Honor Bound

Chapter 10: House of Cards

The sound of glass shattering, followed by a howl of pain woke me up. A guard in Voltan armor laid on my floor in evident pain. I shot up to help him and noticed the familiar sound of a battle raging outside. The glow of fire and clang of blades against shields echoed through Osae. I knelt down next to the guard and swept shards of glass off his shoulder.
    "S-sole! They attacked the town from the north side. Their rampaging through the town. Help them!" He cried while sitting back up and holding his side tightly.
    "Help who?" I asked abruptly.
    "All of them!"
    With that, I stood up and grabbed my weapon. The door to my room was kicked open and Cole crashed through with a massive shield. Following him was Osprey, whose face was red with anger.
    "They're here."Cole said in a low tone.
    "I know," I growled in response,"So am I."
I pushed past them and they followed me. Two citizens rushed into my room where the guard was recovering. As we quickly jogged down the hallway it was evident that the fighting was surrounding the building.
    "Where's Reg?" I demanded.
    "We don't know. I sent Sparrow to wake the two of you but she didn't come back. Reg was gone too." Osprey said, with little emotion in his voice.
    "The Lobby, go! We have troops holding the line there!" Cole ordered.
    As we tumbled into the inn's lobby a wall of shielded men blocked the doors. At last I could see Sole's men crashing against the barrier. Battle cries, orders, and warnings were being given by every soldier in and out of the room.
    "Throw them back!"
    "Voltan scum!"
    "We're being overrun!"
    "They're flanking east!"
    "Is that the best you can do?!"
    "Get Ford out of here!" Cole yelled to Osprey and a few others.
    "Move south! We're evacuating!" One of the men ordered.
    I nodded and began to follow Osprey through the building. Frantic citizens poured out of the back entrance. Proceeding to escort them, I looked back at the inn. On both sides, a mob of soldiers were clashing with one another, trying to take as much ground as possible. This was the last straw. No more negotiations would be made. This attack was the start of a war long coming.
    Osae's citizens and the few troops scattered amongst them were making their way past the town's limits. More woods laid to the south, and from them the town could be seen under siege. Fire engulfed what wooden rooftops remained, and the silhouettes of soldiers fighting in an unorganised and beasty bout of combat.
As I stared in anger and horror at the battle, it didn't take me long to decide whose army I really belonged to. Reg was gone, and so was my position in Sole's empire. But I've decided that my past hasn't defined me, for I'll soon take it back.
The now full retreat of Voltan forces convinced me that I was to go with them. Go wherever I needed to. I'd been bound to Sole's corrupt king for too long. Whatever it takes, whatever sacrifice I must go through, I don't belong to Sole.
Sole belongs to me.