The King Trials 2: Beyond.

~Succumbing~

We breach the village.

One grip on the reins and the other is clutching my bow.

As a foreign force we penetrate the smoke-engulfed village, storms of fire consume both dwellings and public infrastructure as they collapse in on themselves, roofs caving in, succumbing to the fury of the flames. Frenzied screams shatter the atmosphere, a flurry of panic as people scramble for safety, running, screaming, crying.

Beyond, I can see uniformed members of a terror faction. They bear the same war-like paint streaked on their faces in a daunting pattern. The same rioters from the time Primus Kelan and I briefly attended the festival of lights. Despite that theirs are crimson and black, not the blue, white and orange I saw before. Three horizontal claw-like marks that line their temples with a matching set on their chins.

I reel the horse to a halt, and we all assemble.

"We need to divide and conquer," Vince orders, saying it to us purebloods and the advancing Avangard squadron. "A team to aid putting out of the fire, and the other to snuff out the life from these philistines."

Treyton hops off his horse, wielding his mace, spinning the spiked balls threateningly. "We shall follow your lead."

We dismount from our horses. Our weapons ready in our grips.

Vince takes point and we all group ourselves behind him as we approach the hordes of brutes terrorizing the villagers, plundering them of their possessions. Our advent demands notice and immediately the pack of assailants gather themselves menacingly, striding towards us with conceited certitude.

Many of their thick, ragged clothing are splattered with multi-coloured blood, belonging to different beings. They form a long barrier between us and the throngs of people that wail for aid behind them.

Vince unsheathes his Sorcian blade and uses it to point at them all. "If you value your lives, I suggest you all vacate this village. Do so now, while I'm still feeling merciful," he says in Arkian. "You have wreaked enough destruction, would you not say?"

One among them shoves his way to the front. He has the most elaborate paint that masks his face, more black than red, with two wet swords in his grip and a feral look in his eyes.

Swiftly, I slide out an arrow in preparation.

"I disagree, I think we're only getting started." He shoots his head back and launches a glob of saliva.

Vince gives me a purposeful look over his shoulder and signals to him with a flick of a hand.

In a span of a heartbeat, I notched an arrow and let it fly. It buries itself in his arm. He howls in pain, releasing his sword and he nearly drops to one knee. Instead, his head lifts to glare at me with a look of raw hatred.

"Kill them." His volume reaches an apex. "Kill them all!"

On command, they all charge at us and we meet them midway. Dodging swinging swords, I dive into a somersault; I jerk the bow from side to side, slicing through flesh. I lunge for the fallen sword, their leader forays down an overhead strike and I block it with a one-hand grip.

His elbow retracts to ram the blade at me, I deftly sidestep, my hair whipping around as I spin to stand behind their leader and I prod the point of the blade into the small of his back. Not enough to even pierce his heavy clothing, but enough to send a clear warning.

"Surrender. And you and your faction will live."

He outstretches his arms, lifting them to his shoulders.

"I think you should worry about your own life."

He ducks to the ground and a jet of red light rushes at me in an inescapable speed. The ominous force propels me off my feet, sending me flying. I crash into a pile of crates, the sudden impact causes all of them to topple over, a few of them falling to secrete me under them. Pain slams through me, it echoes through every inch of my body. Strobing light splinters my vision. I clutch my stomach, smothering my groans, muscles taut with agony.