Chapter 9: Annihilate the Fortress
2084 Words
“So this is your team?” King Terrowin asked Kael with one eyebrow raised. “Interesting.”
“We are a special elite unit tasked to hunt down traitorous elements that defy the ice crown, your grace,” Kael replied as he was on his knees in front of the king.
At his back were his four subordinates. They were all wearing sky-blue cloak uniform with an ice shield badge at the right side of their chest. Along with Tristan and Cedric kneeling were another two members. One was a man who has his fitted cloak showing the flex of his strong arm muscles. Another was a woman with red hair that was covered by the blue hood.
“No grand knights on your team, Kael?” the king asked him.
“I won’t bother those fools, my king. They’ve been hunting those rebel guild for years already but they never succeeded,” Kael raised his head to look at King Terrowin. “I chose my own team based on their immense power and capabilities. We will finally hunt down my brother’s guild and crush them mercilessly, your grace.”
“As you should. Prove to me that appointing you as my divine knight was never wrong,” King Terrowin said in a monotone.
“Of course, your grace,” Kael replied.
“You’re dismissed.”
As the group went out of the throne room, Kael heard Tristan’s loud sigh.
“I never knew the king would be scarier than I thought,” Tristan scratched his head.
“That was his calm state, young man,” Cedric replied. “You wouldn’t want to see him get so furious.”
“Where are we going now, Sir Kael?” the other muscled man on their team asked.
“On our first mission, Dain,” Kael answered. “We’ll discuss it in our team chamber.”
Dain nodded and they continued walking between the big blue pillars in the hall of the castle. Several knights were looking at them as they pass, admiring their uniform and their formation as they walked. Kael took his small notebook and opened it.
We’re gonna have to deal with the raiders and bandits first on the far west of the kingdom before we hunt the Forgotten Winter. Kael’s side of his lips rose. I guess this is the perfect time to see what my team is made of.
As they arrived in the huge doors of their team chamber, Kael signaled the two knights guarding to open the doors. Then they went inside.
It has a wide space with high ceilings. There was also a long table at the center and a huge fireplace on the side of the wall. The tall glass windows were slightly open which let the cold wind blow inside. As the four members sat on the chairs, Kael stood up at the end of the table and placed his hands on it to speak.
“For our first mission, the king wants us to eliminate the raiders that have been robbing the delivery supplies for the capital for days. The knights tried to chase them but found out about the bandits’ huge fortress in the far west of the kingdom,” Kael said. “We are the ones ordered to destroy their fortress and let none bandits survive.”
Kael saw Tristan turned to him. “Is it really necessary to kill them all? Why don’t we just capture and take them to prison?”
“Because, country boy, that’s how life works here in the capital. We mercilessly kill those who stand against the kingdom,” Cedric answered him. “That’s divine punishment of their crimes.”
Tristan just sighed and nodded.
“Guess this would be a good warm up before hunting down those traitors,” Dain spoke up as he flexed his muscled arms. “Right, lady?” he turned to the other woman beside him.
“My hungry pets would definitely love to have some treat of human flesh,” the lady replied. Her hood was now off so Kael could see her straight red hair. She has black eyes and slim body.
“Very well, then,” Kael said. “Let’s move out.”
The whole team stood up and prepared their weapons. Cedric took his long blue lance and played with it using his hands. Tristan picked up his two black swords placed them on his back with the two sheaths forming an ‘x’.
They now walked out of the chamber. The sun was already gone when they went to their horses and finally rode towards the main road to the west gate. Kael was riding in front while the four were following behind him. The people looked at them as they passed through the lower ring. When they reached the west gatehouse of the kingdom, the strong portcullis was raised up to give way to the team.
“The knights reported that the bandits’ hold is somewhere in the middle of the tall mountains a few miles ahead,” Kael said as his black hair flailed with the cold wind while riding his horse.
Half an hour has passed and they reached the entrance between the big snowy mountains. The place seemed to be deserted and was likely a perfect place for ambush. And that was just as Kael expected. They suddenly heard the cries of bandits on the top of the mountains.
Kael looked up and saw many bandits were already sliding down the steep snowy inclination using their small skates under their shoes. They all had this black mask on covering their nose and mouth.
“Ryia,” Kael called to the red lady behind him.
The lady nodded and then raised her long brown staff to the air.
“Summoning Ysellian!” she casted.
Kael smirked as he saw a circular illuminating portal appearing above them. It shone brightly that they had to cover their eyes. They suddenly heard a screech and from the portal, a huge flying beast with sharp talons and wide wings came out.
The wind blew hard caused by the powerful wings of the beast flapping. The beast screeched again as it flew up high in the air.
“That’s insane!” Tristan shouted as he looked up to the beast while slightly covering his eyes from the strong wind.
“She’s a talented mage and specializes in summoning,” Kael told him.
“A summoner, huh?” Cedric said as one of his brows raised.
The deadly beast flew up high and then charged down towards the bandits like a crashing meteor, seamlessly clawing them using its sharp talons. The bandits screamed as they get cut in half and killed instantly by the beast.
“That’s right, Ysillean,” Ryia said. “Kill them to your heart’s content.”
The beast screeched loudly as it sliced another bandit’s body using its long beak.
“Let’s keep moving,” Kael ordered and then picked up their pace.
They finally reached the bandit’s stronghold that stood on top of the high bedrock ahead. The high walls were fortified with combination of wood and stone.
As they got close to the two watch towers on both sides of the huge gates, they heard a bell ringing that alerted the whole fort. Kael saw five bandits guarding the gatehouse of their fort.
“Tristan,” Kael called him.
Tristan nodded and then jumped off his horse. As he landed on the snowy ground, he slowly pulled the two swords on his back. He swiftly rushed towards the bandits as the point of his swords was sliding on the ground. .
That young man has almost the equal amount of speed as I am. But I know he will grow stronger. Kael narrowed his eyes with his lips forming an amused smile.
In an instant, the five bandits fell to the ground breathing hard from the severe cut on their necks. Tristan returned his swords as he turned back.
Kael nodded in satisfaction. “Destroy the gates.”
“Those gates are strong,” Dain said as he jumped off his horse. He immediately charged towards the fortified gate and jumped to the air. “But my fists are stronger!”
His powerful punch broke the gate and destroyed it easily. A loud crash was heard and so Kael and the others rushed through the broken gate. Hundreds of bandits were already formed in defense inside.
“Annihilate them all! Let none escape!” Kael commanded his team.
“Gladly,” Cedric stood on the back of his horse and jumped high.
The ground cracked as he landed on the ground and spun his long blue lance using both of his hands. Cedric, Tristan and Dain advanced towards the enemies.
The bandits battle-cried as they held their swords and charged. More enemies came and surrounded them.
Kael saw Ryia who just got on the ground from her horse. She stomped her brown staff against the ground.
“Summoning Caeronvar!”
A bright circular portal shone from the ground. The bandits covered their eyes because of the intense brightness.
Suddenly, a loud roar was heard. A huge beast jumped out of the portal and landed hard on the ground. Its head was like of a lion and it has strong muscled four legs with sharp claws. The beast also had wide wings like of an eagle.
“A gryphon?” Kael raised a brow.
“Feast on them Caeronvar!” Ryia shouted to the beast.
The beast roared loudly and began annihilating the bandits. They couldn’t do anything but to be crushed by the beast’s sharp teeth and claws. Their swords couldn’t even scratch the beast’s rough skin.
The fort became a battlefield. Countless drops of blood squirted and flowed on the ground with tons of dead bodies lying on it.
The team advanced towards the center of the fortress, plunging every enemy who stands in their way, while Kael stayed still on the entrance of the fort.
“They’re few,” Kael narrowed his eyes. “Where are the rest?”
Suddenly, a long spear pierced through Kael’s horse which made him jump to the ground. He slowly stood up and turned to the gatehouse where the spear came from.
“Speaking of the devil… seems like their reinforcements have arrived,” Kael smirked as he saw hundreds of bandits charging through the gate from the outside. The spear came from the one who was riding on a horse. It’s probably one of their leaders.
“Give me his head!” the rider shouted to the bandits who were rushing towards Kael.
“You’ll all receive divine punishment,” Kael said as he slammed his hand to the ground with much force. “Ice death!”
The ground began shake like an earthquake which made the bandits slow down and stop from running. They looked around wondering what’s happening.
Suddenly, tons of huge and sharp ice shards came out from the ground and pierced through the bandits’ bodies.
Loud and painful cries were heard as they get speared from the ice shards that were growing fast from the ground. The ice spears spread everywhere around them plunging every living body on its path.
“Gaaahhhh!” one bandit shouted as the sharp ice thrust through his bottom towards the top of his head.
“No…” the rider said in a low voice as he saw all of his men getting plunged by the ice. “Who… are you?”
At one blink, the rider’s eyes widened as he realized that Kael was already behind him in an incredible speed.
Kael swung his long sword and cut the four legs of the horse which then made the rider crash hard. The rider grunted and looked up to Kael walking now towards him.
“Wait… please-“
“I am the divine punisher,”
Kael sliced the rider’s neck at lightning speed without hesitation and then placed his sword back to its scabbard.
The head rolled to the ground as its body fell like a fallen tree. Except that the cut spurted much blood.
The battleground became a river of blood. Kael turned around and saw his four members now walking back towards him.
Tristan was carrying the black flag pole of the bandit’s fortress while Dain was grabbing the hair of the leader’s sliced head.
Kael’s lips formed an amused smile. They pulled it off faster than I anticipated.
Tristan walked towards the gate and thrust the flag pole through the ground after tearing off their black flag.
“Now this should be their flag,” Dain said as he placed the bandit leader’s head on top of the pole and pierced it through its sliced neck.
“Anyone escaped?” Kael asked.
“Some attempted,” Ryia answered. “But they were all been feasted by my pets.”
“Man, it was fun bashing their skulls with my ironfist,” Dain stretched his flexed arms.
“These minions are weak, Kael. I need some real opponents,” Cedric said as he played with his lance.
“Don’t worry. We already did our warm up,” Kael turned his back to them and faced the gatehouse.
“We’re coming for you now, Forgotten Winter.”
- Writer
