Clay's family made it to the Zyla Quarter after his father had brought back a crystal from the war. His older brother never returned, but his father said that he didn’t go in vain; he died to help give his family a better life. Once they made it into the Zyla Quarter, it was everything he’d dreamed of. The fresh air, beautiful log cabins , the Palace casting shadows for shade in all the best places, and all of the kind people. He was more than happy that they made it into Zyla, but then his views changed when he saw what many of the Zyla people were doing.
The people never spoke of it out loud, as if it were forbidden to speak of. People from the Zext Quarter were bought and brought back to the Zyla Quarter to work as slaves. Clay recognized a kid from when he lived in the Ruq Quarter. A while back the kid and his family were sent to the Zext Quarter because the boy’s father made a smart remark about the king. Once in Zyla, the boy was constantly a victim of physical abuse, starvation, and heavy labor.
It was like that for a year until Clay found him dead on the road. The boy had been severely beaten, to the point that he could no longer hold onto life. That night, dark shadows broke into the cabin and everyone in that family was killed. Clay had no doubts that it was the rumored organization from the poor quarters, and since then he set out to find them and join them. He wanted to change the Kingdom so that his family could live in a better place. Change it, so that his family could live happily like his brother wanted them to.
Tayen was now standing right in front of Clay while sizing him up. She looked into his brown eyes with her bright greens and was so close to him that their noses were almost touching.
Clay didn’t know what to expect. His heart raced as Tayen looked him over like a doctor examining a wound. A few seconds later, relief poured over him after she smiled.
“You’re in,” Tayen said.
Clay let out a breath. Was that it? Was that really all he had to do? Fight Michael, get examined by Tayen, and he was in?
Michael turned to Tayen when she looked at him. “Are you going to give me the death stare as well?”
Tayen chuckled, “I’ve done that many times over. You fought well Michael. I’d say that you’re ready to join as well.”
Michael was relieved as well. If he had to wait another year to join, he was going to go crazy.
Joctus didn’t really like the idea, and it was written all over his face, but he didn’t say anything. He was a bit protective over Michael because he was the youngest, and he didn’t believe that the boy was ready. Michael fought recklessly and, in a battle against the Zyla Knights, he could easily be killed.
“He lost from getting punched in his bubbles!” Lennie laughed.
“I didn’t lose.”
Clay smirked and turned his head to Michael, “I wouldn’t say you won.”
Michael raised a brow, “You want a rematch then?”
Clay wind-milled his staff with one hand and chuckled, “Bring it on.”
Chapter 6
Two months later
“A toast!!” Michael shot his glass into the air, spilling the contents over him and Clays’s shoulder.
The bar’s ruckus quieted down and they turned to Michael, Clay, Lennie, and Ty’ere with smiles on their faces.
“To what?” Clay laughed.
Michael swung his heavy arm over Clay’s shoulder. “To partnership!”
The people in the bar clashed their glasses together, some clinking loudly, and others making their glasses shatter into pieces. “To partnership!”
With years of experience, Lennie drank his glass of alcohol down in only a few gulps, then he slammed the glass down against the bar counter. “More!”
Joctus walked over to Lennie and poured the clear substance into Lennie’s cracked glass. Some of it squirted out through the cracks, but Lennie didn’t care and picked it up to gulp it down.
Unlike the others, Michael was still on his first cup. His tolerance wasn’t as high as the Raluzan’s, and the alcohol had such a high potency that a second glass could kill him. The people of Raluza seemed to be able to handle a lot more alcohol than just a few glasses. That was why bars were so popular in the city. Especially, in the Ruq and Ponz Quarters.
“You are one of the best partners ever my friend,” Michael slurred.
“I’ve enjoyed working with you as well,” Clay laughed.
A woman with long blond hair and bright blue eyes wrapped her arms around Michael’s neck. “Care to make a partnership with me tonight?” She asked sweetly.
Michael smiled and turned his head to face her. He would have taken her to his room if she didn’t look the way that she did. The woman was beautiful, but she wasn’t who he wanted her to be. Michael found himself more attracted to the grey eyed, brown skinned type, and there was only one girl in this entire Kingdom with that combination.
“I’m sorry doll, I would, but I can’t.”
Lennie leaned in behind the woman, “I’d be happy to take you to my room little lady.” He patted her on her backside and was about to lean in for a kiss when she whipped around and grabbed him by the neck.
“Get your hands off of me,” the woman growled.
Ty’ere looked up from his glass and shook his head, “She was the wrong one Lennie.”
Michael looked down at Lennie’s feet and saw that they were barely touching the floor. What was it with the women of Raluza and their incredible strength?
“Ah,” Lennie choked out. “W-whore!”
Clay walked over to the woman and slid his hand over her shoulder with a confident grin, “Please, excuse my friend here. He lacks manners and doesn’t know how to treat a beautiful woman such as you.”
The woman was immediately distracted and dropped Lennie to the floor. She looked into Clay’s soft brown eyes and blushed.
“You have such gorgeous eyes,” Clay complimented. “I would love to get acquainted with you.”
“O-oh. Sure, of course.”
“I’m staying in one of the rooms upstairs. I’ll take you there,” Clay flashed a gorgeous smile and then turned to walk away with the blonde.
Lennie got back to his feet while rubbing his neck. He was thankful that no one else in the bar paid any attention to the scene. Instead, they continued laughing, arm wrestling, and drinking.
Michael set his glass down at the bar. “Smooth move Len.”
“Shut-up.” Lennie stood next to Michael and looked around to see if anyone had witnessed what had just happened.
Michael chuckled and shook his head, “You have bad luck with the women.”
“Yeah, well at least I’m not afraid to pick one up,” Lennie shot back.
“True, but you never seem to get any,” Ty’ere said, standing from his chair.
“Oh, hush, you man-lover,” Lennie retorted.
“Ah, yes. But at least I can get one to go home with me if I wanted,” Ty’ere laughed.
Michael shook his head again and laughed with Ty’ere.
“Whatever!” Lennie gulped down the rest of his cup and slammed it down on the bar. “I’m heading to bed!”
“All alone,” Ty’ere teased.
Lennie walked out of the bar and headed for the stairs, but not before flipping both his middle fingers at his friends.
“It’s about time I go as well,” Ty’ere stood. “I’ll see you tomorrow, brother. Don’t stay out too late.”
“That all depends on when Clay sends that woman out of our room,” Michael sighed.
Ty’ere smiled and left the bar. He had his own place a few blocks away.
Michael turned around and sat down on the stool at the bar. At his drunkest moments he would think about Aveena and her beautiful grey eyes. He could still remember how they glowed in the dark when she raised her head from his chest...and then how he screamed in her face.
Michael chuckled to himself and pushed his half full glass away from himself.
Tayen walked over to him and took the glass, “You boys done already?”
“Yeah,
at least I’m finished. Clay’s up in the room with his new lady friend,” Michael pointed upwards.
Tayen twisted her face in disgust. She still saw the boys as kids through her eyes, and she couldn’t really get passed the fact that they were having sex now.
“I know,” Michael laughed. “That’s how I feel.”
Tayen smiled and put the glass on the back counter. “So, what’s bothering you?”
Michael bit his lower lip. Tayen had a natural ability to read people, and she could always tell when something was wrong with Michael. There was something about her eyes that told her everything that she needed to know about someone, and she was never wrong. She was right about Clay and his intentions for joining the organization. If she didn’t like what she saw in him that night, then she would have had him killed.
“Don’t tell me you’re tired from the little missions I’ve sent you on?” Tayen leaned on her elbows across from Michael.
“No,” Michael sighed. He just couldn’t shake Aveena’s dark grey eyes from his mind. “That’s not it at all.”
Tayen sucked her lips in and stood up straight. It was clear to her that he didn’t want to talk right now. “Well, whenever you want to talk, you know I’m here to listen.”
“Thanks Tay,” Michael nodded and stood from the bar, then he walked out and into the night.
The city was quiet at this time of night, and any commotion was most likely coming from the bars. The bars around the poor quarters rarely ever closed because the people always needed a drink. It was popular to drink away your pain these days.
Michael wasn’t much of a drinker, but when his friends wanted to go and have a good time, he never turned them down. So far, his friends were all that he had until it was time that he brought his family to Raluza. He hoped that they were okay back at home. It had been such a long time since he’d seen them and hopefully they moved on after he disappeared.
One day Raluza would go back to how it once was. Back to the beautiful world that Tayen described to him before the war started. Their Kingdom won the war and took over both the North and South. It was only a matter of time before Lavier would try to take the Eastern Kingdom and rule over all four. He was greedy and power hungry. That was why the organization thought it was best to kill the Princess before her seal faded.
The organization had been planning it for years. They had no idea if Princess Aveena was with Lavier or against him, and they couldn’t take any chances with her. If she was with Lavier, then the Kingdom would be too powerful to overrun and all hope would be lost. Michael prayed to the Ralu god that when the time came, Aveena could somehow change the organization’s mind. For some reason, he just couldn’t bear the thought of her dying.
Michael sighed and gazed at the moon as he walked. He was sobering, but was still a little drowsy and really needed a bed to crash on. If Clay weren’t using the bedroom then he could have been asleep. His spoiled Zyla friend always hogged up the room.
Looking ahead of him, Michael noticed something glistening in the moonlight. He counted about five somethings glistening every time they moved. It was the Knights.
Michael hurriedly slid into an alley and listened to the Knights the best that he could.
“The Princess has escaped the Palace again. King Lavier wants her back immediately,” the lead Knight said.
Michael recognized that voice and felt his heart jump. It was the same lead Knight that chased him around the city the day of his initiation. If only he’d remembered to keep his air board on him. Of all nights, he decided not to carry it with him.
“I don’t understand, why does she keep running away?” One Knight asked.
“I don’t know, just find her! I’m pretty sure once we bring her back this time, he’s going to put the damned girl on a short leash,” the lead Knight snapped. “Now go.”
Michael could hear the five Knights splitting up and decided to run through the dark alley where they wouldn’t see him. The Princess escaped the Palace again? He wondered what the Knight meant by ‘putting her on a short leash’? Aveena couldn’t have been happy at the Palace if she was always running away from it, and the Knights would force her to go back if they found her, so Michael was going to have to find her first.
Michael continued to run up the alley that made a very steep hill. Most of the Ponz Quarter was found on a slope, downhill from the Ruq Quarter, which is why there were so many slides built underground. The tunnels were a faster way to travel downwards, but they were a hassle if you wanted to go up.
Michael cursed under his breath for drinking tonight. Being in the organization had taught him to always be ready for a fight, but after that half glass of liquor, he felt as if he were far from it. He slowed to a stop and hunched over to catch his breath. He was more tired than when he had to train with Joctus and knew it was the effects of the alcohol.
“Get off of me!” A woman’s voice yelled up ahead of him. It was Aveena.
“For Ralu’s sake,” Michael sighed. She couldn’t have given him a little more time? He pulled out his green ball and transformed it into a staff, then he began running up the hill at a faster pace. He picked up his speed when it sounded like Aveena was struggling to get away from the Knights. He could hear them yelling to grab her legs, or to hold her down.
“Get off!” Aveena yelled again.
Michael took a few more steps before he stopped and saw Aveena in the ally to his right. She was kicking at one Knight, while the other bear hugged her from behind.
“You’re hurting me!” Aveena yelled.
Michael frowned. There were only three Knights, which meant that the other two were still searching around somewhere. He hoped that he could just take on these three.
“Hey!” Michael calmed himself down, and then ran at the Knight closest to him. “That’s no way to treat a lady!”
The Knight was getting ready to brace himself, but Michael was too fast. He leaped off one leg and kicked off of the brick wall with the other, then came down overhead with his staff and slammed it against the young Knight’s shoulder. The Knight screamed out in pain and fell down to his knees. Michael wasn’t sure what he broke, but something cracked and he was sure that this Knight would no longer be able to fight.
Michael looked up and saw Aveena’s bright white eyes. They were glowing just like the first time that he’d met her, only this time they weren’t so intimidating. After visualizing them in his head day after day they didn’t freak him out so much anymore. He snapped his eyes away from Aveena and went after the second Knight, but this one was prepared. He blocked Michael’s blow and then turned his staff to the side, hitting Michael in the side of his head.
“Michael!” Aveena yelled.
Michael stumbled to his right and crashed against the brick wall. When he saw the staff coming at his temple again he ducked, stepped to the side, and kicked the Knight hard in his stomach. The Knight lost his balance and fell on his back.
Michael then turned to the Knight that was holding Aveena and raised a brow. The intimidated Knight let her go and held his hands in the air.
Aveena stumbled into Michael’s arms, then straightened herself up and moved her wild hair out of her face. “What are you doing here?” She asked with a frown.
Michael frowned back at her, “What does it look like? I’m helping you.” He didn’t understand why she was directing her attitude towards him.
“Well, I didn’t ask you to,” Aveena shot back.
The Knight who fell to the ground got back on his feet, “What are you doing!?” He yelled at the other Knight. “Get them!”
Aveena and Michael snapped their heads towards the two Knights, then both of their eyes widened when they saw the other two Knights step into the entrance of the alley.
The lead Knight’s confused face darkened when he recognized Michael, “You.”
Michael smiled, “Have we met?”
“Get them!” The lead Knight yelled. “Shoot him down!”
Aveena g
rabbed Michael’s arm and pulled him down the alley. Once Michael was running at her speed, she let his arm go and they dodged bullets together, or at least they hoped that none of them actually hit.
“This way!” Aveena yelled.
They turned left to run back down the hill in the alley and dramatically increased their speed. Aveena seemed to be handling herself just fine, but Michael felt as if his legs were losing control and he imagined that he would tumble down any moment.
Michael focused on his running up until he saw Clay flying his air board in their direction. He flew right over their heads and went straight for the Knights chasing them. He maneuvered his board to deflect the bullets and slammed the bottom of it against one of the Knights, causing a domino effect, then he turned around to catch up with Michael and Aveena.
“Now, what are you doing out here Michael?” Clay asked with a smirk on his face. He enjoyed seeing his rival completely tired out while he was comfortable on his air board.
Michael continued to run with Aveena. Even though the Knights had fallen far behind, they still needed to create more distance between them. Clay just glided with them until they came to a stop at one of the tunnels. It was one that Michael and the others avoided because this very tunnel led towards the Zext quarter.
“Why did we.. stop here?” Michael panted. He hunched over to catch his breath again.
Clay dropped to his feet and snapped his board against his back. “Why are you even out here?”
Michael frowned, “My room was occupied, remember?”
“Ah right, the blonde,” Clay chuckled as he thought back to the beautiful woman. “She’s gone now.”
Aveena rolled her eyes when she caught on to what the two were talking about, and then pulled her cloak hood over her head.
Clay turned to her and his smile slowly faded. He didn’t know who the woman was, but her white eyes completely threw him off guard. “And who is this beauty?”
Aveena: The City of Gold (The Black Knight duology Book 1) Page 7