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Ben Medinets / story2l

Chapter 12: Mission Interlude

Benny and Cletus left for Soren’s Abode the next day. Training continued for a couple solid weeks after that. It was after this couple of weeks that Benny would go on his first field trip with Soren. It wasn’t first adventure by any means, for he had gone on a mission earlier with his good friend, Cletus, to find and return Prince William, who was under control of the Magic Guild.

It was this same Magic Guild that Benny was going to go to on this small adventurous journey. Soren decided that Benny had earned it with what happened at the Castle. So Benny mounted his horse, while Soren flew close by. It would take several hours to get to the Guild House.

It was still restricted and heavily guarded by Imperial troops. Claus, the Black Mage was biding his time and hadn’t decided to attack the Guild House yet, so all the guards were still relatively safe, at least for the moment.

The Blue Mage surrendered himself to Imperial Troops just after Prince William’s return. He was about to be tried for his part in the whole Magic Guild conspiracy, but was let off in exchange for incriminating testimony against the Green and Black Mages, and to provide “Community Service” in the form of helping to guard the Guild House from all unwanted visitors.

The Blue Mage did not like this particular duty but it was, for the moment, trouble free. He didn’t even know if he could come close to defeating the Black Mage. His fears were put to rest when Benny and Soren arrived. He, also called Tommy, was quite happy at their arrival as they would also provide him with some very friendly company. Certainly far better than the almost stone-like facade of the guards, who were quite stoic indeed.

Soren and Benny were allowed to enter the Guild Hall, which was in an even worse condition than when Benny had last seen it. It was considered condemned and was very structurally unstable. They looked around and both seperated. Before parting ways, Soren told Benny to look out for anything that looked suspicious.

Benny didn’t have a clue at what exactly he was looking for. He soon got curious, however, when he entered a small room he didn’t see the last time he was here. It was a small white room with a small alter in it. On the alter held something that he hadn’t seen his life ever before, it was a small crystal. This must have been the personal study room of the White Mage. At the present time, there was no White Mage, so Benny felt justified to explore the room even closer, and closely examine the White Crystal.

Had Soren been around, he would have reminded Benny that the White Crystal would choose its own master. That it would be impossible to obtain possession of it otherwise. This was unlike the other Magic Crystals which were easier to obtain. One would have to be nearly pure to acquire it. Benny wasn’t perfect, but was probably the best candidate in a long time.

His deepening curiousity got the better of him, and Benny could no longer resist touching the Magic Crystal. Before reaching out, he prayed for his own safety and that he confessed his desire to obtain the Crystal but only for protecting the Empire. Then he reached out and grabbed the White Crystal and picked it up off the alter. To Benny it felt like a piece of paper, completely weightless.

Within a flash, he could feel the power from the White Crystal. He began to understand some of the Enchantments he had been studying with Soren. There had been a slight rumbling in the ground, and there was thunder in the air. Soren found Benny right away, and confirmed his own suspicions about Benny being able to become the White Mage. Fortunately, Benny was told to bring his Book of Enchantments with him so the two could continue their studies here.

Now that Benny was the fifth Mage, all of five them, Benny included would gain even more power, including Claus, the Black Mage, who was still at large brooding a perfect time to strike. Soren said their mission here at the Guild House was indeed a success. But there were other things here, some hidden, which would provide to be useful tools to the Black Mage’s evil schemes. In order to prevent that from happening, Benny would stay here and help his fellow (Blue) Mage, Tommy guard the Guild Hall.

So, the two satisfied magicians left the Guild Hall. As they exited the Hall, the guards on duty gave them both an Imperial Salute, which Benny didn’t seem to notice earlier when they first got there. Soren called Tommy over. He was in charge, up to this point, guarding the Guild Hall from all unwanted visitors.

When Tommy had joined Benny and Soren, Soren said, “I will have to make leave at once to do a couple of errands. Benny will stay here and help guard. He is now overall in charge. While no on duty, Benny I want you to continue to practise out of your Book of Enchantments. I will not be gone too long. Probably a couple of days, but don’t expect me back too quickly.

With that Soren left and literally flew off. When Soren had left, Benny and Tommy chatted for a bit and Tommy apologized for going against Benny during Benny’s mission to rescue the Imperial Prince. Benny graciously forgave him, and both shook hands in a friendly manner.

Benny would let Tommy finish out his shift. At Dusk, Benny would take over, and guard until the next morning. They would each take 12 hour shifts. Tommy said there were 8 Imperial Guards and 2 support staff (a supply clerk and a cook) for this detail. There would be 4 guards per shift.

For the rest of the day, Benny rested, but had trouble actually sleeping. At dusk, one of the guards woke him up, and then he assumed command of the guard detail. Then Tommy went to sleep. For this shift, Benny had no problems.

A couple of days after Soren had left, a group of soldiers marched up to the Guild Hall. Benny knew exactly who these were as they approached. These were soldiers from Leon’s Castle. There were six soldiers, a young sergeant of the guard, who Benny guessed was most likely Richard the Younger, who was also called, Dickie. His father was a famous knight in Leon’s Army, whose name was Richard the Strong, or Richard the Elder.

The officer in charge was unusually small and rode a white mare. After arriving at the Guild Hall, the Officer leading this band of troops lifted up their visor and Benny saw immediately who it was. It was no other than his girlfriend, Princess Lisa. Benny knew that the mare she rode on was her very own, named “Sunrise”.

Benny looked as professionally as he could be for this situation at hand, and gave his Lady a crisp salute. She saluted back, but while she gave hers, she started to giggle very girlishly. The troop of soldiers that came with her, maintained proper military discipline, and the order was given from their Sergeant to halt.

They immediately halted, which was right in front of where Benny was standing guard. Richard, the Sergeant of this group of troops, called his men to “Parade Rest”. Then he along with Benny assisted Princess Lisa from dismounting her horse. After the Princess was off her horse, Richard, also called Dickie, went in front of his soldiers. “Group Attention.” With that, the troops went to attention. Dickie, went about face, and turned the formation over to the officer in charge, Princess Lisa who got a crisp salute from Dickie. After Princess Lisa returned the salute back, this time much more professionally, Dickie lowered his salute, and double-timed to the rear of the formation. Princess Lisa about-faced, and called Benny forward.

As Benny came and faced her, Princess Lisa saluted him, and said, “Princess Lisa of Wembly reporting this group of soldiers for Imperial Guard duty as reqeusted. I and my subordinates present will assist in securing this site from all unauthorized personnel.”

Benny returned the salute, and answered, “Welcome to this duty. You will be with me on night shift, while the Blue Mage and the Imperial Guards will guard on day shift. You are dismissed until tonight when you will assume guard duty. Dismiss your troops for the day.”

“Yes sir” The Princess replied and then saluted once more to Benny, her boyfriend, and who was now in charge of this guard detail. Benny saluted back, and then left the formation, but stood to the side. Princess Lisa about-faced again, and called Dickie, the Sergeant forward to dismiss the troops. He saluted her, and then dismissed the troops as Lisa went and stood by Benny.

When Tommy and the other Imperial Guards assumed guard duty, Benny briefed him on the latest events, and of the new situation for Guard duty. Having a Princess sent here to guard had shocked the Imperial troops into an even deeper silence, while all that Tommy did was gave a laugh that was as low enough so that the Princess did not hear. The four guards that had been with Benny that night were given the day to sleep, and also had the night off. They would help guard the next day. Princess Lisa and Benny then went to find a place for Princess Lisa to sleep inside the Guild Hall. Once inside, both of them embraced.

After a long hug, “So how did you come to be chosen for this detail?” Benny asked.

“Well, Soren came and visited us. He told us all about you finding the White Crystal and taking your place as the White Mage. We are all so very proud of you. Congradulations. He said that he needed a few soldiers to come here and help guard against attack. My father, the King, got a few soldiers together that he could spare, and decided to send one of his most inexperienced Sergeants with them. Then he needed to send a fairly capable officer with them. I, naturally, volunteered. Father, allowed me to go but rather hestitatingly. As a promise to father and to Soren, I will try not to get in the way of your studies, and with the help of the soldiers with me, will try to be as much of an asset as possible on this guard detail.”

The Imperial Guards could hardly believe that a princess would be sent here to help guard. It was potentially dangerous but also extremely boring. Even Benny, himself, wasn’t too sure about this turn of events. Would a princess be more of a distraction than she, herself, had thought? He still wasn’t entirely convinced this was the correct course of actions, despite having intense feelings for her. He continued to ponder this development in his head. What would Soren really think about this? And really why did King Leon, his boss, send his daughter on this potentially dangeous mission?

Benny then took the Princess to his new study, the place where he had found the White Crystal. He got some straw for her, and she took out her sleeping mat. He got some more straw, and moved his own sleeping mat just outside his study in the main hallway of Guild Hall. He would now guarantee the personal safety of the Princess. Dickie, decided to join him and moved his sleeping mat near Benny’s. The rest of the Leon’s Guards set up a nice tent beside the Imperial Troops’ tent.

After getting situated for the rest of the day, which they would rest until their guard shift (night shift), they would stop to get something to eat. So they went out to where the cook was preparing as a nice lunch that was possible. They ate a quick lunch, of soup and slightly stale bread. Then Benny and Princess Lisa went inside and kissed each other quite fondly before resting for the day, until it was time for them to assume guard once more.

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