CHAPTER 1: SILVER
"Reload your crossbows!" I shouted, the soldiers obeyed, Bartholomew pawed the ground anxiously, shaking his mane. "Steady." I murmured to him before lifting my crossbow, "fire!" Bolts of light hit the Khabimist shield, rippling, but doing no damage. I scowled. The quicker I remedied the situation in the Highlands, the faster I stopped the ritual, I could be by her side again.
"General Song...the crossbows are ineffective."
"I can see that." My frown deepening, this was the third ritual we had taken care of this week. The previous two barriers had been fairly easy to destroy. Red herrings, perhaps, this was the real prize. I allowed myself a smile, finally. Cutting the head off the snake would buy us some time, unfortunately, the Khabimists just didn't know when to quit.
"I'll go, have the men stand down." I glanced sideways, making sure my order had been acknowledged,
"Yes sir,"
I grabbed my lance from my void space, it glinted maliciously in the dying light of the sun. Bartholomew reared, excited to finally get into the fray, he enjoyed moments like these. He was such a show-off. Wings flared and he leaped at the barrier. Blue light enveloped my spear as I channeled my inner magic power. And in an exercise that was practiced millions of times, I released the energy.
Like a hot knife through butter, the golden blade slid easily through the barrier. Bartholomew kicked to the side, his powerful wings snapping the air around us. His quick reaction saved us from more than a few singed hairs as the barrier fell with explosive energy, whipping stray hairs from my face. I counted at least 12 Khabimists chanting their ritual.
Finally. We had found them.
Bartholomew leaped forward, he needed no instruction, oftentimes he knew my thoughts better than I did, which I was grateful for. I never knew what I was thinking. I heard the shout from the soldiers behind me as they charged forward. The Khabimists didn't retaliate however, they continued their frantic chanting even as I cut them down. One by one, their bodies fell, spraying the ground with crimson.
When three remained, there was a flash, and dark shadows rose up. I hesitated for a moment before the shadows suddenly vanished. Two more had been cut down, the final was laughing. A sword to his neck. I dismounted,
"What did you do?" I demanded, his face couldn't be seen from the depths of his cowl, but he wheezed with laughter.
"You were too late." He chuckled, "too late!" I grabbed him, silencing his screeching laughter as the blade at his neck began to draw blood.
"I won't ask again." I said evenly, "what evil thing have you spawned his time?" My eyes searched for anything resembling a face under the hood, but I could see nothing.
"Long...live...Khabim." He whispered, and his body dissolved before our eyes. I let out a hiss of frustration before masking my emotions, I turned to the officer under my charge.
"Captain. Find out where those shadows went, and what they mean. We can't let the Khabimist menace threaten these lands."
"Yes sir, and what will you do?" He asked as he sheathed his sword, my own was stained in blood, I would need to clean it when I got the chance.
"I'll report to the King of the events that transpired here." I answered, "...though I have no doubt I'll find myself back here sooner or later." I muttered under my breath. I mounted Bartholomew once more, he turned from the dark bloodied room and trotted down the hill until he could unfurl his great blue wings.
I let out a sigh, "you did well today, I'll be sure to reward you."
'Damn straight,' his voice radiated pride in my mind. I rolled my eyes before patting his neck as I watched the setting sun. Truly, the Highlands were beautiful, despite the many wild beasts and cultist members generally causing havoc, there was a sense of freedom that I couldn't help but soak in.
"Let's go home." I smiled, flying to Kellwoods, one of the only habitable villages because of its fortifications of natural barriers, mountains completely encompassed the small yet thriving town. The nearest transit shrine was nestled here among the trees. It was the fastest way to return home. To Hakain's Crossing, the capital city of Hakanas.
It was there that my charge lived, Princess Lania. She was the reason I had fought so viciously, all of it was to be by her side again. Bartholomew landed nimbly in the grass outside the town, it would cause too much havoc to land within the mountain barricade, the townspeople would surround us, and I'd be stuck for another hour dealing with pleasantries. While I wouldn't brush off the affection of the townspeople, Goddess knew I needed things like this to bolster my reputation. But my top priority was to be with Lania again.
'Blood, on your armor.'
I looked down, blood had splashed up the burnished armor. I rolled my eyes. "Thank you, Bartholomew." It wouldn't do to scare the village children, though I wondered if I had lost my edge, I vaguely recall going into more strenuous battles and coming out of it as clean as I had gone in.
Four years of guard duty would do that to you, not that I was complaining, it was far more luxurious than my days on the frontlines of the Exarahn Battles. I wiped the armor clean with a piece of fabric found in my void space. It hadn't occurred to me just how easily I could think the name Exarahn without being sent into an episodic fit of rage.
Lania was right when she had said things would get better. I was glad I had accepted her offer of Royal Protector.
'Thinking about the Princess again?' I scowled at him. Brown eyes glinted mischievously.
"I am allowed to think about returning home, and I am allowed to be happy about it, thank you very much," I said exasperatedly, getting some stares from the soldiers who were guarding the entrance of Kellwoods. I returned the bloodied cloth to my void space before dismounting. Bartholomew followed behind, shooting off sarcastic remarks, which I elected to ignore.
The soldiers saluted as I walked past and children gasped excitedly when they saw Bartholomew, of course, this made him stand up straighter and put more prance in his step.
"Fucking show pony." I mumbled under my breath,
'Gay shithead.'
I bit back my retort as the village chief welcomed me, I forced a pleasant smile on my face, I listened to his pleas as we walked the short distance to the transit shrine, it glowed with holy light. "So if you wouldn't mind asking the King for more guards to patrol the Highlands, it would be much appreciated, I know he has a lot—"
The village chief was cut off when the transit shrine began to glow. Light flashed, and I blinked, had we been expecting more reinforcements for Kellwoods? No...I didn't recall anything in the report given to me. Surprisingly, it was an Onyx Order agent. Even more surprising, it was an agent I was on good terms with. I didn't very well get along with the group of bird followers, but they did their job well, I couldn't fault them for that.
"Fera?" I raised an eyebrow, his black hair, unkempt from his travel through the shrine, his dark eyebrows were furrowed, and there was a worried look in his bright blue eyes. He wasn't normally one to let his emotions spill out over his facial features, something must be very wrong.
"The Shadow Rider?" The village chief gasped, but before more fanfare could be made, they were, after all, in the presence of the legendary Black Bailey's tamer and greatest assassin the kingdom had ever had.
"Come with me." Could be heard behind his mask made of dragon scales, he grabbed my arm and I curiously followed him right back through the portal.
"General Song! Tell the King—" The village chief's plea was cut off, and we were outside the capital, horses were munching on grass as they wandered freely.
"Fera, what is this about?" I asked, something was off. Fera acting strange was normal, that was true, he wasn't so great at social interaction. But this was...anxious strange, and I felt my teeth go on edge. What if something happened to Lania?
'Do you think the Princess is okay?' Bartholomew thought worriedly, he didn't even have any gay insults this time.
"Don't freak out." He said quietly, and I motioned for him to continue with my hands. He hesitated, "The Princess was kidnapped."
Time froze. The air was caught in my lungs, blood turned to ice. "W-what?" I breathed out, "Fera, that joke goes too far..." But I could tell by the look in his eyes that it was true. And then I was pacing back and forth. My brain was going a million miles an hour. How, when, why? How could someone get into the castle—was the King okay?
"One of the soldiers from her guard—"
"Wait. She wasn't in the castle?" I asked, my heart dropped, how many times had I told her to never leave the castle gates without me by her side?
His eyebrows furrowed, "an Elloran relic awakened, she went to see Chimer to—"
"FUCK!" I shouted, horses quickly glanced over in our direction I grabbed my head, trying not to freak out, but I was failing splendidly, breaths coming quick. "Where is she? Where is she Fera?" I gasped out.
"Rondo took her, word is he allied himself with Salant..."
"Salant's prison, that's where she is?"
"We don't know—"
"WHY?!" I shouted and he blinked, my anger quickly subsided as I buried my face into the cold metal of my hands. I had failed. Again. But this time, Princess Lania was in danger. The woman that had put her faith in me, trusted me to protect her—I— "sorry." I whispered, I knew it wasn't his fault, if he had been there, the Princess wouldn't have been taken. If I had been there...the Princess wouldn't have been taken. I silenced the sobs that threatened to control my voice.
"Thank you for telling me yourself...and telling me where nobody was around," I whispered behind my hands before raising my head, his electric blue eyes were full of worry. I straightened myself and fixed my facial expression. "I'm going to Salant's prison."
"I'm coming as well," Fera said, a raven-colored bird flew from the treetops. I sighed as the bird changed shape as Crow stood, of course. The Leader of the Onyx Order was always listening, I suppose that's what made him a fitting spy. Although it was pretty convenient for him to appear after I had a mental breakdown.
"Make ready to leave, I have made arrangements for our escape from the prison." Normally I would have reacted lividly, thinking that he was a stupid piece of bird shit, coming and taking control of the situation. But right now, gratitude filled me. Of course, I would swallow my pride for Lania. I would do anything to bring her back. Here.
To our home.
Author's Note: So, this is my first story I've ever really shared with…people, my friends all really liked this one and said I needed to spread the gay around, so I guess, that's what this is going to be. The story is definitely a work in progress so please bear with me as I guide you on this journey through the lives of my gays. Thank you for reading!
