Part 2: Deceptions
4
Deadened Valley
The darkness weighed heavily with the blackness of night; a cool breeze rustled the leaves. A red glow illuminated the night sky and vanished almost as suddenly as had it appeared. Katerina sat there holding the red gem. Suddenly, she was startled by the sound of clapping behind her. She jumped up and quickly reached for her bow. But before she could reach her quiver of arrows, an eagle swooped down and snatched it away. “Now, now Kat, now that I have your attention. We had a deal,” Lucas warned.
Katerina slowly stood and turned to face Lucas. “My sister. Where’s Crystal?”
“So impatient. How do I know you did what I sent you to do?” Lucas asked.
“I’m here, aren’t I? My sister, I want her back.” Lucas stepped to the side, and Katerina saw Crystal still sleeping in the grass behind him. Katerina ran to her side and held her. “Crystal, wake up! Are you alright? Lucas, why won’t she wake up?”
“Patience Kat. Just a little insurance on my part. I said you could have her back if Nora was eliminated from the picture. Only time will tell if you’re true. You can take her, and I’ll decide when she’ll wake or if she’ll wake. Now, go back to your mother. She’s about to get real busy,” Lucas said with a smirk on his face. Katerina saw the trees shake as different creatures emerged from the shadows. Beasts with a glimmer of despair and anger driving them appeared.
“The Shadow Knights?” Katerina whispered.
“Oh, you’ve heard of them?” Lucas replied.
“I know they serve no one. They live for darkness.”
“Yes, you’re right about them living for the darkness. But they do serve someone. You’ll see soon. Now, go with your sister before I change my mind.” Lucas tossed Crystal’s limp body onto a black horse Katerina had tied up before she used the gem earlier.
Katerina got on and rode quickly back toward the castle. What are Shadow Knights doing in Treasure Kingdom? They never leave Shoel Mountain. Katerina’s thoughts raced. She looked back briefly to see even more movement behind Lucas.
“Why don’t you let me kill her?” a dark shadow asked Lucas.
“She may be of more use. Patience. A kingdom divided against itself, will not stand.” Lucas declared. “In time, you’ll feed. Patience, Drayvon.”
She rode into the castle and quickly called one of the guards to take Crystal to her room. “Lady Kat, is she alright? Where have you been?” the guard asked.
“Never mind that. She’ll be fine. I need to see my mother.” Katerina ordered.
“She’s in the war room,” the guard said as he carried Crystal up the stairs.
“Now, we don’t know when Lucas will attack, but we know he will. We need to prepare for all scenarios,” Scarlett proclaimed.
“Yes, but how can we make a plan without answers?” Princess Delores asked.
“Light prevails over darkness. We cannot lose,” Scarlett conveyed.
“You know Lucas is not to be underestimated,” Sam warned. “He has been underestimated before.”
“Yes, but the Silver Dagon’s on our side this time,” Scarlett announced.
“Careful. Lucas’s unleashed.” Scarlett heard the Silver Dragon warn from within her. She shook it off as if it were only an afterthought.
“Yes, Scarlett. I’ll follow your command, whatever it’ll be, despite the warning in my heart,” Sam whispered. “I trust you and will follow you anywhere.”
“We’re strong. Lucas has been alone and in chains. We’ll have victory,” Scarlett declared.
Katerina entered the war room. “Mother, there’s an army coming. I could see an army of Shadow Knights gathering at the forest near Sheol Mountain.”
Scarlett looked over the map before her and pointed at Sheol Mountain. She slid her finger along the map to their castle, then pointed to a middle ground. “We’ll meet them in the Deadened Valley. Lucas won’t be allowed to cross that threshold. He mustn’t be allowed any closer to the Fiery Crossroads.” Scarlett indicated a triangle shape connecting Sheol Mountain, Treasure Kingdom, and the Fiery Crossroads. Deadened Valley and Treasure Kingdom stood between Sheol Mountain and the Fiery Crossroads.
“How can you be sure?” Sam asked.
“He deceived me once; he won’t fool me again. The Silver Dragon’s on our side, and Lucas’ must not win her back. Now, rally the guards. Kat, you and Crystal will protect Treasure Kingdom. I won’t leave these gates unguarded.” Scarlett demanded.
“But, Mother. You always told us to use our surroundings and be strong, I can fight too.”
“You’re strong that’s true. That’s the reason I chose you to guard the castle.” Scarlett pulled Katerina aside. “If we should fail today, if Deadened Valley falls, you’ll be the only defense. Treasure Kingdom must have protection too. I need someone I trust here. That someone is you and your sister. Understand?” Scarlett turned toward the rest of the army leaders before Katerina could protest. “The rest of us will ride out and meet him, head-on. He likes to fight with darkness and fears; we’ll force him into the light. Expose his deceptions and defeat his terrors.”
“But mother.”
“You have your orders. Relay everything to your sister; I’m depending on you both to stay strong and united.” Scarlett proclaimed. Katerina nodded, turned, and left the room. “Now, Sam, you and I will trap Lucas’s troops in. We, within our dragon forms, will set a flaming perimeter. Delores, you’ll lead our troops to divide Lucas from his army. Force him to stand alone. We ride in an hour. Prepare the troops.”
Lucas stood before a growing army of Shadow Knights. “So long you have been whispers in the night, only an afterthought, but now they’ll see how great a threat you really are. Now’s your time of strength. Now’s your time to fight. We’ve strength in numbers. I’ve planted the seeds of doubt in Scarlett’s ranks. It’s time to water that seed and find our victory. Deceptions grow deeper than they could ever imagine.” He panned the forest full of Shadow Knights gnashing their teeth and clawing the ground. Twenty, thirty, sixty, a hundred, thousand’, and growing. The ground shook with their shrieking. “I’ll give you the flesh you seek. The Silver Dragon has betrayed you long enough. I say, no more!”
The shouts, screams, and growls quivered the trees and as deafening as the sound was, silence fell as the terrifying site moved like a wave toward Deadened Valley. “Those strongholds will be transformed. No longer will they be a protection but a tomb,” Lucas expressed as the army moved in unison, leaving the forest in silence once again.
Scarlett mounted her horse and led her army toward the Deadened Valley. “To Victory!” she said as she rode out with her 20,000 troops following behind. The Red Dragon flew ahead to scout out what awaited them. Though it was already late morning and the sun high, she saw movement like a sea of ants swaying and moving in unison. She couldn’t make out how many there were: despite the sunshine, they were shrouded in darkness.
She circled around to fly back to Queen Scarlett’s side. “They move like a sea of darkness. The sun rises, but they’re still shrouded in the blackness of night.” Sam announced.
“Stick to the plan. We’ve strength and determination. The heat of day will expose them.” Scarlett ordered, “Now scan the enemy and report back.”
“Yes, my queen.” The Red Dragon soared high into the air, hidden within the cloud. As she descended on the Deadened Valley, the sun reached its highest point. The sight below her instantly filled her with fear, for the scene looked unlike anything she had seen before. Both giant and scrawny black hairy creatures filled the Deadened Valley. There were so many the grounds were invisible to the eye. Their movements were swift, concise, and smooth. It appeared as though she was looking over a large ocean surface. She turned and flew back to Queen Scarlett’s side. As she glided along, Scarlett looked at her expectantly. Scarlett’s unrelenting determination motivated her to fly strong and true.
“Report,” Scarlett ordered.
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��It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. There’s such a multitude: they move as one. They’re inhuman and full of malicious intent,” Sam warned.
“Find your courage. Stay true and focused,” Scarlett said as she guided her horse and army up the final hill toward Deadened Valley, “We’ll prevail.”
The Red Dragon glided back into the sky and investigated the perimeter below. Stick to the plan, Sam reminded herself, as she circled down toward the wave of darkness. She took a deep breath and blasted a flood of fire, creating a wall of flames between the waves of blackness. Screams and yells reached her ears. Soon the Silver Dragon ignited the ground with flames on the other side of this sea of blackness. More screams filled the air. “Push them back,” the Silver Dragon ordered Sam. Sam ignited the ground again, increasing the heat and dividing Lucas’s army.
The Silver Dragon landed by Delores, who stood and secured both her and Scarlett’s horses to a nearby tree, and the Silver Dragon transformed back into Scarlett. She grabbed her flail weapon from her saddlebag and stepped toward the approaching army. The mass of Shadow Knights invaded like a flood upon Delores and Scarlett’s location. Delores aimed her bow as Scarlett readied her metal flail, its long chain swaying with a metal spiked ball on the end. Scarlett swung her weapon, embedding the metal spikes into several beasts’ arms and sides, knocking them to the ground. Delores fired arrow after arrow, raining them down upon the approaching beasts. As this dark army dodged Delores’s arrows, Scarlett saw the bloodthirst in their red eyes. Their fangs and claws were a mix of mud and blood that could be seen as they came closer.
Sam ignited the ground again right as Lucas came into view. He stood on top a far hill, arms crossed, with a snug look of satisfaction and pleasure over the scene before him. “I only have use for one. Do what you wish with the others, but the Red Dragon’s mine,” Lucas ordered.
Turning toward Lucas, Sam ignited the ground before him, but Lucas stood firm. “Come little dragon. Just a little bit closer,” Lucas said with a look of satisfaction on his face.
Scarlett moved forward, swinging her flail, sending several Shadow Knights flying in different directions. “We have victory. Continue to push them back,” she yelled. Sparks flew as swords connected with claws.
“Their claws are as strong as metal,” one soldier screamed. Lucas panned the battle below, seeking the next one to deceive. He connected eyes with that soldier, smirked, and visions of terror invaded this young soldier’s mind. The soldier bent over screaming and madly swung his sword. He hacked away at anyone close to him, enemy or ally. Panic overwhelmed him to the point of eerie screams and convulsions. Soon he foamed at the mouth and fell lifeless to the ground.
Sam feared Lucas’ mind-controlling attacks. She turned and darted down upon Lucas’ position.
“That’s it! Keep coming, little dragon.” Lucas stood firm.
Scarlett spun her flail like a cyclone, sending Shadow Knights flying. She pushed forward as she looked up at the Red Dragon. “Sam, Lucas is mine,” Scarlett proclaimed.
The Red Dragon turned to look toward Delores and Scarlett for a moment, the exact moment Lucas was looking for. “Now,” Lucas ordered as a giant net was shot toward the Red Dragon, pinning her wings to her body. She fell with a thud.
“No! Give them nothing, stand true, and take away their power and control.” Scarlett spat out her words.
Delores turned and, using the side of a large rock, propelled her body forward, flipping over a Shadow Knight as she embedded her last arrow deep into his skull. He screamed and fell silent. She landed, kicked another knight in the throat, and pulled a sword from a fallen soldier. Dipping and weaving, she rushed forward. Drayvon stepped between Delores and her fallen friend. Delores slashed downward as Drayvon stepped to one side. She stumbled forward with ripping pain as Drayvon’s claws penetrated the back of her neck. Delores quickly pulled her sword upright in an attempt to slash his leg, knocking him off balance. Drayvon shrieked in agony, but in one fluent motion he spun, grabbed Delores’s free arm and pulled her close. She swung her sword around and stabbed at his side. Drayvon bent over her, and sunk his teeth into her shoulder. Her arm went limp and the sword slipped out of her fingers. Drayvon tossed Delores like a shattered vase to the ground.
She forced herself to her knees, focused on Sam and crawled toward her. She reached in her boot and pulled out a small knife. “I’m coming, Sam. You’re not alone. I’ll cut you free,” Dolores declared. Drayvon positioned himself over her and dug his claws into her back. Dolores’s breathless scream came to an abrupt end. Tossing her over his head, he spun and threw her into Scarlett, sending them both crashing to the ground in a heap.
Delores and Scarlett staggered to their feet.
“Together?” Scarlett asked.
“Together,” Delores replied.
The two rushed toward Drayvon in unison. Drayvon spun and punched his tail into Scarlett’s stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Delores slashed her sword in an attempt to slice Drayvon from stem to stern. Drayvon bent forward as the sword passed a sliver of a hair from his ear. As Scarlett regained her breath, Drayvon acted quickly with a side kick to Scarlett’s abdomen, doubling her over, her flail falling to the ground. Delores looked back and forth between Scarlett and Sam. As she decided on her next move, Drayvon punched Delores in the temple. Her world fluttered in darkness as she staggered to one side. She looked up at Drayvon and rubbed frantically to clear the blood pooling in her vision. Her eyes flashed with hatred as she tried to focus on her goal. Deadened Valley must not fall. Her movements were swift and concise as she made her way toward Sam. Scarlett pulled herself to her feet, picked up her flail and spun it at the back of Drayvon’s head. While Drayvon staggered disoriented, Scarlett double-punched upward into Drayvon’s back. She saw Delores heading to free Sam and turned her focus to Lucas. She pushed forward hard and fast, as her anger flared.
Lucas turned to make eye contact with her when her eyes turned glassy silver. “I tried to warn you,” the Silver Dragon declared as Scarlett transformed into the Silver Dragon. The Silver Dragon took flight.
“What are you doing?” Scarlett asked from within the Silver Dragon’s mind.
“Saving you,” the Silver Dragon proclaimed. She circled the perimeter of the battle, raining fire down on the dark minions.
“No, I won’t abandon my army; I won’t leave Sam or Delores,” Scarlett screamed from within. The Silver Dragon growled in frustration.
“But that’ll be our undoing,” the Silver Dragon warned.
“I don’t run,” Scarlett declared. “Land near Lucas, and we’ll confront him head-on.”
“Fine, but I don’t agree with your tactics,” the Silver Dragon argued as she turned toward Lucas and landed only a few feet away. The Silver Dragon transformed back into Scarlett. Scarlett inspected her surroundings; she saw Delores carefully dragging herself closer to the Red Dragon. I need to buy her some time. She reached for a sword, pulled it from a fallen Shadow Knight, and ran at Lucas. Lucas smirked at Scarlett and jumped into the sea of darkness, aimed his gun, and with a deafening shot, Delores fell. Scarlett’s anger ignited the sword with flames as she jumped into the sea of blackness after Lucas.
“No, Delores. Say something,” Sam said as she breathed out a blast of flames in an attempt to burn her bonds. Her tears burned as she looked upon Delores.
No, please be alright. Drayvon approached the Red Dragon. “Fight all you want, little dragon. But these bonds will hold true,” Drayvon claimed.
“We’ll see about that,” Sam replied as she blasted a wave of fire toward Drayvon. Drayvon stood his ground, smirked, and turned toward Delores. “I should feast.”
“No, please leave her be,” Sam whispered as she felt her energy fading.
“Why not make things easier on yourself?” Drayvon asked. The Red Dragon transformed back into her human form in hopes that her bonds would fall off, but instead, they tightened more securely. She screamed in pain. Drayvon grabbed her and s
wung her over his shoulder.
Scarlett lunged at Lucas from behind. Lucas dodged, turned, and fired again, breaking the sword in two. In one swift movement, he grabbed Scarlett and pinned her arms behind her. He nodded at Drayvon, who secured Sam in chains and carried her away. As the sun fell on Deadened Valley, smoke rose on the defeated army. Delores’s body lay in a pool of blood with no sign of Scarlett or Sam to be seen.
Katerina paced the courtyard. The last of daylight faded behind the far mountains, and she searched the horizon for any sign of the returning army. To her horror, she saw smoke rising in the silhouette of the final light. “Ready my horse.” Katerina rushed for her armour and sword. Within seconds she rode her black horse at full speed toward Deadened Valley.
As she neared the top of the hill overlooking the valley, a wave of screams and tortured souls reached her ears. She madly panned the scene in horror at the deafening sight of guards fading in breath and strength. Searching each new face, she hoped to find someone she knew, but in her heart, she hoped she didn’t find one. She stood on top of the hill, feeling desperate and alone.
She stepped carefully through the chaos of melted armour, broken bones, and smoldering flesh. To her dismay, her eyes fall upon Delores’s lifeless body. “Delores!” Katerina screamed as she ran to her side, desperately searching for any sign of life.
“Lady Kat, you shouldn’t be here,” a wounded soldier said.
Katerina turned her pain-stricken face toward the soldier. “What happened?”
“Lucas. He was always three steps ahead. It was like he knew what we would do next before we even knew. I’m sorry, my lady. But it was as if we were defeated before we even arrived.” The soldier gasped as he coughed up blood. Katerina carefully lay Delores’s body down and turned to hold this dying soldier's hand. Nobody should die alone, Katerina thought as the soldier took his final breath. His eyes rolled back into his head, and his hand slipped from her grasp. Katerina lowered her head in defeat. What have I done?
Unbroken Kingdom Page 5