The hairs on Mia’s arms instantly stood up as her face grew hot. She instinctively crouched into a combat stance, wishing she had hung onto the decorative sword for a little longer.
Kate pulled her guard sword from its sheath, holding the hilt close to her face with the blade pointed up. “Stop right there, who are you?”
“Whoa, Whoa. No need for any of that, I just wanted to pop in for a chat.”
“What?” Mia asked staring at the tall dark-haired woman.
Lily stood almost a head taller than her. Her dark olive complexion contrasted with her soft amber eyes that had flickers of gold in them. Her face looked soft, but worn, as her long brown hair flowed down white robes that seemed to emit its own light.
“I must be dreaming…ouch Kate, that hurt.” Kate pinched her while glaring at her godmother.
“Well, I guess you’re not dreaming.”
She gave Kate a flat look before staring back at Lily.
“How did you even do that?” Mia asked as she cautiously approached her.
“Magic,” Lily replied widening her grin and wiggling her fingers.
Kate rolled her eyes.
A resounding boom echoed around the room like thunder erupting inside.
Mia threw her hands over her ears and stared wide-eyed at Lily and Kate, before another boom rang out and the sounds of screaming poured in from the hallway.
***
Mia and Kate locked eyes before Mia rushed to the door, her mouth dropping open as she took in the sight of the hallway. Nobles and servants alike dashed about the hallways that were pure chaos. The stone walls broke off in chunks, crashing to the floor in waves. The screams became deafening. Some, unable to avoid the stone blocks as they crushed their bodies underneath.
Mia quickly glanced through the nearby, shattered window as billowing black clouds ripped into the sky. The flames were coming from the far end of the palace. Smoke started to fill the hallways, as stone slabs fell mercilessly on anyone nearby. Mia started to cough in spasms as the smoke invaded her lungs. Her chest heaved as she ran back into the guestroom, spotting Kate running towards her.
“I’m going to check on the others who were on patrol around here, I’ll be right back.” Kate sprinted down an adjacent corridor and disappeared into the chaos in the hallway.
“We need to get out of here.” Lily said, turning to Mia.
“I am a Kings Guard, it is my duty to protect this palace and the people inside of it.”
Lily moved towards Mia, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“Mia, you don’t understand. I need to get you out of here.” Mia tensed at Lily’s touch, but narrowed her eyes.
“It is my duty.”
Mia hurriedly dressed in her Kings Guard armor as she said a silent thanks for having it in the first place. The panic came soon after she realized her short sword was still in the armory. She put it there before the ball as she cursed herself. She never left her weapon behind, but it was not allowed inside the ballroom. Mia huffed as she rushed to grab one of the decorative short swords from the wall. A weapon was better than none.
Mia fastened her cloak around her neck before turning to look at Lily. Lily’s eyes locked directly into hers.
“What?”
“I can’t explain it right now, but I need you to trust me. I need to get you as far away from here as possible.”
Mia shook her head. “I can’t leave Lily, I am honor bound.”
“I’m just trying to…” Lily started, but it was too late, she ran out of the door and into the now smoke-filled hallway littered with dead.
***
The large stones were immovable on top of those who were not fast enough to avoid them. Another explosion sent a stone statue crashing to the floor right next to her. Mia quickly avoided it, as she looked around for more guards or anyone on palace patrol duty. No one was left around her. Either the patrons and guards made it out, or they lay dead on the floor around her.
“Mia, wait, take this.” Lily handed her a small brown pouch, not much bigger than the palm of her hand.
“What’s this?” Mia tucked the pouch away in her cloak.
“Something I’d like for you to hold on to, I mean it is your birthday tomorrow.”
“We need to get go! There are people dying all over the place. The debris everywhere and I believe the main forces are in the throne room.” Kate’s raspy voice came from behind.
She turned to look at Kate, her Kings Guard armor full of dirt and holes.
“Did you seriously grab the decorative sword.” Kate asked her with a mock frown.
“How do you know that my birthday is tomorrow?” Mia turned towards Lily who was scanning down the nearby corridor. Lily didn’t respond as Kate whispered in her ear.
“Brace yourself. I’ve never seen anything like this.”
More screams rang out as explosions reverberated around them, shattering more stone from the walls. Mia looked at Kate as they nodded in unison. Mia turned to face Lily whose eyes seemed to be staring off into the distance.
“Lily?”
“I’m not leaving Mia.”
“I don’t know who you really are and now is not the time. I need you to get as far away from the palace as possible.”
“I know about the war, Mia. My guild sent me here to provide aid.” Lily sighed before looking between her and Kate.
“Guild? What guild? I thought guilds were banished after the uprising.” Kate hissed.
Lily shook her head. “We don’t have time for explanations, people are dying.”
Mia looked at Kate who shook her head. “We don’t need any more casualties. We don’t even know what we’re up against.”
Mia took a deep breath before finally settling herself. “Fine Lily, if you’re here to help, I won’t say no, but if you get in the way I won’t be able to help.” Mia looked at Lily, who gave her a bright smile in return.
“You have my word.”
“Nope, uh-uh, Mia. We have no idea what kind of skills she has, let alone to face anything like this.”
“I know Kate, but we might need all the help we can get.”
“We don’t need the help, Mia. We are Kings Guards.”
“And, you know I’m with you.”
Mia smiled as she pounded her chest twice with her right fist. Kate huffed and did the same in return.
“Till Kingdom Come?”
“Till Kingdom Come.”
Mia looked between Kate and Lily, then whispered, “I know a short cut.”
They ran down what once was a grand hallway, filled with pictures of the royal linage, now unrecognizable as the walls crumbled around them. Mia side stepped over severed body parts. She grit her teeth, clenching onto the short sword as she recognized the dead around her.
***
The explosions slowed down, but not enough for the debris to stop falling like rain. Mia didn’t stop though. As they neared the last corridor before the royal chambers, she heard the clanking of steel against steel that sent tingles down her spine. The Kings Guard were fighting hard.
“Wait” Lily said, her body suddenly rigid as she produced a dagger from her waist.
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“Where did you get that?” Kate asked, as Lily stopped, holding one hand in front of her and one hand behind her, crouching into a low stance.
“Shhh,” Lily said, closing her eyes.
A large figure emerged from the shadows in front of them, wearing large dark leather armor and a cloak that swayed as it moved. The figure removed his hood revealing a severely battle scarred face with an eye patch over his left eye. He held a long, thick sword in one hand as he slowly approached them. The man looked directly at Lily.
“You die here, Akasha…and your little friends too,” he said in a low hyena like cackle.
Lily acted fast, her dagger a blur as she lunged at the man, who somehow deftly evaded her attack. The man blocked the dagger strike with his sword at dazzling speed. The blocking strike sent Lily’s dagger flying, hitting a nearby wall, and tinkering to the floor. Lily, with acrobatics that Mia had never seen before, flipped her way over to her dagger and picked it up. She turned her body into what Mia assumed was a battle stance, and lunged at the man again, this time her attack hit him in the chest with a slice that sent blood spattering on the floor. Lily repositioned herself and lunged with her dagger again. This time, he was prepared and blocked her attack with an ear-piercing screech. The clanks of their swords sent sparks into the air.
Mia glanced at Kate before running and slicing the man in his side as he lifted his sword in the air to come down on Lily’s head. He recoiled, as Lily struck him again in the chest with her dagger. The man fell to his knees as Kate gave him the finishing blow, slicing off his head and sending his body tumbling backwards.
“I think I hear the worst of it coming from the throne room.”
“Wait…that was the last place I saw Alex last night. Before I left the ball. I’m sure he’d had left by now.”
“I’m sure he did.”
Mia looked at Kate as they both sucked in their breath and ran for the throne room.
***
The grand hallway was long, the throne room being at the very end of it. Mia sprinted, her legs not moving fast enough as more dead lay in heaps. She finally made it to the last hallway leading to the throne room.
Her eyes grew wide as Kings Guards were locked in battles down the corridor. Each fighting ferociously against mysterious hooded invaders. The invaders as well trained as the Kings Guard.
“There is war brewing, much worse than the one against Naren. My guild is one that was trying to stop this war, but I’m afraid we might be too late." Lily whispered to them before they could run forward.
“What do you mean?” Mia asked turning towards Lily.
“Is that why that man called you an Akasha? This is an attack from your people.” Kate sneered.
“Yes and No, but I can’t explain any further than that right now.”
“No Lily, we need to know what we’re up against. Does this have something to do with your magic?” Mia turned sharply towards Lily who wouldn’t meet her gaze.
“I…I don’t know for sure.”
“You have a lot of explaining to do.” Kate scolded before turning her attention towards the corridor, watching as more invaders filled the hallway.
Lily gave her a faint nod before looking at the battles erupting before them. Mia, Kate, and Lily got to work, each one handling the invaders as they intercepted their fights with the Kings Guards. After the invaders fell one by one, the Kings Guards were freed, running to join the battle inside the throne room. The trio finished the rest of the invaders in the hallway, running to join the rest of the Kings Guards until they made it to the wide-open doors of the throne room, then paused.
The room was filled to the brim with Kings Guards as cloaked figures fought against them around the room. The Kings Guards were outnumbered three to one. Flames licked the walls of the throne room near the door that led to the gardens. Screams of battle rang through the air like the crashing of tides. The doors to the gardens were open as the trees burned to hollow husks outside.
The clanging of steel made it even more deafening as each side fought hard against the other. Dead from both sides made the floor almost invisible. Each held one side of the throne room, with battles erupting near the middle. Both had archers in the back sending flurries of arrows. A blur of a red cape made her snap her head and squint in that direction until she finally saw him.
Alex was fiercely fighting against two men, their long swords shooting off bright sparks of light. Alex was a force to be reckoned with. He was as fast as the wind and just as strong. When Mia could, she would watch him train, his agility and sword skills unmatched from what she could tell.
The two men in front of Alex attacked simultaneously. Alex dodged them, moving his body to the side and using his long sword to block their attacks. Alex retaliated. He pummeled one of the invaders with his hilt, causing the man to fly backwards and onto the floor, no longer moving. The other man wailed in fury and rushed at Alex, who, easily dodged the hit. Alex countered and sliced upwards, sending the other flying backwards and immobile as well.
Mia rushed forward. Not really thinking about it, “Alex!” She screamed at the top of her lungs. Her throat still ripping in pain from the backlash of the fire.
Alex turned and finally saw her. “Mia!”
He sprinted across the room, avoiding the many dead bodies on the floor. He swung his sword, evading attacks against him. She bolted to him, Kate quickly following behind. Her legs moved faster than she thought possible, but before she could make it to him, thick dark shadows permeated the room. Everyone engulfed in the shadows froze in place, as if forced not to move. The shadows took an unnatural shape and started to engulf more than half of the throne room. Kate caught up to her before they were immobilized, and pulled Mia to the side of a nearby statue. Kate pointed two fingers towards her eyes, then pointed one finger at the mysterious shadow.
Two figures walked out of the shadows; their faces covered with hoods.
“Now this is what I call a party.” A light tinkling voice came from one of the hooded figures, her voice dripping with amusement.
“Don’t be daft, we’re here for only one thing.”
Her eyes grew wide as they pulled back their hoods, revealing faces so familiar, she could describe them in her sleep.
“Those are my stepsisters,” Mia’s heart started to beat so fast, she couldn’t control it. Her throat felt as if something were strangling her as she looked directly at Kate. How in the world did they have magic? She thought frantically to herself as she searched her memory for answers.
“Is that magic? You never said anything about them having magic.”
“I didn’t know! My stepmother kept them away from me the majority of the time. Any other time with them was pure torture. I want answers just as much as you do.”
“How is that even possible?” Kate asked, looking at her incredulously before turning around. “Wait…where’s Lily?”
***
“You two wait right there.” Lily’s voice boomed from the other side of the room.
Lily walked with her dagger hanging by her side, her eyes fixated on the pair. Blood stained her clothes and face as she walked towards them. The two turned towards her, Isabella clapping as Lily stepped closer, closing their gap.
“Oh look, we have a special guest!” Isbella turned to Driscilla who scoffed.
“What is she doing here?” Driscilla replied coldly.
Isabella shrugged her shoulders, throwing her hands in the air.
“Who cares, looks like this is going to be fun after all.”
Water suddenly flew out of the ground like a whip and shot towards Lily at alarming speed. Lily’s body glowed white as she absorbed the water with her free hand, then threw a blast of light at Isabella, causing her to jump and quickly dodge out of the way. Driscilla kneeled behind their battle, drawing something on the floor with a bright green glowing gem. Lily maintained her footing as Isabella assaulted her with more water whips, then dashed forward towards Isabella, using her dagger to slice her in the arm. Isabella fumed and threw a water ball at Lily. Lily turned and absorbed the water attack again. Isabella roared.
The shadows freezing effect seemed to have worn off as she heard a battle worn familiar voice.
“Don’t just stand there, attack!” Alex bellowed, turning his attention towards Isabella and Driscilla. The rest of the battle resumed.
Mia’s shock wore off as invaders took the opportunity to attack the guards again. The Kings Guard rallied with the few they had remaining. Grouping together so that the invaders couldn’t pick them off one by one. Mia grabbed her decorative short sword before Kate grabbed her by the arm, pushing her to the side while screaming look out.
A sudden figure came from her blindside. Mia saw it at the last second as Kate blocked the strike with her short sword.
“Go help the others! I’ll be fine.” Kate yelled as she struggled against the brute force of the attacker. Mia looked at Kate as she gained control, then nodded before running towards the Kings Guards who were fighting in a last line formation. They were outnumbered, their line of fighters breaking down by the second.
Water erupted from Isabella’s hands, forming into long ice tentacles that shot out spikes of ice as the tentacles clashed against the floor. The tentacles lashed at Lily as she barely evaded the fast moving whips. Lily used incredible agility to narrowly escape the ice debris that followed. Lily ran as Isabella chased her, Lily being a touch quicker. Lily flung herself to spin around a giant pillar, shooting a light blast that completely missed as Isabella gracefully dodged, sending back water whips of her own. One finally landed on Lily, sending her flying backwards and into a nearby wall. She huffed, before narrowly dodging the next whip attack.
“Fine. Gloves are off.” Lily panted as Isabella screeched with delight.
Lily turned to face Isabella while she approached with an unsuppressed grin. Lily’s body started to glow a bright white, as she started to chant something unfamiliar. A bright ball of light that rivaled the sun appeared in the air above them, expanding as Lily glowed brighter.
“Let’s get what we came for and get out of here, Mother is going to be furious.” Driscilla called out.
Mia watched the fight in pieces as she fought invader after invader, closing the gap between her and Alex.
He was fighting hard, when he was suddenly engulfed in sickly green glowing ropes that were tethered to whatever Driscilla had drawn on the ground. His entire body started to spasm as the ropes wrapped tightly around his body, making him scream in pain. The magical rope coiled around him like a snake, binding his entire body as he fell face first onto the ground. Alex struggled to break free, screaming, as the ropes started to drag him towards Driscilla and the green glowing circle on the ground.
“Don’t let Alex make it to that ritual circle! You have to disrupt it before he gets to the middle.” Lily shouted before Isabella sent out another whip, barely missing Lily, causing her to flip out of the way.
“How!” Mia yelled as she ran after the dark ropes that were dragging Alex back to their point of origin. The sigils on the floor were an intricate pattern. It glowed a sickly green light with a long rope jutting from the center and wrapping around Alex’s body, pulling him into it.
Mia ran towards Alex, as Isabella landed another solid hit on Lily, sending her flying into a nearby pillar. Mia stopped dead in her tracks as a water blast shot barely missed her face.
“By the way, hello dear sister.” Isabella’s voice seemed to reverberate directly into her eardrum. “Don’t think we didn’t see you cowering in fear over there, Cinderella. You’re just, once again, unimportant, and we have to go.” Isabella shot another water blast at her, this one hitting her directly in the chest, making her fly backwards and into a wall. She slumped as the room started to darken around her.
Driscilla smirked as Isabella waved as they finally got Alex into the middle of the ritual circle and all three of them vanished into a dark green light.
“Alex! Alex!!” Mia yelled with all her might, but it was futile, her body wouldn’t move. The Kings Guards were all dead, and the remaining invaders turned their attention towards Lily, Mia, and Kate. Kate, who had managed to defeat her previous attacker, was at her side helping her to her feet. Mia didn’t believe she had legs any longer, at least none that she could feel anyway.
“Watch out!” Lily yelled as another assailant lunged at them. He brandished a short sword, his speed almost overtaking them. Lily pushed Mia and Kate out of the way, and used her sword to block the attack, almost losing her footing. Mia wanted to help but her mind was too foggy. More attackers yelled and turned their way. Suddenly, a white light enveloped around her, then everything went black.