Dagen's POV
"Dagen, are you not listening?" He yelled again. "We have to get to a safe place."
And as the two sides continued to slice each other with their swords and the wounded men kept shouting in pain, it got really loud. It was almost like a roaring thunder, like a rainstorm. A sudden intensity began burning on my side and I realized I had been stabbed as I held where I'd felt the pain. As I was pulled onto my back, my vision started narrowing and as the darkness enveloped me from the sides, the world faded. I bore the pain until I began to lose consciousness in hopes that I would continue to fight but I could not. At the last moment, before I went unconscious, I was able to turn my head and see Nydia’s face, open-mouthed in horror.
When I woke up, the situation had changed. I was no longer fighting off the rebel soldiers but observing plainly as though from another eye. I watched as I lay on the ground, with no movement, and the colour drained from my face as I turned pale. Edvin and Nydia were beside me with wide open eyes trying to pull me to the safety line.
"Come on, Dagen, wake up!" Nydia’s voice was panicky and her fingers dug into my shoulders in an attempt to wake me up. "Dagen please, you can't leave us. You have to be alive to teach these rebels a lesson."
Edvin looked around, his eyes darting about reflexively. “We have to go faster,” he exclaimed, sounding anxious. ”Terry’s soldiers will find us if we decide to stay here.”
They kept on dragging me through the palace hallways, looking more tense and scared than I had ever seen them. All of a sudden, Tyler emerged at the end of the hall, his face was stony.
“You lowlife maggot. Betrayer,” Edvin spat, shooting his eyes with hatred, he unsheathed his sword, aiming at Tyler.
"Traitor!" Edvin yelled and stepped forward to him. ‘You certainly will never get us without a fight!’
Tyler raised both hands in a show of surrender. ‘I don’t wish you any ill,’ he added quietly. "I'm here to help."
"Why should we believe you?" Nydia shouted with a cracked voice, Although she was as afraid as she was angry.
Tyler stepped closer to Edvin and looked deep into his eyes. “I know you may not believe that I am here to help; after all, it was my father who committed this sin. But you have to know that I am as much a victim in this as you are. My father… He never again disclosed to me his intentions. There, there, I promise you, I am on your team, I am trying to help you escape."
Edvin thought for a while and did not put the sword down. "Prove it," he spat.
In silence, Tyler took out his sword and gave it to Edvin with a sad smile. “Here,” he declared calmly. "If anyone enters through the door, kill them and I won't object to it. If I am lying, feel free to kill me."
Edvin grabbed the hilt of the sword tightly and looked into Tyler’s face, expectantly, waiting for that one hint of insincerity. At last, he stooped to take it, raising the weapon to his face and sizing it up. "Fine," he said. “But if you turn on us, I will personally make sure that you wish you didn’t.”
Tyler simply nodded his head, what was evident on his face was relief. “This way,” He said, showing them a long dark hallway to what felt like an abandoned room. "You'll be safe here. There is no knowledge about it.”
Then Edvin forced Tyler to enter the room first with the sword pointed at him. "We know that you may be trying to trap us in this room so we can be killed. I'll kill you if I realize it."
Tyler stared right back at Edvin and did not blink. "You can," he admitted. “But I mean no harm. See? You can come in with me. There's not a single soul here."
What seemed to be several hours passed. Edvin and Nydia were standing guard before the door, and Tyler was sitting on the chair with his hands at the backside of the chair. I awoke and didn’t know what had happened. I looked around, trying to say something, but Edvin and Nydia could not even see me. They were too busy standing guard so I kept quiet.
After another eternity, footsteps were heard in the hallway. Edvin had drawn his weapon and tilted his head to the door, but instead of an enemy, it was Lord Allan who appeared, wounded, dragged to his feet, almost unable to stand.
"Father!" Edvin cried, running towards him and pulling him towards a chair nearby. He let go of the sword and briefly was oblivious to the presence of Tyler.
Lord Allan glanced at his son with pride and at the same time, with sadness in his heart. "Edvin," he said weakly. “Terry and his wife… they are no more.”
With the news, Tyler’s face collapsed and he began to cry. "No," he whispered. "No, it can't be..."
And then suddenly, Edvin glared at him, the hatred dripping in his voice could not be hidden. "Shut up!" he snarled. "Your parents were traitors! Don't you dare cry for them!"
Lord Allan sighed, holding his son firmly by the shoulders. "Edvin that is enough,” he said to him. He patted the pocket of his cloak and tossed a royal seal in front of his son. "You must protect this. And you must protect Dagen. At all costs."
Edvin looked at the seal, there was fear in his face. "Father... I..."
"It is your turn to take over," his father smiled sadly. "Just do as I say and don't make me stay in this world for longer."
"I will, Father. I promise." Edvin said crying. Nydia sank against the wall and began to sob.