Clavus Militiades and Isidorus Andor were traveling to the King’s Conference to represent their race and country, the Sylphs of Alfymm. However, everything was wrong. Isidorus was the representative and Clavus was the backup. It should’ve been the other way around. Clavus was supposed to have the chance at the Illian Kingship, not Isidorus.

Whenever the king of Illia died, his firstborn son took the kingship over temporarily and held a conference where he would select the new king. One person selected from every race in Luxia, the known world, traveled to Illia to participate in the conference. Everything had been lined up for Clavus to be the representative of the Sylphs for when the king died, but Isidorus, a young upstart politician, was able to woo the Sylphs of Alfymm and overtake Clavus’ place. Clavus’ family, the Militiades, were highly respected in Alfymm for generations. His ancestors helped restore Alfymm to its former glory after the civil war. Clavus helped boost the nation’s economy through his skillful uses of taxes and tariffs. The nation loved him.

Or so he thought. Though he was skilled in politics and economics, his personality was harsh. Sylphs were known for being generally free-spirited and kind. Clavus was neither of those. He was regimented, strict, and abrasive. No matter how good he was at his job, the people cared more about personality than skill. Isidorus, a young man who came out of nowhere, quickly rose the political echelon of Alfymm. He was nothing special, in Clavus’ eyes. Not a bad politician, but not a great one either. Yet, the Sylphs of Alfymm loved his personality. Because of his personality and no real merits, his citizens chose him to have a chance at the kingship. It pissed Clavus off to no end. He pissed Clavus off to no end. However, Clavus wouldn’t accept it. On their journey to the capital city of Illia for the conference, Clavus planned to secretly kill Isidorus. Since Clavus was the backup, he would become the representative for Alfymm, and possibly become the king of Illia. He wanted it so badly. Not only would the Militiades family be revered in Alfymm, but now in all of Luxia, since Illia was the nation that kept all of Luxia connected and at peace.

Clavus and Isidorus landed at the Illian port town, Horamus. They took a long way around Illia to keep themselves safe from potential assassins that would track them down easily if they took the fastest route. Unfortunately for Isidorus, his assassin traveled with him the entire way. Once they were there, Clavus got to work. He bribed the entire staff traveling with him to keep their mouths shut on anything they saw Clavus do with Isidorus. Suspicious, yes, not no one expected Clavus to hurt Isidorus. Clavus had a small tent set up outside of the town so that he could feign a secret strategy meeting with Isidorus. Of course, that was where he would make his kill.

Late, after dinner, Clavus approached Isidorus’ room in the inn they were staying at and knocked. Isidorus opened the door, dressed in his night robe. He was getting ready for bed. He ran his fingers through his long golden hair and answered Clavus. “What is it Clavus? It’s late.”

“Yes,” Clavus answered, looking around to make sure no one was watching them. “I’ve had a tent set up outside the town. We need to strategize about your bid for the kingship. After arriving this morning, I have some good ideas that you can go off. And we cannot let anyone overhear us. Anyone here could be connected to the others participating in the Conference.”

Isidorus yawned, closing his green eyes. Blonde hair and green eyes were the main attributes most Sylphs had. Many Sylph men liked to wear their hair long as Isidorus did, but Clavus didn’t. It was too irritating for him.

“Sounds fun,” Isidorus responded with a mixture of excitement and drowsiness. “Give me a moment to put something else on.”

“Grab your cloak while you’re at it, Isidorus.”

After a few minutes, Isidorus was dressed and ready to go with Clavus. They both pulled their hoods over their heads to conceal themselves. They exited the inn, then walked out of the port town. It wasn’t a large town, so it didn’t take too long for them to leave and walk until they arrived at the tent, which was out of view of the town. Clavus opened the door to the tent and motioned Isidorus in. Inside the tent was a rug a small table with a candle on it, and two stools for them to sit on. They both took their seats, and Isidorus lit the candle with a match he pulled from his pocket.

“So, Clavus,” Isidorus started, “what do you have to tell me?” Clavus didn’t answer. He held his right hand in from of him and made the hand sign for sky magic. Electricity crackled around his hand and shot toward Isidorus in a bolt. Isidorus blocked the lighting just in time with a translucent blue magical shield. Instantly, Isidorus summoned his wings and flew out of the tent.

All five races of Fae, the Sylphs, the Salamanders, the Undine, the Gnomes, and the Dryads could create magical wings they could fly with. Fae wings were translucent wings that resembled solid colored moth wings or butterfly wings. Sylph wings were all green. None of the other races of Luxia could create wings like the Fae.

Clavus cursed, summoned his wings, and pursued Isidorus. Luckily for Clavus, Isidorus did not fly back toward the direction of the town. Maybe he forgot. Clavus didn’t care, he still had a chance. They sped through woods, dodging tree after tree. Isidorus probably thought since he was younger, his flight reflexes were better and he could lose Clavus in the forest. He might’ve been right, but the woods didn’t last as long as he would have hoped. They flew out of the woods into a clearing with a cave.

While chasing Isidorus through the woods, Clavus was charging up a powerful curse that would bind Isidorus’ wings. Once they were in the clearing, Clavus let loose the curse. Purplish-pink light shot from Clavus’ hands and struck Isidorus in the back. Chains of the same color of light appeared and bound Isidorus’ wings. He fell out of the air, right into the cave. Perfect. Now he couldn’t run. Clavus followed him into the cave.

Isidorus was on the ground, trying to get up. Unfortunately for him, Clavus was already there and cast a new curse on Isidorus. A beam of purplish-pink light descended from Clavus’ hand and enveloped Isidorus. Clavus was draining Isidorus’ vitality and taking it as his own. Eventually, Isidorus stopped moving. Clavus had won.

Clavus flew back to the tent, thinking of what his next plan was. He would go to the tent, rough it up a bit to make it seem like they were attacked, and stay there until people came looking for him. When they would find him, he would tell them that Clavus and Isidorus were attacked by some people. Isidorus was killed in front of his eyes, then they knocked Clavus out. No one would question him, for they had no reason to. The Militiades were trustable. It was perfect.