Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned here.

This story was made only with entertaining purposes and is not intended to be taken seriously in any social, political or religious context under any circumstances.

"For Honor" and its characters belong to "Ubisoft".

"The Dragon Prince" and its characters belong to "Netflix".


Book Zero: War

Test Of Valor

Part II: Heirs Of The Dawn


A bright crimson tainted the nocturnal heavens blanketing the valley, skyscraping flames swirling tall over the hillside, swallowing the small village hidden amongst the wintry forest. From the outskirts of the town emerged Callum, Ezran and Ellis running at full pelt, leaving behind a triad of lengthened trails engraved in the snow settled above the earth, heading towards the surrounding woods.

"I… I think we… lost them!" the elder prince spoke between frantic pants, his rampant sprint suddenly stopping, the children joining him soon after. "Is everyone alright?"

"We… we have to… come back!" Ezran wheezed, gasping for air. "We left Rayla alone."

"Don't worry about Rayla, Ez," Callum answered softly, approaching to his brother. "Honestly, she has more chances of getting out of this alive than we do."

The younger prince gave a short nod in reply, breathing heavily because of the demanding physical endeavor they just went through.

"Everything will be fine, I promise," Callum said. "We will wait for her here. In the meantime, what we need to do is-"

"Agh! Help!"

A metallic noise blared through the quiet atmosphere, followed by a sharp scream of pain. Callum's attention went to the source, finding Ellis below a nearby tree, completely immobilized by a rusted bear trap clutching at her tiny leg.

"Ellis!" he exclaimed, rushing towards the little girl.

"It hurts! It hurts!" Ellis wailed, tears streaming down her cheeks while she forcibly tried cracking open the iron jaws digging into her flesh, to no avail since the device remained immovable.

And suddenly, before Callum could reach the weeping girl, from the treetop fell a dark, cloaked figure, landing on the snow between him and Ellis. A tall knightess wielding two swords in each hand, wearing leather armor with several straps around her waist, a thick steel shoulder-pad surrounded her right arm, alongside a golden helmet below a brown hood hiding her face, all of which decorated by the same color pattern than the other knights they had met earlier.

"Boo..." the mysterious woman whispered tauntingly.

"Help! Please!" Ellis shouted once more, frantically squirming to free herself from the bear trap. The newcomer spun on her heel, quickly realizing about the youngster's intentions, and strongly hit her in the forehead with the pommel of her sword, making the little girl drop unconscious into the ground.

"No…" Callum mumbled frightened at the scene, retreating on his way as the knightess slowly approached him.

"Callum!"

Another cry traveled across the winter breeze. The elder prince immediately turned to Ezran hurrying towards his side when a second knight emerged from the nearby bushes. He sported a blackened full-body iron armor above mail, a close helm with numerous holes punched on its surface concealing his identity, two shoulder plates that resembled the shape of a lion's head and three leather belts hanging loosely around his waist.

"Nōn recedens es..." the dark knight spoke, walking closer to the boys.

"Ezran, get behind me!" Callum exclaimed, his sight shifting between the two strangers surrounding them while his brother placed himself after him. "Listen, I'll give you what you want, just let my brother go. I'm the one you're looking for…"

"That is quite charming," the hulking mass of a man gave a muffled reply through his helmet. "But today… we take no prisoners."

The elder prince gasped inaudibly upon hearing the answer, taking another step back. His blood froze when the realization struck him, but nothing he could do would save them now.

They were on their own, outmatched. This was it…

Callum swiftly crouched to level with Ezran, releasing one arm from the shivering dragon cradled against his chest, tightly hugging both as the dark knight advanced forth.

The man stood before the fearful boys, swinging a long poleaxe above his head, gaining impulse to perform a powerful downward strike.

The younger prince leaned over his brother's shoulder, his eyes clamped shut, tears began forming around them after he understood what fate had in store for them.

Embracing each other, Callum and Ezran prayed, mentally preparing themselves for the upcoming wave of pain…

That never arrived...

Snow bounced on all directions when two barded horses emerged from the surrounding hills, landing between the princes and the knights.

A blonde, caucasian boy wearing full-body metal armor ornate with obscure leather, as well as golden embroidering arrived to the scene riding one of the stallions, while the second mount was rode by a youthful, fair-skinned girl dressed in an obsidian robe, sporting long, black hair dyed purple on the tips that reached her lower back.

"Soren?! Claudia!?" Callum exclaimed dumbfounded at the newcomers standing in front of him.

"Callum, Ezran, what did you guys do!?" the girl questioned, gazing over her shoulder to the elder prince.

"I-I don't know!" he replied. "Being born, I suppose! We have no idea who these people are!"

"Get on the horses," Soren spoke solemnly. "You two have a lot to explain."

"I wouldn't be counting on that!" the dark knight interjected, pulling out a small, acorn-shaped clay device, throwing it amidst the stallions.

Soon after touching firm soil, the strange gadget detonated with a loud thunder echoing across the forest, rapidly spreading a thick cloud of gray smoke which stunned and disoriented the teenagers.

The horses abruptly reared in terror, being heavily affected by the congesting fume enveloping them, uttering fierce neighs while repeatedly kicking their front legs.

"Whoah! Easy! Easy!" Soren and Claudia tried to keep control over the distressed mounts, strongly tugging at their reins, but it was futile, for the resistance from the equines endured. And thus they were eventually dislodged off the backs of the stallions, both helplessly falling supine on the snow.

Once freed, the horses ran away, fading in the distance, never to be seen again.

"Well… that happened…" Soren mumbled, placing a palm on his forehead while he laid still in the ground, staring loosely at the nightsky.

"Worst. Rescue. Ever..." Claudia said, weakened and bemused, turning to her brother beside her. "Totally your fault, by the way."

But then, a black gauntlet descended upon Soren, tightly wrapping around his neck, suffocating him. And he was raised from the land, being suspended in the air by the dark knight using just one arm.

"Ad mortem, inimicus…" the man growled, his visorless helm leveling with the boy's scowling face.

Instinctively, Soren reached down for his straight sword attached to his belt. However, as soon as his palm enveloped its grip, the dark knight took his wrist and held it firmly, preventing him from drawing the blade out from its sheath.

Then, his free hand went to clamp his captor's forearm, pressing with all his strength, hoping it would undo the asphyxiating grasp. Yet, the man seemed unaffected by his efforts, the stranglehold surrounding his throat remained immovable, getting tighter with each second.

A short time passed when the boy's energies started abandoning him, his defiant expression softening while his arms slowly fell to his sides. It was only until Soren's eyes shut and his erratic movements ended, that the dark knight released him, dropping his unconscious body into the snow again with the loud sound of clashing metal plates.

"Soren!" Claudia yelled panicked, hastily rising off the ground, hurrying towards her fainted brother.

"No! Claudia!" Callum exclaimed from behind, extending one hand forth as if to stop her since he's had enough of passively witnessing their downfall. But it was late already, for the girl had gone way beyond his reach far too quickly.

And before Claudia could arrive to Soren's side, the cloaked woman stood on her path, brandishing her swords against her, soon being followed by the armored man, who was now wielding the lengthened poleaxe.

Then both began approaching at a snail's pace.

"W-wait!" she squealed, stopping dead in her tracks.

Surprisingly enough, the knights complied, ceasing their advance, lowering their weapons out of perplexity.

"Before jumping to the part where we start killing each other, how about a magic trick!?" Claudia babbled nervously, placing one hand behind her back, bringing to sight a small glass flask containing a black spider.

"Now you see it..." she said gleefully, pulling off the cork stopper of the jar, tossing it away while the tiny arachnid roamed freely around her fingers. The armored man and the cloaked woman glanced at each other silently, utterly confused.

"Now you don't!" Claudia abruptly squashed the spider in her palm, a glowing amber viscosity leaked from between her digits, pouring down into the snow.

"Semalf Gnippiks Gnipael!" she spoke on a growling, inhuman voice, her green eyes suddenly began to shine with a purplish, unnatural glow.

Then, the golden liquid soaking her hand started shapeshifting, becoming brighter, ethereal, emanating a purplish fog slowly rising towards the heavens.

Claudia opened her palm, a burning blaze revolved fiercely through her fingers. She waved her arm, and the fire leaped into the wind as if it had a life of its own. The entire forest was illuminated during the surreal display while the flames swirled amidst themselves, growing increasingly larger until they formed what could only be described like a small sun hanging low above the land.

Both knights and the princes stared with awe at the fireball hovering before them.

In that moment, the mage flicked her wrist and consequently, the flames mimicked her gesture by rapidly circling her, almost resembling a shooting star with a long, blazing tail orbiting around her in a ringed fashion.

Under the wire, the armored man and the cloaked woman rolled out from the way of the fireball, barely recovering their footing. Soon after, Claudia lifted her hand, then quickly brought it down. Thus, the living sun ascended, and swiftly plunged back into the snow, aiming for the place where the knights stood, which they dodged again in the nick of time.

She waved her arm once more, the fireball bounced over the snow anew at her gesticulation's rhythm, chasing for the strangers.

Claudia repeated the same motion continuously, her igneous spell targeting her enemies while they narrowly avoided the strikes, with each attack slowly getting closer to reaching their objective.

Eventually, the dark knight was vested by the superior speed of the fireball, as he couldn't roll away fast enough.

Lying prone on the ground, the man turned slightly over his shoulder, staring at the living sun hovering above his head.

Claudia held her palm high in the air, taking a deep breath, and she dropped it. The fireball plummeted down against the dark knight.

And then it stopped…

The igneous spell suddenly disappeared in the split second prior to reaching the fallen knight.

"Tu Moritūro!" the cloaked woman exclaimed after she fiercely dug her short sword inside Claudia's hip while she was distracted, twisting it, eliciting a sonorous cry of pain from her that echoed across the whole forest.

Ivory mixed with crimson as blood droplets cascaded into the snow when the knightess, laughing tauntingly, pulled her blade out from the mage's cloth and flesh.

"Claudia!" Callum screamed, hurrying towards the injured girl stumbling backwards. "Are you alright!?" he questioned loudly upon arriving to her side, catching her with his free arm before she lost her balance completely.

"Y-yeah… this is… just a scratch…" Claudia mumbled feebly, pressing her palm against her fresh wound. Her eyes fluttered open and shut as she let herself being dragged away by the elder prince.

"Um, Callum..." Ezran called timidly, lightly tugging at his brother's jacket.

Callum glanced towards his younger sibling, finding his gaze fixed on the distance while he stood motionless. Then he looked on the same direction, encountering the frightening sight of the two strangers, now recovered, approaching to them with their usual, spine-chilling slow pace.

"No more games, children," the dark knight spoke. "Time to meet your maker."

"W-what do we do now?" Ezran asked with a trembling voice, hiding behind the elder prince while they took a few steps back.

"I-I have a plan…" Callum replied, swinging Claudia's arm around his neck so she could stand more comfortably. "It won't be easy, and I'm not sure if it will even work, but… I don't know what else we can do. Ez, I want you to do the 'flash', just like in the cursed Caldera. I'll rescue Soren while you two escape."

The younger prince nodded silently in response.

"Claudia, cover your eyes on my mark," Callum resumed. "Then go with Ez to the cave at the foot of the mountain, he'll lead you there. And take Zym with you, please don't let anything happen to him."

"I… I will… Don't worry." Claudia answered on a low, feeble whisper, gazing down to the small, shivering dragon cradled by Callum.

"If I'm not back by noon… Get back to the castle," he concluded solemnly. "I'll catch you there… Ready Ez? Flash!"

Following the instruction, Ezran lifted Bait above his head.

Both princes and the mage clamped their eyes shut while the glow toad's skin suddenly became increasingly brighter till its radiance could rival the sun. Thick pillars of light traversed the entire forest within a heartbeat, being fully taken by the unprepared knights.

The armored man and the cloaked woman cried painfully after the incandescent beams blinded them thoroughly, making them drop their weapons to the snow while they placed their gauntlets upon their helmeted faces.

It wasn't long until the brilliance irradiating from the glow toad began dissipating. The younger prince lowered Bait to his chest once its luminescence completely vanished.

No longer sensing the lwarmth of the light, Callum cautiously opened his eyes, glancing at his surroundings, finding Claudia and Ezran, as well as the defeated knights staggering before them.

"It worked!" he exclaimed surprised. "Now go! That won't stop them for too long!" he hastily added, handing the newborn dragon to the mage, who took it in her arms, but she hissed with utter discomfort at the endeavor by cause of the gaping wound in her left side.

"Soren and I will meet you on the mountain." Callum spoke serious-minded, then spun on his heel.

However, before he could take his leave, the elder prince felt a light grasp around his wrist, pulling him back. He couldn't even react when Claudia suddenly grabbed his chin and forced him to face her, his eyes widening as she profoundly pressed her lips against his own for several seconds.

"Don't you dare die tonight." she said, ending the kiss.

"Ad-At-At- Atta-um-I-I…" Callum stammered incoherently, trembling on his boots. A fierce, scarlet blush spreading across his cheeks.

"Be safe. Let's go, Ez."

"Alright, if I die tonight, I totally have no regrets!" the elder prince thought as he lingered motionless in his stance, mouth agape while he watched Claudia and Ezran run away into the forest, fading amongst the wintery woods.

"No! Focus, Callum!" his common sense interjected. "I still have to save Soren and-"

The idea was abruptly interrupted by a strong hit in the back on his head immediately rendering him unconscious, falling prone to the snow with the shadow of the Warden looming above him.

The armored man and the cloaked woman arrived to the scene soon after, gathering around the fainted prince.

"Nōn superstes..." the dark knight mumbled, swinging his poleaxe upwards.

"Holden, wait," the newcomer intervened, extending one hand forth. "If we truly are to attack the castle of Katolis, shouldn't we take him alive instead? For what I understand, he has lived in that castle his whole life. He might know something we can take advantage of during the assault. We can even use him as bait to capture prince Ezran."

The armored man stared deeply at the Warden as he slowly lowered his weapon.

"They can't be far..." Holden spoke. "Find the other prince. Mercy and I will take these ones back to the village. I'll meet you there, with the boy's head hanging from your belt."

The dark knight crouched, reaching the fainted prince on the snow. He took the collar of his jacket, and effortlessly swung his unconscious body over his shoulder. Then walked to the blonde boy a few steps ahead. Holden grabbed Soren's black cape with his free hand, dragging him over the ground while Mercy carried Ellis in a bridal fashion as both headed towards the burning village at the center of the valley.

The Warden lingered immobile for a moment, watching silently as the other knights vanished in the distance before going into the forest alone.


The wintry zephyr grew stronger, roaring loudly above the clouds under a gibbous moon crowning the starry nightsky.

Snowflakes swarmed furiously through the raging breeze flowing across the valley as Claudia and Ezran climbed upwind over the hillside, taking shelter inside a small crevice at the foot of the mountain.

"This is it. They won't find us here." the young prince spoke unpon entering to the cave.

The mage stepped inside the obscure cavern, trembling, hurriedly sitting upon a large boulder lying around. She placed the newborn dragon on the soil, then closed her eyes and raised her chin, clutching her wound while she breathed heavily.

"Are you going to be ok?" Ezran asked, standing before Claudia with a concerned expression in his face.

"Who? Me? I'm fine, Ez." she replied, smiling feebly, despite her ailing condition, made evident by her skin becoming paler than usual, as well as the dark circles contouring her eyes.

The prince's gaze dropped, fixing in the mage's lap. Claudia looked down to herself. She flicked her wrist, baring her injury, finding her whole palm tainted crimson. A large, scarlet stain soaking the cloth around her wound.

"Oh, this!? This is just, um… Berry juice!" Claudia hastily added, brushing her tarnished hand against her robe. "That's it! It's just-Ow!" she winced sharply before her sentence could end.

Ezran remained silent, tilting his head to the side like a confused puppy, pouting slightly.

"Ugh, who am I kidding?" she huffed, dropping her shoulders in defeat. "I guess you're not a child anymore… Listen, it hurts. A lot. The sword actually went very deep. I-I know a good spell to fix this, but I don't have what I need for it right now, and frankly, if I go search the ingredients, I might end up fainting in the middle of the forest."

"Um… what if I go get the ingredients for you?" Ezran questioned, placing Bait on the ground.

"You are too kind, Ez," Claudia answered, pressing her palm against her injury again. "But I'm not feeling very well, and I cannot let you go into the woods alone."

"I can manage!" the young prince interjected. "Just tell me what I have to look for and I'll be back before you even notice."

"I appreciate it, but the answer is still 'no'." the mage replied, frowning, her voice rising lightly.

"I won't leave for long! And I'll be careful, I promise!"

"No! We will wait here until Callum and Soren return. It's not safe out there."

"Please, Claudia! I-"

"I said no!"

Claudia's shout reverberated strongly throughout the cave, but utter silence and stillness quickly seized the scene as soon as the echoes faded. Neither she or the young prince moved a muscle during what seemed to last an eternity.

However, her scowl swiftly softened after she was struck with realization. She blinked several times, setting her mind in the current situation, facing a shivering Ezran at the verge of crying, his jaw hanging open while the newborn dragon and the glow toad hid behind him, cowering in fear.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Ez..." the mage whispered. "I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just… Callum will never forgive me if something happens to you. And I wouldn't be able to live with that burden in my conscience either."

"I… I just… I…" Ezran stuttered, wiping a tear from his watery eye with the back of his hand. "I don't want you to die…"

"Aww, don't say that. Come here." Claudia reassured warmly, patting the boulder beside her. And without thinking it twice, Ezran hurried towards her, wrapping his arms around her torso, bursting into tears.

"It's not that big of a deal. You're going to make me cry too." she cooed, returning the hug slightly while she ran her clean palm over the prince's brown, spongy hair.

Ezran said nothing, he just kept crying as he buried his nose on her robe.

"Listen carefully," Claudia spoke softly. "I need the petals from a blue rose of the mountain, you can find them in the bushes, watch out for the thorns, though. I also need a blisterwort mushroom, those grow near the rivers, and… the wings of a monarch butterfly, that's all."

Ezran nodded feverishly, maintaining silence.

"Ez, If for any reason you can't find the ingredients, or you feel that you are in danger, come back as soon as you can. Understood?"

"I will… I promise…"

"Just be… careful..." Claudia mumbled weakly, her eyes fluttering open and shut. "Bait and the cute… li'l dragon will… look after me while… you're… gone..." she trailed off before consciousness abandoned her, her arms dropping to her sides as her fainted body unwittingly leaned against the wall of the cave.

"Claudia? Claudia!?" Ezran pulled out a bit from the embrace, looking above at the girl's dormant face.

"Oh no… No, no, no, no!" he cried with terror after he gazed down to his palms covered in the mage's blood, also spotting the small, crimson puddle forming over the stone she was sitting on.

"Hold on, please!" the prince exclaimed, hugging the fainted girl again. "I will find the ingredients, I swear!" then he parted from her side, spinning on his heel.

"Bait, Zym, please take care of Claudia while I'm gone." Ezran said feebly, his eyes growing crystalline once more. "I will be back soon…"

The newborn dragon and the glow toad exchanged puzzled stares while the young prince stormed out from the cavern at full pelt, rapidly descending over the hill covered in thin ice, heading to the woods at the foot of the mountain.


Wood creaked sonorously, splinters bouncing across the surroundings as Rayla's body broke through the front gate of Ellis' home, landing prone on the snow-covered ground, dropping her twin-blades in the process.

The wounded elf made the effort of pushing herself up, but her weakened members lacked the strength to support her own weight.

Raising her face from the soil, Rayla started crawling away sluggishly, seeking to retrieve her swords lying around nearby. She grabbed one of her weapons as soon as she reached it, and swiftly hid it behind her back.

Then she spun, continuing dragging her knees over the snow. She extended her arm towards the second blade once it entered her visual field.

However, before she could grab the other sword, her hand was fiercely stomped by an iron boot.

The elf yelped in pain as she desperately tried to pull out her palm from beneath the crushing heel.

Wincing, she glanced upwards, her blurred sight encountering the smudgy silhouette of the dark knightess standing above her.

"How incredibly disappointing..." she spoke with a taunting tone, looking down spiteful.

Suddenly, the air filling Rayla's lungs escaped her lips when Apollyon fiercely kicked her in the gut, making her roll like a ragdoll over the soil a few feet away from her previous position.

"Why don't you… look me in the eye… and say that?" she mumbled, coughing blood while she attempted rising anew, to no avail since her trembling limbs made her fall again.

The dark knightess remained silent as she slowly walked towards Rayla.

"Your bravery is admirable, but quite annoying." she said, crouching beside the defeated elf, grabbing one of her horns and forcing her to stare at her.

Rayla seized the opportunity to spit saliva mixed with blood on Apollyon's face.

"You fiendish little lass…" the dark knightess laughed under her breath, releasing the elf. Then she rose, standing motionless for a moment before abruptly kicking the Rayla's jaw, making her fall supine in the snow.

With slow and sporadic movements, Rayla kneeled on the ground, a metallic taste filled her mouth. She wiped a small, crimson trail pouring down from her lips using the back of her hand.

She glanced at her surroundings, the village glowed fiercely with an amber glow as the crumbling buildings were swallowed by the flames. Ashes and embers floated aimlessly through the breeze while tall obelisks of black smoke ascended into the cloudless nightsky.

But, above all else, her concerns were drawn to the numerous knights emerging from the streets at a snail's pace, gathering around her like starving hyenas. One of them, taller than the rest, clad in full-body plate armor, began approaching, standing before her alongside Apollyon.

Rayla sighed heavily, her shoulders dropping in defeat.

She was outnumbered, outmatched, and she had given everything. There was nowhere to run, no one to save her.

"Huh… all of this… is it for me?… I'm flattered…" she mumbled, clenching her fists settled upon her lap as she stared upwards at her soon-to-be executioners.

The dark knightess took a step forward.

This was the end. Rayla knew it, yet she smiled, for she still had an ace up her sleeve.

Then, in the split second where Apollyon swung her longsword above her head, the elf swiftly lunged forth, drawing out the blade she had retrieved earlier from behind her back, digging its sharp point deep into the knightess' shoulder.

But before she could do anything else, the other knight intervened by mightily pushing Rayla away, causing her to lose her balance and fall in the snow once more.

"You've made a huge mistake…" the newcomer growled.

"Tell me about it…" the elf replied nonchalantly. "I aimed for the heart."

Without warning, the knight wrapped his hands tightly around Rayla's neck, and effortlessly lifted her in the air with an asphyxiating grip. Driven by the lack of oxygen, the elf brought her fist upwards, and slammed it repeatedly against her captor's arm, trying to undo the stranglehold, but it was futile.

"Hold!"

Rayla could breathe again, the knight's grasp suddenly loosened.

Both figures looked back, staring motionless at Apollyon approaching to them.

"Put her down." she spoke solemnly, pulling the elf's blade out from her shoulder like it was nothing, and dropped it on the ground.

The knight huffed under his helm, remaining still for a moment before releasing Rayla, who began suffering a coughing fit after her feet reached firm soil again. She cleared her throat while she rubbed her neck, then she gazed above with a puzzled gaze to the dark knightess standing in front of her.

"Who would've imagined?" Apollyon said. "A wolf in sheep's clothing."

The elf didn't reply, she simply looked expectantly, arching an eyebrow and tilting her head as the knightess slowly moved her hand upwards, gently placing it over her shoulder.

"Welcome to the Blackstone Legion."

Rayla's eyes widened, the air within her lungs being abruptly sucked out upon hearing those words.

"Master," the other knight swiftly interjected, arriving to the scene. "With all due respect, I don't think it is a good idea to have an elf among our ranks, especially not one allied with our enemies."

"Our job here is done, Holden," Apollyon answered calmly. "No more prey roams this town, but the wolves of the continent have yet to rise. Leave a force here to establish an outpost. You are to return to our fortress, gather your men and prepare the ram. When everything is ready, we'll depart to the castle of Katolis. Time to go home..."

With that, the dark knightess spun on her heel and began to walk away, the knights populating the burning village followed her closely shortly later.

Meanwhile, Holden remained as the others left, his sight fixed on the snow under his feet, completely silent. Then he glanced behind to the elf looking back at him with a hurt expression on her eyes.

"What are you waiting for? We have a job to do." he spoke authoritatively, gesturing with his head for her to come before leaving her alone.

Rayla let out a deep breath, her gaze dropped to the ground as she wrapped her arms around her waist. A thousand questions flooded through her mind, her heart beating strongly beneath her chest while she stood frozen, uncapable of forming a coherent sentence.

Deep down, she knew that she had no choice but to comply, at least for now, just until she could find a way out this sudden turn of events.

After all, it wasn't the first time that her ideals didn't align with the ones of those around her.

She only wished that her actions from this point onward wouldn't bring ruin to others like her, victims of fate, pawns in a bigger game.

But most of all, she prayed for the safety of her friends, wherever they were.

Hesitatingly, Rayla started dragging her feet sluggishly forth, joining her now brothers in arms marching outside the town.


The storm had passed. Dawn was upon us.

I'm not sure for how long I had been wandering through the woods since Holden sent me to scout the area.

I wasn't sure where I was going either, with the blizzard having erased any track on the snow I could've followed. And the lack of maps, given the immediacy of our orders.

A few snowflakes were still dancing in the chilling breeze around me, thick pillars of sunlight poured down over the forest, and the morning dew had settled upon the shrubbery in the form of a thin layer of ice.

By that point, I began to consider the possibility of prince Ezran having escaped from the legion's reach, something I secretly wished for.

Killing a child in cold blood, is out of the question… or at least should be.

But Apollyon would not tolerate failure, and I refuse to believe that my quest is over, not after I convinced Holden of sparing prince Callum.

I didn't know for certain what would be of him or his friend in the Blackstone fortress, yet I rested at ease on the fact that their lives wouldn't be taken away so unjustly, I sincerely hoped so.

"Damn…" I mumbled, my train of thought being interrupted by the frost crawling inside the wound in my side, I placed my free hand upon it to suppress the pain.

Then I remembered my fight back at the village. That was the first time I had faced an elf in combat.

'Rayla' I think she was called. She was good. I wondered if all elves were as agile as she was, or if I had fought a prodigy.

In any case, were it not for Apollyon, I would've probably died in that house.

I will pray for her soon enough. Even with her speed and her prowess with the sword… she has a snowball's chance in hell against our warlord.

However, this is no time for reflection.

I stopped dead in my tracks, finding myself surrounded by tall pines obscuring the sky, just like when I entered the forest.

I could see my breath fuming from my helm, but nothing more…

Being realistic, I feared that the prince's life could've been claimed by hypothermia or a wild animal. Nature would surely kill an unprepared adventurer faster than any blade or arrow ever will.

Perhaps I was only chasing ghosts while I was still needed elsewhere.

But then, just when I was about to deem the cause lost… something in the corner of my eye caught my attention.

I froze, then turned. Among the bushes, my sight found a red spot, not too far from my position.

Cautiously, I approached to those shrubs, clutching my sword firmly, branches and dry leaves crunched under my feet as I went on, despite my efforts to stay quiet.

Yet there was no reaction, no attempt to escape or fight me, neither a trap I could see in first glance. Everything was suspiciously calm.

But I kept going. I ignored my instincts and carried forth… What I discovered surprised me to no end.

Half-buried under the snow there was the inert body of the prince Ezran, lying next to some mushrooms and uprooted plants. His brown skin was unnaturally pale, his lips were darkening into a deep shade of blue.

I glanced one last time at my surroundings, but I saw no soul other than us. Then I kneeled beside the boy, grabbed his shoulder and flipped him over.

Against my best judgment, he was still alive, for I could see tiny clouds escaping from his mouth.

I stood again, looking down at him. I can only imagine the circumstances that led the young prince here, what all those children would've been through before our arrival.

My hands trembled around the grip of my sword as I struggled to lift it, its point aiming for his heart.

"It's for the greater good… it won't be in vain…" I said to myself.

Just a quick thrust, and everything would be over…

My orders are clear, my objective is here. There is nothing standing between me and the fulfillment of my duty.

Then why I couldn't move? I tried to move, but my arms weren't responding.

My orders are clear, my objective is here. But this is wrong…

If the boy's existence was to end at the hands of the Blackstone legion… He should at least be given the opportunity to fight back.

I lowered my sword, undoing my stiff stance. Any doubt poisoning my thoughts was forgotten in that instant.

When I became a Warden, I swore an oath, one which could not be lightly broken, but I needed no oath to know that all of this was wrong.

I reached down for the fainted prince, I took his unconscious body, swinging him over my shoulder.

Once I secured my grasp firmly around him, I rose from the snow, then spun on my heel and started walking to the path beyond the forest, the one that would take me back into the village.

It felt like the final act of an epic, and yet, resembled a beginning.

This could be either the best or the worst choice I've ever made. I doubt that I'll live long enough find out which is…

I don't know what sort of fate awaits us, but I'm certain, that this wonderstorm is far from over…


Thank you so much for reading this humble piece of mine, as well as your favorites, follows and reviews, which are more than welcome.

But now, the time has come for me to bid farewell, I'll be gone from writing for some time due to causes beyond my control.

Please bear in mind that this is not a 'goodbye', just an 'until next time'. In the future, this story will become a full series of its own, however, that's a topic for another day.

So with nothing more on my part, I hope you enjoyed this little experiment of mine, let me know what you think in the reviews, criticism is encouraged!

Thanks again for reading and I wish we meet again someday.

Peace and Success to you all!

Knight-Aedo-Rhapsodios