Chapter One

Legend of the Wandering Warrior

Chapter One

Allegra could smell the copper tainted scent on the walls. Someone had recently died here. Hot tears streamed down her dark tan cheeks and her lips trembled.

“Arilyn,” she whispered to herself brokenly.

She imagined Arilyn, the elven princess of Paramecia, lying before her in the darkness of the cell. She could see Arilyn, with her fabled alluring golden eyes, looking up at her with hollowness. The once pink lips she used to kiss now were ashen and agape. Her body? Allegra bit her lips and her eyes lit up like a pair of blue flames. The image of Arilyn’s naked body peppered with colors of black, blue, red ripped through Allegra’s mind.

“Xavier,” she screamed.

She yanked on her chains with all her might.

“Xavier,” she screamed again. “I will kill you!”

“My, my, such words for a traitor. I should be afraid but then again,” Xavier’s voice faded away.

Allegra slumped down, panting. It took her a moment to realize she wasn’t hearing Xavier’s voice at all but had heard his words. An hour ago the Prince of Bastile, Xavier Dufal, had paid her a visit. He was there alone, standing behind the small opening of her cell door with mocking eyes, crooning sweetly how he had murdered Arilyn.

“Arilyn,” said Allegra to herself again.

“Oh man, she really lost it,” said a guard outside of her door.

“It takes a crazy bitch like her to kill the king and then try to take the throne. I dunno what made her think she’d get away with it. Thank the goddess that the prince caught onto her,” said another guard and spitted.

“I didn’t do it! I was framed,” shouted Allegra suddenly. Her chains jiggled franticly.

“Look what you did, you got her all worked up,” said one of the guards.

“You scared? The bitch is going to die in an hour,” said the other guard.

“Excuse me, sirs, ” said a sweet voice.

“You aren’t suppose to be down here,” said one of the guards.

“Wait, there is another set of guards ahead of us. Why didn’t—“

Allegra heard sound of flesh hitting flesh and the rattling of keys. With two clicks and a clock, her cell door swung open. A woman with green eyes and wavy auburn hair stood in the doorway holding a staff. The stranger wore a typical wanderer’s clothes complete with a brown-patched cape, worn boots, white sewn tunic and black breeches.

“Allegra?” asked the woman.

Allegra stood up slowly and nodded. She was a tall woman of a formidable height of six foot and one inch. Azure eyes searched the stranger before her. The shorter woman smiled and slung her staff into a sheath behind her back.

“My name is Frey and I am here to rescue you,” she said and moved quickly to Allegra.

Within seconds, the chains were removed.

“There you go. You are now free,” said Frey happily and rested her hands on her hips.

The warrior looked past Frey at the stairs that were a little beyond where the guards lay and then back at the shorter woman. Frey shifted her feet under Allegra’s gaze.

“Ahum, we should get going—“

Allegra pushed Frey aside and bolted out of the cell.

“Wait! That’s the wrong way!” shouted Frey after her.

Allegra ignored the stranger’s words. Yes, she was going the wrong way but now it was her chance! Revenge! The word chanted in her mind like a mantra as she made her way up the stairs and into the castle hallway.

At this point everything was a blur. Allegra could only recall breaking someone’s arm, two or three people screaming, and smashing someone’s head on the floor when she finally found the right door. She kicked open the door and immediately zone in on the weapon rack.

Tucked between a halberd and a claymore was a gleaming medium length sword. It was finely crafted with the hilt meticulously carved to resemble twisted vines. At the tip and running down the blade were a series of elvish symbols.

Allegra rushed forward and snatched up the sword from the weapon rack. The sword had been her father’s and was the only thing she had of him. He was a good man who strongly believed in justice and it was only befitting that she use the sword to oft Prince Xavier’s head.

“There you are,” said a voice behind her.

Allegra spun around with her sword and met the stranger for the second time.

“Leave at once,” commanded Allegra. “I shall take my revenge!”

“Listen, there is an army of guards about to rain on us! We have to escape,” said Frey.

“Did you not hear me? Leave now!” shouted Allegra.

“No,” said Frey.

Allegra stared down the shorter woman and realized that Frey wasn’t going to leave. She moved around Frey and grabbed a nearby leather armor.

“Wait, don’t tell me you’re planning on fighting them?” asked Frey as she watched the warrior put on the armor.

“That is the plan, sort of,” said Allegra. “You should escape when the guards are occupied with me.”

The warrior snapped on bracers and wrapped a belt with a sword sheath around her waist.

“This is suicidal,” said Frey and sidestepped for Allegra to search the other side of the room.

“I didn’t ask you to follow me,” said Allegra harshly.

The warrior sheathed her sword momentarily and strapped on a bronze shield with Bastile’s emblem, a lion’s head, on her arm. The room shook a little.

“Damn, they’re here,” said Allegra.

The warrior rushed out of the room as she withdrew her sword. Frey followed and found the two of them surrounded by guards.

“Allegra,” snarled the head guard. He was a man with a thin mustache and stocky built. “So the elven princess was not the only one in your scheme.”

Allegra ignored the head guard’s comment.

“Where’s Xavier?” she demanded.

“Like I’m going to tell a traitor,” smirked the head guard. “Guards, kill them!”

The guards withdrew their blades.

“Halt! Stand down in the name of Captian Viktor!” shouted a page down the hallway.

The guards parted way for Viktor and his page. Viktor was a dark man with brimming eyebrows and broad shoulders. His armor glimmered under the sunlight that slithered into the hallway from the open windows.

“Sir Renald, I shall be taking Captain Allegra to his majesty,” said Viktor to the head guard.

“I’m under orders by his majesty to kill Allegra if she tries to escape,” said Renald.

Viktor pursed his lips and walked up to Renald who only came up to his chest.

“She wishes to see his majesty of which I do not constitute as escaping,” bellowed Viktor. “Do you understand?”

Renald gulped and nodded his head.

“Yes, Captain,” said Renald and backed away.

Viktor turned to Allegra who slowly sheathed her sword.

“Come, his majesty awaits us,” said Viktor and wavered his page to come to him.

“You may go off,” said Viktor to the page.

The page bowed and ran off. Viktor motioned Allegra to follow him. Of course Frey followed suit and managed to flick an offensive sign to Renald as they past him. The head guard cursed under his breath as he watched the trio turned the corner toward the throne room.

When they were far from Renald and his guards, they stopped. With his back against Allegra and Frey, Viktor spoke.

“Am I to believe what is laid upon you?” he asked.

Allegra shrugged.

“Believe what you will but I’m going to run my sword through that bastard,” said Allegra vehemently. “Don’t stand in my way.”

“Hot headed as ever,” scoffed Viktor. “I’m reluctant to believe that you poisoned King Edward and was in lieu with Princess Arilyn to take the throne of Bastile.”

“He killed her,” spat Allegra. “How could I? I loved his majesty as my father! And Arilyn….”

Tears pooled in Allegra’s eyes. Frey ached for the warrior for she knew the truth. In search of a stolen item of an old friend, Frey had infiltrated the Bastile castle and witness the terrible prince…Frey pushed the horrible memory away. She was in no mood to relive what she saw and heard.

“I see. And this woman beside you?” asked Viktor.

“Uh, I just, um—“ said Frey and quickly thought of a reason for her presence. Lying was out of the question.

“She rescued me,” cut in Allegra. “That is all you need to know.”

“So be it. I admit I came late and therefore was not present when evidences and accusations were laid against you. Before the prince, I shall judge them and if you are guilty,” Viktor stopped talking and turned to Allegra.

“I don’t give a damn,” said Allegra.

Allegra marched ahead.

“Better catch up with her before she reaches the prince,” said Frey.

Viktor nodded and the two followed Allegra. They had caught up with Allegra when they entered the throne room. The windows were strangely covered up and purple flames lit the room. No one was around.

“The prince has bad taste,” commented Frey as she looked around. Inside of her she could feel an eerie vibration rumbling through her bones.

What is this feeling? thought Frey.

The throne room had been completely revamped. The long velvet red carpet was removed and replaced by a purple one; skull heads hung in place of the emblem crest of Bastile; and, save for the throne seat itself, no other furniture or fixtures were around.

“It smells funny,” said Viktor.

Allegra walked up and bent down on a dark spot. She touched the dark spot and pulled back a thin membrane of goo.

“The blood had started to turn black,” commented Allegra.

She stood up and pulled out her sword.

“Welcome!” echoed a voice.

Prince Xavier stepped out from behind the throne. He was a skinny man with raven hair and sapphire colored eyes.

“You bastard!” raged Allegra.

Viktor stopped Allegra from launching into a killing frenzy.

“Let me go!” glared Allegra.

“There’s something wrong,” said Viktor between his clenched teeth.

Xavier observed the three and tilted his head as his eyes came upon Frey.

“I expected that Viktor was going to rescue you,” said Xavier to Allegra. “I didn’t calculate that a third party be involve too.”

He sat down on the throne and placed his sheathed sword over his lap.

“No matter, I’ll just kill her along the two of you,” he said and snapped his fingers.

The door to the throne closed with a heavy thud. Viktor and Frey withdrew their weapons.

“What is the meaning of this, prince?” shouted Viktor.

Frey squinted. Something surrounded the prince in a reddish haze. Suddenly it clicked in Frey’s mind what were the vibrations in her bones.

“He’s allied with a demon,” said Frey fearfully.

Out the shadows, stalking and hissing, demons crawled out their hiding among the purple flames. Hungry eyes of yellow, red and purple gazed at the three.

“We’re surrounded,” said Viktor and brandished his sword.

“No shit,” said Allegra. She pulled Frey by the waist behind her. “Stand behind us, Frey,” she said.

Frey nodded and griped her staff tighter.

“Stand down!” commanded Xavier to the demons.

The demons obeyed and stepped back. Xavier rose from his seat and unsheathed his blade.

“Two at a time or even three, it does not matter. I will kill you all,” sneered Xavier and chucked the sheath away.

Xavier somersaulted and landed in front of Viktor and Allegra.

“You insolent little brat,” snapped Viktor and brought his sword in an arc.

Xavier easily dodged the overhead slash. Allegra quickly moved behind him and stabbed forward.

“Too slow,” grinned Xavier and spun around, Allegra’s sword barely missing him.

“You talk too much, bastard,” said Allegra and launched another attack.

Frey kept her senses at the demons lined at the walls as she watched Allegra and Viktor futilely fight Xavier. Her eyes continually detected the soft red glow surrounding the prince as he parried, blocked and striked back.

Oh goddess, what have I gotten myself into? I was just going to steal back Connor’s trinket and be out of this dreaded castle before anyone noticed, thought Frey.

She hadn’t expected to witness a murder, helped an innocent warrior be free, and fight a mad prince aligned with a demon.

“Had enough?” asked Xavier at the two panting warriors.

“Allegra…he’s too much. He’s inhumanely strong and quick,” whispered Viktor to Allegra. “I’m going to distract him, you go in for the kill.”

Allegra knitted her eyebrows.

“What are you planning to do?” asked Allegra suspiciously.

Viktor smiled and turned to the prince.

“Are you two done talking?” asked Xavier.

“I was just thinking, if you ever wondered why Kind Edward appointed Allegra?” said Viktor cockily.

Something in the prince’s eyes snapped and his face flushed bright red.

“He favored her!” shouted Xavier and recklessly slashed at Viktor.

Viktor blocked the slash and pushed the prince backward.

“Why?” asked Viktor. “Surely, you must’ve heard the rumor concerning Allegra and his majesty.”

“Die!” screamed Xavier. The prince brought his sword in a wide arc at Viktor’s throat.

“Now!” ordered Viktor.

Allegra launched off from her heels and threw her sword like a javelin. Clang! Xavier’s sword dropped to the ground. The prince gripped the hilt of Allegra’s sword while stumbling backward.

“Hahaha, Allegra…she’s no Dufal. Never was,” Xavier straighten himself, “never will be!”

Xavier pulled out Allegra’s sword out of his chest. Viktor and Allegra stood in utter disbelief. Xavier pointed at Viktor with the sword.

“In the name of Harthor,” he said.

Frey froze immediately upon hearing the name.

Harthor? Oh goddess--

A red light shot off from the tip of Allegra’s sword and pierced Viktor’s chest. Blood spilled out of the dark man’s mouth as he fell backward.

“Viktor!” cried out Allegra.

“Forgetting about me?” said Xavier and slashed at Allegra with her sword.

Allegra helplessly blocked with her shield, blow after blow. Frey rushed to Victor’s side and took up his large hand into her’s.

“Hold still! I will heal you,” said Frey and placed her other hand over the gaping hole in Viktor’s chest.

“No,” he gurgled. “Help…Allegra. S-she’s, gah!”

Viktor’s eyes rolled the back of his head and his hand limped in Frey’s.

“Oh, how sweet this will be,” said Xavier.

Frey looked up to find Allegra unconscious and the warrior’s shield gnarled at her side. Xavier stood over Allegra with her sword held high over his head.

No! I must stop him, thought Frey.

Instinctively, in one swift motion, she thrust her staff into the air. It floated in midair.

“Guilda, shine for me!” said Frey.

The tip of her staff glowed hot yellow and shot rays of light all around. The demons along the wall scowled and covered their eyes.

“You witch!” snarled Xavier and snapped his eyes shut.

Frey ran over to Allegra and pulled out from her sleeves a white gem.

“Tanaka, the wind god, take us away from this dreaded place,” she prayed.

The gem burst into a dazzling glitter over the two women. Xavier opened his eyes when he heard the staff dropped to the ground. Frey and Allegra had disappeared. The demons along the wall howled in anger.

“Find them and kill them!” ordered Xavier.

The demons jumped into the purple flames and disappeared.