The orange, red, and pink colors of the sky’s setting star shone like beams shoving its way through the darkness of Adrian’s cold cell. There in that lonely cell Adrian sat running his hands through his dirty blonde hair that covered his forehead. He attempted to wipe away the dreariness that conquered him. He pulled his knees to his chest, and rested his head on the freezing stone behind him with hope of getting some much-needed sleep. Slowly Adrian’s emerald eyes began to shut.
Right as sleep overcame Adrian the clinking of keys reverberated off the dungeon walls followed by the scruff of leather boots. Adrian’s eyes jerked open as he felt his body become tense with anxiety. He knew who was coming. Jaiden, the captain of the king’s army, strutted towards the cell swinging a ring of keys on his finger.
The two men had a history filled with so much violence and hate. If there was anyone who wanted to kill Adrian more than the king it would be Jaiden. Once they were good friends; practically inseparable. However, time went on. Things changed and they both grew up.
“I have to admit. Seeing you in this condition filthy, imprisoned, and just pathetic… it really brings joy to my heart,” Jaiden sneered. He unlocked Adrian’s cell, and met his hateful glare.
Adrian only chuckled as he stood to his feet. “I would expect nothing less from you.”
“No, really I think the bruises suit you,” Jaiden snickered acknowledging the fist-sized bruise on the side of Adrian’s face and busted lip to compliment it.
“Why are you here Jaiden? What do you want?” Adrian scowled.
“Well besides enjoying the view… king Eerick requested your presence. He didn’t tell me why, but my bet is he finally got sick of playing with you.”
That had been what the king’s been doing these past three months. Playing with him; torturing him every chance he got. Anxiety churned in Adrian’s stomach. Jaiden’s voice kept playing over in his mind he had let this happen to himself.
Jaiden secured Adrian’s wrists with a pair of metallic cuffs, and led him through the palace. With every step Jaiden tightened his grip on Adrian. Adrian could feel his arm pulse and sting as Jaiden’s fingernails dug into his skin deep enough to draw blood.
Finally, Jaiden halted Adrian at the end of a hallway decorated with portraits of past kings, good kings. Each painting in the hallway was ruined. Some of the king’s faces were scratched out, some torn to shreds by immense claw marks. Other frames held what was left of a portrait that had been completely burned.
Adrian glared at the paintings. Each ruler in the ruined portraits had once been great, valued leaders who symbolized hope and peace. Adrian knew that this was just an insufficient representation of the kind of destruction the king had inflicted upon that kingdom.
This destruction was Adrian’s life.
Two leviathan doors stood at the end of the hallway. The barrier, which was painted a dark shade of red, contained many exquisite designs. They were not decorative designs. Carved into the red wood were writings from an ancient language that Adrian did not understand. They looked as if they had been carved into the wood using the same claws that had destroyed the paintings.
Suddenly a rancid smell hit Adrian as he took a closer look at the red that coated the door. The smell had been coming from them, and nausea built up inside of him as he realized that the red on the doors was not paint. It was in fact blood from the king’s conquered enemies.
He knew that his blood would soon be on those doors.
Instantly both of the gigantic doors swung open, and Jaiden stood tall as he dragged Adrian down the hallway and into the throne room.
Adrian took a slow lengthy breath as he took in the details of the throne room. The floor was a white marble that had been scratched up and beaten as if many battles had taken place in this room. A chandelier hung dozens of candles lighting up the space, and enormous stained-glass windows, that told the kingdom’s history, were lined up on the room’s walls.
Dozens of courtiers, lords, and nobles were dressed in silks and furs. They outlined the outer edge of the room making a clear path to where two large thrones rested on a raised platform. In one of the thrones king Eerick sat; an evil grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. The second throne was empty.
Jaiden heaved Adrian forward, and soon he stood before the king’s throne. When Adrian didn’t bow, two other soldiers showed up beside him. The two guards and Jaiden struggled to force him to his knees.
Adrian would not bow. Not to Eerick; not to anyone. However, he couldn’t match the guard’s strength. Not when he had been starved and tortured for as long as he had. The king’s men slammed Adrian to the ground, and he winced as a jolting pain shot throughout his knees when they collided with the marble floor.
“Cooperative as always,” the king chuckled softly. His deep voice echoed throughout the silent room. The beads of sweat that fell from Adrian’s face caused strands of hair to cling to his skin. Suddenly his breath became like a weight in his chest as he failed to free himself from the guard’s hold. “You know I am impressed,” the king sneered.
“Impressed by what,” Adrian asked grinding his teeth in frustration.
“By you of course,” he answered. “I have put you through hell during the past few months, yet here you are.” His tone said it all. Adrian knew he wasn’t impressed. He was frustrated; irritated, but he wouldn’t show it. Not in front of the court. “I have starved, beaten, and tortured you… how are you not dead?” the king asked raising his tone.
“honestly… I don’t know, but I swear until my last breath to think of every possible way to gut you from the inside out!” as soon as he said this the two guards pulled Adrian to his feet, and Jaiden slammed his fist into Adrian’s face. Adrian groaned as Jaiden’s fists reopened the scab on his busted lip, and the metallic tang of blood filled his mouth.
His face throbbed, and with each passing second the pain amplified. The king’s guards, with a smug grin on both of their faces, slammed him back to his knees.
“If that’s the case… then I’ll just have to kill you,” the king snickered. He stood from his throne, and crouched down in front of Adrian. He gripped Adrian’s jaw, and forced him to look him in the eyes. “You look like your father,” king Eerick whispered softly with a scowl on his face. Adrian's breath caught in his chest.
He pulled out of the King's grip. It was true though. His emerald eyes, sharp jawline, and toned figure screamed his father. Barely an Image of his mother.
Eerick sat back on his throne, and with a simple hand gesture he said, “kill him.”
Adrian would not let himself be killed so easily; not after everything he’s survived. “NO!” he shrieked with ire in his tone. He's fought death too long.
Suddenly, he blocked out the pain that spread throughout his body. Adrian forgot about the months of taunting that echoed in his head.
All he knew now was how to survive.
Using all his strength, Adrian pulled his arms free from the guards that once held them. He struggled to stand to his feet from the guards dragging him down, but he wouldn’t give up. He pulled his right arm free, and punched the one closest to him. The guard stumbled back from Adrian’s force, freeing his other arm, but dismissed it as he swung to punch Adrian back.
Adrian stepped out of the fist’s path leaving the guard to stagger over air. The second guard stepped in front of Adrian, and punched him once, twice, three times.
Adrian felt a liquid - blood - drip from his nose. Without hesitation Adrian hurled his fists towards one of the guards. He landed a single punch, and missed the next one he threw their way.
The king watched - and studied – with amusement as Adrian fought for his life. He was persistent even after all he had done to crush that light inside of Adrian, but everything he did was not enough. After months of doing everything he could to destroy him mentally and physically, Adrian still fought; not just for his life, but for a purpose.
To bring him down. To make the king beg for his life. But what Adrian didn’t know was that the king- Eerick -he was already dead.
“He is tougher than we thought, but it does not matter. Soon we will break him, and he will fall like the rest,” a voice whispered inside Eerick’s mind.
“He will break,” Eerick whispered back to that voice.
“Enough of this,” the king said sounding bored. He made a gesture towards Jaiden. He unsheathed the sword at his side, and stalked towards Adrian, who punched the guard next to him, and was then kneed in the chest by the other.
Swift as the wind Jaiden plunged his sword towards the back of Adrian’s legs, and cut a deep slash in both of his calves. Adrian cursed under his breath as his knees slammed to the ice-cold marble. Blood trickled down his calves, and both guards were instantly on Adrian holding him down as best as they could.
Adrian felt the edge of Jaiden’s sword hover over his neck like a ghost. He knew there was nothing he could do to escape his fate, yet he still tried to squirm out of the guard’s hold, but their grips just tightened. His heart kept beating harder with every second, and beads of sweat fell from his face. The bleeding gashes on his calves stung, and he knew there was no hope to escape what was coming. he still had so many promises to fulfill.
“Finish him!” Eerick roared at his hesitating captain. Jaiden raised his weapon high in the air, and sent it plunging down. Adrian’s face paled as the blade only scraped the surface of his skin before falling to the ground with an echoing clang.
Adrian became tense as a thick liquid dripped on the back of his bare neck. He heard a low thud behind him, and whispers of shock and fear erupted from the nobles in the throne room.
A figure dressed head to toe in midnight armor emerged from the mess of nobles an arrow nocked in a bow. The black soldier aimed and released the arrow sending it flying into the heart of one of the guards that restrained Adrian. In a blink of an eye the soldier fired another arrow killing the last guard that held Adrian down.
The constricting hold on Adrian vanished as both of the guards fell to the ground limp an arrow impaling them both. Adrian quickly scrambled to his feet subtly glancing at Jaiden’s still body. The world swayed around him as blood oozed from the arrow planted in Jaiden's spine.
The king’s grin stretched from ear to ear as he pulled the sword at his side from his sheath and sauntered towards Adrian. He didn’t look just a little worried. No, instead he was entertained. A palace full of guards, yet they thought the two of them would escape with their lives. He licked his lips as he thought about the fun he would have with them in his dungeons. I knew exactly what u would do. He knew exactly how he would break their bones and make them cry with pain.
Adrian jerked Jaiden’s sword from the floor, and held it between him and king Eerick. He slowly backed away from the king moving closer towards the black soldier.
The soldier’s face was hidden behind a black mask that concealed everything except the soldier’s crystallized blue eyes entirely focused on the king, and the arrow that would impale him with a simple flick of the wrist
“What kind of man hides behind a mask? Indulge me. Who is it that dares sneak into my home, and interrupts an execution?” king Eerick proclaimed. “Remove your mask, and I promise your death will be quicker than his,” the king said pointing his sword in Adrian’s direction.
The black soldier said nothing, and a low rumble interrupted the silence. Suddenly a dozen of the king’s guards stormed into the throne room pulling out their weapons, and surrounding Adrian and the black soldier.
“Got any genius plans to get us out of this one?” Adrian whispered to the black soldier. Adrian felt the glare of his companion as he kept his sword raised. A barrier between him and the King.
“There’s two of you and dozens of my guards. Do yourself a favor and drop your weapons.” King Eerick said.
“And surrender to you?” Adrian scoffed.
“Better to do it willingly than to end up like your parents.”
Goosebumps chilled Adrian’s arms as spasmodic memories of his parents played in his head.
He barely remembered his parents. All he could remember was how they cared for him, how they protected him, and most of all how they hid the truth about who they really were. He was too young to know.
Adrian’s sword slowly lowered, and immediately the king struck as hard as he could. He swung his blade clashing it with Adrian’s who stuttered backward from the force of the unexpected attack.
Right as the king went to attack Adrian again the black soldier released the arrow nocked in their bow piercing a guard in the heart. The black soldier threw the bow to the ground, and jerked a sword from the sheath strapped to their back.
The soldier plunged the blade into the chest of the guard running towards them pulled out the blade, now coated in the guard’s blood, and sliced through another guard.
The spoiled lords and court nobles shrieked at the battle, and all at once rushed out of the room as if they would too be shredded to ribbons like the king’s guard.
King Eerick thrusted one attack after the other. Adrian could barely block them all. Eerick raised his sword high above his head, and sent it plummeting down. Adrian’s blade clashed with the king’s as the two fighters pushed against each other’s strength.
Finally, Adrian swung his blade around pushing Eerick’s off. Eerick staggered backward, but didn’t hesitate to attack again. Catching Adrian off guard, he thrusted his sword forward lodging itself in Adrian’s left shoulder and kicked him to the ground.
Adrian gasped for air as he slammed to the marble floor clutching the cavity in his shoulder, that constantly poured out blood. His sword fell just out of reach landing inches away from his fingertips. Eerick kicked Adrian’s sword farther away, and pushed the tip of his blade at Adrian’s throat forcing him to look up at the king.
“I have been looking forward to this a very long time,” Eerick sneered. “I’m sad to see it end, but for what I’m doing… what I need to do you can’t be allowed to live, nobody can.”
“But I’ll be alive either way, and even if you do kill me one day there will always be somebody in your way.”
“No, after you’re gone your followers and any resistance will soon crumble” Eerick growled sending his sword plummeting down. The blade didn’t touch him. The king stood still as the black soldier poked the tip to their sword at Eerick’s chest. The soldier moved closer pushing Eerick off of Adrian.
The soldier’s palms began to sweat, and the sword had suddenly become much heavier than normal. The quivering soldier’s chest expanded up and down breathing in and out. Within a second the soldier could end everything. Every slave camp set free, and the war over with one simple swift movement.
The black soldier took a deep shaky breath before sheathing the sword. The soldier stared into the king’s deep brown eyes. Bold brown eyes. The soldier knew these eyes, but then the brown shifted to blood red. The soldier hesitated a second before running to grab Adrian off the ground, pulling him to his feet, and running out the throne room.
The king hadn’t noticed he had been holding his breath. “N-no,” the king whispered. “NO. I won’t let you slip through my fingers again! I HAD YOU! I HAD YOU! I-I HAD YOU!” he shouted. “You can’t escape your fate! You’re destined to die at my hand! YOU WILL DIE!” he screamed his hands curling into white-knuckled fists.
Without a second thought, Eerick tightened his grip on the sword in his hand, and plunged the weapon forward, a clear view of Adrian’s gut. The black soldier saw the weapon coming and barely moved him out of the way.
The king stumbled over air, and the black soldier kicked him in the side causing him to collapse to the ground. Eerick gasped for air before getting to his feet. He swung his blade around with all of his strength, but the soldier’s blade blocked it pushing Eerick back.
More guards would be coming soon. The black soldier knew it. Eerick started toward them meaning to attack again. Eerick didn’t get another step in before the black soldier flung a dagger, that had been strapped to the soldier’s waist, and sent it flying towards the king.
The knife lodged itself in Eerick’s forearm sending a steady stream of blood to flow from the wound. Eerick groaned dropping his weapon, and gripping the handle to the dagger. The black soldier just gazed at the king failing to pull the knife out. The soldier gazed at what they had done.
Eerick’s guards were shouting orders to each other, running towards the throne room, and pulling out their swords.
Adrian ran up to his paralyzed companion. “C’mon if we don’t leave now then this whole room will be flooding with more of his guards.” The black soldier merely nodded before sheathing their sword, and guiding Adrian down the hallway lined with ruined portraits.
The black soldier led Adrian down a second hallway and down a stairwell. “Where are we going?” Adrian asked confused. The black soldier only shushed him and rounded another corner, which led them to a dead end.
“What are you doing? They’re going to trap us in this dead end!” Adrian screamed as loudly as he dared.
The black soldier pulled the mask and hood off revealing a woman with full rosy pink lips, soft, milky skin, and golden hair.
“No they aren’t,” she replied calmly. The woman placed her hands on the wall, and pushed with all her might. “Help me,” she commanded. Adrian obeyed, and the grinding of two stones filled the hallway as a small shaft opened up. The woman pushed Adrian in, and the stone door closed behind them.
The shaft was pitch black besides the small orange flames being from the torch that the woman had lit. The only sounds in the shaft were Adrian’s and the woman’s boots scuffling on the stone.
Finally, Adrian broke the silence and said, “why are you here Estelle?”
“To keep you from getting yourself killed. Why else?”
“I told you not to come. Why didn’t you listen?” Adrian huffed.
“You think I’m just going to sit back and watch you die next to Eerick, and pretend that I’m happy? Because you know I can’t do that, “ Estelle said.
Adrian kept silent feeling defeated.
“Eerick’s going to know your missing,” he said at last gripping the uneven stones of the shafts wall for support. Estelle noticed and threw his other arm over her shoulders helping him walk.
“I don’t care. Besides I’m not taking you to the camp. Thomas is. He’s waiting for us in the house of… a friend. I’ll try to come tomorrow, but there’s no guarantee that I’ll be able to get away,” Estelle said.
Muffled shouts from beyond the walls began to get louder. The two were getting closer to the exit. Light from beyond the tunnel seeped through the cracks in the wall.
“Here stop here,” Estelle said setting Adrian against the wall for support. Estelle gave the torch to Adrian, and pushed against the wall like before. This time the wall opened with much less force.
The rays of the midday sun stung Adrian’s eyes as the tunnel that Estelle led him down opened up into an alley between two buildings. An old rusted door leading into one of the buildings was on the left, and on the right was a big bucket where trash was dumped.
Estelle took the torch from Adrian and put out the flame discarding what was left of the torch in the shaft, and helped Adrian out of the tunnel.
The old rusted door creaked open, and an old sickly woman wearing a dress of rags peaked her head through.
“Lystra!” Estelle exclaimed getting the attention of the old lady.
“Estelle! There you are I was starting to get worried. Are you okay? Is anyone following you?” The old woman asked rushing over to her.
“Yes. I’m fine, but he’s not,” Estelle said supporting Adrian’s weight. “Thomas, is he here yet?”
“Afraid not.”
“Fine. Do you have anything to stop his shoulder from bleeding out?” Estelle asked carrying Adrian inside the old woman’s house.
It was a small shack. There was a single bed in the corner, a wooden table in the center of the shack, and a simple chest next to the bed.
“I think so, but I would have to take a closer look at his wounds,” Lystra replied.
Estelle set Adrian on the bed. “Are you sure we’ll be safe in here? Because I don’t want to take the chance that we aren’t.”
“Of course you are. Now take his shirt off, and step aside.” Estelle obeyed. When she removed Adrian’s shirt she became still at what she saw. All down his stomach and sides were bruises of all different sizes and color. Some black and green ones were the size of fists. Some of the other bruises were a dark purple and looked like stripes.
Lystra pulled out different herbs, bottles of clear liquid, - alcohol -  and a rag. She set her supplies on the wooden table, and pulled a chair next to the bed where Adrian laid. 
Beads of sweat coated Adrian’s chest, and falling down his face. His breathing was irregular and shallow. Lystra doused the rag with alcohol and pressed it on Adrian’s shoulder. Instantly Adrian screamed at the stinging, and shoved Lystra away.
“Estelle dear, a little help please?” Lystra asked.
Estelle let out a loud sigh before walking up to Adrian, grabbing his wrists, and forcing him still. Lystra immediately got back to work. Pressing the alcohol onto the wound again. Adrian again cried out at the pain, and tried to shove Estelle off of him.
“Don’t you have something to knock him out, so he doesn’t try to kill us?” Estelle asked trying to keep his arms down.
“No, but he’ll go unconscious soon enough,” She responded.
Lystra finished cleaning his shoulder, and Adrian fell still like Lystra said he would. Everything was quiet again, and Lystra placed some chopped herbs on his shoulder and wrapped it in a bandage. Adrian’s breathing was still shallow, but at least now he stood a better chance at recovering.
Lystra sat down next to Estelle, and told her how to do his stitches and when to remove them.
“I really can’t thank you enough. You’ve helped me out countless times, and I shouldn’t ask you for anything more,” Estelle said.
“Nonsense child! Whatever you need you shall have. You carry a big burden Estelle, and I will be here to help you through it all,” Lystra beamed. “There is one thing you should know before you go. Whatever blade did that to Adrian… it wasn’t a blade from this world. I’ve seen many wounds, but none like that. Of course it'll heal like a regular wound, but the scar will never heal. He'll always be aware of the scar.”
“Wait what do you mean – “
“I’m here!” yelled Thomas, who had just busted through the shack’s door, and interrupted Estelle. “Sorry I’m late!”
“You better be sorry! Where have you been!” Estelle roared.
“I had a bit of a hard time getting into the city. The king’s men are everywhere. They’re scouring the forest, and tearing apart the city looking for Adrian,” Thomas said.
Thomas had a round figure, a thick head of black hair that he had tied back, a short black beard, and was wearing a simple tunic. “What’s wrong with Adrian?’ Thomas asked.
“I’ll tell you tomorrow. Just make sure he eats, and doesn’t move around too much,” Estelle said.
“Well how am I supposed to get him to the camp when he’s not even conscious?”
“You’re a smart guy figure it out. I have to get back to the palace before Eerick notices I’m missing. Thank you, Lystra I’ll see you again soon,” Estelle said calmly. “Do you have my gown?” she asked Lystra.
The aged woman nodded and grabbed a box from under the bed. She handed it to Estelle, who opened it revealing a ruby gown. Estelle changed into the gown behind the screen in the corner of the shack. The silk gown clung to her upper body, had thin straps, and many layers of skirts.
Once changed, Estelle retreated back to the tunnel where she and Adrian had come. She lifted her skirts off the ground making sure they wouldn’t get dirty from the tunnel’s filth. Estelle followed the same Path from before until she came upon a fork in the tunnel.
Instead of taking the path she and Adrian had, Estelle went down the other tunnel and took various turns. It was a while before she had reached the exit, and when she did Estelle was not in one of the castle’s many hallways she was in her room.
The king’s room.
***
The king was alone in the throne room surrounded by the dead bodies of his guards.
Eerick was grasping the hilt to the dagger buried in his forearm. Eerick grunted and cried out as he struggled to pull the knife from his flesh. Each tug had his arm throbbing with pain, and felt like the dagger was finding its mark all over again.
His blood soaked clothes became heavy on his body, and his muscles began to give out. His knees trembled as they slammed to the throne room’s marble.
A soldier that had been tracking the two rebels out of the palace timidly entered the throne room. “Your majesty,” he addressed.
“What!” he growled.
“The two fugitives escaped, but I have a patrol of guards closing in on them as we speak,” the guard reported.
“Find them! I WANT THEM DEAD!” Eerick screamed at the top of his lungs. Suddenly all of the stain glass windows shattered showering the room with shards of glass.
“Y-yes sire,” the guard replied before scurrying out of the room, trembling with fear.
As soon as the soldier left, Eerick returned his attention to the knife buried in his arm. He gripped the handle preparing to pull it out. With a final yank, he freed the weapon from his arm. He screamed as much as his burning scratchy throat would allow him.
Eerick soon calmed his breathing and slowed his heart rate. A rush of adrenaline and power overcame him, and in a matter of seconds, the blood that rushed from his arm had stopped and the cavity in his arm was gone.