Cinder Reign: The Midnight Flame: A Sword & Sorcery Fantasy Adventure

by Vinn Winters

  Vyra nodded.

  “Just know that,” Aldrean continued, “whatever happens… in my eyes, you’re as every bit of a squire as the others, maybe even more.”

  “Thank you, that means so much to me,” Vyra said with a wide smile.

  The servant fastened the vest to her. It fit perfectly.

  ~

  “Vyra!” She heard a familiar voice shout as they were leaving the Manor.

  Vyra turned back to see Maek and Sister Clevora racing up to them.

  “Is it true? Are we really under siege?” Sister Clevora said, her face etched with worry.

  “It is, but we will handle it,” Aldrean said, his voice switching back to the tone he gave during public speeches.

  “May I speak to your squire for a moment,” Maek asked Aldrean, with painfully forced formality.

  “Beckonthrone is about to be attacked by a dragon, we have no time,” Aldrean responded sternly.

  “Oh, hush! The dragon can wait or it will answer to me!” Sister Clevora snapped. Stepping between Vyra and Aldrean, the priestess wrapped her arm around the paladin. Aldrean froze, completely petrified.

  “Give these two a moment and take a quick stroll around the manor with me,” Sister Clevora ordered.

  “I—we really should go—” Aldrean stammered. Vyra could visibly see the sweat forming on his forehead.

  But Sister Clevora had already started moving, dragging the helpless paladin along with her. As they departed, the priestess glanced back at Vyra and mouthed, “I can’t believe this is working!”

  Vyra looked back to Maek. Even though the manor was bustling with people scurrying to prepare for the oncoming siege, at this moment, she felt totally alone with him.

  “You look good,” Maek said warmly, “like you could take on the whole realm yourself.”

  “Thank you,” Vyra replied with a smile. “I am really nervous.”

  “Then don’t go,” Maek said passionately. “You’ve shown them. You are stronger and more capable of being a warrior than most men. You don’t need to fight a dragon to prove yourself.”

  “Maek, I’ll be okay,” Vyra replied, trying to find the right words to say. “You don’t need to worry about—”

  Maek leaned forward, his lips touching hers. Vyra almost pulled away in surprise, but stopped. His lips were warm, and felt nice. She felt one of his hands gently graze against her cheek. After a few moments, he slowly pulled away. Breathlessly, they stared into each other’s eyes. Then Vyra finally spoke.

  “It’s more than just proving myself, Maek,” Vyra said, too softly. “I want to protect this kingdom, protect its people. Trying to become a knight for status alone defeats the purpose. Our people deserve to live free and without fear. I cannot abandon them when that is threatened.”

  “Vyra…” Maek whispered; a sliver of liquid forming beneath his eyes. “You could die today.”

  Vyra leaned forward, resting her forehead against his.

  “If I walk away,” she said, “we all could die.”

  “Not if we run,” Maek urged. “We could run away right now. Everyone in the kingdom is so preoccupied with the dragon; they’d never see us leave!”

  The outside world returning to her, Vyra looked around; the city was filled with people racing around, either frantically boarding up their homes and taking shelter or rushing to the walls of Beckonthrone to prepare to defend it.

  It’s utter pandemonium, Vyra thought, Maek’s right… they would never see us. No one would see anything in all this chaos.

  “Maek, you’re a genius!” Vyra said, grabbing him by the face and giving him a quick kiss.

  “I am?” Maek responded, bewildered. After a moment to process what had happened, a wide grin crossed his face. “I am!”

  “I’ve got to go; the king’s life is in danger!” Vyra said.

  Vyra started to leave when she felt a tug on her wrist. She looked back at Maek.

  “If we stay, all of our lives are in danger,” he replied.

  “This will not be the last time we see each other,” Vyra said, throwing her arms around him. “I will come back for you, I promise.”

  She felt his resistance as she went to pull away, but he let her go.

  Their eyes met once more, and then Vyra was dashing around the manor’s perimeter, trying to catch up with Aldrean and Sister Clevora.

  She caught up to them surprisingly quickly. Sister Clevora was doing all the talking; if Vyra had been further away, she would have sworn Aldrean was a statue.

  Sister Clevora really had plans to take him for quite the lengthy stroll, Vyra thought, feeling guilty for interrupting.

  “We need to go back to the palace!” Vyra blurted out as she approached.

  “So quickly?” Sister Clevora asked, looking disappointed.

  “I’m sorry, Sister, but this cannot wait!” Vyra replied.

  “But—the dragon—Beckonthrone...” Aldrean’s words were practically gibberish.

  “Think about it,” Vyra explained. “We’ve never seen a dragon in Ancantion in our lifetime, or those who lived before us, going all the way back to the forming of Beckonthrone. Why would there suddenly be a dragon here, now, and why would it be specifically heading our way.”

  “Well, the myths say that the only surviving dragons are clever and intelligent creatures,” Aldrean replied, some of his consciousness returning to him. “Perhaps it’s always been here, slumbering or biding its time.”

  “Which… would explain the strange disappearances of travelers between cities at night,” Sister Clevora added.

  “Yes! If it’s true, then the dragon’s motivations have been driven by hunger. But Ethoria said that her scouts spotted it flying over Wishwind Lake, meaning it had to fly around either Trael or Solria, maybe both,” Vyra continued.

  “What’s your point?” Aldrean asked.

  “Why would a clever and intelligent creature choose to fly twice the distance to attack the most well-defended city of the third realm and specifically avoid the closer and weaker surrounding towns or villages?” Vyra pressed.

  The paladin pondered her words for a moment and then his eyes widened.

  “Because this is a strategic attack, the dragon is not working alone,” Aldrean replied quickly. “But there’s been no report from the rangers of an approaching army in Ancantion.”

  “That’s because whoever is behind this is already here, in Beckonthrone,” Vyra stated. “I think someone is trying to use the chaos of this battle to assassinate the king.”

  Sister Clevora gasped.

  “We need to get back to the—” Vyra started, but Aldrean had already turned and began sprinting back towards the castle.

  “Lord Aldrean, wait!” Vyra shouted, and started after him.

  “Vyra!”

  She turned back to see Sister Clevora’s eyes staring into hers.

  “Be careful,” she whispered.

  Vyra nodded and turned to catch up with the paladin.

  The path back to the castle was significantly more frenzied than when they were heading to the manor. Riots had erupted throughout the city. Merchant stalls were being looted. Fights had broken out. Vyra winced as a bottle struck her in the shoulder.

  Vyra could not find Aldrean in all the chaos, he was already gone.

  I need to catch up with him, she thought, but main roads had already fallen to hysteria. I need to find a shortcut.

  She turned and darted down the nearest alleyway.

  ~

  “Alright, so you know the plan?” Eygodon asked.

  “There was a plan?” Tuq-tuq replied, scratching his head. “I thought the dragon was the plan.”

  Eygodon slowly ran his hand down his face.

  “Okay fine, that’s the plan,” Eygodon said. Staring at the city of Beckonthrone in the distance, he unfastened the satchel around his back.

  “Are we… both going in there?” the goblin replied nervously.

  “No, just me,” Eygodon replied, rolling
his eyes.

  The goblin let out a large sigh of relief.

  “Are you sure you won’t accidentally teleport yourself into a wall or—” Tuq-tuq asked.

  “I got us here didn’t I?” Eygodon countered, fuming.

  “You said you were aiming for the Kae-koon castle,” the goblin replied, scratching its chin.

  “I did say that, and there it is!” the warlock said, gesturing to the castle in the distance.

  “Yes, and here we are,” Tuq-tuq replied, pointing at the ground beneath them.

  “I don’t have time to argue technicalities with you. Just — take care of Brielle okay?” Eygodon said, handing the wrapped up nymph gently to Tuq-tuq.

  “Sure thing, boss,” Tuq-tuq replied. “She’ll be safe with me.”

  “Keep your eyes on her, or else,” Eygodon warned.

  “Sure thing, boss.”

  “Any sight of danger and you run and hide, or else,” Eygodon warned.

  “Got it, boss.”

  “And if I find out that you ran and hid and didn’t take Brielle with you, the thing you were running from will look like a cuddly kitten in comparison to the wrath I’ll bring upon you. Get it?” Eygodon warned.

  “Got it, boss,” the goblin replied.

  “Good,” Eygodon cracked his back and straightened his shoulders. “Give me the Dakka Mor.”

  “You sure, boss? Channeling that level of dark magic can make you pretty, um…” Tuq-tuq cut himself off.

  “Pretty what?” Eygodon asked.

  The goblin shook his head.

  “It’s okay, Tuq-tuq. Speak freely. I promise I won’t hurt you for it, this time,” Eygodon said.

  “Pretty vicious,” Tuq-tuq finished. Reaching into his bag, he handed the dark book to the warlock

  As Eygodon’s amber eyes turned back to the distant city, a wide toothy grin crossed his face.

  “That’s exactly what I’m counting on.”

  Chapter 6

  Vyra darted through the maze of alleyways towards Aeroma castle. She could barely hear mayhem in the main streets. If it wasn’t for the bells ringing overhead, one wouldn’t even know the city was in an upheaval.

  I don’t see him ahead of me. Did I take a wrong turn? Vyra thought frantically. She quickened her pace, but the route she was following lead to a dead end.

  “Are you lost, lady?” A boy with dark hair turned the corner into the alley she was in. He was skinny and wore ragged clothes. At oldest he had to be a young teen.

  “I think so,” she said quickly. “Which way is it to the castle?”

  The boy pointed in the direction almost opposite that she had been going. “Just take this passage here three houses down, then you take a right and—”

  “No time to talk. I’ll figure it out, thank you!” Vyra said, darting past the boy and heading in that direction.

  “Wait! I wasn’t done telling you,” he called from behind her, but she raced ahead.

  Sorry, I don’t have a moment to spare, she thought, now down this passageway and—

  She reached another dead end.

  Vyra cursed and turned a different direction, darting around empty boxes and a broken wheelbarrow; but this path too led to a dead end. This one was more remote than the last.

  I should’ve listened to the boy… I should’ve stuck to the main roads instead of trying to find a shortcut, she thought, cursing under her breath. If I double back, I might still be able to catch up to him before he reaches—

  “Well isn’t this a treat,” a familiar voice made her blood run cold. She whirled around to face Radek, with an armed city guard on each side. “It’s the one-of-a-kind woman squire.”

  “What are the chances of running into you here,” Vyra said, forcing a friendly civility to her voice.

  “Pretty high, for the hunter that keeps its eye on its prey,” Radek said smugly.

  Witch’s Blight, Vyra swore internally. I was so determined to catch up, I didn’t check to see if I was being watched… if I was being followed.

  “I’m supposed to meet with Lord Aldrean,” Vyra explained cautiously. “He’ll be expecting me.”

  “He can wait,” Radek said with a sly grin. “The rumors is that a dragon is about to attack the city. A fully-fledged, fire breathing dragon, imagine that? I know for a fact that Beckonthrone doesn’t have the strength to fight off a beast that mighty, or at least… not without casualties.”

  Vyra’s eyes widened and she quickly drew her sword. “Even if you manage to defeat me, Aldrean will find out… and he’ll see you hang for this.”

  “But that’s the best part,” Radek sneered, drawing a black-coated dagger from its sheath. “I came prepared.”

  “You think you’re scaring me because you have a poisoned dagger?” Vyra scoffed. “If I see a dagger, I assume it’s poisoned.”

  “Oh, no… this is something special, I picked it out just for you,” Radek said with a chuckle. “It’s an Eventide Blade, a weapon only carried by the elite court of the Duskpetal Witch. They salvaged these weapons from the bodies of our enemies after The Battle of Cinder Reign; though the king had them kept under tight security. It took a great deal of bribing and planning just to get my hands on just this little Eventide dagger, but for you… this dagger is more than enough.”

  “I’m not afraid of your cursed dagger,” Vyra said defiantly.

  “Oh, you’ll soon find out it’s much more than cursed,” Radek said gleefully. “In fact, if you take a few steps closer, I think I’ll show you what it can—”

  “Hey what’s going on? I heard yelling…is everyone okay?” the boy from the other alley said as he caught up.

  The guards all turned to face the boy. For a moment, Radek looked back at her; with an insidiously gleeful look covering his face, he put his finger to his lips.

  Vyra’s blood froze.

  No… oh Holy Willow they wouldn’t, Vyra thought anxiously

  Vyra made a dash, hoping to get past them. But the guard to Radek’s left noticed her attempt to escape and turned around with his weapon raised.

  “You need to run!” Vyra yelled to the boy. “Run and get help!”

  “It’s okay,” Radek said calmly as he approached the boy. “We guard Beckonthrone. We keep it safe and serve the crown. We are the help.”

  “Well, what are you doing to that lady then?” the boy asked innocently.

  “That lady is a criminal. We caught her stealing, and we’re just doing our duty to bring her in,” Radek said smoothly. He slowly approached the boy with his hands in the air, the black dagger still in his right hand.

  “He’s lying!” Vyra shouted. “Get away from him! You’re not safe here!”

  “Ignore her, she’ll be in the dungeon before the sun sets,” Radek said. “I’m Radek, I’m the Captain of the Guard. You’ll be safe with me. What’s your name, lad?”

  “It’s Jeremy,” the boy said obediently; he looked at the guards and then at Vyra. She could see the uncertainty in his eyes, and she bet Radek could see it too.

  “She doesn’t look that bad. Can’t you just let her go?” the boy pleaded.

  “I’ll be fine! Just leave, please!” Vyra shouted.

  “Hey, Jeremy, you’re right,” Radek said with a smile. He was almost directly in front of the boy. “We’re just going to have a nice talk with her, and maybe if she agrees to obey the laws of the kingdom, the laws of our king; we’ll let her go…just this time; because we’re the good guys, right?”

  “Yeah, you’re the good guys,” the boy said, seeming reassured. “You help make sure everyone is good, and protect us from the evil goblins.”

  “Exactly, Jeremy,” Radek said, raising his eyebrows. “We keep order in this kingdom, and see that everyone obeys it, even curious boys who go around asking dangerous questions.”

  “What?” the boy asked, his face scrunching in confused.

  Radek lunged forward, grabbing the boy and covering his mouth with his hand. The boy struggled frantically, bu
t was no match for the captain’s strength.

  “You believe merely a cursed blade, so let me give you a demonstration,” Radek snarled.

  “Let him go!” Vyra shouted.

  “You brought this on yourself,” Radek shot back. “People like you anger me the most. You think the whole realm should put you first, that the rules don’t apply to you because you’re special. But you’ll learn now that you should have just obeyed the law. Because I uphold the laws, I am the face of order in this whole damn city; and when you challenge order, you challenge me. Normally, we wouldn’t have to take these measures, but all this time you’ve been begging for special treatment, and now you’re finally going to get it. So pay close attention, squire.”

  “Let him go!” Vyra screamed, as she charged at him. The two guards stepped forward with their blades drawn. Vyra swung her sword at the first guard with such force that when he moved to block her attack, she knocked his blade from his hand.

  “Sorry, boy,” Radek said, lowering the dagger upon the boy’s forehead. “If you’d just had known better to keep to yourself. You never tell a Beckonthrone guard what to do. You never tell me what to do.”

  The alleyway was filled with the ringing of steel clashing upon steel as Vyra fought back the two guards; the boy’s muffled screams driving her fury. Her blade found home slicing through the side of one guard’s neck. The other guard swung and she ducked but then sank her sword into him from under his arm. The second guard fell, and she turned to the captain.

  Radek released the boy, and what was left of him fell to the ground and scattered to ash.

  Vyra took a step back, putting her hand over her mouth.

  “Grow up. You want to be a knight so badly, but part of the duty is realizing that you can’t save everyone. Congratulations on your first casualty. That’s all the training you’ll ever need,” Radek said as he stepped over the pile of ash.

  “You killed him. He was just a boy. He was innocent!” Vyra yelled.

  “And you killed two of my best men. Honorable guards who were just doing their duty, upholding order, serving their kingdom. They each had families and little boys of their own,” Radek said with a shrug. “And felled by a woman too, what a… dishonorable way to die.”