Arwick (A Light Of Roria Sequel)

Chapter Fifty-Six

Staci

The dragon had done more damage to the dark users than I'd cared to see. Some lay on the ground with shards of ice embedding their chest and skulls, while some were torn in half, picked up with sharp teeth and then thrown like rag dolls. But then it let out a hurtling screech, almost as if it were dying, before taking off into the night.

Those who had been lucky enough to live through the ordeal took off in a sprint, racing among the huts to camouflage themselves in the cover of the dark. Finally able to stand, I did the same, running straight for the courtyard I had passed before, with divinity users not far behind. Wanting to avoid the fight, I beelined to the left, just before the pathway spread out into a circle. I jumped into a large wagon full of supplies, hoping it would be enough cover for the time being. Given how much space I put between myself and the courtyard, it was hard to make anything out in the dark, but one thing I noticed was how scarce the dark users had made themselves, like they'd just up and disappeared. Only about fifty had stuck around, standing at the edge of the road that led toward the castle with full body shields in their hands.

A group of divinity users finally came into view, screaming as they ran through the courtyard with a ton of soldiers on horses behind them. For a second, my heart stopped. It might have been too dark to make anyone out properly, but I was sure that the man leading the charge was John. Same build. Same powerful stance. And knowing whatever was about to happen meant he wouldn't survive had me screaming so hard my voice gave out. "No! No! John!"

"Now!" I heard someone shout just as a trap door fell open. It had been hidden beneath the stone, and the divinity soldiers never saw it coming. Hoards of them fell into the gaping hole, and I knew it couldn't have been a pleasant landing by the sound of the horses screeching and whaling soldiers.

To make matters worse, some dark soldier released a flaming arrow that lit up the entire hole like the Fourth of July. The rest of the divinity users were surrounded by dark soldiers from every corner, while some were on top of the huts, taking them out with arrows left and right. It was the trap they'd been talking about all along. I couldn't keep watching. I couldn't believe that John was likely dead. A man who had really done nothing but care for me was gone because of a worthless cause. What would his death mean for everyone I knew? It felt like blow to the chest, knocking me further away from Adi. Sobbing, I curled into a ball covering my ears. The screaming was more than I could take, especially knowing it might have been John. I could only hope he had some survived and would see his stupid cause for what it was and give up. I wished they'd all just give up. Their king was seconds away from dying. All they had left was surrender.