Daye (complete)

The Throne

    DOWN the cramped passage the group went, twisting and turning, the footing uneven and the ceiling low. It was dark and damp, the corners of the pass crawling with all sorts of nasty creatures.

"We're almost there," Orlan warned, walking at the head.

"Better be," Decide grumbled.

Petrouli let out a slight whimper. The poor kid had a big fear of enclosed spaces and was on the verge of a total freak-out.

Finally, light could be seen at the end of the passage. The group hurried towards it, desperate to be out in the open again. Before them was a large tapestry, hiding the entrance to the passage. Light spilled out from the edges of the tapestry, illuminating the faces of the group, some with expressions of fear, sadness, and some set with a steely resolution.

"Just out here is the throne room," Orlan declared. "Fifteen feet away my father will be, seated atop his throne. He will be surrounded by his elite guard of eighteen men, armed with a shield, spear, and sword. Their armour is heavy but dense, difficult to dent, and to wrench away. They are the best knights in the kingdom, trained to fight to the death to protect my father's life. They will not stop until they are dead. And my father carries the holy sword Flavus, imbued with the power of the gods."

"How will we subdue the guards?" Luca asked quietly.

"We might not be able to," Arren replied.

Orlan cleared his throat. "If you all manage the guards, I will confront my father. I know his fighting style. He is a fierce opponent. And, well, I also may be able to help him."

"It's decided then." Decide spoke up. "We'll charge out and take them by surprise. We have the advantage."

"Can we think about this a little longer?" Arren grumbled. "My magick is mostly back now. If we can lead the guard away, I can conjure a substantial illusion to keep them in place while we deal with the king."

"Sounds good," Decide agreed. "One three, Orlan?"

He nodded. "Ready?"

The group drew their weapons.

"One."

Luca morphed into a snarling wolf.

"Two."

Arren nocked an arrow.

"Three!"

They burst from behind the tapestry, and the guards whirled in surprise. Luca managed to swipe a couple off their feet, who smashed their heads on the floor with a resounding clang and didn't get up.

Decide knocked a few upside the head with the pommel of her sword, giving them another kick if they moved afterwards.

But the well-trained knights managed to collect themselves before too many of their own were taken out. They swarmed around the throne, swords bristling and their armour shining. Behind them, the king stood, a velvet cape of ultramarine draped upon his broad shoulders. A large, golden crown sat upon his head. His face was lined with years of worry, and his eyes glittered with an unfathomable darkness.

"Father," Orlan said, his voice cutting over the din of the echoing throne room. He pointed his rapier towards the king. "We are here to save you. Dismiss your guards. We will not harm you, we only want to save you from the darkness that has taken over your body."

The king merely laughed, frowning at his son. "You are the only one possessed by the darkness, my son. Those people you stand with are the true source of all this. They want nothing but to take over the kingdom and exterminate the human race! It is only me that stands between them and victory. So no- I shall not stand down."