A Dance Of Crowns & Thrones | Book I

Chapter 10 | Bones To Pick

Feet pound the cracked and upheaved ground, this war that had threatened them all had come back into their lives like a raging storm. They never stood a chance in truth. How could they be against an enemy that never revealed its motives? The same enemy never explained their actions but purely enjoyed the killing spree they had been hell-bent on over the past decade and a half.

The soldiers' feet stopped at the once entrance to the palace grounds. They soon discovered it was far worse than when they were high above. Being on the ground had changed everything.

Feet dug deeper into the rubble; it was a forgotten sensation, the stench of death that filled the void of silence. Matthew could hear behind him the gagging's from the soldiers that stared at some of the bodies when they entered the ground.

Their Commander moved out; first, weapons gripped, and the soldiers were quick to maneuverer behind him. With every step he made, they followed suit.

"Eyes front, we have had reports of monsters still lurking," he instructed, "they could still be in this vicinity. Prime one, I want you to patrol the front ground. Artemis two west wing. Vizier team, outer grounds. The rest of you head into the capitol, or what is left. Back courtyard in thirteen minutes, then we will head inside the palace for another sweep."

There were nods of agreeance, and they disbursed from the man.

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Hollowed steps echoed the ruined world before them, footsteps kept light as he made his way towards the palace entrance, the double sword harness strapped to his back, one of his swords ready in his hand.

Matthew knew he didn't need it, not with the powers coursing through his veins. However, if a situation turned ugly, he wasn't about to show these worlds what kind of warrior he had been.For he was the very same warrior that had alluded most of the districts of his and his other warrior's actual identities. 

Jesse closed on his shoulder, and she stepped in time with his own pace amongst the debris. Richie and Toni were further spread out to what they were, the same double sword harnessed to their backs, swords in hand, ready for anything that might spring up on them.

"Nothing's moving, unfortunately." Richie initiated.

"Unfortunately," Jesse scoffed at the man that had held his bun in tight formation, looking for a fight almost it seemed, "not feeling like taking on a Hyport or Reaper tonight, thank you very much."

They fanned out; the same course of power that ran through them as their leader had was the same power that made them different from any other soldier.

Toni and Richie entered the palace hallways first. Stepping out from Matthew, his steel eyes gaged the room just as they had been. Stealth-like in each movement.

"Connors's team swept through here already. Is there a reason why you wanted to go through here again?" Jesse whispered, a step back on his shoulder coming through the debris.

"They weren't prepared, which tells me something more went on," pointing his sword to the massacred bodies that were riddled before them. Scorched burnt marks decorated the walls instead of the pristine cream that was once there hours ago.

Watching where he stepped, it seemed this death and tragedy cracked even his toughest façade to the world. Death had always been staring him in the face ever since he could remember and all he could do was laugh it off.

Yet, this couldn't be laughed off.

This had stripped away some comfort that he still held within himself. Some reassurance that they could stop this with their powers, yet, look what was before them. They couldn't have prevented this. Cautiously they continued their way along the palace hallways, ducking into rooms and closing them off behind them as his warriors fanned out further amongst the ruins of the palace.