Entry Four

  Just A Quick Run

  The sword thrusted into his stomach. I twisted the blade and pulled it out. Like a dam, the blood flowed. He gasped out. His hands cupped his stomach attempting to cover the wound. It failed as the blood broke through with ease. He coughed weakly. Red sprayed out. He took a weak step towards me. The guard fell to his knees. I gripped my hilt. The weight felt good in my palm. I swung. His head rolled down the castle steps. I lifted my visor and wiped the sweat off my face. I let it fall back down. Quickly, I descended down the stairs. My armor grumbled with every step.

  Light tan brick made up the spiral stairs. They lined the outside of one of three towers that made up Renmit’s palace. The sun fell down on the western ocean. I huffed out. My skin stuck against my red armor. The muggy air weighed me down. Guards shouted above me. I heard their metal boots rush down the stairs. Fuck. I picked up speed, nearly tripping over myself. Did she escape? Please, tell me she did. I looked across the railing. The giant city expanded all around the castle. It spread, pressing itself against the teal waves. Ships entered and exited the large dock. They brought goods from all over. Illegal wine from Kapina and fruit from the Isle of the Damn. Maybe she climbed aboard one? I prayed she found a safe passage.

  Those fools had thrown me in the dungeon as soon as King George received word on Bloodstone. I honestly could not believe it myself. Morgan was always rough around the edges but she was a kind person. She would have never hurt a fly. Well, until now apparently. Before, her anger had not been anything except words. Instead of providing a reason for her actions, they just told me she went crazy and murdered everyone. I refused to believe it. It was not her. It was a simple lie. However, the guards outside my cell told me each detail as if it were gospel. Each word I argued. They were lies meant to slander her name.

  Three days they kept me locked up. My hands had been chained up to the wall. Even in my incapacitated state, they remained vigilant. Their eyes remained fixed on my every movement. The dullness of solitude had me banging the back of my against the wall as some form of entertainment. During that time, I realized how I took my daily bath for granted. My short dark red hair had turned clumpy and greasy. They refused to let me keep my dignity intact.

  The morning of the fourth day, I stared at the wall. Attempting to pass time, I continued my daily game of banging. A conversation caught my attention. I strained my eyes attempting to see past the bars. On the other side, Tyler Virtanen chatted up the men. The signature smirk of the family plastered across his face. He held a bottle of something strong in his hand.

  “Dear friends, my stepfather has sent me.” He took a swig and grimaced. “Now, this had a rather unpleasant taste I do admit. It’s given me more chest hair than puberty!” The bastard let out a roar of laughter. “Now, I will give you this bottle and several more if you permit me a conversation with our dear prisoner. A private one.” The two guards exchanged glances. “Come on now! How about a trip to the brothel? On me, of course! This filthy Viking needs to be handled.” He tossed the bottle to one of them. “Go on! Enjoy your day!”

  A slick tongue had to be possessed by any bastard. It was the only way to prove themselves to the courts. No matter how much he drank, he functioned. The young man whipped open the door with a rather satisfied look. He was barely twenty years old but approached me like he had all the achievements of the Emperor. He uncuffed me from the wall but forced me into a new pair around my wrists. He pulled me up to my feet. The stringy boy looked down at me. His pointed ears caused many to turn heads the day of his birth.

  Without saying a word, he led me out of my confinements. His hand remained firmly on my back. He chuckled every time a passing maid or guard sent a look our way. The Heir’s bastard baby brother and her greasy guard, the perfect pair. My quarters were much closer to Morgan’s than any guard’s had a right to be. As children, we even shared a bed. In a pathetic attempt, I strained my neck trying to peer into her bedroom. Maybe it was a sick prank. She wasn’t there. Nor was she in my bedroom. At least it’s not been ransacked.

  “There you go, my dear friend!” He slammed the door closed. “Now, get armored up and get that sword!” He scrunched up his nose. “Maybe bathe first. Actually, that is an order from your resident Prince.” He slapped my back. “Be quick though! Guards will be swarming this entire place. My stepfather wants you dead as soon as possible. It’s caused a rather tense few dinners.”

  “Where’s Morgan?” I grabbed his shoulders. Tyler’s face dropped.

  “I don’t know.” His voice cracked. “Georgie chased her through the city. She disappeared after that.” The younger boy sat down on the edge of my bed. It caused the perfect comforter to crinkle. He tucked his head into his hands. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

  “No, she needs to explain herself. First, we must find her. The sooner that happens, the sooner we can get our lives on track.”

  “What possessed her to destroy fucking Bloodstone?!”

  “I had hoped you would know.” My arms crossed. “Maybe it has something to do with the vote. The dead can’t cast a ballot.”

  “Don’t get me started. I thought the Mighty were still dealing with the Larken. They are the ones that deserve it!”

  “The Larken? They are just mindless creatures. Do we kill every cougar we see? Shifters are sentient. Barely sentient. They control their actions and all their actions lead to carnage!”

  “Not all Shifters are bad! Some are stunted and need help!

  “I am not going to debate with you, Tyler.” I gritted my teeth. “We need to pack our things and get out of here!”

  I pulled a brown bag from my large dresser. I stuffed an extra shirt and a pair of pants into it. Tyler left me through a side door. It led into Morgan’s room. Her father claimed it was for protection. Her grandfather claimed it was to foster our relationship. Morgan called it another chance for us to annoy one another. I stared at the ground for a second. Unable to look away, I remembered all the times I was there for her. All the times she jumped to my defense. I should have been there. I fought back the tempting tears. No crying. Never again. I sucked into my lungs and clenched both of my fists. I promised myself I would find her and never let her out of my sight again. I finished my pack by grabbing a leather bound book from my shelf. I shoved the journal on top of my clothes and closed the latches.

  The princeling entered. Books spilled from his arms as he struggled against the weight. A blue pack hung off his shoulder. A white M had been stitched onto the front. Sweat across his red forehead caused his flat raven hair to stick. Despite sharing different fathers, the siblings looked nearly identical in the face. Several differences marked him. Instead of a large nose like Morgan's, his was slim and narrow much like his lengthy body. He seemed like a stretched out version of his sister. He was the tallest out of the family and the slimmest. Though that wasn’t a hard feat. All the Virtnaen’s seemed to be bulls and the Midnights were strong bodied hawks. They were birds of prey. While Tyler, if he wanted, he could have slipped between the bars of my cell with ease.

  “Morgan will appreciate these.” He let the books drop onto my bed.

  Silently, I moved to my armor stand. Tyler busied himself with packing Morgan’s bag. I paid no mind to him. My hand grazed the red chest plate. The Emperor had gifted me the set of blood red armor when I became a knight. I heard Morgan had picked out the color herself. She wanted it to match my hair. A smile forced its way onto my face. Sea creatures and water dragons were masterfully painted in black. They danced along the edges. At the center of the breastplate, a black crown had been imprinted prominently displaying my affiliation to Kai Midnight and the Empire. The greatest Emperor, until Morgan takes control. Soon, Morgan would take her seat on the crown. She would be the second ever ruler of Midnight and the most talented for generations to come. I would protect her with my life. I made the vow the day my father abandoned me in Crosspoint. The Midnights gave me love and shelter. I would return it until a blade slashed through my heart. I began to don the armor.

  “Go down the Spiral! I have to stop at the armory. It’s time to get a sword!” I stared at him with no emotion. “I trained with you and the Weapons Master!”

  “Just be quick! Don’t get caught either! You are a bastard, remember?”

  “Oh please, that just means I came from a fruitful arrangement.” He threw his arm around me and pulled us much closer than I had liked. “We will meet at the docks. I have a boat willing to take us to Halden. The Queen has always been fond of Morgan… For a variety of reasons” He handed me Morgan’s pack. “Take this in case you beat me there. There is more than enough money to fund five adventures over.”

  “Did you steal from Morgan’s bank?”

  “It’s not like she can touch it wherever she’s at! I did her a favor!” He pulled a gold Fyle from his pocket and flipped it. “I just took a little finder’s fee.”

  I slashed another guard down. A second charged behind me. I whipped around. I shoved my shoulder into her chest. Her back hit the rail and she toppled over. Her screams filled the air. They ceased as a sickening splat occurred. Unaware citizens shouted for guards. Their needs fell on deaf ears. Every soldier was caught up in the manhunt. Fuck. I sprinted down the stairs once again. The docks were so far away.

  Much too slowly, the end of the stairs appeared. Five ocean blue steel coated soldiers stood firm. A large tsunami marked each of their chests. Their allegiance to the Sorrow was stronger than their own Emperor. The center man wore no helm. His head was much too large to fit into one. His curly blonde hair waved in the salty wind. The same familiar smirk wiped across his tan face. Some women found him handsome. To me, his face curdled milk. I flexed my fingers around my sword. Georgie took a step forward. His armor was thicker than his men’s. It slowed his movement drastically. The heavy weight of it covered a body of muscle and large mass. The bull of a man had beaten a man to death in front of me. He didn’t even break a sweat during the process. The veins in his thick neck popped. Blood rushed to his head. He shouted like a madman. I took a step backward. The sight turned his shouts into loud laughs.

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  “Do you remember when we were kids?” Georgie unsheathed his sword. The large greatsword stood proud in both of his hands. The blue reflected the sun. White gems decorated the black hilt. It was gorgeous even when it was dripping blood. “We would play with the wooden training swords. I was the pirate and you were the Viking. We were always in conflict because we wanted the same treasure, the sweet little maid that took care of Tyler.” He let out another crazed laugh. “Morgan got to fuck her years down the line but we still fought like we had a chance. I know you prefer a shield to hide behind but me- I don’t need that shit!” He showed off his long sword. Morgan always claimed he was over compensating. “I named him The Gelder. I used it to deal with that maid’s husband.”

  “Speaking of the Heir. Where is she?” I prepared to strike.

  “Heir?” He scoffed. “That will be my title soon enough. As for the bitch, the snow will take her soon enough. Father’s already bought Norkden. Her fucking head will be gorgeous!” Some of the soldiers cheered beside him. “As for you, it’s time to end your miserable existence. She should have let you drown.”

  At once, two came for me. I took the shield from my back. Its black metal strongly contrasted my armor. I twirled my sword. One attacker closed in. I jabbed the edge of my shield into his stomach. He stumbled backward. A dent, nearly a tear, presented itself. I slashed at the second one. I cut loose the leather that held his shoulder piece together. I swung again. Blood flew through the air. He grabbed onto his exposed flesh screaming out. I kicked him down. The first returned. He slashed his sword down. I met it with my shield. The strength of the greatsword sent me to the ground. Another slash came. Heavy and slow. I rolled out of the way just missing the bone splitting edge. A weak spot in his metal clad boots revealed itself. I cut and he fell. The second soldier returned. Unable to use his other arm, he weakly thrust his heavy blade at me. I swiftly brought a metal tip to the inside of his neck.

  “Child’s play.” I spun my blade once more.

  A third approached. He pounded his own shield with a mace. Attempting to scare me, he let out a battle cry. I remained in my stance. It wasn’t the first time someone tried to scream at me until I ran away. We danced around the entrance of the castle. My armor, while heavy, was much lighter than anything Gerogie or his men wore. I ran laps around him. His protection meant his downfall as I slipped behind him. I slashed beneath his helm. Blood spilled from the back of his neck.

  I hit the ground. The final soldier had charged me. The brawler ripped my helmet up with ease. He punched my face. His sharp gauntlets left deep slices across my face. I spit out the blood. Without a thought, I shoved him to the ground. I jumped up. Faster than he could react, I kicked his head in. For good measure, I slammed my sword into his gullet. He let out a gurgled groan. His body twitched. I shoved it to the side with my foot.

  “Good job, Fal-ren.” Georgie circled me. “I will let you know that I didn’t particularly like these idiots. I figured I should let them prove themselves. I guess I picked the slow ones.” He sneered down at me. “I prefer to handle you myself.”

  “We both know you are a brute.” I inhaled deeply. I could feel the bruises form beneath my ribs. “You are stronger than me. That is a fact.”

  “It is a sign for you to be better. Though, I am doubtful that will actually happen.” He chuckled again.

  “You know my father would be ashamed of me. I wear armor and struggle against two people at a time. He could take out seven nights in just his trousers. All he would need are his two axes.”

  “A true Viking unlike his son.” Georgie shook his head. “No wonder he dropped you in the sea for the sharks. You defied fate when Morgan dove in. It is now time to finally right this wrong. Enough stalling!”

  Quicker than I could believe, Georgie raised the greatsword. He cut the air in two. I made it to the side. I ran. There was no reason to kill myself. Honor be damned. I ran down the steps and into the busy streets of Renmit. I pushed past the citizens. Their numbers nearly choked me. I shoved them. A couple shouted my name. A couple shouted for Georgie. Most shouted for the guards. They recognized the Heir’s guard. My feet propelled against the ground. I was faster Georgie but that didn’t mean I was quick. My armor weighed me to a slow jog. My shield and sword both hung off me. Two packs strapped themselves to me. The books and gold bounced. The straps tugged against my shoulder plates. Sweat drained from my pores. I pushed myself harder.

  I slipped through an empty alleyway. The shade gave me some relief. A large flag caught my eyes and sent me sprinting again. They’re so close. My metal shoes clunked against the stone. The sound of hooves clipping the ground joined them. I turned my head so slightly. For just a second, I stared. Georgie approached on his horse. It was as white as Norkden snow and faster than anything. It made up for every sluggish move its rider made. Fuck. Fuck! I dove forward, slipping out of the alley. I just narrowly slipped past a moving cart. The white horse neighed. Its hooves flew up in the air as it was forced to stop. Georgie gripped the reins attempting to hold himself up. I took my chance and ducked behind some stalls and forced myself to keep moving. I must never stop.

  Tyler never specified which ship. A major oversight between the two of us. I swore at myself. I scrambled around the docks. I knocked into sailors and merchants. The heat wore me down. I wiped the sweat off my face. The metal was hot against my skin. I took a deep breath but nothing seemed to enter. I shouted for Tyler. I shouted for Morgan. I cried for her. A scream pierced the air. My jaw opened. The scream grew louder. Pain struck my shoulder. Another blow sent me to my knees. A third to the middle of my back caused me to bounce off the wood. I need to find her. I reached forward. Slowly, I used my strength to drag myself forward. My head filled with pressure. All my strength left. My arms fell. I let my head fall accepting the pain. Something grasped me. I couldn’t open my eyes but I could feel it. Something pulled me across the dock. I heard my armor scrape against the ground.

  “Sir Vincent, this is no way to end the story!”

  Different tongues filled my ears. The Common language was the most prominent but spoken with a variety of accents that ranged from posh to northern crass. A glowing angel hovered over me. I reached up, dragging my fingers down her perfect face. Golden locks fell down her shoulders. Bright blue looked at me, focusing on my chest. I groaned out as she pressed. Her voice felt like butter as she whispered a comforting prayer. A second head joined my Goddess. He looked more like a dark blob next to her.

  “Sir Vincent, we are lucky to have brought you here in time. There are traders for miles and miles.”

  I forced myself up. Soreness ached across my chest. I lifted the thin blanket that covered my body. I revealed my bandaged torso. I coughed out in pain. A gasp escaped my throat. Cold air whistled through my lungs. Chills traveled across me. Two hands grabbed my shoulders. I grabbed the back of her head out of instinct. My angel whispered something gorgeous in my ears. She was gorgeous. I tried to understand the beauty she spoke but it was a different language. It was like a bird’s song.

  “Vincent?” I forced my head away from her. The familiar voice was too much to ignore. I watched her rush over to me. Her hands clasped my face. “Holy fuck!” Her arms swung around me knocking the goddess's palms to the side. I accepted it. The Heir had never been so affectionate. She wrapped me up in another blanket before bringing something hot to my lips.

  I slipped a white shirt over my torso. I swiftly tied the strings of my brown pants. My Heir approached with a pair of boots. I slipped them on finally feeling warmth return to my toes. I thanked my friend and joined her outside. The tent was warm compared to the outside. I was met with snow and pine from all angles. A group of strangers also caught my gaze.

  My eyes narrowed at each and every one of them. My position was a little precarious. I leaned up against Morgan, trying to avoid any unwanted pain. I still would not hesitate to bring them all down. Where’s my sword? I scrunched my brow. My eyes first landed on the Shifter. I can’t believe she’s here. A thick scar slashed down the young Elf’s chest. She left her stomach exposed. A plaid buttoned shirt rested on her shoulders. Dark shorts hug her waist. The snow around her melted from the heat she radiated. Like a furnace, she burned. Beside her, a black wolf lay with his head cocked at me. I glared at him. I should skin him while I have the chance. The two locked eyes for a moment then returned to me.

  The final stranger caught my breath. My healer. The golden goddess. Long hair like gold rings fell to her waist. Light baby blue eyes stared softly at me. I could still feel her warm long fingers against me. Her tan skin glowed like the sun. She gave me a soft smile that warmed my insides. She walked towards me as if she were walking on water.

  “I told you he’d make it.” She flashed a playful grin at Morgan.

  “I have a tendency to expect the worst.”

  “Well, you owe me five Fyles and Carter ten.”

  “I’m still iffy on the exchange rate,” The Elf responded with a shrug. “But Morgan, I want them.”

  “You expected me to die?” I shot a look at her.

  “I could not afford to get my hopes up. Ashlyn is a random healer. I have never heard of her!”

  “I guess it fits you.” I smiled at her. She returned it.

  The final member of our little party walked over. He was no stranger but he was strange. He towered over everyone. Shaggy dark brown hair fell in front of his eyes. A large scar slashed through his right one giving it a milky white look that strongly contrasted his left hazel one. Dark scruff covered his face. A heavy large hand fell on my shoulder. Physically, he was imposing. Compared to Georgie he was nothing but the two of us rivaled one another. I stood up taller only meeting his chest. He stood too close to Morgan. I instinctively grabbed my waist. My sword remained missing.

  “Prince Kray Ranger of Soulmine.”

  “Vincent Fal-Ren… The pet of a certain witch.” His voice instantly triggered my memory. He had dragged me from the dock. After that, I don’t quite remember.

  “Member of the Mighty and my savior.” I clasped his hand. “Thank you but why? Why are we here?” I looked at Morgan.

  “I assume you all have questions.” He turned and walked toward the center of the small camp. He stood near a decent sized fire. His dark skin glowed orange. “I admit this didn’t go quite as planned but it appears for the better. I now have two extra members for my group. My trial run if you will. Two strong Shifters to buffer the ranks! I’m sure they’ll be able to outweigh the cost of losing Tyler.”

  “She is not doing anything dangerous!” Morgan barked. I raised a bro at her. “Tyler, also, is not lost… My brother- I will find him!”

  “I need a cure,” The Elf stuttered out. “I can’t Shift again, twice is already too much.”

  “My dear friend, one can not simply travel freely between Fringe and here without a watch. Morgan’s actions from before created a rift.” He cast a dark look at her. The Elf cocked her head. “Unfortunately, we don’t know how deep the consequences travel and how many fell through but we do know she won’t be powerful enough to help for a while. I can assure you, if you help me, I will help you.” He walked around the fire returning the smile to his face. “Larken are powerful and strange creatures. If you kill enough of them, you can retain their energy. With enough energy, you can go home and be cured. Shadow you can turn back into a human. Morgan will be the most powerful witch in Midnight while Vincent will be practically immortal. Ashlyn will be the greatest healer to ever grace Tenebris.”

  “What do you get, Kray?” Morgan asked. Her voice coated itself in venom.

  “I was a part of the Original Mighty as you know and I helped create the New Mighty. I have a heavy sway but our leader, Juno, is too busy with other matters. We need others. Someone else to handle the Larken. We are too busy with Kapina to stop them. You are the team I have chosen. I can’t have my kingdom overrun with these monsters!”

  “Kray.” Ashlyn smiled. “Of course, I will help.”

  “I’ll help,” The Elf whispered. “I just- I need to not be this.”

  “Fuck, Ears.” Morgan sighed and looked at me. “We’re in.”