Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 64: Massacre (2)

Adrian resumes his pace. This times his steps become faster. The other that is lucky not to get shot or smashed followed them from behind.

Adrian runs in front of the spiraling staircase. Arial guarded him from behind. They have reached the castle gate and when they opened it they were treated to see a horrible scene.

Alderam Knights and my troops are fighting in the ground with so many deaths. Bloods flow in the ground, heads rolled around the stables and courtyards.

Red rivers flowed through the courtyard. Severed heads rolled from their decapitated bodies which lay in mangled heaps across the ground.

Arial saw one of his men cut down by Allen Beafort, knight turned lord who ruled a city near Dented Shield.

The sounds of screams and pleading drifted out through the castle gates.

Arial pulled Adrian down and they ran for cover, as more archers released their arrows over the courtyard and shot down Count Hexham, Rodes and Lord Arwin Rodan.

Then men with the clash of steel can be heard again fiercer than before.

Some of Arial troops were struck with the axe, brain matter flew, blood spurting from his head while a terrible scream let out from their throats, their body slowly withered and fall into the ground.

It seemed the battle would never end.

Then Arial ears caught the noise of the clanging of swords and then another barrage of arrow shot at us from the towers.

The archers have got out from the castle.

It was clear Alderam would do anything to claim the title of Duke, and the Dented Shield castle. Any man who would murder his brother and bear the name of kin-slayer rather than give up his power, truly was a dangerous power-hungry fiend.

Arial wondered how far the man was willing to go.

He looked around at his troops: fear had started to overpower the determination in their eyes, and as their hearts began to surrender, their bodies would soon follow.

"You have woken the dragon!" Arial roared, amplifying his voice so that every man across the castle grounds could hear him.

With their leader among them their fire returned, and Arial charged with them into battle, keeping Adrian well hidden.

Arial alleviating technique is one he takes great pride in.

He takes many years to polish it to perfection.

The difference of power between the attackers and him was like night and day.

Arial darted left and right, slashing necks and snapping ribs.

Red. They can see red. Blood spurting like a fountain as the cacophony of screams and shouting fills the night.

That is all they will see and hear, red and screams. And the only thing they will feel is his cold steel penetrating their throat.

The attackers were stunned as Arial continue his onslaught

Away from the battle, Count Neville sat watching on horseback. He must be their leader, Arial thought.

Kill the leader, and the followers will scatter.

Although there was no doubt in Arial's mind that Alderam had initiated the massacre, he was nowhere to be seen.

Hiding, he snorted, ready to swoop in for the land when the dirty deed was done. Arial leaped in front of Neville and grabbed his neck.

"Hold your fire or he dies!" Arial yelled, and for a moment everything stopped.

"Ignore him."

Count Revan looked down at Arial from the top of a tower, and everybody looked back up at him with uncertainty.

Without hesitation, Revan fired an arrow into Neville's chest.

Damn, thought Arial, and jumped away from the attackers who immediately resumed their fight.

Looking behind him, he realized that Adrian had reached the stables, and some of the luckiest nobles from the feast had entered the battle.

Considering they are nobles, they are strong because of their education. Clearly they all have learned internal energy.

Some of them begun executing some moves that I recognize, like the Piercing Needle, killing many of the Knight.

But the enemy's numbers were still greater, and sooner or later Arial's troops would be overpowered.

What mattered most, and what he could ensure, was Adrian's safety. Arial realized that was also the nobles' intention.

They were protecting Adrian, giving him time to escape. He too need to buy some time until Adrian have got his ride.

Arial broke one of the attacker's hands and took the man's sword with Lion Bite technique.

Disbelief filled the expression of the attacker.

As he screams in pain of having his hand broken before his head was sliced clean by one of the nobles.

Amplifying the weapon with his internal energy, Arial sent it shooting towards the tower, to Count Revan, who tried to block the attack with his own sword.

The charged blade shattered upon impact and exploded in Revan's face, who let out a blood-curdling scream.

If he was lucky enough not to be blinded, he would be severely disfigured.

The neighing of horses alerted Arial, and he turned to see Adrian sprinting past him.

Arial whistled, and instantly he saw Firebringer galloping through the battle towards him.

The horse stopped at Arial's feet, and he quickly mounted him and turned in the direction of the city gate.

"Retreat!" he yelled, and his troops immediately obeyed.

Arial kicked Firebringer into action, an I need to make sure Adrian will not be harm. The other nobles try to retreat but I don't think they can.

They are too deep. His red horse rides faster, and in just a few minutes he already is close with Adrian.

Adrian notices him and just nodded his face is still pale. Arial turned to look behind him and he could see his troop is approaching

Some fallen off from their horse when the archers began another assault. Some were trapped and smashed into only meat. Some are lucky and manages to follow me.

They will provide cover from behind. To his relief, Alderam had not placed any men outside the city gate. Clearly, he hadn't thought anyone would make it that far.

He must have been planning to win this battle with the least casualties on his side.

And how wonderful it worked for him.

Many of the noble house lord died in the attack, not to mention lords who swear fealty to his family, Arwin Rodan, but many of them are also people who will swear fealty to Adrian.

Lords, minor lords, and low lords were there.

Lord of Rockstill, the family of Rodan has lost their leader, Count of Rodes, Lord that ruled Valais, Skaldruk and Catnip, Vowound Lord, many of them nobles die in the feast.

Arial recognize some of the nobles that did the killing other than Lord Revan, there is Lord Edard of Warpinch, Lord Edward of Salsbur, and Lord Cliff of Mercia.

"Lord Adrian," Arial called, "let us ride to Roaring Dragon!"

Adrian, his face a mixture of disbelief and exhaustion, nodded weakly and sped off on his horse. Arial watched his back as he rode behind him to the castle.

The War of Succession had begun.

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