Clashing metal could be heard everywhere, burning houses were seen as the smoke and soot enclosed the administrative district, soldiers and nights were fighting right and left. Arrows flew from the tiled building roofs.
Men were yelling and trying best as possible to push back against the inflow of men dressed in ragged clothes. Daggers and swords were on their hip and half of their face covered in cloth.
The knights wearing Anticourt"s crest, a horse and carriage lined up neatly as shadows approached near and fully engulfing one soldier. The soldier who had been swallowed up in the darkness emerged beheaded after a few seconds.
Frustrated cries were heard.
"What are these things? We just see soldiers getting swallowed up by shadows and seeing stab wounds. How can we fight these things?" yelled a desperate knight bearing the Anticourt crest, he was not one who had too much battle experience even though he was a knight. Anticourt was a fairly peaceful town and the worst things he came across were brawls between n.o.blemen. Prior to his a.s.signment here he had only dealt with common mountain bandits.
Suddenly, a shout could be heard from a man wearing all black, a leather long coat and two daggers on his side. On his hand, a whip and it was thrashing about snapping inside the shadows.
"Men, I am Sir Deimos, h.e.l.lsp.a.w.n Slayer of Order of the Demon Hunter, The order has dealt with these brutes before. I ask command of the Anticourt Security so that we can fight these things effectively."
The head of the Anticourt guard was a cautious man.
"Where is your proof of Ident.i.ty?" the guard captain asked.
"I a.s.sume this will suffice?" Deimos showed a medal to the captain. It was a black and white, with the Demon Hunter"s crest, a shield with two horns and a sword on top of it. The name of Deimos was written and his rank and t.i.tle.
"Yes, now that I have verified your ident.i.ty, I will leave you to a.s.sume the command of this battle," the captain of the guard yielded. He knew that with Deimos" battle experience was rich based on his t.i.tle and rank and he was not one who was stubborn enough to let his comrades be slaughtered.
Prior to party agreed that it was Deimos" that should approach the guard for help and command, because if Evan did it, it would be too risky, among the knights only Evan was not the one wearing his armour lest he is identified by the duke.
"What is the situation, captain?" asked Deimos.
"This is a very odd Bandit attack, at first they came down and attempted to burn some houses, however when the patrol"s responded they fled and focused their attack on Flame Heart Tavern. The shadows started appearing when they attacked the tavern. We don"t know how to fight these things," admitted the captain.
"Right now we just need plenty of light and fire, their magic becomes weak when near light and you will be able to see their true body. Just don"t let the shadows swallow, once in there, it would be hard to get out. "
The others came to Deimos when they saw everything was okay.
"Captain, is there anywhere we can put this slumbering child?" asked Deimos as he pointed at Ezra.
"Yes, we have guest quarters inside the building, might I ask who the child is?"
"I can only say that he is the son of high ranked n.o.ble, as for who It"s best to know after the battle. Let"s focus on matters at hand first." Deimos evaded the question because it was risky.
The guard did not pry, he looked at the other knights who were wearing black armour, while many knightages wore black armour the party reminded him of the Blackfyre guard, the best knights in Fulmen, with them guarding a child it was best not to pry on matters that were above him. He conceded and yelled for his lieutenants.
"This is sir Deimos, he has come to aid us in this battle he has dealt with the shadows before and he will brief you on how to fight them, after that send the information to the front."
Deimos and the others discussed tactics but Evan"s party huddled discussing different matters.
"It was good that they accepted Deimos, that indeed was a gamble," Rycharde said.
"Yes, but what do we do now? I guess Evan and Galwell should guard Lord Ezra while we go out along the town guard and meet the attackers?" asked Evered.
"Yes I guess that"s the plan now, Galwell should stay, even though he is still in fighting condition he should rest for a bit, I think we can handle the onslaught with the added knights in our fold." Phobos nodded in agreement.
They dispersed and joined Deimos in suppressing the fighting outside.
"Uncle, how do commoners live outside Fulmen?" Ezra asked.
"Please milord, don"t call me uncle, my heart cannot handle such t.i.tles. I am but a mere knight serving your Lordship." This had been going on for a while since he told Ezra his relationship with Aerwyna, and this was Ezra"s method of annoying him.
"Haha, okay okay, I"m sorry, but they should seriously stop it with the kinship thing. You didn"t answer my question, though." Ezra looked up at him innocently. Once again he was bored out of his wits because he was not allowed to visit the library today because there were guests. Aerwyna was afraid for Ezra because he might be found out.
"Well, I have been outside of Fulmen and for the most of my life, I have been living in Aquiis, where the Riverrun"s domain is. I have served viscounts and barons under Aquiis, they were selfish and just took what they wanted without a care for who they hurt. They taxed the people to poverty and lived a life of luxury. Their subjects could barely eat and would never even think of revolting, to them knights are a G.o.dly existence far away from them."
"Well that isn"t very smart of them since they actually live off their people, they should know happy people are more productive. Why didn"t you leave the viscounts who were cruel?"
"I would have if I could," Evan sighed. "A knight"s duty is to his lord, Mother was still living that time and she was frail, only I could support her. No matter what they commanded I would do, thankfully they never did tell me to do something so horrible. If they attempted forcing themselves on a village girl in my sight, I"d probably revolt even though I know that I didn"t stand a chance against them."
"Really? It"s that bad out there?"
"Yes, it is Aquiis is even timider actually. I heard the other lands were in much worse condition, especially those with mines, serfs would be forced to go to the mines to dig for stones and cores. Here Lord Blackfyre is laxer and he doesn"t put pressure too much on his subjects but I don"t exactly know why this is so."
"I see."
"Some n.o.bles are just too heartless, a comrade once told me a story out of his conscience, there was a lady, freeman, she was a merchant, and she was pretty but not overly so. Her mishap was that she was wearing a keepsake given to her by her grandmother, a visiting viscount"s wife took a fancy on her necklace, she asked her how much, but no matter how big of a price the viscount offered she would not yield.
The next day she was abducted and her necklace was stolen. The viscount"s attendants were ordered to ravish her so that she knew here place. Fearing the viscount they did as they were told except the knight who told me, he feigned injury and left. The next morning she committed suicide. In Aquiis though everyone knew it was wrong, the earl did not punish him just because he was a n.o.ble. Here in Fulmen, it is different, Lord Blackfyre would personally kill you with enough proof unless of course, you were the last kin of your house."
Anger burned in Ezra"s eyes, he wanted to do something about it but he couldn"t "Maybe someday I"ll change everything, this world is too dependent on strength maybe someday I"ll make it better. I hope I can make a difference."
"You will Lord Ezra, but first you must keep in mind that every action in this world has an effect, while it may not affect you directly, always consider that your actions also affect the ones around you, there are people who love you and care for you, so also consider their interest and not yours alone."
Ezra was silent and didn"t answer but he looked at a distance considering the story he had just been told.