With the appearance of the first rays of the sun, alarm bells rang and the soldiers, jumping up from their beds, hurried to put on armor, and some even slept in it, so that they could then rush with weapons at the ready straight to the walls, where the nightmare of their lives would await them. They were waiting for this, but they will not be ready for it. Fear will fill every bone, every drop of blood of their bodies and only their commanders will maintain order in the ranks by shouting strict orders or making motivational speeches.

The sentries noticed an approaching army outside the city, a huge army that was about to begin storming the walls. At this time, from all over the city, everyone who could flocked to its northern part to provide full support to their defenders. Not far from the northern gate, one of the buildings was converted into a hospital and a pit for corpses was dug in advance. Barricades have already begun to be hastily erected on the streets, and townspeople are hiding their children in houses and basements.

The army outside the city walls filled the entire visible horizon, as if they were drowning the space in a wave, emerging from the hidden forest into the open area. Almost as soon as they appeared in front of the defenders, the assault began. Hordes of maddened cultists, throwing up their blades, spears and axes with shouts, rushed into the attack, drowning everything outside the city walls in the human mass.

Cobblestones fell on their heads, flew and pierced their flesh with bloody arrow splashes. Having not yet reached the city limits with ladders in their hands, losses were already appearing among them, but they understood their advantage in numbers and therefore did not even dare to think about retreat. They sought to take the city with a frontal assault and, apparently, they might even succeed.

Amid the roar of thousands, the invaders began to place ladders on the walls and climb up them. They didn’t even try to cover themselves with shields, but simply fell from the walls one after another, themselves serving as shields for everyone else. They tried to throw them down, the ladders were broken, but new ones appeared in their place, and more and more ladders were placed on the walls, forcing the defenders to stretch out along the perimeter. Soon the first invaders were able to safely climb up and battles immediately began on the walls themselves.

Swings of blades, spears, reeds, the noise of clanging armor, screams of orders, pain and agony. Just a few hours earlier, all the defenders were enjoying the morning peace, and now they were in a real hell that anyone could hardly imagine. They were in the midst of a devastating war for which they were unprepared.

A little more and they would falter, however, some already tried to stand aside and tremble with fear to watch as the braver defenders threw corpses from the walls and lost limbs in battle.

But something was wrong here.

There were not just a lot of enemies, but impossibly full of them. The defenders, looking closer, noticed only madness and rot on their faces, and some even had bones instead of a face. Such a sight already filled all the defenders of the city with even greater fear and despair, but it’s worth giving them their due, they continued to fight no matter what. Rather, this fear gave them more strength and confidence, but alas, not for everyone.

Soldiers were dying everywhere, one after another they fell down. The fighter swung his sword at the cultist who attacked him and cut his body in half, his legs flew down to the waist straight into the crowd, and the upper part of his body remained on the walls, but the chopped enemy did not die and by some miracle continued, bleeding liters of blood with insane screams crawl in his arms towards the soldier, hoping to finish him off, and only a new blow, crushing his skull and splashing his brains around, made the bastard die.

The man who killed him could not believe his eyes and decided to announce his monstrous discovery to all the defenders:

"Don't be afraid to kill those who have already died! Afraid that you will become the same! Fight!"

This turned out to be true, those who attacked them right now were already dead. Realizing that they were being attacked by the risen dead, the defenders were inflamed with righteous anger. They all believed in Sod, in the fact that they were given a place in His great garden, but to see how someone desecrates the bodies of the dead and blackens the souls only caused disgust in the souls of His faithful children.

Many wondered: is Prince Monrid really like this? Does he really care about the souls of the fallen? The blood in the veins boiled, and unbridled rage filled the defenders of the city, but while fierce battles were taking place outside the walls, in a small camp, a couple surrounded by cultists dressed in black robes awaited the end of the assault.

Monrid sat on a chair and watched how people chopped each other into juicy slices of human meat, and his dearest sister sat on his lap, whom he held with his left hand and pulled her breasts with her, playing with her puffy nipples. With his other hand, he ate a human heart fried over the fire, biting off piece by piece from time to time. The prince would call this state of affairs bliss; he felt as if he was in heaven and could not say the following without a malicious smile on his face:

"Great. I don’t need to do anything. They’ll do everything for me. So this is the very power that was promised to me?”

"Yes, brother."

Swidok giggled, allowing the prince to expose her breasts and press harder, causing her to moan from the pleasure it gave her.

"In your hands is the freedom that anyone can only dream of. Do whatever you want and... wherever you want."

Hearing such seductive words, Monrid wanted to desecrate her right here and now surrounded by the public, no one told him anyway, and yet the first thing he wanted to do was wait for the moment when the city fell and then he would carry out his revenge, kill Draun Rudrin. He will not do this immediately, but slowly, burning out every fragment of his soul in agony.

While the couple was lounging on a chair enjoying the symphony of war, Swidok suddenly twitched. She fixed her gaze somewhere in the sky and froze.

"Hm?"

Monrid was going to caress her neck, but for some reason she rejected him, not paying any attention to her brother. This of course prompted the irritated prince to ask:

"What's happened?"

"What are they doing?"

The golden-haired girl became interested, feeling how something was levitating high, high right above the city.

"There’s something there, I don’t see it.”

Swidok jumped up from the prince's lap and stood on the grass and fixed her gaze on the sky. Her eyes at that moment shone scarlet so much that they could burn through the ice with their radiance. The capillaries around her eyes turned black and swollen, and she herself firmly looked at one point, seeing some kind of iron box high in the sky.

She felt some kind of power emanating from her, not magical power, but some kind of... natural one. However, Swidok did not understand the nature of this power, she only knows that that iron box is levitating thanks to the "punishing hand" power of the Lakuus royal family. Only once in a generation does it come through the blood of the ruling family of the kingdom.

"Monrid."

Swidok said calmly, without taking her eyes, maddened with anger, from the box.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"Are you really the last descendant of your father?”

"My brother died, my father died, my mother is probably already killed somewhere. Only Ilifreeta remains, but she is in Itsqueen."

The prince grinned, licking his lips.

"I'm looking forward to the moment when I taste her. I want to see her frightened eyes and hear her pleas for help and mercy."

"This moment will come much faster than you wish.”

Swidok spoke and collected two spheres of lightning in her palms.

"What are you doing?"

"They're up to something, brother. Your sister is here."

"What?"

Monrid exclaimed in surprise, and the next moment he saw Swidok, clapping her palms, shoot a powerful bolt of lightning into the sky, where at first glance it disappeared right there.

The charge itself reached its target and the iron box was deformed from the impact, breaking into several fragments, and after a few moments its entire part began to fall down. The girl relaxed, having cooled the ardor of her magic, and turned to Prince Monrid with a grin on her face.

"Do you want to win your sister? Will you let me deal with her?"

Prince Monrid, however, shook his head negatively at these words and instead began to put on his snow-white elegant armor, forged especially for him.

"I'll do it myself."

"Fine."

Swidok giggled.

"Then I'll have fun."

***

The city had already been stormed, while the common people were forced to hide behind the walls of the castle; all the city nobility loyal to the king, or rather what was left of it, was hiding with him within the palace. Preparations for the battle were also underway in the castle itself, it was here that Boris and our guys would have to engage in battle with the opponents, and at that time I decided to go down to the underground shelter and wait out the war.

Luckily for me, while I was going down the stairs, accompanied by servants, I came across Ilif and Furgur who were carrying her in their arms. There was no end to the joy on the princess's face.

"Victory!"

The princess exclaimed cheerfully in my direction, and I smiled warmly at her.

"I'm sorry I didn't visit you yesterday. I thought you were busy."

I said in response, patting the princess on the head.

"I’m not offended, but... I always feel so calm with you. I missed you.”

"That's good to hear."

We continued our descent into the shelter together. In essence, it was a dungeon in which the prisoners' cells were converted into chambers for the nobility. That's why some of the servants were busy cleaning and catching rats. One of the people was giving orders to the servants and, noticing the princess out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly looked up from his work and bowed to us honorably.

"Your Highness. It's good that you are safe. It was reckless of you to help these green ones with their witchcraft and..."

The man's gaze fell on me, causing him to twitch slightly and take a step back.

"Why is she next to you?"

"If you order, I will kill her on the spot."

One of the guards took out the blade, but the princess managed to calm the rebel.

"There is no need for that. This is Sigrin, the one who saved my life. Treat her with due respect, as my savior."

I am flattered. My dear, so brave.

I thought, quite surprised by the confidence that Ilifreeta radiated even when she was in the arms of another person.

The man, in response, wide-eyed, thought for a long time before motioning to the guard to return the sword to its sheath, and then he led us into temporary chambers:

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, I didn't know that. If I may, I will escort you to your room."

"She'll come with me."

Ilifreeta clarified, to which the man did not argue, and then we followed along the corridors of the dungeon to the prepared cell.

And although all the amenities were here, the dampness, the smell and the room itself still reminded me of those days spent locked up. Ilifreeta was in the dungeon longer than me, so she felt no better. It was visible on her face. Placing my hand on her shoulder, I calmed her fears that could burst out at any moment:

"Don’t be afraid, if anything I’ll calm you down with my stories. You can’t imagine what a baggage of jokes I have behind my back, you’ll like it.”

"Thank you."

Ilif smiled.

Furgur put her on the bed, and he went to watch outside, but I lay down next to her, hoping to somehow warm her with my body. She was so cold, she literally couldn't move her body, except maybe her head. I can’t imagine how I would feel if I was like this all my life.

I probably wouldn’t even be able to escape from home...

I thought, not without sadness.

"Victory,"

Ilif turned to me, turning her head in my direction.

"kiss me."

"Fine."

I smiled and kissed her on the forehead, but then looking at her face, I saw a little dissatisfaction, or rather even bewilderment, as if she was expecting something completely different.

"What's happened?"

"That's not what I meant. I meant...on the lips."

"A?"

I couldn’t believe my ears and sat up slightly.

"We're girls, we can't do that."

"But I love you, and I have never been kissed in my life. Besides you, there is no one else I love in my life. Favorite people kiss on the lips, I read this in books.”

Burn these books!

I thought, shaking my head and rubbing my forehead.

"Forgive me, but we’ve only known each other for a week. And I prefer guys more. And if you want to express your love, you just had to say it. And since you’ve already said it, then...”

"Ah..."

I caught Ilif by surprise by hugging her all over and stroking her head.

"S-sigrin? W-what are you doing?"

"It's okay, I love you too."

I answered affectionately and heard dissatisfied sounds overhead.

"Khm-khm…"

Raising my head, I saw Furgur crossing his arms over his chest. I found myself in a very awkward position and, turning away from the princess, I began to make excuses:

"What? She said to kiss her, I didn't and decided to hug her instead."

"That's not the point."

The master of the bow answered and, moving aside, opened a view of the exit from the chamber, where the king stood with his retinue.

From such an unexpected turn, I jumped up and hurried to bow, but when I heard the calm voice of the king, I calmed down a little.

"I'm glad that the future queen has a friend like you, Mrs. Sigrin."

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"There’s no need to apologize. I’m here to tell you that maybe something terrible will happen to me. If you don’t bother your ears, then know that maybe I’ll die today.”

"What?"

This time the princess exclaimed.

"What are you talking about?"

"I will go outside and play the role of bait. Monrid needs me first of all, but he doesn’t know about you Ilifreeta yet. If everything goes well, then I will return safe and sound, and if not, then... you can only run.”

The king turned his head to the side and pointed his hand in that direction.

"There is another way out. If you continue to be broken into until the end of the day, then break down this wall, behind it is an underground passage out of the city. Run away from the country, away from the cult and Fellrick.”

It was unpleasant to hear that the person you love is leaving you, and he himself is doing something stupid, needlessly sacrificing his life. Probably, Ilifreeta would have thought so if he were really dear to her, but my people are another matter. There are Boris, Will, Forn, Itami, Fred, Stern, and other platoon fighters with whom I have already become friends. I don't want to lose any of them and yet if they die, then I will have to survive. Someone, sooner or later, must get to the army and report what happened to the crew of the shuttle «Persia».

After these words, the king left us, as did Furgur, leaving me and the princess alone. We lay in silence on the same bed. I was busy with many thoughts about this, I couldn’t just get it out of my head and yet.

"Ilif."

I turned to the princess.

She, turning her head, wanted to find out what I wanted to say, but before she could open her mouth, our tongues intertwined in a kiss. Having separated our lips a moment later, with a slight smile, stroking her reddened cheeks, I said:

"I love you."

"S-sigrin?"

I won't be alone... ever again.