Nyle was having a dreamless sleep, nothing to bother, disturb or distract him until he was jerked out of the sleep by constant shaking. He woke up groggily and saw red, no wait maybe it was bronze hair and slightly blackened rough face.

“S’the matter?” asked Nyle groggily sitting up and saw Eduard’s urgent but hopeful face.

“The door, it opened,” said Eduard and Nyle was confused.

“Which door?”

Eduard pointed out and Nyle turned and then he slapped himself in the head. Of course, he could now retrieve his weapon, the door to the armory had finally opened after some time.

“Thanks for waking me up,” said Nyle and he went up to the cell bars and looked out towards the door.

“What are you going to do?” asked Eduard apprehensive.

Nyle replied, “Wait for it.”

He saw the shadow of a man walking towards the door and he smiled grimly and then let out a loud whistle. It seemed to have startled both Eduard and the man but several seconds after that the shadow shuddered and Nyle took a step back as the man fell forward and as he did so there was a dagger clearly protruding out of his back.

“Do you have someone here helping you?” asked Eduard thinking back to whistle, assuming it was a signal of some sorts.

“No,” said Nyle and he shuddered as he looked at the dagger, he had killed someone in cold blood, though it wasn’t by his hands and that was his consolation.

Nyle whistled again and the body was suddenly dragged towards him with dagger acting as the anchor between Nyle and the body.

“You can control the dagger,” said Eduard incredulously. “Have you awakened to the elevation grade of your pulse?”

“No,” said Nyle chuckling. “Hardly there yet, this is something else.”

Nyle put his hands through the bar and pulled the dagger out of the man and he noticed Eduard didn’t seem too fazed.

“Have you learned the killing discipline?” asked Nyle curiously.

“Not fully, I’ll have learnt it by early next year when I turn fifteen,” said Eduard but in saying that he had taken the lives of two people before this.

Nyle nodded his understanding, it actually made sense, Grifort’s Empire great age was fifteen, it was when a boy became a man and he could do whatever he wanted. Nyle cleaned the dagger on the man’s own clothes.

“Help me search him,” said Nyle pointing to the man and then dragged him closer, Eduard nodded and crouched down next to Nyle.

“What are we looking for?” asked Eduard.

“Keys,” said Nyle. “Of any sort actually, it doesn’t have to necessarily be this cell’s, though I’m wagering he has it on him.”

They patted down his pockets and found several pieces of paper, an old bottle cork, some sort of powder wrapped in ornate paper, a small drawing, a handbook, but none of these were the keys they were looking for, so finally Nyle turned him over face up and checked the man’s shirt pockets at the front and he finally found it, a set of keys.

“We’re finally going to escape,” said Eduard sighing relaxedly.

“Don’t let up yet,” said Nyle looking through the keys. “We need to find out how to get off this ship.”

“How hard can it be, we just jump off into the water,” said Eduard nodding sagely. “Then we swim back to the harbor.”

Nyle let out a laugh. “We don’t even know how far we are from the harbor or which direction swim in to reach the harbor, not only that, if we can swim then the people on this ship can most certainly do so as well.”

Eduard thought about the possibilities and his face turned downcast, why…why on earth did he have to set out to make a name for himself? Couldn’t he have stayed in the castle like an obedient child? Nyle finally found the key and pushed it into the cell’s lock and twisted it, the lock popped open.

“Careful now,” said Nyle. “Let’s not alert them to the fact that we’re free, we’ll try to find and release their jolly boats from below deck, see if we can escape on that.”

Nyle opened the cell door and Eduard walked out and walked straight towards the open armory room. Nyle quickly ran after him.

“Is your sword in here?” asked Nyle.

“I had it with me when I was attacked and defeated,” said Eduard gritting his teeth as he still remembered the two unexpected blow darts to the back, it was a humiliating memory.

Nyle looked around for his blade a straight bright-steeled scimitar. The armory room was filled with hordes of weapons. Crates of swords, arrows, bows and spear tips. Rows of spear shafts aligned near perfectly. To the side there were armors of various sizes and chainmail, it was a treasure trove. Nyle’s gleaming eyes ran over it all but then landed back on his finely made scimitar again put on the top shelf just beyond his reach. He stepped onto the wall and reached up latching onto the shelf, clasped his scimitar and grasped around for his scabbard. When it was finally found he pulled both of them down and turned to Eduard who seemed to be looking around with an annoyed expression. Nyle clasped his sword to the back of his belt stuffed his dagger into a scabbard inside the arm of his shirt then looked at Eduard again.

“Your sword isn’t here?” asked Nyle and Eduard shook his head.

“I can’t find it, they must’ve left it back there, or thrown it away,” said Eduard and he clenched his fists, it was a longsword, specially made for him, it helped him channel his pulse powers easier.

“Just take one from the horde,” said Nyle motioning to the crates. “It’s not like they’re going to miss one from that large a pile.”

Eduard sighed and grasped a blade from the pile, a longsword which fit quite uncomfortably in his hands. Nyle was about to walk out of the armory room when Eduard suddenly stopped him.

“Since we’re here, why don’t we equip ourselves further,” said Eduard motioning to the armor behind him with a grin.

Nyle gave a chuckle. “I’m not the type to wear armor, not even a chainmail, it hampers my sword style but help yourself.”

Eduard shrugged and did just that, he took off his tunic and put on chainmail then wearing his tunic over it he pulled on heavy armor and Nyle gave an appreciative whistle.

“I’m astounded you can move in that mammoth of a thing,” said Nyle walking up and tapping the armor.

“This is nothing,” said Eduard grinning and then thought back to the weight training he had been put through, those truly seemed like sweet memories now.

Eduard’s thoughts were interrupted when Nyle said, “Let’s leave, quietly, we need to find a way down below deck, I’ve seen the jolly boats tied to both the port and the starboard sides, it’s in front of the oars section.”

“How do we get there?” asked Eduard, the concern clearly showing on his face.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” said Nyle, “there’s no way to get there from the brig or the armory room, we might have to break onto the deck.”

“Are you saying I should ready myself for a fight?” asked Eduard smiling and Nyle looked over at the large boy that seemed to eager to go on a rampage.

He shook his head. “I’m afraid we’ll be skewered through by several different swords if we went at it head on, we aren’t enough to face up a ship of killers.”

Eduard pondered on that for a moment and then gulped, he had been struck from the back by darts, if whoever did that had wanted to kill him, he would be in a grave by now. He knew they weren’t dealing with the ordinary. As a warrior-to-be, Eduard had some confidence in facing up against most on this ship but he had discounted the fact that he wasn’t up against honorable warriors but dishonorable killers and criminals.

“What do we do then?” asked Eduard.

Nyle frowned as he looked down and then looked at Eduard with some light determination, “One of us need to get out there to distract the people on deck, it doesn’t need to anything wild, just enough to divert their attention.”

“I’ll do it.” said Eduard looking determined and righteous, a face which almost brought Nyle to laughter.

Nyle nodded, holding back and trying his hardest to not let even a hint of a smile leak out onto his face. “I was thinking that as well, if it’s me I don’t think I’ll need to use the hatch door to enter below deck, I can do it quicker as well.”

Eduard pondered on it for a little and then his face turned into a smile, “This could actually work.”

“I’m expecting it to,” said Nyle and then he turned to Eduard with some doubt. “What if I leave you behind?”

Eduard quickly went a little pale but that soon faded and he faced Nyle with a smirk. “The worst that can happen is I die.”

Nyle looked seriously at Eduard and then shook his head, “I’m a little disappointed.”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

With this reply, Eduard looked at him blankly but it seemed to Nyle that Eduard had not fully grasped the world outside his manor, such a response proved to Nyle that Eduard had a severe hero complex coupled with a childish immaturity, it was a dangerous mix of a human being.

“You won’t die,” said Nyle. “Now go out there and make as loud of a ruckus as you can.”

Eduard nodded and unlatched the door. Nyle breathed in deep and he drew his dagger out of his sleeve and watched as Eduard, with a roar kicked the door out and rushed onto the deck with sword swinging. Nyle waited for a couple of seconds and then he saw that most of the attention was focussed on the center where Eduard had activated his discharge pulse and was swinging madly. Nyle’s dismay increased, there were explosions going off at regular intervals and on a ship, in the middle of the water. Nyle saw a man being thrown away by an explosion and Nyle quickly dodged the falling man who was impaled, and ran to the side of the ship and jumped over the bulwark and latching onto the exterior side of the ship he climbed down like a spider. His reflexes were astounding as he maneuvered himself with the little holding grip he had on the ship’s side and reached a hole where an oar was supposed to come through. He clambered in and was almost immediately met with an astounded gaze by a man. He stood stunned for a second, his fatal mistake. Nyle ran and kneed him in the balls and with butt of the dagger knocked him out and pushed him over. He tried to remember the layout of the ship from when he had walked around the last time. There was a galley before the hanging jolly boats and from the smell he quickly figured out where the galley was. He ran at the oar section door and burst through to be met by another crew member who he quickly knocked out by kneeing him in the face, fairly hard and then stomping on it after he fell. He brandished the dagger with excellent finesse and it flashed almost like the wings of a sparrow as it blocked an angry blow with a kitchen knife from a crewmember and he slammed the man’s head onto the sidewall and he collapsed. As he got closer to the side of the ship he the voices above board sounded out larger and there were loud crashes of swords and the explosions appeared to be still ongoing. Eduard appeared to be a trained warrior and a boy large for his age, Nyle was confident of his abilities to keep the crew of the ship occupied till he got a jolly boat, though not overly so but he did wish that Eduard would tone down the explosions a little, at this rate, he could very well destroy the ship before they got off board and just as he thought that the ship rocked, this time due to a rather large explosion and above board he heard something large crash to the ground. Nyle cursed both himself and Eduard and rushed towards the jolly boats. He met another crew member on the way on whom he performed a running jump kick, sending him toppling into a dining table and then he finally had arrived at the very rear of the ship where the jolly boats were kept, two tied on each side. He with his dagger made quick work of the ropes tying a jolly boat and it dropped into the water with a thick splash and Nyle looked around to see if anybody spotted and then he jumped in. He landed on the boat and sheathed his dagger between his sleeves and then rowed out far and to his utter shock he saw the destruction wreaked above deck. Parts of the bulwark had been broken, the mast had fallen, it must’ve been what he heard from below that shook the ship, he thought, the deck of the ship was in tatters and Nyle sighed. It was a distraction but he had just doomed the ship, without a sail in the waters, the ship was doomed. Nyle rowed the jolly boat closer to the ship and then with the same finesse he climbed down the ship, he climbed up reaching the top of the bulwark.

“Eduard!” shouted Nyle towards the boy who seemed exhausted beyond belief, it was only naturally after using his discharge pulse so much.

Eduard glanced out and gladness surfaced on his face as he saw Nyle and he motioned for him to come over quickly. Eduard lightly parried an attack and rushed over but at the last second the one who had been chasing him had caught up again. Eduard parried the attack and Nyle reached out and yanked the big boy backwards using his tunic collar and he dropped down onto the boat below with a loud thunk and a scream. He reached out again and grabbed the chaser’s hair and slammed his head down onto the bulwark knocking him out and then he too dropped down below, landing right next to the groaning Eduard.

“Ohh…” groaned Eduard as he struggled to sit up, rubbing his back. “It worked…”

“Yes it did,” said Nyle sighing and he looked at Eduard’s pale face, the strength from the midst of the battle was slowly fading him in and Nyle saw the tiredness seeping in and he lay back against the boat’s edge as Nyle quickly pulled away rowing and he watched as someone above deck of the ship mistimed the jump onto the boat and land in water. A couple of people roared as they threw their blades at them. Some of them struck the boat, majority landed in the water but none hit the targets, Nyle nor Eduard. Nyle busied himself with the rowing and soon their boat was quite far away and Nyle saw the edge of the ship slowly sinking and he thought back to all the captured to-be slaves, a true pity and he looked at Eduard. Had he realized, what he did when he destroyed nearly half of the boat, Nyle thought but from what he realized, Eduard most likely hadn’t.

***

In Firedweller Township, Arraind roared as he rushed down the streets following the shadow that was running just ahead. The Snake had decided to retreat as soon as he found himself outnumbered and Arraind gave chase alone leaving both Andomus and Hordus behind. His rage had got the better of him as it usually did whenever he went into battle. Several doors opened to his roar and people came out, some with curiosity, others with fear. The Snake himself felt the heat of the ‘Red Fiend’ baring down on his back and he turned and sent two blowdarts out his way which Arraind slashed away with a swing of his sword. He roared again as he fastened his speed and chased the Snake right out of town where the Snake finally stopped and Arraind jumped up into the air sending out a large heat induced swordblast his way. The Snake rolled beneath swordblast and it hit a tree turning it to fragments. Arraind looked around as the Snake came up drawing his shortsword again. There was plain grass everywhere and just a kilometre or so down were the coal mines. He could see the black smoke spewing forth sending ash and soot into the sky but right now he was in the terrain between his town and the mines, the flatlands marked by a road from the town to the mines.

“You stopped,” said Arraind surprised as he planted his sword on the ground. “I expected you to do that shadow slip business and run again.”

“No point,” hissed Snake twirling his shortsword. “I’ll kill you, then leave.”

Arraind’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the Snake. “Where’s my son?”

The Snake kept on twirling his shortsword without answering, but his mouth had clearly lined for an instant into a swiftly concealed smirk.

“I want you tell me where my son is?” said Arraind again. “I’ll let you go if you do.”

Suddenly laughter guffawed from behind him and Arraind slowly turned to look to see a man with a burn scar and new raw wounds appear, his face was quite a sight to behold, something which made Arraind somewhat instinctively cringe, but he disguised this as he narrowed his eyes.

“He won’t tell you anything,” said the man. “Do you remember me Firedweller?”

Arraind faced up against the man who was almost equal to size with him and he tried to pick a face from his memories that matched this man’s and suddenly a name rung out, a man that had very nearly raped a thirteen year old girl. He was there by chance and he caught the man, Helvyn, not Kroff Helvyn, no, his brother Cole.

“You’re Cole Helvyn,” said Arraind sucking in air through his nostrils.

“I’m honored that Lord Firedweller remembers me,” said Cole and then he lightly touched his burn scar. “You gave me this as well, do you remember?”

Suddenly Arraind dodged to side to move away from a blowdart fired quite abruptly and he stared at the Snake who had his blowgun out. Cole with his enhanced speed and reflexes caught he dart and he stared angrily at the Snake. Arraind had very nearly forgotten about the man, he was called the Snake after all, it had been foolish for him to turn his back to the assassin.

“I was talking to him!” said Cole angrily and the Snake shrugged which made Cole more angry. “You will wait till I finish.”

The Snake pursed his lips, a tinge of anger appearing on his face as he stared down Cole.

“You will wait,” repeated Cole, “or my I will ensure my brother pays you nothing.”

The Snake’s slitted eyes narrowed inside the scale mask and finally he broke the stare and stepped back to signify that he would not attack Arraind. Arraind had quite curiously watched the exchange, it was good for him that Cole stopped the Snake from attacking Arraind everytime his back was turned.

Cole turned to Arraind with a smile. “Where was I?”

Arraind pointed to the burn scar on his face and Cole nodded. “Ah yes, you gave me this scar Lord Firedweller, it was very painful too.”

Then Cole rubbed over the newly appeared wounds. “Your son gave me these.”

Arraind looked over the cuts, his guess was some sort of exploding fragments if it was done by his son but he was surprised.

“He beat you?”

In reply to Arraind’s question Cole laughed. “Yes, yes he did, I underestimated the brat and he exploded my sword in my face, it was quite painful as well.”

“But you killed my guard,” said Lord Firedweller, guessing that Cole had run into one or two of them and had taken them down.

“I understand you doubt,” said Cole sighing, “but as I said, I was underestimating him, I didn’t harden my sword.”

Arraind nodded, understanding finally. “Do you know where my son is?”

Cole turned gleeful at this, “He’s on a slaver ship, on his way to Kagmon Harbor Town, there he’ll be sold a slave to some rich noble I suppose, he’s a good warrior, but first they’ll have to break him, I would love to see you feisty little son after he becomes a slave.”

The Snake suddenly sensed danger and he approached Arraind carefully who seemed to have gone extremely quite.

“I see,” he said finally but Cole frowned at this reply.

“Is that all?” asked Cole smirking. “Don’t you feel angry, useless, that you were unable to protect your own son.”

“I feel all of these,” said Arraind and his hair rose as the winds quieted, “but he is my son and he will not have such a pitiful life ahead of him.

Cole’s eyes narrowed as he too sensed the danger and he raised up his sword in defence. Suddenly a circle expanded from beneath Arraind’s feet and it dried up and burned away all the grass in the vicinity, the winds turned hotter and Arraind’s skin turned dark as his veins bulged out and Cole watched on stupefied, he had never seen anything like this. Arraind’s eyes turned crimson red and he gritted his teeth. The hot wind still circled and heat radiated off Arraind into the winds and the grounds. Arraind turned and picked up his sword as it too turned red from the heat and his eyes met the Snake’s who jumped back as soon as their eyes met. Everywhere he stepped it smoldered and he looked at Cole, the ‘red fiend’ had broken free.

“You should have let the Snake attack me,” said Arraind. “Together you might have stood a chance.”

There was a thumping explosion where Arraind stood and cracks spread out like a spider web laced with red and he disappeared. Cole felt the hot wind approach as he quickly raised his sword to block the attack and then he felt some slip through his body as the wind blew right past him. He gazed in shock as the ‘red fiend’s’ face appeared right in front of him and his mouth sprayed blood as the top half of his body fell away from his bottom half, cut off at the waist and the wound was burned at the same time and like that Cole Helvyn was bisected and the Snake’s eyes widened, not even he had caught that attack fully. Arraind turned towards the Snake who then felt the brunt of the hot wind and Arraind’s blood red eyes.

“I want you alive,” said Arraind and he disappeared again, the same fissures forming on the ground with red lines and the Snake felt the hot wind approach him.

He quickly went to slip into a shadow but then he saw the blood red eyes and it petrified him. He felt thump on his chest, the area slowly heated up and there was light explosion as he flew back, landing on the ground. His eyes held a sense of urgency and horror as he looked at the man with the cold red eyes. He desperately tried to keep his eyes open but the bursting pain on his chest was causing his entire body to shut down and he slowly slumped back with a sigh. Arraind turned towards the town after finishing his two enemies effortlessly and his form slowly reverted to that of a human’s and he felt a stinging pain in his arm. He looked down to see the Snake’s dagger sticking out of it and he shocked he quickly turned towards the unconscious black robed man. He had managed to stab him, even through all that. Arraind then gritted his teeth, the Snake’s weapons were always poisonous, he had received this information from Hordus and the one on the Snake’s shortsword was the Snake’s strongest poison. Arraind could feel the discharge pulse inside trying to work quickly to expel the poison but his vision blurred and he cursed. Poisoned on the outskirts of his own town whilst his son was on a slaver ship, this was how he was going to die, it was really quite rage inducing. He had been careless, extremely so, he realized it now. The years he spent at this township had clearly dulled his skills. If he was akin to his previous self, the man who was called the ‘red fiend of the battlefield’ then such a thing would never have happened. He then collapsed forward, his rage not fully quelled.