登入Before the arcs collapsed above them, John and Ingrid unleashed a hail of bolts from their crossbows. Arrows wouldn’t be enough to tear through heavy armor. But their crossbows were using John’s modified steel bolts; they were strong enough to crack the toughest armor in the Kingdom. Despite having limited bolts, they aimed true, and each bolt hit its target in the head.“So much for their elites!” Julie couldn’t help but brag about the crossbow John made for her. A gift for hunters!With the enemy defense weakened, Berg and George broke through into the inner chambers of the main tunnel.Finally, they were back in the main tunnel where Rolfe had killed many of their comrades. This time, they would make Pentalium hurt.Harold ducked for cover while the battle continued around him. When he glanced at the ground above, he saw wooden spiral stairs had been installed that climbed the walls and into holes that led to the Palace and Court above them."They completed the tunnels!" Harold was
The contestants assembled inside the reconstructed Royal Court. Behind where they stood were the banners of their houses, except for William, who hid his identity. Its chandelier shined with a golden glow, and its marbled floor reflected like a mirror. The windows glittered in magnificent silver; a perfect view for the whole entirety of the Kingdom to watch the final spectacle from outside. The Court’s ceiling and column pillars were still being held by wooden beams, but it didn’t affect its majestic beauty.Before the duel began, Rolfe removed his helm, humbled before the King, and stated his obvious wish of marrying the Princess. The nobles held by Pentalium, along with those loyal to Rolfe, led a cheer to rouse and sway the commoners to their support.The King felt he had seen this before when he denied Eldric’s wish for the Princess’ hand in marriage. Since then, his daughter rebelled by marrying no one. Then disaster struck: plague, corruption, and civil war. He believed God was
“700 meters, stay clear of the rocks now.” Harold guided his group through the sewers. It was dimly lit by the sparse light that filtered down from the busy streets above. The sewers had an unbearable stench, but they tolerate it. The anger they were about to unleash on Pentalium urged them to go on. Righteous retribution from the Frosthold, Ingrid’s tribe, and Tarwood is in reach. Pentalium will know their rage.“600 meters! Ready your weapons.” George kept them calm and collected as they walked towards their certain liberation. They suspected Pentalium laid traps to stop their advances, but John and his men were more willing to spring the trap.“A perfect way to draw Lenato’s attention.” John reminded them that their purpose is to draw Pentalium's attention to the western tunnel. Then Ingrid’s squad would take Lenato’s men by surprise from the eastern tunnel. With the northern and southern tunnels destroyed, Pentalium had no way to go, and they would be forced to fight them in the m
The 22 knights gathered before the arena. Fans in the upper rows of the arena showered their champions with flowers. After the opening ceremony, the King greeted the crowd with the warmest smile and announced the reason why there were fewer contestants on William’s side.“Some contestants had a case of cold feet! But we are blessed to have an equal amount of eleven knights on each side!” The King brushed it off as the Tourney had a high fatality rate during the duels and jousting challenges. However, the King assured the match would go on regardless of how many were left. The announcer took the stage and reminded the audience of the rules of jousting. Contestants’ names were drawn randomly for fairness. They were allowed to use any melee weapons and are committed to doing three passes. Hitting the opponents in the limbs is worth one point, hitting on the body gives two points, and a blow on the head or their shield is three. The contestant with the highest score will progress to the
The arena settled as the bell rang for the end of the third challenge. Before them stood 40 knights qualified for the next challenge. Many had fled after suffering grievous wounds. Some died fighting to gain eternal glory, but only these 40 were worthy to proceed.William and Rolfe were still fighting despite the bell. They had to be pulled by their respective team to prevent disqualifications.“Save your strength for tomorrow’s challenge, Jousting!” the King declared, and the arena delighted in the fierce rivalry between Rolfe and his rival.“The Kingdom enjoys your team battle. Therefore, it is right to battle with your brothers in arms to the next challenge! The announcer said as the people cheerfully yelled in support of Rolfe and his ten knights against William and his 28 companions.Rolfe removed his silver helm, wiped the dust and blood from his armor, and turned to the crowd, “Seeing you smile and united with happiness makes me glad. Since Pentalium attacked our Kingdom, we ha
The Princess nervously drank wine as she watched William dodge and block the attacks from Rolfe. Her nerves were wrecked with anticipation, yet she remained faithful and prayed for William to defeat Rolfe and survive this challenge. And like her, the whole arena watched in awe as the two rivals duke it out.All were drawn to the spectacle, but Lenato, with his Sense, heard Rolfe scream William’s name.“William?” Lenato pondered as he looked down at the Tarwood knight just a few levels below him.“Surround them and give me a tea,” Lenato whispered to a scared noble beside him.One by one, nobles across the benches raced towards the Frostholds and fought over who got to talk to them first. Everyone wanted to secure a business deal with the most profitable ale and wine maker of the Kingdom.John, Berg, and George found themselves caught in a stampede, unable to move, breathe, or even see Lenato.“Alright, gentlemen, let’s take to somewhere more comfortable,” Berg and George invited their
No man dared to enter the Dark Forest. Bandits, wild animals, and even so-called killers lived here. But William is not deterred! He will need to push thru the Dark Forest to reach the foot of the mountain where the hunters lived. During his week-long trek, he was using the most out of his Sense; a
For days, William used hisSenseas he cautiously navigated his way out of the swamp. He ensures that he leaves no tracks so those assassins will not follow him. William created a makeshift bow during his travels and dedicated his time to training his hunting skills. He made su
The night turned orange as the capital started a parade. Citizens flood the street as they celebrate the first day of the Tourney draws to a close. Most are in a festive mood but not William, as he still insisted on Lenato's shady action. Eldric shrugs it off and replies that he and Lenat
The cold wind of the morning comforts the citizen of Tarwood as they are slowly waking from their beds. But for William, it is the most exciting day of his life as he and Sir Eldric will begin their two-day travel to the capital to participate in the Grand Tourney that occurs every five years. Th