To Reclaim The Crown

Chapter Eight

The feast was in full steam. People cheered as they threw food and spilt drink. Deep bassed music thundered in the background of their laughter and cheers. In the middle of the feast, was a hollowed-out circle. The battle-scarred wooden walls reached several meters down from the floor above with barbed wires shaped like a dome over the top of the ring. At the bottom of the ring was a sand-covered pit with two doors on either side of the ring. Old and new blood had seeped into both the sand and the wooden walls from previous fights. The two doors in the pit opened, and two men rushed at each other. The crowd scream with excitement as the two fighters clashed. They fought and seemed to be evenly matched as neither could gain the upper hand on each other.

"Enough of this! Bring on Aldith!" Gaywn called out to the crowd as they cheer upon hearing her name. The two fighters stopped fighting instantly and turned to disappear back into their doors. One of the soldiers walked past Killian, Aymer and Eliot underneath the feast; he was covered in blood and panting heavily. The trio had already been out for their fights and walked away having won. Although Aymer came close to losing his match but with a little luck, he managed to gain the upper hand.

"I haven't seen Aldith since we arrived," Aymer asked as he looked around. "Is she having seconds thoughts?"

"She will be here, Aldith is not one to pass up a fight," Wayne said appearing behind them. He stood to their right slightly ahead. He wore a thick silver metal breastplate with a chainmail shirt underneath. He wore a long sword on his left hip and a smaller sword on his right. "you are not joining in on the festivities?" Killian asked Wayne curiously, taking in his appearance. "No, it's my job to protect the town and its people," Wayne told him with a calm look on his face. "It's what Lord Gaywn entrusted me to do. Just because there is a feast going on, doesn't mean my duties stop." 

"I like him," Aymer smiled to Killian at the loyalty Wayne has to his Lord. They fell into silence for a moment. "Have you seen Aldith fight before?" Eliot asked with surprise.

"Aye, She was trained by some of the greatest warriors I have heard of." Wayne said, "She was part of the same guild that Gaywn was apart of."

"Which reminds me, what guild is this you speak of. I remember Gaywn and Aldith were arguing about this before." Killian asked with his face screwed in confusion.

"The Bloodsong guild," Wayne informed them. Just as Aymer went to ask more questions, Aldith walked past them. But they could feel she was completely different from their previous encounter. There was an ominous aura surrounding her; her eyes zoned in on the door in front of her.

"Now, this is the Aldith I know very well," Wayne spoke with a smirk on his face. Wayne looked to the men whose eyes were trained on Aldith's back. "Ah, I am guessing this is the first time you have seen Aldith fight?"

"Yes," Aymer muttered as he continued to watch her, not wanting to take his eyes away for a second in case he would miss something. "Well, you're in for a treat boys," Wayne told them with a chuckle. 

Aldith stood at the door, waiting for it to open. She closed her eye and pulled in a deep breath; she felt her heartbeat slow down and beat stronger. She felt an exhilarating rush of adrenaline flood her body; she released her breath, feeling it leave her lungs altogether. Her eyes flung open as the door opened and she sauntered out into the ring. The door opposite burst open, and a tall, muscular man rushed out and ran towards Aldith, while she just continued to walk to him.

Once the muscular man was in front of her, Aldith dropped down to the ground. Before pushing her whole body into his legs. She stood up and pushed the man into the air. He landed on the ground with a loud bang and dust flew up into the air. Aldith turned around to look at the man with a smirk. The man stood up and yelled at her in anger before charging at her again; he threw his right arm towards Aldith. But Aldith just stepped to the side and brought her foot up to meet his stomach. The man crippled in pain.

"She's just toying with him," Killian spoke with a slight smirk. The four men and moved to the opening of the door to watch the fight. "This is her way of play fighting. She will grow bored and end it very shortly." Wayne finished off with a chuckle.

Aldith reached down and grabbed the man by the neck and lifted him to his feet before throwing him back slightly, "Don't tell me that's all you have got." She taunted him with a cruel smirk. He rushed forward, ready to bearhug her, Aldith jumped up and placed both her hands onto the man's shoulder and flipped over him. She twisted around and kicked the back of his knee; you could hear the cracking of bones as they to collapse in, the man let out a whale of pain in response. Aldith then wrapped her arm around his neck and used her other arm as leverage before pulling tight to cut off his airways. She looked up to Gaywn who was smiling and laughing with glee. Aldith smirked before letting go of the guy's neck, and he dropped to the ground. The muscle man was unconscious and had to be dragged from the ring.

"See, I have never seen her lose a fight," Wayne said as Aldith nodded to Gaywn before turning and starting to make her way to the exit of the ring. "Also, I would stay clear of her for the rest of the night. She changes when she fights," Wayne added in while they were watching her walk in a steady stride. Her eyes trained on one thing behind the, never deviating from it. The brown eyes that held anguish before now were blazing with a killer instinct. One look would send fear into any man's heart and soul. "She becomes someone who will not think twice about tearing out your heart." Wayne said as he turned to leave the trio, "Friend or foe." was all he muttered in a warning tone as he disappeared back to the stairs to rejoin the feast above.

"Thanks for the heads up," Eliot muttered as Aldith passed them without even a glance. The aura that she left in her wake sent the hairs on the back of their necks to stand up on end. The trio looked to each other before walking towards the stairs next to them. 

Killian stopped before heading up the stairs to look to the left; he watched as Aldith walked up to another flight of stairs, which led outside of the building. He knew he had to find out about The Bloodsong Guild and what Aldith's connection is to the guild. Killian knew only one person who would hopefully tell him everything he needed to know, and at this moment, he was upstairs drinking and hosting the feast. Probably with the drink that Gaywn as had, he would be happy to spill everything if not most of his knowledge on the Bloodsong Guild.