The Songster in Revenant Kingdom

Chapter 2

They made their way through the castle, and found themselves in a hallway that was only destruction. Guards of Ding Dong Dell lay everywhere, and Gascon couldn't help but notice that many of them weren't moving.

"No..." Evan whispered, unable to believe what he was seeing. Moments ago, he was preparing for a joyous affair, he was about to be a king! And now, he could see his kingdom crumbling before him. 

"I guess this was the explosion we heard." Roland murmured softly, resting his hand on his side, hardly able to believe what he was seeing either, and tried to think of something to lighten the mood, when he realized that he didn't even know the children he was traveling with, and looked to them. "Before, your names? Camilla, Gascon, and Evan, right?" Gascon nodded to him, unable to look at the carnage. Evan couldn't look away, and Camilla was checking on each guard, seeing if she could find just one survivor. "I'm Roland." Evan looked up, and Roland looked right at him. "And you're the king? King Evan?"  Evan nodded, his cheeks pink, and Gascon squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. 

"Yes. At least, I was..." Evan murmured, looking down at his feet. "I don't quite understand what's going on... Ding Dong Dell has been at peace for generations..." Roland sighed, looking back around the room.

"I'm sure it has." He told him, though he was sure that there something beneath the peace that a young boy like Evan wouldn't have ever witnessed at his age. "But still waters run deep."

"Hm?" Evan and Gascon looked at him, a little confused. 

"What do you mean?" 

"I should know. I run a country myself." Roland kept going, thinking of what he had left behind. He seemed to be lost in thought, and couldn't get past what must've happened before he left his country, before snapping back into reality. "We have to move. You need to get out of the castle, and fast." 

"Hello? Hello?" Camilla whispered, and they realized that one guard still stood. Or in this case, sat, in extreme pain.

"L-Leave me... I, I am f-fine..." He told her as the boys ran over, and he looked to Evan. "Y-You must... e-escape while you still c-can..." 

"Here!" Gascon knelt beside him and handed him a small blue vial. "This should help." He explained. "Take it, and find a way out of here!" The guard took it gratefully.

"Thank you, Prince Gascon." He told him, before they heard more guards, and Roland and Camilla ran into battle, the guard drinking the vial and getting to his feet as his wounds were healed and his strength was returned. "You have to go, both of you!" He told them, staying back with the two younger boys as Roland and Camilla took care of the mouse guards, then Gascon and Evan ran after them as they continued their journey, the guard going elsewhere in the castle to find other survivors.

"Roland, wait!" Evan suddenly exclaimed, stopping short before a door that led outside. "The soldiers up ahead!" 

"What about them?" Roland asked, and Evan pointed at them. 

"The red uniforms - those mean that they are elite guardsmen."  Gascon nodded, looking around for another way for them to go.

"They're the kind of guards you call for some serious action!" He added, and Roland sighed.

"Which means we don't want to mess with them, right?" Evan shrugged.