The Search Begins Volume 02 of An Unwanted Destiny

Forty-Three

When I returned to the Grand Hall and stepped through the doorway, Drak and Eryn were standing amongst a dozen Aeon, Tateladad, and soldiers. "Trez, you're alive!" Eryn yelled with a look of relief on her face.

Everyone turned around. At the sight of me soldiers started to run in terror. I smiled as the last soldier vanished down a corridor then turned to the Aeon and Tateladad who were unsure what to do when I looked to my friends to see how they were doing. The crescent blade of Drak's axe had a thick coat of blood. Sweat covered his arms and face as he gulped in large breaths. I turned to Eryn who was sweating as well. I looked passed her and saw that nearly half of the Grand Hall was frozen with dozens of Tateladad and soldiers stood like frozen statues with horror frozen on their faces.

"Are you guys alright?"

"They weren't too tough," Eryn said as she fell to a knee. I started forward when she raised a hand stopping me. "Just a little exhausted that's all. I used up a lot of my Ahanko fighting them. Just give me a minute or two. I'll be fine."

"Well, I don't think we have that much time." I heard whistles coming from down every corridor and Jadrek's voice coming from the halls. "Let's go."

We hurried out of the Grand Hall and encountered a few more soldiers and Tateladad as we headed towards the main entrance. We quickly took care of each group without slowing down. At the main entrance, I kicked open the doors and stared in shock as nearly two hundred Cinnarian soldiers stood between the three of us and the gates. Standing at the front were a couple of Aeon and three of the Seven Commanders of the Cinnar army. One of the Commanders fingered the long sword at his waist as he stepped forward. The man reminded me of a cobra waiting to strike. He had droopy blue eyes that were like two sapphires and his thick, straight, ash gray hair was worn in a style which looked like a cobra's hood. He had a thin build and skin that seemed to be leathered from time. He wore the armor same as the other soldiers except he had ribbons on his left chest displaying his rank as one of the Seven Commanders. He stared daggers at us. I honestly thought he was going to strike when I heard Eryn reach for her short swords but I placed a hand stopping her. It would not do for us to fight right now.

"Stop you traitorous dogs," the man said through his helmet. "I, Brasirn Hammond, will strike you down where you stand if you try to run."

"Step aside and let us leave. We have no qualms with you or anyone else in Cinnar. I got what I wanted from Jadrek, so I am going to leave. If you do not want your men to get hurt let us go."

"You filthy brat, if what Master Fireyauh said is true I cannot let you leave!" Brasirn yelled drawing his long sword.

I rushed forward to fight when as if out of thin air appeared two dozen Xerin. They were all wearing their ragged garbs used to protect their identities. A fairly large man landed between Brasirn and myself holding a great axe in one hand and me.

The man looked to be as large as Drak in height, but his build showed he was twice Drak's size in muscle.

"Lord Ajemuha we will hold them off while you three escape," the man said swinging his axe at Brasirn.

The Cinnarian soldiers and the Xerin leaped into battle. We made our way through the chaos away from the palace. Once we reached the bottom of the hill, I felt a chill and turned to Eryn to see that she came to a stop and stared back at the palace.

I followed her gaze and saw two dozen massive ice stalagmites rise up into the air; the tips were colored red with what looked like a body on each. I knew that it was Jadrek and we had to hurry before he led what remained of the Aeon Order after us.