Isis- Ephyra's Choice

Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

The moon was obscured behind thick clouds. Across the vast expanse of the grounds of Regis, everything was dark and still. Peering into the gloom, I could make out two distinct shapes patrolling the perimeters of the grounds. Guards, I knew, patrolled the grounds every night, from dusk to dawn. All in all, everything was going well. Grinning slightly with anticipation, I donned my heavy cloak. Grasping the edge of the windowsill, I grasped it tightly and heaved it open, exposing myself to the cool air. I clambered onto the windowsill and prepared for the climb downwards. Below me was a twenty meter drop. If I fell, I would probably break my spine or worse. However, I had done this too many times, on the practise walls and in reality too. I was pretty confident that the rough wall would provide plenty of footholds to make my climb easy. Nimbly, I was out of the window and scaling the walls. Within few minutes, my boot made an almost imperceptible thud as it landed on the hard earth. I glanced back towards the sentry post. They had not so much as glanced in my direction. Why would they? They were on guard to keep the people out and hardly paid any attention to the happening on the inner castle grounds. Pulling on my hood that left most of my face in the shadows, I skirted about the edges of the building before turning and leaping onto the high fences that surrounded the building. With ease, I clambered over it and I was over on the other side. The moonless night was perfect for my midnight expedition, as no one would be able to spot me in the darkness ad long as I kept to the shadows.

 Anticipation sent my heart pounding harder and my feet moving faster, as my feet made its familiar path through the Isis forest, taking my self-discovered shortcut that leads straight Regis. The distant buzz of noise could be heard as I neared the town. Unheard and unseen, I slipped out from the forest’s cover and joined the surging crowd at the edge of the forest. Everyone was hollering and shouting, holding onto the sloshing tanks of ale as they got rowdier into the night. They stood around a ring of fire that flickered and cackled into the night, giving what little light and warmth to the people. Curiosity burning, I plunged straight into the throng and towards the light in an attempt to view the spectacle that everyone was urging on. Within the circle, two men were duelling. Not with swords or any other weapons but instead with mere fists. One man was obviously having the upper hand, as his fist made another resounding crack against his opponent’s ribs. His opponent stumbled a few steps back, weakened and clumsy. His shaggy blond hair had fallen out of its tie and hung limp to his shoulders. His deep sunken eyes told of a deep fatigue and his limbs were heavy. The sight of him sent my stomach clenching with unease- he will die. A light tingle distracted me and with shock, I understood. The air was thick with magic, the kind I only felt when someone in vicinity was using it. Surely, there could not be any Singuraris out here, alone? As I scanned the clearing, my attention was drawn to the fight and I realised that the smug man who was beating up his opponent without mercy was the one drawing upon it. No wonder he was winning with such ease and did not even sustain a single scratch on him! He must also have been draining his opponent’s strength in the process. I felt my blood boiling and the rage I was overwhelmed in these days threatened to break free from beneath its surface. With the fury coursing through my veins, I was unconscious of my actions and before I knew could think things through, my temper had unleashed itself. Leaping into the duelling ring and turned to face the blurred faces of the bloodthirsty crowd.

   The two guys had started to wrestle on the floor and failed to notice my presence. Clearing my throat loudly and pointedly I waited in vain to catch their attention. I realised that I had already caught the attention of most in the crowd, drawing dark muttering in my direction. Deciding I could not effort waiting any longer, I strode towards them rolling about in the dirt and pulled them from one another. In a loud, clear voice that rang across the clearing, I spoke the first words that I could think of “I hereby lay claim to intervene upon this duel in the name of the Galeon House. The Code of Chivalry had been breached and the punishment is death."

My words were greeted by a deathly silence. I wanted to bury my face in my hands. I sounded pompous and naive. Damn that was not how I wanted to sound like… Glancing around, I spotted the smug face of the cheating scumbag who was cheating in the duel. He stepped forward and his eyes glinted menacingly as it reflected the flickering light of the roaring fire. 

“I’m afraid that you, young lady, did not grasp the situation here. By entering this duelling circle, no law can protect you. And this duel was to death. So unless you want to take his place" he flicked his head to the bloodied man before continuing” you better get out of here." 

His words were perfectly reasonable, but his gaze was hostile and I felt myself bristling at his tone. Ha, this arrogant man deserved what was coming for him if he thought that just because I was a 'young lady' (as her so mockingly put it) I would back down.

 I stepped forward and tilted my head towards him: 

“Very well, if you insist, then I shall duel in his place. But do not be surprise when you lose. Be warned, I do not show mercy to scoundrels like you.”

I could not resist taking a jab at him and at my words, his eyes narrowed with anger. Without warning, he charged at me at full speed with a enraged roar. Acting purely on instinct, I flung my hands out and conjured up an energy shield which effectively stopped the attack. Blasted backwards by the impact, he was knocked out on the floor instantly. Only now did I notice the increasing discontent of the crowd and it seemed to be aimed at me? They jeered and I could catch the sneering and disgusted faces of them. Words like ‘Nobility’ and ‘None of their businesses’ caught my ears. I sighed. I should have known better than to invoke the name of the Noble Houses. Now all their hatred was aimed directly at me, their sharp glares stabbing at me. They eyed me like I was a lone sheep trapped by a hound of wolves. I cursed silently. Scanning the angry crowd, I gulped as the full extent of my actions hit me. I had revealed myself in Regis when I was supposed to be in lockdown and as a result put my family at risk due to my extremely rash actions. I was certainly in for it now. Cursing myself for my extreme stupidity and infuriating sense of justice, I failed to notice when the man I had saved reach out to grab my hand. Before I could utter a single word of protest, I was roughly pulled away from the surging crowd before they could do more than hiss to me threateningly.