The Sage's Vow

24.3 || Enough

The Shadow Knights led them to a half-crumbled building, where they used the rubble to climb to the two-story high roof. They forced Cale and the others into one of the intact corners. A Shadow Knight sat guard on either side of them. Peter was the one on their left. The other four stood on the opposite side of the roof, murmuring to each other and sending glances toward the Paladins.

Cale flexed his hand, very aware of the absence of his swords. They'd been forced to discard their weapons upon capture. Even if they had other means of defense, he hated having one less resource than the enemy.

While the Shadow Knights were off making their plans, Cale glanced at Kaitlyn. They had no way to communicate without the Shadow Knights overhearing, but he hoped Odema had already contacted the others.

Her cheeks were wet from tears shed earlier, but frustration and determination burned in her eyes now as she glowered at the Shadow Knights. Shifting his shoulders as if to stretch, he managed to snag her attention. He gave the barest lift of his brows, asking his silent question. Kaitlyn took her eyes off him to resume her death-glare, but her head dipped in a small nod.

The others knew. They had hope for a rescue. If the Shadow Knights didn't kill them first, at least.

Another tense minute passed before the four remaining Shadow Knights approached their group, each of them armed. It seemed Cale couldn't rely on them letting their guard down to create an opportunity.

A man with deep brown skin stood at the front. His dark hair was cut near to the scalp, nearly hiding the slivers of grey cutting through it. He rested the tip of his broadsword on the ground and glared down at them.

"One of your groups has a dagger," the man said. "Is it yours?" Josh snorted, and the man's eyes snapped toward him. "What's so funny?"

Josh shrugged. He tried for a smug smile, but whatever amusement he'd found was slowly draining away as the Shadow Knights focused on him. "If you thought we had the dagger, it just seems stupid to have us throw away all our weapons before, don't you think?"

"You think we'd be so stupid as to not check those?" he asked. "I also thought that you would be intelligent enough as to not throw away something so precious, but given your line of thinking, maybe I was wrong."

Josh likely had more he wanted to say, but wisely, he kept it to himself.

Cale studied the man. Something wasn't right. If someone could get into the realm with a single dagger, only one was all they'd need to get out. They had no reason to engage with a group of Paladins, especially ones already in battle, when they could be seeking out the seal instead. That should have been their priority. If the realm collapsed with the Paladins still in it, they'd die.

The obvious hit him. "You've lost your dagger," he said.

The man did a stellar job not reacting to the accusation, but he didn't acknowledge it either. "Does your group have the dagger or not? I'm giving you the chance now to tell us without force."

Ezraim growled, his anger boiling over with the threat, and images flashed through Cale's mind of his dragon collapsing the entire building on the Shadow Knights. Cale briefly debated if he'd be able to do that safely before discarding the idea.

When none of them said anything, the man sighed. "Alright then. Peter?"

Without missing a beat, Peter flicked his hand out, saying, "Blasyra undirio." A tongue of flame whipped out, aimed straight at Kaitlyn's already-injured arm. She tried to duck away, but before the fire got close enough, another form moved in front of her.