Champion of Dawn

Chapter IV: Dance with the Devils

Under the clouded sky in the midst of the night, the great prison hold of Skyhold is under attack by the foul creatures of the night. To what reason they should attack an old ancient brig such as this? As per the one who led this assault, the vampire who calls himself “Klauss Kulihar”, an offspring of a vampire lord known as “Lord Kulihar”, he states that he was tasked to find someone who is currently at the Skyhold at this very moment. But the question still remains on “who” is this individual?

“What am I supposed to do?” in the blonde man’s mind as he is having a dilemma in who should he help at this very moment. So far as the situation goes, the prisoner by the stairs that descends to the ground level of the hold is being overrun by a pack of death hounds who clearly looked like a creature that spawn from the netherworld, while on the corridors, the female Imperial-Captain who is in the great hall earlier is being outnumbered by two ghastly gargoyles who seemed to wipe-out the group she was in…

“May the God forgive me…” he tells to himself as he turned his back on the stairs and run straight to the corridors like he was the one who caused the miserable fate of the prisoner.

“Gaaghhh! You winged-devilries! I will slay either one you before I draw the last of my breath!” the captain’s declaration as she readies herself to charge head-on the two gargoyles. It doesn’t even look like a two-to-one of disadvantage but a four-to-one if you judge the sizes of those fiend.

“Make that two of them and I will gladly lend you a hand!” said by the blonde man as he came to the rescue as he rams himself with his shield to the gargoyle nearest of him. The gargoyle was staggered and was pushed aside while the other one didn’t expect the preemptive strike the man did.

“Scraaaghhh!!” roared by the gargoyle.

“W-W-Who are you? Are you the one of the living?” asked by the captain as she is in a complete panic whether she’s really been saved or not.

“Worry not, Captain, I’m here to help. We need to run first and split them up. We won’t be able to best them if they are together!” said by the man as he grabs hold of the hand of the captain and they retreated back to the stairs. Even though it is most likely that the prisoner by the stairs has been already dead and devoured by the hounds, he still hoped that they will make it in time to help him but sadly, they heard a terrifying crunch and violent gnaw that can make your blood chill just by hearing it. At that moment he already knows the answer as they just make their way to find other stairs that will lead to the ground level.

“By the Gods… I-I am so sorry….” the man wails as he run.

“W-What do you mean?” asked by the captain beside him as heard what he said.

“N-No… it’s just… It’s nothing, let us find another way down before the gargoyles catches up on us,” he nervously replied.

“Of course, let us go then, Ser?” replied by the captain as she nodded and trying to know who is she referring to.

“Geordan. You can call me that. I know we started out on a very opposite footing but right now we must work together to live through this nightmare,”  he said to let her know where he stands. The captain examined him and finally realized that he’s the one who was supposed to be the next one in the guillotine.

“Hmph. I see, you’re the prisoner who is on the block earlier. It’s quite amusing to think that you were able to avoid your beheading. Are you related to this incident?” accused by the captain as she points her sword to Geordan.

“Calm down, Captain. I don’t have anything to do with this, and I’m not even a part of the rebellion! Would I be in your aid to those two gargoyles if I’m the one responsible for this mess?” response of Geordan to the captain.

“…I understand. My apologies to you, Ser Geordan. The situation is getting out of hand right now and I thought that will be last moment in there… And thank you as well… For saving me,” the gratitude by the captain.

“If we can start over again, I am Captain Berin Amaya of the Imperial 7th Defense Battalion. We were ordered by the general to secure the remaining non-combatant personnel here at Skyhold to evacuate the hold to safety and as far as you can see… I am the only one left in my squad. We all got scattered when those flying demons came swooping down on us,” said by the captain as she explained her situation to her newfound companion. While they are on the middle of their conversation, they heard ghastly howl at their backside.

“Screeeaagghhh!” screamed by the gargoyle who is on their tail finally making its way to catch up to them.

“Here it comes! Run!” shout by Geordan. They again run for their lives as the gargoyle managed to chase them, and there are heading to the front side of the hold. They were at the far-left side of Skyhold, and as they were about to reach an intersection,

“The path splits!” stating the obvious by Captain Amaya. The corridor is splits into two, one that goes straight and other one to the right opposite to the veranda overlooking the great hall from below. As for the difference of the two routes, the path straight doesn’t seem to be at any danger at the moment, while the other option to the right is not very clear whether it does have any opposition because they can’t see what manner of danger will be there as they run.

“Let’s keep running straight ahead! For now, it seems to be the coast is clear.” said by Captain Amaya as she runs wearing an iron armor making such ruckus as the sound of iron scratches.

“No! I have a bad a feeling if we go further ahead. It’s too convenient and I’m pretty sure the silence there may be an ambush lying in wait for us.” declines by Geordan.  As they draw near the intersection,

“Turn right, let’s go!” yelled by Geordan as he quickly turns to the side passage. “W-Wait! Ugh… I’m going!” the captain follows.

As they proceed, they hid to the pillars hugging the conner of the corridor which is wide enough to conceal them to the following gargoyle.

“Lean towards the wall!” whispered by Geordan to the captain. They are positioned at the opposite direction of each other face to face, as they catch their breath and kept silence, they heard howling and cries of some hounds coming from the path straight ahead of the previous one they supposed to proceed.

“Death hounds!” screamed by Amaya at a very low voice. The path straight has a pack of death hounds who are lying in wait as they are feasting upon the remains of some unlucky soldiers and prisoners a like.

“See? Just as I suspect!” said by Geordan. They can also hear now the heavy pounding of the gargoyle’s wings as it follows them.

“We have the advantage of surprise now, when it turns here, I will disable it and lower its guard and in that opening, finish it off by attacking it’s face or better the mouth.” proposition of Geordan to the captain.

“Why the face?” asked by the captain who is unsure about the plan.

“Their skin is like a rock and I tangled with one of them on the way here. Don’t hit their head as well because those horns aren’t just for decoration.” explained by Geordan as he readies himself to initiate his plan.

“Here it comes!” as it turns to their direction, Geordan bashed its face with shield and while staggered, he delivered blows to the joints of the beast such its knees and arms as it comes kneeling after the attack.

“Dang it, the creature’s hide is very sturdy!” echoes to Geordan’s mind as he signaled the captain to finish it off.

“Now, captain!” The captain lunges in as Geordan backs away slightly as she plunges the tip of her sword right through the mouth of the demonic creature as it wasn’t even able cry out as the blade penetrates from its mouth to the top its head.

“Kachuunkk!” as the captain pull out her blade to beast’s mouth. Greenish-blood covered her blade as the gargoyle falls down to its end.

“Well done, Captain.” complimented by Geordan.

As the gargoyle lies dead, Captain Amaya stared down on it as if is she is staring at the horrifying bedtime tales that mothers used to tell their children at night…

“T-This is an actual demon….” said by Amaya as her voice started to shake.

“…I myself can’t really describe any logical reasoning to these creatures. Even though she’s a soldier and warrior, she’s still a woman who knows fear…” playing on Geordan’s mind as he saw on the captain’s face a faint sliver of tear sliding down on her tanned yet smooth cheeks. The tremble on her hand while gripping her sword shows the terrifying experience she been through and can’t seem to word how she feels.

“I… I know it’s been a very rough night, Captain. But right now, the only thing we need to do know is survive. We need to flee from here so that we can warn the others and makes sure it won’t again,” said by Geordan as he placed his hand on the captain’s shoulder.

 “… Yes, I understand and right now just call me Amaya. Because right now, I don’t think I deserve such title… Weeping, being petrified out of fear… Right now, I’m just a weakling who can’t even save or protect her own men…” she said as she removed her helm revealing a long dark-reddish hair. She’s not a native of the Empire, tanned skin with a very slim glow. She hails from the far south of the Empire of Cyrius, from the land of sands the of Shakir the home of the desert-dweller Shakirians.