The Fall of Kustdin

From Elena Mi Nerfeldfer’s perspective, the situation was desperate.

To begin with, everything seemed to suggest that the summoning ritual had failed. Indeed, no hero had appeared at the center of the machine, and all the mages present were lying motionless on the ground.

Even worse, the princess had just learned from Hildebrand that her father had most likely met a tragic end. He would never have parted with his signet ring willingly, and the fact that Hildebrand now carried it left little room for hope.

To top it all off, the Church had launched an assault on the capital. It was only a matter of time before the clergy’s soldiers would come storming in to capture her.

“I dare not even imagine the fate that awaits me if I am taken,” the young woman thought, a shiver running down her spine.

These thoughts prompted her to obey Hildebrand without question and follow him out of the summoning chamber.

They had barely set foot outside when a metallic clang echoed through the darkness ahead of them. A muffled scream, followed by the sound of a heavy thud, could be heard.

“What!? Are they already here?” whispered the princess, equally surprised and unsure.

The royal guard did not answer but rather increased his pace, forcing the young woman to keep up.

They delved into the labyrinth of roughly carved galleries supported by wooden pillars. They were so narrow and dark that Elena felt as if she was being crushed between massive stone jaws.

The only light in the place came from a few oil lamps hanging here and there on the walls. Their flickering light cast shadows that made it seem as though an enemy might be lurking around every corner.

A loud voice rang out nearby and echoed through the rocky walls. The words seemed to come from all directions at once.

“Find the princess! Dead or alive, it doesn’t matter!”

Elena’s blood froze in her veins. “No, no, no!” she panicked.

The rapid footsteps of soldiers and the clinking of armor were audible. With each passing second, the noise drew closer to the fugitives.

“They… They’re coming! Hurry!” stammered Elena, clutching her protector’s hand even tighter.

“I know that already! But we have to keep moving… Our only hope is to get out of the mine,” Hildebrand replied in a low voice.

For about ten minutes, the guard altered his course at the faintest sound, dodging the echoes of footsteps and barked orders, before finally turning into a corridor even narrower than the others.

The space was so cramped that Elena’s dress rubbed against the jagged stone. Meanwhile, the royal guard had barely covered a few meters before encountering a rock wall.

Realizing this was a dead end, the man spun around to turn back. The tip of his sword knocked against the rock with a clang that echoed through the mine like an alarm.

Hildebrand cursed to himself and heard a soldier bellowing from the shadows ahead of them:

“This way! I think I’ve seen her!”

Elena froze in terror. Hildebrand was quick to act. He squeezed himself in front of the princess and drew his sword.

“Stay behind me, Your Highness. As soon as they’re distracted, run! I’ll be right behind you…”

“No! Don’t leave me alone…” pleaded the woman, clinging to one of his forearms.

After a brief and heavy silence, a loud noise came from the end of the corridor. Then, a warrior of the Church burst into the area where Elena and Hildebrand were standing.

The princess let out a startled cry at the sight of the bloodied blade the man held in his hand.

Hildebrand lunged toward the assailant to cut him off and protect his mistress. The lightning-fast strike of the sword gave the enemy no time to react.

The soldier slumped against a wall, with a crimson trail behind him. A wave of nausea gripped Elena as she watched the blood splatter on the stone.

“We have to move, now!” Hildebrand ordered harshly.

The guard’s words snapped the princess out of her stupor. “Yes… Yes, you’re right,” she finally uttered.

The pair then fled again and, after another five minutes, they came upon a fork in the tunnel that led to even more forks. Interestingly, one of them sloped upward and a steady glow, more powerful than lamplight, emanated from it.

“The exit?” Elena asked, her voice short with a mix of relief and exhaustion.

Hildebrand barely had time to nod before more clergy soldiers came rushing up behind them, shouting:

“Don’t let them get away!”

As the footsteps grew louder and the trap closed around them, the royal guard cast one last glance around him and at his mistress. An idea flashed through his mind.

“Your Highness… I might have a way to get rid of them,” Hildebrand began somewhat vaguely before continuing:

“It might get a little bumpy, so stay close to me, understand?”

Elena fought back her anxiety as she tried to imagine exactly what this plan entailed.

“A… All right,” she finally agreed.

As a tightly packed group of clerical warriors approached, weapons in hand, Hildebrand unsheathed his own. He then approached the wooden pillars used to brace the rock walls and hit them with all his might with his sword, which made the princess flinch.

She instinctively recoiled when a splinter of wood narrowly missed her delicate face.

Much like a lumberjack felling a tree, the warrior was carving deep gashes into the pillars. He repeated the motion until dust began to fall from the ceiling, and a loud creak echoed through the mine.

“Let’s get out of here!” he shouted, grabbing the young woman’s wrist.

Barely five seconds later, the pillars gave way. Deprived of support, the rock walls collapsed inward with a deafening crash, triggering a rockslide that shook the entire tunnel.

The vibration spread beneath their feet as Hildebrand and Elena ran for dear life through the ascending tunnel. The smallest tremor threatened to make them stumble, but they pressed on, driven by a survival instinct that overcame all reason.

They finally reached the end of the gallery and were standing in front of an old wooden door. The faint glow they observed earlier was visible through the gaps in the wooden slats. Hildebrand didn’t slow down and rammed through the door with his shoulder.

A rush of air hit them immediately. The shockwave from the cave-in sent a cloud of dust blowing out of the mine, engulfing them momentarily. They coughed until the gray haze cleared.

When Elena finally opened her eyes again, she stared in disbelief.

“What on earth is this?!”

Before her lay a chaotic scene. The sky was black with smoke, and the air reeked of blood and burned flesh.

They must have escaped through a secondary entrance to the mine because the princess didn’t recognize anything in this part of the city.

Screams echoed from all around as panicked citizens fled in every direction. Flames poured out of damaged buildings, while others had already collapsed into the street.

The young woman’s eyes widened, filled with both terror and disbelief. Hildebrand tightened his jaw as he scanned the surroundings, then shook his head.

“We must keep going, Your Highness. There’s nothing we can do for them, and we’re not out of danger yet.”

As if to prove him right, a man’s voice sounded nearby.

“Survivors from the mine! Catch them!”

The soldier in silver armor had just turned the corner of a building, followed by three other men. They were running toward them with their weapons drawn. The royal guard noticed their white cloaks stained with soot and bloodstains.

There was no doubt as to their intentions. Hildebrand quickly stepped toward Elena and seized her arm, pulling her away and out of her shocked state.

“Run! Now!” he ordered.

The guard’s boots began pounding the cobblestones at an even faster pace than before. Elena could barely keep up, despite the adrenaline rushing through her body.

Hildebrand glanced backward and confirmed that the four pursuers were still hot on their heels. The relentless clanking of their armor served to heighten the threat the Church posed to them.

“They… They’re almost upon us!” Elena whimpered, out of breath.

Her guard nodded before randomly turning at the first crossroad they reached.

Like the spot they had just left, this street was also a battlefield littered with bodies and destruction.

Despite his training and all the horrors he had witnessed, Hildebrand felt as though he’d been punched in the gut.

“Don’t look…,” he began, stifling a curse as he saw the young woman slowing down.

She had already turned her head toward the cause of her protector’s unease. Hildebrand gritted his teeth. This was neither the time nor place for pity.

A few yards away, a merchant with a gray beard was frantically struggling in front of the burning facade of his shop. Pottery, fabrics, and many other objects were visible through the fiery blaze.

“No! I… I’m not done yet! I… I still have time,” he screamed wildly.

What the merchant couldn’t see, Elena saw all too clearly.

While the old man tried to save what little he could of his livelihood, two young boys were rummaging through his cart, which was parked right next to him.

Their faces were dirty, their movements quick and tense. They betrayed a mixture of fear and greed. After a brief moment, one of the boys found a loaf of bread and scampered off with the other.

The merchant seemed completely disconnected from reality. Like a madman, his eyes were fixed on his goods going up in smoke.

“They… they’re robbing him at a time like this,” whispered the princess, shocked by the act.

Hildebrand, his arm outstretched toward Elena, was about to say something when an arrow grazed one of his armguards. The resulting sparks made the princess jump and cry out, while the guard cursed under his breath.

“The alley over there! We should be able to shake them off there,” the guard said, pointing to a specific spot.

The young woman nodded without a word and let her protector lead her. To her great dismay, he was moving at the same impossible pace as before.

Once they reached the alley, the commotion on the street behind them had died down momentarily.

Hildebrand slowed down and looking around. In a few seconds, the soldiers would catch up to them. But he knew he had to put an end to this little game of cat and mouse.

He suddenly spotted what he was looking for, an old, abandoned warehouse. Its better days were well behind it, and its roof was in such poor condition that in some places, you could see parts of the crumbling framework.

Hildebrand, followed by Elena, walked up to the large wooden door and opened it. They were immediately greeted by a wave of musty air.

“Is it really wise to seek refuge in a place like this?” the princess asked nervously, pinching her nose.

The guard gave the young woman a dark look. She scowled, sighed, and reluctantly entered the building.

Her protector followed and closed the door just as the clergymen entered the alley.

Once inside the warehouse, Hildebrand stood at the door, weapon in hand and one ear pressed against the wooden panel. Holding his breath, he listened to the men running past. Only when silence had returned did he finally allow himself to relax.

By the time they caught their breath, their eyes had adjusted to the surrounding darkness. He could now get a good look around the place.

The entire room was covered with a thick layer of dust. Several wooden barrels and crates were scattered about, some partially covered by moldy tarps.

He carefully stepped forward to pick up a small box lying near a column in the center of the warehouse, turning it over and setting it on the floor to serve as a makeshift bench.

Hildebrand then turned to the princess, offering her a hand.

“Take advantage of this lull to regain your strength, your Highness.”

As he began searching through each of the containers in the room, an exhausted Elena staggered toward the crate and collapsed onto it.

Her dress was stained and her feet ached terribly. She was still clutching her father’s signet ring, the one Hildebrand had given her in the summoning chamber earlier.

The ring brought back to mind the day’s events: the failed summoning ritual, the mad dash through the mines, the invasion of the Church, and her father’s tragic fate.

“Why?! What did I do to deserve such punishment?” she asked herself, as the adrenaline effects gradually waned.

Feeling herself in this dark, cold, and filthy place that was completely unfamiliar to her, something snapped, and she began to sob uncontrollably, covering her face with her delicate hands.

Hildebrand immediately stopped his task and rushed toward his mistress. He knew that the sound of her crying would eventually be heard by someone.

He approached the distraught princess, and kneeling before her, took her hands in his own. Their coldness caught him off guard, but he pulled himself together before speaking to her, staring her straight in the eyes.

“Your Highness, I am here,” he began.

Elena remained motionless, her gaze empty. He took a deep breath before trying a different strategy. He let go of her hands and gently lifted her chin.

“Elena, you must stand if you are to keep fighting,” Hildebrand said firmly.

Under normal circumstances, addressing the princess by her first name would be an act of lèse-majesté. However, Hildebrand thought that the current situation justified it.

Fortunately, the princess didn’t seem to take offense. She simply looked up at him and wiped her swollen eyes with the hem of her dress.

“Why fight?! Can’t you see that the kingdom has fallen and the Church has won?”

The royal guard shook his head.

“I refuse to give up. Yes, the capital is falling, but that doesn’t spell the ultimate demise of Nerfeldfer.”

Elena was about to reply, but Hildebrand spoke first, expressing his deep convictions.

“Nerfeldfer is more than just a country. As long as a spark of hope remains…”

“What hope?! Do you really think I’ll escape torture? Or rape? Or… worse?” Elena shouted, cutting him off.

“With all due respect, you embody that hope as the sole survivor of the royal family. As long as you’re still breathing, the Church won’t have a shred of legitimacy.”

“And that’s exactly why they’re after me!” the young woman hissed.

“All the more reason to flee Kustdin… And once we’re out of the clergy’s direct sphere of influence…”

“What exactly will we do?!”

“That will be up to you. But I must remind you that His Majesty has ordered me to protect you, and to do so, we must absolutely flee the city,” Hildebrand said unequivocally.

Elena bit her lower lip out of frustration. To her, talking to this man was no different than talking to a wall. He was adamant. And the worst part was that she knew he was right, which annoyed her even more.

After a long silence, during which every breath and every moment wasted doing nothing felt even heavier than the last, the princess finally spoke again.

“You said we should flee the city… I suppose you already have a plan in mind?”

Clearly pleased with her change in tone, he nodded affirmatively.

“Since the Church’s henchmen are after you specifically, I suggest disguising ourselves. That should be enough to throw them off long enough for us to make it through the city walls via a guard post.”

“Hmm…”

The princess crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes slightly, and eyed Hildebrand from head to toe. This tall, broad-shouldered man appeared to be at least twice her age. His short-cropped blond hair accentuated the sternness of his gaze, and he wore the gleaming armor of the royal guard.

She saw her own reflection in the polished breastplate: a disheveled princess whose dress was filthy and covered in dust. Elena thought that leaving the city looking like that would amount to shouting her location from the rooftops.

“Why not use some of those tarps as cloaks?, she suggested, pointing to the crates covered with them.

“It’s not a bad idea. However, it’s your clothes that are the problem,” replied Hildebrand.

“Do you have a better idea?”

“In my opinion, it would be wiser to change your outfit altogether. And with the chaos outside, it would be easy for me to sneak into a nearby house to find more suitable clothing.”

“What if you come back empty-handed?”

“Well, there’s always the option of finding a body that’s still in one piece and stripping it of its clothes…”

Elena choked for a second upon hearing such an outrageous suggestion.

“The original idea will suffice! In the meantime, I’ll prepare a tarp of suitable size for you. Is that understood?”

Hildebrand nodded as he turned and walked toward to the doorway. Just as he placed his hand on the heavy door, he turned back and approached Elena. Reaching into his right boot, he pulled out a dagger and proffered it to her.

“Keep it safe… and don’t be afraid to use it, no matter what the circumstances.”

He then spun around and left immediately, leaving Elena alone. She took a deep breath to ease her anxiety and proceeded with her task.

❖

Elena lost track of time as she worked on the tarp. The smoke outside clouded everything, filtering what little light was coming in through the roof.

She sensed that more than an hour had passed since her protector had left.

“Where is he?” she wondered, beginning to worry.

Just then, a loud thud echoed from the other side of the door. The princess felt her heart race at the prospect of Hildebrand’s return.

Full of anticipation, she hurried across the warehouse. She was ready to scold him for being late, but when she opened the door, Elena froze.

It wasn’t Hildebrand standing there, but rather two soldiers of the Church. Their towering figures surrounded a little girl of barely eight years old. She was backed against a wall, her trembling hands clutching a small canvas bag to her chest.

One of the armored men was trying to wrestle the bag from the child, while the other aimed a dagger at her.

“Come on, kid. Hand it over and don’t make a fuss. It’ll benefit the clergy more than you.”

The girl shook her head in fear.

“Stop right there!”

Elena burst out of the warehouse like a storm. The soldiers spun around, shocked to see a young woman standing before them with a furious look on her face.

“What do we have here, a lost noblewoman?” one of the men sneered.

Elena didn’t give him time to say more. She threw herself at him, Hildebrand’s dagger in hand.

The soldier dodged the clumsy attack and sent the princess crashing into the wall. She landed flat on her stomach; the brutal impact knocked the wind out of her, and her vision briefly went black.

“You’re going to regret this, gorgeous,” the soldier growled.

The terrified child tried to seize the opportunity to flee, but the other man caught her by the arm.

Something exploded in Elena’s chest. She had a fierce desire not to let this little girl, a subject of her kingdom, die there.

The princess opened her mouth to scream, “Let her go,” but nothing came out. Only a deafening buzz was audible. The sound was so intense that the nearest windows shattered.

The soldiers stood still, dumbfounded. The captive girl hit the ground when her attacker let go of her, and still shaking, managed to stand and flee into a nearby alley.

Elena stood motionless, unable to comprehend what had just happened, while a powerful smell of ozone filled the room.

At that very moment, a silver flash suddenly appeared behind the soldiers. It was Hildebrand, whose sword slashed diagonally across one man’s collarbone before he could even react.

“What the—?!”

The other soldier tried to fight back, but the guardsman was faster. He grabbed the man by the collar before gutting him with his blade.

Once the threat was neutralized, Hildebrand walked over to his mistress with a worried look.

He had seen magic at work before—on the battlefield and occasionally among enemy ranks. But something troubled him. Was it rage, fear, or the violet irises of his protege?

“Your Highness, are you all right?” he asked as he helped her to her feet.

The princess nodded weakly, her hands still clenched and sweaty.

“I’m fine… But you seem upset,” she said.

“No… Nothing important,” replied the man, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. He then handed the princess a canvas bag before continuing:

“Here’s all I could find. They’re not befitting your rank, but they should serve our needs.”

Elena gladly accepted the clothes and stared at him intently.

“Is there a problem, Princess?”

“Your presence, for heaven’s sake! There’s no way I’m getting changed in front of you! Go check a bit further down the alley to make sure no one’s spying on us,” she snapped, her cheeks flushing red.

“Right… right away. I’ll go this instant,” replied the guard, visibly embarrassed as he headed toward one end of the alley.

After making sure she was indeed alone, Elena returned inside the abandoned warehouse. She undressed, exposing her flawless skin to the cool, damp air. A shiver ran down her spine, prompting her to hurry up. Wearing her new clothes, which itched her skin badly, she then went to fetch her protector.

The pair put on their makeshift cloaks and set off, Hildebrand leading the way, with Elena close behind. He made sure to keep Kustdin's walls in sight, using them as a constant landmark to guide their way.

Once they reached the base of a wall, Hildebrand quickly scanned the area and spotted one of the guard posts, or at least what was left of it.

Although the arch-shaped opening was intact, the same could hardly be said for the large gate that normally controlled access. Its wooden panels had been smashed in, and its iron reinforcements were bent inward, clearly the work of a massive battering ram.

“Wait in the shadow here, Your Highness. I need to make sure the pathway is safe,” the guard instructed.

Elena nodded before crouching down as instructed. She waited, clenching her dagger tightly, her knuckles white.

“Please… let the path be clear,” she whispered, anxious.

The wait seemed never-ending, but the princess let out a sigh of relief when she finally saw Hildebrand coming back toward her with a broad smile.

He informed her that the soldiers on duty had likely fled after the gate was destroyed. Although the path was dangerous, he deemed it was still usable.

Nodding, Elena took a few steps behind him before suddenly halting.

“Your Highness?”

She had turned around and was looking for something. After a few moments, she spotted the royal palace that towered over the city engulfed in flames. For the first time, a goal—both clear and terrifying—took shape in her mind.

“Nerfeldfer will be freed from the Church’s grasp, whatever the cost, and I will face it without ever looking away,” she promised herself before continuing on her way.