Author's Preface
Ryan and Thirty-Seven walked down the mountain. Ryan kept thinking to himself. "I gained some knowledge, but I left with more questions unanswered." He looked at Thirty-Seven and cleared his throat as they approached the woods that led to the convoy. "So."
"So." Thirty-Seven looked over at him.
"You know quite a lot about me now."
"And?"
"I barely know anything about you. Shouldn't a secret be exchanged for a secret?"
"You know a secret of mine."
"LIKING DOGS ISN'T A FUCKING SECRET!"
"But it is to me. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone what happened... besides Nyx."
Ryan stared at Thirty-Seven for a moment. "Great, more trouble."
Before he knew it, the two of them were already down the mountain and in the woods. Ryan looked back up. He saw Samuel and his aunt standing in the tree line. Samuel was waving. Ryan approached Samuel. "Good morning, Prince."
"Long night, huh? You didn't by chance take a stroll in the mountains, did you?"
"Technically, we took a stroll through the mountains. And your little children's tale is complete bullshit."
Samuel laughed as the knight captain approached from behind. "We are ready to go when you are, Prince Samuel."
"Very well, let us head out."
The captain looked at Ryan. "Mr. Kade, glad you could join us."
"Yeah. Yeah." Ryan waved his hands as the knight captain walked back to his horse.
Ryan followed Samuel into the carriage. As soon as Ryan sat down, he leaned his head back and fell asleep. Samuel laughed as Thirty-Seven had fallen asleep and her head was resting on Ryan's shoulder. Samuel watched as both of them snored almost in unison. He couldn't remember a time when he had seen Thirty-Seven relaxed like this. He looked to his aunt, who seemed to have the same thought and grin across her face. They both looked at each other and nodded. They remained silent for the rest of the ride, allowing Ryan and Thirty-Seven to recover from their stroll in the mountains.
As the carriage convoy continued on their road to Aldemere, no one had noticed the figures that had been following them since they left the base of the mountain.
Evening fell as the convoy reached the edge of the mountains. On the other side, just past them, was a flatland. No trees. No grass. Just land for as far as the eye could see. Samuel looked out the window one last time to take in the majesty of the mountains as they reached through the clouds. As he looked up, he saw it. An arrow flew up to the sky. Samuel thought it was a bird. He lost sight of it as it hid in front of the sun. A moment later, the arrow pierced Samuel's shoulder. Samuel screamed. That woke Ryan and Thirty-Seven up instantly. Ryan noticed the arrow, then looked out the window as more arrows filled the sky and hundreds of men descended from the hills of the mountains.
Without hesitation, Ryan snapped his fingers and Thimble appeared. She rested on Samuel's shoulder as she snapped the arrow and pulled the broadhead out from the other side. Samuel screamed as he stared at Ryan in pain and confusion. Thimble used her healing magic to seal Samuel's wound.
Ryan could hear swords clashing and men screaming, "PROTECT THE PRINCE!" just outside the carriage. He looked at Samuel. "What you are about to see, I'm sorry. I'll explain later."
Ryan leaped through the window and snapped his fingers. His shadows appeared behind him. Each of them summoned their subordinates. Ryan ordered Bubba to help the knights, he and the rest of his shadows charged at the men who were attacking. Samuel looked out the window, stunned at the sight. He watched as Ryan slashed through men with two black blades. Black arm-like things stood on all sides of the carriage, slamming down on anything that tried to reach it. Samuel's aunt stood, sword drawn, ready for anyone who got close.
Samuel turned and looked at Thirty-Seven, who seemed relaxed. Thimble whispered to the prince, "My master will take care of it. Your men will survive, sir."
Thirty-Seven shrugged her shoulders as Samuel continued staring at her. Outside, Bubba led his troops to fight alongside the knights. Veyra stood back by the carriages as her men fired arrows from a distance, sniping the enemy archers that hid in the mountains. Meatloaf and his shield troops formed a line in front of the tendrils. Nothing was getting past them.
Fido and his men fought alongside Ryan, dashing in and out of the enemy. The assassin elves were deadly with their dual blades, as Fido bit chunks out of the enemies' legs and arms. Thimble's subordinates stayed behind and healed fallen knights. Thimble hovered in the window giving buffs to Ryan and the other shadows. The knight captain stopped after slicing on man's neck. He looked around the battlefield, black figures were saving his men and fighting alongside Ryan. He finally realized what was going on and ordered his knights to fight alongside the shadows.
As quickly as it began, it ended.
Fido and his men had rounded up a few survivors so they could be interrogated. Ryan snapped his fingers and his shadows retreated into the shadow realm. Ryan walked through the battlefield, checking on soldiers' wounds. He walked over the corpses of the enemies like it was another day. The knights took notice. A few even dared to whisper.
"He carries himself like a captain."
"I heard from the guild he solo clears dungeons."
"Whatever he is, stay on his good side. I would hate to piss him off."
"Do you think that female elf archer is single? She was kinda hot."
"Shut the hell up. Are you trying to get us killed?"
Ryan chuckled. He heard every word. It reminded him of the exact same conversations he had with his men. "Soldiers are soldiers, no matter the world, I see," Ryan muttered to himself as he approached the knight captain. "Any luck with getting information out of them?"
"No, but we have our ways. I will have a handful of knights escort them back to the capital in the morning. The king has his ways of extracting information, especially when they targeted his son."
"He seems like someone I do not want to meet ever." Ryan smiled and turned.
As he turned, Samuel stood in front of him, wide-eyed. Ryan's hand reached his head. "Yeah, I guess you want answers now too, huh?"
Samuel nodded and turned to a fire that was built in the center of the convoy. After the attack, the knights positioned the carriages in a circle as a defensive perimeter. Ryan sat on the ground next to Samuel. Both stared at the fire for a moment. Samuel finally spoke first. He turned to Ryan. "Thank you?"
Ryan flinched backward. That was not what he was expecting. "Ummm... you're welcome. I just did what I was hired to do."
"You did more than that. Without you, I would've lost all these knights and potentially my own life."
"To be fair, Prince, you all seem oddly calm considering what you just witnessed."
"They are scared of you, and honestly, I am as well. Just a little bit. I am grateful, but that power you have, it is terrifying. But may i ask? Why did you save the knights?"
Ryan looked at him. "What kind of stupid question is that?"
"You were hired to protect me."
"Yeah."
"Thimble could have remained beside me. Instead, you sent her people to heal my men."
Ryan shrugged. "They were dying."
"That isn't an answer Kade. Most adventurers would've fought, but their only concern would've been my life. Not the lives of my knights.
Ryan stared into the fire.
"You told me they're family."
Samuel went quiet. Ryan poked at the fire with a stick.
"Figured protecting you meant protecting the things you care about too."
Ryan and Samuel spent the next few hours speaking about Ryan's powers and Samuel's relationships with the knights. Eventually, Samuel passed out. Ryan picked him up and carried him to his tent. His aunt stepped out and took Samuel from Ryan. "I still don't like you. You are too rash, foul-mouthed. But thank you for saving my nephew and the knights."
Ryan smiled softly and nodded, then turned and walked into his tent to rest for the night.