The Seven Heroes chapter 1 part 4

Chapter 1 part 4

Running down the slope is a bit easier than climbing... if not for the arrows and swords coming from blindspots and bushes all around them. 

Libertine made a short yelp when a sword suddenly appeared right at their way aiming for her neck. Just when it was about to complete its arc, a shield appeared in front of her and blocked the blow. As Johann jumped to the other side of the group to block an arrow, gleaming eyes passed Libertine and decapitated the goblin that had its swing blocked. 

"They should be thinning now. We should have dealt with most of the enemy reconnaissance group." Johann said while scanning the area for obvious ambushes. 

"We will keep this pace, we need to report what is coming. The scouting groups that we sent before have all been murdered. There would be no reports reaching our king." Prince Roan said in a low voice. He is still looking around as he kept a very brisk pace. 

As Rolan ran down the familiar path that he usually uses to go back to their farm, he started feeling a really cold draft from the ground. 

"Ah!" Libertine gave a small cry. 

"What is it little miss?" Johann asked.

"The ground is cold." Despite being carried by her brother, she felt the chill from the ground.

Johann and the prince exchanged surprised looks. 

"FASTER!" the prince exclaimed as the ground from a step behind them suddenly cracked and a white bony hand shot up trying to catch their legs.

They increased their pace a bit too late though as Rolan got caught by a bony grasp. The cracks on the ground kept on growing and the bony hand turned into a bony arm. Then the head showed up. A white skull with a faint red light glimmering through empty eye holes. old tattered clothes drapes this empty husk and no visible intelligence can be seen through its being. 

No muscles hold the bones together yet the grip is tight around his leg. "Magic strings holds them together." Rolan thought. His father have always told him stories of the monsters from the south. Rumors, mostly. But as usual, all rumors have a grain of truth at its source.

He felt how brittle the bones were though so he swung the short sword Johan lent him down near his leg and caught the skull right through its temple. The blow crushed it completely yet the firm grip did not let out.

A sharp heavy blow from the prince through its arm sent parts of it flying though and Rolan can move once again. He readjusts his sister on his back and started sprinting down the mountain.

"Do not slow down. It looks like they planted skeletons to trap scouts this far out as they went up the mountain to the peak. They are slow but if we are caught again we will lose too much time and their main group will catch up". The gleaming eyes of the prince said. Since there is very little light and the prince liked to stay in the shadows, it felt like it was only the eyes talking.

The others kept silent and gave a short nod. They knew that the prince will see even the slightest of movements with his eyes despite the darkness. Libertine is now too tired and scared that she was not listening anymore and is cowering on his brothers back. 

"Tell me when you get tired Rolan, I will carry your sister." the prince then added.

"I can hold on your highness. Thank you." Rolan responded as they continued their trek back down the mountain.

It went by uneventful the closer they came to the village. The only sound they can hear were the jingling and jangling of the knight's armour as well as his heavy breathing. They reached Rolan's farm at the edge of the village without any more trouble.

Prince Roan and Johann stopped right in front of a massive man talking to Rolan's father. Even in the dark the plate armour glistened in blue as the light from torches around him hits the curves that forms a lion's face on his chest and shoulder plates. Scale mail armour hugs his form in perfect fit underneath the plates. On the pauldrons near the neck sports thick white fur that blends into his dark long mane. What made his stature so oppressive though is not the armor or the mane but the pure white iris and pupil that made their family line quite famous on all royalty though out the land. This is the 6th king of Alexandria. Kain Halcyon til Alexander. 

"We've come bearing a report my liege." Knight Johann started. He and the prince were already on their knee in a deep bow. Rolan, startled, dropped down into a bow as a reflex after seeing the other two already bowed. The king's aura of authority demands attention and that usually stuns those who meets him the first time.

The king then turned and put his gaze on the three bowed younglings. The pressure was intense and oppressive as the king surveyed who started speaking to him.

His entire aura changed when he flashed a big broad grin and rested his arms on his hips.

"Boys! Welcome back! What news from twin peaks?"