Muralea

Chapter 05

‘He’s alive…what do you mean he’s alive?’ Kyros asked obviously taken aback from what I said.

‘I know it sounds unbelievable but I saw him’

‘Saw him? Where?’

‘In my dreams I don’t know how but he was able to connect to my mind in some way’ I told him about Drakon’s motive and the blood moon.

‘You’re right this sounds unbelievable’ he was trying to process this

‘I know but it makes sense right? You haven’t seen my father’s body since the war so how do you know he’s still dead’

‘You’re right it’s possible’ a smile crept its way into his face ‘so his majesty is alive aye?’

‘Yes and he mentioned something about a blood moon? He said I had to stop Drakon’s plan before it’

‘Hmm the blood moon huh? So that’s his plan’

‘What? What happens during a blood moon?’

‘To be honest, no one knows for sure just that strange things can happen on a blood moon’

‘Strange things like what?’

‘Once during a blood moon, the Aceso clan, they’re healers, they were treating our men that came from a war. Normally they only have the ability to heal but there was this guy…he was already dead there was nothing anyone could do for him but he had a lover within the clan and she stood by his side and still tried to heal him even though it wasn’t possible. But suddenly the man opened his eyes and was healed, at first we thought she was special and had a more advanced healing power than the rest but when she tried to revive the dead on any other day it never worked’

‘That means the blood moon causes an abnormality with the powers’

‘Exactly, on a blood moon day people are capable of doing things they shouldn’t be able to. If what I think is correct then maybe Drakon is planning to use that abnormality to be able to wield the sacred weapon. If it works we are done for’

‘What are you going to do?’

‘We have to-‘a loud explosion cut him off.

‘What was that?’ immediately a guard ran to our side out of breath.

‘Sir!’ he tried to catch his breath ‘its…it’s the Nyx they’re here’

‘What! That can’t be unless. Take two men with you and go and secure the prisoner’

‘Yes sir’

As the man ran out Xara and Heron came in. ‘My prince I didn’t know you were back’ Xara spoke.

‘Perfect timing, Xara I need you to take the prince back to earth’

‘Emilio’ I said they turned to look at me ‘My name is Emilio and I prefer if you called me that’

‘That’s beside the point right now’ Heron said

‘Anyways take him now’ he turned to Heron ‘Let’s go’

‘This way prince Emilio’ Xara spoke waiting for me at the entrance, I rolled my eyes at what she called me and hurried out

She took me out of the castle and through a garden. The castle was high up so from beyond the fence I saw the city down with smoke coming out.

‘Over here’ Xara called from behind me

‘What now?’ I asked

‘I’m going to send you back to earth where you can be safe’

‘What are you guys going to do about them?’ even though I kinda wanted nothing to do with them I was worried

‘Don’t worry about that we’ll take care of them. The only thing you have to worry about now is getting back’ she started murmuring some words and stretched out her hands to create the portal but just then a man popped out behind her and threw something towards her but she didn’t notice because of her deep concentration.

‘Xara look out’ I ran and pushed her out of the way interrupting her.

‘Argh’ she screamed in pain. I looked down and saw that whatever he threw at her grazed her skin.

‘Are you ok? Can you get up?’ she held her side as she tried to get to her feet. She was bleeding.

‘You were fast but not fast enough’ he gazed at Xara’s wound.

‘Leave us alone’ I removed one of her hidden blades and pointed it at him.

‘Awn look at that, you’re trying to protect your friend’ he started laughing maniacally

Xara stealthily grab something from one of her pockets and threw it at our attacker. He sliced it with his sword but smoke erupted from it blinding his sight momentarily.

‘Use this chance to escape’ she urged me to run and abandon her.

‘No I’m not leaving you’ I hooked her arm round my shoulder and pulled her to her feet and took her further into the garden which turned out to be a maze so I tried to lose him in it.

After turning a lot of corners I dropped Xara down and kept a look out for our attacker.

‘What are you doing are trying to get yourself killed?’

‘No but I won’t let you get yourself killed either. Just be quiet alright and maybe we can both leave without any more damage’

*Chuckle*

‘It seemed I let my guard down because you were hurt but not again. Now where are you?’

He voice wasn’t too far from where we were but he was getting closer. So I decide to move before he caught up. ‘Come on Xara’ I lifted her and pulled her deeper into the maze hoping to find the way out first.

‘Take the right’ she said half-conscious ‘Don’t worry I played in here a lot growing up’

‘Alright’

I followed her exact instructions and found the way out of the maze. Immediately we got out her legs gave up and she fell down pulling me with her.

‘Xara are you ok?’ I rushed to her side and lifted up her shirt to see the wound, it was worse than I thought and she lost so much blood I know it was taking all her strength to stay awake. I removed my jacket and used it to apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding,

‘I’m sorry if only I was more aware of my surroundings’

‘Shh, don’t try to speak. I’ll get you out of here’

‘Why are you going so far? You should flee from here, don’t worry about me I’ll be fine’ she tried to get up only to fall back down.

‘Where are you’ we heard the man screaming from the maze.

‘We have to go, just a little more’ I helped her up and as we were going the wind started to blow unnaturally, I set her down against the wall of the castle. The wind blew violently and nearly took me with it. I grabbed Xara’s hand when it started to drag her too and held a pole so we wouldn’t get caught.

‘What’s happening?’ I shouted over to Xara. The wind spun and spun and formed a tornado around the maze, it blew violently for a minute then calmed down.

‘Are you ok?’ I asked Xara once we were down

‘I’m fine my prince but we have other things to worry about’ I looked over at the maze and saw that the tornado blew away all the bushes and hedges that made the walls in the maze, it was just a large open space that made him able to spot us quickly. Our attacker immediately made his way to us. I picked up the dagger and tried to defend against him but he knocked the blade out of my hand and had me in a choke hold.

‘Where is Prince Eunike?’ he asked eyes peering into my soul.

‘I…argh…I don’t know…who that is’ I managed to say while he choked me. He stared at me for a good while then let me down.

‘Your useless then’ suddenly with a shot of wind he blasted me away from where he was, while I coughed trying to breathe he grabbed Xara next

‘Where... is... the... Princess?’ he said slowly

Xara spat in his face ‘Rot in hell’ and almost immediately he stabbed her with his sword.

‘No!’ I screamed from where I was on the ground while I watched Xara’s body fall to the floor.

The man chuckled, ‘Should have just told me where she was and maybe I might have spared your life’ he turned towards me and strode towards me slowly. ‘Now if you don’t want to end up as your friend I suggest you start talking’ he sung his blade in his arm.

At this point I was angry, he came in, caused destruction and killed Xara, who does he think he is?

Once he was within my reach he grabbed the collar of my shirt I gripped his arm.

‘Oh? It seems like you still have a few kicks in you’ he had a smug look on his face. I stared into his eyes with anger and his face turned into one with confusion. ‘Argh!’ he screamed in pain.

He desperately tried to pull his hand out of my grip but I still held firm. He arm started to disintegrate under my grip which startled me so I let go.

He held his arm in pain. ‘You little- I’ll kill you’ with the sword in the other hand he ran towards me with a look that says ‘I’m gonna slice your f*****g head off your body’ I was scared and I couldn’t defend myself, as he came closer I put my hands out to protect myself and immediately the sword made contact with me it broke into two and the other half of the blade soar through the air and landed behind me.

‘What in the world?’ I was so surprised and confused and so was the attacker you could see it written on his face. I took that opportunity to try and land a blow to his face at which I succeeded.

The side of the face with which I punched also disintegrated and pieces of skin fell from it.

This time the look on his face spelt fear. The more I closed the distance, the more he wanted to get far away from me.

‘Your Highness!’ I turned around to see Agatha with a hand full of guards with her. The man realizing his outnumbered turned tail and fled. ‘After him’ she ordered the guards and they ran after him.

‘Xara’ I ran to her side to see if she was still alive.

‘Your highness, are you unharmed?’ Agatha asked

‘I’m fine but Xara…I couldn’t do anything to help her and now she’s’ tears filled in my eyes threatening to fall.

‘You did the best you could’ she tried to comfort me.

‘Well I guess my best wasn’t good enough’ after a moment of staying silent I heard a cough.

I opened my eyes to see her coughing out blood. ‘Xara?’

‘She’s still alive your highness’

‘Yes but with those wounds I doubt for much longer’

‘Then it’s a good thing I brought this with me’ she showed me a small bottle. She poured the liquid on her wounds and her bleeding started to cease.

‘It’s that?’ I started

‘Yes it’s a healing potion, it won’t heal her 100 percent but it can help to some extent. She’s going to be alright don’t worry’