MEANWHILE
Another beast of the long exhausting fights dropped dead at Gallanthe's final blow on its tender spot. He and eight of the Hesam knights were fueled to defeat every monster of considerable size that appears in the prairie. Although wornout and breathless, they all stood on their ground enduring the cold moist, hours of fights, and absence of light. "There's one more here!!", he said as they all rush to kill another beast.
The other knights led the path to safety for the rescued young ones, while some gathered all the bodies of the unfortunate men of the chivalry. Time drifted quickly. With every swing of their blades, stride of their legs, and jab of their fists, they preserved no right to be afraid, falter, not even runaway.
Stellan stood out, specially. He made wonders that were unpredictably paladin-like. He delivered an exceptional form of magic, fresh to the eyes of the knights. And when the dark healer was swept away by the violent winds, the knights crumbled down with loud cheers. Finally, the victory that they were all too baffled to see have come into being.
Eventually, Gallanthe and the knights tend to find their way out of the thick foliage. Smiles of victory were plastered on their faces until their beams suddenly faded. Gallanthe was struck to see men with conical head covers, metal plated shields, and leather sandals, appearing one by one out of nowhere… surrounding him and his men. He was confused at first. The sand soldiers weren't supposed to be where they are, and yet, they stood before them on a foreign land in the middle of the night with complete armors and weapons.
Seemingly like an ambush, Gallanthe made a fierce stance alarming the others with a single glance. Wary of the strange-looking men holding long curved scimitars, the air became more tensed. "I didn't know that the sand soldiers of Vierme are invited in this fete… unless you're trespassing", Gallanthe wasn't even threatened to unhand his sword despite being outnumbered.
A dark-skinned man with medium waves of locks meandered through the fully bearded soldiers and peered at the knights. He grinned, showing his two gold teeth on the right bottom side of his mouth. "We didn't know that this place would be too crowded at this time", he clearly said.
Gallanthe finally have taken grasp of the situation. Seeing this man in the act of incursion means war. Vierme sends mages against paladins, sand soldiers against knights and crusaders, spearmen opposed to archers… and there's this man, Talon.
In all Vierme's difficult battles, King Desmun sends his brilliant master of desert and terrain warfare, Talon. The tactical assasin who brings Vierme decisive victories. He gained Vierme most of its territories, making it the largest kingdom of the sands.
Gallanthe thought that this is the best time to be wiser. "To my understanding, a messenger was sent that no war shall take place between our kingdoms. I suppose the message didn't reach your understanding", he uttered, while the sand soldiers gingerly surround them.
Talon gazed at Gallanthe, who's trying too hard to be less provoking yet his sharp tongue still gives way out of his mouth. The tension started to rise even more. Being at a certain disadvantage in a battle position, the Hesam knights treaded lightly on the egg shells of hostility. Watchful, and alert. Suddenly, a man, whose hands are bound on his back, was kicked right before the Hesam knights. He hissed as he drop on his knees. As Gallanthe look closely at the bruised man kneeling on the ground, he frowned recognizing his face… and when he did, his eyes slowly widened as he let out a sharp sigh. "You did found our messenger, Talon".
Talon's calm, and intimidating aura sends off a wicked vibe. His cold dead eyes were plastered on Gallanthe, making him feel uncomfortable. A sinister sneer came out lowly from his thin dry lips. "The paladin's message was delivered, Gallanthe. And we thought we should reply. If we wouldn't, it would be barbaric of us to stay silent. Don't you think?".
"With you personally coming here, I could easily tell what's your reply. This is a mistake", Gallanthe met Talon's eyes as he unsheath his sword back. The knights gasped at Gallanthe's submission. However for Gallanthe, it is the wisest course of action to keep them all alive at the moment.
Talon lighted a thick tobacco, and puffed an aromatic scent of leaf and bark herbs. "A terrible news came blowing up our faces, when we thought our kingdoms' in truce.", he grabbed Ottis by his hair and pulled it back. "Tell them!! Tell them what happened", he pushed Ottis head forward as he exhale more smoke.
Ottis grunted, coughing up the smoke he inhaled as he lift his head up. He looked at the knights, as he lick the dried blood on his lip. "The truce is over. It came to Vierme that their Prince Atrius' blood spilled in Nether", he said. After he met King Desmun in the private conclave set by Stellan, his life was spared with the agreement of having no war between the two kingdoms. However, when the news broke out that Atrius was brutally murdered in the castletowne of Nether… he was arrested right before he could even step out of sands.
"Prince… Atrius?", Gallanthe lowered his eyes with confusion. The name rings a bell.
Talon was unamused at Gallanthe's incognizance. The news of the prince of a different kingdom being murdered in the open was like a conflagration devouring everything. It travelled far and wide, that it reached them in Vierme. Seeing Gallanthe play dumb and ignorant pushes him to make an outrage. "The one whom your King stabbed in front of the crowd! I heard Prince Atrius was hanging upside down. Tortured and drowned.", Talon took one more puff before tossing his cigarette away. The herbs from the rolled stick of tobacco calmed his mind. He closed his eyes briefly, as smoke comes out of his nose. "And now, we are here. Your King is going down. This guide told us that the easy way into Nether is through its weakest spot — paticularly where the dark healer roams… for no warrior stands nearby that ghoul".
"Atrius… Atrius?", Gallanthe tried to recall where he have heard such very familiar name.
"Isn't it the other knight with Jac? The prisoners?", another knight said.
By and by, Gallanthe then recalled where he have heard Atrius' name. He's been with them all along. "That damn fool is alive! He's actually here with us".
The sand soldiers lifted their scimitars at Gallanthe's rude address on the only heir of their royal seat. The knights parried their swords protecting Gallanthe. "Don't you speak condescendingly of our prince!", Talon said gritting his teeth.
"Wait… he's alive?!", Ottis break the ice as he approach Gallanthe. "Then who was… killed by the King?", he asked eagerly. For a while that they were together, he learned Atrius was loyal and reliable. For a royal, he's well grounded and humble. Losing him was indeed devastating, but hearing him alive gave him a flickering hope that they will be surviving the night against the sand soldiers after all.
"It was some priest", another knight uttered as he point the tip of his blade at the sand solider, who equally directs his scimitar at him.
"A priest?", Ottis looked away a moment, when suddenly, he realized that there's only one priest who could only be connected with Atrius. "Umbriel..", he felt his blood turn cold as he swallow a lump in his throat.
Talon was doubtful at the knights' claims. However, he wanted to see if they speak of truth. "No prince, no ceasefire. If what you claim is true, then take us to Prince Atrius".