The Ability Era

16: Heresy

Knight of the Thistle

The castle shook from the tremors outside created by the Quen Zhar's greatest warrior, Klon Zhao, almost knocking the knight of the Thrush off his feet. The Nineteen were supposed to fight together on the walls of the city, but King Vyron ordered them to defend the Parlaen Keep.

Bloody coward! The Nineteen are the greatest warriors of Parlaea. Yet King Vyron keeps us at his side. He already senses defeat. We have been degraded to mere bodyguards.

The throne room was quiet. King Vyron sat on the small wooden throne with his eyes closed. He was dressed in his war garb, a light silver breastplate over chainmail. His grey hair and beard matched that of his outfit. On his lap he held the royal scepter, a long golden staff and at the top was an exquisite green jewel that was surrounded by golden wings. It was the symbol of his monarchy, as the kings of Parlaea wore no crowns unlike the rulers of other countries.

Standing at the walls to the sides of the King were the Nineteen. Though the Knight of the Thorn stood at the King's side.

The Knight of the Thistle stepped forward and walked to the front of the room before King Vyron. Vyron opened his eyes when he heard the silence had been broken and looked at him intently.

"Your majesty, I request for the Nineteen to defend the second wall. It's not too late for us to fight back the invaders."

King Vyron did not respond and continued looking at him.

"Please... I beg of you. Let me alone fight. I cannot stand here any longer," the knight of the Thistle said as he knelt before the king.

The silence in the room grew more tense. The Knight of the Thistle patiently awaited an answer from his liege.

"No... I will not allow it," the old king said.

"But my liege—"
"That's enough Thistle!" the knight of the Thorn called out from beside the king.

"I can't do this anymore. I don't need your permission!" Thistle yelled tearing the hood from his face with his gauntleted hand.

"You swore an oath!" Thorn roared.

"Innocent people are dying! You should all be ASHAMED of yourselves!"

"We were formed to serve the king and country. In that order," the Knight of the Tortoise called out from the other side of the hall.

"I see now... I was foolish to join the Nineteen. To hell with honour. To hell with oaths," Thistle said drawing the longsword from the sheath on his back.

"You wouldn't," Thorn said.

"If you should dare defy his majesty. You will be struck down and remembered as an oath breaker," added the knight of the Toucan.

Thistle held the sword in his hands. Would he dare throw it down and break his oath to obey the king?

The sound of someone running and breathing heavily came from the back of the room where the doors to the throne room were. "My lord! My lord! They have broken through the second wall and are nearly upon us!" said a young boy who ran into the room. He wore a leather jerkin and carried a spear.

"Order the troops to stand their ground and defend the keep," Vyron told the boy. The boy nodded and ran out of the throne room.

"It is time we retreated to Verrkant," Vyron said standing up. "Thistle can I trust you and Toucan can fetch my daughter?" he asked.