The horses made their way beside the river, Gizzy brushing her white hair out of her face as she followed the map, up the winding path to Dyrecove. Dee peered at the map beside her, growing concerned as distant thunder rumbled lightly.

“I really hate how the path just ends right here and then starts again right before we get to Dyrecove, and there’s just this gray spot that says Grave of Unsheathed swords and like, no explanation there." Dee whispered.

“Probably where some old battle was fought, mass grave site would be my guess.” Gizzy shrugged.

“Please tell me we’re not going UNDER the mountains, we’re going around, right?” Dee asked.

“Line shows us going through it.”

“Caves?” Nicole smiled. “Oh, I love caves.”

“Yea, I’m not a big fan, caves are full of bugs and scary shit.” Dee cringed. "Little PTSD)"

“Well,” Gizzy squinted. “This is a long way around and looping back through dense woods and shit that’s not on the map, so there’s gotta be a reason they sent us through the mountain. Dyrecove apparently has a hell of a navy, and it’s tucked in a weird little defensive spot, so…I’m guessing the cave is where you go if you know how to get in. Must be the easiest rout.” She yawned.

The winter air of the mountain howled relentlessly as the horses struggled to move against it, the high mountain path winding nonsensically up and back across the high slopes and sheer drops of the Dyre mountains.

“EASIEST ROUT MY PLUMP ASS!” Dee yelled over the wind.

“Damn it’s cold up here.” Shivered Silverback as Vinn gave him a look.

“Try being used to full fur coverage. I’m basically doing this crap shaved.” He barked as Nicole casually adjusted her glasses to keep the wind out, barely noticing the cold.

“Do I look fur covered, Vinn?" Silverback huffed. "I’m freezing my ass off, just like you. I’m older, I don’t have as much body mass. Why are all the women in this group vastly overpowered?” Silverback barked.

“Firstly…” Gizzy scolded. “You volunteered for this, I had 2 overpowered guys in the original lineup, but I know you better than some random soldier, the backup guy canceled on me and if we brought Jack we’d have to bring Vicki, and trust me, we don’t want her near these items. If she had been bound to that bow instead of Dee, we’d all be in a much darker story. Just like Medusa's list. So shit happened. Aside from not being used to nipples, let alone frozen ones, Vinn’s pretty overpowered, and aside from plot armor, which is not my fault, Nicole is just a some nerd with special abilities only pertaining to a cold mountain cave. This is just her element. If we end up in a dessert, the tables will turn. You’ll have one dehydrated Nicole and 2 heavy robot bitches struggling to walk in sand. And look, there’s the cave entrance. We’ll be out of the wind and snow.” She said as the hurried to the cave and Nicole sat on her horse gazing out at the distance. Gizzy pulled up beside her and stared at the sight. Like red ants on the landscape, the army of Dravenguard sat waiting, numbers impossible to measure.

“Come on, the cave is nice and dark like you like. Probably full of bugs and bats and creepy shit you like too.” Gizzy motioned.

“Thanks, but I can’t stop thinking about how we started a war.” Nicole sighed.

“We didn’t start the war, wars happen. We just showed up during one. They probably have one every few years.”

The city of Dravenguard sat quietly, a sleeping red dragon in front and a perched blue dragon in the distance. King Sophia and her men stood at the rear of the city on the edge of a small creek branching from Draven’s River.

“Listen up men.” She whispered aggressively to the man in makeshift Ulferling robes. “Some of you may die tonight, but we have waited 20 years for war and the gods have willed it. The false prophecy being spat in Spirecrest will die with their white witch, that she-devil that Uldor calls his queen. She may have the sword as she claimed, but she killed your king and my husband, and they will BURN for it. But before they do, we must pit brother against brother. We conspire tonight to clear the land of Dravenguard’s army, by turning it to Ulferling. May they kill one another to the last man, and leave a path of blood for us to march over to Spirecrest and have our vengeance. Destroy the halfblood king and his murderous white witch, and as the prophecy states, brothers will fall and one king shall remain. Me.” She growled, “For Faeryn's honor! The gods will it. Make your fallen king proud tonight, and make your new one proud as well.” She said, leading them to the wall.

The group of 8 quietly split into groups of two, slitting the throats of the red guards on the wall walkways as they scattered.

A young Elven woman with silver jewelry and wine rubbed her pregnant belly in her hot bath, as a subtle thump caught her attention. She sat up, walking to the window and peering out at the sleeping dragon guarding the city. Her comfort sank as the wine glass shattered, the sound of the door shutting behind her froze her in her place. She turned, grabbing a small dagger and nervously watching a man in Ulferling robes lock the door, and a woman in full armor draw a sword from her side.

“What is this?” she gasped, fighting the urge to cry as Sophia circled, “My King will kill you for this, you traitorous snake.”

“A king must not kill a king, my dear.” Sophia smiled. “Know that I have lost what I love, and I do this for him, My brother, my king. I bear you no hatred and I wish deeply that I was staring at the white witch of Spirecrest in your compromised position, ready to enjoy taking her life, slowly and painfully. But that is not tonight, and your death will be swift. I give you that one gift.”

“You conspire with Ulferling?” she asked, “That old man does not have the spine to do such a thing. You are bluffing.” She said, trying to believe it.

“You are right. Ulferling lacks the spine, but he also lacks the robes we have stolen, and now he lacks the dragon to fight your husband’s army.” She said, plunging the sword into her chest, as the young pregnant queen fell in shock.

“Kill the child.” Sophia ordered, as the man in blue robes nodded and struck with his sword. Sophia picked up the dagger, admiring its red rose engraving and casually turning to stab her own man in the throat. He gurgled and looked up as if to ask why, dropping to his knees.

“You have done your fallen king and your new king a great honor, soldier. Your name will be praised, and your family rewarded greatly.” She said bowing as he slumped to the ground. "But we need a dead man in Ulferling's robes to pivot the blame. Fate is a cruel beast. Die with honor."

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

King Hafth sat in his tent, suddenly rousted and drawing his blade, feeling a strange feeling as a figure circled behind him.

“Brother…” said the voice of Faeryn “Remain still. I have disturbing news.”

“Do we ride for Spirecrest?” he asked as Faeryn stopped him with an outstretched hand.

“Ulferling has betrayed us and done the unthinkable.” a strangely alive Faeryn said.

“Has he attacked the city with his beast?” Hafth asked, rising up and getting heated.

“No. He has sent men in the night to kill your wife and child. Brother, I have to confess I have spies in your city, we have been fighting over borders for a long time, but you know me. I considered your wife a friend, and it pains me to report this. His dragon stands guard and men have been spotted in the city. Ulferling’s men have slain your queen and son.”

“You lie. You lie to trick me into turning on him.” hafth barked in tears of forced denial.

“Look in my eyes' brother. I have lied to you before, but you know when I do. Your wife is dead. The blue robes of Ulferling lie at her feet, draped on the man who killed your unborn son. That dragon of his was a trap. This is a message, no, listen to me, do not lose your sanity brother. This is a message. He sends his beast to hold yours at bay and sends men to kill your heir because he has none of his own. He wants us to fear him, to know he still has power. That even in his old age he has tricks and the might of Azure under his power. Send riders to confirm it, but your magisters have likely sent raven with the message already. My army is preparing as we speak, we will back you up, brother. Wait till we arrive to attack Ulferling. Your army is not strong enough to take the stronghold alone.”

“Like hell it can’t. If this is true, we will burn his castle to a watery grave and send his beloved Azure to hell. The Rose will breathe vengeance into it’s soul and turn it to ash. Where are you going?”

“I will fly to Ulferling, kill him myself.” Said Faeryn, turning and leaving.

“Don’t you dare, brother, he is mine! If he harmed my wife and child, I will kill him with my own hands. Get down from that beast at once!” he shouted as Faeryn mounted the bloody saddle atop the black dragon, it’s jaws unchained and free to bite, purple eyes and a haze around it.

“I do this for you and your wife, I have a dragon, yours protects your kingdom. Ulferling will die for this, I swear it, and with him dead, Azure will fall, and you will take the stronghold with ease. I’m sorry, but I must do this. I will face him myself.” He insisted, taking off slowly.

“Faeryn, his men are fierce and you fly alone. You will die there.”

“Then I will die for glory, and my queen will lead my army to your aid. Fight swift brother, while he does not expect it.” he said, flying away before he could stop him. The dragon flapped its wings into the cloud cover and Faeryn, closed his eyes, hanging his head and shedding tears in silence.

King Sophia, in her sorcery room, wiped her tears and lifted her head, alone in her tower and surrounded by purple mist and a lock of Faeryn’s hair in her outstretched hand. She opened her eyes and tossed it into the fire in the center of the table. As the hair burned she burst into tears and whispered “Goodbye my king, my brother.”

The dragon Ahndra circled back, the ghostly illusion of Faeryn fading to purple mist and burning away to nothing, leaving only the dragon remaining with a bloody saddle. Her dark magic spent on deception, she sat in the dark, exhausted and drained.

Gizzy’s eyes glowed a dim blue, lighting the way for the men who couldn’t see in the dark, Dee’s orange eyes lighting the path behind them. The sound of scuttering in the dark made her suddenly turn, the orange spotlight moving to a far corner as movement vanished behind rocks.

“Guys, there’s something in the cave.” Dee nervously muttered.

“Keep your eyes open.” Gizzy said. “Swords ready and drawn.”

“Wait…what if it’s something harmless?” Nicole asked.

“Then we don’t kill it. If it’s not harmless, we do.” Gizzy shrugged.

“Holy fuckin shitass!” Dee yelled, drawing her bow and firing a blinding beam of light into the cave wall with no warning.

“Dee!?” Gizzy yelled. “What are you doing?”

“There was a really big spider.” She said, looking horrified.

“Really?” Gizzy scoffed. “You fired that thing at a cave spider? You could have collapsed the roof on us over a damn spider. I don’t care if it was the size of a dinner plate, I’m not getting buried alive over a stupid spi-” she said, noticing the reflective eyes in the dark and the 5-foot wide rock lifting up and crawling around them in a defensive manner.

“I Apologize…That's a big damn spider. we need to move.” Gizzy said as the hiss of hundreds of spiders, ranging from dog sized to car sized began rising up and moving their way. “Dee, fire up that axe!” she yelled as they took off full speed down the tunnel. They diverted and dodged the monstrous spiders now surrounding them and coming out from everywhere, making their already jagged path now even more erratic.

“MASS GRAVE!” Dee blurted. “THIS IS WHY I DON’T DO CAVES!”

“Stop screaming and ride!” Gizzy ordered, jumping off her horse and sliding to a stop, unsheathing her glowing blue sword as they expanded their attack range in fear of its power.

“Don’t you dare stay behind to fight and die to save me!” Dee yelled, turning around.

“Everyone stop, put away your weapons!” Nicole yelled.

“…fuck that.” Dee said, powering up her axe.

“This place on the map is called Grave of UNSHEATHED swords. Sheath your swords!” Nicole ordered. Gizzy stood ready to kill as Vinn and Silverback put theirs away. “Dee, turn that axe off. They didn’t attack us. They didn’t even swarm until you fired at one. Thankfully, your aim is dogshit. What if they’re not monsters, and they’re just responding to our weapons? Gizzy, please put the sword away!” she yelled.

“I hate bugs, Nicole. If we die here, The other me back home is going to evict your ass back home.”

“They’re just bugs, we’re in their cave, where their babies are and their homes. UNSHEATED swords is a riddle, a warning to those seeking war. Sheath your weapons and they might just leave us alone.” Nicole insisted.

“I hate this!” Dee barked. “Even if you’re right, this is absolutely bullshit.”

“Dee, I hate this too, turn off your axe.” Gizzy said. “Turn off your eyelights.” She added.

“Uh…” Vinn interrupted. “If you do that we can’t see shit. We’re blind in the big spider cave.”

“I can still see.” Nicole said, her blackened eyes locked with one of the spiders. “We’re not here to hurt you, buddy.” She whispered as the lights went out.

King Uldor stood proudly, smiling and peering out over his highest tower wall as the red army moved East, towards Ulferling. The tap of a staff and high heels from behind him comforted his imminent triumph as the ram-horned goth queen stepped to the ledge with her staff in hand.

“What do you see, my king?” she grinned.

“Oh it’s magnificent. I wish you could see it too. Dravenguard marches his war to Ulferling, leaving us completely unscathed.”

“I gave up my eyes for the gift of holy sight. My visions are far more powerful than anything I could gaze upon right now. All I need to see in this world, is your handsome face, and I remember it vividly from when I was a little girl. Even if you have grayed and faded some, I am your queen, and you are a god in my eyes. We will be gods together soon enough." she whispered.

The gang rode onward, looking exhausted and sweaty despite the cold environment. Dee stared forward, trauma in her unblinking eyes and death grip on the reins. Nicole broke the silence first.

“See? We’re all fine. They were just animals. We were in its home, were big and scary and armed with weapons. Just because it’s big and scary doesn’t mean it’s evil. Vinn’s big, He’s intimidating, and a sweetheart. Most bugs are just trying to b left alone and harmless. It just had babies to protect!” Nicole explained. “Would you really kill innocent baby bugs?”

“…Sryft Spiderpedes that took over my damn moon...” Gizzy said loudly.

“That…is a bad example, they can die in hell, but MOST bugs are friends.” Nicole said as they noticed the path leading down the valley and into the faint sound of village life, hustle and bustle in ominous and disjointed echoes, muttering and horse hooves.

“Well at least we made it to Dyrecove in once piece.” Sighed Silverback.

“Swear to god…” Gizzy huffed “If the reader turns the page and there’s that stupid picture of Luffy meme in the midroll credits, I quit, and we’re going home.” She finished, staring aggressively with warning to the tempted narrator. "After that spider bullshit, don't you fucking dare." she added.