The Heir of Depths
24

Their big return was just around the corner and Arline spent that entire day with Zeydar, avoiding the growing fear in her body every time she thought about what was about to come.

“Good handing” Aidan’s voice resonated behind her “Where were you?”

“Up” she simply said. Arline knew Aidan didn’t entirely trust her, which was valid considering she got romantically involved with the one person that wanted his best friend dead.

“He needs you”

“No, he doesn’t” she laughed at the idea of Merrick Dortamus needing her help with anything.

“Look, I don’t enjoy Merrick trusting you over Lara or me, but he needs your help more than you think” he spat on her face.

“You sound jealous”

“I’m not jealous, I’m annoyed” he confessed “At him and at you”

“What do you want me to do?”Arline asked him, she felt sincerely afraid.

“Act like you trust him”

“I do trust him” this words came out without a second thought on her mind.

Aidan just nodded at her and was about to leave when she took him by surprise “I’m sorry” she said with a shaking tone on her voice “I just don’t know how I’m supposed to act when in less than a day I could probably die”

With that said, Aidan realized this girl have never seen war in her life, which should have been obvious for most people. The feisty woman who had killed one of his men, she who had been selected by Pelagius for his lust of blood but ended up becoming a fair heir of his powers. Arline Cole was just a scared girl, waiting for her death.

“Arline, don’t think I’m comfortable with the idea of war” he sat next to her “It is an awful experience but you will get through it, you won’t be easy to kill”

“You two really grew up together, didn’t you?”

“He spent more time with my family than with his, with very good reason” Aidan lowered his head “On the battlefield, don’t have mercy for anyone” with that said, he left to get ready for the challenge to come. Those weren’t warm or calming words to ease her thoughts but it did encourage her.

Lara came up with a uniform the allowed her to move at her will but also protected her from weapons and powers. It was black leather, shaped to form a bodice and imitate the uniform worn by the Huntresses during battles.

“Choose your weapons” her Commander said on the armory, displaying an immense set of gadgets. She hesitated at first but picked three sharp daggers, a bow and arrows and her sword.

The soldiers of Pozarite transported themselves through the dunes of the desert while the people from Reiska rode their dragons, the people from sand weren’t really fond of those gigantic beasts with wings.

They arrived hours before sunrise. It was colder than expected and snow had fallen recently. It was a beautiful spectacle of whiteness spread throughout the incline of the mountain. But what was unsettling was the calmness and lack of sound surrounding them.

The troops and their leaders were hiding on the edge of the woods, waiting for the battalion to come through the trees. Light rain started to fall and the owls were singing in between the leaves, but the light break of the fallen branches made them turn.

From within the bushes, Michaela and the Huntresses were coming at them, with ease while the rest of those who followed them were trying their best not to roll down the cliff. Michaela’s eyes widened at the sight of Arline standing next to Lara.

“You are alive!” She sounded more excited than expected and rushed to Arline’s encounter to hug her tightly.

“Of course I’m alive” Arline answered with a smile “He won’t get rid of me so easily”

“I will stay with you here” Michaela indicated ”The archers and Huntresses will follow your orders” Arline sighed in relief. She was good friends with the Huntresses and the archers respected and trusted her a lot since she had killed the stag. Just like Merrick had said, they trusted her abilities.

Arline explained the plan to her troops and then everyone took their positions. The Huntresses would be on top of the trees and the archers would be on the ground, waiting for her to shoot the first arrow.

“Good luck” Michaela encouraged Arline who could just nod back. The fear started growing inside her, making her limbs shake.

Arline was about to climb one of the trees and hide when someone grabbed her arm and made her turn around “I expect you to impregnate your blade with the blood of your enemies” Lara said with a very serious tone on her voice, and until that moment Arline hadn’t notice how intimidating she looked with her armor, or in general.

“I will try” the young Huntress stumbled over her words, the way she always did when she was nervous.

“Let her breathe Lara” the Dark Prince approached and the head of the Order left.

“Any last minute advice?” Her voice shook a little.

“Don’t hesitate and focus on your opponent” he said while fixing his sword “Please stay alive” Merrick then looked at her.

“Same goes to you” Arline nodded.

“I am not planning to die and leave him my crown” Merrick pulled her closer before she went to her position and whispered in her ear “Whistle if you are in trouble” She nodded and began climbing the pine tree with the agility of an acrobat. He followed her figure until she had mixed with the thick branches.

Up there she was protected from the strong wind but the cold was agonizing. Either way she sat, waiting for the signal while contemplating how at peace the kingdom was.

On the ground, Merrick, Aidan and Lara were sneaking through the coast, followed by the rest of the troops. Slashing anyone who didn’t look like their ally. The marching troops didn’t go unnoticed and the entire town started lighting up their windows to see how the Dark Prince returned to take back his birthright and somehow free them from the selfish and short reign of his younger brother.

“Do me the honors Aidan” once in front of the impenetrable gate of the fortress, Merrick requested his friend who bowed his head and threw fire through his hands, burning the towers above the bridge that guarded the castle.

While the column of smoke climbed through the sky, Lara had been taking care of the guards across the wall, with the help of a couple of soldiers skilled in the arts of cutting throats. And opened the gate that fell heavily to the ground.

“Was it really necessary to burn the towers?” King Cadel asked on the other side of the gate, waiting for his son with Calix Lohs next to him. Calix might have been a good friend of Larsin, but had always trusted Merrick more and considered Larsin an entitled brat, and him poisoning Arline was the last straw to help the Dark Prince retake the throne.

“Considering they were ready to shoot me and everyone else, yes father, it was” Merrick said and drew his sword, straightening his posture.

The King stepped out of the way, allowing his son to pass “I’m not your enemy Merrick” he reminded the prince “Your true enemy stands within those walls” he signaled the castle.

The troops were sent to protect the city and fight the soldiers sent by Larsin, whom had gathered the worst kind of assassins and mercenaries all product of his allegiances, not to mention some people from the Army of Reiska who didn’t like Merrick.

Aidan guarded Merrick’s back, like he always did since they were kids. And he commanded him to begin the attack. Despite being one of the youngest son of Pozarite, Aidan was considered the most powerful, and not to mention reckless, of the Fire Guardians. With just the snap of his fingers and the movement of his hands, he surrounded the castle with an impenetrable ring of fire. Calix headed to where the troops were in the city and combusted anyone who dared try to pass the barrier.

Merrick entered the fortress like he owned the place and nobody wanted his head, he was followed by his father who carried his sword and had the wolves by his side.

“How much courage you have for stepping back inside this castle” the sweet voice of Queen Merlina resonated from the fireplace, but it was filled with rage when it directed to her eldest son.

“Why am I not surprised that you decided to take his side?” Merrick hissed back at his mother, pointing his sword at her and she aimed at him with her bow.

“I can defend myself brother” the Young Prince was sitting on the final steps of the stairs “Do you really believe you can win? My followers outnumber yours” Larsin bragged with a smile.

“You are right brother” Merrick approached with no fear in his eyes nor his voice “Except my troops are more powerful”

Merrick knew this battle wouldn’t last long, but it would have repercussions in the Kingdom. A lot of lives would be taken and whoever came out victorious would have to face the real weight of the crown, but only one of the brothers was ready to carry such burden.

“Do you mean the Huntresses? Aidan? You are pathetic Merrick” he spat on his brothers face.

“Who do you think is leading my troops on Mount Suvlic?” Merrick was having the time of his life. He had been waiting for this moment for a very long time and seeing the expression Larsin made when he realized Arline was still alive was priceless.

“I killed the witch” Larsin was lying to himself.

“You haven’t learned anything have you? Arline Cole is more powerful than any of us and you will not get rid of her this easily” Merrick was ready to begin the fight.

“Alastair will take care of her” he pointed his sword at his brother.

“And I’ll take care of you, little brother” were Merrick’s last words before both princes crashed their swords.

Arline could hear the battle being fought on the distance and smelled the essence of burnt wood, and noticed exactly when the soldiers approached the mount from the incline. The hesitation to dive into the forest was palpable, the soldiers were testing the grip of the humid soil and trying to make as little sound as they could. But above them was the young Huntress, carefully aiming for any of the soldiers, and her troops were so blended with nature only a creature of the woods could notice them. Once the first arrow was shot, the blood bath began on the depths of the forest covered by the snow.

The Huntresses attacked fearlessly, slashing throats, stabbing guts and cutting heads but the battalion of the Young Prince outnumbered them three to one.

Arline slid to the floor and didn’t hesitate to protect her found sisters and the soldiers that were her responsibility. As everyone had advised her, she didn’t doubt for a second. No part of her body nor mind felt remorse towards her actions nor mercy towards her enemies.

Her legs were tired from holding onto the ground and trying not to slide down the side of the mountain and her sword was heavier than a man but the adrenaline didn’t allow her to rest. She continued fighting and killing until a question popped in her head “Who’s leading them?” And as if someone had answered her, the familiar face of Alastair Maridian noticed her while he decapitated a young girl without battling an eye. He held onto his sword tighter when he saw her and, with a hard expression on his face, he began going to her direction, she waited for him ready to fight him.

Back on the castle, the Princes weren’t giving up and continued trying to cut each others throats, while Queen Merlina brought back her training as a Huntress to fight her husband, the King, whom was keeping her from intervening on their sons’ fight.

“How can you allow this?” She asked her husband, who was restraining her easily.

“How can you help one of your sons to betray his brother?” He asked with a sad tone on his voice, despite the anger he felt towards her.

“Do you really want a freak of nature like him to sit on your throne?” Merlina hissed to which Cadel proceeded to needle her with poison. It wasn’t enough to kill her but it worked good enough to send her on a deep sleep and remove one piece from the board.

The difference between their fighting styles were very telling. Merrick had more experience and technique whilst Larsin was incredible in the art of playing dirty. Despite that, Merrick considered it an easy battle.

“Give up Larsin, I have the advantage” Merrick called his brother out of breath from above, pressing his neck with the end of his sword. Larsin was angry and afraid, he had overestimated his abilities against his brother. But Merrick on the other hand, didn’t feel a thing towards him apart from satisfaction.

“You would never kill me” Larsin dared him and in a last desperate attempt he was trying to cast vines around his brother’s limbs, but Merrick slashed through them easily.

“Not yet” he assured him and Merrick’s shadows caged him with unnatural force and sent him on a deep sleep.