The Day the Kingdom Fell

"I remember when you were just a young one, Oliver. Just a little boy learning how to harness a sword for the first time." Sir Reginald's voice was powerful and he gripped the rapier in his hand. Something felts wrong here though. I was supposed to be protecting the princess today, not lectured by the man who taught me how to fight. His eyes were filled with hatred, but I couldn't figure out for what or for who. "I was hoping you would come to understand my ways. The truth behind the royals on the throne. The fact that centuries ago, their ancestors stole this land from my kind."

"What are you saying? They aren't responsible for the actions of their ancestors!" My voice trembled as I spoke, though not from fear. Rage echoed through my body as he inched closer. My hand found it's way to the hilt of the rapier on my waist.

"They didn't do anything to change what happened though! The Fae want their land back, and they want it now. I have to kill you while the rest of the forces assassinate the royal family."

"No, I won't let you do that. Reginald, you are better than this."

"Reginald is not my name, boy. I am Doryu, Protector of the Fae." Before I could utter another word, his body contorted and expanded at the same time. His hands and feet turned into sharp dragon claws, limbs shortening so he could stand on all fours. His torso grew scales and large, crimson wings sprouted from his back. His face twisted and extended into the snout of his true form. "Now do you understand, human boy. It is time for you to die."

The dragon lunged at me, and adrenaline finally kicked in. Before he could strike, I swung my sword at his throat. Or at least in the direction of his throat. I had hit him for sure, a loud roar escaping the body of the dragon who called himself Doryu. Panic flooded my body. I had to kill this creature in order to fulfill my duties of protecting the royal family. Blue blood dripped down the blade and towards my hands as I held the sword in front of me.

"I won't let you kill me, and I sure as hell won't let the rest of the Fae forces touch the royal family." It was bold to even say that. How could I have expected to defeat a creature that no one knew existed? How could I defeat a creature that I didn't know the weakness of. There was very little chance it would happen, and Doryu knew it too. The blood dripped from his throat as he stepped towards me, letting out a roar that made my soul tremble in fear.

I scrambled to remember ways to kill what was unknown, but nothing came to me. Unless I took the risk of shoving my sword through this things chest, there was no way I would be able to quickly kill the dragon and run back to the royal family in time to save them. Then came the feeling of cold air burning my insides. In the time it took for me to think of a plan, the dragon had clawed at my chest and left a large open wound. Despite me wearing armor that had tolerated arrows trying to pierce it, his claws were able to destroy what I was wearing.

My hand clamped around the hilt of my rapier as he stands on his own hind limbs. This was going to be my only chance to strike and kill him. I charged forward, leaping into the air and pushing my sword at his chest. I could only assume wear the heart was. I could only hope I hit a vital organ if I didn't get the heart. I could only beg for the gods to give me a chance to survive this ordeal. Why had I even listened when he told me to come here? I should have stayed with the royal family, then I could protect them.

As my thoughts burrowed into my mind, another roar came from the dragon before me. This one was weaker than the first. I had struck something important. I knew it. I landed back onto the ground with my sword dripping with more blood and the wound I left in his chest was leaking. He made another swipe at me with his claws and struck my lower legs. I hit the ground far harder than I had thought I would, but the sound of another thing hitting the ground hard made a flood of endorphins explode through me. I clasped onto my sword again as I slowly made my way to my feet. Doryu, once Sir Reginald, laid still on his abdomen. His wings splayed open to reveal a weak spot in the scales behind his neck. This would be my last chance and I approached his body.

"I'm sorry it had to end this way for you. May you find peace wherever you end up." My sword rose up and then down through the neck. A solid snapping noise came from the body as the spinal cord of the dragon broke in half. I didn't have time to celebrate though. There was no way of knowing if the royal family was still alive. I had to rush to find out and hope that I made it on time.

I broke into a sprint that was faster than ever before. I had been on the western side of the castle and in the armory when I was attacked. The distraction by the dragon would have been enough time for other Fae forces to barge into the throne room and kill the royal family without warning. My footsteps echoed down the empty corridors as I kept going. There was no way I would make it, right? I had to have been too late. My heart pounded against my chest as the area came into view. The doors had been ripped from their hinges and solid, stone statues had been torn down and shattered. My heart dropped to my stomach as I stepped inside the throne room for the last time. There laid each of the members of the royal family, all with large holes in their chest cavities. Tears had threatened to leave my eyes as I knelt beside the body of the princess I had been sworn to protect. Failure crept into me and the wounds on my chest were no longer the only part that hurt. I had failed to complete my duties. The only thing I could do was lay beside them and await for the castle to fall.