Genesis

Chapter 16: Secrets

Aeron and Eyra reached the middle of the lengthy dungeon chamber. Up until this point the blade Eyra had given Aeron had remained at his side. He had been given no reason to use it. The times that arose in which he could have potentially done so, Eyra took care of. But, now, guards were pouring out from two adjacent barracks that were connected to the main chamber. They quickly flooded the corridor and surrounded them in a tide of crimson. Yet neither Eyra nor Aeron felt the need to show any signs of contentment or defeat. Their escape had just begun, and, after reaching this floor, so close to the top, they were not going to give up because of a few dozen guards.

"Is your strength adequate to enter battle, my Prince?" Eyra asked Aeron, her gaze never ceasing to survey their opponents.

Aeron nodded confidently: "I believe so. I will hold my own." He gazed down at the blade at his side. "I have not swung one of these in over a month. I have weakened, but my skill will still outmatch all of these men," Aeron responded, tossing the blade about a foot off of his palm and catching it easily.

"I did not doubt you, young one," Eyra approved.

Eyra faced the stairwell they would need to reach in order to ascend further, and Aeron faced the entrance to the pits they had just emerged from. They waited patiently as the mass of guardsmen pressed forward.

The first line fell swiftly beneath the onslaught of blades and power. The sounds of clinking, sparks and that of a rapid wind filled the chamber, followed by loud grunts and shouts as guard after guard collapsed lifeless on the ground. Aeron slashed with his blade, opening the chest of one guard and, without even watching him fall to the ground, quickly shifted his attention to another, swinging the blade in a wide arc to keep any comers at bay. He adjusted the sword so that it would collide with an oncoming blade of one of the many nearby guards. The collision forced Aeron to recoil, but he corrected swiftly and parried the next attack with the accompaniment of flying sparks, and then Aeron slew yet another of the useless guards. These were not the same guards that Aeron's mother had charged with protecting the dungeons. If any of them were, then they too were traitors to the blood of L'itrien, Corusca, and D'karia.

Aeron was weaker than he was used to. He could feel it with every deflection, but his skill and memory far outweighed his current lack of strength, not to mention the extreme lack of skill the guards possessed. It was pitiful that an eleven year old boy could rival men like that in his weakest moment. He made a note to himself that he would personally train the new guards that would be put into place after all of this blew over, after his hand slew the Tyrant foolish enough to believe they could get away with this.

Aeron removed himself from autopilot and came to the realization that he had somehow picked up a second sword from one of the fallen guards and was using it to slay even more of the traitorous men. The new sword was elongated and offered Aeron a longer reach, but it was also thinner and more flimsy at times. It was a well-crafted sword, nonetheless, and carried out its job well.

The dual swords spun quickly and fluidly as they arced and slashed at their opponents. When it came to battle, many people would avoid spinning their body as they fought, but, for Aeron, he saw and memorized everything and was capable of determining when and where the assailant would strike next. As he spun, he moved one sword into position to block an oncoming blade, while the other would fend off a blow from another guard attacking in the opposite direction. Sparks flew as the swords collided furiously with each other. With the force of the blows, it was somewhat surprising how the swords were capable of remaining in one piece. Even so, Aeron prayed that they would stay together for just a little longer.

The ranks of the guards began to thin out immeasurably as Eyra and Aeron continued to fell guard after guard. There had been so many of them, far more than the number of patrols that Eyra had predicted before. Was it possible that they could have known that Eyra was going to come break him out today? No, it couldn't be possible. Eyra would never have told anyone, besides the four other Kunga.