my son, for all the years that were taken from us! For the wife that they took from me!" Anteris shook with sobs, as he threw his helmet aside in frustration his tearful face was revealed, his silver beard damp with his sadness.

"Forgive me Duke. But the Grand Marshal commanded me to come to you. And besides, will you not check on your son, if he had passed then you would know by now. Surely he lives even now, still fighting for his life" Kothar's voice was raspy and broken, his throat was raw from breathing the super heated air that had surrounded Anteris.

This is something you could never understand, young Nighthawk. Let me tell you why!" And Anteris stepped toward Kothar, placing a gloved hand on his shoulder and leaning close to his ear.

"I am afraid, young Nighthawk. I am afraid of seeing my son, frail and hurt, fighting for his life. The only family that remains to me in this world, fading away with every breath. This is why I stand here, and vent my fury on this wall." Anteris whispered to Kothar, gasping in between words as he continued to shed tear after tear.

"If he truly is breaths away from death, then don't you think he would want the company of his father in his final moments? Go and see your son, Anteirs." Kothar coughed out, struggling to speak as his throat began to swell from the injuries it had sustained, every inch of his skin was reddened, and the front of his body was blistered and bleeding. 

[Kothar, you have to rest as soon as you can! Start drawing in mana to heal yourself!] But Silane's pleas fell on deaf ears, Kothar was determined to convince Anteris to go and see Graffius, he had learned too well about the regret that came with losing a loved one.

"Alright. I will go, I will see my son, and when I see that he is well. Then I will fight!" Anteris heaved out a sigh, and wiped the tears from his face, he decided that the war be damned, he would fight once he was sure that Graffius would recover.

Anteris looked to Kothar for his reply, but the injuries he had sustained meant he could only nod in response, as Kothar took quick gasping breaths.

"I'm sorry, lad. Looks like I was far too thoughtless, only someone with an aura of their own would be able to approach me. Come now, I'll take you to the healers." Anteris supported Kothar, who struggled to breathe, Silane's worried yells echoing in his head. Kothar had seen the might of Anteris, Tam and the Emperor from afar, but he had not expected that he was so weak that merely coming near Anteris while he attacked the wall would reduce him to such a state.

Kothar faded in and out of consciousness as he stumbled toward the docks, with Anteris supporting him.

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"Don't remove that mask, you hear me. You can heal him well enough without having a look at his face. He's just burned all over, and he probably breathed in some burning hot air that damaged his throat." Kothar heard Anteris' gruff voice berating someone, presumably the healers. 

"Alright, and I wonder how he got those burns! You don't scare me, Grand Admiral! Get away from my patient!" Kothar heard a spirited voice say, and then the gentle thump of footsteps, before he felt a sudden cooling sensation all over. As the mana healed him, Kothar properly returned to consciousness.

[Kothar! You're finally awake, that was far too close for comfort! You shouldn't have gambled on the Duke's intentions like that.] Silane complained, and while Kothar would usually defend himself or argue back, he could feel the genuine concern radiating off of Silane's consciousness.

"You're right, it's nothing too serious. Not too worried, soldier, we'll have you on your feet soon enough." The voice continued, the tone now soothing rather than stern. Kothar felt the Life element Mana cover his body, and felt his wounds rapidly healing, as his skin rapidly knit itself together.

"Oh! The throat! That's a nasty burn." The healer skillfully manipulated the mana to heal Kothar's injured throat, and Kothar opened his eyes, to take a look at who was healing him

Over him stood a middle aged man, with dark brown hair and a kindly face, with the first folds and creases of age appearing around his dark, almost black eyes. His skin was tanned, dark, the color of oak. 

"Thank you, healer." Kothar said, able to speak again, and he moved to sit up, but was held down by the healer.

"The name's Quercus, soldier. Don't get up just now, your body's just used up a lot of energy in healing itself. Just lay there and mediate, and I'll send someone over with a plate of food." Quercus said sternly, he wanted to make sure his mysterious patient didn't move around too soon, Quercus was used to soldiers overestimating themselves.

"Alright, Quercus." Kothar said, with a grateful smile that could be heard in his voice. He looked around, it appeared that he was in a large hall that the Ursten forces had taken over to use as an infirmary. 

Rows of beds lined the walls, and a few beds away, Kothar could see Anteris, leaning over an enormous figure, who lay on two beds pushed together.