Chapter 12

Ken's blood ran cold as he realized the truth. The advisor didn't just want power. He wanted the Blood Sword. And he would stop at nothing to get it.

"He must have known I had it," Ken whispered, the sound of his own voice barely audible above the din of his thoughts. "He must have been watching me."

The realization sent a shiver of fear down his spine. If the advisor wanted the sword and Ken was currently in the dungeon, that would mean it's already in the hands of the advisor or about to be given to him.

"I have to stop him from using the blood sword, I have to find out a way to escape from here?" He thought to him self as he held the cell bars in desperation to escape.

A few minutes into his predicament, he hears light footsteps approaching from the dungeon's metallic door. In a quick attempt to not raise any alarm, he laid on the ground and acted like he was unconscious.

And immediately the dungeon's door opened as the footsteps approached him, his heart began to race as he could not comprehend the intention of the person approaching him.

Ken's heart hammered in his chest as the footsteps stopped in front of his cell.

"Has the advisor finally made his move?, has he sent someone to kill me?" He thought to himself as multiple questions disturbed him.

Fear and uncertainty coursed through his veins as he waited, motionless, for the person's next move. Then, a voice, soft and familiar, broke through the silence. "Ken? Ken? Are you alright?"

Ken's eyes snapped open, his mind racing to identify the speaker. The voice was familiar, but he couldn't place it.

As the seconds ticked by, he realized that the person had to be an ally, or they would have attacked already. But who? And why were they here?

Ken scrambled to his feet, his body tensing as he prepared for a fight. But the person standing before him was an unarmed guard with the imperial armor on him.

"Relax Ken, I'm not here to harm you in any way. I came to set you free" The guard said.

Ken was surprised and suspicious of the guard.

"Why? Why would you help me escape and risk putting your life on the line?" Ken glared at him with suspicion covering his eyes.

"Listen Ken, not everyone wants the advisor to take the position of emperor. Some of us are only loyal to the emperor and not the empire" the guard said with determination in his eyes.

Ken's heart pounded with a mix of relief and urgency, his eyes never leaving the guard's. He knew he couldn't afford to waste a second, not when so much was at stake.

"You're taking a huge risk," he said, his voice taut with tension. "But I appreciate it. I have to find the Blood Sword before the advisor does anything crazy with it. Do you know where it is?"

The guard nodded, his expression grave. "There's a secret passage that leads to the throne room. If the sword is anywhere, it would be in the throne room with the advisor"

"Then that's where we're going," Ken said, his voice firm and decisive. "If we can get there before the advisor, we might be able to stop him."

The guard nodded, his eyes grim. "We have to hurry," he said, leading the way through the twisting passages of the dungeon. "If the advisor gets the sword, he'll be unstoppable."

Ken followed close behind, his mind racing. If he could just get the sword back, if he could just stop the advisor, maybe there was still a chance to save the emperor and the kingdom.

As they navigated the winding corridors, the tension mounted. Every twist and turn brought them closer to the throne room, but also closer to the possibility of discovery.

They stopped abruptly as they heard voices echoing down the hall, and ducked into an alcove, pressing themselves into the shadows.

"He's in the throne room," the guard whispered, his eyes darting back and forth. "And he's not alone. We'll have to wait until he's distracted to make our move."

Ken nodded, his body tense and coiled like a spring.

Minutes passed like hours as they waited, each breath a calculated risk. And then, the advisor's voice cut through the silence, his words tinged with triumph.

"At last, the Blood Sword is mine. With this power, I will crush anyone who stands in my way."

The guard's eyes widened, a look of sheer terror passing over his face. "We have to hurry," he whispered. "He's already got the sword. If we don't stop him now..."

Ken nodded, his face set in a grim mask. There was no time to waste.

They burst from the shadows, sprinting down the corridor toward the throne room. The guard threw open the door, revealing the advisor standing at the center of the chamber, the Blood Sword clutched in his hand.

As they rushed into the room, the advisor turned, a look of surprise and fury on his face. "What is the meaning of this?" he roared.

Ken didn't hesitate. He charged forward in an attempt to snatch the sword from the advisor.

In the blink of an eye, the advisor swung the Blood Sword, its blade singing through the air with deadly precision. Ken barely managed to dodge the blow, his heart racing as he saw the bloodlust in the advisor's eyes.

"You won't get away with this," Ken growled, dodging another blow and countering with a strike of his own. "The Blood Sword doesn't belong to you."

The advisor laughed, a manic edge to his voice. "The sword belongs to the strongest, Ken," he said, parrying the strike and thrusting forward. "And I am the strongest."

As Ken parried the strike, he knew he had to outsmart the advisor, not just overpower him. With a calculated feint, he drew the advisor in and made a lightning-fast grab for the Blood Sword.

The advisor's eyes widened in surprise as Ken wrenched the sword from his grip. And then, before the advisor could recover, Ken struck the hilt against the advisor's head, knocking him back.

As the advisor crumpled to the ground, Ken stood triumphant, the Blood Sword glinting in his hand. But as he turned to the guard, he heard a sound that froze his blood.

Footsteps, echoing down the corridor. More guards, coming to investigate the commotion.

"We need to get out of here," the guard hissed, his eyes darting between the unconscious advisor and the approaching guards. "Now."

With no other choice, Ken sheathed the Blood Sword and sprinted toward the exit, the guard close behind.

With the enemy guards hot on their heels, Ken and the guard raced through the corridors of the palace, their only goal: escape.