Year 2: The First Conflicts - Chapter 5

Much had changed in the world since the Demon Emperor’s rise to power.

The eastern countries of Aangapea, that all boasted a rich tapestry of history and culture, had been completely crushed by the tyrant’s iron fist. Where once the Holy Empire, the Royal Kingdom and the Federation had stood, now all that remained was the Demon Empire.

With a forced smile on her face, former Princess Raeanne dug into the dirt with a hoe.

The former heir of the Royal Kingdom of Aangapea had lost almost everything in the wake of her country’s destruction, but she had her freedom and her health, and for that she was grateful for she knew others had far less than that.

Though, like most, Raeanne felt that she’d aged ten years in less than one.

Her long brunette hair that she had once taken great pride in was cut short, her golden-hazel eyes were tinted with specially made lenses to make them look a deep blue, and she no longer wore her engagement ring, the last gift she had ever received from her husband-to-be.

“Lady Raeanne!” One of the farm boys called as he jogged towards her.

“What is it?”

“The knights are back.”

“Thank you, Timmy.”

With a hearty smile, the youth ran back to his work.

After three long hours of hard labour, Raeanne dug the farm tool into the dirt and wiped the sweat from her brow with the towel on her shoulder. She slowly stretched her arms above her head and sighed contently, gazing around her at the beautiful, flourishing farm she now worked on.

Baron Tyrea’s estate wasn’t even a fifth of the size of her former palace, but Raeanne found it to be beautiful and homely all the same. The vast farmlands, the rolling green hills and, situated at its centre, was the grand manor house made of wood and stone that the Tyrea family called home.

Raeanne was staying in their guest bedroom, despite the Baron and his wife insisting that she use their master bedroom instead while they moved into the smaller room. Raeanne laughed gently as she remembered their flustered faces when she said she’d prefer the smaller guest room.

However.

Raeanne’s smile faded quickly as her eyes naturally drifted towards the north-east, the land where her beloved now lay in rest.

Louis…

***

“Lady Raeanne!”

“Welcome back, Sir Hubert. What news?”

“Nothing good, unfortunately.” The knight undid his coat and handed it to a nearby servant. “Peddler’s Corner’s has been in an uproar the last few days. They caught Dalia’s rebels and executed the lot of them.”

“How horrible…Were there-?”

Hubert shook his head. “We tried coming up with a rescue plan but scrapped it when we saw a squad of Dread Knights with the Machai and skeletons.”

“Dammit!” Sir Kendrah cried, slamming her fist against the wall. “If it weren’t for them, we could’ve saved them!”

“Kendrah, I know how you feel, but control yourself in front of her majesty.”

“A-ah, right, sorry, Princess.”

Raeanne shook her head and smiled warmly. “Don’t worry about it. It saddens me that we lost so many compatriots today, but I’m happy that you’re all still alive.”

The ten knights smiled a little at the princess’s kindness as her warmth ease their aching hearts.

After learning of the Demon Emperor’s invasion into the north, Raeanne’s father had sent her and a hundred loyal retainers away, ordering them to keep the princess safe and to eventually restore the Royal Kingdom to its former glory. Distraught at the idea of abandoning her father, Raeanne protested but ultimately gave in upon seeing her father beg.

“Please, sweet daughter,” he pleaded with wet eyes. “Don’t defy your father this time. Please.”

Two days after they’d left, Raeanne learnt of her father’s death.

Official reports in the newspapers say that he was hanged, whereas rumours started circulating that he was drawn and quartered in front of thousands of people.

Whatever the truth may have been, Raeanne mourned for her father, but she did not forget the last orders he had given her.

She would escape, she would survive, and she would one day see their kingdom restored.

Baron Tyrea, a close friend of her father’s, welcomed her into his home and sheltered her while her seventy-eight house guards and twenty-two servants got to work on the estate proper. When the Royal Kingdom had been officially absorbed into the Demon Empire, Raeanne, along with her trusted advisors, Sir Hubert and her lady-in-waiting, Jean, began drawing plans for a grand rebellion in the north-east.

The Royal Kingdom had lost much during the Hundred Days War and the conflict prior to that with the Federation of Free City States, but many soldiers had deserted or surrendered and those were the men Raeanne looked to inspire to fight beneath her banner.

At present, she and her men were in contact with several rebel cells across her former kingdom and had fifteen-hundred soldiers at her command, though they were dozens or sometimes hundreds of miles apart from one another.

Within twenty-five miles of her, Raeanne had six hundred men-at-arms ready to fight.

However, with the loss of Dalila’s rebels, they now only had five hundred and thirty.

“Do you know if there were any valuable documents inside Dalia’s base that could pose a security risk?” Raeanne asked.

“No, but Dalia knew the rules,” Hubert assured her. “No documents, no lists, no information at all is to be written down. Once any messages or documents have been sent and read, they are to be memorised to the letter and then burnt.”

“Assuming Dalia kept to the rules, that is, princess.”

“Most of her men couldn’t read or write, so why would they-?”

“I’m just saying, Hubert, it’s not impossible.”

Raeanne folded her arms and thought for a moment. “Were there any unusual movements from the Demon Emperor’s hunting dogs in Peddler’s?”

“No, my lady.”

“Then, for the time being, I believe that we can consider our operation safe. Of course, we need to carefully watch the situation moving forward, but continue to act as normal until further notice. Tell Wallace and Gregor this, in person, Dame Kendrah.”

“By your command. Should I leave now?”

“No, go as normal come the dawn. Hubert, when you visit the market later, bring two extra deer with you from your hunt. The butcher will know what that means.”

With a proud smile, Hubert answered, “Yes, my lady.”

“Then, you are all dismissed. Thank you for your hard work.”

The ten knights bowed to her, then promptly set about the rest of their tasks for the day.

Even though I call them my knights, they haven’t worn their plate armour in weeks, Raeanne thought. Of course, I know it’s better for their cover story as mercenaries if they only wear leather, but still.

“Something wrong, princess?”

“It’s nothing, Timothy.” She smiled, then rubbed the child’s head gently. “Come on, we have a lot more work to do today.”

***

Cold.

That was the only word that could describe the atmosphere in Peddler’s Corner.

With heavy boots that struck the cobble like thunder, the Machai tossed the mutilated corpses of the rebels into the town’s square, attracting the disgusted gazes of its citizens.

Dalia, once regarded as the town’s most beautiful young woman, had been cut and slashed at until she died; her body was then burnt, before being dropped without a single care into the dirt.

Her followers, those brave, foolish rebels that followed her, had been dumped on top of her corpse.

Watching over the demons were a brigade of armoured skeletons and six Dread Knights.

Faceless, few in number and nameless as they were, the Dread Knights were feared throughout the Demon Empire for two reasons.

The first was their skill on the battlefield.

Tales had been told for months about the slaughter of the count’s forces during the failed attack in the east, and many had died failing to believe those stories.

The second was that they, unlike most of the Demon Emperor’s forces, were humans.

They had been just like everyone else, but now served the evil tyrant that reigned over them.

Whether man or woman, human, elf or dwarf, beast kin or lizard, there were hundreds of Dread Knights, each just as ruthless and heartless as the last.

“When will people learn,” one of the Dread Knights said. “To defy the Demon Emperor is to rush towards death.”

“Idiocy is what it is.”

“Idiocy like that will one day stop to exist in Aangapea.”

“Indeed.”

“Speaking of, Lady Hilda recommended me to be one of the supervisors at the Grand Academy in the south.”

The Grand Academy was one of the newest proposals announced by the Demon Emperor where all children, between the ages of four and sixteen, would be taken to a school the size of a city where they’d learn how best to serve the Demon Empire. In time, the students would become enlightened to the truth of this world and that they were nothing more than loyal subjects that lived only to serve the Demon Emperor.

For the first year, five thousand children from across the east would be taken there. If successful, that number would increase tenfold.

“You’re very lucky - I wish I’d been assigned there rather than up here.”

“We all have our talents and roles to fulfil with them; mine were simply more clearly intended for education.”

“So, you admit that you’re weaker than us then?”

The Dread Knight chuckled. “The only ones in our ranks that I shall ever admit I am weaker than are the members of the Five-fingered Hand of the Demon Emperor.”

“Dread Knights.” Before them, a Raven seemingly materialised out of thin air. “You have new orders.”

The Raven handed them a sealed scroll before departing.

Once the three opened their new orders, one couldn’t help but scowl.

“This might keep you guys busy for a while.”

***

“Hear this! By the order of his majesty, the Demon Emperor, the eternal ruler of the Demon Empire, all citizens of Peddler’s Corner are implored to come forward with any and all information they possess regarding the former princess of the Royal Kingdom of Aangapea, Princess Raeanne.

“She is to be considered a person of great interest and someone that must immediately be taken into custody. Any and all information regarding her whereabouts will be greatly rewarded; anyone who possesses information about Princess Raeanne that does not come forward shall be tortured and executed for treason.

“I say again - citizens of Peddler’s Corner, hear this!”

He and forty other criers declared this news to the town and soon, by word of mouth, all had heard their words.

Most troubled by them was a young maid of thirteen who worked at the Tyrea estate, and who knew whom it was they protected there.

***

Three days had passed since Raeanne learnt that the Demon Emperor was indeed still searching for her.

Worse, they had managed to narrow down their search to the town of Peddler’s Corner.

I told Sir Hubert and the others to act as normal, but perhaps that was a mistake on my part, Raeanne considered as she sipped her cold tea. Maybe we should’ve immediately moved out of the Tyrea Barony and escaped to the north, link up with Gregor’s men and move into the caves with them.

Of course, doing so could risk drawing unwanted eyes onto us or we could just simply alert the Demon Emperor’s forces to our location by doing that. Either way, it’d be difficult to know unless-

“My lady?”

“Sir Hubert?”

With a small smile, he stepped out onto the porch where Raeanne was sat and presented her with a thick blanket. “I feared you might get cold if you stayed out this late.”

“Thank you, Sir Hubert.” She gratefully accepted the blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. “I thought Dame Kendrah had the night shift.”

“She does, but.” Hubert scratched the back of his head. “Forgive me for speaking out of line, my lady, but I was worried about you.”

“Why?”

“Well, I mean, ever since-”

“If it’s about Louis or father, then…I have come to terms with it.”

“But it still hurts, doesn’t it?”

“…No, it’s more…numb than anything.”

“…Yeah.”

Awkwardly, Sir Hubert sat on the other chair on the front landing some several feet away from Raeanne.

“The butcher sent his reply.”

“What did he say?”

“That we should be fine if we time it right.”

“Good.”

Just four more days.

Four more days and we’ll be able to smuggle ourselves out of the area.

Every month, Peddler’s Corner was visited by the same passing merchant caravan. In peaceful times, it would have been a normal caravan made up of forty sellers, eighty carriages and hundreds of armed guards. Now, for Raeanne and other rebels, it was the only way they could safely and securely move themselves, vital intelligence and goods through the Demon Empire with much less risk than the alternative options.

Not every merchant was a rebel, however, but about a third of them were.

In four days, Raeanne, her retainers and knights would be hidden inside shipping crates and brought onto the caravan; then, once the coast was clear, they would depart on foot towards Gregor’s rebel cell.

Hopefully, all will go well.

She smiled dryly. Hopefully.

***

Two nights later, Princess Raeanne was awoken from her sleep by a frantic Hubert.

“My lady! Grab whatever you need and follow me. We have to go, now!”

“S-sir-?”

“The Demon Emperor’s men have found us!”

***

Under the cover of darkness, the skeletons had surrounded the estate.

Then, slowly, two Ravens had started slitting the throats of the lookouts and knights on patrol.

Thirteen men and women had been killed without so much as a sound, until Dame Kendrah spotted the fourteenth victim just as he perished.

“Enemy attack! Enemy attack!” She yelled as loudly as she could.

Soon, the whole estate was awake and the battle had begun.

Sir Hubert and two of the farm boys had gone to wake Raeanne, and help her grab her essential items. Everyone, including Raeanne, had prepared emergency provisions and supplies in bags to take with them should they ever need to flee, but she noticed that no one else was carrying theirs.

“Sir Hubert, why don’t you-?”

“My lady, I wish I had the time, but getting you to safety is my first and only priority. Dame Kendrah and the others will do their best to buy us some time, but I’m afraid it’s just us that are leaving here.”

“Sir Hubert?!”

He stopped and, with a solemn expression, looked deep into her eyes. “Princess Raeanne, there are six Dread Knights and Gods know how many skeletons and Machai. They have us surrounded and even just us escaping would be difficult. Please, do not make this harder for me than it already is.”

***

Dame Kendrah struck down a Machai, before clashing swords with a skeleton. She disarmed the undead, then severed its head from its neck just as an arrow flew into her thigh.

She howled in agony, grasping the shaft of the arrow tightly, but she hesitated to pull it out. If she was too quick, it could burst a major blood vessel and kill her quicker.

She grunted and started gently easing it out of her leg. “Not like it matters whether I die now or in five minutes.”

With one last, painful tug, she removed the arrow and discarded it to the floor, only to find a Dread Knight with a gigantic battle axe before her. It carried the mighty weapon with just a single hand.

“Dammit.” Kendrah laughed bitterly at her fate, steadying herself and grasping her sword tightly with both hands. “I really wanted to see Raeanne become the queen.”

***

As Raeanne and Hubert ran, she relived the horrors of her wedding day all over again.

The sharp, ring of steel.

The splatter of blood, followed by a heavy thump on the ground.

The screams cut short.

The bodies of those she knew and loved.

Timothy, Sir Owen, Dame Heather, Steve and Bill, the brothers who showed her how to farm correctly, and so many more.

All of this…because of me.

No!

Raeanne violently shook her head and continued to run, looking nowhere else but forward.

I knew what path I chose to walk down when I received my father’s last orders!

Survive.

Regroup.

Restore the Royal Kingdom!

I can’t stop now, not after everything that’s happened!

The two found a small gap in the skeleton’s perimeter and dashed through it, chased angrily by the undead. Sir Hubert turned and battled the five skeletons, easily dispatching them all with a handful of strikes, before he re-joined Raeanne.

“Are you hurt, my lady?”

“N-no, I’m fine, thank you.” Then, she spotted it. The bloodied patch on his chest piece. “Sir Hubert?”

“Ah, damn, you saw that.” With a heavy laugh, Hubert lifted up his armour to reveal a deep stab wound in his stomach. “I hoped you wouldn’t notice until we’d made it to the escape point, but I guess I wasn’t lucky enough. Forgive me, Princess Raeanne, but this is as far as I can go.”

He took his dagger, still in its sheathe, off his belt and handed it to her. “You remember the contingency plan from here, don’t you?”

Raeanne nodded, then whispered, “Run six hundred metres straight ahead until you find a small stream. Follow it for two hundred metres to its source and there you will find a horse.”

“I fed him yesterday morning, so he’s good to go, my lady.” Hubert gave her a brave smile and then knelt before her. “Princess Raeanne, I would have followed you until the ends of the world, but I am afraid that I must fulfil my duty earlier than I would’ve liked. If it pleases you, I, Sir Hubert the Bold, shall stand and fight until my last breath for you.

“All I ask in return, my lady, is that you live and make our dream a reality.”

Raeanne fought back the tears in her eyes, sniffing a little. Then, with an awe-inspiringly strong face, she declared, “I will!”

Then, she ran and, once again, looked nowhere but forward.

Live!

Not just for them. Not just for all those who still need you, but for father, for Louis, for your kingdom, for Aangapea!

“I swear to you, I shall see it done!”

***

“Live, Raeanne!” Hubert called to her, unsure of whether she was even still nearby. Then, with a big grin, Hubert stepped towards the Dread Knight approaching him with a giant claymore. “Live on, and take back our home.”

With a mighty roar, Sir Hubert, knight of the Royal Kingdom of Aangapea, took his last steps.

***

Hubert’s headless corpse was thrown, with the rest, onto the raging bonfire.

The foul smell of burning flesh drifted on the cold night’s air, terrifying the survivors to their core. A handful of maids, two farm boys, and seven knights had survived. Dozens of skeletons had been slain, but a Lich had been called to revive the undead soldiers. Six Machai lay dead, but their loss was nothing special.

A Dread Knight, with his armour dyed red, walked down the line of crying captives, eyeing them up one by one.

“Alas.” He sighed. “The princess definitely escaped.”

“I had three squads of skeletons in pursuit, but she appears to have had a horse stationed nearby in case of emergencies,” another Dread Knight answered.

“Can you follow the tracks?”

“It’d be quite difficult; the terrain is rough and often sees horse drawn carriages riding down that road. She could’ve gone anywhere.”

“Then, we shall simply post the bounty everywhere from Peddler’s Corner to the Green Mountains. She cannot be allowed to escape to the west. As for you lot.” The Dread Knight brandished his bloodied axe. “All of you shall be taken to the Dread Keep. There, you shall be tortured until death; all of you, but one. Whomever confesses to us the most valuable piece of information regarding the rebels in the north-east will get to live a life of luxury until they die of old age.

“Do consider that on your long march back to his majesty’s home.”

***

Speechless, the teenage maid watched on.

All of it, everything she had ever known and worked for, was gone.

All of it, she had discarded, for her and her little brother’s lives.

All of it, their deaths and the dwindling hope of the rebellion, was worth less to that maid than her own selfish desires.

When she realised that, the coin purse tied around her waist had its weight grow too heavy for her to carry.

On her hands and knees, she cried and cried, not saying a word, but begging for forgiveness again and again in her mind.

***

Elsewhere, the flames of rebellion burnt brightly into the night.

Under the command of Gregor Bear-hand, one of the goblin mines belonging to the Red Claw clan had been liberated. Their force of two hundred men had successfully attacked the mine and liberated the one hundred and fifty slaves inside, with only fifty casualties.

Of those causalities, only eight had died, while the rest had wounds varying in severity.

Gregor himself had been the first into the mine and was the last to leave, after confirming that the goblins were all dead and no slave had been left behind.

“Friends!” Gregor greeted the crowd awaiting him at the mouth of the cave. “From today, you are all free men and women. From today, you are free to choose your own destiny! If you wish to stand with us, then I shall welcome you with open arms. If you wish to flee, then I shall give you supplies to last you for a while. If you wanted to bow down to the Demon Emperor to save your own skin, I will not judge you.

“We, we here, are the people of the Royal Kingdom of Aangapea! We are the masters of our own destiny and, one day, we shall reclaim our homeland!”

A loud cheer erupted from the crowd.

“Even if you should choose to turn your back to us now, we shall not do the same. We are the flames of rebellion that will burn that accused Demon Emperor and all of his little minions to ash. We are freedom. We are the rebellion!”

“We are freedom!”

“We are the rebellion!”

“Make your choice now, friends, for we return to our camp and, in the name of Princess Raeanne, the true ruler and protector of our homeland, we shall fight. Together, we shall reclaim our world!”