Chapter Nineteen: The Battle of Revitea

Finneas found it strange, being by himself. For as long as he’d remembered, he had always been around his friends. With Kistoph and Mollie gone, the boy was unsure who to talk to. Less than an hour passed when Finneas decided he wanted to talk to anyone. He found Brienne looking down below at the end of the grounded ship’s bow. An argument occurred earlier between Brienne and his friend Mollie. What had occurred, Finneas dared not ask. Instead, he sat down beside her.

“You seem a bit tense,” the boy remarked.

“I should be,” Brienne stated. “I’m about to defy my people, and fight against the Republic – the nation that birthed me.”

“You seem unsure?”

“It’s not the Republic that is the problem,” the girl explained. “It’s the Order. They have corrupted the Republic with their greed. There are good people in the Republic that are scared to rise. Hopefully, if this rebellion succeeds, other provinces will challenge the might of the Order. Perhaps even the Senate will do something. Bring the Republic back to its core value.”

“You talk like you know a lot of the Order.”

“My father… your uncle… he’s one of the leading members of the Order,” Brienne described. “It’s not common knowledge, but he’s a high-ranking member. Removing him from power would be a major blow to the Order.”

“Will your father leave willingly?” Finneas asked – perhaps there would be a way to negotiate.

“No…” the girl responded. “My father is ruthless. Like the Order, he is a rot that needs to be removed. Perhaps one day the Riverlands will re-join the Republic but on better terms. But for the betterment of the world, King Joses must sit on the Sapphire Throne.”

The next following days were probably the most boring Finneas had ever experienced. Everything felt like it had come to a sudden halt. All the excitement of arriving in the Riverlands had died down. While his friends were off on their own adventures, he was forced to stay put with the Fire Tribe. Although he didn’t mind the company of the tapers, he was eager to get out and explore.

Brienne had to return to Rivet City. There were people she had to meet back in the city. Finneas asked whether he could go with her, but she declined, stating that it was safer for the boy to remain with Azhem’s people.

The day after Kistoph and Mollie had left, it started to rain slightly. By the late afternoon, however, the weather began to calm. Finneas decided to use this chance to practise using the bow and arrow more. Like before, Tamora was nearby to instruct and critique the boy’s posture. By the third day of staying with the Fire Tribe, Finneas felt his archery was getting better, proving he had a knack for it. He was starting to get plenty of bullseyes, rarely missing his target. Something nagged in his mind though – these were stationary targets. The boy wondered how he would react to a moving target, especially something moving quickly towards him.

On the sixth day, his friends Kistoph and Mollie returned. Apparently, Azhem had negotiated a blockage of the Rivet City harbour, stopping any Imperial reinforcements. With the Festival of the Lights soon approaching, it was clear Finneas would have to return to Rivet City. He asked whether it was possible to hide, for him to disappear – that way there wouldn’t be any bloodshed. Brienne explained that wasn’t possible. Her father would Finneas to the ends of the world. Finneas's best chance of getting out alive was through this rebellion. It was decided that Finneas, his friends, and Azhem would return to Revitea City to meet King Joses. Azhem explained it was best they returned to the city in the dark. This gave them a few hours to spend.

Finneas practises a bit more archery. Feeling he was wearing himself out, the boy decided to give it a rest and see what his friend Kistoph was up to. The other boy was in a practice session with Azhem. The man had agreed to teach Kistoph how to wield and sword and fight. Finding somewhere to sit, Finneas watched the two strike each other with a wooden sword and shield.

“You need to loosen up,” Azhem instructed. “Just relax.”

“If I relaxed anymore, I’d be like a jellyfish,” Kistoph argued.

“Then be like a jellyfish,” the man continued. “Be like water. You got to flow from one attack to another.”

“And this is coming from a fire taper,” the boy joked.

Azhem laughed.

“I like a warm bath from time to time.”

The two continued practising, with Azhem teaching Kistoph how to parry an attack. Just as the fire taper was about to make another strike, a horn was blown.

“Well…” Azhem remarked, "That's calling for me. Take time to rest."

With the older man gone, Finneas sat down next to Kistoph, who was resting. The other boy leaned on the pommel of the wooden sword.

“You were good,” Finneas complimented his friend.

“You think so?” Kistoph sounded perplexed. “Damn, I feel so clumsy. It’s like I’ve got to left feet.”

“I’m sure you’ll get better,” the boy remarked. “I wasn’t too good with archery until Tamora taught me a few tricks. Just listen to Azhem. I’m sure he’ll be patient. He seems to like that type of guy. Quite chill.”

“Your right,” Kistoph clarified. "Never thought I liked the company of a Sanlander before. He isn’t like the natives here. He seems like the real deal.”

“He’s not really from the Sanlands, right?” Finneas remembered Tamora explaining how her husband was from the region south of the Sanlands. He wasn’t too sure if he should get into a debate with friends, though. It was just a small technicality.

“Sanlander or not, he’s a good bloke.”

“Never saw you as a Sanland lover,” Finneas joked.

Before Kistoph could punch Finneas in the shoulder, another horn blew indicating a meeting was about to begin. This could only mean one thing; they were about to go back to Rivertea City. The two boys hurried back onto the boat, making their way up to the deck. Mollie and Brienne were already waiting for them.

“Where were you guys?” Mollie asked.

“Azhem was giving me a few lessons,” Kistoph explained. “With the battle coming up, I need to get good.”

“I highly doubt you’ll see any action,” the girl laughed.

“You never know,” the older boy smirked. “You might need protecting.”

Mollie snorted another laugh.

“I can protect myself.”

Brienne seemed distanced as if she didn’t want to be there. He had heard Mollie and she got into an argument. Neither girl explained what it was all about. Since then, the tension seemed to be building up.

Azhem called everyone into his cabin. Sebastos was standing in the corner, observing everything. Finneas wondered how the sensor was able to sneak around without anyone noticing him. He wondered if the man had a secret portal or something. Finneas was sure he had heard Sebastos was still in Rivertea.

The fire taper explained what the plans were going to be. Finneas and his friends were to sneak into Rivertea that evening. Using the exiled king’s underground contacts, they would be able to sneak Finneas into one of the temples, where the hidden symbols were said to be. According to Sebastos, Teller had managed to recover a rare book from the Palace of Kings. Once they had worked out the right symbols, they would move forward with the next part of the plan: confronting the governor and ousting the Imperials from the Riverlands. Only then could they open the portal.

The journey back to Rivertea was less than a day, which surprised Finneas. He expected they’d take two days at least. They arrived in the city just before dark. It was slightly raining, so not too many people were out and about wandering. Even the guards were avoiding the rain. With hoods over their heads, to not reveal who they were or draw attention, the group made their way to the temple district.

As they entered Hextor’s house, Finneas was greeted by his brother. Again, this came as a surprise. He thought his brother was still in the underground sewers. Finneas quickly noticed Teller sitting in the corner.

“I insisted on coming,” Kenelm explained. “It’s not every day you get to see a temple up close.”

“You know you could’ve come here after the battle; you know?” Mollie remarked.

“I couldn’t wait,” Kenelm said, somewhat ashamed.

Finneas was beginning to realise just how headstrong his brother was. There was no point scolding him for coming, especially since Teller was there too. They weren’t too much in danger, Finneas thought. The guards barely patrolled the temple district, Finneas was told.

Hexter entered the room to see what the ruckus was. He frowned at how many people were in his rather small home. Finneas had to admit it was a tad bit too crowded even for his liking. Before anyone could knock something over, Hextor led the group through the temple district and towards the grand temple.

“This kid here,” the scholar explained, “is far more knowledgeable in Palatinian. Truly impressive.”

Firstly, Finneas wasn’t sure what the man was going on about, and secondly, he was surprised Teller of all people could impress such a grumpy old man. Teller was a bit of a bookworm, so Finneas shouldn’t have been too surprised.

The temple seemed different from the days earlier. Without the glare of the sun, which was obscured by clouds, the buildings didn’t have a golden vibrant look. Instead, water dripped down the bricked structures giving them a glossy look.

They soon entered the Grand Temple. Hextor led them downstairs to where the symbols were legendarily said to exist. As they entered the room, Finneas was taken aback by how many glowing golden symbols covered the wall. Sadly, his friend didn’t have the same reaction. Instead, all they saw was a barren wall. Kenelm complained, saying he expected there would be at least some memorials.

“So, I guess we get to work,” Finneas remarked.

He was starting to understand the importance of finding that book. Whereas the cave back in Angluem only had maybe two dozen or so symbols. The grand temple’s wall had thousands, if not tens of thousands. Without the book, they would be stumbling in the dark.

Teller placed the book onto the ground – there wasn’t anywhere to place the book since the room was practically empty – and with Hextor’s help scanned the tome. The scholar was right, Teller was far better at reading the book than even Hextor. Occasionally the old man would help Teller whenever the boy found something he wasn’t too sure about. With their help and Finneas describing what each symbol looked like, they were quickly beginning to decode the text on the wall.

“The symbol looks like a crow, I think,” Finneas described.

“Either it does, or it doesn’t,” Hextor said, rather impatiently.

“I’m pretty sure it’s a crow…” Finneas said, but before coming to a conclusive answer. “It’s most definitely a crow.”

“Zharkan,” Teller said. “Hopefully I’m pronouncing it right.” Hextor nodded his head.

“Zharkan?” Finneas asked, most like butchering the pronunciation. He could see the scholar frowning. He decided to ignore the old man’s reaction. “What does that mean?”

“Yeah... Zharkan,” Teller said, not sounding so convincing. “Not sure what the words mean, but the way the books describe them, I think they refer to some sort of code.”

“The word means a musical notation,” Hextor interposed. “I’m not too surprised. According to legend, they were known for their music. It’s predictable their machines – portals – would be powered by song.”

“So, to open this portal… I need to sing?” Finneas questioned. He was somewhat intimidated by this prospect. He wasn’t known for his vocal ability. Even before his voice started to break, he struggled to keep a steady pitch. “Can’t someone sing this?”

Teller shook his head.

“The last two symbols, it appears, aren’t written here in the temple,” he explained. “The pedestal where the portal is said to open has the last two symbols. I’m not too sure why they’re there and not here.”

“They’re like home addresses,” Hextor explained. “Imagine sending a letter. You always include your home address.”

“So how will I sing this song?” Finneas still didn’t get a straight answer.

“Goblin music uses only a small number of notes,” Hextor clarified. “Eight to be exact. But with those five musical notes, it’s possible to create thousands if not more combinations. The book here should give us an indication of where the notes are located.”

As the man spoke, Teller was nervous flicking through the book. He stopped at one specific page.

“Here,” he said. “The music notes should spell out… er… Ever-Growing Magic.”

“Those goblins were crafty things,” Hextor said, for the first time smiling. “You are right. The five musical notes used by the Goblin can indeed spell out Ever-Growing Magic. Do – Rahk – Kune – Di – Shum.”

“You’re telling me we went all this way through the rain only to discover the words were in the book?” Mollie complained.

“Goblin music always began with the title of their songs,” the scholar explained. “A traditional hymn, which it seems is the code to opening the portal, contains more than five notes stringed together. We need to find the full text, which should be somewhere on this wall.”

Hextor explained to Finneas what symbols he should look out for. Eventually, he found the right symbols that spelt out Ever-Growing Magic. Finneas then described the rest of the symbols. From that, they were able to determine a tune. The song sounded strange if dischorded. Hextor assured him the melody was correct. Finneas quickly remembered the eighteen notes that made up the song. He also scribbled down onto his arm what note each symbol meant so that when he arrived at the pedestal, he would be able to cypher the last two notes without having to resort to a book or something. Finally working out the code, the group returned to Hextors’s house, before making their way underground to the sewer system.

It was strange returning to the exiled king’s underground makeshift palace. Although Finneas had spent less than a day there, the place felt comfortable and safe, besides the smell. Kenelm eagerly told Finneas of his adventures in exploring the city. His brother was excited to say he got to drink beer for the first time, something Finneas wasn’t too pleased about. He was, however, glad to know Kenelm was safe and had good eyes looking after him.

Finneas was about to enter the room the King had set aside for the kids when Staphan approached him. The king’s steward wasn’t as forthcoming as Finneas had hoped, instead insisting on Finneas following him.

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“The Kings plans to hold a meeting soon, to discuss battle plans,” Staphan explained. “Before we go into the meeting, though I think there’s someone who wants to meet you.”

Finneas wasn’t too sure what the man said. He followed Staphan without asking questions. He took him to the room. Inside was a familiar figure.

“Cymon?” Finneas said aloud.

The water taper looked up to smile, although it felt strangely empty.

“The king’s brother here managed to escape the Order. The Governor had him locked up in the mines,” Staphan explained. “I know you’re already well acquainted.”

Cymon seemed different. Where before he seemed joyful and positive, his time in prison had caused him to appear haggard and beaten. From Cymon’s expression, he looked unsettled and somewhat withdrawn. He had probably seen things and experienced things, which he probably wished to forget. Finneas knew about the torture the Order did on his brother. He dreaded to think about what Cymon had to go through. The seer fact the prince was able to escape was a miracle. Cymon’s zeal to fight on was even more miraculous. From their long conversation back in Estmere, Finneas knew the prince wasn’t travelling back to his homeland eagerly. Finneas knew if Cymon had a choice, the Riverlands was the last place he wanted to revisit.

“I knew you’d make it without me,” the water taper tried to smile. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to be there with you the entire way.”

“You don’t have to apologise,” Finneas remarked. “Getting caught by a Sensor wasn’t your plan. I’m glad you escaped.”

“Thanks,” Cymon said simply.

Finneas didn’t say anything else. He didn’t know what else to say. The only response he could find was a hug, which Cymon accepted happily. Finneas was trying to keep the tears away, but it was great to have a friend back.

“Looks like my brother is cooking up trouble,” Cymon stated. “Let’s go see what he’s planning.”

The king and his generals surrounded a table when Cymon and Finneas entered the room. King Joses looked up to see his brother. There was a glimmer in the king’s eye that Finneas recognised. He’d seen it with his own brother, whenever they were reunited. King Joses stood up to embrace his brother.

“Staphan informed me of your escape,” the king remarked. “I thought you would want to run as far away as you could from the Order after the ordeal that they put you through.”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Cymon said half-jokingly. “Now what’s the plan.”

The prince moved towards the table, expecting a map of the city. Finneas noticed his friend Kistoph was there standing next to Azhem.

“While I’m not too keen on using pirates,” King Joses said before Azhem interrupted.

“Privateers,” the fire taper corrected.

“Yes, Privateers,” the king continued, pointing to the city’s harbour, which was situated in a large cove. “Azhem’s acquaintances will serve as a blockage. That will hopefully discourage the Imperials bringing reinforcements.”

“The palace is our primary target,” Staphan explained. “The Imperial garrison is next to the palace. Take both and the Republic will have no choice but to leave.”

“I’ll lead the forces on the Palace, while you focus on the garrison then,” King Joses proposed.

“That seems about the right plan,” Staphan responded. “The governor is sure to put his attention to the portal. That place is sure to be guarded. But with the palace and the garrison taken, we can clear a free path for the boy to open the portal.”

Finneas struggled to keep track of what the men were saying.

“So, I’ll open the portal after the battle?” he asked.

“I’m afraid so,” Staphan answered. “We cannot risk opening that portal until the Imperials are gone.”

Finneas was somewhat glad to hear that. He wasn’t too keen on fighting in the battle. He had overheard Staphan discussing with the king where it was safest to hide Finneas and his friend. Staphan suggested the temple district, but King Joses firmly stated the kids would stay in the sewers. Finneas was side-tracked, he was unaware the conversation was still occurring.

“What about the mines,” Azhem suggested, pointing to the map. “The governor keeps many dissidents there, most of them fellow tapers. We could storm the place with a small group and release these prisoners.”

“That would certainly display a message,” King Joses responded to the proposal. “Are you willing to lead? It would be risky?”

“When isn’t war risky?” the man jested. “With you attacking the palace itself, and my men attacking the mines, the governor won’t know what’s coming.”

“I’ll go with Azhem,” Cymon stated. “Two tapers attacking such a guarded place is better than one. Who knows how many sensors are there?”

“Are you sure?” Cymon’s brother sounded concerned. “You barely escaped the last time. They won’t let you escape if you're caught this time.”

“As Azhem said - when isn’t war risky,” Cymon said with a smirk that didn’t look all too reassuring. Finneas wondered if the prince was hiding his insecurities with cockiness. “It helps I know the layout of the place. I will be an important asset.”

“You’re right,” King Joses said, still not sounding too sure. “You’ll help Ashem break the prisoners out of the mines.”

With the plans decided, they started to wander away from the table to ready themselves for the upcoming battle. Suddenly a voice spoke.

“What about me? I can fight!” Kistoph proposed. The boy seemed eager to see some combat. Had Azhem whacked the boy over the head, Finneas pondered. “I can help.”

“You’ve only had, what, three lessons,” Azhem remarked. “No, you stay with the others.”

Kistoph seemed disappointed. Finneas understood what the Sanlander meant. Only a madman would charge into the fray of battle with little to no experience. Let the grownups do the fighting, the boy thought.

“The kids will stay here,” the King announced. “When it’s safe, we will call for Finneas to open the portal. But only when it’s safe to do so.”

For the next few hours, men who supported the exiled King gathered in the underground sewer palace. There must have been at least a thousand men or more. According to Azhem, there were at least two thousand men under his command waiting outside the city, ready for the order to strike. The man was convinced other citizens of the city would be inspired by the battle and that they too would rise and take up the fight.

Finneas was surprised at how many weapons were being transported through sewer pathways. Spears, swords, and hammers had been crafted by King Joses’s blacksmith Artur. Finneas heard his brother even help forge a few swords. He would've loved to have seen that. Kenelm wasn’t the best at taking orders. Finneas could imagine the blacksmith getting frustrated at Kenelm, and Kenelm getting angry at being ordered around all the time. Not all the weaponry was forged underground, Finneas heard. Staphan oversaw the gathering of weapons from unattended Imperial caches. They had to be careful and only take from places that weren’t guarded. If they were to attack a small deployment of guards, it would have garnered the governor’s attention.

Finneas and his friends stayed in the same room they spent the first night arriving in the king’s makeshift palace. The kids were instructed to stay quiet, in case the battle failed. King Joses assured them if anything went wrong, he would see to them being smuggled out of the city. Jasher, the king’s steward’s son, was tasked with protecting the Finneas and his friends. Although a few years older than Finneas, the native boy wasn’t old enough to take part in the battle himself. Staphan assured the kids his son was talented with sword fighting, and if the worse happened Jasher would be able to defend them. Kistoph added that he had been receiving sword fight training and therefore could help if a fight was to occur.

Before the battle was to commence, Joses gathered as many of his supporters in the main room. Although they were told to stay in the room, Finneas and his friends managed to climb on top of some containers, giving them a good view of the room. There was no way they were going to miss the King’s speech. Finneas was surprised at how many soldiers could fit into such a small, tight place. The men were so cram-packed together, that some of the men were leaning on the shields of the soldiers behind them.

Everyone was still murmuring. But when Joses stood up on a raised platform, placing his open hand in the air, the room suddenly became silent.

“Although I am fighting for my throne,” the king began to speak, “We are fighting for something far more important – our home. Today we will tell tyranny they can no longer steal our homes, plunder our temples, and enact harsh and unjust laws. We fight to free ourselves from the slavery the Imperials have imposed on us.”

Joses’s comments seem to resonate and inspire the men. The sheer mention of the Imperials caused the soldiers to raise their arms and yell, “Yes!”

“This is a birthright that belongs to all of us,” the king continued. “For generations, it has been denied to us. History may not remember your name, but your actions will ripple through the ages. And if we fail, our bravery will encourage others to fight tyranny wherever and whenever it occurs.”

The king paused for a moment, not saying anything. No one else dared to speak. Instead, everyone waited for Joses to finish his speech.

“From the mountains to the sea, the Riverlands shall be free!”

And with this final statement, everyone in the room roared with excitement. Many soldiers banged their swords against their shields. As the soldiers began to march out, ready for battle, Finneas and his friends sneaked back into their room before anyone noticed they were missing. Finneas helped his brother get down from the boxes, while Kistoph helped the twins. It did not take long for the sewers to become silent. The only noise Finneas could hear was his friends’ breathing.

Finneas heard a horn being blown, signifying the battle had begun. He wasn’t sure who, or which side, blew the horn. But not long after the solemn note, yelling could be heard from outside. Finneas was sure he heard metal clashing against each other, with men screaming as they drew their last breaths. He was glad he was hiding down the sewers.

Although Finneas was nervous, he kept a brave face. If anything came to the worse, he would help defend his brother and friends. Kenelm and Teller were huddled in the corner. He wasn’t too sure what the two boys were doing, but Finneas guessed they were playing a game of cards.

Jasher quickly joined the two younger boys. He probably could sense the boys were somewhat scared. Finneas had briefly talked to Jasher. The native boy seemed different to Lochen; the other native kid Finneas had met. Jasher seemed more accepting of who he was, unlike Lochen who always seemed to be overcompensating. Somehow Kenelm had taken a liking to the older boy and would relish his company. With his brief exchange, Finneas understood why this brother would feel like this.

Despite being told to stay in the room, Finneas was eager to find out how the battle was going. He knew he would be reasonably safe to check on the main room. He had heard Joses’s soldiers moving about in the other room. They were most definitely tending to the wounded.

Those that had stayed behind had set up a makeshift medic ward. At least two dozen beds were placed around the room, in which at least a third of the beds were filled with already injured soldiers. Stephan was tending to one of the wounded.

“I thought I told you to stay hidden,” he told Finneas, before shrugging. “We lack hands, so you might as well help. Come tend this wound.”

Finneas approached the injured soldier. The young man had been stabbed in the abdomen. Stephan directed Finneas to hold a cloth over the soldier’s wound. Finneas carefully pushed the cloth onto the perched side, causing the man to yell in pain.

“Keep it in place,” Stephan said. “Hopefully the bleeding will stop long enough to stitch this guy back together.”

“So, how’s the battle going?” Finneas asked the man.

“Do you want to know?” Stephan queried. The man took a deep breath. “Well, I guess it couldn’t harm you to know what’s going on outside, I guess.”

The soldier’s bleeding had stopped, allowing Stephan to begin stitching up the wound.

“The King is sieging the palace as we speak,” Stephan explained. “The Governor has fled, which shows we’re winning. I’m just surprised how few casualties we have.”

“What about Cymon… I mean Neco… Prince Neco?”

“You spent time with the King’s brother, didn’t you?” Finneas nodded. “It’s no surprise you’re concerned with his well-being,” Stephan continued. “The last time I heard from them, they were having a difficult time breaking into the mines. I’m not surprised – that is the most guarded place in the city, even more than the palace itself.”

“You think Neco will succeed?” Finneas asked. Stephan didn’t respond.

Finneas continued to help Stephan tend to the injured soldiers’ wounds. Eventually, Finneas returned to check on his friends. Nothing had changed since the last time he’d checked. Teller and Kenelm were still playing a game of cards. Finneas didn’t want to go back to the main room, seeing so many injured and dying soldiers. Instead, he sat in the corner and pretended to ignore everything.

Several hours passed. Finneas wasn’t sure how many. He would hear the occasional yelling outside, with the sound of clashing swords and gunfire. The groaning of dying men could also be heard from the main room.

Finneas was beginning to drift asleep when he heard the room’s door open. The sudden sound caused him to jolt upwards, standing up. It was the King.

King Joses’ face seemed dirtier than before, with splats of mud. He approached a bowl of water to quickly clean his face before addressing the kids.

“I didn’t want to drag you into this, not directly," the King said. "I was hoping to keep you out of the way until the battle has ended. I am sorry.”

There was a silence in the room. No one spoke.

“I know this is a big ask, and I’m not asking this lightly,” the king said, kneeling on his knees to face Finneas, “but we need your help. Azhem and my brother have broken into the mines. They’ve got an army of tapers the Governor had kept prisoners.”

“What does that got to do with Finn?” Mollie said, approaching the two. She seemed rather defensive, more than usual.

“There’s not enough magic,” King Joses explained. “I was hoping to open the portal after the battle. But the situation has changed. As I speak, my brother is about to siege the Palace. But I fear it’s not enough. I know it’s dangerous, but I need Finneas to come with me. I need him to open the portal.”

“I’ll do it,” Finneas said, a lot softer than he was expecting, yet everyone could hear his words. “I’ll come with you.” He had enough of hiding and allowing others to fight for him. Too many times in the past did he allow his friends to stand up for him. Even his brother would do the same if given the chance.

“You sure?” Mollie asked, placing her hand on Finneas’s shoulder.

“Not really…” he said somewhat uncertain. “But when isn’t war risky?”

Finneas followed the King. The boy was given a sword for protection, although Finneas was unsure how helpful that would be. He would have rather been given a bow – swords were more his friend’s thing. Finneas kept the sword sheathed, tied to a leather belt which he wore around his waist. The sword felt heavier than he’d thought. Finneas hoped not to use it.

Leaving the sewers, Finneas found it strange how calm everything was. Although shouting could be heard from the city’s central district, the slums were extremely quiet. It would be difficult to believe a battle was occurring at that moment. They made their way past the city’s giant stadium. Finneas noticed how the stores nearby had covered their windows with boarding. That was probably in a vain attempt to stop looting, or the Imperials from getting in. Finneas was sure a shopkeeper glanced out of one of the few non-boarded windows to access the situation.

“This way,” the king instructed. “We’ll circle the city. Most of the fighting is happening in the centre.”

“What about the guards?” Finneas asked. “You said my uncle placed soldiers to stop us from approaching the portal?”

“True,” King Joses responded. “But I informed my generals of the plan. We diverted some of my men to engage the soldiers. Hopefully, by the time we reach there, they’ll have secured the place.”

“And if not?”

“We’ll sneak around.”

That didn’t leave Finneas with much confidence. He could tell the king was coming up with plans on the spot. It was clear things weren’t going as intended and getting Finneas to the portal while the battle was still occurring was a last-ditch effort.

The two traversed the eastern bridge crossing the river, making their way to the city’s outer edge. Although the fighting was happening in the centre of town, they avoided the main streets in case they came upon any of the soldiers. Sprinting down one of the back alleyways, the king bumped into one of his men. Finneas remembers seeing this man back during the meeting. He was one of the king’s generals.

“Why are you here?” the king asked.

“I was going to say the same thing myself,” the man joked. “You’re taking the boy to the portal.”

“It’s a long shot, but with a burst of magic, I’m sure we can turn the tides,” King Joses explained.

“I hope so,” the man replied. “We’re getting pummelled.”

“Well, help me out, and I’ll make sure to buy you a drink once this all happens.”

“What do you need me to…”

The man was halfway through his sentence when an arrow pierced through his head. The man’s face suddenly grew shocked, as he realised that he was dying. He dropped unceremoniously onto the ground. Finneas and the king turned to see their attacker. Only a few yards away stood Meros, holding a crossbow. He was about to place another quiver on the crossbow. Besides him were two guards, both wearing gold armour. Finneas had seen these men before, back in the palace. These were the last people he wanted to come across. They were Templers – the elite guard force for the Order.

“Thought you could run?” Meros laughed cruelly.

The sensor’s apprentice must have been following them. Perhaps Meros had been watching them as they left the sewers. The thought that Meros knew where the rebellion’s underground was, made Finneas hurt to the stomach. His brother and friends were there.

“Your men die, as their king runs like a baby,” the Sensor’s apprentice continued to taunt. “How can a king inspire when he acts like a coward.”

King Joses didn’t respond, instead standing defiant.

“Come fight me like a man,” Meros continued. “Running will only prove my point.”

“Stay behind,” the king whispered to Finneas. “If things turn south, don’t think twice about running.”

“You’re not seriously thinking about taking on these guys?” the boy asked.

“There’s no point running,” King Joses explained. “If we were to run, they’d chase us down anyway. Better to stop them before they can do real harm.”

King Joses was already holding his hammer when he began walking toward the men. The templar guards drew their swords too, as Meros took a few steps back. Finneas stayed where he was. The king had given confusing instructions. Was the boy to run; and if so, when? The boy stood there watching the fight unfold.

The gold-plated armoured guard struck first, thrusting their swords at the king. King Joses leapt out of the way, avoiding the strike. With the guards preparing for another strike, the king took the chance to make a quick jab at one of the guards, slamming the hammer into them. The man deflected the attack with their shields.

“Give up now,” the sensor’s apprentice continued to taunt. “You won’t ever take your throne.”

Finneas wanted to run up to Meros and punch him in the face. But since the king and two templars separated them, the boy could do nothing but watch.

The templar guards continued swiping their swords at King Joses. The king kept dodging the attacks. But no matter how hard he tried; the king was not able to penetrate through their shields. Finneas knew things were going to go south unless he did something. Finding a stone on the ground, the boy flung it towards one of the templars. This did the trick. The templar turned around to see who had thrown the stone. This gave King Joses the brief chance to slam his hammer into the back of the guard’s head crushing it. The other templar was thrown off too, but this sudden change of events. The king used this opportunity to bash the other guard’s head clean off with his hammer. With blood pouring everywhere, the head rolled towards Finneas.

King Joses smiled, knowing he had won an impossible fight. The king barely had the chance to relish in victory. An arrow pierced through the King’s leg. King Joses had forgotten about Meros. The younger man approached the wounded king. Meros quickly picked up one of the templar’s swords, before thrusting it into the injured king’s back, piercing through his heart. King Joses dropped to the floor and began coughing blood.

“Run!” the king’s gargled last words were.

Finneas did as he was told, running away as fast as possible. He ran faster than he ever had done before. His heart was beating even faster. Meros was yelling threats, but with Finneas’s frantic attempt to get away, he could not tell what the older boy was saying. Finneas was sure Meros shot an arrow at him at least once, although that luckily missed.

Still breathing heavily, Finneas continued to run. He was beginning to tire, with his vision fading now and then. Finneas tried his best to remain alert. Sadly, this was not enough. Something… someone knocked into him.

Finneas quickly got back onto his feet, to face his attacker. He stood stunned. It was his uncle, Governor Malakos.

“You’re not getting away from me this time,” he remarked with a bitter grin.