All the soldiers gathered around the white knight as he was sitting on a wooden log, waiting for them to assemble so he could announce his next move.
"I have got a lead on the man we are hunting... look around yourself... there's just one way out of this place and that is through this deep and gloomy forest so, if we move now we may be able to catch him." the white knight points to the woodland and stand up stretching his arm ready for the hunt.
"So, are you ready, warriors? To avenge your fallen brothers? Haahh!!" Eriso walks in front of the warriors and draws his sword high up, and shouts his heart out with enthusiasm.
"But ser... don't you think? It could take a few days since we don't know about the area?" a warrior questioned as they chanted, but it appeared like the white knight already had a devised a plan in his head.
"Yeah, I knew someone would ask that question... it's great to see you all grow." After witnessing his students' brilliance, the white knight smiled mildly.
"First, we should reach out to our nearby allies 'The kingdom of Aron' we'll borrow horses from the Aron and few of their men, and we would split into the forest I would stay in the Aron castle along with Eriso in case something happens so we could have a backup ready, so, everyone got it!" Everything was arranged according to the white knight's plan and the confidence he held in his tone signified his dominance.
"So let's start moving before it gets dark... the kingdom is not far, according to the map. I guess we will arrive in an hour or two," Eriso took command after the white knight left the warriors to prepare. He was a good leader, so every warrior respected and followed him, so no one objected to him being left in command.
And in just after packing their weapons and water with them, everyone began to move behind their pack leader.
After a small journey of two hours, they arrived in the kingdom of Aron. It was a powerful empire of the north second to Yorkan, but Aron was not prosperous and happy as Yorkan because it was a kingdom of evil.
It was said in the ancient books that Aron was once the city where demons were originally born, and that every king who rules it turns into a cursed ugly beast.
Murders, robberies, rapes, torture, and assaults on women and children were all commonplace in Aron.
The main city of Aron was gloomy and weird, covered in dark mist all the time. The sun was barely visible there throughout the year. Ash and soot had covered the place in misery, even though there was nothing that would produce it.
People there looked terrible as if they were corpse but breathing, it was something a normal person would suggest calling hell, but that was usual for Aron's people.
"You know, master, I've never liked this place it's like a horse stable or worse." Eriso whispered into the White Knight's ear as he walked looking around the city.
"You're not the only one," in response the white knight whispered back.
"But truly, these odd noises and creepy environment and weather, I don't know how or why they're still alive," Eriso said, glancing around the buildings of the city.
"Because these monsters breeds a massive army and when the time comes, they have always been extremely useful to us and they have always proved us their strength and devotion towards us."
The White knight didn't care what Aron's people did. All he cared about was power, and the support of Aron's people.
As they approached the city's town hall, a unit of Aron troops greeted them with honor and respect. When they saw the white knight, all of them kneeled before him, their fists clenched on their chests, full of determination and pride.
"ALL HAIL TO LORD WHITE KNIGHT, ALL HAIL TO THE YOKRAN, ALL HAIL TO THE GREAT KING OF YOKRAN."
"This is no longer necessary; we are in a kind of hurry. Take us to your king?" The white knight gently asked.
Every warrior there was shocked they had no idea that their master was so respected in other kingdoms as well. It was a natural reaction because, after seeing the miserable city, it was strange to see such disciplined soldiers.
"He's in the palace waiting for you. He specially sent us here to greet you," a soldier said.
"Well, then, take us to your palace. Why waste the time, ha-ha." answered the white knight with a friendly laughter.
They had brought fresh horses with them, which they handed over to every one of ten warriors. And without wasting a second, they mounted their horses and began riding towards the king's palace, following the lead of the soldiers.
The king's palace was tightly guarded. Not even a bird could fly past them. On the edge of the dark palace, there were walls hiding something strange.
Eriso was riding alongside the white knight when he heard an odd screaming noises, he quickly turned his head to the side of the castle, where there were tunnels that were locked off like a cage.
All those bizarre screams were emanating from there, as if something terrible was going on down in the cave, something that a normal person would be hesitant to see .
"I suppose I know what hell looks like now," Eriso commented after seeing the caves.
They all arrived at the palace. The king was standing at the entrance of the palace with a big smile pasted on his face. At first he appeared normal, but when Eriso walked closer and saw the king; he was utterly taken aback; the king of Aron truly resembled a beast. His face was covered in hundreds of scars, his head was tattooed with scars, and everyone could practically see his veins bulging out all over his body.
"Now I believe in what people say they saw a monster," Eriso spoke to himself, his gaze fixed on the king.
"Welcome... my lord, long time no see," said the king.
"I didn't expect you to be here, Frokus." The white knight mocks the monarch in a friendly manner.
"You haven't changed, Nido," the king responded, smiling at the knight.
"I believe my lord is much. I'm your lord now, Frokus," remarked the white knight.
Eriso observed both of them gaze into one other's eyes as if they'd have known each other for a long time, but he remained silent.
"Of course, my lord, let us go inside. I believe you've come for a greater reason," the king remarked and took all everyone into the palace,
The palace was huge. It was dark and dusty, but still. Massive it had a big chandelier in the middle of the hall, dark marble floors clean enough to see your face into.
The king clapped his hands twice and food was brought to the guests served hot to them on their table, they all ate together, while the king took the white knight with him to a different room to talk in private.
"So, what brings you here, my lord?"
"Someone is going to slaughter all of us, Frokus, like a storm." said the white knight referring to Alexios.
"Oh really, tell me whose army it is? We are strong enough to face them," the king inquired.
"It's not an army, it's a single human," the white knight spoke in a serious tone with frowns covering his forehead in worry.
"A lone man?"
"My lord, I suppose you've lost your mind or you're still in shock from your brother's death. Go back to Yorkan and have some rest," the king started chuckling and burst out laughing, mocking the white knight.
But the white knight didn't like it and decided to go violent. He bashed his fists on the table, grabbed Frokus' neck in an instant and lifted him up with just one hand.
The monarch was twice the size of the white knight. He could have easily snapped his head, but the fear of the white knight had all over him that his body went numb with fear.
He was still in the air and the white knight was not willing to drop him down any sooner and to add a bit more spice to it he pulled out a dagger from his scabbard on his chest and placed it on bottom of Frokus' balls with his other hand.
"DO YOU REALLY THINK I'VE COME SO FAR IN THIS TRASH JUST TO MAKE SOME JOKES HUH FROKUS, MAKE ANOTHER JOKE ABOUT MY BROTHER'S DEATH AND I'LL CHOP YOUR BALLS OFF," The white knight was enraged and made his feelings known to Frokus.
Controlling his rage, he knocks down Frokus to the ground and glares at him with eyes full of disgust.
Frokus was coughing and panting because of the pressure that was put on his neck. He was literally scared. A big brute like him had struggled against him. It demonstrated nothing more than his gruesome strength.
"I'm sorry......my lord...tell me what you want from me," he speaks.
"Good, I need your horses, my men, and some of your soldiers will go into the forest to find him," the white knight stated.
'Yes, my lord,' said the king, as he had no other choice.
As planned, all the white knights' warriors, except Eriso, rode their horses into the forest in search of Alexios.
After digging a bit deeper into the forest, the soldiers of Yorkan and Aron divided to find Alexios; as the soldier of Aron moved forward, they spotted something it was fresh footsteps of two men that were supposedly Alexios and Leon.
Following the footsteps for some time, they finally saw them, Alexis and Leon strolling and talking to each other, the soldier were familiar with his power and sought to hide in the tall grass to stay undetected.
"shhh..... someone's there," Leon whispered,
With the blink of an eye, Leon pierced his dagger into the chest of a soldier who was hiding in the tall grass.
"BRACE, ALEXIOS...." Leon yelled to Alexios after seeing another soldier releasing his arrow at him.
Alexios was quick enough to brace himself swiftly. He had finally understood that he was spotted and with a slick slide toward the soldier; he pulled his sword and leaped at him, like a preying tiger thrusting his blade into the soldier's chest.
One of the soldiers who stood in a distance watched Alexios and Leon slaughtering his comrades so effortlessly, it terrified him and instead of fighting; he preferred running back to the rendezvous point.
"What was that?" Leon inquired of Alexios in a cautious yet scared tone.
"What?"
"When you killed the soldier, I saw the blue sparkles in your eyes again," Leon replied with his mouth wide open.
"Are you sure?" Alexios responded.
"Yeah, but now there's no time to explain. We should run to the river and hide in that town that I have told you. They've found us Alexios," Leon said to Alexios, and they both began rushing towards the river.
"I saw him, I saw him, he..... he got the eyes that spark blue..... I saw him," the soldier cried again as he entered the room where the monarch and the white knight were.
"It's him, Eriso. Come on, take all the men. We've got to be quick. We've got to grab him before he flees.
"The white knight promptly commanded Eriso, and the army of Aron and the white knight began to advance towards Alexios.
"I'm coming for you, storm," shouted the white knight as he rode his horse towards Alexios.
To be continued...….