《The Shadow Guard》 The Prologue - the Lord in Black ¡® ¡® ¡® Kept them The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Prologue Part 2 - Impossible Request The Lord knew his way around the palace, which Aric found strange as they followed the outer walls with their columned windows and blooming white flowerbeds on the other side. Many newcomers took in the tall arches of the palace, the view from painted windows of round, tall towers and the stone statues of past Kings in the garden. Instead, Rhal crossed the courtyard with a steady pace, across the brick stone walkways and through the great oak doors on the other side. They climbed the wide staircase into the north wing, then stepped into an even wider hallway before coming to a stop at one of the single doors waiting open for them. The inside wasn¡¯t as grand as the live-in noble rooms, but its extravagance only made Aric¡¯s bones ache more at the thought of returning to the hay bed down in the serving quarters. A large bed took up most of the room, its iron base and head carved with intricate flower patterns. A fireplace sat clean and unused along the far wall, and a smooth wooden table and chair completed the space, which had already been set with a jug of water and a fruit bowl. Aric stood by the door as Lord Rhal took an apple from the bowl and bit down into it, before taking in a painting of the Goddess Vawae hung above the fireplace. Lord Rhal sighed, his posture sagging a little at the image. ¡®Why do they still pretend to worship you?¡¯ Aric shifted nervously, taking in the picture. Vawae was maybe the most human of the gods, and the only one directly descendant from the Ancient Ones that came before. Her features changed through the generations, likened to whatever standard of beauty the Royals found desirable. This one showed her with sun-tanned skin and thick, dark hair, kneeling by a pool and placing lily pads down. White flowers were braided through her hair, and long, pointed ears curved out past her skull. ¡®You must understand.¡¯ Lord Rhal turned to face him. ¡®I have no intention of touching you. Or harming you. There is no need to be afraid.¡¯ Aric didn¡¯t move. He¡¯d heard that one before. ¡®I actually abhor slavery in all its forms,¡¯ Lord Rhal continued. ¡®I have never let it stand in my home, not even as punishment. I do not have the power or influence to march in here and demand you all go free, but while you are in my company, you may consider yourself a free man.¡¯ Aric didn¡¯t move. This had to be a test of some kind. Perhaps this lord meant to test just how compliant he was willing to be. He¡¯d lower his guard enough to let his anger free and he¡¯d disappear with the others, or worse, be moved to the war-front. It wasn¡¯t coercion if he begged for it over the alternative. ¡®Do you know what a Mysica is, boy?¡¯ Lord Rhal asked. Aric swallowed. Of course he knew; he wasn¡¯t born yesterday. There were stories even around the palace of people touched by the mystic forces, though he¡¯d never met one himself. Whether they were blessed or cursed was a debate, but Aric always considered them more myth than anything. The Ancient Ones weren¡¯t around to touch people anymore¡­ whatever that meant. He nodded anyway. ¡®You have met one right here,¡¯ Lord Rhal said. ¡®I have the unique ability to see emotions. I see yours. Everyone. I can see it now.¡¯ Bullshit. ¡®Why tell me?¡¯ he asked. His voice was hoarse. Lord Rhal only shrugged. ¡®I appear as a Lord, and you are a slave. Who will people believe?¡¯ He did have a point, but Aric didn¡¯t believe for a second that this man would openly tell him such a thing without any warning or test of loyalty. He didn¡¯t know what it meant for this man in terms of his status, but they were a dozen a generation; it had to mean something. Yet more proof that this was a test, and a strange one at that. ¡®I see anger in you, little one,¡¯ Rhal continued. ¡®There is anger in all of you¡­ ¡°Resei.¡± Bitterness. A sour hatred that¡¯s hard to look at. Tell me I¡¯m wrong.¡¯ ¡®Do you need powers to tell you that?¡¯ Aric asked. A bold comment to make in front of a lord, but curiosity was pulling at him. As long as he didn¡¯t voice his hatred, there was nothing this man could do. Unless the lord planned on turning him in no matter what. Lord Rhal only chuckled. ¡®I suppose not. But it is why you stood out to me. In you the anger is unconstrained. It¡¯s threatening to spill over in a way you can¡¯t keep down. Even towards me, you struggle to hold back a want¡­ a need, for violence. Does that sound predictable to you?¡¯ Aric shifted. He didn¡¯t want to be here. Maybe it was true, and he was talking to a man who¡¯d come into contact with the Ancient Ones in some way. A lord with secrets was still a lord, and if he got involved in whatever intrigue nonsense was taking place, he¡¯d end up in a worse place than the gallows. ¡®If you say I am a free man here,¡¯ Aric said. ¡®Then I have right to turn away.¡¯ Lord Rhal nodded. ¡®You do. Go back to your scrubbing. I will ask the Earl for one of his¡­ recommended slaves.¡¯ He paused, watching Aric as though daring him to turn and run. Aric didn¡¯t take the bait. If he ran now, this man would probably request another slave, but whether he complained while doing it wouldn¡¯t matter. Aric had been assigned to him, and to ask for another meant that Aric wasn¡¯t good enough. He¡¯d face punishment either way. There was no choice in this. Stolen story; please report. ¡®Apprehension,¡¯ Lord Rhal said. ¡®You do not trust me.¡¯ Aric said nothing. Lord Rhal sighed and pulled one of the little stools out from under the table. ¡®Come, sit. Let us just talk for a while. Have some food, some water. You must be hungry.¡¯ Aric sank into the seat, his stomach churning as Rhal filled one of the goblets with water. He was hungry, the fruit in the bowl was bright and plump and full of juices that would burst into flavour across his tongue. He didn¡¯t want to touch them. ¡®What is your name, boy?¡¯ Lord Rhal asked. He filled another goblet then sat down across from him, lacing his hands together on the table. ¡®Eraric,¡¯ Aric mumbled. ¡®Ah, a very traditional Northenders name. Do you remember it?¡¯ Aric shook his head. ¡®I was born in the palace, sir. So were my parents.¡¯ ¡®Sweet Vawae, has it been that long already?¡¯ Rhal took a sip from his goblet, and Aric traced the carvings in the rim of his own. ¡®Perhaps I should have stayed home tonight. Let the trees fall where they may.¡¯ He sighed. ¡®Such a shame my people became involved in this.¡¯ ¡®Who are your people?¡¯ The question escaped before Aric could stop himself, and he wanted to shrink down into the floor and disappear. Lord Rhal only looked amused. ¡®I am from the North Kingdom. Much like you.¡¯ ¡®You told the Earl you were from the east,¡¯ Aric mumbled. ¡®Oh? So I did. You are sharp witted for a¡­ for a Resei.¡¯ Not from the North then. Unless he was from Quwaiva, which was more of a problem. Those islanders were the reason his family was born in chains. There was something deeply wrong with this man, and Aric couldn¡¯t place what, but his instincts were thrumming at him to run, consequences be damned. ¡®My wife and I travel a lot of course,¡¯ Lord Rhal continued. ¡®My wife will arrive later. She always has stories to tell.¡¯ ¡®And your sister?¡¯ Aric asked. Rhal raised an eyebrow. ¡®Did I say she was my sister before? I must be getting senile, I can¡¯t remember my own story.¡¯ There wasn¡¯t a single line or age spot marking this man¡¯s skin. A cold chill ran down Aric¡¯s spine. There were other stories too, not of Mysica but of creatures¡¯ descendant from the Ancient Ones. Monsters. The Fair Folk. The Wild Ones. But no, that was stupid. He was not sitting across from a Night Creature. ¡®Why come here?¡¯ his voice escaped in a whisper. ¡®Tonight, when the entire Commonwealth will be here. Your story won¡¯t work.¡¯ ¡®My boy, that¡¯s where you come in,¡¯ Lord Rhal said. ¡®I only need to observe for now. The destruction coming down on these people is self-inflicted. It is inevitable. I came to watch more than anything.¡¯ ¡®Wh-what do you need me for?¡¯ Aric¡¯s hands had started shaking. Nothing was worth this. ¡®My aim is to carve a hole in the plan that is already in place,¡¯ Lord Rhal said. ¡®This kingdom has been carved out of war, and a war turned can lead to anarchy. With the right move, a chain of command can remain in the chaos. Tonight will be a celebration of wars won and a nation believing itself to be immortal, until those it beats down fight back. Perhaps in the midst of such revenge, there should be something no one saw coming.¡¯ ¡®You make it sound like everyone is going to die,¡¯ Aric mumbled. ¡®I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s true or not,¡¯ Lord Rhal said. ¡®Like I said, it is not my plan. I¡¯m only here to observe.¡¯ ¡®How can you be uninvolved but also want control?¡¯ Aric asked. His mind spun with excuses, any excuse that would pull him away from this man. Anything slightly workable flittered away before it could become a solid thought. Lord Rhal got to his feet then, making Aric jump, but a hand clapped down hard on his shoulder before he could follow suite. ¡®How would it be if all the slaves in this place went free?¡¯ Aric froze, his need for escape forgotten at the shock of the words. ¡®You don¡¯t have the power to do that.¡¯ ¡®Not officially,¡¯ Lord Rhal said. ¡®What I¡¯m giving you is a key. In the chaos, you can take yours and all run from the chains that keep you here. Run far enough, and anyone would believe your tithe has been paid.¡¯ It sounded too good to be true. It was too good to be true. Nothing good would come from agreeing to this, and the more Aric turned the words over in his mind, the less it made sense. ¡®If you don¡¯t know what the plan is, then how can freeing all of us make a hole in it?¡¯ Lord Rhal chuckled, and the man¡¯s other hand came down on Aric¡¯s other shoulder, squeezing them. ¡®My boy, you are clever for a human. I¡¯m impressed. The freedom of your people is not the hole, it is the payment I am giving you. You, little one, are going to be the hole in the plan.¡¯ Aric squirmed, trying to wriggle free as Lord Rhal¡¯s grip tightened on his shoulders. ¡®No,¡¯ he whispered. He would have nothing to do with this man. He would not be given the keys to freedom only to be in service to someone else. ¡®I won¡¯t do this. Find someone else.¡¯ The fingers digging into his collarbones split apart then, the pale flesh breaking to give way to long, gnarled tree roots that sank deeper into his skin. Aric cried out as they stabbed deep into his shoulders, only for the noise to cut off as ice-cold breath puffed against his ear. ¡®Relax, Eraric,¡¯ Lord Rhal whispered. ¡®There is nothing you need to do. Nothing more to ask of you. All you need do is survive what comes next.¡¯ Aric screamed, in pain or for help he didn¡¯t know, before the shadows of the room lashed out and dragged him into nothingness. Chapter 1.1 - The Magic Went Away felt it. Everyone in the armoury had. He wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if people in Al?ani felt it. To him it was a tear in the sky, a point where the air itself had split, and a hollowness followed. There was a new emptiness to the world, one that still clung to his skin, that he couldn¡¯t shake enough to enjoy the celebration. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Here we go. Wil stared out at the still sinking sun as the prince approached the parapets. It was hot down here in Shihoa, hotter than was ever possible up north. It clung to his skin like a sticky weight. ¡®They¡¯re from different places. They live differently. Maybe you could learn something?¡¯ ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® you care about them.¡¯ ¡® ¡® ¡® I didn¡¯t agree to shit, Wil fought to keep his hands loose at his side. ¡®I meant no offence, highness.¡¯ ¡® Chapter 1.2 - The Eldwylle Prince had access to years ago. Wil didn¡¯t need to be here anymore. He should have been pulled out years ago, over a decade ago. Instead they¡¯d forgotten about him. A spy without a mission. R¨¦imse Fi¨¢in would be forced apart. A severance between human and magic. They knew it was true, and still they left him here. Now it had come to pass, and he was still here, sitting at the Royal table as though he hoped to be in a crown himself. ¡® Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡® ¡® Because I have to do whatever you tell me to do, Wil added silently. ¡® ¡® ¡®R¨¦imse Fi¨¢in still there?¡¯ ¡® ¡®And untrue. ¡® ¡®ten other heirs here. Ten! That¡¯s too many to remember, and I don¡¯t even care. I think about doing this when I¡¯m older and I just want it all to go away.¡¯ If only it were that easy. ¡®It¡¯s your first time at one of these things,¡¯ Wil pointed out. ¡®It¡¯s natural to be overwhelmed.¡¯ ¡® ¡® Chapter 1.3 - The Commonwealth ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® I give up. ¡®I feel like you¡¯re not trying.¡¯ ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® controlling himself after a decade of practice, but the excuse to leave this conversation, even for a moment, was enough for now. With a bow towards Rhoswen, he stood up and made for the stairs back down into the palace. Chapter 1.4 - The Mystery Lord ¡® ¡® ¡® I doubt that. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡®R¨¦imse Fi¨¢in ¡® ¡® ¡® If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Chapter 2.1 - The Mystic Knight ¡® ¡® ¡® If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡® Tonight? ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Chapter 2.2 - Mystics and Monsters ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Chapter 2.3 - The Royal Heirs ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡®one ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Chapter 2.4 - Chaos Breaks assaultedKing ¡® The twins weren¡¯t Bukidai¡¯s children, ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡®Never ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡®loyalhappy ¡® No ¡® ¡® Chapter 3.1 - The Red Guard They came to another set of stairs, this leading down into the courtyard, where the chaos hadn¡¯t quite reached, but confusion marked the faces of the Resei and other staff tending to the gardens. Wil pulled his hand free and rushed over to where a Resei knelt next to a small garden. The boy sat under the shade of the thin trees that lines the courtyard, next to a set of bushes and stringy weeds. A sickle and pruning knives lay abandoned next to him. Wil picked up a pair of billhooks, inspecting the two iron blades and wiping free the shards of bark. ¡®You should get out of here,¡¯ Wil told the Resei, then turned the two blades over in his hands. When he noticed Tseren staring, he shrugged. ¡®I¡¯m not going out there bare-assed.¡¯ Tseren regarded the other tools as the Resei around her shuffled upwards nervously, glancing at the noise descending down from the tower. She missed her sword. She¡¯d be lucky if she was ever allowed to hold one again. No matter how far she ran, the accusation surrounding the missing princes and princesses, sons, daughers, and however the twins were classified, that would follow her until she was trialed. Until she was dead. She couldn¡¯t breathe. Why hadn¡¯t her powers worked? ¡®Hey,¡¯ Wil clicked his fingers in front of her face. ¡®Panic later. We¡¯ve got to move.¡¯ He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the massive doorway, the one they¡¯d arrived through, that would lead them into the opening foyer of the palace then down a long set of stairs to the bridge crossing the moat. As easily as Tseren could picture it in her mind, she saw red puffs of air bleed out of the huge iron doors. She pulled Wil to a halt, then stopped a Resei girl as she made to follow them. ¡®Is there another way out of here?¡¯ she asked the young girl. The Resei¡¯s eyes creased in confusion, then the great doors blew open, and the Red Guard marched through. Heat drained from Tseren¡¯s body. She¡¯d never seen a Red Guard in person, but the magic, the power radiating off them as a bloody, mist-like aura was enough to freeze her limbs in place. She was going to die here. * Wil had never seen a Red Guard before, but the stories told him enough. He never thought he¡¯d see one, much less all twelve of them marching towards him. The bronze armour had been sprayed and coloured with red dirt, shining like blood under the hot Mediterranean sun. Helmets with domed face guards covered their heads, marked with the three eyes of Vawae etched along the forehead and three metal beams streaking back from the sides like sun rays. Tabards of dusted bronze hung out from under their breastplates, and at their hips were asymmetrical xiphos swords, wrapped in fine leather scabbards. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The knight next to him had paled. Her king had called her Tseren, but Wil wasn¡¯t sure if it was her name and he was afraid to ask. If anyone assumed his name was ¡°puppy¡± because of Heddwyn, he¡¯d probably leap into the ocean. Heddwyn vanished from his hands. Right in front of him. Of all the people he could have run for ¨C his mother, his father ¨C Hedd had grabbed him and held tight. Now he was gone. Wil shook himself. ¡®Is there another way out of here?¡¯ he asked the Resei. He then shrugged off his cloak and passed it to the kid. ¡®Cover the uniform and come with us.¡¯ The Resei gawked, then reached out and took the coat with shaking fingers. She then turned and bolted across the courtyard. Wil cursed and rushed after her, with the Knight Tseren close on his heels. A shout followed them into a new part of the palace, and Wil turned to see two of the Red Guard had broken away and were now rushing after them. The Resei shrieked in panic, and quickened her pace. Wil pushed harder, panic seizing his own mind, but the smaller girl was much faster. Tseren overtook him at the same time the Resei reached a servant¡¯s door. She squirrelled into it, but by the time Wil reached it, gravity swung it closed with a heavy thunk. He swore. The two Red Guards behind them were gaining fast, but as he pulled the door open to follow the girl, a gauntlet covered hand pushed it closed behind him. Tseren reacted before Wil could, pouncing from behind and ripping the helmet from the Guard¡¯s head before swinging it into the side of his head, sending him careening sideways. The second Guard pulled his sword free, but she used the helmet to block it, and Wil smashed the butt of the shears into the face of the first as the man rightened. He pulled the door open, only for the second Guard to push it closed again, and Tseren smashed the helmet down once more, this time on the Guard¡¯s outstretched arm. The man growled in pain an annoyance, his other arm knocking the helm from her grip. Wil tossed her one of the blades as the first descended on her, and Tseren plucked it out of the air easily and caught the smaller dagger of the first Guard as it came free of his baldric. The second pulled free his own dagger and lunged at Wil, who parried it easily. The first punched Tseren hard, knocking her head back, which the woman returned with a punch of her own to his neck, sending him gagging. The second lunged at Wil again, who braced until the man was on top of him before ripping the servant¡¯s door open and catching him in the face. Again, then again, and with one final strong punch to the head, the Guard went down. Wil pulled the door open fully, and turned back to Tseren at the same moment the dagger drove deep into her shoulder. Tseren screamed, and the noise turned from pained to blood-curdling anger as she ripped it out and lashed out, driving it deep into the Guard¡¯s neck. Wil froze as the Guard collapsed onto his unconscious companion, gurgling and choking as he reached up and pulled the blade from his neck. Blood sprayed across the floor as it gushed from the new hole, quickly followed by a strange red mist that puffed out with his rapid breathing. The strange red air turned to fine tendrils that bled out like ribbons, then began interlocking over the wound, stitching it back together. The gurgling noise in the Guard¡¯s throat stopped as he sucked in a deep breath. ¡®Fuck me,¡¯ Wil whispered. His legs were screaming at him to move, move, move, but he couldn¡¯t stop staring. He¡¯d never heard any story of the Red Guard¡¯s doing that before. Tseren shook off her own paralysed shock, then darted towards the still recovering Guard and unhooked his scabbard from his belt. As she straightened, Wil finally snapped into clarity. He grabbed Tseren¡¯s arm, ignoring a shriek of pain as the injury pulled, then dragged her through the servant¡¯s door. Chapter 3.2 - The Group Comes Together The corridor on the other side was dark and narrow, the walls made of stacked up large stones pressed so close together that Wil had to turn on his side at some points. He heard Tseren following close behind, her shoulder pads scraping against the walls at points, her breath hot on the back of his neck. Of all the things to happen today, Heddwyn disappearing from his hands, a man healing a deadly wound in seconds, the fact he¡¯d allied himself with a barbarian was the most impossible thing. Not just any barbarian either, but the King¡¯s personal Knight. He was a dead man. The corridor opened into another hall, this one holding no windows, but torches lined the walls, throwing long, flickering shadows across the floor. No-one met them on this side, but Wil noted an intersection in the hall ahead, and didn¡¯t like the idea of taking the wrong path only to end up where they just were. Tseren pushed the door closed behind her, then leaned up against it, panting heavily. Her shoulder was a blackened mess of dried blood, still weeping fresh red down the front of her armour. She made to pat at it, then flinched away. ¡®How bad is it?¡¯ Wil asked, though he could see the answer. The blade had gone through to the hilt. He wouldn¡¯t have been surprised to see another opening on her back, though she had broad and bony shoulders so he could see the bone stopping it too. Either way, it needed care. ¡®It hurts.¡¯ Tseren¡¯s voice was tight. ¡®You saw them coming,¡¯ Wil said. She¡¯d reacted before he¡¯d even heard the marching. Before the little slave girl noticed too. She still held the sword in her hands, and up close Wil could see the same puffs of red mist breathing out of the scabbard. He felt nervous just standing near it; he had no idea how she felt brave enough to hold it. ¡®You are a Mysica, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ Tseren nodded. ¡®Are you really a spy?¡¯ Wil flinched. How long had Faustus known? It was impossible to know, but if he¡¯d been damned from the start, it explained everything. Had it always been a trap? Or did he not know anything, and just needed someone to blame. Like the man who his son ran to in panic. Heddwyn had run to him. Grabbed onto him and held tight. Was that why the hollow feeling had returned? It ate at him, shoving everything else aside to make room for nothingness. It ate at him over an entitled, bratty little turd of a kid who named him after a dog. But he was still a kid. A kid who didn¡¯t need to pay while his parents walked free, and Faustus didn¡¯t even care. The only one not about to gut him was a Bulartuug girl with fucking mystical powers. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. What was he supposed to do now? Get out of here. He had to get out of here. He reached over and pried the other half of the shears out of Tseren¡¯s hands, and balanced them in each hand. They weren¡¯t made for any battle, but a blade was a blade. Tseren pulled at her undershirt, tearing a strip off and tying it awkwardly around her shoulder, before nudging Wil into motion. They¡¯d come out near the kitchens; Wil could smell the shadows of dinner wafting from one of the halls. At the other end two regular palace guards shuffled down the hall, seeming way too ordinary after everything. They had padded armour, missing the splints that had covered them out in the battlefield. The bronze coloured leathers were topped with bucket helmets of actual bronze, and each had a spear in their hand, hanging loosely in their grip. Wil slowed as he and Tseren reached the cross between the two, and the two guards slowed as they noticed each other. The guards hesitated, growing weary. Wil¡¯s grip tightened on the blades. ¡®Can I help you two?¡¯ one of the guard asked. Tseren stepped towards them, but Wil stopped her. ¡®I¡¯m the Retainer to the Eldwylle Prince,¡¯ he said. ¡®We¡¯re just looking for the way out of here.¡¯ ¡®Sir, I didn¡¯t realise¡­¡¯ the guard glanced down at the broken shears in Wil¡¯s hand, and his eyes narrowed in question. ¡®Don¡¯t worry about that,¡¯ Wil said quickly. ¡®I broke them in the garden, I didn¡¯t want the Northen-- the Resei to take the blame for it.¡¯ ¡®Why?¡¯ the guard said. Then, at Wil¡¯s glare, he swallowed. ¡®Sorry, sir, I¡­ you needed help with something?¡¯ He heard the footsteps behind him at the same moment the second guard readied his spear, and Wil parried the tip as it came at his face. The first guard swore, but Tseren caught his attack with the still sheathed sword and grabbed his spear, snapping it over her knee before smacking both ends of the wood into his head. ¡®Duck!¡¯ Wil dropped at the new voice, feeling the rush of air as another spear whirled past his head and sailed down into the guard¡¯s knee. The guard howled as Mala rushed forward, scooping up the broken part with the tip and holding it up in warning. The second guard froze, his own spear ready. He then paled. ¡®What is this?¡¯ the guard demanded. He then stepped back, his gaze falling past Wil. ¡®Help!¡¯ he called. ¡®Someone! The Resei are¡ª¡¯ Aric leapt out of nowhere, throwing himself at the guard and driving both of them into the floor. Aric growled as his hands closed around the man¡¯s throat, tightening his grip until the face beneath turned blue. ¡®Remember me, Raemon?¡¯ Aric hissed. ¡®Do you remember me?¡¯ Footsteps rushed down the hall, and Wil turned as a dozen more palace guards rushed towards them, these ones fixed onto him and his companions, angry and coming fast. ¡®Okay, we¡¯ve gotta go.¡¯ Wil motioned to the two women as they regarded each other, then grabbed Aric¡¯s shoulder, half tapping him and pulling him. Aric whirled on him, glaring, then noticed the guards approaching fast and scrambled to his feet. He then turned back to the guard on the floor and smashed his foot into the guys nose. The guard howled as the bone crunched in on itself, blood exploding across his face. ¡®Follow me,¡¯ Aric said. ¡®I know a way. Follow me.¡¯ We¡¯re going to die. Wil watched as Aric tore down one of the corridors. The guards descended on them, and Wil swore, then charged after the crazed Northender. Tseren and Mala followed close behind. Chapter 3.3 - The Tunnels Aric led them around turns and corners, passing chamber rooms and drawing rooms, other ballrooms and dining rooms, until he reached a staircase that led down to a small kitchen. The far wall was open to reveal a small barn closed off by a wooden half-wall. Straw and dirt covered the stone floor, and herbs hung from fraying strings across the wall, covering the smell of wet fur and shit with the tinge of herbs. A lone chicken pecked at the floor next to the large table. ¡®Over here.¡¯ Aric pulled at a latch in the corner, revealing a hidden door in the floor. Mala stepped down first, disappearing beneath the floor. ¡®Where does this go?¡¯ Wil asked. Tseren stood next to him, watching Aric, unblinking. ¡®Under the palace,¡¯ Aric said. ¡®To the moat. We use it for the bathhouse but it can go the other way.¡¯ Footsteps and shouting echoed at the top of the stairs, and Wil cursed again. He tore towards the stairs, taking them two at a time as the guards approached the stairs. The new staircase fell away before Wil saw the drop, and his stomach dropped as water crashed upwards around him. Grit and muck filled his mouth as he sank into the warm, murky water, only for his feet to hit solid ground and push him back up. He¡¯d landed in a dark, dim tunnel with a domed roof, the water still except for his thrashing attempts to stay afloat, his mouth still full of the taste of thick, grimy water. He coughed and gagged, but the taste remained. Mala crouched on the side path of the channel, illuminated by a single grated window near her boots. Up close she was more lithe than he first thought, small with a broad bone structure ¨C wide shoulders and wide hips ¨C but her shape suggested she dropped and put on weight drastically. Considering the tribes were nomadic, that didn¡¯t surprise him. ¡®I nearly missed it too,¡¯ Mala said. She hauled him out of the water. ¡®The hole in the steps.¡¯ Wil glanced up just as Tseren leapt over the gap in question. He had landed at the end of the tunnel, the wall next to them carved out of the side of the wall, with a large eroded gap in the middle. ¡®You left before it got bad,¡¯ Mala added. Wil raised an eyebrow. ¡®Bad? You mean it got worse?¡¯ If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Mala nodded. ¡®You and the Bulartuug girl, they¡¯re saying both of you are part of it. That you were here to instigate the disappearances. That you¡¯re working for the Wild Folk. King Bukidai all but said his knight was a Mysic, that she¡¯s always been an agent of those creatures.¡¯ ¡®My name is Tseren,¡¯ Tseren said. ¡®And I¡¯m not his knight.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re literally wearing the armour,¡¯ Wil pointed out. Tseren¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®I was hired. I¡¯m not his.¡¯ There was bite to the words that made Wil flinch, but now wasn¡¯t the time. They had to get out of here, but what next? How did he deny he had anything to do with it? If this was because Heddwyn had run to him instead of his parents, Wil would see himself hanging for regicide before the night was out. ¡®What about you?¡¯ Wil asked. ¡®Why are you running?¡¯ Mala rolled her eyes as Aric dropped down onto the pathway next to them. ¡®Because I¡¯m the only one that didn¡¯t go missing. It¡¯s not fair that I¡¯m the only one left.¡¯ ¡®I thought you weren¡¯t related to the tribe like that?¡¯ Wil asked. ¡®I¡¯m not.¡¯ ¡®Neither were the twins,¡¯ Tseren mumbled. Before Wil could ask what that meant, an explosion sounded above them, rippling the water and raining little rocks down. Aric pumped his fists into the air. ¡®Brought some time, but not much time. Gotta go now.¡¯ He spun on his heel and bolted down the length of the channel. Wil pinched the bridge of his nose, then motioned for the others to follow. With one last glance up to make sure the trap door had closed behind him, he broke into a sprint. The moat that surrounded the palace was still, reflecting the large moon above and hissing with the sound of a thousand bugs. The opening to the tunnel was on the palace side, with the main drawbridge down and crawling with people a little way away. Luckily, this part of the river was cleaner than whatever he had splashed through, and still enough that when Aric started splashing and thrashing, Wil could hook the kid over his shoulder and swim them both across easily. The cliffs were steep on both sides, but Aric led them a little way down around the side of the palace, where a natural break turned to a path onto the hill. Open field separated them from the city of Calwaeln further down the hill, only a shadow dotted with the flickering torches still lit. Behind them was only the massive palace with its dark, pointed structure, it¡¯s dozens of towers and twisting aches. The cliff-face beneath was concave, giving no hint of the ocean beyond it except for the hiss of waves and the black line against a black sky. The Split sat to their left, a black stretch of shadow darker than humanly possible. ¡®We keep moving,¡¯ Aric said. ¡®They¡¯re still looking.¡¯ He turned and darted down the hill, scampering towards the blinking lights of the city, then fell, disappearing amongst the blades of grass. Wil swore and rushed after him, the others following as Aric didn¡¯t stand. Chapter 3.4 - The Farmhouse ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Oh, shit. ¡® Okay, small steps. ¡® ¡® This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® They¡¯re coming for all of us, ¡® What does that even mean? Chapter 3.5 - What Comes Next stuckhad ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® You had one job ¡® ¡® This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡®, ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Children will always learn about consequences. R¨¦imse Fi¨¢in. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Chapter 4.1 - The Shadow Man Returns Don¡¯t rely on your eyes, girl The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® had ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡®youme Chapter 4.2 - The Web of Magic ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡®knowfeels ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® What do you know, he admitted it. Your own destruction is coming. ¡® ¡® Chapter 4.3 - The Scribe With No History ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Your own destruction is coming ¡® Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡¯ ¡® ¡® Chapter 5.1 - The Missing Princess ¡® ¡® ¡® You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡® ¡® fuck ¡® ¡® ¡® We are harbouring the revolutionary ¡® ¡® No more Chains on the North. ¡®kid. Chapter 5.2 - The Thorned Fist Resistance ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® Disgusting ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡®they This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡®your ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® One wants the power, the other is born with it ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡® ¡®our ¡® ¡® ¡® Some choice ¡® ¡®