The Cursed Knight (Blue Triangle Series #1)

Chapter 15: Mission Accomplished

It was indeed a trap. And now, the Frostguarde just landed from the flying beast in the sky. Arth saw one of them holding a blue long spear. He also noticed a red-haired lady with them that has a brown staff on her hand.  The group knights from the upper ring also just arrived and stopped behind the elite group.

Arth swallowed hard on his throat as he realized that Tristan was a member of the Frostguarde. He saw Divine Knight Kael removing the hood of his cloak which then revealed his black hair. His lips formed a smirk while looking at Arth in amusement.

“I never imagined a talented young warrior like you are one of those rebels,” Kael said.

“Forgive us, Sir Kael,” one of the grand knights said. “We shall end this immediately.”

Arth grunted as he blocked the grand knight’s kick using his arms. He stepped backwards and stood his sword on the ground to support his tired body.

“Arth! Are you okay?” Robert said as he charged towards the grand knight.

Arth wiped off the blood on his lips and then his eyes widened as he looked at Alice. She was now on the ground while trying to crawl and reach her staff.

Her brother laughed and then stomped his foot on Alice’s arm. “Send my regards to our parents when you see them.”

Alice groaned in pain as she tried to move her arm away from her brother’s strong feet.

“Alice!” Arth shouted. He knew that they’ve got no chance of winning anymore. All of the capital’s forces were now here and they’re just waiting for the three to be killed.

He took a glance at Robert who was still fighting against the grand knight. He knew Robert could still keep up but for Alice, it was now only seconds left before her brother could plunge his sword on her.

Is this it? Is there nothing else I could do to protect my friends? Arth thought as he was breathing shortly. They were already overpowered by their enemies.

Suddenly, Arth saw a golden arrow just pierced through the right shoulder of Alice’s brother in lightning speed. The grand knight grunted from the stinging pain as he was forced to step backwards.

“What was that?!” the other grand knight said as he looked at the direction where the golden arrow came from.

“I know that arrow!” Arth whispered.

Alice never let a second go to waste. She quickly grabbed her staff and pointed its blue gem at her brother.

“It turns out you’ll be the one to meet them first, asshole!” she smirked as the point of her staff glowed brighter towards her brother.

“Everfrost!” she shouted.

“Nooo!” her brother yelled as he tried to swing his sword against her. But he was stopped when Alice’s staff burst out blue energy and blasted towards him. It was so bright that Arth had to cover his eyes.

What power! He thought.

When Arth removed his hand to see, his eyes looked shockingly at the blue crystal body figure of Alice’s brother. His whole body now turned to ice, his skin, hair, and even his sword.

So this is her power? Arth’s jaws dropped in shock.

Alice slowly stood up. “Farewell,” she said as she swung her staff and bashed it towards her brother’s head. It broke and was shattered into blue crystal pieces as it fell to the ground.

“Bryle!” the other grand knight said.

“You tricky b***h!” he looked furiously at Alice and began to rush towards her like a mad man. Robert immediately intercepted and stopped him.

“I’m your opponent. I won’t let you touch my friend!” Robert smirked as he parried the grand knight’s sword away.

“So they finally came, huh?” Arth heard Kael saying it as the divine knight looked straight towards someone on Arth’s back.

When Arth turned around, he saw a long golden bow shining amidst the darkness on top of a high building from a far.

“Luna!” Arth was relieved.

“Get those three!” Kael ordered to the large number of knights behind his group.

“Charge!” the knights pulled out their swords. The thundering sound of their battle-cry was heard as they charged towards the three.

Arth quickly attended to Alice and helped her get up. She was probably drained now after using that powerful spell to kill her brother.

“You have to run, Arth! Take Alice with you!” Robert shouted as he still fought with the grand knight.

“No, I’m not leaving you!” Arth yelled back. He placed Alice’s left arm around his neck to support her.

The charging knights suddenly slowed down as they saw something. Arth turned around and saw that Luna’s golden weapon was now glowing more with radiance. And these lights were being absorbed by her long enchanted bow.

“What’s happening? What’s that?!” Arth’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

“That’s Luna’s empyreal ability, Arth,” Alice replied in a low voice. “Rain of Judgement.”

“Rain of what?!” Arth looked at Luna with her golden bow aiming above. She suddenly shot a huge golden arrow that pierced through the dark clouds in the sky.

 “You’re screwed already!” Robert said with a smirk as he was parrying with the grand knight’s sword.

“You brat!” the grand knight exerted much force and gave a powerful swing.

Robert blocked it but he was blown away and rolled to the ground.

The sound of thunder echoed throughout the whole place. The dark clouds began to glow that almost shone the wide open area of the bailey. At all of a sudden, thousands of golden arrows rained down from the clouds at full speed.

“Let’s go!” Arth helped Robert to stand up and then the three began to run towards the lower ring.

As they were running, Arth turned his head around. He saw the knights getting shot by the deadly arrows raining down from the sky. They cried in pain knowing that they were about to be wiped out instantly. But the Frostguarde members still managed to dodge the arrows in an incredible speed without any arrow hitting them.

“They can still dodge the arrows?!” Arth said while running.

“You’ve gotta open your mind, Arth. They’re on a whole different level compared to the grand knights we’ve fought,” Robert replied.

“Of course they couldn’t be easily hit like just that, stupid!” Alice told him with her breath racing. “Luna just did that to buy us some time.”  

They picked up their pace and tried to run faster towards the lower ring. There, they have better chances to escape since the buildings there were compressed.

“Stop right there!”

Arth suddenly heard a loud voice ahead from the group of knights charging from the main street. They’re about twenty men and they started lining up to block the street entrance of the lower ring.

The three stopped as they were catching their breath. Arth realized that the arrows raining from the sky has stopped. It lasted for just almost a minute. When he turned around, he saw the knights in the bailey completely annihilated. The only ones standing were the five members of the Frostguarde, including the grand knight they just fought earlier.

“Arth! Let’s break our way through,” Robert said as he pulled his sword and prepared a stance. “We’ll cover Alice as she will prepare her empyreal ability.”

Arth nodded and was about to bring out his own sword when he suddenly heard a dark voice behind him.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Arth felt intense chills on his whole body as his eyes widened in fear. He knew that voice. It was from the divine knight.

How did he get here so fast? Damn it!

He immediately turned around and stepped back as he pointed his sword to Kael. Arth’s chest was pounding so hard intensely. Robert and Alice froze too in shock. Their eyes were filled with shock and fear.

He saw the divine knight’s smirk. “Why are you running away? I expected more from you, as the champion of the tournament earlier.”

Arth couldn’t move a single muscle. His arms were shaking as he was holding his sword tight.

He really is on a completely different level. We’ve clearly got no chance against this powerful knight.

The other four members of Kael’s team now arrived and stood behind him.

“You want me to kill him now, Sir Kael?” Tristan spoke up as he was about to pull both of his swords from his back.

“Can you even do it?” Kael raised an eyebrow at him.

Arth saw Tristan’s face became furious. “What are you saying? Of… of course I can!”

Kael’s expression turned serious now. He didn’t reply because he suddenly looked at the right direction. He stepped back immediately as a golden arrow pierced through the ground on his last position. He dodged it so easily.

Even Luna’s lightning speed arrows can’t hit him. Arth thought.  

“You never lost your touch, Kael,” Lucas voice was suddenly heard by Arth.

They all turned and looked up towards the top of the two-story structure. There Arth saw Lucas standing and looking down at them. He was wearing his usual white cloak and both of his hands were on his back. Behind him were Luna and Janshai.

What’s the boss doing here? They’re exposing themselves! Arth looked at them worriedly but at the same time, he was relieved of them coming here to rescue.

“Brother, you’re finally showing up this early?” Kael replied. He still remained calm without even a change in his expression. It’s like he already expected that Lucas will be there.

“Brother?” Arth whispered as his brows furrowed and exchanged glances to both of them. I never knew about this! They really seemed to have some similarities with those black hair and sharp eyes.

“We didn’t come here to fight you,” Lucas said. “We’re just handing you a present.”

Janshai threw the human head he was holding in front of Kael. The head rolled to the ground still with blood coming out of its sliced neck.

Arth’s eyes widened. That’s the head of the councilor! They managed to find and kill him?

He saw Kael’s eyes getting sharper looking at Lucas. He never gave a glance at the head in front of him. Tristan’s was as shocked as the rest of their team. He now pulled both of his swords immediately with the full intent to kill.

“Let us kill them now, Sir Kael-” the man holding the blue spear said in a mad voice.  He played with his lance as he spun it and then pointed it up towards Lucas.

Kael suddenly raised his right hand as a signal to stop. “Don’t take a single step… if you don’t want to die,” he warned his team in a serious voice.

“What? Why?!”

“So you indeed figured out my empyreal ability,” Alice suddenly spoke up. “I expected nothing less from the capital’s strongest knight.”

Arth turned to her and saw that she was already touching the ground with her one hand.

“If you take another step on the ground, you will immediately turn to ice and be shattered into pieces,” Alice said. “That’s my empyreal ability, Freezing Field.”

She was about to stand up but then her knees weakened which made her fell to the ground. She coughed blood as she held her chest in pain. Arth immediately attended to her.

Lucas, Janshai and Luna jumped from the top of the building and landed hard on the ground. “Mission accomplished. Forgotten Winter team, move out!” Lucas commanded. They now retreated without anyone stopping them.

“This is just the beginning, brother!” Kael shouted.

Arth was carrying Alice while they were running. His arms were already hurt but luckily Alice’s body was not that heavy.

“Are you okay?” Arth asked her worriedly while he was catching his breath as he ran. “Don’t worry, you’re safe now.”

Alice nodded slowly. Her eyes were half-closed and seemed to be drained out already. “Just hurry, my empyreal ability won’t last much longer. They might catch up.”

Their retreat operation was a success. They went out of the capital riding their horses which Lucas prepared for them. A few hours have passed and they finally reached their hideout in the forest. Arth immediately carried Alice to her room. He noticed that the space inside was bigger than him. It was more comfy and warm as he went inside.

Arth carefully placed her on her soft bed. He got a small towel and a bucket of warm water to wipe on her skin.

“I was so worried,” Arth sighed and shook his head slightly. He wet the towel and wiped it on her arms.

“Uh… thanks,” Alice looked away from him. “For taking me here.”

Arth’s lips formed a smile. “I told you. I will be the one who will carry you if you pass out.”

“What about your wounds?” she asked while looking worriedly at his arm and then to his cheek that has a cut.

“It’s fine,” he replied. He bit his lower lip to prevent himself from smiling further. So she really does care about me.  

The door of her room suddenly opened and Arth saw Robert standing there. Robert’s eyebrows rose as he saw the two inside. He fake coughed and gestured Arth to come to him.

“Boss is calling you, Arth,” Robert said.

“But I still have to-“

“I can do it, Arth,” Alice interrupted him. “Just go.”

Arth stared at her for a few moments and then sighed. “Do you want me to come back here later?”

“No need,” Alice shook her head as she looked away.

He nodded and stood up. After going out of the room, Arth followed Robert towards the meeting room.

“Is there something going on between you two?” Robert raised a brow while looking at him with a smirk.

Arth suddenly furrowed his brows and quickly waved his hands in front of him.

“No!” he immediately replied with over reaction.

“You know what? You’re so transparent, Arth!” Robert laughed and then shook his head.

When they entered the meeting room, Arth saw Lucas, Luna and Janshai inside. They were discussing something as he sat on the chair beside Luna.

He suddenly noticed that she was not feeling good. Her body seemed more tired than normal. That was probably the effect of using an empyreal ability.

“How are your wounds, Arth?” Lucas suddenly asked him.

“They’re fine. I’ll attend to these later,” Arth shrugged even if he was still feeling the stinging pain in his cut.

“What about Alice?”

Arth sighed before answering. “She almost passed out earlier. But I think she just needed some rest.”

Lucas nodded. “I knew you would’ve hold out much longer for us to kill the councilor.”

“So you knew that it was a decoy we were chasing?” Arth’s eyebrows rose.

“I knew my brother, Arth. I already know about how he plays, and I took advantage of that,” Lucas replied. “Unfortunately, because of that, all of us were now exposed to the capital. It’s only a matter of time before the whole kingdom will be looking for us.”

“So none of us can go to the capital publicly now?”

Lucas shook his head in response. “However, in return, I got to see that Frostguarde group and recognize two of Kael’s members,” Lucas continued. “One of them was General Cedric, a skilled lancer and one of Kael’s acquaintances. The other was Dain, a close-combat fighter whom I knew from the village of Winterrun. But I didn’t recognize the dual blade wielder and the mage woman on his team.”

“Tristan was the name of the dual wielder, boss,” Robert suddenly spoke up.

“You knew him?”

“He and Arth fought in the finals of the tournament, and it ended in a draw!” Robert tapped Arth’s shoulder. He groaned when Robert almost hit his painful cut on his arm. “We never knew that young warrior would be one of the Frostguarde.”

“A draw?” Lucas looked at Arth with one eyebrow raised.

“I actually cheated, boss,” Arth scratched his black hair. “He almost killed me so I had to use magic to save myself.”

Lucas suddenly laughed shortly. “You’re learning. That’s how we usually play here, Arth. Survivability comes first.” Lucas replied and then turned to Robert. “What about the mage woman on his team, do you know her?”

“We’re not sure. But she could be the summoner of the beasts that tried to track and follow us,” Robert answered.

“Speaking of,” Lucas looked at Luna. “We could’ve been tracked and followed here in our hideout. We need to watch over the west entrance of the forest.”

Luna nodded quickly. “I will scout all night, boss.”

“No, you need to rest, Luna. That empyreal ability of yours almost drained your energy,” Lucas said. “Janshai, you’ll take over for her for now.”

Janshai just nodded in response. He stood up and directly walked out of the room.

“Now that we know the members of the Frostguarde and their capabilities, we should be very careful this time. They’re now our biggest threat on our goal of overthrowing the evil source of the kingdom,” Lucas said. “And now that our faces have been exposed, we can only execute our missions at night.”

“I’ve already witnessed how strong that divine knight is,” Arth looked down and clenched his fists. “I need to get stronger.”

“Kael indeed has grown a lot more powerful,” Lucas nodded slowly. “But our advantage is that I know him and his style. We can still manage to pull this off if we stay careful and alert.”

“Boss, you never told me that the current divine knight turns out to be your brother,” Arth crossed his arms.

“I’m not his brother anymore, at least for him. He kinda have forgotten already about what we’ve been through together when I betrayed the capital,” Lucas shrugged.

“So he replaced you as the divine knight?”

“Yes. He really wanted it. I’ve always been one step ahead of him that’s why he has every right to feel jealous,”

Arth slowly nodded.

“Hey boss, what if they tracked and followed us here?” Robert asked.

“We can’t fight them head-on for now so we’ll just flee to Winterrun if they do. I know someone there and they could help us,” Lucas replied. “We have to be ready at any time now. Janshai might see and encounter them already. Take this time to rest and attend to your wounds.”

They nodded and walked out from the meeting room. Arth went first to the kitchen because he’s been so hungry ever since the tournament started. He suddenly remembered that never had breakfast and lunch today.

Arth took some bread and milk and ate in the kitchen counter. A few minutes later, he saw Luna entering the kitchen and carrying some bandage kit.

“Come here, I’ll dress your wound,” Luna said.

Arth went to her and took of his blue cloak. The cut in his arm was not that deep but it was still stinging in pain when Luna touched it.

“It’s gonna hurt a bit,” Luna said as she put some antibacterial solution in a white cloth and then wiped it to Arth’s wound.

He suddenly screamed and hissed in irritation.

“Don’t move, for heaven’s sake,” Luna sighed and shook her head.

Arth just bit his lower lip to prevent himself from crying out in pain. After cleaning, Luna dressed the wound with a bandage around his arm.

“Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“How did you learn about your empyreal ability?” Arth asked. “You were so cool earlier that you wiped out those knights instantly.”

“I discovered it when I was at a big turning point in my life, it’s a long story. But I had this sudden urge to protect who I love the most and who I care about. It somehow fueled my heart out like…” Luna sighed. “It’s hard to explain, Arth.”

“What do you mean?”

Luna looked at the ceiling for a few seconds before answering. “To make it short, you can activate it for the first time when you definitely need it the most.”

“Man, I’ve always wanted to know what my empyreal ability is,”

“It’s not like any spell you can just learn, Arth. It’s something that comes from your heart. You need to be patient,” Luna said. “You might not even need to discover it. It’s too dangerous.”

Arth just sighed and nodded. If it was really that dangerous that it could take his life, then he probably wouldn’t use it if he somehow discovered his ability. But still it would be nice if he will know what it is, at the very least.

When Luna was done cleaning and putting a band-aid over Arth’s cut on his cheek, he thanked her and told her to rest now. He decided to get some food and a glass of water for Alice.

As Arth went inside Alice’s room, she was already asleep. He smiled as he saw her tired face sleeping like an angel. He’s always thought of her as so stubborn and hot-headed often but when she’s asleep, this wicked witch becomes so fragile and peaceful.

He placed the plate of food and glass of water on the wooden side table beside her bed. He bit his lower lip as he caressed her soft white hair.

“I won’t ever let anyone hurt you from now on,” Arth whispered.

“I will work harder so that I can protect you and the team.”