The Contest

Chapter 12: Prince Broderick Lumos III

My father stands, cloaked in a suit of armor like my own. In one hand he holds a shield with the emblem of Regnum emblazoned across the front. In the other, a spear as tall as him shines in the sunlight, the all too real tip blazing with power. It is an incredible display of might, but even from this far away, I can see a small chink in his armor. He placed the hole in his energy and concentration in a place he hoped to never worry about, the inside of his left knee, but I know it means that he's doing too much at once. Even the Imperium of King Lumos can only extend so far.

Bracing myself, I prepare to help my father the only way I can. I reach my hands out again and feel for the raging currents of impossible might that are the walls around us. I plunge my Imperium into the stream of energy, feeding my father's walls as much as I can. I nearly collapse after the first second, but I notice the chink in my father's armor close up and pray to all of the gods that I can hold on long enough.

I expect an incredible battle as my father approaches Petaram and the killer, but I underestimate my father even now. When he sees what's coming, Petaram leaps backwards, using the stone of the street to propel himself further. The little man smiles smugly and twirls his daggers as my father stands twenty feet away. They stare at each other, across the small square.

Then, as fast as I can blink, the assassin flings his knives, spinning end over end. And they go right through my father. I blink, trying to process what just happened, as my father turns around and starts walking back towards me. The walls around the square drop and the armor melts off my father as he vaults back up onto the stage. Petaram laughs deep in his chest and starts walking back towards the stage. I wonder why in the world they are turning their backs on such a dangerous man.

"Father," I start, letting my armor drop in exhaustion. "What just happened?" Without looking back out to the man, my father slowly turns to walk back to the carriage. Petaram waits there, holding open the door with a childish grin. My father stops and calls back, "That fool tried to outspeed a Champion of Light."

I look back at the man, still standing in the square. His mouth is wide open in shock and pain, and as I watch his shirt slowly stains with blood. He drops to the ground, dead as a doornail.

I run to catch up to my father, but he offers no more words of explanation. I look at Petaram, confused, and he helps lessen the load. "I've seen your father do this only one other time, my Prince." I frown, "Do what, Captain?" Petaram looks back at the body in the square and chuckles darkly, "Your father just fought at the speed of light. The fool never stood a chance. You can't hit what you can't see."

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The carriage flies along the short road up to Manor Divitis. The ride is silent, my father leaning back into his seat and resting. His eyes are closed and his face is drawn and haggard. His breath comes in short shallow bursts, and his hands twitch in his lap. Beads of sweat roll down his face, the tide stemming now that the battle is over. It's no wonder, giving the sheer power required to hold up those walls of his. I'm also pretty shaken from my brief stint helping to feed the walls. My twisted right hand twitches painfully so I have to use my left to push sweat-soaked hair away from my face.

I look my father up and down as the carriage bounces along. It boggles my mind to imagine someone so unassuming commanding such Imperium. I still don't quite understand what Petaram said. My father can move at the speed of light? That's impossible...or at least, I thought it was. But I can see the signs myself on my father's tired form. The right side of his face has a slight sunburned appearance. His right hand, the one that had been holding the spear, is the same color as a lobster. The bottom of his sleeves still smoke a little, having been singed by the speed.

With a rumble of gravel, the carriage turns up to the main gate of the Manor Divitis. Before it can stop, Petaram leaps from the side and my father's eyes shoot open. He throws open the door and steps out of the still moving vehicle. I follow cautiously, careful not to trip on my way out of the carriage on my shaking legs.

Governor Divitis waits for us, surrounded by guards. One man sits in front of the guards, chained in every way possible. As Petaram approaches he sinks the man's feet in the ground to help with the capture. Divitis looks furious, his face beet red and his mouth flapping open as he tries to form words. "Y-your Majesty, what of the assassin?"

Father keeps his response short, "Dead. And this prisoner?" Divitis practically explodes, "He tried to kill me! Took three of my best guards with him, then tried to run!" He chuckles darkly, "It is truly a blessing that you sent most of your Petaram guards ahead for the visit, but it is only by my command that this man still breathes." Captain Petaram raises an eyebrow, both at his cousins around him of the guard, and at Divitis. "Why keep this killer alive?" Divitis grins wickedly, "For interrogation of course." Father steps forward and waves a hand, "Carry on, Governor. But make it snappy. I find interrogations...distasteful." While rubbing his hands together with glee, Divitis steps towards the man in chains.