Paragon of Destruction

As they moved to leave, Arran cast a final look at the body of the Knight who had come so close to killing them.

"Shouldn’t you take his weapon?" he asked, a frown crossing his face when he realized that Kaleesh hadn’t touched the Living Shadow dagger.

Kaleesh shook his head. "Rannoc wouldn’t let me keep it. Weapons like those are reserved for Knights and Lords." He raised an eyebrow, then glanced at Arran’s sword. "Or so I believed. But either way, Rannoc will want that weapon, so we cannot take it."

"Shame," Arran said as they started toward the gate. "You might have had some use for it."

Kaleesh grinned broadly in response. "They’ll give me one when I become a Knight." He cast a sideways glance at Arran, then added, "Though I suppose you’ll have two of them."

"That’s not how they work," Arran replied.

He’d already given up on the idea of hiding the nature of his weapon from the captain. Kaleesh had witnessed him cut clean through a starmetal sword, and no amount of lies would obscure that fact.

Yet dangerous though it was to have that secret exposed, there was nothing Arran could do now but hope he could trust the captain. And fortunately, the man had yet to give him a reason not to do so.

"You’ll have to explain that later," Kaleesh said. "This topic... it is an important one."

Arran nodded, though he did so silently. They had almost reached the gate, and he could Sense that Rannoc’s troops were only moments away. Already, he knew that the group was headed by Rannoc himself and no less than four Knights, each of them carrying a Living Shadow weapon.

When they stepped through the gate, he saw what he had already Sensed — Rannoc’s troops, hundreds of soldiers and Rangers, led by the Lord himself.

Though the sight wasn’t unexpected, it still caused Arran a moment of pause.

Rannoc held the same aura of terrifying power that he’d felt from Kadun, but while Kadun’s appearance was otherwise unremarkable, the opposite was true for Rannoc.

The Lord who approached them was nearly seven feet tall, barrel-chested with broad shoulders and a neck like an ox. He was handsome, as well — square-jawed with long dark hair, he looked like a hero straight out of legend.

But even more eye-catching than his appearance was his weapon. Instead of a sword, he carried a massive eight-foot glaive that appeared to be forged from a single piece of starmetal.

That alone would have been a priceless treasure, yet Arran knew that the weapon was even more formidable than it seemed. Because while it appeared to be made from starmetal, he Sensed that this oversized polearm was actually the Lord’s shard of Living Shadow.

"Kneel!" Kaleesh hissed.

Arran quickly did as the captain said — he’d been so distracted by Rannoc’s appearance that he’d forgotten the Darians’ customs.

Yet even as he sank to his knees, Rannoc spoke in a loud voice, "There’s no need for that. The two of you have done me a great service today. Stand up."

They hurriedly did as he said, rising to their feet once more to face the Lord.

Rannoc came to a halt some ten paces away from them, flanked by his Knights. He remained still for several seconds, eyes filled with curiosity as he examined them. Then, he turned to Kaleesh. "You are Captain Kaleesh, I take it?"

"I am, your Lordship," the captain replied in a cautious voice.

"Your servant has told me much about you. In fact — where is that sour-faced little man?"

Sassun stepped out from the troops behind the Knights almost immediately, then gave Rannoc a polite bow. "I am here, your Lordship."

Rannoc nodded at Sassun before turning his gaze back to Kaleesh. "The message he carried — I would not have thought outsiders capable of devising so bold a plan, much less carrying it out successfully."

His eyes briefly wandered to the gate and the battlefield beyond it, and he continued, "But it seems I underestimated you. The two of you killed a Knight, did you not?"

"We did, your Lordship," the captain said. He held up the Knight’s broken weapon, then added in a puzzled voice, "Though he somehow managed to cut through a starmetal sword."

Rannoc smirked. "The Imperium holds many secrets. You can expect to see more when I face Kadun, if you decide to witness our battle."

A flash of eager anticipation crossed his face at those last words, as if he could hardly wait to face the other Lord in combat.

But a moment later, the excited look turned to a frown — likely because he also felt the two Knights Arran had already Sensed nearing the gate.

"Fools." He gave a dismissive shake of his head, then turned to his Knights. "Take care of them."

The Knights followed the command instantly, rushing forward without even a second’s delay. And as they ran through the gate, all four of them drew their weapons.

From the look of it, they did not intend to offer Kadun’s Knights an even fight.

As the Knights rushed forward to meet their enemies, Rannoc set off toward the gate as well, albeit at a more leisurely pace. "No point in waiting," he said. "This shouldn’t take long."

Arran and Kaleesh quickly followed after him, with the troops setting in motion behind them barely a moment later.

They passed the gate before the two small groups of Knights met, and as the Knights approached each other, Arran watched with anxious eyes.

He’d already gotten a taste of a Knight’s skills, but in the heat of battle, he’d had little chance to truly study his opponent’s skills — especially since neither he nor Kaleesh had come even close to forcing their opponent to put his full ability on display.

But now, he would watch closely and learn what he could.

He already knew that the Knights combined staggering skill with numerous major insights, but there was still much he could learn from seeing Knights battle each other.

Yet as Kadun’s Knights approached their enemies, they drew their swords — then promptly threw them on the ground.

"They surrendered?" he asked Kaleesh, speaking in a low voice.

Rannoc heard the question, however, and he said, "Of course they did. Why throw away their lives for an unworthy master? There is no honor in foolhardiness."

"I suppose that makes sense." Arran frowned, then quickly added, "Your Lordship."

Rannoc laughed. "You sound disappointed. Were you hoping to see my men risk their lives in battle?"

"Your Lordship," Arran began, his tone cautious, "It’s not that I wish to see your men in danger. But after facing a Knight..."

His voice trailed off as he failed to find a sufficiently diplomatic way to say what he was thinking.

"You hoped to learn their secrets, I assume?" Again, Rannoc laughed. "I fear that will require more than just witnessing some Knights do battle. But if it is a battle you wish to see, I will allow you to watch me face Kadun."

"Of course, your Lordship," Arran replied instantly. While watching Knights fight would be useful, watching a battle between Lords would be infinitely more valuable.

"Don’t be too hasty," Rannoc said. "Should I lose, Kadun will surely kill the two of you for your actions, along with every single one of my men within this city. And do not be mistaken — Kadun is a formidable warrior."

He briefly paused, his expression severe as he looked at Arran and Kaleesh. Then, he continued, "You have both already earned your reward. If you choose, you may leave the city, and I will send orders that you be granted your citizenship no matter the outcome of the battle ahead."

The words weren’t what Arran had expected, and he cast a questioning glance at Kaleesh. Yet uncharacteristically, hesitation could be seen in the captain’s eyes, as if he wasn’t certain which offer to accept.

Arran, however, felt no such hesitation. The chance to see Lords do battle was easily worth any risk it involved. "I will stay," he said.

"As will I," the captain’s voice sounded a moment later, though his tone wasn’t quite as firm as Arran’s.

Rannoc let out a thunderous laugh. "Excellent! Then I shall endeavor to give you both a spectacle worth remembering!"

"Thank you, your Lordship," Arran said, though he silently hoped that the Lord would not put too much effort into providing a spectacle. Eager though he was to see the battle, he very much wanted Rannoc to focus on winning it.

"The rest of you," Rannoc said, turning his eyes to his troops, "remain here. Should I lose my battle, flee while you still can."

Then, he walked over to his Knights, exchanging several words with both them and their newly captured prisoners. Arran could not hear what was said, but he saw that one of Rannoc’s Knights soon hurried to the Knight he and Kaleesh had slain, then picked up the Living Shadow dagger.

And as Rannoc was busy talking to his men, the captain turned to Sassun. "I want you to remain outside the city," he said. "Should Rannoc be defeated, I want you to bring word to the Wolfsblood Company immediately. They might yet have time to escape."

Sassun nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Should that come to pass, I will do as you say."

Arran frowned, then asked in a voice so low it was barely a whisper, "How do you see his chances?"

Kaleesh hesitated, a complicated expression appearing on his face. Finally, he answered, "It’s hard to say. But if I were to guess, I’d say that Rannoc’s chances are slightly better than even."

At this, Arran stared at him in astonishment. "That bad? But you said Rannoc was stronger than Kadun."

"He is," the captain replied. "He’s smarter, and a far better leader. In a war between the two, he would prevail easily. But Kadun is known as a vicious fighter, and in a simple battle, Rannoc won’t prevail easily."

Arran suppressed a curse. "I suppose it’s too late to change our minds?"

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