Eldrida

Aria sat by the shore, covered in blankets. She had still not yet recovered from her fearful state. But she had to admit that she was the cause of all this. However, she could not withstand and just watch as Leon suffered. What if he had died? Just the thought of it brought shivers and fear to her heart. Leon was the only person who understood her feelings and ambitions. Besides, he had gone against the kingdom, just for her sake. So it was unwise to watch as her savior suffered in front of her. It was the only logic choice that came into her mind.

Still, she was worried sick on his whereabouts. Just where in the world had he gone at this hour of the night? What if some other beast appeared and confronted him, and killed him. A train of worrying questions queued in her mind. She could not help but pray for his safety.

Meanwhile, Leon walked aimlessly in the middle of the forest distressed. He could not bring himself to agree on the fact that he was about to….He couldn't even comprehend the consequences of such actions. If he were in Avon, death by beheading would be the most light punishment. The others were harsh. Death by skinning! And many more cruel punishments were on the line too.

But he had to admit the fact that he had fallen for the princess. Did she feel the same way for him? That, only she could tell. He had felt a strange sensation burn in him when she looked him in the eyes. It was as if a powerful force had held them together and nothing prohibited them from holding back except their will. And it was true. Aria's will pulled him back into reality and he was able to come out of that dream.

Leon continued strolling in the forest while pondering on the matter. He thought it was unwise of him to leave her alone given that she had been attacked by a beast. But he wanted to give her space so she could recover from the shock. He had walked for a long distance and he knew he had to go back. However, something caught his attention. From a far, he saw bright light coming from several towns down a cliff. Who dared to live alone in this dreadful forest.

Curiosity got better of him and he found his legs carrying him forward towards the cliff. It was then that the sight of a magnificent city came into view. The night lamps lit the city adding to its magnificent view. It was indeed a sight to behold. So this is Eldrida. Leon thought. "It is more beautiful than they say." He complimented.

Leon jumped off the cliff and strolled down the countryside. He followed a path that led to the city walls. Of course such a city would be fortified. Given that this kingdom was rich, many people would plan to overthrow it. Leon knew that such an idea would run in the mind of power-hungry Blackwood. That man never got enough!

Guards clad in black knight armor were located by the city walls to keep watch of the night. Most of them however were asleep as it was very late at night. They didn't expect anyone to barge in the city at this hour of the night. Leon approached the gates and chuckled as he watched the sleeping men to whom the city dwellers had placed their trust and lives on. If it was army, then this could be an ambush and the entire city would perish, all thanks to these men.

He didn't have the luxury nor the time to wake them up, so he climbed over the watch tower and took the keys of the gate. The knight by the watch tower stirred in his sleep and groaned causing Leon hand to pause in mid–air. The guard shot his eyes open and stared at Leon emotionlessly. His look didn't seem like one of surprise or fear. Instead it looked like one of bewilderment.

Leon had held his breath and his other hand had reached for the hilt of his sword. One move from the guard and he vowed to strike. However, the guard stood from his make shift bed and passed Leon as if he didn't exist in the first place. His actions piqued Leon's interest and he watched his every action slowly. The guard went by his business and emptied his urine from the top of the tower. How shameless. Leon thought. He then passed by Leon and didn't even spare him a glance. It was like he never existed to him. All this drama seemed to amuse Leon as he watched the guard lie down on his makeshift bed, and within no time, he began snoring loudly.

So this guy is a sleep walker. It dawned on Leon and his face turned a few shades darker. This kingdom had made a grave mistake by placing such a person by the night watch. This guy could even return home while still on his sleep and abandon his post.

Nevertheless, he had gotten what he wanted. Leon slowly climbed down the watch tower, avoiding causing unnecessary noise. Once down, he cautiously approached the big double doors of the city wall and figured out the key hole. The keys he had were a bunch and he had to choose one among the many. He inserted one after the other and his expression grew darker every time he failed. After what seemed like eternity, the door finally creaked, giving out a faint sound that was very irritating. Leon cursed inwardly and he knew that it had caught the attention of some guards.

And true to his fears, some guards stirred from their sleep, diverting their attention towards the door. But no one was there and the door to the city was wide open, the creaking sound resonating with the night wind. This sound instilled fear and an atmosphere of death hung above the area. A guard, probably a captain of the night watch, yelled an order and everyone woke up instantly.

"Check who it is that opened that door. Such the whole city now!" He yelled another order and the guards swung into action. Leon had not gone far. IN fact, he had hidden just behind the watch tower and he heard everything that the captain had said. They were going to hunt him down.

"Close that door. Whoever entered the city won't be able to leave. He will die here!" The captain said, flashing an evil smile. At that time, he looked like a psycho, as if killing was his profession. Leon watched closely as one of the guards closed the double doors and placed the keys in his pocket. If he wanted to get out of here alive, he needed those keys. That meant that this guard would be his target.

The guards dispersed leaving the captain and two other guards beside. 'It seems lady luck is on my side.' Leon thought. Taking two men down was a piece of cake to him. But there was one thing he didn't know. This was Eldrida and magic could be practiced by anyone freely as long as it served for the good of the kingdom. Also, for one to be placed in the rank of a captain, it meant that he was somehow powerful than the other knights and guards. Fortunately, most of the common guards did not practice magic. There was a whole knight regiment in Eldrida that majored in magic alone. And this was the true power of Eldrida. But not many people knew about this, Leon included. All they knew was that magic was only practiced by royalty and powerful figures in the government.

Leon crouched low as he slowly advanced to where the captain was. The other two guards were smoking and chatting while the captain stood there staring at the path that led deep into the city. He was probably waiting for some good news from his men. Leon thought that this was the perfect time to attack. The guards had sheathed their swords and would be caught off guard. If he acted swiftly, he might take them in one go, leaving the captain as the only obstacle. He was confident that the captain could not withstand two of his fatal blows.

Unsheathing his sword, Leon crept from the darkness and advanced the two knights. One of them saw his shadow and turned around but Leon didn't give him the luxury to glare. He swung his sword across and the blade cut in to the guard's flesh separating his head from his body. The other saw this and tried to unsheathe his sword. However, Leon was too fast. He ran across the area and drove the sword through the guard's stomach. The guard growled in pain and coughed out blood before his body went limp and fell to the ground, dead.

The captain stood there with his hands on his back as he watched his men being massacred by the stranger. Leon pulled his sword from the guard's body and stared at the captain, amused by his confidence.

"Aren't you afraid?" He asked before striding across the path, his gaze never leaving the captain's. The captain chuckled, amused by Leon's arrogance. Where did he get the confidence to talk when death was staring at him?

"How can I be afraid because of a mere knight? Your fighting skills aren't that bad. But what about your magic. I can sense that it is very weak." Leon stared at him with a 'are you done' glare before he composed himself for a fight. The captain withdrew his sword and the two men rushed at each other. The metals met giving out sparks as the two stared with killing intent at each other.