"You all heard the man. Every one of you smites that minotaur. Then move to sector seven and dispose of those champion traitors. Once they are dead, you return to us immediately."
"Aye. Go! As she commanded." Pathorus also addressed the guardians to confirm that his orders were the same as his wife's.
Like mindless sheep, the supreme bodyguards bowed their heads to their lords and turned to depart. They took off in a mad dash prepared to fulfill their leader's wishes. Lonewolf took a step back from the Overlords and bowed before them, and as he came back up, he brought out from his belt two long knives. "Return to your chambers and stay secure. I will join them. I am not a coward and will fight to the end like any of your other faithful servants, your Majesties. Please. Hide."
"We most certainly will," Ishanna barked back at him. Lonewolf turned to follow the bodyguards with a grin upon his face before jogging after them.
"Couldn't have planned it better," Lonewolf whispered under his breath as he pursued the guards. The Overlords hurried away, arguing as they walked. While Lonewolf, following the guards, took the descending stairs, the frightened High King and Queen did as they were advised, climbing up to the top of their castle. As the Overlords raced as quickly as their old bodies would allow, they shut every single door behind them and locked them for good measure. Through the highest grand halls, they fled all the way back to their own corridors and locked those doors as well. Just as Lonewolf advised, they barricaded themselves in and fled to their private balcony to watch the battle below. Convinced and clueless, the Maelor Overlords had been betrayed. Lonewolf lied his way to one of the most powerful positions in all of Divox.
The bodyguards charged down to the main floor toward the great hall that would lead them out of the castle. Lonewolf came to a halt at the main foyer before the exiting hall and watched the warriors charge toward the end of the hall. To their surprise, the large door that would lead them to the city was closed, and before them barred gates had been lowered from the ceiling, granting another layer of protection. The gates were always used to keep people out, but today, they were used to trap people inside. The bodyguards ran right up on the bars in front of the exit and tried to raise them back into the ceiling, but the bars were locked in place, and this exit would grant them no passage. When they found this way blocked, they pivoted planning to backtrack and find another way out of the castle. However, at the end of the long hall stood Lonewolf tampering with chains upon the wall. They knew exactly what he was doing.
"Show's over folks," Lonewolf taunted the bodyguards as he brought down another series of bars from the ceiling. They slammed through the crevice in the ground and latched upon impact, trapping the warriors. "Looks like Laelliandir and I share similar ideas. Well done on sector six," Lonewolf said aloud as if he was complimenting his adversary. He walked back a good 10 paces and unwound another chain upon the wall. When he was done, he brought down another security gate. He repeated this one last time at the end of the exit hall. He could hear the bodyguards slamming their weapons and bodies into the bars trying to undo the trap. "These gates were made to sustain battering rams. Save your strength." Lonewolf then turned around and looked up to the exceptionally high ceiling above ten floors of a long winding stone stairwell. "They're all yours, Icaz," Lonewolf thought.
Back in the private dwellings of the royals, the two stood upon their private balcony pointing here and there within the city. Still frightened, the couple argued, but the battle seemed to be going their way. Albatros was being overwhelmed, and from their viewpoint, he appeared to struggle as if his endurance was fading. About the center of the city, the warriors Lonewolf had warned them about were also waning in strength. As the Overlord's watched, a few of the stronger opponents fell, slain by Novanian troopers. Stabbed in the shoulder, Captain Sierra faltered. Slashes and cuts plentiful, her strength waned. After losing her helmet, the brave warrior was struck across the face by an enemies' sword, ending her charge. It wouldn't be long now. Laelliandir's host was suffering, and it was only a matter of time.
"Where are our guards? Why have they not entered the battle yet?" questioned Pathorus Maelor.
"It's a long way down there, you old goat. Give them time. Lonewolf seemed to have been wrong about these so-called warriors of Laelliandir's group of misfits. They are dropping like flies," Ishanna answered. The High King nodded in agreement.
"Well, his heart was in the right place. Never hurts to take precautions," said Pathorus. Standing side by side, the two continued to watch below as their fears dwindled. It looked like everything would be just fine. And it would have been if they had not fallen for Lonewolf's little ruse to have them remove their own personal shields and flee into their rooms, locking their only means of escape. As the two stood there, Neighraellium crept from behind the window curtain that hung upon the open glass doors leading to the balcony. In his hand, he held a twisted knife, and upon his face, a wicked grin. His pulsing eyes seemed to breathe as he stalked the two like a villain. The dark-robed man slunk behind them, his long dark hair dangling before his glowering eyes. He licked his lips as if tasting sheer excitement as he brought his desires to life. He savored the delight as he snuck up on them then rose his knife in glee before plunging it through the High King's back straight through his heart and back out of his chest.
"Sometimes it hurts, but just a little," Neighraellium announced his presence in a pleasing tone as Pathorus Maelor's eyes and mouth opened in shock. The queen jumped in high alarm to see the end of a knife, drenched in red, poking out of her husband's chest. The High King's mouth dripped blood, and he faded from the world of the living. Neighraellium laughed in pure elation. He felt terrific and beyond intoxicated in his own delirium and pleasure. The queen screamed, realizing what had happened, and she tried to run away. Neighraellium removed his dagger from Pathorus' chest with one hand and reached out to wrap his cold fingers around the Ishanna's wrist with the other. As the High King collapsed to the stone floor of the balcony, Neighraellium focused on the High Queen next. She screamed and struggled to be free of him, but Neighraellium shoved the weaker old woman to the ground.
"No. Whatever we did to you, I can fix it. Stop!" Begged Ishanna as Neighraellium looked down at her with his sick eyes and an impatient smile. He was enjoying this more than anything he had experienced in a long, long time. He came down upon his prey, kneeling over her and observing her fear.
"When you're this close to death, there is an essence of fear that flows through you so thick you can taste it in the air. Those last few seconds before death are exhilarating, wouldn't you say, your Grace?" Neighraellium asked the petrified queen, hoping for an answer. Yet, he wasn't listening to her. She kept carrying on about letting her live and how she'd make things right and other such things that Neighraellium couldn't be bothered to hear. He was enjoying this far too much to have his moment ruined by this woman badgering him with requests. He brought up his dagger as he sat upon her stomach, straddling one leg on each side of the floor.
"I've been dreaming of your death for a long time, you old crone," Neighraellium giggled as he brought down his knife into her chest, but not her heart. She screamed in pain and agony, which only increased Neighraellium's enjoyment and laughter. "Oh, you will hate me," he said as he chuckled. Out he brought the knife, raised it above his head once more before bringing it down into her upper stomach. Neighraellium had an extraordinary level of hatred for this woman, and he would not let her die as quickly as her husband. For every insult she'd ever said to him he intended to make her pay.
Mercilessly, the twisted blade plunged into the High Queen. Again, and again and again, he stabbed. Into her arms, chest, stomach, and even her face, ripping into her. Stabbing in unison of Ishanna Maelor's blood churning screams of terror, he laughed devilishly. "I will bring you salvation, my lady." He taunted her as he slashed for what seemed like forever. When the queen finally stopped crying, and her heart ceased beating, Neighraellium had covered her and himself in an obs
cene amount of blood. The entire balcony was filled with it, as it puddled up and dripped off the lookout, and far below. Neighraellium plunged his dagger one last time into her skull and sat there looking at his work.
Lonewolf could have committed the murders himself, but by request, he left them for Neighraellium. He knew Ishanna Maelor would have no quick death, but he did not imagine just how horrific her exit would be.
Chapter Twenty Eight
The Road Not Taken
"W hat's going on here? Why are we attacking our own people, Lae? Have they betrayed us? Were they with the rebellion?" Bella Luna's questions tumbled out one after the other as she and Laelliandir ran through a long dark narrow stone passageway. Moments earlier they had raced down a staircase and into the basement of a nearby mansion. Upon entry, Laelliandir had located and opened a secret door hidden behind a wall of bookcases. Once inside the secret passage, he grabbed and lit a torch to help them find their way safely through the hidden corridor. One of Laelliandir's inside spies had made sure the old Javalla home was left unlocked and vacated, and he had left dozens of torches for this specific task.
Laelliandir had thought through every detail, including the possibility that once the city was taken, the castle might still be securely locked. Had that been the case, Laelliandir planned to use this passage where he'd guide his forces through a secret corridor straight into the heart of his enemy. Thanks to Lonewolf and Neighraellium, the entire plan had been thwarted, and he and Bella alone were charging straight into a daunting task. No matter what happened, Laelliandir would not rest without knowing he had done everything possible to achieve his goal. Laelliandir still hoped to put Neighraellium, Ishanna, Pathorus and now Lonewolf in chains or kill them. He would not surrender while there was yet a glimmer of hope.
"You should not have come, love. This is far too complicated to explain now but know this, Nova and its rulers are tyrants. Villains that must be stopped." Laelliandir's voice echoed as he led them with his torch. Bella was still confused by all of this, but she put together enough pieces of the story to realize Laelliandir's identity.
"You are the leader of the White Turbans? You've been plotting to undo the throne all along?" Bella's eyes bulged as she finally understood it. "Lae! What is going on here?"
"Someone had to stand up to them. They are more dangerous than a dozen King Casens. They claimed rulership of all Divox and stripped the other kingdoms of power, forcing them to live under their rule, and they intend to do more than that,” Laelliandir looked at Bella who was on his heels. “My uncle and your friend Lonewolf convinced the Overlords everyone is out to get them. They believe they have no choice but to strike first. If not for this resistance, they might have attacked Lamisdoria while they were tied up defending their land against the centaur,” Bella started to protest the insult to her uncle, but Laelliandir kept explaining. “Divox's new order would assume supreme power and force all lands to obey them. Neighraellium also mentioned Tragmont. This new order is but a weapon to go against another foe. It's a scheme to gain power and influence to challenge either Tragmont or Lamisdoria. Maybe both!" Laelliandir ended his tirade, an angry scowl on his face. While he had no specific knowledge, both his mind and his heart sensed something terrible in the works.
"Why?" Bella asked. "Divox has everything. It is a land of riches and freedom. What else would they want?"
"I'll ask Lonewolf next time I see him," Laelliandir answered, getting under Bella's skin.
"Just stop your accusations about Wolf. You don't know what you're are talking about. He didn't ask to work for these people. He might have helped you if you gave him a chance. He ended up in this situation by protecting Lumi and me. His selfless actions have done far more for me than your selfish ones. You are always running away and telling me nothing! I saved you, Lae. You were going down before I arrived." At this moment, Laelliandir did not argue over any of this, and he was unwilling to admit his side was losing.
"You're right. I'm sorry. Just keep a clear head because we're almost there," he warned. Up ahead, light shone from above through an air vent. Laelliandir led them all the way to where the light shone at the end of the long-secret tunnel. A few metal bars were placed near the wall which led up to the vent only a few feet above their heads. Other than the sunlight, they could see little else. Laelliandir dropped his torch on the stone ground and started the short climb.
"What is this place?" questioned Bella. Laelliandir looked down at her and placed his finger over his mouth.
"Shh. My cousin and her family own the mansion. It's an old tunnel that leads to the under levels of Magwhen's stronghold. Stay here. Let me look. If you hear anything, don't make a sound. You stay hidden until I give you the word. Do you understand?" Laelliandir ordered sternly. Bella didn't like his plan at all and did not respond at first. "Do you understand?” he repeated, “Don't come out until I give the word. No matter what.” Bella nodded reluctantly.
"All right."
"You promise?" Bella knew what a promise meant to Laelliandir, and she hated to give her word, but after another moment she agreed.
"I promise. Just be careful." Laelliandir nodded before climbing up the ladder another couple steps to peer through the air vent. Sunlight radiated from the windows nearest the basement ceilings. The courtyard grounds lay directly outside, and the sunlight streamed from there into the ground floor displaying a view of the corridor directly above them. The hall was long with various tables, benches, forges, and containers filled with armor and metal scraps. He recognized it as an armory forge. The long, vast hall typically accommodated a few hundred workers easily, but this area was only a small part of the overall halls of the lower keep. From his basement viewpoint, the room appeared empty and quiet but his view was obstructed. Although he saw the bottom of many tables, forges, and random work supplies, he did not have the luxury of seeing much beyond, around or above them for they blocked his vision.
Behind him sat an ample stone table that prevented him from seeing anything at all on that side. He realized coming out of his hiding place was risky, and he usually would not put himself in such a situation without knowing for sure what might lie in wait, but his choices were slim, and he knew if he waited too long the battle would be over and those Novanian troops would march in the castle to scour the halls for enemies. He sighed and grabbed the vent cover and slowly lifted it up.
After he moved it aside, he climbed the remaining few feet up. Peering around as he surfaced, he saw nothing as he lifted himself out of the underpass and upon his feet. It was silent and vacant. The long forging halls still appeared empty. Across the way, he saw a staircase leading up to the ground level. He was a long way from finding the Overlords, Neighraellium, and Lonewolf, and he had no strategy for getting past their guards. With Xio on his side, Laelliandir believed he would accomplish his task.
He strode forth stealthily checking the surrounding area and looking under a few tables as he went. He found nothing to prevent him from returning to where Bella Luna waited. Part of him considered putting the vent back on and latching the lock for her own good. Yet, he realized she'd likely make enough commotion to get herself caught. Whether or not he liked it, she was with him on this. He turned around to make his way back to Bella, but to his surprise, he saw something else.
From behind, tall forges that lined the stone walls, a mix of castle guards and soldiers appeared. There were fifteen men, and he recognized a few who claimed to have been among his loyalists, however if they had ever been loyal to Laelliandir, they no longer were. All of them bore weapons, stopping him in his tracks as they surrounded him, about ten feet away from him. "What is this? Greggen?" He addressed one of the castle guards. "Braun?" He turned to face another guard. "They pay you off, Griggs? Catch you and put you up to this?" His personal spies wouldn't look him in the eye, but they kept their swords up, ready to attack. Bella heard the commotion and was about to climb up to help Laelliandir until she heard a familiar voice.
"Don
't pester the help, golden boy. It's astounding just what people will do for a few extra coins. Help trap a couple dozen of the Overlord's bodyguards. Leak your little plans. There is no such thing as loyalty if it can be bought." Lonewolf made his presence known as his voice reverberated in the distance. Down the far stairs, he descended into the basement. Bella's heart sank in her chest, and she fell against the wall recognizing his voice.
"You betrayed me!" Laelliandir accused as he turned from the soldiers glaring at Lonewolf. Lonewolf merely shrugged.
"Yes. And I'm sorry because I appreciate all you have done. None of this would have been possible without you. I mean, I'm good. We all know that, but without you, this would never have happened. You've outdone yourself, my lord." Lonewolf smirked as he stepped onto the ground level and stopped some thirty feet from Laelliandir.
"Why? What are you getting out of all this?"
"A dead High Queen and King for starters. Dead by your hands for another. Mixed with your alliance with Tragmont who sent you here to execute the Overlords, and we have ourselves no more pesky rebellion, no more pesky Overlords and one of the greatest powers on Murnia. Power enough to bring down the elven walls of Tragmont. Oh, and I lied about the rest of the Novanian army being away on a pointless expedition. They should return with the rest of your little rebellion, except they'll be under my power by then. In fact, they are likely surrendering as we speak. Game over, Laelliandir," Lonewolf finished smugly. Overhearing everything, Bella was disgusted. This was not the man she knew. He didn't even sound like Lonewolf. The way he mocked Laelliandir sickened her to the point she could have vomited. She gripped her sword in anger, unsure of what to do.
"Is it you or is it my uncle? Who is the mastermind here? Why Tragmont? For once, be honest with me!"
"You were right about me. I am a cheat. You should have followed your instincts and not allowed me to toy with your principles. As for your other questions? They don't matter. After everyone learns what you did, they'll demand your execution. You are too predictable. This was far easier than I imagined. I merely wanted to thank you personally," Lonewolf finished as he motioned for the soldiers and guards to take Laelliandir.
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