(Sorry for the length of this chapter. It may be a little boring due to long build up. Otherwise enjoy!)
“BLOODSHED, BLOODSHED, MORE BLOOD FOR THE QUEEN!” the audience chanted as the two fighters in the arena engaged each other in a battle to the death. One of them being Xen. Xen was against a veteran war chief of Hyde Tribe, which was full of lizard-like creatures. These beasts are extremely resistant to fire, and have poisonous claws that can kill you in 24 hours, if you don’t have a cure.
The war chief looked at Xen with his bloodthirsty eyes, licking his lips as they circled each other. “The Queen would loves the taste of your blood, and sssssso will I!” hissed the chief. “Sorry, but I’m not into that kinda stuff.” remarked Xen. The chief hissed and charged at Xen with his steel mace.
Xen concentrated, breathing in and out slowly. He closed his eyes and put both his hands on to the hilt of the scimitar. As the chief swiped at Xen, Xen moved to the side and sliced at the chief’s armor on the side. The chief grunted in pain and tried to whack him on the side, but once more, Xen simply side-stepped and slashed the war chief’s hand, cutting it off. “ARGH!” the chief screamed in pain.
The crowd went silent as the chief fell on the floor of the arena. There were many gasps from the crowd and many incredulous of what just happened to the war chief. It was a war chief after all, so they expected him to win.“Pleeassssssee…..nnoo more...I yield…..mercy” the chief pleaded. Xen stared at him with his piercing, cold, blue eyes. Xen looked at the crowd, then back at the bleeding war chief. The crowd gasped at Xen did next. Xen took out some rags, stopped the bleeding, and helped the war chief up to his feet and walked him back to the entrance gate. The guards looked weirdly at Xen and opened up the gate for the two. A guard took the war chief to his cage and Xen walked back to his cage. Xen lied down on his cot and began to ponder about how he got here and where are his friends. “I’ve would’ve been dead if I didn’t take Kendo”, Xen said to himself. Good times, good times.
Xen was about to sleep, but someone had called his serial number. “Prisoner 43782, or Xen” Xen turned around to see a lovely young woman with silver hair. “And you are?” asked Xen. “The Queen of Aeterna” she replied. “Well I wouldn’t have guessed that judging by your looks. I meant your name,” said Xen. “Watch your mouth when talking to the Queen or you’ll be silenced forever” the guard next to her threatened. The Queen put her arm out in front of the guard and gave him the look to tell him to calm down.
"Nice pet you have there! Do you know where I can get one?” Xen taunted. The guard snarled. Xen chuckled.
“Prisoner 43782, come with me inside the Palace”, the Queen commanded. Xen cocked an eyebrow and smiled slyly. “Not like that”, she added. Xen’s smile faded away. The guard to her right unlocked the door and pushed Xen outside his cell. The Queen motioned Xen to follow her, and he obliged. They first passed the torture chamber filled with hostages, and spies. One of them had their leg cut off, and eye gouged out. He looked at Xen with fear or maybe it was just how his face was formed. Xen shuddered at the sight, and moved on. After walking for about 20 minutes, they had finally arrived in the main section of the Palace. Xen looked at golden room in awe.
Everything looked so finely decorated. The Queen led Xen into a room full of treasures, and jewelry, but what caught Xen’s eye was in the middle of the room. A pedestal holding two katanas, one with an obsidian blade, and one with a crimson blade, both with a dragon head hilt. “So beautiful”, said Xen. “Those two sword have been here since this Palace was founded. No one could wield it however, not even me,” the Queen said. “Pssshhhhh, yeah right, let me see that real quick,” Xen said. “If you wanna die, go right ahead,” the Queen warned.
Xen looked at the Queen with widened eyes. “What?” he asked. “Those swords cannot just be used, they have to be tamed.” the Queen said. Xen thought for a minute. “Elaborate” he said. “Basically, they’re unstable, and they could kill you if you don’t have it takes” the Queen summed up. “Okay then, so what am I here for again?” Xen asked. “I want you to be part of my elite squadron,” she said. “That’s it? You brought me in your Palace, that took up almost this whole chapter, just to tell me this?” Xen asked agitated. The Queen chuckled. “I wanted to be formal and do it here. Would you rather do it the stinky prisons?” the Queen joked. “Nope, this is fine,” said Xen. “So what armor do I get?”
The Queen motioned the guard to the left to go get something. Five minutes later, the guard came back with a box that had a skull on it. The guard handed the box to Xen. Xen looked at the box suspiciously, then shook it. “Kinda heavy”, Xen commented. Xen opened the box and found a black vest, a white dress shirt, a black tie, a black cloak with a hood,and two pairs of combat boots. “Try it on,” the Queen said. Xen looked at her in shock. “You want me to take off my clothes in front of you?” Xen asked. “We have a dressing room.
Guards lead him to it!” the Queen ordered. Two guards told Xen to follow them. They reached a room with a chandelier inside. The guards left Xen alone to dress. After getting dressed, Xen went back to the main section of the Palace, and saw the Queen telling the guards to get 5 guards at the door. The Queen saw Xen and motioned him to go to her. “What’s happening?” Xen asked. “We’re being invaded by someone or something,” she replied. “I need you to- The Queen was interrupted by a cry of pain. Three guards were taken out next to the Queen by arrows. “Circle form!” the Queen ordered. The guards surrounded the Queen in a circle formation. “What do I do?” Xen asked. “Keep an eye on the windows, if you see any type of movement, report it,” she demanded. Xen nodded.
He looked at the windows, and the Queen. He saw something at corner of his eye. He turned and saw nothing. Xen looked back the windows, and back at the Queen. Xen heard a whizzing sound, and turned to see a guard shot again. “They’re picking us off one by one”, one of the guards said. “No duh buddy,” Xen remarked. Xen had tingling feeling. It was as if someone was looking at him. He slowly turned his head to the left a little, and saw a head. Assassins. They were down to only three guards left. “Oh boy.”
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Aruthral: The Broken Ones
AkcjaXen, Mikey, and Lee were your average high school students. As they were going home, the three friends encountered a mysterious man who said to them: “Three heroes must fight to avenge the Broken Ones, one with the power of Death, one who can contro...
