The Edelin Chronicles: The Search for Cindias

Chapter 7: What the Heck is This Confrontation?

We run through the halls towards the front gate. Every one of them deserted, save for a few people running either towards or away from the front gates. Alador's cape flies in the wind, as does my hair as we approach.

"What's going on?" I ask Lillith, who is running beside me.

"Kaldoro found out, now he wants a little payback," she replies as some guards run past, armored to the teeth.

"Wait, found out what? And who is Kaldoro?" I ask as more soldiers run past in the opposite direction, some carrying another soldier who has a large gash on his leg and shoulder.

"Kaldoro is our enemy, more or less this world's Ava, but at a larger scale," all of us stop in front of two doors leading to the courtyard.

"He's the one who sent the panther to our school since you killed it and made it here, he wants to pay a little visit," Alador pushes open the door as we walk into the scene.

The once cheery atmosphere of the courtyard disappeared and is replaced by one of tense fear and unbridled rage. Closer to our doors is most of the soldiers from earlier, either in leather or iron armor, carrying an assortment of weaponry, or no weapon at all, some even with animals by their side.

Raina and Roman standing close to the front of the brigade behind a man in iron armor with a longsword and a raven by his side. All facing an army clad in black, whether it's dyed leather or dyed metal, they had a theme, also carrying an array of weapons and animals, though most look like the panther from earlier.

And at the front was a man adorned in black and gold-plated armor, carrying a saber with a black hilt and from what I can see, the same red symbol that was on the panther's collar, coincidently with a panther by his side. We all start walking towards the front.

"There is no use, just give us the girl and we'll walk away, without bloodshed," the man says as we near the front.

"She belongs here, we won't relinquish her," the man in iron replies as we make it to the front. Mother and Alador walk on, but I feel both Raina and Roman stop me as Lillith stands beside me.

"What seems to be the problem gentlemen?" Alador interjects, the two stop to look at him, the man in iron bows slightly to him, while the man in black stands straighter than he did before.

"Alador, how wonderful it is of you to join our meeting," the man in black smirks, sending a shiver down my spine as all of us tense.

"Kaldoro, I shall ask again, what is your business here?" Alador asks, which causes Kaldoro to smile wider.

"Well you see, we are all in a bit of a disagreement. You see, one of my Umbronca has sadly been killed in combat, but under unlawful conditions," I begin to tense then conditions, what conditions?

"Who was the unlawful killer?" Alador asks as my friends try to block me from sight.

"I'm sure you know," and of course, we make eye contact. "Ah, here she is, the girl I've waiting for," he snaps his fingers and two of his soldiers come and drag me to the center of the three men.

"Alador, what's going on?" I ask him, he looks down at me in determination and love, but I could also see a twinge of fear.

"Oh, she doesn't know," Kaldoro laughs as Alador pulls me to stand. "Well, she has gotten herself in quite a predicament, hasn't she?" he grins again as I take a step back from him.

"What have I done exactly?" I ask him, trying to keep my voice level.

"You see my dear, oh what was it... Dawn right," he replies, my name coming from his mouth sends another shiver down my spine as I feel the wind blow around us.