Chapter IV

“Where are we going?” Karilaya kept looking behind her as the priestess and commander were now pushing her to move faster.

They had pulled her into one of the secret passages within the castle walls, going down a spiral staircase. She was unable to do much as the darkness did not allow her to move on the very narrow pathway. With only a torch for a light, they were barely able to see anything in front of them.

“No time to explain princess,” commander Hendall says when they reached a crossroad. He looked and checked the signs on the walls before proceeding to the left entrance.

“I should be in the throne room,” Karilaya says in protest after they had finally stopped, knowing the possibility that her people were in panic without a leader on the throne.

Giving her a soft pat on the back priestess Unei gave her a gourd. “Here princess, drink this, it will calm your nerves,” she slowly placed the thing on the princess's lips to give her a few sips.

Famished and in disarray, Karilaya accepted the drink. “We should get back, the people need me,” she says after wiping her lips.

She held the hilt of her sword to make sure that it was not stuck or anything. She knew she will need to fight in order to keep their enemies at bay.

“The castle has fallen your highness, we have failed,” commander Hendall states patting the princess on the shoulder.

There was already no reason for them to stay in the main castle as enemies were now pillaging the whole place.

“But...the people, there’s still so many of them who haven’t escape,” Karilaya felt her stomach tighten upon hearing this.

She knew that there were still a lot of families that were still hiding in the keep and if it is true that the whole castle has been breached, it would only be a matter of time before the enemy finds those people.

Commander Hendall let out a deep breath, before placing both his hands on the princess’s shoulders. “Your highness! There is no need for you to go this far, we’ve secured the remaining townsfolk underground, they should be safe there until everything subsides, so all you need to do now is stay here and hide,” he pleads.

Karilaya frowned upon hearing that, she knew there was no longer any place that was safe within the castle so she could believe what the commander was saying. It was only when she saw the priestess open a large iron door that she understood where they were.

“No, I will not do that, It is my…” she was unable to finish her words as all of a sudden her vision grew blurry and the whole place seem to turn. “What?” holding her head while trying to grab on to the man, she tried to make sense of what was happening.

“Forgive us your highness, but it is also our duty to keep you safe,” Priestess Unei was already beside her, embracing her in a soft caress as they slowly guided her towards the crypt.

“No, priestess Unei…” she tried to beg the two as she tightly grabbed onto the woman’s garb.

For some reason she could feel danger and dread from the words of her most trusted advisers, she was sure that they were going to do something reckless and she did not want them to go through with it.

But it was already too late as she was slowly being taken away by a deep sense of sleep. She felt herself being carefully placed in the farthest corner of the crypt.

When the princess was no longer conscious and was properly placed on the most hidden part of the place, commander Hendall left priestess Unei alone, as the woman began stripping her lady off of her armor. Taking her weapon, crown, and anything that would give way to her royal lineage. She then clothes her in peasants' clothing so she would not be recognized.

“Forgive us your highness, please stay safe, and may the divine light shine upon you,” Priestess Unei said in a whisper-like prayer, rubbing the princess’s cheeks before giving her a soft kiss on the forehead before standing up to leave.

They closed the iron doors to the crypt, leaving a few things for the princess in a satchel for her to be able to make her way out.

The commander and priestess look at each other as they embraced, preparing themselves for what was to come. Being the last remaining people that could stop the enemy from advancing they knew what they had to do.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” commander Hendall says with a warm and caring tone, wiping the tears on the woman’s eyes.

Priestess Unei let out a soft smile, feeling the man’s warm touch. “I know, and I’ll stay with you no matter what my love,” she says before being receiving a kiss from him.

They savor the warm and sweet exchange that they were having knowing that it might be their last. They were both tearily eyed knowing that they may not live after this. Holding into each other's hand, they began to move, back to the throne room.

Above ground, the Black Knight was walking in a somewhat relaxed manner along the castle halls, since almost all of his enemies were knocked out from his last attack. There weren’t really many people to keep him out since the remaining soldier there were barely able to move.

Though she was quite amazed at how resilient the guards were, still trying to attack him even with wobbling feet and disorganized movements. Out of pity, he’d just hit them with the dull part of his sword to knock them down.

Grinning as he reached the throne room, his adrenaline started to pulse as he felt strong energy emanating from inside of it.

With one strong push, he opens the two huge wooden doors, quickly being greeted by two figures that were standing in the throne room.

He could not help but grin seeing that one of the people in front of him was the warrior that he was looking for. Behind him was a woman garbed in white clothing, holding a fan while doing some waving motions at the warrior. She was chanting something which made several glowing letters appear out of thin air.

It didn’t take long for the whole thing to finish, as a reddish light engulf the warrior that was in front of him.

Alexander quickly raised his sword in a stance to prepare for the assault as the warrior seemed ready to move. Without a moment's notice, his enemy was instantly in front of him, making him swing his sword in retaliation but there was no sound of weapons colliding, only the scratch on his armor like before.

The warrior was much faster and stronger, making him feel a sense of excitement from the challenge. It was almost like the warrior was moving like the wind, unable to be seen while moving around him. But before he could go all out there was one thing that he needed to make sure of.

“Warrior, are you a man? Or do I have to hold back cause you're a woman,” he says in a mock.

The warrior was quick to stop, appearing in front to face him. Swords raise in a challenge the warriors let out a deep breath.

“You are facing the grand commander of Lusha castle, do not think you will leave here unscathed!” the warrior states in a deep tone.

That managed to put a smile on Alexander’s face, hearing the deep tone of the man. “Name?” he states, wanting to know the man who was brave enough to face him head-on.

“I am grand commander Hendall Huy of the tribunal brigade,” The commander states, crossing his swords in a stance of attack.

“Good, I’ll remember it,” Alexander was now rushing in anticipation of his fight.

It’s been quite some time since he had a worthy opponent and he did not want to waste any more time on idle chit chat.

With one quick swing of his sword, he lets out a gush of air towards his opponent but like before the warrior immediately dodges it.

Feeling the cold-blooded killing intent of his enemy, Alexander notices him from behind, allowing him to face him head-on, turning as he swung his sword.

Like a nimble little cat, the commander manages to dodge it but was unable to avoid the Black Knights' sudden assault as he jumped towards him.

With quick reflexes, the warrior was still able to parry Alexander’s sword, yet the sheer strength of the swing was enough to send him flying to the wall.

Commander Hendall coughed up blood as he hit the stone pavement, he was caught off guard by the attack and did not anticipate it causing severe damage to his body.

“Is that it, I expected more!” Alexander groaned in disbelief. Disappointed at the quick end of the battle.

Not wanting to delay his victory any further he dashes toward the warrior, raising his broadsword above his head in a smashing attack. Before his blade could even touch the man’s head, a glow suddenly covered the warrior before disappearing from his sight leaving a trail of what seemed to be stardust.

Alexander quickly looked around and was quite amused to see the man now beside the woman who was chanting a while ago.

“A priestess,” He chuckled in delight knowing that he was going to enjoy this fight.

Without another word, the woman flaps her fan covering the man in a green glow, it didn’t take long before the commander was able to stand up straight again.

In an instant, their exchange continued as the warrior did not think twice in dashing towards Alexander, like before he was agile evading every swing of his sword while leaving dents in his armor. He seemed to be getting faster with each movement, making him feel more excited from the rush of the battle

Though his eyes were starting to get used to the commander’s speed, his body was still unable to react properly, making it hard for him to land a hit.

The man kept twirling, turning, and somersaulting to avoid his sword, staying on the ground making it hard for him to even catch him off guard like a while ago.

His armor was already full of scratches but was still not that damaged making him complacent about their fight. It was up until the warrior suddenly appeared in front of him, sword in a piercing stance that he noticed the large dent on his chest plate.

A grin formed on his face in anticipation for what was to come as he notices the look of hope in the man’s eyes.

Standing still Alexander accepted his fate, staying firmly in place as the sword pierced through his armor.

A loud crackling sound could be heard as the commander’s sword began to break, it didn’t take long before one of his sabers shattered and began crumbling into pieces.

Alexander felt a bit dismayed seeing the look of despair on his enemy’s face, boredom and irritation quickly dawned on him, losing interest in the battle. With no more warning, he swings his sword unto the man, sending him off flying once more, straight into the throne just beside the priestess.

The woman was in shock when his companion flung by, only able to move when he heard the pained coughing of the commander. Quickly running to his aid, the woman helps the man to stand up, pulling him with her shoulders.

The fight was over, it was obvious who had won seeing as the commander was almost unconscious from the last hit, blood gushing out of his helmet.

Alexander let out a sigh as he pulled out the chunk of the blade that got stuck on his armor, it seems the weapon wasn’t even strong enough to pierce his skin.

He moves in for the kill wanting to give the man a warrior's end but before he could even come close, the priestess swings her fan covering them in a whirlwind of what looked like golden sand, the two instantly disappeared the moment the whole things disbursed.

Amused once more, Alexander gives chase as the scent of the commander’s blood was still warm and close by. It seems the two were trying to run off from him, trying to escape to the back of the castle.

He was only put to a halt when he reaches the pass that connected the ravine on the back of the castle, the two were standing in the middle of the bridge as the priestess was chanting something again while being surrounded by a circular pattern on the floor, the commander was still bloodied and panting but remained in a defensive stance in front of the woman.

Noticing the build-up of energy around the two, Alexander was quick to move, dashing towards the priestess when he understood what they were intending to do.

But before he was even able to reach them he was deflected by what seemed to be a forcefield surrounding the two. Not wanting to accept defeat he quickly flung his broadsword in a frenzy to break the shield, it didn’t take long for it to give in as a few more strikes and the whole thing shattered into glowing pieces. Moving in a stride he faces the commander head-on who blocked his way, they exchanged blows as the man was bent on keeping him in place. Though frustrated he could not help but feel a sense of satisfaction from exchanging swords with the warrior as the man was managing to fend him off, it was like he was different from before not caring of the damages he was sustaining from each attack.

It was only when he noticed the blaze of light that was starting to surround them that he stopped attacking, letting out a wide smile under his helmet.

“I applaud both of you,” he says, now quite satisfied.

The light continued to engulf all of them before a loud bang resounded around them, covering the whole bridge in debris and smoke as an immense explosion broke the whole thing.

It was only then that commander Tycus and lord Aizenberg finally caught up with their prince, only to see their master get caught up in the powerful blast that began destroying the bridge.

The pass began collapsing down the ravine, breaking slowly part by part as it fell.

“Prince Alexander!” commander Tycus shouted panic seeing as there was no way to come to his lord’s rescue.

Lord Aizenberg fell to his knees seeing the damage that was brought about by the explosion, suddenly worried for their lord.

As the two were losing hope, a large shadow began appearing in the smoke, it didn’t take long before two large wings emerged out of the fog of dirt flapping back into the safety of the castle.

“My lord!” commander Tycus was already moving toward his master feeling relieved upon seeing him unscathed.

“Prince!” lord Aizenberg was also upon his feet to greet their leader.

The two quickly noticed their master’s delight as he seemed quite cheerful as he walked towards them, the two looked at each other a bit confused as to why he was like that but ended up shrugging it off to check on the well-being of their lord.