Arcanum

Chapter 5: Lucas

To say I was sore, annoyed, and embarrassed was an understatement. I'm pissed off and can bite off anyone's head that comes in a five metre radius.
Not only was I captured by the catori people, but I also failed my mission. I never fail my missions either. Not only that, but the princess came to the castle right after, thinking about god knows what.
The king is a gentle soul though, and only told me to do better next time. I do wish he'd give me some form of punishment so I can at least be justified.
I listened to the knights murmur about me, and I glared harshly.
I would have the mother of all headaches right now if I haven't trained myself to keep it all in.
I breathed out, and rubbed a temple as I walked to my room.
It was the exact way I left it, but.. It almost seems plain. The catori people have everything much brighter compared to the humans. They do usually steal our resources though.
"General Lucas! Horrible news the catori people are here!" Trisha rushed into my room, and I instantly tensed. I nodded firmly to her, and grabbed my sword from my closet. I equipped it, and rushed out with Trisha. I could faintly hear the cries from the battle outside, and I ran harder, with Trisha at my heels. But I suddenly stopped us as the wall in front of us exploded. I drew my sword, and parried a catori man that lunged at me. I pushed back harder, and sent the man rolling. Quickly another man filled it's space, but Trisha blocked for me, and went into a battle with him. As I fought the other, I saw some knights running towards us.
"Go make sure the princess is safe! Then secure the prison!" I shouted as I glared back at the man as he threw a punch, and I narrowly ducked.
"Uh the catori princess or-" I nearly lost my focus of my battle at how stupid the knights are here.
"The human princess you idiots!" I snarled at them, and ran my sword through the catori man.
'Personal defense.' I excused myself, but then stopped. Why was I trying to even excuse a murder? Why should I? They're raiding our castle. They have every right to die!
I lunged at the other man that had Trisha on a tight rope, and gave it a long verticle slice across it's chest.
"I swear you're as speedy as the catori. Maybe even faster sometimes." Trisha complimented, but I ignored her as I led us to the princess. The knights that I sent to guard the princess, were dead.
I could see this fight quickly losing in our favor. But I could never allow the human army lose it's own castle. I killed catori swiftly as I ran down the halls, barely sparing any of them a glance.
I finally reached the princess's room, and I was shocked to see the catori princess standing there, with a fire poker, aimed at the defenseless princess.
She lunged at the princess, but I quickly interveined, and pushed her back, glaring harshly at the catori girl.
"Make your army surrender or you won't ever return home." I threatened, making my anger raise and and making my eyes become cold. She scoffed, but knew her weapon was weaker. She turned to the balcony, and I watched her closely.
"Catori people, retreat!" She shouted, and the fighting below decreased. I barely noticed Trisha rush to the human princess, and check how she was doing.
"I'm fine, I'm fine." She told Trisha, but I was focused on the other princess. I glared at her, feeling anger spike but quickly return to normal annoyance as she jumped from the balcony, and got caught from below.
I turned back to the two, and almost instantly fell to my knees as I felt my strength deplete. It's been a long day from sneaking out of my prison, to being chased back here, to fighting again.
"I honor your courage and remarkable strength, Lucas." The princess told me from above, and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
I nodded silently at her, and stood up again, forcing my sore legs to work, and walk me to the king to make sure he's safe and well.
Already, cleaners were getting rid of bodies, and cleaning the blood in the hallways. The scent of the blood made me sick, and I began to stumble more, relying for the wall to be there for me to lean on. I eventually met the king though, and I was glad to know he's fine.
"We have.. Plenty dead your highness. I'll do the head check later. Right now, we fended off the catori, and I can safely say we can rebuild whatever damage was created." I reported, trying to stand straight.
The king nodded sadly in understanding, before he turned away.
"You are relieved of your duties until tomorrow then. You may retire for the day." He told me, and I nodded to him in grattitude, only wanting to sleep for days on my bed.
I reached my room and laid down, but remembered that I had to clean my sword still.
Grumbling, I sat up, and grabbed a cloth and began to clean the sword. I felt the guilt return when I cleaned the blood from the cloth, and I glared at the red liquid as it went down the drain. Why do I keep feeling guilty? It's not like it's my first battle.
I fell back onto my bed and stared at the ceiling for a couple of moments, before I fell asleep, letting darkness wash over me.