The Inevitability of Fate

"What are you talking about commander?! Conspiracy against his Highness? Aiding of a Drakari? I am a KNIGHT, it is my job to serve the King and his Kingdom. I could never betray my Lord!"

Sweat ran down my forhead, and my eyes couldn't stay focused. I was completly furious and couldn't have cared less about his rank in that moment.

"And to top it all of you even make jokes in this situation? A Drakari? The race said to be as large as mountains and strong enough to wipe out whole cities?"

I shook my head vehemently, trying to make sense out of his words.

"They are merely a construct of human imagination, written down in fairy tales."

The knight didn't even deny it, he merely laughed it off while pressing his sword harder against my throat.

"Young lady, there are many things you are still unaware of and will be 'till the day you die. Of course you think its a fairy tale, most stories seem like fairy tales when we write them

down."

His voice was dripping with patronizing mockery as he slowly pointed toward the cave, smirking as if I was too slow to understand.

"But every tale has its own origin and are there for a reason. They are exagerrated versions of the truth made to be edible for the common folk. That includes the fairy tales about the Drakari."

He waits a moment to let his words sink in.

"And you, a so-called knight even aided and feasted with one."

My head started spinning and I felt dizzy. He could only be talking about Kaelan. And so many things I saw of him started to make sense now.

The first time I saw him, he had wings so immensely large that they covered over half the cave.

He was able to grow scales on his body and was strong enough to carry a giant with a single arm.

My stomache turned around, it made me sick to my stomache. So he truly was a monster.

A monster from a race of lunatics whose sole purpose is to live and devour what ever happens near them.

And I even opened up to him like the fool I am. Calling a monster by its name, trying to sympathize with a demon.

My thoughts came to an abrupt end as I felt something flowing down my body.

I slowly put my finger on my throat, holding my breath.

It felt warm, was wet and slightly smelled like iron.

Blood..

I realized in that moment that this was neither a joke nor a mistake. These knights would kill me if I tried to resist.

This time around, I didn't have time to think about Kaelan, there are more urgent things to worry about.

I had been set up and I walked straight into that trap.

But who would gain something from imprisoning me?

I tried recalling the person that gave me this quest, the one I got the permission from.

I could remember that I had planned to visit the King for backup... but I decided to go by myself and act as a scout so that I arrive with the information and a troup could be formed according to those informations.

Even though going on my own with zero backup isn't not something I would do.

But I did just that.

Trying to remember what happened I start to dig through my memories. But it felt like a foghad been placed over certain parts. And the things I could remember were blurry.

My face grew pale and I realized something.

If not even I can remember what happened and what I did, then how could I hope to be spoken free?

I would be arrested, just like they said.

No, even if they called it arresting, conspiring against his highness is worth the guillotine.

I had been cornered and my only route out of this had been cut off.

Should I fight? Their forces are made up of 25 foot soldiers, 10 mages and a commander on their side.

And I was alone. I couldn't even trust in Kaelan who turned out to be a demon in disguise.

I could attempt to flee, but they have their blades pressed against my throat. I would just get beheaded.

Do I really don't have a choice? Will I die without having accomplished anything?

I haven't changed Bordertown's situation.

I wasn't able to find mother.

I couldn't even find the person I swore to kill.

Already at the thought of him made my scar ache. The one who took everything, the one who gave me that disgusting scar.

I wanted to do all that, yet now I'm supposed to die in vain, here in a forrest, completly alone?

A tear rolled down my cheek, as a soft breeze whipped my silver hair into my face.

Why do I deserve this, what did I ever do?

Have I not been rightous?

Have I not done anything in my power to protect my people?

Why is the only fate that awaits the pure spirited, misery and an unfortunate fate?

What reason does fate have to spit us in the face, mocking us in the face of our goals?

I..could I have lived a better life if I had been more selfish instead of caring about the fate of others?

Suddenly blood rushed out of my mouth. I had bitten on my tongue, hard enough to draw blood.

The knights are shaking their head because they have never seen someone this desperate.

But I couldn't have cared less in that moment.

When have I started to be this pathetic that I'm even blaiming my fate right now?

Did I really just blame fate for my own weakness?

No, fate was never something created to merely be followed. It is a navigation, showing you a way that may or may not be good for you.

We humans have always defied our fate.

From having mere sticks and rocks, to the the advanced species we are now.

We survived, adapted and got further than anyone could've ever imagined.

I won't die. No, I have a goal in life, and before I reach that goal I will never just submit to the circumstances and accept my death.

There is no glory in death, but there there is honor in survival, it doesn't matter how unhonorable it was to get it.

I will fight for my survival and if its the last thing I do.

My left hand slowly slid down, while I kept acting like a crying maiden in distress.

I could faintly hear the grumbling and talking of that knight but that was the perfect chance to cover up the noise I made.

The moment my hand touched the hilt, I infused soul essence in Vaelor to sharpen it and cut through the sheath, right into the stomache of a suprised knight.

I kick him far away and immediatly fall on my knees to dodge the swordslash of the commander.

"You've chosen to attack a troup of knights and mages? You've gone mad, just like we were told"

He sighed and stabbed his sword into the Ground.

„We will now fulfill our mission, given to us by the Queen."

His voice got deeper and louder as he shouted his command

"Soldiers, she has right now taken the life of a brother in arms and with that lost any privilege she had as a former Baroness. Bring her to me, Dea-"

But he couldn't finish his sentence because the fight had already starred. And he was occupied with dodging my attacks.

I aim at his throat, trying to behead him, but he blocks my attacks with little to no difficulty.

"What made you think you can take on a whole troup by yourself. You won't even get passed me"

He threw me back, and as I looked up, I saw the sword gleaming in the moonlight. With a swift motion, he aimed a downward slash at me.

I barely blocked it with Vaelor, though that didn't even give me time to breath.

Two knights came from each side, trying to pierce through me while I was already going over my limits holding myself against the commander.

And if I now somehow dodged them and got out of that situation, the mages at the backline would start to use their magic.

Has my time finally come? Because I know very well, no matter how often I keep saying I will survive, reality won't change to my taste.

But I had to try everything in my power. The last thing I will do is to die without even trying.

Then, a sudden thought occurrd me.

What if I shoved the Soulessence produced by my Archethaum, back to its core?

Is that even possible? The Archethaum is not made to hold that much pressure, it is merely a producer.

But right now I have nothing more to lose and those knights would reach me in a few seconds.

I covered my mouth with my hand and let the Soulessence flow through my hand into my mouth and close my eyes.

It was painful. More painful than any injury could ever be.

I was so hot that it felt like I was put in an oven and locked in there for days.

My heart was beating faster, my Archathaum was overproducing and my whole body started glowing, emitting Soulessence from every pore of my body.

But I didn't have time to focus on that pain. Just as I was about to open my eyes I heard explosive sounds around me.

I immediately lied flat on the ground to not get hit by a flying rock or something.

After a few seconds, I slowly opened my eyes to see what had happened.

The commander who was blocking me, the two knights that tried to stab me and a few other knights that were to close.

All of them were lying on the ground, unconscious and half dead.

Have I done this?

I felt reliefed and proud that I was able to survive. The only ones left are some mages and the knights, but I could handle them easily by myself.

A single step of mine made them take a step back. Fear was written all over their face. I took Vaelor out and went for the attack.

Thump-thump

I lost my balance and fell to the ground. My grip loosened and my sword fell clattering to the ground.

I grabbed my mouth to hold it in, but I just couldn't. Blood flows out of my mouth like a never ending stream.

I miscalculated and took a risk without considering one crucial thing.

The Archethaum was right next to the heart. Because I overexterted my Archethaum, my whole chest, including my heart, got exposed to extreme heat.

My blood expanded, forcing some veins to break.

That caused a flood of blood that is now exiting through my mouth.

But my instinct to survive drove me further and further.

I want to get up even though every muscle in my body is screaming, but I give my best and force myself onto my feet.

But the knights didn't waste their oppertunity. Like a pack of starved hyenas, they came at me in this moment of weakness. I could hear the clattering of armor and the footsteps pounding against the ground, followed by their battle cries.

But there's no honor in their voice.

Only hunger.

Hunger for the glory of bringing my head.

A hollow laugh escaped my lips. Certain death awaited me and no stubborness could save me now.

Maybe my fate wasn't made to be changed by me.

At last I saw what would probably be the last thing in I see in my life.

The swordslash of a knight weaker than me.

But I couldn't fight it anymore. I closed my eyes and accepted my fate.

„Who dared to disrupt my rest?"