Under the Cover of Darkness

Chapter 19 - The Princess and Her Champion

"When I got up that next morning, I found him lying in the ocean waters, dead. The waters around him had almost turned brown. He tortured himself, but I can never blame it on him. It was Graham who had murdered him. By the time I had left the city, my brothers were already gone. And that's why I wanted that man dead," Haley testified.

She sat on the opposite end of an uninviting, rectangular table in the basement of the palace where non-magical criminals were held in maximum security. On the other end of the table sat, from left to right, Kristie, Alric, and Bryce sat with equally stern expressions. The story, while innately heartbreaking, failed to emotionally tug at their heart strings, especially Alric. The Great Champion's stern expression dully shown. There was an evidently conflicting argument swarming inside his mind.

As the Great Champion of Ardor, he had to uphold and enforce the laws of the city, but the bias of his own childhood grief reflected a contradictory opinion on the matter. Alric put his whole heart into his job as Great Champion of Ardor, but his background and life made up his heart. His desire for justice branching from a painful childhood that ominously falls him wherever he goes.

"Bryce, I want you to go get Fitch's account of the events leading up to Graham's death. Kristie, take her back to her cell. I'm going to up to my room. I need a quieter place to think this through," Alric ordered, standing up with a swift, sudden movement.

The two Company members glanced at each other with a confused expression. There was no noise the crept through the crevices of the second floor, meeting place. Without a word, the two stood up as well away from the evidently, emotionally distraught Great Champion.

Haley, with a pale expression, stared at the giant Brefave. She could tell as well that something was bothering him.

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A tranquil light crept through the slightly opaque curtains with a curious interest in the slumbering teenager. The early morning rays slowly, but surely, irritated the boy's eyes. His eyelashes fluttering as the gentle comfort of the hospital overwhelmed his senses, the teenager, without movement, recollected the moments leading up to his current position.

The magical blast had torn through his arm like a knife on butter, and the fatigue of his fight with the Etherlen had set in just as he felt the impact of Graham's shot. The blast put the cherry on top of the cake of exhaustion that prevented him from remaining conscious. Suddenly, the image of the Etherlen consumed his thoughts. He felt a shiver run down his spine at the possible paths the confrontation between her and Graham could have gone.

With a sore and stiff body, Fitch rolled his heavy body onto his back and fully opened his eyes. The sight of a limber cat stretched out at the foot of his bed failed to startle his sluggish mind as the presence of Bryce in some animal form had become surprisingly mundane. Then, with a clear, disinterested boredom in his voice, Fitch remarked, "Whatcha doin' here, Bryce?"

"How ya' doing, champ?" Bryce quickly redirected as he morphed back into his humanoid form.

"I'm doing great. Why are you here?"

"Oh, me," Bryce began with a slight tint of sarcasm flinging from his tongue with each word. "I'm doing great. Thanks for asking you inconsiderate asshole. Alright, I'll cut to the chase for your nap time's sake."

Fitch could do nothing but cross his arms and sigh as the demon began his usual nonsensical rambling of quickfire words.

"Alric is in some deep shite right now because your girlfriend sorta kinda murdered the Graham guy after he knocked you out by touching your arm like not trying to get sidetracked or anything..."