Kingdom Fall (Ethereal #1)

- Chapter 37 -

The mothership

Naajim

Sir Cedric sighed when a gang of miss-matched teens and adults with swords and pick axes in hand emerged out from the shadows.

He just sighed.

Naajim knew the man was supposed to be their enemy. But seeing him like that made him think otherwise. It was more as if their presence in more of an annoyance than a threat and he was not hesitant to show it.

But the guards, including Rahim and the young Oblivion soldier tensed. The young man pulled out his scimitar, but Rahim held his hand to stop him. For some reason, the sword was lowered. Sapphire could not help but hide behind Prince Tyler. But Archestrian was not anxious as she was. He simply stood with a frown on his face.

'I hope you realize that I am not going to stop what am I about to do,' Sir Cedric said.

Prince Tyler sneered, 'We can try.'

'You aren't even sure why you are here? Also, you do not know why you all have arrived at a collective agreement to stop me.'

Naajim had to agree with the knight.

At this, the prince gritted his teeth. The two Shokrean guards drew out their swords, but a simple glare from the man beside was enough to convince them to sheath their swords.

Instead, Sir Cedric turned to the hole and said, 'Can you guess what is inside?'

'No,' the prince among them replied.

'It's incredible,' the knight continued, 'How they even figured out the laws of the universe and utilized then to create what lies inside. But it cannot be denied that it is what caused their downfall.'

'So it's a weapon?'

'No. It's a vessel. The one they used to arrive here.'

'There are more of those in Shirmaya,' Sapphire grumbled from behind. The knight chose to ignore her, but replied to her statement.

'True. But this is what actually brought them here to this plane of existence. History speaks that the Ethereans are from another realm. You cannot just jump through realms.'

This time Sapphire stepped into the light, 'Queen Toja wants to go back?'

Sir Cedric laughed at the statement. 'Oh so naive. Their world had already been destroyed. It became so inhabitable they had to come here.'

'So, why does she want that,' asked the prince. 'It served her so purpose.'

The knight frowned, 'How many Ethereans do you think arrived to this realm in the past. Barely a hundred. This is a civilization we are taking about, boy. The ones who came here were mere scouts. Scouts that failed to report back.'

'She wants to bring them all here,' Archie spoke. It was not a question, but a statement. Sir Cedric gave the boy an approving look.

'Yes. An invasion.'

'You know what is going to happen and yet you help her!' Sapphire cried. 'You said you are controlled by her but you don't even resist!'

'I never said that,' said the knight with a grim face.

'But_'

'But if you dare to stop me, you all might end up dead.'

'What makes you so sure,' Hedi snapped.

'I advice you not to try.'

Hedi pulled out his sword. Rahim took out his and pointed it at the Knight's neck. But in a blink of an eye, the scimitar flew away and Sir Cedric had his sword drawn. His eyes turned into pools of ice as he stared back at everyone.