Betrayal

The blood puddles around Clover's fallen body. His heart still pumps blood and is maintaining a steady beat. Clover cannot move and he is unconscious. The blood makes its way underneath the wooden door. Knights barge into the room after a woman screams and runs down the hall for help.

"King!" the Knight shouted, "Someone get the Doctor!"

"I'll go!" another knight says, running out of the room

"Hang in there, King." the Knight said

The Doctor rushes into the room with a bag full of medical equipment. The Doctor is a short and older man who keeps a mask over his face. The Doctor kneels next to Clover and turns him onto his back. He waves the knights away. The knights leave and the doctor is left alone. Then he checks for a pulse and is immediately relieved. He patches the hole in his chest and removes Clover's eye. He grabs an eye patch and wraps it around his head. In the medical bag is a bunch of syringes. One syringe has a weird symbol on it and the fluid in it is purple. He slowly sticks it in Clover's arm. His veins turn purple as the liquid makes its way up-stream and into the heart. The heart starts pumping faster and faster. Clover slowly enters into a seizure. The Doctor stands up and steps back and waits for Clover to settle down. Immediately after Clover stopped, he woke up and gained consciousness. The Doctor sat next to him and began to ask questions.

"How do you feel?" The Doctor asked

"I… I feel… fine." Clover slowly said

"Breathe. Just breathe." The Doctor said, "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Someone attacked me. I don't remember who it was." Clover said

"Anything?" The Doctor asked

"No. Sorry, Doctor." Clover said

"It's fine." The Doctor said

The Doctor gathered all of his things that he used and put them back into his bag and stood up. He helped Clover to his feet and sat him down in a seat. The Doctor waved before leaving him. The bloodstained door slowly closed behind him. Once the Doctor left, Clover put his head in his palm. Clover stood up and threw the chair he was sitting in at the wall. He screamed in rage. He glanced over to the door and saw General Parthal standing there.

"I hope you have brought good news." Clover said

"They were not in the sewer." Partal said

"On the East coast?" Clover asked

"On the West wall." Parthal said

"What?" Clover said, turning over to Parthal, "I said East."

"I… I misheard you, sir." Parthal said, "I thought you said the West coast."

In the blink of an eye, Clover unsheathed his sword and cut off Parthal's head with god-like speed. Rage filled Clover's eye, soul and heart. Parthal's body fell to the ground and his head rolled down the stairs. Royal Knights quickly ran up to the corridor and saw Clover standing over Parthal's body with a grin.

"King, what happened?" a knight asked

"He disobeyed me." Clover snarled, "Clean this up."

Clover stepped over the body and walked over to the main hallway. The knights looked at each other with fear. One knight cowardly followed Clover to his room. Clover changes his clothes and walks over to the barracks. He meets with Leonard. Clover and Leonard walk into a private room. In the room is just a table and some chairs.

"Where was the bar?" Clover asked

"Jumping straight in, huh." Leo said, "It was in the East. Just like you told us."

"Who was us?" Clover asked

"Parthal and myself." Leo said

"Parthal is dead." Clover bluntly said, "I killed him."

"I thought you would. When I ran after them through the sewers, he was not there." Leo said

"How is Jack?" Clover asked

"He is holding up. He's beaten me a few times while sparring." Leo said, "He'll become a great knight one day."

"That's good." Clover said, while relaxing.

"What happened to you?" Leo asked

"I was attacked." Clover said

"By whom?" Leo asked

"I don't know." Clover said

"I have lots of bad news." Leo said

"Tell me." Clover said

"As you know Phoenix got away and the relic was stolen. The worst part is that they aren't connected." Leo said

Clover sits silently. Leonard looks at him and it seems Clover doesn't want to talk any more. Leo stands up and leaves the room and continues to train knights. Clover pounded the table with his fist, cracking the table.

The wind sends a cold chill through the kingdom. The last leaves begin to fall off the trees. Before they knew it, winter had come. Winter only hits North of Shark Sea. South of the sea gets cold but never below sixty degrees. The snow sparkles in the sunlight and the ice shines. James' feet crunch on the freshly fallen snow. James walks up to Lavernius and stands next to him outside of the castle.

"What a night." Lavernius said, "It snowed all of this just yesterday."

"I know. The weather up here changes drastically." James said

"It's beautiful." Lavernius said

"It is. Are you ready?" James asked

"I am. Do you know what he has decided?" Lavernius asked

"I do." James said

"And?" Lavernius asked

"You shall see." James said.

Lavernius and James enter into the castle. The Royal Knights escort them to the throne room. Lavernius and James both kneel before King John Baron. John raises his hand and they stand. Lavernius looks at James before walking closer to John. John opens his mouth and pauses before saying his answer.