The morning sun rose, the sky red, and servants scurrying about. Gage put on his attire, a robe, and strapped his sword to his belt. He strolled down the halls towards the dining room. Servants had prepared porridge and fruits. Gage sat at the head of the table and served himself some fruit.

“You’re such a coxcomb,” a couple knights insulted him as they passed. “Self righteous trip taker.”

“What did you call me?” Gage questioned. He rose from his seat and approached the knights. The knight drew his sword. “Do you draw your sword at me?”

“I do draw my sword at you my grace,” the knight replied mockingly.

“That would be quite a big mistake,” Gage warned. He unsheathed his sword and struck the knight in the chest then rose it to ram him in the head with the dull side of the sword. The second knight ran at him sword drawn. Gage shuffled left and hit the man in the legs. The knight tumbled forwards and knocked into a table. Fruit and porridge spilled onto the pristine floor. “I am the prince. Guards, bring these miscreants to The Abyss.”

“No,” the knight begged. “Don’t do this, please. I beg you my grace.”

“You brought this upon yourself bastard,” Gage said. He turned his back on the ma as the guards hauled him out the chamber doors. A couple others took the second man.

“They must be drunk,” Gage muttered to himself.

He sat back down in his seat. “My grace,” a servant came in behind him. “You must come see this.” The servant led him to the top balcony on the bell tower. “Look.” He pointed outwards at a dark square. Knights were coming. It was an hour past the break of dawn, only the knights and some people were up. He stared at the knights in shock as they quickly came closer. It was as if they were running.

“Ring the bell,” he commanded. “Go!”

Gage dashed down the tower and through the halls. He reached the throne room where his brother sat. “Brother,” he called. “There are knights approaching we must prepare our knights for battle.”

“What do you mean?” Dixon stood confused. “What is going on?”

“We are under attack? Dixon gaped in surprised. He suddenly turned and ran off. His footsteps faded as he ran down the halls towards the barracks. Gage shook the bells of the halls, evacuation bells, people exited their rooms, and raced in a panic around the castle. He pushed through the crowds of people.

“Get to the dungeons,” he yelled. Katherine stood in the corner, frightened and alarmed. He swiftly pushed through the crowds towards her. “Get our sisters, now, go.” Katherine nodded and hastened into the crowd. He looked around the crowd discerned. There was no way he could control all these people.

“Get to the dungeons now, listen,” he yelled again. “Go or you will die.” Immediately the throne room’s door shook violently, the room became eerily silent as another crash came. The wood began to crack, the metal locks shattering, and the hinges snapping off.

“Get to the dungeons,” he yelled. Everyone looked at him, in a panic, they all ran down the halls. Suddenly the giant doors came down, squashing a dozen people under it’s weight, and injuring others. Knights in shining armor and giant spears and swords charged the innocent civilians. “May the gods bless me with a quick death,” he muttered under his breath as the knights came charging at him.

Gage rose his sword and charged into battle. He deflected the blade of a knight and decapitated another. His other fellow knights were soon by his side. He cut a knight’s arm pit and then swung again, piercing the man in the neck. Gage turned and ran. Hundreds of men came storming in like ants. He followed the crowd down into the dungeons.

They scampered down the twirling stairs. People fell and were trampled others fell and were slaughtered. Someone had to lock the doors from the outside. It was the only way, he pushed everyone into the small chamber, and slammed the door shut with all his might. Then twisted the circle lock. Securing the lock tight so none could enter.

Gage turned around, knights came crazily charging down the stairs, their armor clanking against the cold stone. He lifted his sword ready. Then charged into the storm.

*

Gage lay in the pile of slaughtered knights. His leather armor covered in gore and slashed, his arms sore from the severe weight of the blade and shield. He dropped to the floor, exhausted, and guilty for the presence of death surrounded him.

“Prince Gage, my lord, you have lived,” Darius came rushing to him. “I have too survived. Are you alright?”

“I killed… t-them all,” he stuttered, gasping for air. “Gods forgive me.”

Gage got to his feet. He stumbled over the dead bodies on legs like noodles. Darius took him by the arm and carried him across the hall. The knights had made it into the dungeons, slaughtering them all, the innocent and culpable.

“Tis alright,” Darius said softly. “Tis all over now.” He carried him to the barn, Shadow was gone, and so was his sister. “They left, but they’ll be back.” Darius carefully set him down on a block of hay.

“Where is my brother?” Gage asked.

“He is well,” Darius replied. “We kept him safe.”

“Where is he,” Gage snapped. “Where!”

“Over… over there,” Darius said timidly.

“I’m sorry,” he said and turned towards the corner of the barn on his right. Dixon sat, covered in blood, cradling his leg. A puddle of blood sat at his feet.

Gage approached him slowly. Strength returning to him slowly, relief flooding over him. His brother was alive.

“Tis hurts,” Dixon gasped, his voice hoarse. “Gods help me.”

“Put pressure on it, stop the bleeding,” Gage said. He ripped off a piece of his shirt and wrapped it around Dixon’s leg. It was a deep gash in his leg, he would either die of infection or loss of blood if they couldn’t get any treatment for him quickly.

“Is there anyone else who survived?” Gage asked Darius.

“No, everyone was slaughtered,” Darius came over. “We’re lucky you know that.”

“Everyone gave their lives for us, the knights,” Gage said guilty. “Was their job to do so.”

“Don’t feel so bad,” Darius put his hand on Gage’s shoulder. “Many die everyday.”

“But these deaths didn’t have to happen, we could have stopped this,” Gage said angrily.

“You can’t let this put you down,” Dixon chimed in. “Tis wasn’t our fault.”

Gage sighed and turned away from them in distress. He couldn’t keep feeling the guilt.

“You’re weak,” Dixon said in a dead voice.

“Who slaughtered a hundred knights and who hid?” Gage spat. “You hid, at least I fought.”

Dixon frowned and looked down. “Elizabeth left,” Dixon said. “She’ll be back.”

“Yes she will.”