48 The Drunken Knight

I of course was not planning on simply abandoning my newly created Blood Knights to the lycans. However, they must feel like this victory is solely their own if they are to have confidence in the future. Once I left the girls I went to the knights Association. I was greeted by the site of an empty courtyard. Only Skye remained in the courtyard, the deserted place seemed wrong.

Skye looked up as she saw the three of us entering, her eyes seemed almost dead as the glanced over us. "Dark, why are you here?" Her cold voice echoed over the empty courtyard.

"I came to see your father, what happened here?" Skye sighed, her eyes seemed to hide remorse as she looked over the once lively courtyard. "The undead, they created a massive horde, several times bigger than the one we dealt with. Our knights were sent to deal with the problem, but there were no survivors. Unfortunately I was out of the sect at the time, or maybe I could have helped... my father is inside the castle. Though he isn't really in a good state these days."

The once pristine throne room that Mcquire presided over was in a state of destruction. The table was in ruins, shattered, its charred remains still smoldering as smoke filled the room. Mcquire lounged on the throne, a bottle of strong alcohol in his hand, as he spoke to himself. A feeling of sadness washed over me as I watched the once great man at his lowest.

I slowly approached the throne, Mcquire seemed lost in his own world as I came near, not noticing my presence at all. He took a swig from the bottle in his hand, finding it empty, he through it angrily at the wall, where it shattered, joining the remnants of its brethren. From the inside of his jacket Mcquire pulled out another bottle, as he brought it up to his lips a look of acknowledgement entered his eyes as he noticed my presence.

"Dark my boy, I was just telling Gladius here about your triumphs over the horde, that we only need to send you out, and that our knights can simply pick up the remnants. However he tells me that I am mad, that one boy cannot slaughter a horde of the undead. That our knights are doomed to be wiped out. What say you boy? Can you fight off the horde once again? And save the sect from those undead bastards?"

I shook my head sadly as I looked upon Mcquire's drunken appearance. It was obvious from the stench that he had not bathed in days, and his clothing was stained with a mixture of vomit and alcohol. A phrase entered my mind as I looked at my once proud teacher. "A knight's duty is to his sect, to his family, and to his brothers in arms. You taught me this Mcquire, and your brothers in arms would be rolling over in their graves if they saw your current state. "

Mcquire's eyes filled with anger as he looked at me. "What do you know about brothers in arms boy? You're simply a 17 year old youth, who has yet to feel the pains of loss. You think losing a few comrades makes you an expert on loss?"

A loud slap echoed across the room, and Ash slowly backed away from the knight. A red hand print welted across his face. She did not speak before or after her actions. I nodded to her and smiled in thanks at her actions, but my eyes never left Mcquire. "Yes I am a 17 year old youth, at least in this world. My mother's life was taken by my own hands at birth, simply so I could live. Countless lives have been cut short, just so I could take another breath. When I entered this world my comrades inevitably died. Leaving me with only the two girls by my side, who despite it all have not left me. As well as Floe, a carefree soul that values beautiful woman more than her life itself. I have suffered losses. Just recently over half of the undying legion died by hands. My own sisters, so that they would have a mere chance at survival. And my own master died because of the hatred of a goddess... so yes Mcquire I know a thing or two about loss. And I know that sitting here drinking away your life, while the cause of your problems lives on happily will not bring you any peace. "

I looked around the once proud throne room, before moving my eyes back to the drunk before me. "I will be leaving in an hour to take care of these undead, I believe they are related to a bigger problem. If you value your comrades then join me, and perhaps we can begin to take revenge."

I turned around and left the throne room. But I called out again as I approached the door "I expect you to have showered and changed when you arrive"

Outside, in the courtyard Skye was looking at the door as we left the castle. "Go help your father get ready, we are leaving in an hour", my voice echoed through the courtyard as I spoke, my eyes wandering around the once familiar training grounds.

"This will do nicely, this place will be a good starting ground for the Blood Knights, and once Mcquire has returned to his former self, they will receive an invaluable teacher." I spoke to myself aloud, but was greeted by a reply from my right.

"But are you ok with this Dark? Half of our family died, and the knights you trained with are gone. Isn't the cost already too high?"

I sighed, these thoughts had entered my mind several times over the last few days. "The cost was beyond my control Lily, even I had to pay a high price for this. Lady Lucia assured me that this is the only way. And that the cost would be higher than we were comfortable paying. "

Ash's voice called out from my left. "As my children died, the lycans only laughed, forcing my core from my body as they tortured my consorts. To find out they were only following the orders of a forsaken goddess.. the price had to be paid."

I nodded at her words. "The price has already been paid, if we do not continue wouldn't all of these deaths be in vain"

Lily did not make a response to that, but a look of sadness covered her face. Her silence was all the response she needed. The cost was truly to high, but I did not have a choice.