by Matthew Peed
The king told two guards to escort Chloe to find the queen and her sisters and make sure they made it to the teleport ring. Chloe and her guards ran as fast as possible, stumbling now and then, as the rumbling and shaking was getting quite bad now. Chloe luckily found her mother and sisters together in her younger sister’s room. She had one younger and two older sisters, as well as two brothers who were older, but they were away from the city at the moment and she could only hope they weren’t in danger too.
Chloe’s mother was a beautiful woman who had aged well and was just about to hit forty this year. She had blonde hair and was quite tall at nearly two meters. Chloe’s oldest sister looked like a mini version of their mother, with almost all her features nearly copies of the queen’s, only younger. The next oldest sister was a bit of a black sheep, who enjoyed learning magic and wore a hooded cape most of the time. She still had the family’s blonde hair, but she had let it grow without giving it much attention to near her thighs. Lastly, the youngest, who took after their father with very dark brown hair. Luckily, her face still came from their mother. The oldest, Gazel, was twenty-one, followed by Kyla at twenty, Chloe at seventeen, and the youngest, Sophie, at ten.
“Mother, Father said that we all need to get to the teleport ring and leave as quickly as possible,” Chloe said urgently when she entered the room.
“That’s what I assumed would be the case. I was scared that would be the case.” She nodded knowingly with a sad look.
The guards had increased to ten on the way to the basement, and Chloe’s mother decided to bring them along for protection to the transfer location. They had just made it to the room where the teleport ring was when one of the guards screamed out in pain followed by the rest, except for the one nearest Chloe.
“What’s going on?!” her mother shouted, looking around.
“Nothing to be worried about, Mother, just needed to get rid of the extra baggage, though it seems I missed one,” Kyla said from the back of the group.
“Kyla! What are you doing?! What do you mean?!” the queen screamed.
“I made a deal, you see,” Kyla said, then lifted her hood, showing two horns growing from her head. “After tonight I will be one of the most powerful necromancers in history, with access to power unheard of in the last five hundred years.”
To Chloe, she seemed deranged.
“How could you? Your soul will never find freedom now! You’ve doomed yourself to eternal damnation!”
“My soul?! It’s only if I die that I lose my soul! So, it’s simple. I just don’t have to die!” She screamed with a mad cackle at the end and lifted her hand. A magic circle formed faster than Chloe had ever seen before. A lance that seemed to be made of bone shot out and pierced through Gazel, who didn’t even get a chance to scream in pain before something flowed out of her and into Kyla.
Kyla moved her hand to aim toward Chloe, but the only guard still alive jumped and threw them both into the magic circle. The bone lance passed so close to Chloe’s face that she could have kissed it. The queen waved her hand, and a blast of wind shot Sophie into the circle as well, and she activated it right as another lance pierced her from behind. The last thing Chloe saw was her mother’s smile and her sister’s deranged look of madness and rage.
Chloe
“Your Highness! Your Highness!” someone said, shaking me. I groggily opened my eyes to look around. We were in a ruin about a kilometer from the city. The guard who had survived with us was shaking me.
“I’m awake, thank you,” I said weakly.
“Your Highness, we need to move. I have disabled the teleport circle, but your sister knows its location,” the guard said hurriedly.
“I agree. It seems she planned to finish us all off in the chamber and didn’t expect anyone to make it through.”
I got up and made my way to Sophie, who was lying on the ground. Her eyes were open though.
“Sophie, are you ok?” I asked as I reached down to check on her. She jerked away from me like I had the plague. “Sophie? What’s wrong?” I asked worriedly. She just stared at me in fear and didn’t answer.
“Your Highness, I believe she may be traumatized by your sister. She trusted Kyla so much that she may not be able to trust us for a while,” the guard explained, looking at Sophie with a sad expression.
I nodded slowly and turned my attention back to Sophie. “We need to move or Kyla may try to attack us again. Can you walk?” I asked without approaching her this time. She nodded and stood up.
“By the way, forgive me, but what is your name?” I asked the guard. While I knew many of them, I still didn’t know all of them.
“Pardon me for the late introduction,” he said, getting on one knee. “I am Dylan, a magic knight.”
“Understood, Dylan. We need to get to Robia. Do you know the way?”
“I do, Your Highness.”
We made to leave the ruin. It had only been a few minutes but when you’re running for your life, that could mean the difference. I went to reach for Sophie, but she jerked away again, and I could only sigh. It seemed that in one night I may have lost most of my family. I looked back at the city I had lived in for the last seventeen years and watched as it literally burned to the ground. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes, but I promised myself I wouldn’t cry until I was sure of one thing. My sister would pay for her crimes.
We made decent time and quickly reached the nearest village about eight hours later. It was near dawn when we spotted the town, and it seemed like everything was normal for now.
“Your Highness, please wait here with the princess while I go purchase horses and supplies. While I think it should be safe enough, if the enemy has spies, they may be able to track you.”
“I understand. I’ll leave it to you. We’ll rest here for the time being.”
Sophie had already sat down on a boulder and was meditating like we were taught in the royal family. She hadn’t made a sound the entire trip. I was really starting to worry I would never hear her voice again. I went and sat near her but at enough distance that she didn’t jerk away. I watched as Dylan made his way into the village.
Roughly half an hour later, he came back out with three horses carrying a variety of bags tied to them. They weren’t the best horses in the world, especially compared to those used by the royal family, but they were better than walking.
“The town doesn’t know anything about the capital yet. Only that all remote communication magic seems to have stopped working.”
“I see. I hope Father is alright.”
We quickly left and made our way north to the Valley of Robia. From the capital it would take roughly fifteen days. I could sense that Dylan seemed to be casting some type of magic on the horses to make them recover and move faster. I was more of a melee fighter, so magic was kind of a bleh for me.
Sophie had basically stopped eating anything unless she made it herself, and she still hadn’t said a word to either of us. I was worried since she was only ten years old. Hopefully once we had a chance to sit and calm down, she would recover.
We were attacked a few times by monsters along the way, but Dylan was seriously good at his job and quickly eliminated all of them, usually before we even noticed their presence. I’d known the Royal Guard were strong, but I hadn’t known they were that strong. Maybe that was why Kyla had eliminated them first in the basement, because they could have stopped her if it wasn’t a surprise attack.
After seventeen days of traveling like bandits, we finally made it to Robia Valley. We had been delayed several times for one reason or another. Dylan said it was dangerous to use inns and the such, so we were forced to camp out the whole way. I seriously needed a bath.
“Halt! What is your purpose here?” a guard at the gate to the valley demanded in a “it’s my job so don’t get an attitude with me” sort of way.
“We came to visit friends. Is there a fee to enter?” I asked worriedly. We had some gold but almost no silver or copper.
&n
bsp; “We just need you to state your purpose and have your carriage inspected if you have one. You will also be judged by the obelisk,” the guard explained. “Once you’re clear to enter, don’t cause any problems.”
“Understood, Sir Guard,” I said with a smile that caused the guard to blush.
Upon entering the gate, it was like I’d stepped back into the capital. The amazing stonework just at the gate had me gaping as I looked around. The guard led us to a tall stone pillar where a line of people waited. There would be a glow of mana, then the guard would let them enter the valley.
It took us around half an hour with the number of people in line. Standing under the obelisk as the light washed over me, I felt like my soul was being gazed into. I wanted to cover myself and squirm away. Finally, it ended and the guard waved me forward. The others passed as well. Sophie stared up at the obelisk in awe before the guard gently tried to move her on. She jerked when he was about to touch her and moved forward without any more forcing.
We made our way into the valley and toward the town itself. It looked quite big for it only being a town. Buildings taller than many in the central district of the capital rose into the air. The streets were well maintained and clean. I saw markings from what looked like a battle, but they were faded. We passed a tower that rose higher than all the buildings around it by several dozen meters.
“Sophie, something interesting about that tower?” I asked hopefully. She blinked, looked at me, and then just moved on without a word, bringing another sigh.
We got directions to Louella’s castle, and when we came to it, I couldn’t help but stare. The castle floated, and waterfalls released water into a pit that I swore went on forever. When I finally broke out of the trance the beautiful sight had put me in, we made our way inside. The volume of guards lining the corridors made we wonder what my friend had gone through.
A maid brought us to a sitting room and asked us to wait. I felt self-conscious of the fact that I was currently filthy and was sitting in one of the nicest rooms I had ever been in. Dylan stood next to the door, never letting his guard down. Sophie had already sat down and had pulled a book to her from next to the couch. The book was nearly as thick as her hand was wide.
“Sorry, I was in the middle of a meeting . . . Chloe, what are you doing here, and in such a state?! Is that Sophie back there? What are you doing here?!” Louella repeated.
Louella looked completely different from the last time I’d seen her. It was more than just a year of growth. Her . . . entirety appeared to have changed. I couldn’t help but feel like a child next to her.
“I will explain everything.” I took a deep breath. “The capital was attacked. My sister betrayed us for power from the necromancers,” I said simply before explaining the story in detail.
“Kyla, how could she do such a foolish thing?” Louella said with a sigh.
“I don’t know, and even if there are circumstances behind it, I don’t think she can be pardoned.” I may have been kind, but I’d been raised to be a queen and knew how to make hard decisions.
“I guess that makes the report I just got more understandable,” Louella said, glancing to her office.
“What report?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
“The Lecazar pass to the Deadlands has been opened, and the undead march in the plains of Guilez. If they turn west, they will hit the fort of Dead Hill in roughly ten days. Everything from the pass to the capital is a charred and blackened wasteland. Shardhaven and an uncountable number of small villages are no more,” she said and leaned back.
My blood ran cold. There were hundreds of villages between the Deadlands and the capital. Hundreds of thousands of people would or had died, and those who’d fled would be turned into refugees. Their fate could be much worse than those who’d died. I could only pray for the fate of the empire.
“I will go to Thonaca to plead for help. Even if I have to give myself to marriage, I can’t let this come to pass without a fight!” I said immediately, standing up.
Louella jumped up and grabbed my shoulders before I made it even one step. “I understand your pressure, but please, you need to rest and refresh for today. It’s already past noon. Even if you leave, you won’t make it much farther,” she said to calm me down.
My tension eased a bit and I nodded. She was right. Rushing out like a fool would only make things worse.
“Plus,” she continued, “I might have someone who can help if you will speak to him.”
“Oh?”
“I have made a . . . friend who is quite powerful. Maybe he could turn this around somehow.”
“Alright.”
I sat back down and closed my eyes for a bit, just enjoying the calm. The next thing I knew, I was being shaken away by Dylan.
“Your Highness, the princess is gone!” he said worriedly.
“What?! Sophie!” I shouted urgently.
None of the guards had seen her leave her spot. We rushed outside and looked for her in the nearby roads. Even after a full hour, we still hadn’t found her, and Louella said she’d go ask her friend if he knew anything. She came back almost half an hour later with a complex expression.
“Well I found her, but I don’t know how you’ll take it.” She frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
“Sophie . . .” She took a deep breath. “Sophie bound herself to the dungeon.”
At that point everything seemed to catch up to me at the same time. I passed out.
Chapter 32
Gnome Evacuation Fleet
The gnome’s city was gone. The fortress they’d believed would never fall was reduced to rubble in a matter of minutes. Who was to blame? Everyone aboard the Wandering Fleet, as many had started to call it, wanted so dearly to blame someone. Desperate people were prone to make mistakes.
Should they blame the king? Many did, of course. There were also many who regretted the actions of their countrymen and women that had led to the king’s fall into madness. Many tears were shed for the lost king by the ones who’d loved him. He would be remembered as a good king that gave into fear, but still a good king.
Should they blame the princess? Some did, the ones who blamed the entire royal family for the situation they found themselves in. They knew, of course, they would likely be dead or mindless slaves had the princess not returned when she did. Everyone knew what the princess had done to protect the people. They knew and regretted that a child was forced to slay her own flesh and blood.
On the Raiu, princess Izora’s ship, the mood was grim. It had been three days since she had saved the people on board, and basically the entire fleet. She had yet to awaken, however. As the only heir to the throne, this made her the bona fide queen of the gnome people. Captain Shido had ordered the fleet back to Jade Port, only to find it was in ruins from a massive wave. They rescued the people still alive, but they were few and far between.
The fleet had a destination, Robia Valley, but it would take them several weeks to reach it. Many of the airships that composed the fleet were either old or just not built for fast travel. Supplies were also low, meaning hunting parties were needed to gather game and other foodstuff from the land while the fleet moved. They would have stopped at villages, but most were in ruins.
“Scout One has returned,” announced the helm. “They report that the city is still intact but recovering from large amounts of damage. There is a large number of refugees from the surrounding areas.”
“Thank you. Please check the east front before getting rest,” Captain Shido said through the communication crystal. He was doing his best to keep the fleet in one piece while the princess was recovering. By rights he was now an admiral, but he felt more comfortable being addressed as Captain. Plus, titles meant little at a time like this. Just keeping the people fed was more important than a word said before his name.
Captain Shido picked up the report he had been reading before the message came in. Of the nearly four hundred thousand people who’
d lived on Jade Wind, only a fraction of that remained. A grand total of sixty-five thousand and some left over in over two thousand airships. Barely enough to count as a large town.
While that might have seemed like the worst of it, some would argue that the total loss of the gnome’s history and technology was ten times worse. They went from being a powerhouse that no lord or kingdom would dare mess with to being little more than refugees.
The fleet drifted to a stop above a forested area that was roughly sixty kilometers from Evening Dale City. The forest didn’t appear to have suffered any damage from the wave. The trees had buffered a large amount of the terra mana. The hunters quickly disembarked to find game.
“How is the princess doing?” Captain Ferino, from one of the few remaining battleships, asked. He’d had one of the hunter’s dinghies bring him over, and he wasn’t the only one. The captains from several of the major vessels were present. It was the best they could do with the lack of any real leadership.
“It was touch and go for a while, but she has stabilized as of this morning. The healers say she should wake up late tonight or tomorrow. Though I imagine she’d rather not,” Captain Shido replied, rubbing his temples. The fact that she’d left her Royal Guard, whether inadvertently or because of some other reason, would weigh heavily on the princess.
“What are we going to do?” Captain Ferino asked the gathered group.
Everyone remained silent as they looked around to each other. No one had any idea what the correct response was at the moment. Everyone had lost family and was still grieving. Everyone just wanted someone to step up and save them.
Captain Shido stood and pounded his fist on the table. “We’ll endure. Every race goes through a point in its existence where they are threatened. We still have the princess. We still have Lord Regan,” he said. “I plan to support the princess with everything I have left in my body! What say you?!”
“I’m with the good captain! If we, the arm of the kingdom, falter now, who will help the people?! We still have our ships! We still have our bodies! We will survive!” yelled another captain. He was burly for a gnome and looked more like a dwarf.
