Aldric stood in the grand hall of the king, his face a mask of cold fury. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. Across from him, the king lounged on his gilded throne, his expression twisted into a smug grin.
"Release her," Aldric demanded, his voice low but menacing. "You've had your leverage. My sister is innocent. This ends now."
The king chuckled, leaning forward. "Innocent?" he mused, his tone dripping with mockery. "Innocence doesn't matter in the grand game of power, Aldric. I offered you a deal, and you upheld your end splendidly. But why so serious now? Wasn't it satisfying to see the elves humiliated? They've had it coming for centuries. They stole, they lied—and yet you show loyalty to them?"
Aldric's jaw clenched, his body trembling with restrained rage. "You made my men hurt someone who didn't deserve it. You made me part of something vile. And for what? Because you think it's justice?"
The king shrugged, his smile widening. "Isn't it? A little balance to the scales. But tell me, Aldric, why so protective of the elf? What is he to you?" His voice dropped to a sinister whisper. "Have you tasted him yet? Is he as delicious as he looks?"
The words struck Aldric like a physical blow. Before he could think, his body moved on instinct. With a roar of fury, he drew his sword and hurled it with all his strength. The blade sang through the air, slicing past the king's head and embedding itself in the wall just inches away. A thin line of blood trickled down the king's ear where the edge had grazed him.
The king froze for a moment, his eyes wide in shock. Then, slowly, he began to laugh—a deep, cruel laugh that echoed through the chamber. "Missed me," he taunted, touching the bleeding ear with his fingers. "You've got passion, Aldric. I'll give you that."
Before Aldric could react, the king's guards descended upon him. He swung his fists wildly, taking one down with a heavy blow, but there were too many. They pinned him to the ground, beating him mercilessly. The king rose from his throne, stepping closer to the struggling man.
"Such a waste of loyalty," the king said, shaking his head mockingly. "You're a strong man, Aldric, but strength is useless when it's wasted on emotions. Especially for a pitiful elf. Let me give you some advice—get rid of those feelings. They'll destroy you."
The guards dragged Aldric to his knees, blood dripping from his mouth and nose. He glared up at the king, his hatred burning brighter than the pain. "You're wrong," he spat, his voice hoarse but defiant. "They make me stronger."
The king smirked, leaning in close. "Is that so? Let's see how strong you really are, then. Because by the time this is over, you'll wish you'd never cared about anyone."
The king motioned to the guards, and they hauled Aldric away, his battered body barely able to resist. As the doors to the hall slammed shut, the king returned to his throne, wiping the blood from his ear with a silk handkerchief.
"Foolish man," he muttered to himself, a dark grin spreading across his face. "They all break eventually."
The guards halted at the king's command, their grip on Aldric momentarily loosening as he slumped to his knees, blood dripping from his split lip. He struggled to lift his head, his voice raw with fury and despair.
"Mankind shouldn't be like this," Aldric rasped, his words echoing through the cold, vast hall. "Greed and cruelty—these are the weapons of cowards. A king is supposed to guide his people with honor, not corruption."
The king leaned back on his throne, his laughter booming and dripping with condescension. "Honor, you say?" He gestured dismissively, as though brushing away Aldric's words. "What do you know of honor? Should I remind you of the man you used to be?"
Aldric froze, his breath hitching, but he remained silent.
The king rose, descending the steps of his throne with a deliberate, mocking grace. "You speak so boldly now, but let's not forget your history, Aldric," he sneered. "You were no saint in the old wars. I've heard the stories—how you relished in slaughtering elves. How you and your men took your time with them—male and female alike. So tell me, what makes you feel so guilty now? What's changed?"
Aldric's fists clenched against the cold stone floor. His knuckles turned white as memories surged—dark, twisted images of the man he once was. The screams, the blood, the faces of the lives he had destroyed.
The king circled him like a predator. "You call me greedy and cruel, but you? You were a monster. A beast unleashed on the battlefield, enjoying every second of it. So tell me, Aldric, what makes you better than me? Is it because you've decided to play the savior now? Because you care for an elf? How quaint."
Aldric lifted his head, his eyes blazing with anger and shame. "I was a monster," he admitted, his voice shaking but firm. "I did horrible things—things that haunt me every night. But I've changed. I fight now to atone for the man I was."
The king tilted his head, mockingly intrigued. "And you think that matters? Do you think your atonement will erase the sins you've committed? Those lives can't be undone, Aldric. You'll always be a monster. No amount of regret will change that."
Aldric's gaze didn't waver. "I don't expect it to," he said quietly. "But I'll fight for what's right, even if it means giving my life for it. Because a king like you—who thrives on greed, cruelty, and lies—doesn't deserve loyalty. You don't deserve a throne."
The king's smile faltered for a moment, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. But it was quickly replaced by a cold, calculating smirk. "Bold words for a man on his knees. Very well, Aldric. Speak your truth. It won't change your fate. The moment you outlive your usefulness, you'll be nothing more than a pawn I discard."
The king gestured to his guards, who yanked Aldric to his feet. The knight didn't resist, his body battered but his spirit unbroken. As they dragged him toward the dungeon, the king's laughter echoed behind him, a cruel reminder of the darkness he was determined to fight against.
Kaelen crouched low as he crept along the shadows near the castle wall, his sharp eyes scanning for any patrolling guards. His horse waited tethered in the woods just beyond the gate, hidden among the dense foliage. As he moved closer, he heard faint banging echoing from one of the cells embedded in the outer wall. He paused, his curiosity piqued.
Pressing his ear to the stone, he listened more closely. A muffled groan of pain reached his ears. Narrowing his glowing eyes, Kaelen found a crack in the wall and peered inside. His breath caught—there was Aldric, slumped against the corner of the cell, bloodied and bruised, his usual confidence stripped away.
Without a second thought, Kaelen used his inhuman strength to pry open a section of the crumbling stone wall. The faint sound of grinding stone was masked by the rain still falling from the storm. Slipping inside, Kaelen grabbed Aldric by the arm and yanked him to his feet.
Aldric barely reacted, his head lolling slightly, his eyes glazed over with exhaustion. It was clear he hadn't even registered Kaelen's presence.
Fury surged through Kaelen as he slammed Aldric back against the damp wall of the cell. "Why?" Kaelen hissed through gritted teeth, his fangs threatening to show. "Why would you let those men do that to Rylan? Do you know what he's going through because of you?"
Aldric winced but didn't fight back. His gaze remained hollow, and he didn't meet Kaelen's eyes. "I didn't… want this," he muttered weakly, his voice hoarse and raw. "I had no choice."
Kaelen pressed him harder against the wall, his anger flaring. "No choice?" he whispered fiercely, his tone dripping with disdain. "You call sacrificing Rylan no choice? You're supposed to be his protector! He trusted you! I trusted you!"
The sound of footsteps outside the cell made Kaelen freeze for a moment. He tightened his grip on Aldric's tunic, his golden eyes glowing in the dim light as he glared into Aldric's face. When the footsteps faded, he leaned in closer, his voice low but sharp.
"Explain yourself. Now."
Aldric finally looked up, his green eyes filled with regret and something deeper—self-loathing. "The king has my sister," he rasped. "She's sick. He promised me her life in exchange for my loyalty." He closed his eyes, his body trembling. "I never wanted this. I didn't think they'd go that far… to hurt Rylan like that. I—" His voice cracked, and he looked away. "I didn't know how to stop it."
Kaelen's grip loosened slightly, though his anger didn't waver. "And so you sold out your honor? Your morals? Rylan is broken because of you, Aldric. Do you understand that?"
Aldric's head hung low. "I understand more than you think," he murmured. "I'll never forgive myself for this."
For a moment, Kaelen didn't know whether to feel pity or rage. The once-proud warrior in front of him was now a shell of his former self, consumed by guilt and desperation. Kaelen let go of Aldric and stepped back, his breathing heavy, his chest heaving with suppressed anger.
"If we get out of here alive," Kaelen said coldly, "you're going to fix this. Not for me, but for Rylan. You owe him that much. I'll kill you with my bare hands if you don't. "
Aldric nodded weakly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I will.....I promise."
Kaelen turned away, his mind racing. They didn't have much time before the guards noticed the broken wall. He glanced back at Aldric, his tone softening slightly. "Can you walk?"
Aldric pushed himself off the wall, wobbling slightly but nodding. "I'll manage."
"Good," Kaelen said, his eyes hard. "Because we're not done yet."