Mind's Eye

Chapter II =÷= An Aincent Power

"We journeyed all the way out here, so we prepared to finish what The Pride's Master started so long ago..." The Captain of the Pride's forces stated as he pointed the tip of his raiper towards the ruins of the castle. The cannon had already been reloaded and was now being aimed at the fortress. The Hooded Knight clutched the hilt of his blade as he launched himself forward, barreling towards the Captain while letting out a war cry.

The Captain met the Hooded Knights steel with his own as they entered a sword lock. A smirk formed on the Captain's lips as he held a hand out in a fist, halting the cannon from being fired. The two fighters then jumped back several feet, both taking a stance. They stood opposite each other, not daring to make a move, leaving the soldiers and the Secluded Gatekeeper to watch as they stood in place for what felt like an eternity. But like a strike of lightning, the two shot forward once again, clashing blades and kicking up dust from their movements.

The two had entered Contracted Combat, a universal state where all but the ones interlocked were forbidden from obstructing the fight. The only thing that could break the contract were either one side admitting defeat, or the death of one side. Both the Hooded Knight and the Captain had long since ceased speech but instead let their blades do the talking, sparks flying with every clash. The two seemed to be nearly evenly matched with every blow, but they hardly ever had the opportunity to strike at the others body.

The Secluded Gatekeeper understood the altercation and knew that the only thing she would be able to do was stall the Pride's forces until the fight was over, so she quickly returned to the spot in front of the castle, and began chanting. The soldiers began charging at her, being sure to avoid the fight in between the Hooded Knight and Captain. The second in command to the forces called out, "Take her out! Leave nothing remaining!"

The Secluded Gatekeeper held her staff with both hands and planted it into the ground as she called out, "O, Spirits of Earth. Hear my call and create a barrier to protect me from all attacks." As she called out the incantation, a large wall of stone burst up from the ground and blocked her from an incoming cannonball. She poured her magic into the wall to keep it from crumbling, beginning to strain as the ball of iron was rejected back out into the forces. But before she could catch her breath, the wall she created was impacted by another cannonball. She gasped as blood began to leak from her nose, "Impossible! No one can reload a single cannon that fast!"

Despite her efforts, it was the third cannonball to fire almost immediately after the second to bust down her wall, with the large chunks of stone falling backwards and onto the Gatekeeper. She let out a cry of pain as a chunk pushed her down and fell onto her legs, crushing them. She tried to hold her breath to dull the pain as she pushed herself up to see what had happened.

Behind the two fighters still going at each other, the cannon had been uniquely modified, and possessed a tunnel on the side, which held even more cannonballs, allowing for fast reloading. "FIRE!" The second in command shouted, letting loose another cannon ball towards the downed woman. But as she braced for the hit, she felt the ground under her suddenly give out as she sunk through the earth in a wave of purple energy. The cannon ball landed where she once lay, creating a small crater above her form. It felt like she'd been submerged in water, but the sensation only lasted a second as she was thrust back upwards in a different location.

She now sat on the other side of the drawbridge, with the Secluded Prince placing a hand to the ground and creating a circle of energy below her. "Your Majesty!" The woman said in brief shock, as she'd only ever seen this type of magic used once before. But as she was looking at the young man's figure, she noticed he held a broken sword in his hand, one she very easily recognized. The Prince noticed her gaze and responded, "This is likely what they're here for. And if it means I can protect my subjects from further torment by giving it up, so be it."