Chapter 4

Now you know what led to my present predicament. I was too weak to resist as two rough pairs of hands dragged me by my feet. We must have gone barely two miles when suddenly a bay horse rode down a hill with mind-blowing speed. The mercs were so shocked that they did not have time to draw their weapons before it was upon them. In the blink of an eye, the rider, a tall person completely cloaked in blue thrust two Laserblades into my captors' throats. Before they had even fallen, the person dismounted and helped me up, ordering me "Climb on!"

The figure quickly jumped into the saddle. In a daze, I reached out and a gloved hand pulled me up. I wrapped my hands around the rider for balance. Then, with a single smack of reins, the bay horse galloped through the mercenary horde. The last thing I heard was von Steinus bellowing "Vincent, blast that horse. You have a bloody mech!"

Even in my dazed condition, I knew we would not be hit. The horse was much too fast. I also knew that the ‘mech' couldn't pursue us. It needed an energy-powered launch pad to lift off from the ground and use its mechanical wings to fly. I hadn't noticed any launch pads with the merc force and the machine was too heavy to lift off on its own.

Finally, I gave in to exhaustion and nodded off as I held onto the rider.

*****

"Wake up!"

I came awake groggily, my hand reaching for my sidearm out of habit. Not finding a weapon reminded of what had transpired. Turning my head sideways I looked into the hazel-brown eyes of my rescuer. The lower part of the face was covered by a strip of blue cloth.

"Slept well?"

I registered that the voice issuing from under the cloth was female and it was one I distinctly remembered.

"Cassandra?! What are you doing here?” I asked dumbfounded.

Cassandra was the daughter of Duke Quentin Fernandèz of Los Anglenz and more importantly...she was my childhood best friend.

"I am here to help you, Michael! I have been worried sick ever since I learned Jonas kicked you out. When I heard your announcement, I rode out under cover of darkness to help you. We grew up together; you can't expect me to just let you die!”

She smiled sadly, “I was out on the borders serving in the army when you were disowned so I didn’t know! My father informed me when I returned. I know you brothers well enough to figure out that Jonas killed the Grand Vizier. I will match my blade to yours." The heiress to Los Anglenz removed her veil and smiled grimly.

The proposal was tempting...too tempting. But...Cassandra was my childhood friend; I couldn't let her get hurt, I had already lost far too many friends. So, I played my one and only card. "I lost my whole army, I can't fight them anymore."

She shook her head "I know you. Von Steinus killed your friends; you won't rest until he is dead."

The argument went on for some time until she forced me to accept her help at swordpoint. Finally surrendering to her wishes, I informed her that all my Knights were in fact, not dead as I face-palmed.

"The day before, we received an anonymous message stating that there was something I must hear; a warning. I was supposed to meet our contact in the Archaic Weapons Museum. I sent a few of my Knights there. The plan was that if this warning turned out to be a trap then we could exchange the mercenaries that we captured in the Crooked Lands for our comrades.”

Cassandra listened intently.

I thought quickly, “First, we need to go to the rendezvous point and get a feel of the situation. Also, put that veil on, we don't need anyone recognizing you."