The infected gathered before the Doctor, and she promised them to be her general if they managed to capture the infiltrators. Thou they didn't know about the escaped Sir George; they are just too happy to kill anyone who isn't them and present their corpse to the Doctor.
The generals, guards, and initiates are in an uproar, looking for anyone who might blend with them. The commotion allowed John to slip away from the initiates and proceed back to the room where the Doctor held an audience with her chosen initiates. With the guards out of the way, John entered the Study.
Towering catalogs, scrolls, and books about alchemy, anatomy, and pet training fill the Study. The place was majestic and colorful, but the table at the corner of the room with the vials caught John's attention.
The vials twinkled in John's eyes, luring him into a false sense of security. John was reaching for the vials when the Doctor leaped from the darkness. She stopped John from grabbing the vials and pierced his left arm with her knives.
John filled the halls of the Keep with a terrifying scream. The pain from the Doctor's knife began to make its magic. The Doctor smiled and assumed John was the assassin that read her journal. The Doctor can hear swords clashing from the entrance to her Study with her Sense. She pressed the knife deeper into John's left arm, pressuring him to scream more loudly.
"First, you read my journal, then you made your way to my dungeon and freed my prisoner. So bold yet ever sloppy." The Doctor says as slammed John to the floor. "I will not kill you. Yet. Knights are so gallant yet easily distracted. Sir George will not leave you; he is known as a knight of the people. Your scream will lure him back here, and he will die fighting for your freedom."
With John's screams, the Doctor's remaining twenty generals gathered at the Study and prepared themselves for George's arrival.
"Frosthold is known for their prowess and endurance, but he is still a man. Worn him off and kill him." The Doctor instructed her followers. She turns back to John and stabs another knife in his left arm. "Now my music box; lure George back to me so we can finish this."
"Come on, you bastards! Have some more!" George yells as three initiates fall with a mighty swing.
George acts as the defensive line while William covers their flanks. William began to use the sword he got from the mountain and danced gracefully with it.
William was impressed by how sharp and agile his sword was! This was the first time he used his new sword extensively. The blade was quick and light for him to execute more swings without tiring, allowing William to strikethrough the enemies' defense easily.
During their struggle, John's wails reached their ears. Hearing that his friend was at risk, something in him stirred.
His mind went blank for a while as he remembered Eldric's suffering with John's scream. His mind began to flash an image of Eldric bloody beaten before him. And John's face began to meld from Eldric as William fears his friend will follow their father figure's death.
William trembled in anger. He held out his sword and unleashed his dance of death. In his wake, the last batch of the initiate that fell before his sword died quickly.
George looked at his leg and understood another innocent soul was experiencing the same pain he did. Both understood what was happening, and without uttering a word, the two began following the sound of the screams.
He knows that the Doctor has the generals surrounding her at all times and knows he cannot beat them alone.
"Sir George, we cannot beat them head-on. I have a solution, but you won't like it: you will act as bait while I strike from the shadows." William pointed to the wooden beam above them.
George saw the way William fought their foes. He can see that William's attacks are a mix of knight's sword mastery, a squire's defense, and some fancy footwork that made him swift like a leopard in a jungle. William is more of an assassin than a knight.
"Our circumstances need us to change our tactics and adapt. Though I can't entirely agree with honorless actions, I am willing to create a compromise."
"The man he is torturing, he is my friend. A page of Eldric's, John Reed." William grabbed John's arrow and bow and climbed the wooden beam. "we trained in the north mountains with the tribe of hunters to be better. I never thought he would get captured. But when I hear his screams, I cannot help but feel helpless."
"William, I understand you boys went thru a lot, but I want you to keep your head clear during the battle. The Doctor will use that same emotion to distract you." George says as he tightens the bandage on his leg.
"Once we get out of this alive, I will continue your training. Build up a foundation alongside what Eldric has given you." George's comforting words did help William to calm his nerves. But William's drive for vengeance for Eldric and saving his friend cloud his judgment.
William's Sense helped him pinpoint John's screams back to the Study. He signals George as they press on to save John.
"There!" a masked general yells as he charges at George. As the general engaged George, two more guards sprung from behind and began to assist him in taking George down. But they were felled by William's archery before they could reach George.
With the general distracted, George managed to slice the general's thighs, and William finished him off with an arrow to the neck.
"One general down, twenty more to go!" William says as he counts all the lettered masked generals with whom they killed before. Maria, one at Lenato's, three with Ingrid's, and one with George.
The two proceed across the Keep. William attacks from the beams and shadows while George distracts their enemies. Although the masked generals are quick and deadly, they are no match for George's superior strength and William's deadly accuracy.
As they got nearer to the Study, the generals began flooding them with the Keep's guards, but all met their end with William's bow. William and George defeated fifteen more generals.
Finally, George and William are standing before the door where John and the initiates are held. William paused and began to use his Sense. He can detect breathing inside and hear John breathing and writing in pain.
"A concerned rabbit will bare its teeth. The Doctor is no different." William mutters as he climbs down the beam. Knowing that he is facing another Zonian like him, he must be careful not to be heard to keep the element of surprise.
William climbed down the beam and tapped George's shoulder. He whispers to George that the Doctor expects George but not William, so he asks George to keep her talking, and he will make way to save John.
George wishes him luck. He doesn't know how William will do it, but he puts his trust in him. William began to climb the Keep's wall by the sea to reach the roof.
George opened the door and was greeted by two generals standing before him, acting as a wall.
George looked up and saw stairs leading up to the Study where Lady Margaret had just finished cleaning her bloodied plague mask.
Two more generals are standing beside Margaret as they hold a young man with a knife sticking out of his left arm. George figures that this must be John.
"Incredible, Sir George." The Doctor says as she puts the mask back on. "You defeated most of my generals."
"I must admit they are quite something," George humors her, hoping William will achieve whatever he is planning.
"A knight fighting with a bleeding leg yet not worn out from the fighting? This must be the Frosthold innate strength I have read from the records!" the Doctor pondered while the rest of her generals were seizing George. They are afraid of the prowess of taking down fifteen generals by themselves.
George tries to press forward, but the Doctor holds a knife to the beaten John.
"Be a good specimen, George. Your life for this scoundrel. I promise not a blade in him. All I want is to dissect every part of you until I understand what makes every Frosthold strong." The Doctor signals the two generals to arrest George.
"Must be a blessing from the Lord. As he always guides the righteous against the demons of this earth." George says as he readies himself from the two generals slowly approaching him with weapons drawn.
"But what you need right now is a miracle from heaven if you want to be saved from this demon." the Doctor gloats over him with her red eyes.
Before the general can reach George, the miracle drops from heaven.
Seeing a glass window directly where the Doctor was standing, William leaped from the roof, breaking the glass window! While falling, William threw John's blade at one of the generals holding John down.
With his captors distracted, John frees himself from their grasp, grabs his blade, and finishes off his captors with a slice to their necks.
William landed beside his friend, unsheathed his blade, and tried to deal a deadly blow to the Doctor. But her Sense quickly allowed her to dodge his attack.
The Doctor called for her guards on the roof to shoot down William and John, but none came.
When William climbed the Keep's walls to the roof, he quickly took every guard by surprise with his archery. None made a sound, and he ensured the Doctor would not detect his footstep.
The Doctor made a run for it and escaped back to the Study. George cries for the boys to follow her while he takes the two generals. William asked John if he could stand and fight. John assures him that he is okay by showing the cut on his left arm.
"But that knife she placed on my arm, that pain was intense. It's something I've never felt before." John comments as he asks William to help him tie a cloth to the wound.
"She is not only a Zonian but also an alchemist. " William says, reassured that his friend is doing well and asked him to be careful as the Doctor's coated knives will inflict ailments that hinder them, like what John just felt.
The two boys chased after the Doctor back to her Study. They found the Doctor decked herself with more knives from the table. She furiously throws some at them but to no avail as William deflects it with his sword.
"Damn you." The Doctor began whistling a familiar tune. Rats! More of them began to crawl out of every hole, pouring out from every corner of the room.
As she whistles aggressively, the rats begin circling John and William, waiting for her to give the order to gnaw on their flesh. But before she can signal the rats, William uses the full power of his Sense!
After the last encounter with the three generals with Ingrid's tribe, he began to understand the flow of their whistling. William then imitates the Doctor's whistling and begins to command the rat to circle the Doctor instead.
"WHAT?! A ZONIAN?!" Margaret yelled. Shocked to see another Zonian, the Doctor unmasked herself and activated her red eyes to prevent the rats from attacking her. She whistles louder than before, commanding the rats to gnaw on the boys.
But with the Sense, William copied her whistling and prompted the rats to attack Margaret instead! More rats began to gather in the Study but were confused about who to attack.
Seeing this opportunity, John hurled one of William's daggers toward her. The Doctor dodged it, but it made her whistle in a different tune, a different command.
"NO!" the Doctor yells as she realizes the command she accidentally gave off. The rats began biting on the floor, weakening the Study's foundation. And with the weight of the numerous rats, the floor cracked!
And with a loud split, all fell into the darkness of the sewers where their showdown would begin.
The ocean waves crashing against Keep's wall spelled its doom. Every wave that hits the wall weakens its foundation, making the Keep give way against its weight. The Keep's walls and floor broke as the pillars supporting the Keep weakened when the Study collapsed. The alchemists sprang from their lab and began to flee. The guards abandoned their post, fearing for their lives. But despite the situation, George and the two generals stayed. George prayed that the two boys survived their fall, while the generals were confident that the Doctor would return and lead their town back to glory. The loud clash of blades awakened John. When he comes to his senses, the dimly lit sewers beneath the Keep greet him with hundreds of dead rats around him and thousands more alive, staring back at him from a distance. William jumped behind John to deflect the knives flying toward him. "John, stay close to me," William said as he reminded his friend that the rats would not eat him as long as
Before the King and the Royal Court, Sir George delivered the cure and claimed that the assault and destruction of the Keep were his doing alone. But he didn't divulge anything about the Pentalium as he didn't know yet who to trust.The King, pleased with the knight, tasked Sir George with leading the Kingdom's alchemists in reproducing the vials he had obtained from the Keep. The Royal Court was in awe of this knight's actions, all but one: Abigail Silverhand. Abigail Silverhand is the head of a royal family situated south of the Kingdom and a member of the Pentalium. Upon hearing George's bold claim attack on the Doctor, Agibail used her connections within the Royal Court and Pentalium to track the alchemists assigned to George. She took her time killing them, appearing as an accident, and sabotaging the lab, delaying the cure from reaching the hands of the public.With their illness worsening, the people began to trust in any herbs, incense, and tea that they could get to relieve
A large army of the Kingdom's soldiers gather on the largest fortress in the south. The soldiers hold the fort to prepare for the knight's arrival in a week. Only then can they muster a large force and launch their full force towards Abigail's estate. The fortress has effectively limited the movement of the Silverhand's loyalists by the vast stone wall that spans the forest region. It will force Abigail's force to move towards the fortress to get to the Capital, or they will have to climb the jagged path of the cold ranges where a slip can cause a man's life. The soldiers are confident that no one can get past them. These walls have driven countless invasions, such as when the tribes of ages passed attacked the Kingdom and when the Eastern army tried to muster their way into their territory. Abigail, cunning and devious as she is, moved to destroy her enemies inside the impenetrable fortress. She organized her subjects to dig in the mines and followed a map she had laid out from an o
The cold wind of the morning comforts the citizen of Tarwood as they are slowly waking from their beds. But for William, it is the most exciting day of his life as he and Sir Eldric will begin their two-day travel to the capital to participate in the Grand Tourney that occurs every five years. The knights of the realm can compete for a chance to win money and grant their deepest wish with the grace of King Edward.William heads to the stables and prepares their horses and luggage for the road when greeted by his friend, John Leads."Look at you up and about this early. You just began being a squire last year. Now you turned 16, you surpass the rest of us, and you are now the formal squire of Sir Eldric!" John says as he hands William a pouch of medicinal herbs."John, we all turned squires at the age of 15," William replied, "I am just a year older than you. There is no special training here. I just did what Sir Eldric instructed me, and I did it by heart. I've
After a long and exhausting journey, William and Eldric finally arrived at the capital. The Grand Tourney spiced up the capital; the street is booming with traders, swordsmiths, and armourers are selling their items like hotcakes, and all inn are packed with tourists to witness the first round of the Tourney, duelling contest.There is still time before the ceremony begins, giving the two to have their well-deserved rest."A man can't fight with an empty stomach!" Eldric says as he takes William to a tavern so the two can have a hearty meal. The tavern is busy as ever, but now knights, squires, and even their spectators fill their halls. Commoners and royals gather here as they conduct their bets to see which knight will win on the first part of the Tourney, Dueling.Knights brandish their swords and boast how sturdy their armour is, but William stays quiet. He can see that these knights were not cleaning their armour enough as rust formed on the edge of t
The night turned orange as the capital started a parade. Citizens flood the street as they celebrate the first day of the Tourney draws to a close. Most are in a festive mood but not William, as he still insisted on Lenato's shady action. Eldric shrugs it off and replies that he and Lenato were rivals in their younger days. But, if anything, Lenato wanted his son to avenge him when Eldric defeated him 20 years ago in the Tourney. And to that, he sees this challenge. William can't stress this enough, but Eldric reassures him that Lenato is kinda like that, a sour loser. The two share a laugh and proceed to eat their dinner. As they were enjoying their meal, William asked Eldric how he had defeated George. Eldric replied that when he slammed his shield against George, he felt George's leg lose its balance. This was George weakness, and Eldric decided to force George to work against it. "That's what I said to my grandson before the match but he insisted
For days, William used hisSenseas he cautiously navigated his way out of the swamp. He ensures that he leaves no tracks so those assassins will not follow him. William created a makeshift bow during his travels and dedicated his time to training his hunting skills. He made sure he used his time honing his abilities while making his way back to Tarwood.He made it out of the swamp and found himself on the road. William can rest easy, but hisSensetells him otherwise. He hides inside some nearby bushes. William detects three adult figures hiding behind the trees facing the road. William hears the faint iron chiming on their waist as the wind blows past them.They are armed. William wants to take them head-on are bandits, but he knows he might not win against them due to his weak state."Not without bait!" William says as he patiently waits for a moment to strike.
No man dared to enter the Dark Forest. Bandits, wild animals, and even so-called killers lived here. But William is not deterred! He will need to push thru the Dark Forest to reach the foot of the mountain where the hunters lived. During his week-long trek, he was using the most out of his Sense; always moving to keep him safe from predators. What felt like an eternity; William emerged from the Dark Forest and into the foot of the mountain. There he met an old woman who was part of the hunter tribe he was looking for. The woman noticed his arrival but was too busy throwing runes stones on the ground. William approached the woman and asked for directions to reach their village but the woman held up her hands as she read the runes, "Child who escaped death is here to learn the ways of the wild?” The woman examined William closely and found nothing out of the ordinary. She isn’t impressed with him and throws the rune again. William found this familiar as this is the same way that Ingri
A large army of the Kingdom's soldiers gather on the largest fortress in the south. The soldiers hold the fort to prepare for the knight's arrival in a week. Only then can they muster a large force and launch their full force towards Abigail's estate. The fortress has effectively limited the movement of the Silverhand's loyalists by the vast stone wall that spans the forest region. It will force Abigail's force to move towards the fortress to get to the Capital, or they will have to climb the jagged path of the cold ranges where a slip can cause a man's life. The soldiers are confident that no one can get past them. These walls have driven countless invasions, such as when the tribes of ages passed attacked the Kingdom and when the Eastern army tried to muster their way into their territory. Abigail, cunning and devious as she is, moved to destroy her enemies inside the impenetrable fortress. She organized her subjects to dig in the mines and followed a map she had laid out from an o
Before the King and the Royal Court, Sir George delivered the cure and claimed that the assault and destruction of the Keep were his doing alone. But he didn't divulge anything about the Pentalium as he didn't know yet who to trust.The King, pleased with the knight, tasked Sir George with leading the Kingdom's alchemists in reproducing the vials he had obtained from the Keep. The Royal Court was in awe of this knight's actions, all but one: Abigail Silverhand. Abigail Silverhand is the head of a royal family situated south of the Kingdom and a member of the Pentalium. Upon hearing George's bold claim attack on the Doctor, Agibail used her connections within the Royal Court and Pentalium to track the alchemists assigned to George. She took her time killing them, appearing as an accident, and sabotaging the lab, delaying the cure from reaching the hands of the public.With their illness worsening, the people began to trust in any herbs, incense, and tea that they could get to relieve
The ocean waves crashing against Keep's wall spelled its doom. Every wave that hits the wall weakens its foundation, making the Keep give way against its weight. The Keep's walls and floor broke as the pillars supporting the Keep weakened when the Study collapsed. The alchemists sprang from their lab and began to flee. The guards abandoned their post, fearing for their lives. But despite the situation, George and the two generals stayed. George prayed that the two boys survived their fall, while the generals were confident that the Doctor would return and lead their town back to glory. The loud clash of blades awakened John. When he comes to his senses, the dimly lit sewers beneath the Keep greet him with hundreds of dead rats around him and thousands more alive, staring back at him from a distance. William jumped behind John to deflect the knives flying toward him. "John, stay close to me," William said as he reminded his friend that the rats would not eat him as long as
The infected gathered before the Doctor, and she promised them to be her general if they managed to capture the infiltrators. Thou they didn't know about the escaped Sir George; they are just too happy to kill anyone who isn't them and present their corpse to the Doctor.The generals, guards, and initiates are in an uproar, looking for anyone who might blend with them. The commotion allowed John to slip away from the initiates and proceed back to the room where the Doctor held an audience with her chosen initiates. With the guards out of the way, John entered the Study. Towering catalogs, scrolls, and books about alchemy, anatomy, and pet training fill the Study. The place was majestic and colorful, but the table at the corner of the room with the vials caught John's attention.The vials twinkled in John's eyes, luring him into a false sense of security. John was reaching for the vials when the Doctor leaped from the darkness. She stopped John from grabbing the vials and pierced his
"Incredible, you Frosthold are something else." The Doctor commends George for standing up after her guards beat him until he is bruised. They were expecting him to confess, but his lips remained sealed."Leave us. I will squeeze him till he gives me what I want." The Doctor said to her guards.George wished the guards never leave. He feels safer with them as the dread within the Doctor's plague mask intensifies with every second passing. He can feel the mask holding back a demon inside. The Doctor slowly approached George. George can see the Doctor's eyes begin to flicker into a reddish fire within the beady glass. George's heart skipped a beat as he saw something unnatural and unholy before him."The northern town of Frosthold is resting beneath the cold mountain region of our Kingdom. I wonder why its knight abandoned its post and prefers to meddle in my affairs. Why is that?" The Doctor asked while looking at George with unusual red eyes. But even with her intimidation, George re
William was about to strike, but he stayed his blade when John began to speak. "My apologies. I wanted to enter the Keep, but the line was long. I grew tired of waiting and instead hit the pubs. I got a few drinks and grew curious to know this place better." John said with a fake drunk accent. "Where are you from?" The lady asked while the guards inspected John for weapons. "David Ashton," John replied, hoping that they take in his lies. William kept his hand on his blade, waiting for the moment John might slip up. "Ah, an Ashton, from the north. You came a long way." The lady said as she signaled the guard to leave them. She turned and asked John to follow her. "I heard rumors that the rich have bought the cure, but I am a humble worker with a small wage. I cannot pay for the cure they bought. But I heard another rumor that this Keep might cure me of the disease." John sheepishly asked. The lady smiled and assured John that their village had already made a cure for leprosy
Ingrid's camp is exposed to the eyes of the Pentalium. With her grandma sick, she has to lead the tribe north, away from any rodents and Pentalium that might come after."We will find you in the northern region once we find the cure," John promised Ingrid and their tribe. Saving the Elder, the tribe, the Princess, and the Kingdom is weighing heavily on William and John's shoulders. Failure is the last thing on their minds. John and William began their dangerous trek to Margaret's Keep. Along the way, they spotted bandits on the road. The boys eavesdropped and heard that these bandits were looking for Ingrid's tribe. William wanted to stop them, but John reason not to engage. Time is not on their side. Those who can't afford the cure will succumb to the plague in a few more weeks. William and John have passed some villages and towns along the way. All are infested with rats, and its people are showing the same signs of the disease. Rumors of Margaret's Infirmary offering help to thos
"John set the whole field ablaze. The fire will limit the rats' movements. Make sure to create choke points and let the tribe push the rats back to their masters," William said as he began to lay out his plan. "Ingrid, I need a distraction. Lead your men and charge toward the three commanders atop the hill. Due to the fire, they will be forced to spread the rats across the plain. Keep charging till you reach them!" William instructed Ingrid as he took a handful of her men as they began fighting off the rats. Ingrid and John followed his plan without question. Little did William know that his presence instilled hope within their hearts. Moments ago, they fought a losing battle against the rats and the bandits. Now they can turn the tide in their favor. Ingrid and John led their forces, circled the burning plain, and aimed toward the hill. The generals whistled in a different tone and began to divide the number of the rats into three groups aimed at Ingrid, John, and William. But
Under the direct orders of the Princess and led by the Inquisitor, soldiers have secured every asset the Corvus family has. The soldiers took all of Corvus into custody to interrogate for potential conspiracy against the crown and their people. The King, swayed by his daughter, joined her cause to investigate the other families. Not long, a royal decree was passed and allowed the Inquisitor to act in his stead: giving the Inquisitor the power to absolve anyone that might be a threat to the Kingdom and its citizens. While the Princess was busy cleaning the Corvus family, John and William began to scour the Kingdom on their separate path. John took to the streets and merchants, trying to get any whereabouts of the Doctor. He used his charms and wits to gain their trust and form friendships with them. Manage to snag some of their juiciest gossip and some of their deepest secrets, but none are helpful to find the Doctor. William used the Princess' records and searched for informatio