Chapter 9: The Dread Knights

        The first thing Caden saw was the black shrouds. Then from the darkness came three Dragon Knights. He tightened his grip on the stone sword. Caden looked at Rilyn. He was ready. He dropped the cane next to Father Achilleos and held his sword in one hand. Rilyn had a loose grip on the sword, it looked like it was balanced on his index finger. Father Achilleos continued to draw in his small book.

        "Don't hold it too tight," Rilyn said.

        Caden nodded. "Their not Dragon Knights, not anymore."

        "Wouldn't matter if they were."

        "This is what I first fought in the catacombs. They move slow now, but they can have bursts of speed."

        The first Knight rushed forward, Caden raised the sword and blocked the attack to his head. He brought the sword down into the Knight's arm. The bone cracked and the dead flesh ripped. It fell to the ground in a stream of straw and preservative herbs. Caden's sword completed it's swing and the tip dug into the earth.

        The second Knight charged Rilyn. He blocked repeated blows, unable to get in an attack. Caden looked for the third Knight but couldn't see him. The first Knight picked up its sword from the severed limb. Caden pulled his sword out of the ground. He felt a line of fire across his back. He fell forward and leaned on his sword. He turned around and saw the third Knight. It's sword was smeared with blood.

        Caden looked down, another sword was in his side. He looked up and saw the first Knight holding it in its left arm. Caden laughed. There was no pain. He was going to die, and he felt no pain.

        He fell to the ground. Darkness filled his vision from the corners of his eyes. He saw the third Knight standing over him, it's sword raised above it's head, the tip pointing down. He felt warm, and safe. He giggled again. Then everything was black.

Chapter 3: Darkness

        Caden squinted, then blinked. He stood in absolute darkness. He couldn't see his own hands. Yet he saw three shapes coming at him. Somehow, they looked darker then total darkness. Caden watched them move. They took slow and steady steps. 

        The first one moved faster. It closed the ten foot gap in an instant. Caden stepped back. A line of fire was drawn across his stomach. He touched the hole in his tunic and felt the warm wetness spreading.

        It moved again. Caden ducked. The steel sword rang when it hit against stone. Crack. A large object fell on Caden. The shape moved again. Caden smelled herbs and dried flowers. Clank. The steel sword bounced off the heavy object on Caden's back.

        He touched it. The stone was rough. It had ridges carved into it's round surface. Lower, the round shape became flat. It was a statue's stone sword.

        Clank. The steel sword bounced off of the stone one. The other two shapes where standing back. They waited for the first to move. Caden grabbed the stone sword in both hands. He screamed as he lifted the sword onto his shoulder, then flipped it over. 

        The sword came down at the dark shape. It moved. The stone sword hit the steel sword. The weight was too great and knocked the steel sword to the ground. The black shape fell under the sword and disappeared. 

        Caden couldn't see it anymore. The next shape rushed at him. Caden spun around, dragging the stone sword in a circle. The stone sword scrapped against the floor. Caden lifted the sword up and spun it around in time to catch the second dark shape in the midsection. It hit the wall and disappeared.

        Before he could recover, the third shape was on top of him. It moved, and Caden brought the sword up. The steel sword bounced off of the stone one. The tip was caught in the corner between the floor and the wall. Caden held the handle up, and knelt under the blade. 

        The third one attacked faster then the first. Caden's arm was tired from the weight of the stone and the force of the impact. But the attacks were too fast. He didn't have time to do anything between strikes.

        Clank. "One, two, three," Caden counted. Clank. "One, two, three." Clank. "One, two, three." Clank.

        "One, two." Caden rolled back. He lowered the handle, but held onto it. The shape struck, missed, and fell forward. Caden lifted the sword up and smashed it in the face. It stumbled back. Caden ran forward and put his shoulder into it. It fell down. He used his shoulder for leverage and flipped the sword onto the dark shape on the floor.

        It disappeared. Caden dropped the stone sword. 

        He couldn't see anything. He felt along the wall until he found a torch bracket. He fumbled with a flint and small knife. Eventually, he got the sparks to land on the oil drenched rag, and the torch burned. He turned to look for his attackers. When he saw them, he fell to the ground and vomited.

        He knew these men. One was Max the Barber's son, his head was crushed down the middle. The one against the wall, almost cut in half, was the woodcutter's brother. And the third, laying on it's back with the stone sword on top of him, was the blacksmith's only son.

        Only, they were already dead. They were the three dead Dragon Knights which Father Coteson honored at the the funeral earlier that day. Straw and preservative herbs had fallen from their bodies and was scattered across the floor.

        Caden stood up. He grabbed the stone sword. It didn't feel as heavy as it did before. The torch flickered. Caden looked at it. It flickered again, moving the way he had come from. He took the torch from the bracket, and held it up in front of the first two passages. It burned steady. But when he held it before the third passage, it flickered again.

        Caden walked down the third passage. He carried the stone sword over his shoulder. He followed the draft till he got outside.

Chapter 3: Funeral

        "And let us praise the heavenly Goddess," Father Coteson of Blackwood raised his hands to the ceiling of the temple. "For while the Dragon Knights lost three of their own, they were able to find three new Knights to join their most holy of quests." Father Coteson dropped his hands in a sweeping motion toward the Stained glass windows depicting the five sages sealing away the Dragon Queen. The cloth of his vestments flowed around him. "Let them be honored and praised, for these are great tidings."

        The crowd repeats, "Honored and praised."

        "Yet one does not honor the sacrifice of the great sages," Father Coteson said as he folded his hands, "who died on this very spot." He looked out at the gathered faced. "The man who should honor this sacred hour above everyone else, can be found at the bottom of a mug." Father Coteson struck his hand out fast enough for his sleave to snap. It echoed in the silent temple. "Fear not! For I say this now! The heavenly goddess is sending forth a sword this very night! And she shall cut down the wicked and purge our town."

         A murmur spread through the crowd.

        Father Coteson folded his hands. "Show your devotion. Don't follow in his example. Stay home with your family tonight." He bowed his head. "So is the will of the gentle and merciful goddess."

        Everyone in the crowd looked around. A few scattered voices called out, "So is the will."

        "Now, let us pray for the dead."

        As the temple bells rang, Caden ran to the temple doors. He was the first one there, and held them open for Father Coteson. He smiled. "The goddess will reward you, my son."

        Caden continued to hold the door open as the townsfolk drifted out. Father Coteson bid people fair well in the temple garden. Caden watched as everyone left. He grabbed Keilee by the elbow as she walked out with her father.

         Harron looked at Caden, and smiled. "Don't worry, m'boy. In two harvests, you'll be able to make this town proud."

         Keilee rolled her eyes and looked away.

         "I'll do my best, Sir."

        Harron mussed Caden's hair. He walked over to speak with Father Coteson. His wife and other four daughters followed him. 

        "Cay--Den," Keilee smiled, "what do you want?"

        "Um." Caden looked at the crowd filing out of the church. "You see. I was wondering."

        "Yes?"

        "Do you want to go to the town social with me tonight?!" A couple people stopped as they left the temple, they laughed and walked away. Caden's cheeks burned red.

        "I don't know." Keilee looked at her sisters. "I think there are a couple of girls who saw you first." 

        Caden looked at her sisters next to their father. They saw him looking, so turned away and giggled. "They're too young for me."

        "The twins are the same age as you."

        "I don't want to go with them, I want to go with you."

        Keilee smiled. "Why is that?"

        "Because. You know... You're the prettiest, and stuff."

        "Okay."

        "Really?" Caden looked straight into her eyes. She just smiled and nodded.

Chapter 2: Bring out your dead

        Caden was walking away from the woodcutter, when he heard the dull clang of an iron bell. He looked down the street and saw everyone stopping their business. With each clang, more people froze and turned away from the street.

        Caden turned away. He didn't need to look when the wagon rolled behind him. He knew who they were, and why they had come. "That's why you should give up your dreams," said Sir Eric. Caden looked up. Sir Eric was walking to the Tavern, in complete disrespect to the dead Dragon Knights of Erdon village being escorted to the Temple. The stranger was following him, leaning on a crutch. He wore a brown poncho with a collar that stood up, covering half of his face. A wide brimmed hat sat on his fiery red hair. Caden had never seen red hair before.

        He turned back and lowered his head. He still wanted to join them, and that meant always respecting their traditions. He stood and waited. Listening to the repeating clang. Waiting for it to fade, and eventually stop when they reached the temple. He waited with everyone in town, except for Sir Eric and the stranger.

        As the market returned to normal, Caden ran through the streets to catch up with Sir Eric and the stranger. A hard object struck his ankle. He fell to the ground hard, his face sliding into the dirt. He looked up to see Damion, Harron's eldest. "What was that for?"

        "I need a sparing partner, I don't want to end up like those stiffs at the temple." Damion bounced a wooden sword on his shoulder. It was carved to look like the Dragon Knights' swords, five hands long, straight, single edge, and no handguard. "If I look good enough, maybe the knights will take me with them. And who to look better next to then a scrawny kid."

        "Not now Damion." Caden stood up. "I'm trying to figure out who the stranger is."

       "They're called the Dragon Knights. Maybe you've heard of them? Defenders of the kingdom, slayers of dragons?"

       "Not them." Caden ran off, leaving Damion to stare after him.

        Caden leaned in close to the chimney. He could hear Sir Eric's voice drifting up from his usual table next to the fireplace.

        "... you should tell your people your name is Rilyn. It won't sound as foreign to them," Sir Eric's voice drifted up the chimney.

        "Why are you helping me?" asked Rilyn.

       "I owe it to your family."

        "I don't have a family... not anymore.

       "Trust me, I know all about..."

       "Caden!" yelled his father. "Get down from there. The town is gathering in the square."

        Caden climbed off the roof. He knew one thing, the stranger and Sir Eric wouldn't be gathering.