Chapter 5

They are not bandits.

Five minutes into the fight, and Izana concluded that their opponents were of a different breed of criminals. Bandits usually worked in a group and with a plan orchestrated by their leader in order to achieve their goal. Usually, their only goal is to rob them of all their possession. And, ordinarily they wouldn't dare to attack a group of Royal Guards of any kingdom. In an encounter with the Royal Guards, bandits would have been decimated in an instant. All the more for the Royal Guards of Kingdom of Clarines who are all highly trained and well-prepared soldiers for any form of combat given any situation. His entourage consists of eight Royal Guards, excluding the Captain. If he would include himself and his three guests who are capable of fighting, their group would total fifteen to fend off their enemies.

But their opponents are savages. Equipped with short swords, they attack them without any fear or doubt. Using their brute force, they push their way to overcome each and every one of them.

"Your Majesty…" The soldier knelt as he reported the situation. "The Captain wish to inform you that we've already sent one of my comrades to call for reinforcement." That makes fourteen combatants. If the Captain determined that their group needs reinforcement then the situation is worse than he thought.

"Have you determined how many of them are there?" Izana asked.

"A total of eight, Your Majesty. But as you have noticed, they are not just merely bandits. All of them are on par with us, Sir Gareth, and even the Captain." They should have all the advantages and yet they are wavering despite their party outnumbering them.

They let the base camp to be the arena for the battle at hand. The only illumination that allows their sight is given by the moon light. Given their status, he, together with Lady Althea who is guarded by Percy and Gavin is the last line of the group. They were stationed to hide. Three soldiers are lined up a few meters in front of them for defense as The Captain, Gareth and the rest form their offense.

"It also seems they are not familiar with the forest." The soldier continued.

"I see." If they are not familiar with the terrain of the forest, then its most likely that these group of savages are not from Tanbarun or Clarines. They could use this to their advantage.

A sudden scream filled the air, overcoming the grunts and clangs of weapons. It was followed by a gleeful howling of several man. It was filled with malice that Izana felt cold shivers over his body. The soldier immediately stood up to join the defense. Izana looked at Gavin and Percy who both nodded at him. They all agree that Lady Althea's safety is their priority.

"Two heads!" It was Gareth who shouted this time. A warning for them.

Suddenly, two huge, muscular-build men jumped. They overcame the four soldiers with sheer strength, not heeding the wounds inflicted by the swords in their body. Using the short swords, both of the savages stabbed through the soldiers' shields. The two men dealt powerful blows using their fists on the soldiers' heads. One of the soldiers immediately dropped unconscious to the ground and then followed by the other one. When one of the enemy was about to struck one of the soldiers to his death, Percy swiftly ran to parry with the sword. Gavin swiftly attacked the other one.

And then another scream from Gareth. "Incoming, third!"

"Hide." Izana grabbed Althea's shoulder and pushed her behind a thick tree. She grabbed his arm and looked at him worriedly.

"I need you to be careful." She said. It was an order.

He smiled. Perhaps it was how she expresses her emotions, or how she conveyed it with her tone of voice. Or how he had known her for the past few days and understood how genuine her whole being was. He brushed her hair away from her face.

"I will but I need you to be safe." Izana said.

Lady Althea nodded.

Hiding isn't exactly sitting well with her, but Althea knows she will just be a burden to everyone. She took out a small knife hidden in her pants and prepared herself. She knows how to use it against a person, but she just never put it in practice. There was no need of it. It was a small knife given to her by Lance in order to protect herself. She took a peek from her hiding place.

The third attacker didn't bother for any surprises. He yelled like a mad man and confronted King Izana the moment he saw him. Izana's physique isn't as large as that of her Knights, but he parried against the third attacker without a problem.

Klang, klang.

Blades clashing.

She was reminded of the sounds she heard from the Tower.

"State your purpose!" Izana demanded his enemy as they clash with swords.

"We don't have any!"

Fortunately, the enemy was a talkative one.

"Where are you from?"

"I doubt you would really like to know that. It's not a place for you." The enemy laughed.

A cold chill run through Althea's body. It was not a coincidence. Time is running out and she knew it was not a coincidence. Where they come from… the place that came to mind is Alcatraz… the land of the savages. She remembered Gareth saying her Uncle Moria went there. Did he already succeeded in making an army out of the residence of Alcatraz? If the presence of the enemy they were fighting right now is any indication, then they really need to go back to Florin. She does not need a King to save her country. She will do it by herself.

She gripped her knife tightly.

They have to go home.

But the thought of leaving Izana… knowing she will never see him again caused her so much pain she couldn't even explain.

The viciousness of their enemy was something Izana haven't seen before. They disregard all characteristics of humanness, it was unnerving.

All of them were battling for their lives.

Their enemy made them do so.

Izana understood that he must kill the man in front of him. If their fight will be much longer, it will be his lost.

When the man leaped forward with his sword, Izana used his speed and thrust his sword directly at the man's heart before the man could even bring his sword down. When the man resisted and seemed to muster his remaining strength to attack, Izana pushed his sword deeper. Blood oozed from the man's chest to the blade and to Izana's hand. The man lost his grip with his sword and lifelessly fell to the ground.

"Don't let them get away!" He ordered Sir Percy and Sir Gavin. It was a directive to kill their opponents. Once the order was clear, the two knights both dealt a death blow to their enemies.

Sir Percy asked him for permission to join Sir Gareth and the Captain. Izana allowed him and told him to be careful. Sir Gavin stayed behind to guard them. He started assisting the unconscious knights.

Izana went behind the tree where Lady Althea was hiding. The illumination from the moon did little for him to see, but he know she was crouching and holding a small knife.

"Lady Althea, are you alright?" He asked.

She did not answer. Instead, she returned her knife to where it was hidden before and stood up.

"Are you alright?" He repeated the question.

Still, she did not answer.

"Lady Althea?"

Slowly, she moved closer to him and took his body in an embrace. Strangely, he wasn't surprised. The act wasn't uncomfortable either. It was… natural.

"I'm covered with blood."

"I don't mind."

"Did something happen?"

"I… just… give me a moment."

It was at that moment that Izana could finally name it – what it was. It was a knowledge he accepted fully but must be treaded carefully. Rationality, after all, must always be taken into consideration given both their predisposition. He knew she knew it too.

She gently broke the embrace and stepped away.

"I'm glad you're safe."

Without looking at him, she went to Sir Gavin and checked if he has any wounds. She asked about Sir Percy. Once she was satisfied, she helped Sir Gavin with the fallen royal guards.

They could still hear the clashes of swords a few meters in front of them. A few minutes later, a royal guard appeared and reported that all opponents were defeated.

They went back to the base camp. The fire was re-alighted and the royal guards are starting to line-up the dead bodies including their own comrades. Sir Gareth was resting with Sir Percy.

"Lady Althea, I don't think you should see this." Izana told her.

"I can take it. I've seen worse." She said.

"Your Majesty, I'm glad you are safe." The captain of the guards walked to him immediately, handing him clean cloths.

Izana looked at Lady Althea again now that there was light. Her face was stained with blood. It was from his clothes when they embraced earlier. He carefully removed it with the clean cloth.

"Sir Gavin please take Lady Althea to rest with Sir Gareth and Sir Percy. You take a rest too." He ordered the young knight.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you."

The Captain reported to him that five royal guards were killed in the bouts. All eight bandits were also accounted for, all dead.

Izana instructed the entourage to wait for the reinforcement. They will cancel their trip to the Kingdom of Tanbarun and return to the Kingdom of Clarines. He talked about the Captain about the identity of their opponents.

"I agree with you, Your Highness. They're definitely not from this part of the continent." The Captain of the Guards confirmed. "During the fight, one of them mentioned that they are from the place called Alcatraz."

"Alcatraz? You can't be talking about the Land of the Savages, are you?"

Izana was aware of the place. It was a prison where the most vile human beings captured by different kingdoms are thrown to. These criminals were sent there to suffer worse than death. It was also said to be the most guarded place in the planet. How could anyone leave?

"It's the very place, Your Highness."

"I thought it was a place that no one can leave?"

"We thought so too."

"They're from Alcatraz." Gareth told them.

"That's the place where Sir Bedwyr said Moria went." Gavin said.

"Then he was finished in recruiting an army." Percy said.

With this information, they all knew they have to go back immediately. The three knights looked at her worriedly.

Gareth was the first one to speak.

"Did you ask him?"

"No. I will return without him." Althea answered.

"Are you sure?"

"Florin is my priority. I have a bad feeling that if we were to return later, there will be no place to return to."

The three knights looked at each other.

"Okay, then do we all agree that once we get our belongings in the Kingdom of Clarines, we will travel back to the Kingdom of Florin?" Gareth asked them.

"Yes." Percy and Gavin answered.

Althea nodded.