CH 3: In a Tense Situation

There were dense dark clouds covering the whole sky, nobody could saw the end of these clouds trails. Blocking the rays from sun to descend on the ground. Giving only enough light to safely see around you.

The strange thing was there was movement in these clouds, Its like someone has stuck these clouds here. And even with their dark color, It didn't seem like there will be any kind of rain.

Because of that I ground under It were barren and dead. After looking at such ground one would think 'there will definitely be no one who will be able to live here'.

There is no way any type of plant could grow here and no any sane person would want to live here as there were resources require for living.

Maybe as a nature's miracle, there was a giant tree growing in such barren land. But this tree was entirely different from any normal trees. It's trunks were ashen colored and it's leaves were as dark as ink.

It was like this tree was surviving through absorbing the darkness itself around it rather the light from the sun. This tree was definitely no ordinary kind.

If there was only this one, It would had been a miracle of nature. But right north side of this tree, there were entire forest full to these trees.

Arranged in an order and sequence that a path was created going towards center of the forest. It was like someone or something had created the entire forest. And there seemed to be no sign of any small animal

This strange forest was so big that It might rival the Amazon forest itself in size. From outside the forest, no one will be able to see where the path in the forest was leading to.

But at the center of the forest, there was a huge castle standing covered with strong and thick walls and tall towers around it with forest acting as a natural wall, it was like a combination of a castle and a fortress.

The entire castle was crystal black, shining slightly even in such environment with faint light. Any person seeing this for first time would be struck awe by it. Any king or emperor would desire such a castle for himself, some may even fight over it.

From the number of torches around the castle, walls and on towers, there seems to be like a large number of people live here and If you focus on the walls you will saw that significant number of soldiers covered in grey armors, could be seen patrolling the walls, make the security around the castle very strict that even an experienced spy would not be able bypass the wall harmlessly.

It was like that they were at war with someone and they were expecting their enemy to be coming here.

Suddenly the guard on the east tower begin to scream, alerting everyone from a incoming suspected enemy from the east side.

Every shadow after standing in shock for a second, began to run around properly for preparation and to inform their higher ranked officer.

From there quick arrangement preparation and gathering around the east wall, their action describes how each of them was an elite and how much they saw their enemy as a threat.

The wall was filled with soldiers with auto-crossbow like weapons in their hand already filled and ready to shoot. And the mages covering their entire body in a cloak were positioned on the towers there preparing a huge spell together against their enemy.

From far distance something could be seen coming towards them at a great speed, Every soldier who saw this becomes tense. Don't knowing whether they will be able live until tomorrow or not.

As the suspected enemy came closer, soldiers with sharp view were able to completely saw it's appearance. It was a bus-size indigo colored lizard with wings attached to it's arms, definitely a wyvern as in fantasy novels, and a person in complete black armor could be seen ridding the wyvern with difficulty, surely because of some injures.

As one of the soldiers on the wall recognized the coming individual, he immediately began to shout.

"Cease fire!! Cease fire!! Bring the healers and doctors over here immediately!! Tell them its emergency!!"

As soon other heard this, few of them run towards the castle for healers. And other began to relax their tensed shoulders.

The wyvern soon crossed the walls safely and landed at the open ground behind walls. The soldiers began to move the black armored individual from the wyvern, who was breathe heavily right now like it has travelled from a long distance without any rest.

As the soldiers removed the helmet of the individual, almost every soldier was surprised because almost everyone there knew him and he was in very bad state as lot of blood was flowing from his head.

"!?Isn't he Sir Igor Duncan? How is he in such state? And where are the other members of the Dark Knights?"

"Since Sir Igor is in such state there is high chance that other members are dead."

This statement from one soldier caused even more surprise and fear with them.

" How is this possible? Weren't Dark Knights most strongest knights in entire demon realm?"

"Could it be that the rumor about the hero being as strong as a god is true?"

"What will we do now? It's not like we can do anything to the Hero, If even almost all members of Dark Knight could not defeat him."

"Silence!!"

While the moral of soldiers were dropping, someone shouted at them bringing them back from their confused minds. As the soldiers looked upward towards the source of the sound, there was a man flying with black feather wings on his back wearing full red armor and a black spear in his hand.

"It's General Gideon!"

"Why the hell are you gathering all here? Do you want to kill Sir Igor from his injures? Send him Immediately to doctors right now Or else I'll kill each of you right here, If Sir Igor dies here."

After the threat from their general, some soldiers immediately began to lift Igor on their backs and run for infirmary in the castle. Others begin to return to their previous posts.

When all the soldiers dispersed, General Gideon looks towards the east side.

"Now what should we do? If we doesn't do anything, It will be dangerous for all of us. I hope Your Highness can save us from this threat."

He mumbled in such small voice that no one could here him, wearing a worried expression on his face.