by Eden Redd
Lunatina stared at him for a long moment, her grin returning. “You noble fool. Save your friends and come back this way,” She pointed to a house, “Go into that home and go into the basement. There is a secret passage there and it will lead out of the city. I will be waiting there but not too long.”
The jester fished out another vial from her side pouch and handed it to Jayson. “Take this. It’s an elixir. It has enough for three gulps, use it wisely.”
Lunatina reached up and grabbed the knight by his armor’s collar. Pulling him close, she pressed her black lips to his. The heat between them soared like a bright star before she pulled away.
“Not too long,” The jester repeated.
Jayson simply nodded. Turning, he darted down the main street, toward the sounds of battle. The jester looked on; lip curving into a smirk and half-closed eyes on the knight charging to the front.
***
Sonja heaved with both hands on her sword and cuts all along her body. Tiny rivers of red ran down her thighs as she charged the large troll in front of her. Rujin leered, his body crisscrossed with several wounds. Troll and knight clashed once again, blades crashing into one another and sparks flying. Sonja ignored her stats as she fought on, focusing on the troll’s movements. Rujin moved with agile grace, despite the size of his sword. The blue knight didn’t know how anyone could move as gracefully and with such a large weapon but quickly put it out of her mind. The image of Jayson being impaled into the ground was enough for the knight to fight like an untamed banshee.
“You fight well! I’m enjoying our dance,” Rujin smirked.
Sonja ignored him as blades clashed again. The blue knight slid her blade upwards, sparks showering the troll’s eyes. Rujin broke contact and spun away. Turning, he pointed his blade and the smile returned.
Dalya glanced to Sonja and Rujin as her hands and feet moved in a blur. She was surrounded by trolls. The kitra flipped and smashed faces with her heels while she clawed exposed necks. She moved with such fury, the trolls around her were having a tough time pinning her down. The kitra advanced slowly through the circle of trolls, trying to reach Sonja’s side and aid in the fight against her lord’s killer.
Lance and Lorn spun around, back to back, rapier and sword slashing outward and cutting down trolls and enemy knights with swift blows. They fell into their formation, effectively slashing through the crowd toward Sonja’s side. The white knight was doing most of the work but with his attention split between Sonja and Lorn, the player was having a difficult time of it. For his troubles, he received a few cuts of his own, blood soaking into the white fabric around his elbows and sides of his knees.
The knights had pulled back with the battle. Their fight was long as they fought up onto a bridge and over it. The whole troll army surged to push back every knight that did not fall in battle. In the midst of the grueling clash, Belmont and Ulkur fought like two demons locked in each other’s power. Belmont’s sword glowed white hot as he struck as Ulkur’s blade. Instead of sparks, bolts of flame spiraled outward from each clash. The troll master struck out with blade and whip but the King Lord would side step attacks with uncommon skill. When swords clashed again, fire blasted out, striking knights and trolls indiscriminately on both sides.
“Two of your kingdoms have fallen! Surrender and I will make your death quick!” Ulkur laughed.
“Surrender is worse than death!” Belmont shouted as their blades rang from impact after impact.
King Lord Belmont shifted his body and slammed his shoulder into the oversized troll. Ulkur staggered back and quickly brought up his blade a hair before Belmont’s sword nearly slice his head in two. A mad gleam filled the king lord as muscles bulged under is armor, tasting the feast of battle.
Black wings filled the sky. Belmont looked up to see the Ulkur’s black dragon over the city, eyes burning with hellfire, a deep wound in its shoulder leaking flaming blood.
“Die with honor,” Ulkur whispered with a sardonic smile.
The dragon’s mouth opened and a thick stream of fire roared forth. The king lord broke away from the troll master, heaved his sword arm back and threw his mystical blade. The white sword slashed the stream of dragon fire in half, diverting the flames away. The dragon’s eyes widened and a sickening crunch blanketed the kingdoms. Eyes turned upward for a moment, dazzled by the sight of the King Lord’s sword buried in the dragon’s mouth, white blade point exiting the beast’s horned head. The black dragon barely moaned as its wings stopped and it fell from the sky.
Belmont smirked until something stabbed into his chest. Eyes fell to the smiling face of Ulkur, his blade buried to the hilt. The troll master twisted his sword. The mad king slammed his head into the troll’s pointed nose, sending him reeling. King Lord Belmont fell to one knee, hand up. The blade pulled from the dying dragon’s mouth and fell to his hand. The king lord grabbed the pommel out of the air as the dragon fell on a large home, splintering it down to the base.
“May a true heart wield you again,” King Lord Belmont whispered as he took his sword and stabbed it into the stony street.
Ulkur watched as he clutched at his bleeding nose. The mad king stayed on one knee, hand releasing from the blade. Head tilting forward, there he stayed, the light fading from his eyes. Pieces of him turned to light, floating up like butterfly wings. The troll master nodded as the King Lord shattered into pieces and float up into the gray sky, casting a glow over all the kingdoms.
Ulkur turned his attention to his fallen dragon. It lay sprawled in the ruined home. Stepping over, he fell to his knees by the dragon’s head. Strong arms reaching out, a tear streaked his cheek as he clutched the dead dragon’s head to his chest. A glow filled the area as the dragon fell away into chunks of shattered light.
Rujin glanced over and nodded a secret prayer on his lips. Sonja threw herself at the troll but he blocked her attacks and turned his attention back on her. Every creature held its breath as the scene played out but seconds later, swords and battle cries filled the air. Lance and Lorn spun around, slashing and inching closer to the blue knight and troll.
Despite the moment, trolls pressed their attack, driving the knights of the kingdoms further and further back. The tide was turning as desperate knights fell back, fighting in Bellor’s streets. Rujin and Sonja clashed again and again until the troll performed a feint, ducked and slashed outward. Sonja stumbled back, the slash across her belly deep and hit points draining to ten percent.
“You will make a fine concubine,” Rujin leered as he raised his blade for a killing blow.
“The lady is spoken for!” A shout came from the crowd.
Rujin looked up to see Jayson charging, sword in each hand. The troll raised an arm and back handed the stunned Sonja aside. The blue knight hit the ground, hit points draining to five percent.
Jayson’s brow wrinkled into a boiling rage. Homes on fire lit up the gloomy sky with orange and yellow flames. Bellor was burning, ash floating down as the player screamed his defiance at the troll. Rujin licked his lips and took a stance. The distance between them quickly closed and blades rang out. Jayson pressed his attack, neurons firing like exploding suns. Rujin’s face was a blank mask as he parried blow after blow with ease. The knight spun into an attack but this time he lowered his body. Rujin attempted to block but the lower side of gravity kept him from putting his strength into it. Blades’ clanging in rapid succession, the troll was forced to retreat a few steps.
Sonja was on one knee, watching everything as Jayson and Rujin clashed and Lance slayed a troll in front of him. The white knight had a clear line to the troll and fellow knight. Pumping his legs, he charged toward them, Lorn close behind. Rujin kept up his defense as Jayson hammered at him. Stamina draining, the knight halted his skill, changed his stance and used his seven-point stab technique. Dexterity drained as one of his blades stabbed out and he sheathed his ice sword. Rujin blocked the fire sword each time but stepped back further.
Pulling a vial from his pouch,
Jayson tossed it through the air toward the blue knight. Sonja’s eyes sparkled as the vial twirled toward her. Hand reaching up, she snatched it out of the air. Opening it, she took a gulp and vitality filled her damaged form.
Lance pounced just as Rujin was resuming his attack. Jayson and Lance lashed out with blades, striking with all their might. Sparks flew and the troll took one step back and another. The two knights pressed forward, not giving him a sliver of an edge. Rujin grunted as he was forced to slowly retreat. Spinning away, he managed to get a few feet back before his body turned into a shadow. Jayson and Lance pressed on, blades striking the shadow. It fell away to nothingness. Eyebrows raised, the troll appeared behind Lance.
“No!” Lorn cried.
Lance turned his head as Rujin’s blade pierced his back. The white knight stumbled forward but not before the troll withdrew his blade and hacked sideways. The blow would have taken Lance’s head if he didn’t lift his shoulder up to take the blow. Hit points drained to two percent as the knight went crashing onto the street.
Lorn threw his entire body at the larger troll, tears in his eyes and sword pointed. Rujin spun around, blade penetrating Lorn’s armor and exiting out his back. Lance looked up, horror filling every part of him. Lorn let out a gasp, troll blood spilling from the corners of his mouth.
“Traitor to your people, your blood isn’t worthy of my sword,” Rujin flicked his wrist in disgust.
Lorn slid off, falling to the street, eyes lost. Lance was back up, driving his rapier toward Rujin. The troll turned and blocked it, eyes filled with burning delight. Elbow swinging about, it crashed into Lance’s jaw and sent him flying. The white knight landed in the street, one hit point left.
“Patheti….” Rujin never finished as Jayson’s fire sword stabbed into his thigh.
The troll grunted as fire flared around the blade, Jayson grinning. With a blue flash, Sonja was leaping into the air, sword swinging and a ghost blade striking the troll in the shoulder. Rujin pulled back, fire blade slipping from his leg and back pedaling. Jayson and Sonja continued their flurry of attacks as the big troll tried to regain his balance.
Lance lay on the ground, staring at Lorn as he lay. Troll blood seeped into stone gaps in the street. The troll looked to Lance with loving eyes. He mouthed the words “I love you” before his smile faded and the light darkened in his eyes. A second later, his body melted into light.
The white knight stared, his world twisting in agony. The game let players know when they were hit and how much damage was taken but there was no real pain. What it did not account for was the psychological back lash of seeing something so horrific, causing the knight’s heart to beat with untamed fury. Lurching to his feet, the white knight moved with purpose. Limbs did not respond normally due to his damage but that didn’t stop the knight as he moved to the shine of a white sword in the distance.
Rujin planted his feet wide and threw his shoulders into each parry and strike. Jayson and Sonja found themselves on the defensive as Rujin threw his weight around. Attacks became parries and footing shuffled from heavy blows. From the crowd of fighting trolls and knights, Dalya emerged with a flip. The kitra closed the distance and leapt into the air. Rujin grunted as Dalya landed on his back, claws digging into his flesh. The troll swung his sword and the kitra leapt off, forcing the troll to stumble forward. Both knights and concubine resumed their attacks, moving to a dance as the troll fell to the defensive once again.
“The Rose Seer shall be mine! They will come to sing! The Serpent Throne will once again wield its power over Lukken and we will be your master’s once again!” Rujin shouted with conviction.
Jayson, Sonja and Dalya advanced on the manic troll. Rujin smiled with a razor’s edge. Lifting his foot, he slammed it down hard. The entire area shook and burning buildings trembled. The knights were stunned and the troll barreled at them. A shoulder planted into Sonja’s chest. The knight’s eyes went wide as she was thrown back from the blow. Dalya was in the air when the troll slid low and brought his heel straight up into her chest. The kitra was knocked out of the air and crashed into the stony street. Jayson kept up his attacks until the troll brought a knee up into the knight’s stomach. The force of the blow bent the player in half as his eyes went wide. The troll’s sword slashed once, draining twenty five percent of Jayson’s hit points and sending him falling backwards. Meaty hands reached out as the player was falling back, clamped them over the knight’s head and slammed him down onto the street. Jayson’s vision blurred as his hit points drained to fifty percent. The hand unclamped and the player looked up to Rujin’s twisted leer.
“You are no knight. Go back to your studio apartment and stay there. You cannot defend against true purpose. Oksuna will be returned if I have to burn down all of the human cities to get to her!” Rujin said with sharp teeth showing.
Jayson stared up, confusion clouding his senses. The words almost didn’t make sense as Rujin lifted his sword up once again. Did the troll just tell him to go back to his apartment? Did he imagine it? How could it know anything like that?
“A second death for a failed knight,” Rujin smiled and brought the tip of the blade down.
A light flashed. Jayson brought up his arms to stop the incoming sword point. Rujin’s smile turned to agony as half his face was bathed in white light. A pulse pushed at the digital air as the troll’s sword went one way and his body was lifted up. The shaft of light continued but it was not a dead-on strike. The pulse was enough to send the troll threw the air as the beam of light hit a building and blasted a barrel sized hole into it.
Sonja sat up to see Rujin’s body slam into a stone wall and slump to the ground, smoke rising from his damaged face. The blue knight turned her head to see Lance barely standing, Belmont’s white sword in his hand. The shaft of light faded from view. The white knight heaved, still pointing the sword.
Jayson sat up, looking to Rujin’s crumpled form. The burning building with the new hole shook violently. Corners caving in, the medieval home tilted, flames falling to the street before them. Trolls, knights and concubines stopped fighting to move aside. The building came crashing down.
Rujin looked up, one eye contacting Jayson’s and a smirk on his lips. The building came down onto the street with a mighty “BOOOOOOMMMMMMM”! Flames leapt into the sky as embers floated. The debris blocked the sight of Rujin. With the building down, players and monsters resumed their battle.
Dalya was to her lord’s side, helping him to his feet. Sonja rushed to Lance who used the white sword to keep him standing. The blue knight took out the vial and pressed it to his lips. Lance drank it down and vitality filled his limbs and body. A sheath appeared on the knight’s back and he lifted the white sword. The blade slipped into the sheath perfectly.
“My lord, we have to retreat. The battle is going badly,” Dalya said with a hint of fear in her tone.
Lance and Sonja moved to the knight. The three knights and concubine dashed northward. Jayson motioned down one street and then a next.
“How do we get out of here?” Sonja said as knights fell around them to troll blades and axes.
“We have a friend,” Jayson said as he led the way.
A house down the street glowed like a beacon in Jayson’s mind. They reached the entrance, Jayson nearly ripping the door off its hinges. Darting in, they saw an open door with a staircase leading down. The group dashed for the doorway and down the stairs. Reaching the basement, bare stone walls surrounded them.
Panic was setting in until one of the walls opened and a pale smiling face appeared. A black gloved hand silently beckoned. Rushing to the jester, they filled the tunnel before Lunatina pulled a switch. The door closed behind them, blocking out the light.
***
An ancient stone entrance opened up. A breeze caressed faces as several knights, a concubine and a jester stepped out into a tall grassy field, trees dotting the hills. Eyes turned to the crossroads and the burning kingdoms to the east of them. Flames licked the sky
and plumes of black smoke rose up. Shadow’s touched their hearts as they watched kingdoms turn to ash.
“So, begins the war,” Lunatina said in a hushed tone.
Jayson turned to Sonja and Lance. The blue knight had dirt and ash covering her face, her armor dented and cracked. Lance’s white armor was covered in soot and dried blood. Jayson looked to Lance’s eyes. The white knight could not keep them from trembling. Wet eyes spilled tears and he fell to his knees. Sonja fell to her knees next to him, arms wrapping around and pressing her face to his. Jayson stepped over and knelt down, pressing his forehead to Lance’s head. The heartache was real as Lance fought the urge to sob. After a long moment, he broke down, images of Lorn still alive in his mind.
Lunatina and Dalya looked on as the kingdoms burned, tall grass swaying to the breeze.
Seventeen
The keep was quiet except for the sputter and crackle of torches on the walls. Jayson stood in the harem room, eyes on the coffins on each bed. Timers glowed over every coffin, counting down to when his harem would resurrect again. Oksuna stood to one side of her lord while Dalya stood on the other. The mood was somber as they too looked at the coffins, seeing the timers display ten days and eleven hours.
“It feels so empty here without them,” Jayson whispered.
Dalya leaned her head onto Jayson’s shoulder and sighed, “They will be back and ready to serve once again.”
Jayson nodded. “Still doesn’t take away the fact that I miss them.”
Oksuna moved in close, hands around his waist, pressing her body to his to bring her lord comfort. Jayson put a hand around her waist but continued to stare at one coffin after the other, thoughts full of images of his loving concubines.
“Dalya, stay here with Oksuna. Protect her with your life,” Jayson said with a simple command.
The Kitra nodded.
The knight turned to the pink haired troll and looked deeply into her dark blue eyes, “I have to keep going to the West. War has broken out and troll armies are moving. Something to the west is connected with you. I have to uncover what it is and hope I can protect you from it. Even here in the human cities, you may not be safe for long.”