Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

1013 AF FALLMONTH

DAY 39

DENTED SHIELD CASTLE

After the funeral came the feast. Pavilions were set up next to a newly constructed outdoor kitchen range to accommodate the mourners, and vast amounts of food were served in an elaborate display of the late Duke's grandeur.

Near the pavilions an outdoor kitchen range had to be constructed by mason, and all the kitchen equipment was supplied from all over the continent, from Seren, from Dostov and from Vern.

There are the merchants, the mercer, the cooks, and the spices bought from the spices merchant families.

Huge quantities of food were consumed.

Many Count were happy and drinking, singing and dancing in the long tables while asking for more wine.

Arial was the only one not eating.

When he had arrived, he'd insisted on bringing all one hundred of his troops inside the castle, but Adrian had refused; there simply was not enough room for them all.

Gradually the nobles packed up their things and returned to their own lands, and before long there was only a handful of people left, those closest to the Alan family.

Those who he had wanted to become his inner circle.

The lords had been informed of Hadrian's final wish, and through their sadness they eagerly awaited the announcement of the new Duke.

Adrian watched them all from around the table, which was still piled high with food and ale.

There are thirty-one bottle of ale, forty-nine beef cattle, ninety calves, two hundred and ten sheep, large quantities of fish including pike, salmon and shellfish, and poultry including hens, capons and cygnets

There are also bread, honey, salt, milk, cream, butter and eggs.

It was truly grand

He thought it a shame that High Lord Aries Vermont was busy in Seren helping House of Terasi with some problems leaving his son in charge of everything and it seems he handle it well

Adrian would have liked to talk with him, but at least his son was here.

And Arial was more than capable of handling business matters. Adrian was pondering his next move, when the sound of a soaring arrow pierced the air.

Count Valais, who had been dancing near the long table, came to a sudden halt as the arrow impaled his neck.

Before his blood touched the floor, a second arrow shot cleanly through his head and he crumpled, dead in an instant.

After a moment of stunned silence, horrified screams filled the room, and within seconds the feast had turned to chaos.

The sound of plates breaking as it being broken in the chaos of running and the scrams of those being pierced by the sharp arrows intertwine.

Hundreds of arrows were released from the balcony overlooking the table, and the funeral became a slaughter.

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Arial noticed the arrow aimed at Count Valais too late.

He was unprepared; in his first timeline, Adrian and Alderam had fought at the funeral, and Alderam had left defeated.

He then amassed forces from Dostov owing to his wife side of the family as well as other nobles in the Dukedom, and begun the war.

Arial searched the room for Adrian, and immediately spotted a sniper taking aim with his bow.

After all, Adrian is high target priority. He had always been looking only at Adrian.

As an arrow soared through the air, Arial lunged forward and used his sword technique Wind Blown as the force of internal energy he unleashed send the arrow off course.

The arrows were thrown back to the stone walls and lodged itself in the walls.

He couldn't possibly protect all the men in the room, he had to make sure Adrian was unharmed. He needed him, for the greater good.

Alderam!

Arial could see that they are people hidden, but by now they have chosen to let their faces be known.

Most of them are known acquaintances of Alderam and some of them are his vassals lords..

Arial could jump into the balcony and end them but then he would be leaving Adrian into danger.

And he can't risk that

"Lord Adrian," he shouted across the mayhem. "Come with me!"

Adrian darted through the fallen men as blood filled the hall.

Nobles scrambled frantically to climb back onto their feet, only to be shot to death. The attackers began jumping down from the balcony with their lightness technique, and Arial screamed to the ten troops he had been allowed to take into the hall.

"Attack!"

He knew they would die.

He had ten men, they had thirty-five.

But ninety of Arial's troops stood outside the castle, all armed and well trained. If he could just get Adrian outside, he would be safe.

Some of the attackers use a big club, that reminded Arial of the man he met during his first quest, and in a fast swing he knocked Count Skaldruk head, and he crashed forward, knocking the table of the pot clay, and sending the goblets filled with wine, flagons and cups, bouncing and spilling upon the floor.

He has no time to save all of them. Only one is his priority. Another man jump in front of them. His alleviating technique is quite good

"Aria—" Adrian wanted to yell to him, thinking that he didn't realize the attacker.

Instead Arial quickly execute Sweeping Star technique and sent his head flying, blood gushing from his neck like a fountain, while the blood was spurting to Adrian cloth.

His face was pale, and cold sweat is running towards his back. Arial look at him and there is clearly feeling of pity

His father is death, now this.

This is not a feast. This is a massacre.

"Hurry!" Arial yelled

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Part one of the chapter. Please vote and leave some comment