Bound To Cazmus

Chapter Six

Instructed by Cazmus, a commanding figure, Chantelle was reminded of the importance of maintaining good posture when confronting an adversary.

With her feet firmly planted in the ground, Chantelle diligently strived to refine her technique.

Seeking confirmation, she inquired, "Is this correct?" Her arm slightly bent as she pointed the stick forward, her free arm resting at her side.

Cazmus promptly corrected her, "Your arm is bent. Keep it perfectly straight."

She complied with his instructions and adjusted her arm. Standing tall, she held the stick out in front of her as if there was an adversary before her.

"Good," he complimented, stepping back. Chantelle beamed, relaxing her posture as she turned to confront him, feeling a wave of pride washing over her.

After hours of practice, she had finally perfected her stance, and Cazmus had shown remarkable patience throughout the process.

Cazmus nodded, reaching for the sword nestled at his waist.

It was a striking black blade adorned with intricate golden markings engraved along its length. "The royal Dramér sword?" she gasped in disbelief as he handed it to her.

But as soon as the sword left Cazmus's grip, its weight immediately pulled her down.

Just before she could hit the ground, Cazmus swiftly wrapped his arm around her waist, preventing her from falling.

"I'm sorry," he said, lifting the sword and carefully setting Chantelle down. Chantelle's eyes widened at the sight of the sword.

It was anything but lightweight; it had nearly knocked her out when she tried to lift it. However, the man held it as if it weighed nothing.

"T-that sword-"

"It's supposed to be heavy. It's not something humans would normally be able to carry. I seemed to have forgotten that.

You can use this one instead. It was crafted by the greatest craftsmen there are."

Cazmus reached for a sword at Vixen's side. It was the same sword, just smaller. When he tried to pass it to Chantelle, she seemed hesitant to grab it, her free hand clutching his coat just in case it would drag her down.

“Go on, it won't, I promise.” He said, I'm glad to help! Here's the rewritten text to be more descriptive:

A mischievous smile tugged at the corner of Cazmus's lips as he noticed the big doe eyes of Chantelle.

The sight of her eyes, resembling those of a deer, unexpectedly amused him.

As Chantelle reached for the sword, her grip on his coat tightened until it was securely in her hands.

Her expectation that it would bring her down was not met, prompting her to release him and hold the sword with both hands.

Cazmus then retrieved his sword and positioned himself in front of Chantelle. "I want you to attack me," he calmly commanded.

His words caught Chantelle off-guard, causing her to almost choke on her own gasp. "Attack a royal? God forbid! P-pardon, My lord?" she stuttered, taken aback.

"Do it. That is an order," Cazmus insisted, leaving no room for discussion.

Fear began to creep into Chantelle's mind as she contemplated the implications. She adjusted her posture and pointed the sword at him. It was just a few inches away from his chest. What if she inadvertently harmed him?

"Quiet your mind, Chantelle, and strike on the count of one."

"Y-yes, my lord." She shut her eyes, drawing in a deep breath to steady her racing thoughts.

"Three."

With the count underway, she felt her hands growing clammy, sweat trickling down her chin.

"Two."

Chantelle yearned to ask him to halt, unwilling to cause him harm. The mere notion made her break out in a nervous sweat.

"One."

Her eyes snapped open, and she raised the sword, bringing it down at an angle. But in the blink of an eye, he had vanished, and she sensed something pressing against her back. Her sword was gone, no longer in her grasp.

"Never lower your guard.”

He muttered softly as she turned to face him, gripping her sword in his right hand and her waist in his left. "M-My lord..."

She whispered, gazing up at him. "That... that was simply wonderful! I never knew Dramérs were so swift. It amazes me."

"Does it?" Cazmus asked, handing her the sword. With graceful poise, she accepted it.

"Come here,"

He said, drawing her back into his embrace. Bending slightly, he drew his own sword and placed her hands over the handle before setting his on top of hers.

"Step onto my shoes." She did as he said, positioning her feet on top of his boots.

As he began to move, the sword swung through the air with a graceful and fluid motion. Chantelle could almost feel as though she was the one wielding the sword, and a burst of uncontrollable laughter escaped her lips.

"This sword holds a special kind of magic; it once belonged to my father," the figure explained with a hint of reverence in their voice.

“I've heard of the tales told, my lord; it is the only sword capable of taking down a Dramér!”

The mere thought made him chuckle - it wasn't that simple. A Dramér was no ordinary foe; they were elusive and formidable, the most challenging of adversaries.

“It has the power to lull its victims into a deep sleep by piercing their hearts. It drains their strength," he explained.

As Camzus swung his sword, the reverberation of cracking wood abruptly filled the air. In an instant, he swiftly grasped Chantelle's waist, instinctively pulling her away from the tree he had been relentlessly striking. Chantelle caught off guard, hadn't realized that the target of Camzus's assault was the tree when it came toppling over with a thunderous crash.

His sword was three to four inches away from the tree the entire time, so how did he manage to cut it down?

“How–”

“Magic.”

Cazmus released her, feeling the presence of his brother. “Amis. Are the surroundings clear?” He turned to face the boy, who had been out for the past few hours looking around to make sure it was clear for them to leave.

“It is; there were no traces of wolves or any dead animals. Which I would like to question.”

“Go on.”

“You haven't hunted for blood, have you brother? If you keep this up you'll be weak.”

“I'll be fine, let's go.”

Cazmus ended the discussion as he walked off, Amis rolled his eyes at his brother's stubbornness. He would learn his lesson one way or another.

.

.

.

.

“Did you enjoy your meal?” Amis asked Chantelle as she mounted the horse, sitting in front of Cazmus. He had gone hunting at the brink of dawn and fetched her something quick to eat, it was unlike Cazmus to be so kind.

“Yes, I did, Amis, thank you, it was wonderful.” This was the first time in years she had a belly filled with food. Cazmus kept putting meat in front of her, and she ate it with no complaints.

“We have four hours left before we arrive at Xynna; remember to stick together; this place is crawling with Vampire, who have no humanity.”

Cazmus recalled, and Chantelle nodded slowly. once they arrive at the town of Xynnar they would hunt for a witch known as Mariana. It was said that Duke Vanderlaat had provided Orpheus with the possible whereabouts of this elusive woman. Mariana was described as a striking blonde with brown eyes and a distinctive pentacle marking on her neck.

It was believed that she held the key to finding the Sorcerers, but convincing her to assist them wouldn't be an easy task. However, Cazmus, being the crown prince, had a plan to win her over since Mariana had her motives, and he knew he could help her.

Meanwhile, concerns arose about the conspicuous nature of the group, particularly with the imposing figures of Amis and Cazmus drawing unwanted attention. Chantelle suggested that Amis stay close to her, feigning normal activities like shopping in order to blend in and not raise suspicion.

The town of Xynnar was filled with a sense of desperation among its inhabitants. Visitors were expected to purchase items, as the demons living there were in dire need of gold. Victoria had overlooked the town, leaving its residents to fend for themselves.

"We'll need to get Chantelle some more clothing, perhaps a luxurious fur coat if it's available," remarked Amis.

"A fur coat, my lord–" began Chantelle.

"Amis, please," he corrected, looking at her intently as she sat there, flustered. The idea of being gifted an expensive fur coat left her feeling indebted already. She would rather endure frostbite than accept such a luxurious gift.

"Amis... You shouldn't, I mean, fur coats are quite pricey. I'd feel indebted to you," she voiced her concern.

"Money is the least of the royal family's worries, isn't that right, brother?" he turned to Camuz, who responded with a thoughtful hum. Their wealth was substantial, and spending a few coins on a coat wouldn't dent their pockets.

"Besides, you're doing us a tremendous favor, and that's more than enough," he added.

Chantelle felt conflicted as she assisted them. In truth, she wasn't doing them a favor; she was helping her brother. If it weren't for him, she wouldn't be in this situation. The weight of this truth felt selfish, but it remained undeniable.

"Regardless of who you're doing it for, it's still a big help for us," Amis said, his words hitting home as if he had read her mind. She suspected that she had accidentally vocalized her thoughts.

"Oh—Right! My lord," Chantelle quickly responded, turning her head to look up at him. As her gaze fell upon the stubble on his face, Cazmus looked down and their eyes momentarily met.

"Thank you for teaching me how to wield a sword. I am grateful for it, and hopefully, I won't ever have to use it," she said with a smile. Her white hair gently fell onto her face as she gazed back at the rising sunset, marveling at its beauty.

The sky was painted with hues of pink, purple, and orange as the moon held its celestial position. The birds serenaded the morning with their melodious songs, creating a peaceful ambiance.

"Absolutely," he replied gruffly, shifting his gaze away.

"Truly? Throughout this entire journey?" she inquired.

"Yes,"

"But Cazmus and I will do everything we can to ensure that you never have to do that when you are with us. And even after this is all over, tell me what you desire, and Cazmus will make it happen."

Chantelle let out a light chuckle at Amis's words, but Camzus remained silent, quietly observing their surroundings, though he concurred with Amis. "Well, Amis, I don't—"

"Not now, not now," Amis interjected. "Once we have placed Cazmus on the throne, whatever you may say at this moment may not reflect your true desires in the end. I'm eager to hear it." Amis beamed at her, displaying his gleaming white teeth. Chantelle felt a pang of melancholy as she returned the smile, though it did not reach her eyes. She cleared her throat and nodded. "So, I assume we'll be spending more than two days in Xynnar?"

Cazmus nodded, Chantelle's mind was racing as she processed the gravity of the situation. Mariana's disappearance was deeply troubling, and she hoped fervently that they would find Mariana much sooner than a week. The demons lurking in the shadows only added to her unease; she knew they posed a threat, particularly with their keen sense of smell. Keeping a close watch over Chantelle became paramount, especially as nightfall loomed on the horizon. While Amis offered to take on the role of lookout, Cazmus had reservations about it.

"We'll find a hotel for you to stay in," he insisted, mindful of the chill in the air. "You shouldn't be out in the cold, especially for an entire week."

Chantelle let out a weary sigh, her gaze shifting to the snowy landscape ahead. As they trudged along the desolate road, she spotted an open expanse devoid of trees, just a rugged dirt path blanketed in snow.

Chantelle was puzzled as she asked, "What is it that Mariana wants?" Amis mentioned that Mariana had been corresponding with Shazer through letters and in exchange, she would work under him, but Chantelle was still unsure about the nature of Mariana's desires.

Amis then revealed a surprising piece of information: Mariana had a little sister named Arianna, and they were twins. The only distinguishing feature between them was their hair color - Arianna had black hair, while Mariana didn't. The twins had been separated during a chaotic event that occurred three years ago.

As Chantelle started to inquire about the nature of this chaos, Amis simply replied, "Yes." Chantelle realized that it must have been the same catastrophic event that occurred three years ago which was caused by Cazmus, who went into a fit of rage and led to the destruction of a town, resulting in multiple casualties. She could see that Amis was trying to be considerate towards Cazmus, who had a cold and indifferent expression on his face, suggesting that he felt no remorse.

Chantelle struggled with the idea of passing judgment on Cazmus, knowing that he had been manipulated and exploited by Victoria, who had toyed with his emotions to undermine him.

However, was that an excuse to kill so many people? People who had nothing to do with it…

Chantelle's voice trembled as she spoke, "I see... well, then, I would hope she isn't too far from-"

Her words came to an abrupt stop, Cazmus and Amis shared a look as the smell of fresh blood hit them.

"There's something ahead." She tapped Camzus's thigh gently, causing him to pull at the reins and bring the horse, Vixen, to a slow stop. Camzus peered out, his eyes scanning the surrounding terrain, trying to discern what lay ahead.

Chantelle's eyes widened as she gazed at the disturbing scene before her.

Her brows furrowed with concern, revealing her deep unease.

She struggled to comprehend the gravity of the situation unfolding in front of her, feeling a profound sense of shock that seemed to penetrate to her very core.

A sensation of nausea overwhelmed her, and she could feel bile rising in her throat, threatening to spill over in a wave of revulsion.

Despite her desperate efforts to look away, she found herself unable to tear her eyes from the grim sight before her.

“A-A human?”