Kingdom Come {END OF AN AGE -- BOOK 1}

: chapter 15 | brice solace :

Max blinked, a mixture of surprise and alarm clear in his gaze. "H-How?" He rasped. He'd just seen Ross across the square. Max grunting as he forced himself into a better position to stare at his best friend, who only shook his head. When he did Max thought he saw something on top of Ross's head--something aside from his hair.

However, whatever it was gone as suddenly as it seemed to have appeared, leading Max to hesitate. Whatever it was, it must've just been some trick of his mind due to the shadowed underbelly of the gallows and the light-headedness.

"We need to go." Ross paused after he spoke, having difficulty getting Shelby back on her feet. Despite how light she was, Ross himself--though taller--wasn't very physically capable. "Come on." He grunted through gritted teeth as he finally got her to a standing position, though her legs were shaky and she leaned against him. The shorter boy began to try and lead Shelby over the few feet it was to where Max was kneeling so he could help him up, but Max shook his head, taking a deep breath.
The red-head's breathing a little deeper now, and it was steady. He no longer rasped as he took in air. Now, standing wasn't as much of a challenge. Max managed to get onto his feet, grimacing at the pain in his neck. He'd have to hide the bruises on his neck for a little while.
Max looked back to Ross, who was the only one who seemed to know what was going on. Once he was back on his feet Ross nodded, before speaking once more.

"Follow--" He was cut off by a blast from above and Max finally looked up, though his eyes immediately widened when he saw a beam of light shoot over the platform.

"Holy sh--" He was cut off by Ross roughly grabbing his arm and pulling him away. 

"We need to hurry. We don't have much time." Max didn't even have time to protest or try to ask questions before Ross pushed aside the curtain and they were back outside. Ross had managed to open the back curtain, so they were able to quickly slide into the streets around the back.

However, even as they ran, Max looked back, and his eyes widened when he spotted the source of the magic being used. Brice Solace. The boy was wearing a purple amulet, which shone with a golden light. Whatever magic he was using--it appeared to come from that.

Max didn't realize he'd stopped moving until Ross began to pull him along and Max was forced to tear his gaze from the other soldier.

The trio was lucky. The gallows were near the edge of the forest to make the disposing of the bodies an easier task, and it wasn't long before they found shelter below the cover of the trees. By the time they'd stopped, Shelby was able to run by herself--for the most part--and the screams from the city had stopped. They stood below the tree for a few minutes, Max pacing impatiently all the while. It had all happened so fast, that he hadn't had time to stop and think, and now that he was...

He didn't understand. General Sharp. The King. That boy.
It made no sense.
Why would they do this. The King was supposed to be the good, the light in the fight against the darkness brought upon by magic, but now. Whatever Skiari was doing, he'd gone to far.

As Max paced and muttered, trying to grasp at any explanation--at least, any logical explanation--for what had happened, Ross watched. The boy was frowning, while Shelby sat beside him, finally starting to collect herself. She sat back against the tree, eyes flitting around and examining their surroundings.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded a little bit away, and Max stopped pacing, gaze shooting over towards the noise. Instinctively, his hand went to his side, where his sword normally was. Now, however, there was nothing there, and his hands grasped empty air. He cursed silently to himself, and he heard a shuffle as Shelby and Ross stood up behind him. Max prepared to tackle whoever came out of the bushes, eyes narrowed slightly. He wouldn't let them get to his sister, nor his best friend. He was a dead man if they were caught anyway, so he might as well go down fighting.

When someone came crashing into the clearing, Max lunged, however Ross quickly grabbed him from behind, putting his lunge off course. This resulted in the pair tripping into the bush behind whoever it was, and Max grunted as the prickly leaves and sharp branches poked and stabbed at him. 

"Gah--! What the hell Ross?!" He pushed his friend off, before getting to his feet, the branches scratching him painfully as he did. His gaze rose to meet whoever it was who had come through the bushes, and he immediately blinked in surprise. Brice Solace stood in the center of the clearing, panting. He had his head lowered and his hands on his knees. He had a sword hanging by his side and in his right hand was a violet amulet, similar to the one he'd seen that Sky individual, though it the metal around the gemstone was silver and the engravings appeared to be different. 

Before Max could even open his mouth to question him, Ross was hurrying over. "Were you followed?"

Max blinked. This whole thing was coordinated. They'd planned this. How long had Max been in that cell, that they'd had the time to get ahold of an amulet like that?

Brice shook his head, trying to regain his breath. "...No..." He finally replied, before standing up straight with a sigh. He met Max's eyes for a moment before looking away. "We should get moving though, they'll have already started sending out patrols looking for them." That was directed at Ross, clearly. "Seto will be meeting us at the creek." 

Seto. The name echoed in his head for a moment. Seto was the name of one of the sorcerers. Seto Sori.

Max stepped back. "What do you mean Seto. Why would we be meeting a wanted fugitive?"

Max watched as his sister stepped forward, giving him a pointed look. "What does it matter who we're meeting. You have to remember, we're wanted fugitives now."

Max hesitated, rightfully in his mind. Suddenly he noticed the weight still around his neck. Then he remembered. He was still in the clothes from the day he'd been taken in. They'd never bothered to change them.

He reached down under his shirt, before pulling out the 'Z' necklace. He examined the slick, gold shape of it, eyes sliding along the shiny surface. Finally, he looked back at the three standing before him, grip around the necklace tightening. "Fine. Let's go." He forced his legs to move, walking past them. As he did, he stopped, looking back at Brice. "Give me your sword." The blonde boy blinked before nodding hesitantly and undoing the sheath and detaching it from his belt. He passed it over to Max, who took it, before clipping it to his own belt. The familiar weight of the sword at his side was relieving, and he sighed. His gaze fell on Ross, who's eyes were filled with a bit of uncertainty. "Lead the way."