"The shadow loomed over us still, there was a flicker of light somewhere, we simply needed to find it"

  As they stood at the imposing gates of Redwall, Kael, Lyra, and Gray endured what felt like an eternity of tense silence. The air crackled with unspoken animosity, a stark contrast to the bustling activity within the city walls. Then, the rhythmic thunder of galloping hooves echoed from within, growing louder with each passing moment. The Royal Guard emerged, their polished armor gleaming in the midday sun, their presence radiating an aura of arrogance and power.

  Lord Commander Garrett, a man of imposing stature and haughty demeanor, dismounted his steed. He cast a disdainful glance at the gate guards, then fixed his gaze upon the waiting trio. His voice, flat and devoid of warmth, cut through the tension.

  "Gray," he drawled, "and here I thought the king had rid us of your… presence."

  "I am an adventurer now," Gray replied, his voice measured, attempting to diffuse the situation.

  Garrett let out a harsh, mocking laugh, his voice booming across the courtyard. "And lo, he returns! The disgraced court wizard, Gray Thrane, the Pyromancer, has returned to our humble kingdom as an… adventurer! Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside." His sarcasm was thick, dripping with contempt.

  "Must you be a complete ass?" Gray asked, his patience wearing thin.

  "Why shouldn't I have fun with a complete disgrace?" Garrett retorted. "Have you come back to seek revenge on us? It would be unwise. The Royal Guard are now almost equal in power to the king, and at a mere snap of my fingers, I could have you and your little friends here executed." He paused, then placed a heavy hand on Kael's head. "But I'll ask this boy here. What brings you here, boy? Seeking to become a knight?" He chuckled, a condescending sound.

  Kaelen, his eyes blazing with righteous anger, looked Garrett dead in the eyes. "You never showed in Silverhaven," he said, his voice trembling with barely contained fury. "You were supposed to help."

  "Silverhaven?" Garrett scoffed. "Why would we tarnish our armor visiting a dirty and filthy rat trap like Silverhaven?" He sneered, despite Silverhaven being known for its cleanliness.

  "Silverhaven has been razed to the ground," Kaelen said, his voice rising. "We are the last of the adventurers there."

  Garrett's eyes narrowed. "Guildmaster Bolt? Dead?" He burst into raucous laughter. "Oh, good riddance to that insolent bastard!" He laughed even harder. "And even Silverhaven is gone? Oh, what a relief. The king will be pleased."

  Kaelen's face flushed with anger, his fists clenching at his sides. Lyra placed a restraining hand on his shoulder, her eyes warning him against rash action.

  "And whose this little lady?" Garrett asked, turning his attention to Lyra. "You'd make a fine servant. Come with us, girl."

  "No," Lyra said flatly, her voice firm. "I refuse."

  "She has some fire in her," Garrett mused, raising his hand as if to strike her.

  Before he could act, a voice boomed from behind him. "Lord Commander Garrett, the king has ordered us to return to the palace for a mission."

  It was Captain Rykov, Garrett's second-in-command, a man whose brash nature and aggressive tactics were well-known. A massive bladed spear adorned his back, a testament to his skill and ruthlessness.

  Garrett growled, then sighed. "Very well then," he said, his voice laced with annoyance. "If that is what the king desires… allow these three entry into the city. But I am keeping a very close eye on you, especially Gray. Your last traipse through Redwall ended in flames, if you recall."

  Garrett mounted his horse, and the Royal Guard, their faces impassive, turned and headed back into the city, leaving Kael, Lyra, and Gray standing at the gates, their hearts pounding with a mixture of anger, fear, and a growing sense of dread.

  Gray turned to Lyra and Kael, his expression grave. "We must be vigilant here," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We find an inn, pay, and keep to ourselves. I have a feeling our visit won't be restful. Tomorrow, I'll head to the castle and plead for the king to take this threat seriously. I doubt he will, until these abominations are beating at his gates, ready to slaughter everyone."

  "If this city is designed to persist against a siege," Kaelen began, his voice trailing off.

  "Indeed," Gray confirmed. "However, prolonged sieges have an effect on food storage. Grain, corn, anything that can be processed into food will have an impact on how long they can sustain. Redwall uses farms from Kerval Village in the east. The large crops of wheat are delivered weekly, but if a siege happens, the food will run out. Then someone will open the gates, letting them all flood in. And then Redwall falls, and so does the rest of the kingdom. We can't allow that to happen."

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  Gray's voice was laced with urgency, but a part of him remained detached, a weariness born of past betrayals. Returning to the city that had exiled him wrenched at his heartstrings, a bitter reminder of his lost prestige.

  They walked through the gates, and the reality of Redwall hit them like a physical blow. The streets were filled with miserable people, their heads hanging low, their eyes devoid of hope. The local taxman, a portly figure with a cruel smile, bled the commoners dry, leaving them with barely enough to survive. Kaelen's eyes were opened to the harsh reality of the world, a world far removed from the vibrant, idealized image he once held.

  "I know what you're thinking, Kael," Gray said, his voice low and understanding. "Not worth it. You'll never be thanked or praised. Instead, you'd be rejected and shunned, like I was." Even Lyra, usually a beacon of pragmatism, looked depressed and angry. The king's callous disregard for his subjects, his treatment of them as mere coin pouches, filled her with a righteous fury.

  Gray offered a sympathetic nod. "I know," he said. "It hurts my heart every time I see them this way. Come on, let's find an inn."

  Finding an inn was surprisingly easy. The Lion's Mane Inn and Tavern, the only establishment on the main road, looked inviting enough, at least on the surface. As they entered, Gray received less than welcoming glances, but the barkeep, a burly man with a weathered face, seemed indifferent to their presence, as long as they paid.

  Lyra and Kael settled at an empty table while Gray approached the counter, requesting two rooms and three plates of food. He dropped a handful of coins on the counter and returned to the table.

  Moments later, a drunk soldier, swaying on his feet, approached Lyra. "H… hey hic sweetheart," he slurred, "why don't you sit with us?"

  Before Lyra could respond, a hand landed heavily on the soldier's shoulder. "Now, now," a voice said, "why don't you park your behind on your chair, chap?" A Royal Guard, his armor gleaming, stood behind the soldier, forcing him back into his seat.

  "Sorry… sorry, sir," the soldier mumbled, quickly sobering up.

  The Royal Guard member pulled up a chair and sat at their table. "Hello, Gray," he said, a faint smile playing on his lips. He had long, dark hair and a sharp, hawk-like face, and wore leather armor and vambraces. An estoc was strapped to his belt.

  "Vannis," Gray replied. "Still licking Garrett's boots?" he asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

  "Hardly," Vannis chuckled. "What brings you and a couple of fledgling adventurers to Redwall? Stupid question, sorry. I am sorry for Guildmaster Bolt. He was a good man."

  "Why didn't the Royal Guard help?" Kaelen asked, his voice laced with indignation.

  "Orders," Vannis replied. "The king had a visitor last week, a man in a cloak. Sure, they're a dime a dozen, but around here? The guards make sure no one hides their faces. But this guy… gave me the creeps. Talked to the king, and the king went pale, but agreed not to send the Royal Guard to Silverhaven. We knew about the attack, but couldn't do anything. Garrett doesn't care, of course."

  "Why are you telling us this?" Lyra asked, her eyes narrowed.

  "Because I neither care about the Royal Guard nor Garrett's inferiority complex," Vannis said, sighing. "Which is why he's spent so much time greasing the nobles' palms to curry favor with the king, and now the Royal Guards are standing almost toe-to-toe at the seat of power." He downed his tankard of ale in one gulp.

  "So how does this concern us?" Gray asked, his voice laced with suspicion. "I was going to talk to the king tomorrow morning."

  "No," Vannis said, his voice urgent. "Do not go to the castle. There are dark things happening there, and I fear if you do not leave soon… madness is going to spread, and Redwall will become another Silverhaven." He downed another tankard of ale, the liquid disappearing as if by magic. "I'm leaving at dawn. You should too." He stood, his gaze sweeping over them, a silent warning.

  "And go where?" Kaelen asked, slamming his fists on the table, his frustration boiling over. "We have nothing and nowhere to go!"

  "Halospring," Vannis replied, his voice low.

  Gray raised an eyebrow, his expression incredulous. "Seriously? Halospring? Our enemy?"

  "Not anymore," Vannis said. "The king secured an alliance last year. Trade routes, the whole shebang. But I fear there may be more things afoot than we know, so I'm going to do the honorable thing and leave before everything turns to shit." He gave them a curt nod and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

  The trio sat in stunned silence, pondering their next move.

  "Never been to Halospring before," Lyra said, a flicker of excitement dancing in her eyes. The prospect of visiting another country, especially one with such a storied history, was a welcome distraction from their grim reality.

  "I did once," Gray said, a hint of a shiver in his voice. "It was nice, aesthetically, but the people there are too… stuffy for my liking. Halospring is the heart of the Elven lands, their empire. They've had a very difficult relationship with us humans for a long time. It all came down to who had the biggest armies, weapons, warriors, etc. It got boring far too quickly, just a manhood measuring contest. They sent me there once to secure an alliance. It was… not the best time for negotiations. I was chased out with arrows and blades. The Empress was with child and she was quite… grumpy." He shuddered at the memory.

  They slept lightly that night, the unease in the air permeating their dreams. As dawn broke, they found Vannis waiting for them, a horse and cart laden with supplies. He was cloaked in a simple robe, his face obscured by a hood.

  "Ready?" he asked, his voice low.

  They nodded, and together, they left Redwall, the imposing red walls fading into the distance as they trundled along the road towards Halospring. The journey was silent, each lost in their own thoughts, the weight of their situation pressing down on them. The road was long, and the future uncertain, but they were bound together by a shared purpose, a desperate hope that they could find answers and a way to fight back against the darkness that threatened to consume their world. The air was thick with tension, and the only sound was the rhythmic clatter of the cart wheels on the cobblestone road.