Every swing, every hit of their swords brought more pain in his tired arms, legs, and gut. Raeherys clenched his jaws, wrenched his aching muscles, and gripped his sword tighter as he parried his opponents’ attacks. He could feel his body breaking apart. But he had to keep fighting. The entire realm was counting on them to escape this dungeon and end the war once and for all.
“Curse you! Vile beas—“ The hunter choked more blood as Raeherys drove the point of his sword through the throat. He swiped the man away and rushed towards the other enemies. Aravyr and Myrdin were still holding off. They’d slain a few and were still struggling.
Raeherys yelled as he waved his sword to an enemy charging his way. When the hunter blocked his blade, steels sparked against each other. Raeherys grunted as the heavy impact hurt his arms, causing him to get pushed back.
“Bloody hell!” Raeherys pulled over his face, t
The feast in Harman’s Hall began with the welcoming words of the Emperor. However, he didn’t stay long with the guests as he announced he had a very important errand to run this night. Larice paid no attention at all as she could feel the stares of the nobles and lords and ladies around her. She didn’t like the setting. The air was too warm and too loud. She hated the environment, more so the people.The curtains, long table cloths, even the carpet—all were dominated with white, red, and gold. Jasmine and white roses surrounded the two small pools, along with the water lilies and lotuses floating on the surface. Long candles rested on every table that provided warm light around the hall. The noises of chats and laughter gave life to the feast, but not Larice, as they only made her more irritated.The nobles and lords wore elegant clothing of very long silks, reaching to their toes, locked by belts of leather and silver and
The metal door blasted open where two guards stood outside—both faces looked in shock. Aravyr and Myrdin took care of them. They were already in the left-wing of the palace, which was a shortcut to the dungeon aside from the entrance on the river shore below. Raeherys never thought the palace would look very different from the bastions he’d seen back in the ranges. The walls, floors, even the ceilings had colors. Everything was too bright for his eyes after being so long in the darkness of the dungeons. They hurried through the long halls where they encountered more guards. Raeherys had to let Sevyh and his fellow brethren fight with their dragon arms and claws since his body was too exhausted for battle. He couldn’t almost feel his legs, so Fetyr and Estevan had to help him walk fast.Blades and claws clashed against each other. Every fight ended with blood and death as they fought their way through the hall. Something w
Larice did not know which way to go, but she didn’t care anymore. All she wanted was to keep on running and running and running … away from the hunters chasing her. Her eyes were wet and red, sobbing from that shameful event earlier. After all this time, she had been living in a false dream of having people to accept her truly. Reality just slapped her face hard. But she had to accept it; no one would ever care for her and stay with her forever.More problems kept on troubling her thoughts, but she knew she had to get out of the palace first as soon as possible. She had no plans of getting captured, killed, or thrown into prison for the rest of her life.Larice turned left to where another hall showed a clear path. She wondered what that quake was earlier. It probably came from the dungeons. Did the prisoners escaped? She suddenly remembered Sevyh. She hadn’t seen him since they got separated in the dungeon. He might have been
The palace grounds became a battlefield as endless blood spilled and fire swirled under the night skies. Dead bodies bathed from the blood. The ringing of the bell tower dominated the cries of men and steel. Raeherys was burning in anger inside as he made his killing spree. He felt strange … strangely numb. He couldn’t feel the pain in his body any longer as he killed more … slayed more enemies on the battlefield. Every time he plunged his claws through their chest or neck or face … he got more excitement … and much more rage …Dragon outrage …War Frenzy …This must’ve been the feeling one would have during wars which Aravyr kept on telling Raeherys before, he thought. He was experiencing it now. He was slaughtering every enemy who dared to charge at him … he was going crazy … crazy mad.He couldn’t stop thinking about his brother, who might have falle
Raeherys’ voice echoed and echoed and echoed amidst the silence of the darkness …“Are you happy now …?”“Is this what you really want …?”Larice glimpsed his bloody face staring down at her—the face that showed disgust and disappointment. She wanted to speak, but she found no words. She wanted to stand up, but her body couldn’t move as she lied upon the ground.Behind Raeherys came Estevan, who had the same shameful expression. More people followed to look down at her—Estes, Quarth, Fetyr … even Faran …Faran …?She wore the same white apron from that night, with traces of blood from the men Larice had killed—accidentally killed. The look in her eyes hinted fear, as if she dared never to touch Larice again. Faran had already seen her as a monster, she came to remember.Tears came out of the corner of her eyes as they
The view of the eastern sea extended beyond the endless horizon. Salty wind howled amidst the darkest of night. It was the darkest of all nights. Raeherys’ blank gaze traveled much farther than that, however, sitting at the top of the Palav Mountain Ranges, far south of Sunvar City. His eyes stayed wide and tired. He didn’t know what to feel at this time anymore, after how many people whom he loved had been taken away from him in just a single night.For once Raeherys should be grateful that he still had a family with him, when he saw Aravyr in the dungeon. But his rage for his brother blinded him of how happy he should be of seeing him alive. He had taken Aravyr for granted. He wasn’t able to treasure those short moments when they escaped the dungeon. They still had a lot of things to talk and catch up to with each other. But time went so fast. He never realized how important Aravyr was, not until he saw him get lanced by that spear.
The inn looked just the same as Larice remembered. Few customers occupied the wooden tables and chairs, eating and drinking and chatting with their fellows. The air stayed warm, mixed with the scent of roasted meat and bitter ale. She almost forgot that there was a fireplace in the kitchen, but as long as she couldn’t see it, she would be fine.Larice wrapped her arms around herself as she gazed around, trying not to remember the dark memory that had happened here. It kept on poking her mind, but she resisted.She was seated at a vacant table, her garments changed with dry ones. The clothes still fit on her, though she was taller than Faran.Earlier outside, she was as surprised as the innkeeper when they saw each other. But what surprised Larice more was that Faran unhesitatingly brought her inside and offered her some dry clothes. Wasn’t she afraid of Larice? She didn’t want to stay here for long, but the innkeeper insi
Ever since she left Sunvar City, Larice didn’t notice anyone from the imperial army riding south. The Emperor didn’t want to chase the dragons, she knew, so he might’ve been planning something else against them.Looking up, the dark clouds covered the sight of the stars in the night sky. The last time she spotted the dragons—they were flying towards the southeast. They might’ve gone to the mountain ranges of Palav, near the eastern shores of Drava.Larice galloped through the drylands of the Jahara Desert with the night wind against her. Her mind was troubled, wondering how she would talk to them when they would meet. She knew how much Raeherys hated her. He might not listen to her or even give her the chance to speak. But she would still try … no matter what.It was a long ride. She wanted to stay in the inn and live a peaceful life with Faran and her kids. But something felt missing for her—some