NightTime Roads

And once again, we're back. If you haven't been reading this story, you will have no idea what the heck this chapter is about. Another chapter to be added too!


Chapter 22


Antros and Rekia stared down Idora, while Ayisa and Evia stayed back, letting them handle Antros' brother. Kilas looked on from his position, moving back slightly as if to give the fighters some room. Antros held his sword at the ready, Idora copying him, while Rekia brandished his spear with one hand, Evia setting an arrow into her bow.

"You know, it seems boring that you just get to play. Everyone should join in the fun!" Kilas said, as he snapped his fingers. Almost immediately, as if waiting for this signal, the doors near the back opened up again, as nearly three dozen guards entered the room. "Guards. Listen well. These people try to bring war to our beloved kingdom. Kill them all!"

"Not good. Antros, I'll hold them off, just worry about your brother!" Rekia shouted as he moved away and toward the fray of guards now rushing across the room. The guards ranged from all different sizes, the larger ones holding battleaxes and broadswords, while the others handled short swords and daggers. Evia also turned her attention to the oncoming guards, letting an arrow fly, hoping to stop them from advancing long enough to buy them time.

Faced alone against Antros, Idora struck hard, Antros mimicing his movements so thier blades clashed against each other, metal on metal, the sound echoing in the room. They pressed hard against each other, each one striving for the other to given in and surrender the advantage, but when neither one refused to back down, they broke off and circled each other, waiting for the next opening.

Evia's arrows continued to take out the front guards as they came upon Rekia. While four or five had gone down, the others simply went over them, uncaring for thier fallen comrades. Rekia's spear thrust out, killing two more guards as they rushed upon him, trying to smash him down with thier overwhelming numbers. Rekia countered by unleashing his weapon and swiping in an arc shape, clearing the area and killing any guards who were too close. As Rekia faced at least a dozen guards all around him in a semi-circle, the other dozen or so guards went after Evia.

Evia quickly launched her arrows, sending two or three at a time. Some hit thier intended targets, while others were deflected by the swords. In the end, she had only managed to bring down half of them with only two arrows remaining. Quickly she pulled out a rather small dagger, whose purpose was a slight defense in the event she had run out of arrows. Charging foward, she sliced and brought down two more guards before knocking away the sword of another guard. Still, at this point she could do nothing but duck and weave as the remaining guards struck out, each blow intending to kill.

Antros and Idora eached continue to exchange strikes, both of them wearing each other down, yet neither one gaining an advantage. At the rate this was going, it would end up in a stalemate for them, although the same couldn't be said of Antros' companions. As each blade struck again, the echoing sound clashing through thier minds, Antros tried to kick Idora's exposed side. Idora however, had seen it coming and kicked out his own leg to meet with Antros' midway. The two collided, and both were forced to break away from each other, each one panting for breath, waiting for the other to drop thier guard.

"Not bad... for one with little experience." Antros said, surprised by how Idora had been keeping up with him.

Idora smiled to his brother. "Must run in the family, huh?" Idora rushed up again, forcing Antros to reenter his defensive position. He blocked the blade easily enough, but had failed to realize his brother had used only one hand to hold and strike with the blade. His other hand was free to aim a punch directly at Antros' face, and Antros, who realized his mistake too late, was defenseless to stop it. The punch knocked him down and Idora sensed his chance to end it. He was ready to send his sword crashing down and spilt Antros in two, when Antros struck his leg out and knocked Idora off balance. Seeing the tables had turned, Antros tried to strike Idora while he was down, but Idora quickly rolled out of the way and got up, back into stance.

Once again, they had gone back to square one.

Two guards rushed in, only to meet thier end against Rekia's spear. Another one, much larger then Rekia, raised his battleaxe and brought it down hard, forcing Rekia to block. Rekia put all his effort into stopping the axe, while another guard rushed in with a dagger, ready to thrust into Rekia's side. Thinking quickly, Rekia released his guard against the battleaxe wielding guard, forcing him to pull back, as he dodged the attack from the dagger wielding one. Giving a mighty kick, he knocked the guards into each other, forcing them down and causing the axe to slip out and fall on them both. The remaining two guards seemed unfazed by this action and circled around Rekia, waiting for an opening to attack.

Evia back away from her attackers. Although she had disarmed one and managed to take down another, it was still three on one, against someone who wasn't that good fighting in close combat. It was never a good sign. The one she had disarmed lunged foward, knocking her own weapon out of her hand and forcing her to stumble. The other two guards looked ready to rush, but one suddenly stiffened and fell. The reason became apparent when Evia saw Rekia's spear had prieced the armor and made the killing blow, it's owner having finished off the guards and come to rescue her. Evia knocked out her disarmed attacker, while Rekia finished off the last one.

With the odds now heavily in favor of his opponent, Idora was glad to hear the scream that came from the back of the hall. Engrossed in the battle so much, noone had realized Kilas had managed to sneak up and grab Ayisa, forcing a gag over her. Now it was off, and everyone seemed distracted at her distress. Idora used this moment to punch Antros out of the way and run to Kilas' side. The three were starting to recover from the assualt against them, as Antros stepped foward.

"Release her! Now!"

"No, I don't think so. I have plans, and I can't let them be ruined by you. No, I think the young princess will make a nice hostage." Kilas looked to a shocked Ayisa. "Yes, I know it's you, Princess Ayisa. With you, I can get Gaia Kingdom to bow before me as I crush them under the heel of my boot. If you want to see her alive," Kilas said, now returning his attention to the three, "then you know what to do. Come to your deaths." He rushed up the stairway, draging Ayisa along while Idora followed them.

"Ayisa! AYISA!!!!!"