Ancient Cardos: The Knight of Cardos

Chapter 4: Cold Hearted.

The sun was setting as me and my team were nearing the dragon. I turned to face my knights as the dragon was in sight.

"Alright. If anything is to happen to any of us. It was an honor having you as my knights." I said to them.

"Alice, I would not wish for another leader." Adelle said.

"I would like to say, I underestimated you, Alice. I thought you were all talk because of your parents. I was wrong." Said Henry.

"I would like to point out the dragon looking over at us." Alex said and we turned to the dragon and saw Snow nearing us.

We readied our swords and shields and formed a line with each other facing the dragon. We were all side by side.

"Alright Knights. For Cardos!" I yelled.

"For Cardos!" My knights yelled.

"Surround the dragon!" I called out. Adelle and Henry went to left and Alex went to the right. I stayed in the middle to keep the dragon focused on me.

My armor started to feel heavier than usual. Like the weight of the world was on me. In a sense it was. I was leading the attack on Snow. Should we fail, the beast would take lives from Cardos.

Without thinking I charged the dragon. Then the worst happened. A knight stepped out to the clearing.

"Oh, Alice. I know this plan too well." The knight pointed their finger to the left and I saw Henry and Adelle were laying down on the ground, not moving.

Alex began to charge the knight from nowhere. The knight heard the footsteps of alex and battled Alex and won. Alex was laying down cold like the rest.

"Come on, I was the best fighter after all." The knight said. They removed their helmet and it was Leonard.

"Leo, I will end you."

"How? I'm waiting for you to try."

I ran at him and swung downward, but he blocked it with his sword. The swords let sparks fly on contact.

What started out as a simple duel turned into a war of two knights. We backed away from each other and he yelled something in another language.

Snow took off towards Cardos.

"I'd stay to fight, but I have a kingdom to watch burn. The ground began to shake and the ground below me fell apart and I fell into a hole.

My sword was left at the top of the hole. I was too far down. I tried to dig holes in the side of the dirt to step into and climb up, but it was too much for me. I was too heavy in this armor and the dirt was too soft.

The effort drained me and I got frustrated and punched the dirt wall. I sat down in the hole and stared up as the sun had fully set down and I was alone in the darkness.

I tried to use magic, but I never tried before. I turned an iron shield to an iron ball, but that was because I was mad. That was all I have ever done with magic.

I held out my hand and focused on it. I imagined a flame would appear in the palm of my hand. I started a flame in my hand for light. I was surprised and stared at the open flame resting in my palm. The fire flickered, meaning it wasn't strong enough.

"Alice?" Someone called out. It sounded like Alex.

"Alex?" I said and stood up and stopped the flame. I was anxious to get out of here.

"Where are you?" He asked.

"In the hole." I replied. "Help me out of here."

I felt dirt fall onto my face. Alex had to have stepped at the edge of the hole to kick it down.

"Take my hand." He said. I tried to focus and find his hand, but it was too dark.

"It's too dark, Alex. I need light. Go get a torch."

"I can't just leave you in here." He said.

"Wake up Adelle and Henry and have them watch over me and you go get the torch."

"Fine, ill be back."

I sat in silence for a long time before anyone stepped near the hole. I didn't make a noise. I didn't want it to be Leonard.

Instead it was Adelle with her friendly "Hello."

"Thank god it's you, Adelle. Is Henry with you?"

"No, him and Alex went to get the torch. The kingdom is in flames, my lady."

"Well what do we do while we wait?" I asked her.

"Maybe, you can help me out, Alice."

"How so?"

"It's Henry. We work well together and do many things together, but, I still seem clueless about him. Its like he is a shadow."

"You like him more than as a friend?" I said to her and she kept silent for a while. I had to make sure she was still there.

"Adelle?" I called out.

"Yea, Alice, I like him more than that." Her voice sounded soft and maybe a little sad. "As a knight it could be different. Cardos is the only army that has female knights and with this war going on, you never know if me or him could be killed in the process."

"Take it from me, Adelle. I loved someone. He was close to me, but he only ripped my heart out. Now he left me for dead in this hole. Make sure you know the person before you let them in."

"Alice...I had no idea about you and Leonard."

"I had no idea he had magic either." I tried to climb out of the whole again, but I misstepped and fell down.

"Be careful down there." Adelle said.

"Where are Alex and Henry?" I said rubbing my ankle. It burned from falling on it awkwardly.

"Safe, I hope." Said Adelle. "From here I can see Cardos in flames. Blue flames."

We sat there in silence for a long time. I made sure not to fall asleep and I had to do the same with Adelle, but by the time I thought of it. She yawned.

"Adelle?" I called out and there was no response. "Great." I whispered.

I heard footsteps coming over here fast. Also the sky was lighting up, I could see the hole I was in.

"Alice, take my hand. We have to get out of here." I saw Henry laying down holding out his hand as far down as possible. I stepped into the wall holes that I made, and I reached his hand.

He pulled me up and onto solid ground. I was so happy I almost kissed the dirt. They woke up Adelle and I stared at the castle in flames. Blue flames and smoke covered the sky.

"Its happening again." Alex said as we all watched over the burning kingdom. "The dragon attacks and dark mages."

We all just keep staring out of fear and sadness.