Hey, y'all. Sorry it's been so long. It was never my intention to have this long of a gap between chapters, but certain things have made it difficult to write, so I apologize for that.
Also, I want to point out this chapter was actually supposed to be longer than it is, but I give it to you now because I'm going to have to split it into two parts. Otherwise, this chapter would be well over ten thousand words and even though I enjoy long chapters as well, I know that's a lot to read through in one sitting. So there is supposed to be more to this chapter than there really is, but complications arose and I stopped it short. But we will continue on from where we left off next chapter. :)
And sorry if y'all think it's pointless when I explain my reasoning for doing things. :P But I feel like you guys should know what's going on.
"In this letter, I will share with you a lie, a wish, and a secret."
Clem looked down at the page, not sure how she should feel at seeing those words. Words that Violet hadn't read. On one hand, she was somewhat glad that these thoughts wouldn't be wearing down on the blonde's mind when she already had so much going on, but on the other hand, she wished that Violet had actually read the secrets that lined the page. If she ever got the chance she would tell Violet all of it, for there were some things about their kingdom that even the queen did not know.
Finding deep remorse in that thought, she kept reading. Hearing the words replay in her mind from the night she sat at her desk writing this out by the glow of the firelight.
"As I write this, the sun will soon be rising while Delta Raiders prepare to cross our borders and storm the castle. Possibly to end my life, possibly to end yours. I may not have long, which is always a risk when you prepare to be thrown into battle. We always knew that this was a possibility. I was never blind to the risks, for it has always been my job, and always will be my job for as long as I live, to protect you at all costs. Even if it means I should die with the rising sun.
So I'm forced to ask myself, what are the most important things that I want to tell you in the short time I have left? I've never been good with words, but if this is to be the end there are some things that you should know. You already know that you have my heart through and through, but I have not always been completely honest with you...
They say that history is a narrative of strength. Stories of the rise and fall of nations and empires, of epic battles and decisive victories. And because of that, because of the honor that comes with being a knight, I have kept something from you. But I no longer believe that this is true strength, but merely power. And the threat of Delta's armies reveals this to be true. For I now believe that true strength is found in vulnerability, in forgiveness, in love.
There is a beautiful upside-down truth, which is that these moments of strength appear as a weakness to those who don't know any better. It had been drilled into me from a young age and for a long time, I believed that. For a long time, I didn't know any better. Which is why I had lied to you.
My parents aren't really dead, but I wish they were. They're cowards.
A knight isn't supposed to show fear, it's our way. But my parents were part of an elite force years ago, the Night Guard. Meant to patrol our borders throughout the course of the night when our defenses are most vulnerable. But when assassins came over the borders and set fires to a northern village in Katolis, the Night Guard, my parents, failed in their duty. They ran away, fearing for their lives instead of facing our enemies head-on.
After I had found out about that story, I could no longer look them in the eye. They were dead to me. So I left them and went to live with my stepdad, Lee. Ever since then it has been my sworn promise to never back down from a fight. I set out to be the best knight I could be and soon I found myself not only fighting for our kingdom but fighting for you...my queen."
Violet watched from the low light of the fire as Minnie sharpened her sword with a whetstone. The girl's face had a resemblance to someone she knew, but the queen of Katolis could not place it. She furrowed her brow in concentration, trying to rack her brain for an answer. The assassin's red hair reminded her of the fire that flickered in front of her and soon things started to make sense as realization dawned on her.
"Fire? Of course! That's where she's from!"
"You know you don't have to do this." Came Violet's voice. Breaking the silence that had settled around them, except for the crackle and pop of the fire before them.
Minnie rolled her eyes but didn't look up from her sharpening. "Didn't we already have this talk? I'm not going anywhere and neither are you."
Violet leaned forward as much as her bindings would allow. "Minnie please, you don't have to do this. Don't let Lilly drag you down with her."
Minerva laughed at her reasoning, sticking her sword into the ground next to her. "Lilly isn't dragging us down. She makes us stronger."
But Violet wasn't dejected by Minnie's reply. She wasn't giving up so easily. "You don't have to listen to her anymore. You could always leave. Come back to Katolis... Come back with me."
Minerva smirked at her reply, standing up and pulling her dagger forth once more. "That's a good one, princess. Come back with you." She said pointing her knife at Violet. "You'll probably have them lock me up the moment we set foot inside the castle's walls. There's not a thing you could say that will change my mind." She said bringing her blade close to the queen's neck. "And don't think I'm not afraid to draw blood. I'm not aloud to kill you, but that doesn't mean you can't suffer." She threatened through gritted teeth.
She pulled back and went to walk back over to her previous spot by the fire. "Besides, what does Katolis have that I could ever possibly want?"
"What about...your sister?" Violet stated.
Violet saw Minnie's expression falter, but whether it was in confusion or surprise she didn't know. But the assassin quickly changed back to her hardened demeanor and she looked crossly into the fire, turning her gaze away from the queen. "I don't have a sister." She stated bitterly.
Violet tried to explain. "But your parents..."
"Are dead," Minerva stated sharply, cutting her off.
Violet nodded sadly to confirm her words. "Yes." She looked up at Minerva. "But do you know how they died?"
Minnie huffed, not really caring to be having this conversation. "I don't know. I was told they died on some journey or something. Does it really matter?"
But Violet shook her head. "That's not true. It's a lie. You've been lied to your whole life."
"And how exactly would you know, princess? You're not even from Delta, you don't know a thing about me." The redhead accused as she leaned back on her hands.
"No, but I know your sister. She's one of my knights, a Royal in my personal guard." Violet told her.
"I don't have a sister." Minerva glared at her.
"Minnie, please. Listen to me!" Violet said pulling more against her restraints, trying to get closer in order to reason with the taller girl. "Years ago there was a fire that broke out in a small village near the northern border. No more than half a mile from Delta's territory. And in that village lived a man and women along with their twin daughters. But the fire consumed the village and houses were burned to the ground. In the chaos to escape many people were severely injured and among those people were your parents." Violet explained.
"They made it past the borders but died not long after trying to escape the carnage. A Delta patrol found them the next morning, covered in bleeding gashes and charred clothes. Only the five-month-old baby that they had been carrying survived. That same morning a team of Katolis knights had been sent to search for survivors among the ruins of the village. It was a miracle that she survived, but they found another baby among the smoking rubble. Separated from her parents in the panic of the night. Minerva, that baby... was your sister."
She could see the gears turning inside the other girl's head. She knew that was a lot to take in, but what she had said made sense. Everything fits with how her parents had died and why two blood-related siblings could be from separate kingdoms. But at the same time, she knew Minerva was fighting herself on this.
The assassin shook her head. "No, that-that's not true."
Violet looked her straight in the face, trying to be as sincere as possible. "You were taken and raised in the Kingdom of Delta, but you're not really from there. Your real home is in Katolis. Come home, Minnie. Come home... with me."
"I've tried to be selfless as a knight, but knowing how much you mean to me, I have a selfish wish. I know we've never said it out loud, but Violet I love you with all of my heart. And if this is my final fight, then my wish is for you to live.
You always tell me how much you rely on me, how I help you get through everything that's thrown your way. But the truth is, I rely on you just as much as you rely on me. And if Delta soldiers are to take my breath from my lungs and the beating of my heart, I hope that my sacrifice will not be in vain. And I hope that you will live on.
I always said that I would gladly lie down my life for you, my queen, and that will always be true. For if you were ever taken from me, that is a world I do not wish to live in. It is selfish for me to ask, for I would not be strong enough to take it upon myself. But I ask that you live on for me. Please don't let the past defy your future. Set yourself free and live for those who need you, because I need you to.
You're strong Violet, stronger than you could ever know. I see it in you every day, from caring for your people to performing diplomatic tasks. As a knight, it is my role to protect, as is for you to lead. For you do not rule with a caged heart and an iron fist, but with a gentle tongue and a quick mind. You may not see it, but I do. You told me that you wanted to be a knight, but I could think of no one better fit to be queen. Please, don't let that go."
Clem felt tears gather in her eyes as she read over her own words. How she wished she could tell all of this to Violet in person. It'd be her new final wish, just to have a chance to portray all of her feelings that she'd kept hidden. To finally let the words tumble from her mouth in a display of affection and sincerity.
She had been raised not to show emotion, taught that by none other than David himself. But she realized that a true knight had a heart, for it was the one thing that separated them from the Delta Raiders. Delta knights were pretty much brainwashed from birth that a strong soldier is what matters most, that no sacrifice is too great for the better of the kingdom. They were soldiers that no longer had any boundaries between moral human beings and the honor to fight for their kingdom as a knight.
Clem had never really thought about it, but that's what she liked about her knights. Everyone had made a commitment and they all took their jobs as knights seriously, but at the end of the day, they were still human. It showed through their personalities, from Louis and his jokes to Sophie and her cheerful, happy go lucky personality. And it even showed in Clem herself with the underlaying fire that burned in her heart for the one that she loved.
Clem looked back down at her sheet of parchment and read the last of her three desires to share with the queen.
"And finally, you must be wondering about the secret that I promised to share. It's actually hidden in the castle itself and is a secret that I've longed to tell you for years. As Captain, it was my job to keep this hidden, even from Royals such as yourself. For if this fell into the wrong hands it could mean disaster for us all. But if I am no longer to protect this secret, then it is one that I want you to know.
You should know, the legends are true. Magic does in fact still, exist.
And there's something about the castle that you should know, an ancient relic from years ago resides in its walls. It has been my sworn duty to guard it and keep this secret safe to prevent its departure. Magic in the wrong hands is dangerous. It was outlawed hundreds of years ago because the High Mage of Katolis became corrupted with power and sought the throne for himself. Now it is a secret you must keep..."
Dusk slowly fell into twilight around the castle's walls. The purple tint to the sky making way for the blacker blue of night as the sun's final rays dipped below the horizon. But the inviting sight could not clear away the tension of the day's earlier events. With the queen in jeopardy during the outbreak of war and suspicion rising about Katolis's finest Captain in the force, uncertainty hung in the air making it as if the kingdom's balance hung on a knife's edge.
And now that balance had to be maintained by the acting Captain of Katolis. "Commander Luke, I want your men on patrol throughout the night. We must double the security during these pressing times. Until the queen returns, I want everyone on high alert."
Luke saluted to her in a sign of respect. "Yes, Captain!" Then he turned to signal his rank to walk to their positions at the front gates.
Satisfied with Luke's compliance she walked back towards the castle's doors where she met a knight who stood guard, one of her most trusted allies and life long friend. "Does anyone know of David's whereabouts?"
"Last I heard he was headed to the library." The knight responded. "Why?"
"The library? That's weird." She thought but pushed the feeling away. Then making sure no one else could hear them she pulled him aside. "Ty, I want you to find David and follow him. He can't be trusted after what happened today, so make sure you don't let him out of your sight."
He saluted her. "Yes, Commander."
"That's Captain to you." She corrected him, but in a lighthearted manner.
"Yes, Captain!" He saluted once more with a smile on his face before walking away in search of David.
She folded her arms behind her back and nodded. "There we go, good."
The acting Captain walked down the halls of the castle, the torches that hung along the stone walls giving off a flickering glow, now that they had been lit due to the approaching night. Following the blue carpet down the ever-winding halls until reaching the meeting room of the High Council. It's interior being vacant of people for the time being. A candle already laying lit next to the rolled parchment atop a desk. She sat down and with a hesitant breath broke the blue seal across the front of the letter she had received from her Captain.
"Commander Agar, while I have no doubt that you will be able to run the kingdom of Katolis in both mine and the queen's absence, there is something that troubles me. There is a secret that you must know, for Katolis could be in grave danger. A secret that was my job as Captain to protect, so much so that the queen may not even know. It is too dangerous to leave unattended in my absence and in the events that I do not return, I trust you to keep this secret safe and well hidden.
Right now, head to the library. Behind a bookcase on the far side of the room lies a boarded-up door, to what once used to be the room of Katolis's High mage. Inside the room lies a painting of a shepherd and his sheep that covers a large portion of the wall. In reality, it is actually a doorway to secret chambers hidden underneath the castle. But that is not important as long as the first door remains unopened.
For there, hidden in the underground chambers, lies an ancient book that belonged to the High Mage of Katolis. A book filled with spells used to perform dark magic. Not many people still know this, but magic does in fact still exist. And in the wrong hands, it's still as dangerous as it was back then. Not to frighten you, not all magic is evil, there are good types of magic, but what resides in these towers is a dark and powerful force.
This ancient relic from years ago still resides in the castle's walls. It has been my sworn duty to guard it and keep this secret safe to prevent its departure. Magic in the wrong hands is dangerous. It was outlawed hundreds of years ago because the High Mage became corrupted with power and sought the throne for himself. So I ask you to guard that room with your life. If that book falls into the wrong hands it could mean the end for us all."
The minute the last word was read, Agar shoved herself away from the desk and stormed out of the room in pursuit of the library. Commander Ty's words echoing in her head, "Last I heard he was headed to the library." If what she thinks happened did, then they were all in trouble.
Upon entering the library, all seemed fine. The vast book covered room still lay empty and silent like it did most days. Barely anyone ever came here and the only person that could be seen occupying the space as of now was the librarian. Even still, the acting Captain briskly walked to the west side of the library to the far wall. And the sight before her didn't fill her with much confidence.
Books lay scattered across the floor after being hastily shoved from their places on the shelves in order to make the effort of moving a certain bookcase easier. The door it had inconveniently covered being left slightly ajar so it remained open. But no light poured from the gap, leaving any unsuspecting bypassers to wonder what went on behind it's darkened cover.
Not taking any chances, Agar pulled the sword from the scabbard at her side, ready for whatever may be lurking in the shadows. Using the tip of the blade, the door was slowly pushed open with a soft creek, letting the dim light filter into the darkened room. The silence was eerie and left suspense to linger in the air, but there wasn't any person that could be detected in the room, but someone had clearly been here before.
Moving forward with cautious steps, the new light gave way to the surroundings in the forgotten room of the High Mage. Books with names and markings unheard of lined the walls on shelves, along with rolls of parchment and bottles of ink. A large table stood in the middle of the room with an askew blue tablecloth and an unlit candle atop its surface and a chair that had been knocked over onto it's back. A large grand-looking mirror stood in the corner with symbols going across the top that could not be made into any understandable interpretation. Random books and papers also cluttered the floor along with a dusty and tattered, shaggy looking rug.
Not seeing any threat the sword was returned to the Captain's side. Someone had clearly been in here and had trashed the place looking for something and in their fit of rage had knocked over the wooden chair. She went and picked up the chair, placing it back in its upright position, but a new feeling of dread took over as she caught sight of the painting that she had been warned about. The large frame outlining the hidden doorway on the wall, which had been pulled open ever so slightly. "Oh no..."
She gripped the edge of the portrait and pulled the painting forward and the door surprisingly swung open with ease, giving way to a couple of steps that led into a dark stone corridor. Lining the walls every couple of paces, where stone had been cut from the surface to form a shelf, lay blue, glowing, crystals that lit the way down the darkened pathway. The silence remained and with still no sign of any people, she continued on.
The tunnel widened and the pathway curved to the right slightly, before turning into a wide left turn. Once the tunnel straightened once more, she came to a point where the path split. Another long tunnel extending out both left and right with the option of continuing straight as well. Each direction continuing on too far to see what lied ahead. "These must travel all throughout the castle." She said to no one imparticular as she ran her hand across the stone wall. "Last thing I need to do is get lost down here."
Looking down each corridor, she decided to turn left and kept walking. But the hallway soon ended once a staircase came into view. With no other options, Katolis's acting Captain continued down the stone steps with caution, which led into another stone cellar.
Torches light up the room once more, but instead of fire, they contained the same glowing crystals from before. Various candles lay strewn about, their half-melted bodies leaving pools of wax to harden them to their places. Shelves lined the walls with skulls and artifacts. Various jars and vials held once-living creatures, from frogs to reptiles, to scorpions and a variety of large bugs. Other bottles and containers held different colored liquids and powders. Sheets covered hidden projects and experiments that lay on the floor as well. "What is this place?"
"Well, it seems you're Captain wasn't dumb enough to leave you in the dark after all."
At the sound of another voice, Agar quickly turned around and came face to face with the person she was hoping not to find. David stood before her with a wicked smile across his face. He carried a red candle in one hand and in the other, what she was sure was the book that was never supposed to be found. The cover black with a red symbol on both the back and front that she didn't understand, but what looked like some kind of absurd music note. "David, you don't know what you're doing. I was told to protect this place. I don't know how you found out about it, but as acting Captain, I order you to hand me that book."
David made no such move to comply with her orders and asked a question of his own. "And who told you to do that?"
"The Captain did. It was her job to protect this place from people like you and now it's my turn." She told him, then held out her hand. "Now hand it over."
David only smiled at her attempt to give him orders. Like hell, he was going to follow someone like her. "That's cute, but I'm afraid you're little power play is over. After all, who do think told the Captain about this in the first place?" He said as held the book up to show it off to her. "It was my job to lead! I was the one who knew how to keep everyone safe and now look at what she's done. The queen is gone and that leaves Katolis with only one person strong enough to lead and that's me."
"You're no leader David." She threw back at him. Then she pointed at the swords going across his shoulder. "You're a disgrace to that symbol and everything it stands for! You are no longer a knight, and you'll be lucky if that's all."
He smirked at her and set the book down on a pedestal with its pages open next to a bowl. "You're right. I may no longer be a knight...but I hold all the power." He held up the red candle and took a pinch of powder from the bowl and sprinkled it over the flame, turning it from orange to a bright purple. Turning back to the book he recited a chant from the text, words to a spell that was incoherent as any sort of English. Then he blew out the candle and puffs of black and purple smoke grew until they transformed into the shape of two wolves.
There bodies as black as ash with they're features outlined in a glowing purple light. Magic symbols glowed in the same light across their bodies, and their fur constantly shifted for smoke and fire continuously drifted to and fro to make up their forms. They bared their teeth and emitted low but fierce growls as they made their way closer towards the Captain.
Agar began to slowly back up as the wolves began their approach, but out of the corner of her eye noticed the doorway to yet another tunnel behind her. She took a couple more slow steps back, trying to get closer to the doorway before she could attempt an escape. The wolves continued to growl, but their steps were made without a sound as they closed in. With only a few more steps between them, Agar took the chance and bolted towards the door, but the wolves did not follow.
David shook his head at her attempts to run. "Such a pointless struggle." He folded his arms behind his back as he stared off into the direction in which she had run. "Stop her."
At their masters command the wolves took off at a run to capture their intended target. Their bodies leaving trails of black and purple smoke behind them as they thundered down the tunnel, with bits of ash flaking off leaving it to drift in the air and eventually settle to the floor. Their snarls of intimidation echoing off the corridor's stone walls, making them sound much more fierce with the amplified sound.
Agar's breathing was fast and heavy as she raced through the winding tunnel. She could hear the sound of howling echo down the chamber from the wolf's excitement of the chase. It wouldn't be long before they caught up and she knew that she couldn't outrun such an agile creature. So with what little time she had left before they arrived, she came to a halt and drew her sword from her side.
The smoke wolves rounded the corner but made no move to stop running. They growled fiercely to show that they wouldn't back down before they lunged forward in an attempt to attack. The Captain sidestepped out of the way and quickly turned back around to swing her sword through the magical creatures. It produced a puff of smoke as the blade passed through the body, disrupting the flow of smoke. But the four-legged figures quickly reformed. She tried again, but each time she struck a wolf their forms drifted back into their previous shape as easily as the smoke they were made out of.
She struck down her sword once more but was only met with the clink of her blade striking the stone ground. The wolf had evaded her blow and it's body reformed behind her. With an open target, it widened its jaws and bit down into her arm. The teeth sinking through the metal armor and biting down to the skin. She whipped around and swung her blade in its direction, missing the glowing creature but getting it to release its hold. It went in for another bite, but she jumped out of the way before it could claim another grip on her arm.
With a moment to breath, she noticed just how painful the bite had been. But it hadn't pierced her skin, it had burned it. Her skin sizzling, leaving red marks from where the teeth had clamped on. This fight was getting her nowhere, how was she supposed to fight something if it didn't have a solid form to attack?
The wolves growled in a sign of frustration and their fur glowed a bright purple burning like flames in their fury. They bared their teeth once more as they began to close in. A chuckle came from behind and David approached once more as he came from around the corner. He whistled and the smoke wolves halted in their approach. He walked past them and stood in front of the figure who lay kneeling on the ground. "Such a futile struggle. It's a shame really. You had such potential. But we're done here."
David opened the spellbook once more and he held out his hand. He started to chant once more and the bracelet around his wrist, made to look like two snakes, started to glow green. They started to move and the snakes came alive as they grew in size to reach the length of real serpents and slithered from his arm to the ground. They slithered across the ground in pursuit of their goal to wrap around and constrain their victim.
Just as they were about to wrap around her legs a yell was heard and someone jumped at David slamming him into the wall. He dropped to the floor unconscious and the spellbook fell from his hands. The snakes stopped their approach and fell still, turning into lifeless chains at the Captain's feet. She looked up at her savior in shock. "Ty!?"
She watched as he picked up the book and quickly held out a hand to help her up. "Come on, follow me!"
Not needing to be told twice she grabbed his hand and the two of them took off once more down the labyrinth of tunnels. "What the hell are you doing down here!?" She asked him. Even though she was grateful for his rescue, no one was supposed to be down here and on top of that, they were both in danger now. The smoke wolves in hot pursuit, as their vicious snarls sounded throughout the halls, angered at the harm done to their creator.
"You told me to follow him!" He yelled over the howling behind them.
They were coming up to a turn in the path and while Ty slowed his steps to turn the corner, Agar kept on running. "Wait! Not that way!"
She looked behind her to see him come to a halt. "Why not!?" But she turned back around just in time to stop herself from slamming into a brick wall.
Ty ran to catch up with her. "Because it's a dead end."
She didn't have time to ask how he knew that in the first place before the sound of growling could be heard catching up once more. The luminance from the smoke wolves could be seen down the end of the track. They'd catch up any minute and there'd be no way to escape them now. She watched as Ty pulled his sword out. "That's not going to stop them. They're just smoke. Our swords pass right through."
He slid his sword back into its sheath. "Then what are we supposed to do?"
Captain Agar looked around for some way out, but they were completely boxed in. "I don't know! What stops smoke?"
"Umm...wind?" Ty responded, not sure if she really wanted an answer.
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah? And how exactly are we supposed to generate a strong enough breeze down here?" She replied sarcastically.
Ty tried to think of a solution when his eyes landed on the book in his hands. "Hey, what if we use this!?" He said holding it up for her to see.
Her eyes widened and Agar looked at him bewildered at the thought. "Are you mad? We don't know what that thing is capable of! Only certain people know how to control magic!" Even though she knew it was futile, Agar pulled her sword once more and stood at the battle-ready. If it came down to a fight, it could at least buy them a little time.
But Ty wasn't listening anymore as he flipped through the pages and a loose piece of paper caught his eye, the words Natural Magic scribbled in at the top. He looked at what was written on the page. "Okay, there might be something I can do, but I don't know if I can do it."
A loud growl sounded and the wolves were no more than a couple of yards away now. Their coats burning with rage and teeth bared to strike. They didn't have any other choice now if they wanted to escape from here unharmed. "Is this a guessing game? Just do it!" She ordered him.
Ty looked down at the symbol written on the page. He raised a hand and blue light flowed through his fingertips and he drew the symbol for the wind rune in mid-air.
The wolves were right on top of them now. They sped up and lept into the air to launch themselves at their prey, both claws and teeth ready to tear them apart.
Ty took in a deep breath and yelled the release word. "Aspiro!" And a torrent of wind blew through the tunnel and whisked the smoke wolves away just before they could land an attack. Their fire being burned out and the smoke dissipating, being thinned out by the powerful rush of air. The flash of a purple light could be seen in the distance declaring the defeat of the smoking demons.
The Captain turned around and looked at her knight in both shock and triumph. Ty looked just as surprised as her. "You never mentioned you were a descendant of a mage."
He gestured to himself. "Who me? No, I'm-I'm not a mage."
She folded her arms and gave him a questioning look. "Only certain people are born with that type of ability and you just did magic. That's what a mage is... You're a mage."
"Oh, really?" He looked down at his hands amazed by the power he had just demonstrated. "Wow! I'm a mage!" He raised his arms in triumph. "I'm a mage!" He shouted loud enough this time for it to echo down the halls.
Agar brought a finger to his mouth and hushed him. "Shhh. Nobody likes a loud mage." Then she turned to walk back the way they came.
He saluted her. "Yes, Captain." He followed after her and this time whisper-yelled. "I'm a mage!"
The Captain shook her head but held a smile at her knight's enthusiasm. The two of them walked back down the corridor until they reached the place where they had left behind the unconscious figure of David who still laid on the floor. "Help me lift him. We need to restrain him for when he wakes up." She pulled out her sword just in case and with Ty's help, the two of them dragged David out of the chambers under the castle and back to the courtyard. Thankful he had stayed motionless for most of the trip, but David had regained his consciousness by the time they made it outside to rest under the gaze of the stars.
"Unhand me!" He demanded as he struggled in their grasp. But the Captain refused to acknowledge his shouts and continued on until they were in front of two other knights. She kicked the back of David's leg to bring him to his knees. "Tie him up. Then throw him in the dungeon. No food or water. David has betrayed us all."
"Yes, Captain." They said before Brody and Mitch each grabbed David by an arm holding him in place.
"Why don't you just kill me then!?" David snarled as he looked up at her with hate in his eyes.
"I'm not going to kill you unless I have to. I believe in acts of mercy. If not then we're just as bad as Delta raiders. Will see what my Captain has to say when she hears of this, you'll be lucky if you're shown as much mercy as I'm willing to instill." She explained to him, before turning to walk away.
But she heard David chuckle behind her. "So that's it then? You're just going to lock me away. I'm as good as dead anyway." But he took a second to think about it. "You can't do it, can you? This is just an excuse so you won't have to kill me, isn't it?"
She turned around to face him once more. "We're always fair in Katolis. The Queen's orders are an act of mercy. We will keep you here indefinitely until the Queen or the Captain decide to enact mercy of some way or to kill you."
He glared at her, angered by her choice of words. "You call that being a knight of Katolis?! You're not fit to be Captain. You're a coward! You're a fucking coward!" He yelled at her.
She felt agitated at his words and her hand went for her sword, but she saw a slight smirk play at David's lips. He wanted this. He wanted this because he was more afraid of what would be to come if he wasn't killed now. By ending him, she would be giving in to his commands. But she raised her sword up anyway and brought it down with force.
"No!" The blade pierced the ground and the sword stood upright, firmly planted between the cobblestones of the courtyard. "There's been enough killing for one day!" She waved her hand to send them away. "Put him in the dungeon. I want him out of my sight." Then she turned to Ty who had remained a bystander during the argument. "Meet me in the room of the High Council in ten minutes." And with that, she turned to leave before anyone could get a word in. Leaving her sword stuck in the earth as an example to them all.