Veiled Shadows

Chapter 2 - The dark knights

As they wander through the endless woods of the enemy kingdom Master Elrik teaches her not only about her powers but also about the history of her ability to control light. "Before you, there were only 3 other people who were able to control the light. Queen Viola who created the kingdom your village is located in. The Mother of the dark prince, whoms father we just escaped from, and a wonderous lady, no one ever saw again after her magic was revealed. It is said that she lives in a cave deep inside the ice keeping dangerous animals around her to stop everyone from approaching her." 

Lily was fascinated by all the storys Master Elrik had to tell and she sought up every word he said to her. But their journey wasn't peaceful all that long. The King of Darkness was not in the slightes happy about them escaping so he sent multiple troops out to find them and eventually it had to happen that one of the troops found them. 

When the two encountered a troop of dark knights they were surrounded with no escape in sight. Lily used her powers to create a shield of beam around them but the dark knights didn't seem to bother by this and just got closer. 

"Master Elrik, why can't I stop them?" Lily asked in a panicking tone. "Their Armors are infused with darkness, to protect them against your light. You can't do anything, but I will." 

Lily looked in to the deep eyes of her Master and wanted to ask him what he meant by that but before she could speak a blue beam of electricity grew around Master Elriks hands and he pointed at the first dark knight. 

He didn't seem to be bother about it too at first but just a few moments later he screamed and fell to the ground shivering. There were blue lightnings all around his armor. He was grilled from the armor that should have protected him. 

Lily couldn't move in shock and also a little horror and just watched while her Master pointed his hands at the next knight. Her Master knocked out a lot of the knights before one of them approached from behind. 

Wearing no armor to avoid following his camerades faith. Lily saw him too late to act and only when she heard her Master scream in pain she looked at them. The knights Sword pointed right through her Master and the blood on the blade seemed to pulse. 

The blue beam of electricity faded and her Master took one last look at her. "Protect your kingdom." he whispered to her and closed his eyes. Lily screamed for him but he didn't answer.

 She tried to summon all her light to save him but before she could do anything, a cold metal closed around her neck, only leaving enough space for her to breathe and within a second her powers vanished. 

"Not today little girl." she heard a bone shivering voice behind her and she touched the metal thing around her neck. It was a collar. A collar with a lock. She tried to use her powers again to open it, but she couldn't even feel the light around her, like she was able to since the moment her powers awoke.

As Lily stood there, feeling the weight of the collar, her heart sank. The absence of her powers left her vulnerable and at the mercy of her captors. The dark knights surrounded her, their sinister grins a haunting reflection of the kingdom they served.

Bound by the collar's oppressive grip, Lily's thoughts raced, searching for a way to escape. She couldn't let her Master's sacrifice be in vain, nor could she abandon the kingdom she had sworn to protect. She needed to find a way to break free.

As Lily assessed her surroundings, her gaze fell upon a glimmer of hope—a small, intricate key hanging from the belt of one of the dark knights. It was the key to her collar. With a renewed sense of determination, she strategized her next move.

She feigned resignation, allowing her captors to believe they had subdued her spirit. Lily's compliance lured them into a false sense of security. While they gloated over their victory, she seized the opportunity to strike back.

With lightning-fast reflexes, she lunged towards the knight carrying the key. In one swift motion, she snatched the key from his belt and plunged it into the lock of her collar. As the mechanism clicked, the collar fell away, and her magical essence surged back to life.

Now freed from the collar's grasp, Lily tapped into the depths of her power, summoning the brilliance of light once more. Rays of pure energy radiated from her hands, illuminating the darkness that surrounded her.

In a dazzling display of strength, she unleashed a barrage of radiant beams, piercing through the ranks of the remaining dark knights. Their armor, infused with darkness, crumbled under the onslaught of her newfound light.

Lily's eyes blazed with determination as she fought her way through, each beam of light striking true. With every defeated knight, her confidence grew. She would not allow darkness to consume her or her kingdom.

Finally, the last dark knight fell to the ground, defeated. Lily stood amidst the aftermath, her breathing ragged but her spirit unbroken. The path before her stretched out, filled with uncertainty and challenges, but she would not falter.

Her Master's words echoed in her mind, reminding her of her purpose. She had to protect her kingdom and ensure that his sacrifice would not be in vain. With renewed resolve, Lily pressed forward, ready to face whatever trials awaited her.

And so, the journey continued, with Lily emerging stronger and more determined than ever. The kingdom awaited her, and she would wield her light to dispel the shadows that threatened to engulf it.