Royalties edge

chapter 3: an ambush

At the round table

King boult: are we really going to stop the event over the claims of the childs imagination.

Isaac: with all due respect, your majesty but had found her on the ground, shivering, crying and screaming.

Why would one react this way towards something imaginery?

She clearly saw something, and we must act now.

King boult: listen child, even if the girls vision or whatever you call it is true, we cannot risk to stop this,

You do recall what happened last time.

Isaac: what happened last time?

King nathan: enough! The tournament must go on,

Isaac: but father

King nathan: we cannot risk it.

Isaac: fine, sit here and entertain the though of your children getting slaughtered, but I'm going to save my brothers.

Isaac said looking his father dead in the eye and walking towards towards the door. King boult then hurriedly got up, pulled out his sword and set the tip of his sword to Isaacs neck. This got everyone in the room to their feet even mikel.

King zolfer: lets be reasonable now boult,

Are you really going to threaten him in front of his father?

King boult: you do not understand, my kingdom barely survived last time and I will not allow it to happen again.

Listen, my daughter is in there, I know what you're feeling, but I trust she can take care of herself and so can the twins and all those in there.

Isaac: father please, we ca--

King nathan: boult is right, the risk is too high, they will have to survive until sunset when its officially over.

Isaac: king zolfer?

King zolfer: I'm sorry kid.

I have to agree with boult.

Isaac: fine, do as you wish.

Isaac left the room to go join his friends and his sister outside

There was a heated argument going on about why there parents would do this, but in the end they agreed to do as they said and not interfered.

The king boult however tucked his sword back and sat down, and begun to ponder if whether he had made the right decision or he had doomed his own child and the children of others to death.

What was the real truth though, is that no help was coming for them and they were alone.

In the area

Hendrix was standing still, shocked to see his brother barely conscious next to the man he once loved. He was confused, but he was angry. He drew his sword and charged towards Jason, but jason was a spell caster, and a Damn good one that usually studied the magic of the elements. He cast a wind spell that proppelled him back and left him groaning, lying on his back.

Jason: you've really lost your touch, I thought you would be much harder.

Andreas: you should be more worried about me

Andreas said as he quickly picked himself up punched Jason in the face, forcing him to steb back.

Jason: you're awake, I didn't expect it to wear off that fast.

Andreas: yes well I'm quite the formidable beast.

Andreas then charged as well and tried to punch Jason again but this time, he moved back to a good distance and cast a fire spell.

That seriously burnt his upper shoulder part and sent him flying back too. Hendrix got up and threw a blade at Jason but he cast an air spell and deflected the blade, but Hendrix took the opportunity to reach for his brother who was screaming in pain.

He knelt beside his brother and tried to comfort him.

Hendrix: it's okay, you're going to be alright.

Just breath okay.

Andreas: help please!

Andreas cried holding his brothers hand tightly. Seeing him like this, his brother cry. It broke him, he felt sorrow one that he could only feel when his brother did.he had to stop the pain the only way he could think of at that moment. He knocked him unconscious. Jason watching this, didn't care he raised his hand and begun a spell.

Jason: by forces of nature that bend

I send these two to there en--

Then from nowhere an arrow pierced Jason in his hand disrupting the spell. Before Jason could even see where the arrow came from, another arrow hit him in the leg, forcing him to kneel on one knee. While he was down, Jennifer the second born to the king and queen of holtus, ran towards the twins and helped Hendrix and andreas flee from jason, she helped Hendrix carry Andreas and they ran and his in a hole that was covered by a fallen log. The arrows kept flying to Jason but he was even with he's injuries able too fogde them. The arrows then stopped, giving him time to pull out the ones he had, heal himself and go after the twins, but he had lost them and soon he was at a far distance from them.

Jennifer: he's gone now

Hendrix: thank you.

Jennifer: it's no problem. We are family friends after all.

She said smiling at Hendrix, with her green eyes that really like his own eyes provided comfort. After a moment Hendrix heard footsteps nearby, he was worried but Jennifer told theres nothing to worry about, then a boy dropped in. He was tall and fair like Hendrix. He had red eyes, hands on and telling by his weapons and structure, he was a Hunter. He locked eyes with hendrix before drifting them to Andreas who was still bleeding and then back to Hendrix again. Something about this strangers red eyes was different, it gave Hendrix this fear, not the one you usually feel but the fear of making a mistake or embarrassing your self. His eyes were read but they at that moment provided Hendrix with all the comfort he needed, his heart was racing too.

Lucas: do you have any water?

Hendrix: do I......... ha- have any wat.... water oh water yes i have water.

Hendrix said as he reached for a small container he carried around his neck and have it to lucas.

Lucas then spilt some on the ground, mixed it with the dirt to form mud and then spat into it. He then got the mixture and begun rubbing it on the burn wound.

Lucas: my name is Lucas by by the way.

Hendrix: my name is hen......

Lucas: no need, I know who you are.

You're the son to the king and queen of skanisos.

And he's your twin brother correct?

Hendrix: yes, that is correct.(He said blushing)

And you're a Hunter?

Lucas: yes I am, atleast that's what my father tells me.

Hendrix:but I've never seen a Hunter with red eyes before.

Lucas: I'm quite unique

Hendrix: indeed you are(he said while checking him out from head to toe)

Lucas: what was that?

Hendrix: oh nothing important(he said laughing and embarrased)

Do you guys know each other?

Jennifer: nope, I just saved his life, he was being attacked by one of those hooded men.

Hendrix: one of those?

There are more?

Lucas: they are enough to kill 50 trained teenagers in moments.

Hendrix: but only 54 entered the contest. Does that mean that everyone......

Jennifer: they are all dead. Their bodies laid accross the ancient grove, where the pheniox staff is.

Lucas: it's not far from here, but it is heavily guarded, and we might be killed in an instant.

Hendrix: maybe we should wait for them to come find us. Surely they have sensed the threat.

Jennifer: they won't, stopping the contest is something my father would never allow. Last time it happened a plague was unleashed upon our land, the spellcasters of the skanisos kingdom temporarily lost their magic and the hunters lost their skills. It's far too dangerous.

Hendrix: so we're on our own

Lucas: indeed we are, but atleast we have a plan and we stick to it.

He then stopped smothering the mud on Andreas wound and cleaned his hands. Andreas then woke up, feeling no pain and his burns were healed. He was confused as to what had happened after he was knocked unconscious but Hendrix got him up to speed with what had happened, who Lucas was and what they planned to do.

Andreas: this is suicide

Hendrix: do you have a better solution.

Andreas: no but if you give me some time I could...

Lucas: there is no time, sooner or later they will search this little hole were in and we will be dead.

Andreas: fine, but Mr limping here better not ruin everything.

Jennifer: limping?

Hendrix: he kind of stabbed my leg in the morning, but it's fine really, I don't feel it...

Lucas: fine then, jump.

Hendrix then got to his feet and tried to jump but ended up falling on his backside. Lucas then chuckled before mixing him his own miracle mud and applied it to the wound. He then started massaging his leg, with every stroke from Lucas, Hendrix heart skipped a beat and raced faster. Lucas kept going up his leg until he reached a point where if he had gone further, his heart wouldn't have been the only thing going up. He quickly got up and jumped, proving he's leg was healed and he was ready to fight.

Hendrix: thank you

Lucas: my pleasure

He grinned before cleaning his hands and checking for danger around them. They then got out of the hole and headed for the ancient grove. On their way they did meet many hooded men as well, but they did kill them, and they safely arrived at the grove.

It was a huge open plain. No trees, no logs not even grass, it was just dirt and mud and a number of hooded men surrounding the place. It would have been impossible for them to reach the Phoenix unseen. So they had to try a different way, and they found it. Not far from the grove was a stream, it released a type of fog that covered the area surrounding it. It was safe and more discreet. So they decided to take it, But they needed a distraction to keep them from looking at the stream, as the men argued, Jennifer ran out screaming approaching the grove and gaining the attention of the men. The rest ran down the stream and finally arrived at the Phoenix staff.

Lucas : there it is

Andreas: we have to get it now

Hendrix: what about Jennifer?

Lucas: you guys get the staff and bring down the barrier I'll go help her.

Hendrix: it's too dangerous, you'll get yourself killed

Lucas: I owe her

Hendrix: and I owe you.

Andreas: fine if you're both not going to go, then I will

Andreas then ran towards the staff but was then tripped by a gust of wind from Jonas. Lucas then shot an arrow aiming for his head, but Jonas caught it with his hand.

Jonas: that's not happening again.

Lucas: are you sure about that?

That arrow is laced with virben poison, a paralyzing fluid.

Jonas realising this, fell backwards and begun to roll down the hill. Andreas then got up and headed for the staff but Hendrix told him to go after Jonas instead and that he will get the staff. Andreas for the first time at that moment listened to his brother and went down the hill to where Jonas was.

Hendrix: Go take the staff

Lucas: but....

Hendrix: I know you need it more than we do,

Now go.

Lucas: thank you.

Lucas than ran to the staff that appeared to glow, he picked it up and a grand flash of light struck the sky, destroying the barrier and giving them and the people outside a chance to fight. Hendrix then heard a scream from his brother and told Lucas to help Jennifer. He then ran down the hill to help his brother. When he got to the bottom, he saw jonas ran into a cave, he then followed him into the cave. There were holes in the cave that provided light, enough for him to see Jonas standing at the end of the cave.

He started walking closer to Jonas while drawing his sword.

Hendrix: I loved you, I gave you everything but I told you one thing.

My love would only faulter when you hurt my brother, no one hurts my brother.

Hendrix then thrust the blade into his heart with tears in his eyes. He then heard a Clap behind him.

Jonas: no one can hurt your brother, except you that is

Right?

Hendrix looked back and saw jonas, and he looked forward and saw that the person he lad just killed was his brother, then Jonas stabbed him from behind. He too had tears in his eyes but he had done what he came to do. He then watched as the two brothers died in front of him, and waited until they were fully dead, then he disappeared.