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"Good Kings are slaves, and their people are free."
-Marie Leszczynska
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So maybe it wasn't the best plan, but it sure as nether was working to a degree. It put distance between them and the dark mages, but they willingly went into a sinkhole. Those decisions had to be questioned.

Jason grabbed Sky, preventing him from falling off the patch of land that was still questionable walkable. But the patch that the four have found refuge on is sinking and crumbling away.

"This has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever done!" Jason said.

Mitch nods, agreeing with him. "But it is working," Mitch said seeing the dark mages were struggling to get a clear line of sight on the four. He couldn't believe that this was working as well as it was, he was impressed it was working at all. He was sure that they were all going to die. But while Jason and Sky did their best to protect Mitch, who was carrying Seto, Mitch was trying to find a way out of this mess. The only problem was that this mess is exactly as it is, a mess. He didn't know how to get out of this since he wouldn't even think to put himself into this situation to begin with. Mitch looked at Sky. "Sky! What's next? I'm out of ideas, so it's onto you!"

Sky looked at Mitch. "W-What?! But you're the king--"

"Yeah, and you're the one who said let's jump into the sinkhole," Mitch said. Sky gripped his sword in his hand, his eyes darted around him, looking for a way out.

"Sky, your eyes, use your Skylen abilities!" Jason told him. Sky glanced at Jason and nodded. 'Right!' Sky thought before he closed his eyes. He paused for a moment before they opened, his eyes shift from their golden yellow to a purplish red color. His eyes stopped in one direction as his sight expanded out in front of him. And once he saw what he wanted, he couldn't help but smile.

"What do you see?" Mitch asked Sky.

"Just want I predicted..." Sky said before the ground shifted under their feet and Sky's eyes returned to normal. The ground shifted, changing and repairing, making the sinkhole that Seto created disappear as the land mended. But while Sky, Seto, Mitch, and Jason were enveloped in a reddish aura and floating up, the dark mages were pushed down, disappearing under the mending land as it crushed them to death.

The land repaired, making it look like nothing even happened in the first place. Jason and Mitch looked around, Mitch's eyes stopping on two wizards making him smirk. 'The Fyre Brothers...' Mitch thought before Jason spoke.

"Wait, so Prince Adam's crazy plan actually worked?" Jason asked shocked beyond belief.

Mitch nods. "Looks like it," he said before two wizards rushed up to the four.

"Is that Seto? Is he okay?" one asked.

Adam looked at them as the king spoke. "He's fine, I hope. Should probably be checked out by the healers though," the king said.

"Who is this?" one of them asked.

Mitch glanced at Adam and the two mages. "Oh, right," he said as he looked at Adam. "Sky, this is Master James Waglington and Master Phil Southam. They are light mages, friends of ours, and two of the four mages of the Fyre Brothers," he said before looking at the two mages. "I'll fill you in on the details later in a more private setting. What's the look on the dark mages?" he asked.

"Well, that sinkhole of yours took almost the entire army out and sent the rest of them running. Anywho escaped in ships were sunk by Prince Ty and his crew," Phil explained. Mitch smiled a bit before looking over at Sky.

"How did you know--"

Sky shakes his head. "I didn't, I just took a gamble since you and the General didn't have any ideas," Sky said.

Mitch nods a bit, liking Sky more and more. "Well, I will say that you have your father's strategic thinking. I've heard stories from my father about the crazy stunts he's seen the Skaldian Prince pull that work in the end," he said before he looked towards the two wizards. "Anything else to report?"

Sky flinched, looking around, he sensed something wrong. Like they were being watched.

Phil nods. "From what I could tell, yes, you do know about what has befallen Estron?" he asked.

Mitch nods. "Unfortunately yes, I--"

"Look out!" Sky shouted before he tackled Mitch down to the ground, a spell flying over the two and striking the ground, leaving a crater in its wake. Mitch stared at the crater before quickly checking on Seto, who since he was carrying on his back fell with him.

"Are you okay, sire?" Phil asked.

Mitch nods, he looks at Sky. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for that," he said before a voice screamed one order that made the situation direr.

"Kill King Mitchell while he's down! He's unguarded and vulnerable!"

Jason drew his sword instantly looking around for any attacker that took upon the voice that gave the order.

"We need to get behind the city's walls, that is the only place where the king is safe," Phil suggested. Mitch looked at Jason, while he had confidence in the general, he could tell that exhaustion and fatigue were setting in, they were setting in for all of them. None of them can take much more of this. Especially the Shivoans who have been fighting for days on end with little to no rest.

"Tsk," Mitch scoffed starting to understand what is driving the dark mages' confidence all of a sudden. 'I'm beginning to understand that these idiots forget who I am,' he thought. Mitch only has about two arrows left and he is known as one of the best archers in history while his swordship skills are mostly unknown since he isn't seen using a sword very often. But that doesn't necessarily mean he can't use a sword, in fact, Mitch is great with swords since he was required to learn swordplay because he is royalty. "They're underestimating me and it is kinda cute they believe I don't have any other combat skills beyond just archery," he said.

Jason nods agreeing with the king. "Yeah, but we need to get you to safety," the general said. Mitch grabs Seto, maneuvering the unconscious wizard on his back, holding his knees while his head and arms hung over his shoulders. The king stood up as well as Sky. He looked ahead, seeing dark mages that are heading towards them. James and Phil had moved to stand beside Jason.

Phil looked at Jason. "You get the king and Sky to safety, leave the fighting to James and I. Just keep running for the gate and don't stop--"

Mitch shakes his head. "No! The gate has to stay close to protect my people from harm. It is the only thing that is protecting them right now, I will not have it opened just to save myself," he snapped.

Sky stepped towards the dark mages, his eyes glowing slightly as his sight looked ahead. "We have to take them head-on," Sky said looking at Jason. "We're in an open field, running from mages on such terrain is a death wish."

Phil nods. "He's right...luckily you have James and I. Make for the ridge to the east, we will hold them off as long as we can, you three run. We'll cover you," he said making Mitch look at Phil.

"Are you sure? You--"

Phil looked at the king and nodded. "I wouldn't say this if I wasn't sure that you would be protected. If my sense of timing is correct, you should see a few familiar faces on the beach," he said making Mitch confused. Jason sheath his sword, turning around as he saw dark mages only a couple of dozen feet away.

"To the beach, come on!" Jason exclaimed making the king and Sky follow after him. James looked at Phil as he pushed his sleeves up to his elbows.

"Well, ready to get to work?" he asked.

Phil smiled and nodded at him. "Try to keep up, James," he said making James chuckle lightly. Phil's eyes shifted away from James and to the oncoming dark mages, his eyes glowing a greenish aura as he mumbled under his breath.

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Despite James's and Phil's best efforts, even those two cannot stop every dark mage that comes at them. A few had slipped past them, going after Mitch, Jason, Seto, and Sky as they ran. But thanks to Jason and Sky, they were able to knock them back and deflect their attacks from hurting either Mitch or Seto. Mitch jumped off the bank, landing on his feet on the sandy shore. Sky and Jason fighting off dark mages as Mitch ran.

Mitch gripped Seto's knees. "You know, Seto, this is a horrible time for you to be out of commission," he mumbled under his breath. Mitch felt a gust of wind come from his right side, a figure suddenly appearing in front of him making his eyes widen in shock. But before he could react, the figure grabbed Mitch, knocking Seto off his back. Mitch grabbed their arm, trying to fight back but the figure grabbed Mitch's throat. He flinched, grabbing their wrist and trying to break their grip but can't. His eyes flickered up when he heard them laughing.

"Ahhh, I'm going to enjoy this, Your Majesty," they said as they brought their right arm back. Mitch saw them make a fist, but a second later, their fist enveloped in light making Mitch's eyes widen. 'N-No!' Mitch thought as he struggled. He grabs a dagger off the dark mage, but before he could stab them with it, the mage brought their fist up, punching Mitch in the stomach. Upon impact, Mitch's vision flashes white as he coughed out blood on the mage's arm. The dagger fell from Mitch's hand as he screamed at the sudden overwhelming burst of pain that pulsated through his abdomen.

"GGAHHHH!" Mitch screamed as a sharp piercing pain burst through him. "Nrgghh..." Mitch breathed out painfully as he grabbed the mage's arm to keep himself from falling as he tries to cope with the pain. The taste of iron tainted his taste buds, making him nauseous as the world spun around him. His knees buckling, struggling to stay on his feet. Tears stung the corners of Mitch's eyes as he breathed heavily

The mage let Mitch grabbed his arms, enjoying watching the king try to recompose himself. "Hurts doesn't it? I just gave you the equivalent of a horse kicking you in the abdomen," he said. The mage grabbed fistfuls of Mitch's shirt, yanking him to stand upright and look at him. "I'm going to enjoy beating you to an inch of your life." He pulled his arm back, his fist lighting up before he punched Mitch in the abdomen yet again making Mitch scream again, coughing up blood.

"ARGGHHH!" Mitch screamed as his knees gave. The mage pushing Mitch down onto the ground. Mitch clutched his stomach, unable to fully cope with the pain.

The mage laughed. "Oh come on, the fun only just started! Get up!" the mage snapped before he grabbed Mitch, pulling the royal up on his feet. Blood trailed from the corners of Mitch's mouth, his vision blurring as his pain intensified. The mage grinned at the king. "Don't worry, Your Majesty, we'll take very good care of Shivoa for you...and your daughter will suffer just as much as you are right now but I'll make sure to play with her thoroughly before ending her life."

Mitch gritted his teeth together as his grip on the mage's arm tighten, his nails digging into their arm. He felt his blood boil at the mention of Samantha in such a way. "B-Bastard..." was the only thing Mitch had the strength to say since his strength and energy are depleting fast. There were so many things he wanted to say to him, so many things he wanted to do but he couldn't muster up the strength to overpower the mage. 'N-No, I can't die here. Samantha needs me. I-I promised Jessica...I promised her...' Mitch thought as memories of his daughter and wife flashed through his mind. He sees the mage pull his arm back, their fist lighting up.

"Well, looks like it's the end of your reign and the end of Shivoa! Goodbye King Mitchell! Have fun in the afterlife!" the mage shouted.

But before the final blow could be delivered, Mitch heard a voice scream, "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HIM!"

Mitch sees a sword blade swipe downward between him and the mage, severing the mage's arm up to their elbow from the rest of their body. The mage screamed in pain, Mitch collapses to his hands and knees, unable to support himself on his feet. Mitch vomited up blood as the mage took a few steps back, clutching his arm. A figure stood in front of Mitch, a bloodied sword grasped tightly in their hands with rage evident in their face and movements. Mitch's weakly picked his head up, seeing more people coming.

Mitch looked at the person who saved him, a weak smile curling on his bloodstained lips as he knew who it was. "V-Vikk..." Mitch mumbled weakly, relieved to see his friend standing in front of him.

Vikk looked at Mitch, his blood boiling upon seeing his friend's weakened state. "I'm so sorry, Mitch. This is my fault, I should have gotten here sooner," he said before Mitch vomited up more blood, grasping his shirt as the pain in his gut grew more. Two figures came, one standing by Vikk with their weapon drawn while the other sheath their blade, falling to their knees beside the fallen king.

Vikk turned his attention to the dark mage. "Red, Sub, you two get the king and Master Azdel to the healers. I'll kill this bastard and catch up with you," he said. Red looked at Vikk, questioning his orders, but before he could speak, Vikk attacked the mage. He cursed under his breath before sheathing his sword and turning to the royal and Sub.

"Sub, go get Master Azdel," he said. Sub nods and rushes over to Seto. Red falls on his knees in front of Mitch, he grabs the king's arms, keeping him upright. "Can you stand, sire?" he asked. Mitch let out a shaky breath, his vision darkening as he felt a numbness start to take over his limbs one by one. His body swayed before he gave into the darkness, falling into Red's arms as he passed out.