Jeneria: Defenders of Ausmik

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - A SOLDIER'S PASSAGE

Knights stormed the arena, both filing in through the tunnels and jumping down from the bleachers. The audience was in a frenzy, some crying and others pleading for Jin's head.

It wasn't long before Jin was surrounded. The archers above had their bows aimed at him, while the knights on ground were rushing towards him. Jin only fought them off for a short while before being gashed in the leg by a spear.

"Stop!" said Charmelene, racing down the stands.

"Charmelene!" said Keos, in pursuit of her.

"What do we do?" said Jesse.

"Just stay here," said Jenn, leaping over the bleachers in pursuit of Keos and Charmelene.

Jin was on his knees, a spearhead deep in his leg. The knights enclosed on him, their spears and swords pointed towards his head.

After leaping over the barricade, Charmelene began pushing her way through the distracted knights. Keos followed, stumbling over the wall and into the hazardous area.

"Stop!" said Charmelene, kneeling down next to Jin.

Jenn stopped at the lower deck, but before she could leap over the barricade, she was taken from behind.

"Get your hands off me!" she said, struggling to free herself.

In the arena, Charmelene and Keos armed themselves: Charmelene with Jin's short sword and Keos with Agrunnus' blade. They pointed them at the knights, almost daring them to come closer.

"Calm yourself," said Jenn's captor. "Calm yourself."

Jenn stopped struggling and looked up at her captor. She recognized the gloved-man as the champion of the archery tournament.

He took her shoulder and turned her towards him. "Listen," he said. "If you go down there, they'll kill you. Do you understand?"

"I have to!" said Jenn. "Those are my friends!"

"It's too late for your friends."

"You're wrong!" Jenn kicked the man in the knee, freeing herself. But as she prepared to make her leap, she felt a sudden blow across the back of her head. She lost consciousness and fell back into the man's arms.

As the man carried Jenn away, Charmelene and Keos were at a standstill with the knights. It didn't last long, however, as one of the archer's fired an arrow, sticking Charmelene straight in the knee. She let out a cry and collapsed to the ground.

"Charmelene!" said Keos. But just as he turned, a knight jabbed a spear into his shoulder. The audience cheered as Keos joined the other two on the ground. The knights drew closer, ready to finish off the ex-soldiers.

"Wait!" Prince Jareck was waving his hands. "With my father's death, I now serve as your new king!"

The knights stopped and the audience grew silent.

"There punishment is mine to deliver!" His eyes circled the audience, as if he were daring someone to challenge him. "For the murder of my father," he continued, "I sentence them to death at the stake!"

The audience roared.

After restraining the ex-soldiers with shackles, the knights led them into a dark tunnel.

When Jenn awoke, she found herself back in her sleeping chamber. Jesse was sitting on the bed beside her, while the gloved-man was reading something at the window.

"She's awake!" said Jesse.

Jenn's head was throbbing. "What happened to Jin—and Keos and Charmelene? Are they okay?"