Stories of Acoptia

Ch. 4 Leodore Crownstone #2 - The ones we lost

Disclaimer: The following chapter contains strong language and violence

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Leodore stood outside the castle. The clouds were strange and dark as charcoal. He looked around the city hall. He saw the ancient Great Library and not too far away from it the Church of the Faith. Its giant doors were open. And Leodore saw... Blood. Flowing out of the opened church.

Suddenly he heard screams of people from all around. And a loud crash as the castle behind him crumbled.

The prince jumped out of bed, covered in a cold sweat.

"A nightmare..." - He thought, trying to calm himself.

The letter from the elves sat on his table. He brought it here yesterday to make sense of it. They warned them of the strange rise of darkness. Leodore tried to tell his father, but the notion was completely ignored.

The young prince got up and after a few minutes, he was dressed, ready for another day. He walked out of his chamber and headed towards the meeting hall. As he got closer he saw that the doors were open. And everyone was discussing something intently.

"Hello everyone." - Leodore said walking into the room.

"Prince Leodore we have more bad news! This is really urgent." - Aveline said as soon as she saw the prince enter.

"What is it? It can't be worse than yesterday." - Leodore asked.

"It is. A noble killed a beast woman yesterday... And now the beastfolk are rallying for justice. They have surrounded his mansion." - Aveline said with a saddened look.

"Oh for god sake. Who is this noble and why did he murder the beastwoman?" - Leodore said annoyed and angry.

He knew the beastfolk were treated horribly here despite doing nothing wrong.

"It's Rean Tyrequin. He didn't give a reason for the murder. But the people around him claim it's because the beastwoman refused to listen to him." - Aveline replied, reading a letter.

"In the name of the great fucking light. Seriously these people, we are already in deep shit and they go out of their way to murder innocents. Stirring more trouble." - The old man said.

Berteram Singlestrike who had been silently sitting in his chair, his gaze full of grief. Leodore hadn't seen the old man like this. Suddenly Berteram rose up from his chair.

"We will ride for his estate. I heard the beastfolk rallying and protesting outside his home are getting attacked by the shits private army. This injustice cannot go on. We have sat for hundreds of years hating others for being different, treating other races like they are beneath us."

Berteram hit the table with his fist as he said the last part.

"How many lives have been lost because of pampered lords like him... I'll show him."

"Old man... Please calm down, let's not do something stupid." - The Prince said, trying to calm his mentor down.

In all his years he rarely saw Singlestrike lose his composure. That could only mean there were deep wounds somewhere in the old man's heart. And this had touched them.

"Don't do anything stupid? Son, what's happening there is stupid. Innocent people losing lives is stupid. I'm riding there with you or without you, doesn't matter..."

"Okay okay... We shall ride there. Should I get a few more men?" - Leodore said giving in.

"There will be no need for that." - Berteram said as he walked out of the hall and headed for the nearest exit from the castle.