The Trinity of Heroes (I Will Protect You Book 1) (37 page)

“Who’s there? Who is it? What do you want?” Kastor growled. The spot where he was hit by the magic energy still burned. A small plume of smoke wafted from his cloak, signaling the damage the bolt of energy had done.

No response came from the shadows. The footsteps grew louder and louder; they were almost upon them now. Suddenly, they stopped. Kastor looked around and saw nothing more than a small animal standing in his path. It was a tiny hedgehog, just sitting there motionless in the middle of the road.

Finally, after a long moment of silence, it stood up on its hind legs. “Allow me to introduce myself, sir; I am Jameson, Jameson the hedgehog. It is an absolute pleasure to meet you, sir. I have heard so much about you.” Jameson paced back and forth, holding Kastor’s attention. “Do you know that my master is a lot like you?” he inquired as Kastor shot him a puzzled look. “He is a sorcerer, he is a man, and he is tall and strong. But, do you know the one thing that is certain about my master?” Jameson let the question dangle in the air for a while. Kastor looked even more puzzled now than before. The hedgehog grew angry. His nose twitched and he furrowed his brow. “He is going to destroy you with the most powerful display of sorcery these lands have ever seen!”

Kastor laughed in irritated amusement and threw a dark bolt at the small creature. Before it could connect with its target, a small magic shield appeared, dispersing the spell.

Jameson shook his hands back and forth. “Now, now, calm down! That won’t do you any good. My master isn’t even here yet.”

Kastor continued to throw bolts of dark energy at Jameson, who watched as they simply bounced off of the small, invisible shield in front of him. Kastor became even more flustered as his spells continued to fizzle. He continued to throw everything he had at the little rodent, but was unable to break the shield. Where was this power coming from? How was this small creature able to stop his attacks?

Suddenly, in the midst of one of Kastor’s futile attacks, Jameson said, “Kastor the Insane, I would like to introduce you to someone. He is nothing short of the greatest sorcerer I have ever met. This man comes to us from the Everglen…”

Kastor raised his eyes when he heard the animal’s pronouncement. He thought he had killed everyone from the Everglen.

“This morning as the sun rose, he weighed in at ten stone. He stands approximately two meters tall. It is my pleasure to introduce to you my master, the one, the only…”

As Jameson was nearing the completion of his announcement the smoke reemerged and enveloped them, covering them completely. Jameson disappeared and was replaced by the outline of a larger figure. The smoke faded and Kastor noticed a threatening, silent being covered in a hooded, brown robe embroidered with a golden hem standing in front of him.

“Who the hell are you?!” Kastor’s voice thundered through the streets. He took a step toward the mysterious form. “Everyone keeps interrupting me!” He was getting closer now, in range to reach out and touch the figure. He took one more step and grabbed the being’s hood. He yanked it back revealing its face. He froze in terror.

“Y-y-y-y-you’re dead! I killed you! What is this, some kind of sick joke?” Kastor hissed, taking a step back. “Stay away from me, Galvan Gabrielle! Don’t come near me!”

Galvan raised his head. “Kastor Char, do not infect my presence!” His voice exploded through the streets as a burst of energy sent Kastor flying through the city, crashing into a nearby broken down home. Galvan walked over to Catherine and quickly took her in his arms. The two disappeared.

They reappeared in a beautiful clearing near a stream. Large patches of flowers bloomed all around them, surrounding them with their colorful brocade. Small butterflies soared around them in the sky, uniting them closer and closer. Catherine looked up at Galvan who held her tightly. She could feel him shaking.

Their eyes met. “Galvan, you came back,” she said. There was silence as they wandered in the happiness of each other’s eyes.

“I’m going to save
our
city,” Galvan said bluntly. “You need to stay here, I don’t want you to see what I’m going to do, Catherine, and I don’t want you to be hurt. I will come back for you once I’m finished.” Galvan turned and started to walk away.

Catherine knew he was serious, and that his intentions were crystal clear. She grabbed his arms and pulled him back into a passionate kiss. She looked into his eyes once more and pleaded, “Be careful, Galvan!”

He smiled lightly as he disappeared, reappearing in the streets of Haile soon after. He saw Kastor still stumbling his way out of the pile of rubble that he had crashed into earlier. Galvan approached him with bad intentions on his mind.

“Did you think that would stop me?! Die, Galvan! Die!” Kastor screamed at him. Bolts of black energy burst out from the rubble. They harmlessly bounced off of a shimmering shield that instantly appeared in front of Galvan. Kastor rose to his feet and slung a trio of dark sorceries Galvan’s way. “I don’t know how you survived, and I don’t care. I just want you dead!” More dark sorceries raced toward Galvan who simply waved his hand past them. The evil sorceries dispersed, missing him completely. Kastor stumbled out of the rubble. His eye-covered arm blinked rapidly.

Jameson stood nearby on his hind legs, jumping and shouting as Galvan continued to defend more and more attacks from Kastor. “That’s the way, Master! Show him your strength!” The hedgehog threw a round of punches in the air and shouted, “Hiyah hah hah hah hahhhh!” Jameson pumped his clenched paw in the air as he finished, looking on intently as the two sorcerers continued to challenge each other.

Kastor began summoning his legion of rabid, ravenous beasts from the shadows.

“Kastor, no matter what you do…” Galvan waved his hands again, dispelling another black fireball sorcery. “No matter what spells you conjure…” Once more he stopped a large bolt of dark magic. “I’m going to beat you. I am going to stop your reign of terror right here and now!” he shouted, defending himself against the onslaught of predatory horrors that were rushing toward him.

Kastor laughed loudly and sharply. He shouted, “Oh really, perhaps you would like to fight all of these Sangres then? Even you can’t cast that many spells.” He pranced around and stared at Galvan, until finally he stopped. A look of dread crossed his face as a looming shadow suddenly enveloped Haile.

Galvan pointed his index finger to the sky and erupted, “No, but he will!!”

An ear-piercing roar echoed throughout the city and shook the very ground they stood upon as Valpherinox came crashing down, standing over the top of Galvan. He stood with one leg on one side and one on the other of his new ally. The dragon reared back. He whipped his enormous head around and let out another roar, one that shook the castle and all of its inhabitants. Even the captured citizens in the deepest corners of the dungeon could feel and hear the winged behemoth signal its arrival.

The dragon had descended on Haile once again to help the city in its darkest hour. It spread both wings out and covered a large area as it sat perched atop its makeshift throne of dirt, collapsed buildings, and rubble.

Galvan looked up at the formidable beast and said, “Kill the Sangres and demons, leave the humans and Kastor alive!”

“With pleasure!” the dragon bellowed, running toward the nearest group of Sangres. It spewed fire and slashed furiously with its claws. The fire incinerated their skin and burned their blood. The group of unholy beasts was vanquished instantly in a fiery wave. The Sangres turned their attention to their newest foe. The dragon roared again, causing nearby houses to further collapse under the sheer force from the powerful noise. Valpherinox looked around and surveyed the damage and noticed a few groups of Sangres as he did. He rampaged toward them, and destroyed a wave of them with a huge blast of fire.

With the Sangres distracted fully by the mammoth dragon, Galvan turned his focus to Kastor.

As they raced toward Haile, Jerreth and Lawrence noticed the flames and bursts of energy coming from inside the city.

“The battle has started already? But who started it?” Jerreth asked.

“I don’t know, Father, but I am sure there will be plenty for you to do!” Lawrence responded. They rode closer and closer to the city, nearing the Southern Gate that loomed ahead of them.

As they neared the entrance, they could see the flapping wings of an unknown friend or foe. Lawrence looked to the east where he could see the charging group of horses approaching the Eastern Gate. He hoped that these riders were allies coming to support the city. He prayed that Benni was still alive; he wanted to fight alongside him in this battle. Jerreth and Lawrence charged through the open gate where they witnessed Valpherinox smash through a group of Sangres that stood nearby.

Jerreth and Lawrence both drew their swords in anticipation of a conflict, but the dragon wasn’t interested in them. Valpherinox was only interested in eviscerating the Sangres, and much to their relief, paid them no mind. They continued to ride through the city where they came upon Galvan and Kastor readying for battle. It was a classic scene, two great sorcerers about to battle for the last time, neither wishing to concede defeat, both wishing to vanquish the other.

Lawrence heard the dark sorcerer speak, his hate-filled words spoken in a hoarse, eerie voice. “You know, Galvan, I really didn’t think you would survive…but deep down, I kind of hoped that you would. I want this entire city to know that you failed them…again!”

Lawrence watched as a horde of Sangres overran the man who he only knew as “Bartender.” He looked on in fear as they covered him completely, pummeling him, overpowering him, engulfing him like a black fire. Kastor hollered in glee and threw a ball of purple-black flame at the swarm of Sangres. The impact caused the gooey mixture of human and beast to explode in a loud burst of energy. Nothing remained.

“Bartender!” Lawrence shouted as he watched the events unfold. He felt a dark force cover the city. The skies turned black and blotted out the sun.

Kastor now turned his attention to Lawrence and Jerreth who sat atop their horses. He motioned toward them with his hands and flung two bolts of dark flame at the two Knights. Kastor hurled the spells with such speed that neither Jerreth nor Lawrence had enough time to react to dodge the incoming blasts. They were easy targets.

Ping!

The sound of the sorceries bouncing off of a magical shield in front of them took Lawrence and Jerreth by surprise. They looked at each other with relief.

“Why aren’t you dead?” Kastor yelled. He looked around, searching for the source of the magic barriers, but found nothing.

Suddenly, a nearby carriage door swung open and Galvan stepped out unharmed, untouched, and alive.

“What trickery is this?! I watched you die!” Kastor snarled.

Galvan waved a finger in front of his face. Jameson poked his head out of his pocket and exclaimed, “You are not worthy of that knowledge!”

“Hah! Don’t make me laugh, you’re nothing more than a loser, a failure, a little boy who accidentally stumbled his way into my world, and now I’m going to-” Kastor started but was cut off by Galvan’s booming voice.

“Silence you fool! I will hear no more of your incessant ramblings! My powers are beyond any you could ever hope to possess. I will not be preached to by the likes of you! Be gone or perish!” Galvan was focused solely on Kastor, even as Valpherinox and hordes of Sangres battled around them.

But Lawrence and Jerreth didn’t ride back to Haile to be spectators. The two Knights leapt from their horses and began cutting the beasts down. Lawrence sliced through them easily with wide swings from Einhander. He watched in joy as the Sangres were cut down permanently. Those killed by his enchanted blade did not reform. To his dismay, however, Jerreth was not so lucky. His mundane longsword was not so effective. The Sangres began to swarm the easy target. But Lawrence got there just in time to prevent Jerreth from being smashed in the back. The men knew that they had a long battle ahead of them; it would not be easily won.

Tonight my brother said the most meaningful thing to me. I was sitting in my room practicing the Knight’s Oath as I do every evening, when he entered and made the most empowering statement. He told me that tomorrow morning was the first step on the way to achieving my lifelong dream of becoming Knight Guard Captain. To see my little brother supporting and loving me like this brought a tear to my eye. We shared a long embrace, and I assured him that someday I would achieve that dream.

- Journal of Benni Wakewood, the night before the Advent of Knighthood

Benni rode hard through the East gate followed closely by his brethren from the Clan of the Unyielding Flame. Their great steeds kicked up a rolling sandstorm as they raced down the road leading to the gate. They fired a volley of arrows and threw spears, temporarily knocking down a multitude of Sangres as they approached the city. Benni rounded a corner only to be surrounded by a horde of Sangres. They were no match for his speed with his longsword however, and he quickly cut them down. Before they reformed he rode on, leaving them for his followers to cut down again. He dashed toward the castle looking for the hidden entrance to the sewers. He continued onward, cutting down Sangre after Sangre as he neared a small opening at the back of the castle. He quickly dismounted upon reaching the entrance and slapped his horse on the rear, sending it racing through Haile. He hoped it would help someone in battle, perhaps by providing a distraction. Benni now stood alone at the entrance to a dark gray, barely lit tunnel that led into the confines of the sewers. He had never entered the castle this way before, but he knew of the secret entrance in the sewers and hoped it would provide him safe passage to the dungeon’s cells.

He started in, stepping cautiously at first to affirm his footing. The tunnel was lined on all sides by barely lit torches and they shrouded the sewers in low, shadowy light. At any moment those torches might burn out, leaving Benni to fend for himself in the blackness of the unknown labyrinth. But he had to chance it; his city depended on him. Once he was sure that he had sound footing, he broke into a brisk walk. He made his way deeper into the dark, damp, putrid waterway. He clutched his sword in one hand and his shield in the other, preparing himself for any horrors that could await him.

Clop! Clop! Clop!

Benni froze as he heard the sound of sloshing footprints up ahead. Something was down here with him. Benni didn’t know what to expect, but he couldn’t let fear get the better of him. He knew that his mission was of great importance. He could feel confidence flow through his body as the thought of becoming a great hero coursed through his brain. This was the sort of triumph that would immortalize him forever, and guarantee him the Captain position.

He trudged on, his pace slowing greatly. The thwacking of bare skin against wet ground grew louder and louder as he ventured deeper into the tunnels. Water dripped slowly off the walls, falling rhythmically onto the floor. Its characteristic
bloop
echoed throughout the halls of the sewers. Benni stopped and observed the small overpasses scattered around that would take a maintenance worker safely over the sewage drenched trough that flowed through the middle area, and out the tunnel opening that Benni had entered through.

He came to a four-way intersection. Two of the paths ended in gated dead ends. He looked further ahead and saw a hulking, shadowy form looming down at the end of the long, straight tunnel. He watched it carefully, sneaking his way closer and closer to the hulking form. He hid behind a pile of nearby rubble, hoping that the creature wouldn’t notice him. He gazed on as the beast raised its arms, holding a human body in its giant hands. Its red eyes pierced the darkened tunnel.

Is that one of those monsters? It’s huge!
Benni shuddered as the behemoth remorselessly slammed the human’s body into the ground over and over again, almost as if it were a child breaking a toy in frustration.

Benni thought about using the overpasses, but knew he could be spotted easily there. He sheathed his sword, cautiously left the safety of his hiding spot, and quietly worked his way into the brownish-yellow river of waste that ran down the middle of the area. The stench was so overpowering that he could barely keep from vomiting. But he knew if he made one wrong, sudden move that the creature would hear him and be alerted to his position. He doubted he would be able to defend himself against the Brute, even though he wanted to fight it. He thought of Cranos as his prophetic words echoed true in his head.
You just have to keep that temper under control. It will be the death of you if you don’t.

He sank down to his chin in the sewage and covered his mouth. He slowly, carefully waded through the river of waste and past the beast, which was still distracted by bludgeoning its quarry by continuing to slam it into the hard stone ground. Benni continued onwards, comforted by the sickening
thwack
of human body on stone. That sound meant that the monster was preoccupied with something other than his presence. He treaded toward the end of the tunnel, where he desperately hoped that stairs would lead to the dungeon’s holding cells.

Benni crept on, making his way slowly through the sewage ridden center lane. Finally, he pulled himself out of the muck and up onto a stone ledge. He noticed a stairway and slowly made his way over to it. He could feel a sense of relief as he approached them and began his ascent away from the angry beast. He was heading for safety.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sounds of his boots clamored through the empty halls as he ran up the stairs. The beast heard the sounds and stopped pulverizing its prey. The musty stillness in the air stopped Benni dead in his tracks. The beast glanced around the area and growled menacingly. It felt like an eternity to Benni as he stood completely still. He didn’t even breathe. He couldn’t believe he had been so careless as to rush up the steps. He never stopped to think that the creature could still hear him this far away. It was a mistake that could cost him his life.

The beast went back to slamming the human carcass against the ground, breaking it into fleshy chunks. Benni breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Sora had granted him a second chance. He quietly finished tiptoeing up the stairs. He took each step cautiously, stopping after each one to check for the sound of breaking bones.

Finally, he made his way up into a long hallway.
The cells!
On either side of Benni, there were no less than fifty iron barred cells that seemed to stretch out forever. The smell here was even worse than in the sewers. He could see many civilians and some of the older Knights cramped into them. Those who still lived reached through the cells like a mindless horde that was attempting to escape. Benni was shocked by the sickness and disease and death he saw.
How could any human be this cruel? Animals don’t treat their prey this way.

He walked down the corridor and again froze when he saw Phillip round a corner. He was looking into a cell, taunting some of the prisoners by eating a juicy chicken leg.

“This has got to be some of the best chicken I have
ever
eaten. Would you like to try it?” Phillip asked the horde of starving prisoners.

“Yes. Please. I want some!” they shouted in mindless unison.

Phillip went to hand the chicken leg to their outstretched hands, but at the last second, withdrew it to his mouth and took a huge bite. “Mmmmmm! Oh, yes! That is soooo good!” he taunted in between obnoxious chewing sounds.

That arrogant bastard
! Benni quickly made his way back out of sight around the corner and whispered to a few prisoners in a nearby cell, “Distract him, I’ll get the keys and free you all!”

The prisoners in the cell nodded in approval and began to hoot and holler. Phillip noticed their clamor. He put his hand on his sword and approached the cell. “Shut your damned mouths, all of you, or I’ll turn this cell into a graveyard!”

His back was to Benni who approached him from behind. He tapped Phillip on the shoulder. Phillip whirled around.

“Miss me?” Benni asked, his eyes wide and a huge grin on his face.

Clang!

Benni bashed the back of Phillip’s skull into the iron bars of the cell. Phillip slunk to the ground, unconscious. Benni immediately grabbed the keys out of Phillip’s coat pocket and began unlocking all of the cells. He tore the iron gates open as he ran from one cell to another. “Get out while you can. Avoid Razzius Grimm; he is not your friend. No matter what you may think, he is the enemy!”

The sickly prisoners, most of them barely conscious, stumbled their way out of their cells and up the stairs to the main castle halls. They flooded the areas, sticking together and moving in unison into an expansive main hall. They grabbed any food they could find. Fruits, breads, cheeses. These were luxuries that they did not believe they would ever see again. The Sangres were busy fighting Valpherinox and Galvan outside so the freed citizens were safe as they shared the sustenance.

Benni continued to wind his way around the sprawling dungeon, looking for more cells. He turned another corner and heard a familiar voice call to him.

“Benni Wakewood, is that ye?” It was Sabre Grey; he was in a cell alone.

“Sabre? Hold on, let me get you out!” He fumbled with the keys and soon found the one he needed. He unlatched the lock and freed the gray-haired Knight. Sabre slowly lumbered his way out of the cell, his joints creaking and his face heavy with anger.

“Them sons of bitches are going to pay big time, me boy. I will lead ye to where they are keeping Flint and his wife.”

“Help!” a soft, barely audible whimper floated through the corridor.

The two Knights made their way toward the noise and the sight shocked them both. Elsie lay completely naked on the floor of her cell, covered in dried blood. She had a bruised face and was struggling to stay conscious. Benni immediately began fumbling through the keys again, as he tried to get the gruesome sight out of his mind. Both Sabre and he rushed into the damp cell and threw their Knight vests around Elsie, covering her exposed, battered body. They helped her to her feet.

“Elsie, what happened?” Benni asked, knowing full-well who the perpetrator was.

“It was Phillip, he is mad with power,” Elsie whispered in a coarse voice through lips dry with caked blood. “He and Razzius must be stopped.”

Benni shot Sabre a concerned look; he hated to see Elsie this way. He had secretly fancied her from the moment he first saw her, even if fate had intervened and the two weren’t meant to be together.

The trio began to make their way up a nearby stairs that led them to the other side of the castle. They entered the dining room that normally housed the plentiful meals of the royal family. It was empty now; only broken, shattered plates greeted their entrance. The trio stumbled their way through the open room. Sabre noticed a nearby pitcher of water and immediately grabbed it and handed it to Elsie who gulped it down. The water soothed her cracked throat, and helped calm her nerves as she started to stand on her own now. Benni grabbed some silk drapes and used his sword to cut a makeshift shawl for Elsie.

Benni addressed the two, “Sabre, I am going to look for Razzius. Stay with Elsie and make sure she is safe.”

“What are ye thinking, boy? Razzius Grimm is no ordinary Knight; he possesses skills far beyond yer level. Some evil guides him. Ye won’t stand a chance! I’ll come with ye.”

“No, you are in no condition to fight. Protect Elsie and get her to safety; I am going after that bastard!” Benni ran off as Sabre and Elsie slowly made their way upstairs to the sleeping quarters and Elsie’s room.