Nero crept down the hill only to be spotted by the coachman that brought him to the castle. He lept up and rushed toward him but not before he called to the guards at the front door. "He's over here.."
Nero Glowed his staff and slammed it against the side of the coach mans head knocking him out. Then he ran towards the two guards by the entrance and whacked both of them before they could Glow any weapons. When he looked up into the doorway all he saw was darkness but he could hear a thumping coming toward him getting louder. Suddenly a large foot shot out from the darkness and caught him in the chest sending him hurtling backwards and tumbling onto the stone path.
He gasped for breath and coughed up a little blood. He wiped off from the side of his mouth. He looked up to see the insanely tall glib front doorman.
"Well, that would be my luck. Taffy-Man." When he got a good look at the mans face he could see a vengeful anger. "Oh shit, so you're not going to listen to my explanation either."
"No." Was all the tall man said before he leapt off from the top steps graceful as a swan. His hands were raised up but he had not Glown a weapon. He soared into the air pulling his knee up into his chest then he swung his foot straight up by the time he was directly over Nero. Nero brought his staff up at just the right time. With deceiving speed the doorman slammed his foot down like an axe in the middle of Nero's staff. The force made his knees buckle and he dropped to a knee. The Doorman summersaulted off the staff and landed softly on the stone road. He swiftly hopped into a front skip turning kick cleanly landing the front of his foot square across Nero's face sending him flying sideways.
Nero rolled to his side crawling backwards dodging another axe kick, crushing the stones to dust beneath where he once was. He split his staff into two tanbos. He skipped back and got in a new fighting pose with the shorter staffs in front of him.
"Come on then. This should help a little with the reach and speed." Without missing a beat the man launched at Nero with a flying sidekick. Nero readied for his large wide swinging legs, side stepped, and leaned in, driving his tanbos into the mans leg repeatedly and ramming him with his shoulder knocking the man over for the first time. When Nero swung his leg up to land an axe kick of his own the man swung his leg and swept Neros loose leg from underneath him, landing him flat on his back. The tall man swung his legs around twisting up onto his hands then drove another kick down into Nero's gut causing him to clutch his gut when another came bolting down toward his face.
Nero rolled over just in time only to be followed by a series of kicks following him giving him no choice but to keep rolling down the road. Hot on Nero's retreat, he spun driving his heel into the stones barely missing. Nero jumped up to standing again. Nero connects his Tambos into a Quarter staff again, vaulting himself back on his feet. "I've got an Idea."
Nero lengthened his staff another two feet then raised it above his head with most of the staff in front of him. When the Taffy-Man moved for a kick he stepped back swinging the staff across the mans open body jutting him off balance. Nero followed with a crack against the mans head. The doorman shook his head and continued forward getting punished with each advance by the swift crack of another blow to his head. Soon enough Nero had him on the back foot and the multiple headshots were starting to dull the tall mans vision. The man didn't even notice when Nero Glowed an edge at the end of his staff and jabbed a hole into the mans chest. The doorman's face curled in surprise at the sudden hole in his chest and dropped to his knees.
"I kinda liked you. You should have listened to me when I tried to explain everything. We weren't enemies. I hate everything that these places represent but you're just a piece of the ship, they steered you the wrong way." He pulled the spear out of the mans chest and he coughs up blood.
Frides climbed up into the window of the room with the light on. Daisy's chest was not moving. Frides rushed over to the bed. When he checked her pulse, it was half as fast as it should have been. He uncorked the antidote quickly, getting her to swallow it. The thud of steps forced him to withdraw back out of the window. He hung off of the side of the window as Dylan entered the room with Amira.
"I'm sorry sir the physician is on his way. There isn't anything we can do but wait for him."
"Just tell him he can go back home. She's already dead. Look her chest isn't even moving, the poison has already taken affect."
Frides peaked in and saw, he was the man that stopped him and Nero. He had gathered a host so quickly after his sister had been attacked, fully clothed and on horseback. Now, he knew exactly how this poison worked? The coincidence was too strong. More than anything else, his eyes. He looked down at his sister as if she was some kind of dead animal he found in the woods.
A man with a muddied green soldiers coat on and a gold crest entered the room behind Amira. "I'm sorry sir it looks like your father has passed away. Is..." His voice trailed away as he saw Daisy laying on the bed devoid of any movement.
"Edward." Dylan's expression unchanging. "It looks like they got to her as well." Still he didn't seem displeased with the news he was giving.
"My condolences." Edwards words were genuine. "You have to lead the Addidel House and get vengence for your father and sister now."
"Me? But the people loved Daisy. They'll only see me as a continuation of my father and we all know how they felt about him. What about my uncles or my aunt."
Edward placed a hand on Dylan's shoulder, "I know its confusing. You are his only living heir."
Dylan turned around and looked into Edwards eyes,"What about my half brother."
"That murderer will be dead before the night is over. My soldiers will back your claim with the Peace Corps. We will keep your people in line during the transition. You are the new Head of the Addidel House without a doubt." Edward spoke with surety and reassurance.
"Okay." Dylan glowed a bastard sword and stepped to the side. "I will kill this man that has taken my family from me." Dylan rushed out of the room and Edward followed him out.
Frides could hear the thudding of the soldiers footsteps that followed behind them. "We have to get out of here." Frides thought to himself. He dropped from the window and ran past the graveyard towards the front where he saw Nero run to. When he got to the front of the castle Nero was standing over the body of a very tall old man.
Nero spun around with his staff expecting another enemy. "Frides." He dropped his arm and the spear clanged against the stone road. He looked back at Taffy-Mans body then to Frides. "I tried to talk to him but he was all kicks and no words." He explained.
Frides waved at the three soldiers on the floor.
"They were soldiers. Come on, they definitely weren't going to listen." His tone was casual.
"Whatever. We have to get out of here before the others get here."
"Is Daisy okay?" Nero asked Frides with concern in his voice. Frides liked that about Nero. This girl must have fit the bill in some way.
"I gave her the antidote but we have to get out of here before the other..." Before Frides could finish his sentence Dylan stepped out of the castle followed by Edward and about twenty soldiers crowded behind him.
"You killed my family!" Dylan looked down at the bodies by the door leading to the door man. His eyes flared up and he looked at Nero. "Let's spill their blood and make my father smile."
Frides stepped back and looked over to Nero but he was already gone.
"You better hurry up! We gotta get out of here." Dylan and his men Glow grey weapons and charge with a roar.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Thanks for reading!