IronGuard

CHAPTER 7

"How many Dello?" Marcus asks

"fifteen" Dello grimly replies.

fifteen of their friends were murdered, friends whom they have lived and fought with for four years, fifteen who survived the bloody battle in the city, fifteen who had the chance to become Perion's first grown IronGuard is now gone. 

They who remain stare at the ground, asking forgiveness, swearing revenge. Their swords gripped tight and still dripping with the blood of traitors and cannibals. Soldiers who long protected the cold lands of the north, now traitors and still the reason is a mystery but Marcus figures that the only way to find out is to go to Icehold's great tower, where the lord of the city is and where Thren, Elos, Owen and Annalyn is.

"Kren,  Yawen and Zel. You stay here with our fallen, stay hidden until we return" Marcus orders and the three follows, carrying the dead back into one of the houses. "If we don't come back, ride fast to the city and tell Captain Gildas what has happened"

The house door locks and Marcus heads to the great tower with the rest of his company but as they get there they see dead bodies of soldiers scattered. It seems that Owen and the others figured out the trap and fought but where are they now. 

"Marcus, one of the soldiers is still alive" Finn says, pointing out a soldier sitting against the wall but on his last breathe. 

"Where are they!?" Dello angrily asks but the soldier stares at him, his face blank and expressionless. Dello raises his hand and tries to punch the man but Marcus stops him. "You talk to him!"

"What happened here soldier?" Marcus calmly asks but his eyes sharp and serious and the soldier notices this. The soldier chuckles but with blood

"You IronGuard boys" he looks up and sees the girls. "and girls are tough as steel"

"We were trained that way" Finn says. 

"I've fought bandits, rebels, the damn demon fanatics, Ha! even knights but never have I seen something those three did to my fellows" He looks up and sees the sky still filled with storm clouds. "They moved like the wind and fought like monsters" he smiles at Marcus and is struck by Marcus' unwavering eyes.

"Where are they?" Marcus asks

"Go to the mines at the other side of the city. The main tunnel will lead you to Icehold's fortress" He coughs and seems like he only has a few sentences left to say. "There are guards stationed there but if your friends went there I bet there's a good fight going on"  

"Mines? Another trap Marcus. Don't listen to him" Dello urges. 

"Would you lie to me soldier?" Marcus asks again. His eyes looking deeper into the man.

"Ha-ha you really are a cold one aren't you. Those eyes boy, where did you get them?" The soldier stare at Marcus deeply like searching for Marcus's thoughts. "The eyes of someone whose willing to do anything to get what he wants"

"I got these when I lost my family" Marcus says but his voice is soft now and with tension.

"Ah lost during the invasion eh?" He coughs up blood this time and he breathes heavily. "The invasion was nothing to us here up north. They charged at us so many times that we've lost count but we beat them all back and let them freeze"

"Then why would you attack your own!" Dello shouts

"We're hungry" He looks at the city and a tear falls, "We stood and fought but the king abandoned us here. Frozen fields and few livestock, our city relied on trade for food but a year ago the trading stopped and merchants didn't come anymore"