Dark flight - Lore of the angelic book 1

Hard, bitter victory

John

My knees are rubbed raw from various fights and falls, but my will is unbent by their bullshit. Never in a million years will I let them break me... Admittedly the basilisk got close, but ultimately, I persevered. The water from the shower is cold, and it stings my cuts. I haven't spoken to a single soul since I was separated from the others. I have no idea how long it has been, but I know I'm not the only one forced to fight.

I've seen her, briefly. A girl, a young grey elf in an iron mask, being led into the arena by six guards as I am led out, wearing nothing but a leather top and pants. Her arms and legs are covered in torture scars, but her eyes were hard as steel. There must be others as well. We never fight each other, only monsters.

The days pass slowly, but now at least I get food, water... rest, as brief as it tends to be. I understand this. I am providing them with entertainment while they slowly whittle at my sanity. I am earning my own upkeep. They won't let us die, whether we want or not.

As I wash the grime from my skin, I wonder if Alice is alright. I think of her in the few moments of quiet peace I get, and remind myself why I fight, and that I will die true to her, to the promise I made her. That I would protect her forever. Until my last breath.

It was something I lacked back then, when I was fighting in the arenas of the celestials. They treated me better out of some misplaced remaining respect for my father, but I was worse off. No matter now. Here, I am not the fallen prince, the offspring of an unrighteous king, here I am a gladiator, a fighter and a prisoner, nothing more.

"Your time's up"
The guard bangs his weapon against the door. I quickly pull on my pants and step outside the showers, where my hands are shackled swiftly. Six guards... they take me seriously...
"What day is it?"
All I get is a sword handle slammed in the back. The old song and dance. they won't tell me a damn thing.

"Alright then, take me to my cell, officer"
I am moved along the dark hallway and tossed back into the small cell, where I sit down on the cot and begin my wait for my daily meal or maybe a light taunting by the guards. They don't really let me build routine, but I don't need to sleep, so my time at rest is spent with strength training and planning.

I am seventy sit ups deep when the door is opened, and I am forced up from the floor. This soon? It is uncommon for them to interrupt me again so soon...

"Hello, your majesty."
I find myself on my beaten knees in front of the Luthril Huntress, who gifts me with a sharp toothed grin.
"Not staying idle, I like to see it. You would have made a fine hunter had you not chosen to go to the Mathril royal family when you escaped..."
I grit my teeth but say nothing to her biting comment.
"Oh yes I know exactly who you are... you know, if the council got word that I have you, they would make us a very generous offer I'm sure..."
She chortles cooly.

"You're lucky... I hate the council just as much as you."
I lock my eyes onto her, and she leers down at me with steely discs for eyes, like two metal coins.
"Get to the point."
I spit. She smiles.
"I am here to make you an offer. Work for me. Your little friends will be treated much, much better, and you won't have to fight anymore..."

When she tries to touch me, I snarl, and she withdraws her hand.
"We can both win, John. We can both walk away from this as victors. The Luthril will help you overthrow the council, and in return, you pinky promise us that the celestial empire will stand with us when the time comes to take what rightfully belongs to us."

I stop. I know what that means. she wants me to assure her, that the Luthril can count on the Angels to support them when they attack their rivals. My first instinct is to tell her to fuck off. I think of Faerin... Beautiful, soft Faerin... the one I once promised my heart to, who I betrayed once before... but right now, I have to be strategic.
"I'll think on it."

She smiles.
"Good. Give it a fair shake around in that pretty scull of yours."
I let her pat my head this time. My stomach churns with disgust, but I let her. I have to be strategic. I have to behave.

"Give him some wine, to sweeten the deal and clear his mind."
She turns to walk away, with heavy, iron on stone footsteps.
"And some cake, as a treat for behaving."
I spit on the floor as soon as the door closes behind me.

I feel disgusted with myself, but I think of Alice. I think of Faerin. And I think of my people. I weigh my choices heavily, going back and forth as I continue my training routine as though I wasn't just offered a solution to the fight I have been fighting for centuries. The Luthril are a powerful people, warlike and cunning, out of necessity. the winterlands are a hard place to live, peppered with the most aggressive monsters and fae, difficult to cultivate anything but the hardiest crops.

With their help we could defeat the council... but... I would be betraying myself. Betraying my people, in a way. Alice would hate me. Still, when my thighs ache from the squats I've been doing, I conclude that I should agree to her. Agree to do what is necessary to protect them. protect her.

When my meal arrives, I drink the wine, something I would have never done, and eat the cake. I have to admit, the sugar makes me feel something. feel normal.
"Tell the huntress that I'll agree to her proposal, if she tells me her name. As insurance."
The guard straightens his back.
"Yes, your highness."

I sneer. I preferred it when I was just a prisoner. I would have preferred to be insulted. called a dog.
"The cake was good. I didn't know the Luthril do red velvet."
The guard replies courtly.
"The Mistress' favourite, your highness."

I see the girl again, in the hallway. Her hard brown eyes look me in the face as I walk past with my hands unshackled, in a fresh pair of pants and with an unstained shirt on my back, and I get the sense she is as disgusted with me as I am. Good. I hope she never bends to them.

When I enter the office of my captor, she is smiling, swirling a glass of wine around. An empty plate sits across from her, on her desk, red crumbs line the porcelain, still sticking with white frosting.
"Glad to hear the good news... welcome to the right side of history my dear prince."

I do not wait for her to ask me to sit. I take my place across from her.
"First I'd like you to uphold your end of the bargain."
She slides a slip of paper across the tabletop, and I grasp it like my life depends on it.
"No takebacks, no excuses. Call me Luna."