The Renegade Centaurs

The Renegade Centaurs

Centaurs were a common find throughout the Illian forests. Most of the time, however, they were alone or in small groups. Today was an odd day, as Xentros stumbled across a massive horde of them. He was taking a stroll through the forests with his best friend when his enhanced vision picked up four centaurs next to each other. His friend apparently saw something else, as she took off running at top speed. "I'll ask her about it when I catch up." He mentally said.
Some movement brought him back to the centaurs, and as he had rarely seen more than two together at any given time he thought he should investigate. Upon getting close, he found there were well over 40, all around a fallen centaur with a dagger bearing the symbol of Illius on it. This set-off alarms for Xentros, as he realized this large of a group posed a serious threat to his home, and all of his friends. Xentros feared that if he tried rushing back to warn the guards, the centaurs would go on a rampage before they could prepare.

"No," Xentros said "I must stop them here before they get a chance to cause havoc. Besides, they are probably the reason for our decreasing food supply."

With that, Xentros brought up a wall of darkness and used it to cover his movement towards a straggling centaur, cut off from the rest of the group. Normally his cloak would have been enough to hide in these woods, but he felt the need to be especially careful. He had no intention of provoking these creatures before he knew what they planned.

"If this does turn into a fight, I need to thin their numbers before I take them on, I don't want a repeat of when I was fifteen. Better safe than sorry."

Xentros got behind the lone centaur and cast a spell to bind its mouth shut as well as to strangle it. The bindings were a sort of dark ropes, which he then willed to pull the centaur toward him.

Once the centaur was close enough Xentros erected a magical barrier, as to block noise from leaving.

"I apologize for my harsh methods, but I need to know what happened here, and a pack of centaurs is unnerving." Xentros began to the centaur.

The centaur saw the mark of Illius on this man's cloak and new he was Illian. He then saw the mark of royalty as the clip that held it closed around him. "You wish to know what happened? One of YOUR soldiers killed my clan's leader, simply because he was bored! This outrage will not be tolerated! My brethren and I live peacefully in the forest, and yet here is a member of your civilization attacking us without purpose." The centaur was furious at this point, Xentros could see this evident on his face.

"My sincerest apologies. If you can describe this soldier for me other than just his armor I will make sure he is punished severely. If there is anything I can do to ease the suffering of your people, please, you have but to ask. I wish not to see your people enraged. I would prefer a peaceful existence." Xentros bowed when he finished speaking, showing the centaur respect. It was surprised at first but resumed its glare shortly after.

"No, this is not the first crime committed against our people. Tonight we march to your city. We will cause the same pain to you that you have bestowed on us. Your people will regret their actions, and know to never raise a hand against my family again!"

The centaur then turned and punched through the barrier, walking back to his people. Xentros rose from his position and spoke once more to the centaur. "I apologize, but if that is what you plan to do, I must stop you. My deepest apologies." With that, he sent a blast of darkness out at the back of the creatures head. He fell to the ground, unconscious. "I have no intention of killing any of you, but my people come first." Xentros then went around the clearing, taking out centaurs as stealthily as he could, as to not alert the group. After he felled his seventh, he was made.

"There is another here, out for more blood no doubt! My brothers, are we to allow this beast to continue his senseless slaughter of our people? I think not! To your positions! We shall show him that we are not to be trifled with!" This came from the biggest centaur at the gathering. He was the closest to the fallen centaur, and that with the speech made him think this was the next in command. Xentros' thoughts were cut short when the centaur charged at him. The centaur went to throw a punch, and the prince retaliated by pulling up a wall of dark energy. "You will perish, prince of Illius, just like our leader has at the hands of your subordinates. And I, Chivec, will be the one to do it! Release!"

Arrows started flying at Xentros, and he wanted this to end. He summoned a gust of wind to knock the arrows off target and kept them blowing while he moved to draw his sword. Coating it in dark magic to strengthen the blade, he charged at Chivec. He knew the blow would not hit, but he was aiming for that.

Chivec blocked the overhead swing with his now-drawn axes. In response, Xentros rolled to the side and sent a week blast of dark energy to know him off his hooves. Chivec dodged forward and ran into the forest while one of his allies charged out at Xentros. He heard the galloping and jumped over the ax swing. He landed on the centaur and used a small amount of lightning magic to stun him. After jumping off, Xentros ran into the forest.

Quickly moving to each source of an arrow he stunned them with lightning. After taking out about thirty-five of his assailers, he ran back to the clearing to see the dead and passed out centaurs gone. He called off his wind and skidded to a halt.

"If you wish to fight come and get me, but I would rather solve this peacefully." His answer was seven arrows flying straight for him. He responded by sending out a wave of fire that nearly filled the clearing, disintegrating the arrows well before they reached their mark. "By The Divines, this is dragging on. Please, stop this now."

More arrows. More fire. Xentros was done. He brought his hands together, and wind blew from all around him, whipping up stones, branches, and even part of a fallen tree. He was trying to bring the centaurs to him, and it worked. One by one, they came flying at him, only for Xentros to stop them and bury their hooves so they couldn't run. Once all of them, Chivec included, were there, he stopped the wind. The fury of the wind made them drop their weapons, so the were all left empty handed and trapped by the Prince.

"I'm sorry for being rough, but you left me no choice. Now I am" one of the centaurs spit on Xentros and yelled at him afterward.

"We have nothing to talk about here! Your people murdered one of ours, and we will get revenge!"

"On that note. Chivec, please listen." Xentros said after wiping his face off. "If you trust me, I will find the culprit and bring him to justice. I will do everything in my power to make sure your kind are not hunted, and I will do anything I can to make it up to you and your people."

Chivec stood in silence for a moment. He looked at the faces of his allies around him, and then glanced over to his fellow centaurs that were unconscious in the forest. He noticed how easily this prince could have killed him and his men, but he was still angered by what his citizen had done. Chivec then put himself in Xentros' shoes and though, does he really want Illius as an enemy. He looked at Xentros then and saw the sincerity in his eyes. "If you can produce proof of your intentions, then I will call off the attack on Illius."

"Thank you for your understanding!" Xentros said in excitement as he relaxed. The fight was finally over, and if his partner was coming back with what he though she was, this would all be over here and now.

"My prince, I found this soldier running through the forest. He-" she was interrupted by one of the centaurs.

"That's the murderer! He killed Reycha!" The centaur to the right of Chivec yelled. He struggled to get free and attack the man, but Xentros had buried him too far down. "Let me go, I want to beat him!" cried the centaur.

"Livel, calm done. This prince has promised to take care of this man, and we shall let him do this his way. I have already agreed on behalf of all of us that we would not take action against Illius, and this man is a part of Illius." Chivec stopped looking at Livel and moved to look at Xentros. "Take care of this scum for me, would you? I will gather my people and tell them what has transpired. Also, could you release us?"

"My sincerest apologies." Xentros released the centaurs with a wave of his hand. "And thank you, Chivec. I promise you," Xentros glanced at the soldier, "This behavior will stop. As I said, if there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask. We should be going now, we are already late." He said this last part to his partner, who nodded and grabbed the culprit by his wrist. "Ready when you are, sir."

"How many times have I told you? We have been friends for over ten years, you don't need to call me sir."

"Yes, sir!" Sheila said mockingly while she stuck her tongue out.

"Stop being such a kid." Said Xentros as he playfully nudged her. "Sorry for today Chivec. Your men should be waking up any moment now, so we'll go before they attack us. Goodbye."

"If I may ask before you go, what is your name, Prince of Illius?" Chivec said to their retreating forms.

"I apologize again. I am Xentros Zentavion, son of Vexus Zentavion, Prince of Illius, and known to many as The Prince of Death, though I don't like that last one very much." Xentros said with a wave and a smile as he disappeared into the trees.