Two men cloaked in black stood on a roof overlooking the Vangen soldiers pouring through Byzantia's flint district. The one encased in iron armor twirled the pommel of a bastard sword in both hands. The tip of the sword sang quietly against the stone roof.
"Have you withdrawn the troops?" The iron warrior asked.
The other cloaked man gave a begrudging nod. "I have, although I fail to see why Tranquillis. We have them on the run."
"Then you fail to see the bigger picture, "Tranquillis said, sparking a glare from the cloaked man.
"An army is only as strong as the men who lead it. Break them, and they will scurry away like roaches in the torchlight, leaving their men without leadership. Why destroy the Vangen when we can simply take them instead."
Before the cloaked man could respond, Tranquillis pointed a finger down into the streets below. The two watched Regis, the so-called exile prince of Danic, as he ran deeper into the flint district."See the fear you've given him, Cannis? He runs like a chased deer." Tanquillis said.
Cannis smiled, revealing a hound's tooth. "He thought his boasting would scare me. I had to show him how wrong he was."
Tranquillis snorted and ran a hand through the braids of his beard that spilled out beneath his helm. "That is Danic pride for you. All boast and no balls. He's still a youngling, though. He will learn."
"Not if I have my way with him," Cannis gave a bleating laugh. "I aim to tear him to pieces just like I did his men."
Tranquillis held up a hand. "No, you will not."
Cannis hissed. "You dare to take my kill?"
Tranquillis turned to look at Cannis, his gaze hidden behind the grill of his great helm. "I dare," he said plainly.
The two stared each other down for a long while before Cannis gave one final huff. "Fine. He's all yours. If you can catch up to him."
"I won't need to catch up. I know where the prince will go."
"Where?"
"When Danic men fear, they run to their gods for help. I will meet him there." With that, Tranquillis stepped forward and dropped down the building, landing into the streets below with a hollow thud.
"What a bunch of Northling crap." The shapeshifter muttered. He whirled his cloak about him, and in an instant, the black cloth transformed into feathers, forming into wings. A hawk flew into the evening sky where Cannis once stood, screeching into the budding starlight.
***
The streets of Byzantia were like a maze to Regis. Stone paths, alleys and byways curved and pitched at odd angles, leaving him frustrated and dizzy. Damn it all, how he hated the Empire's cities. The buildings were bunched too close and swallowed up the sky. It made him feel claustrophobic.
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Tales of the Vangen: The Black Ministry's Betrayal (Book 1)
Fantasy[Completed] The Royal Guard of the Empire has faithfully served Byzantia for nearly three centuries now. Hand picked from foreign lands, these guardsmen hold no political ties, carry no agendas, and bare no creeds except to those who sit upon the O...
