The crunching of their boots echoed throughout the dungeon as the two guards treaded down the wobbling wooden stairs that led to the cells. Most of the cells were full as they filled the concrete walls on both sides of the men. An occasional prisoner would let out a moan and reach out their hand to get the attention of the guards. The guards would pin the prisoners' fingers against the rusted iron bars cages with the hilt of their swords until the prisoners screamed and cowered against the back wall.
The guards were not concerned with these prisoners. They would rot in a few days and new men and women would take their place. There was always crime taking place in the streets. If anything the prison cells weren't large enough to accommodate the amount of crime.
Karth had awaken but immediately regretted it. A single, flickering torch mounted on the damp stone wall barely illuminated the claustrophobic space. The acrid stench of old urine and mold stuck to his nostrils. He found that he was laying on a thin, grimy straw mattress that did little to protect from the uneven stone floor and chill that seeped through.
I really need to stop falling unconscious. This shit is annoying. The two guards stopped in front of Karth's cell with wide grins on their faces.
"Prisoner we have come," one of the guards said with a hoarse voice. "Let us show you to our King."
"I know you have come," Karth said coolly. "I can see in the dark."
It took a few seconds for the realization to hit Karth. I can see in the dark. He didn't process how dark the prison actually was until now. One small torch was not enough light to illuminate the deep prison cavern. This must be some new powers the Goddess granted him.
"Well let us see if you can see in the dark once your head leaves your body," the second guard laughed in an even tone.
Keys rattled and clicked as the cell door flew open. Immediately the hoarse-voiced guard shackled the prisoner.
They had arrived at a grand black stone door with two statues of winged beasts looking down at them from either side as a marble archway snug the door into place. The prisoner had never seen anything liked the winged beasts and he thought they were somehow represented as guardians in this kingdom.
Two guards stood at ease next to the statues as they opened the door for the prisoner and his escorts. The door clanked against the wall and roared to a stop. Torchlight dimly lit up the room as the prisoner took survey of his surroundings. Dark concrete walls lined the room as they met in a domed roof made of blue marble with red paintings of the same winged beasts that stood outside the door. Wooden benches were lined up neatly in rows as he walked down a narrow aisle until he was helped onto a small stone ledge that faced the king.
The king wasted no modesty on his throne. Gold and various jewels lined the throne as he sat smiling down at the prisoner. The guards shackled his large legs to the ledge as they scurried out of the way and stood next to the king's throne.
"Welcome to the King's Court prisoner," the king was a balding middle-aged man with black skin and a stern face. "You are my prisoner but I want to leave you with a little dignity so what shall you be called."
"Let us just stop this charade right here," the assertiveness surprised even him as Karth kept his eyes even with the King. "We both know I didn't do anything but you need someone to blame for your incompetence as king."
The guards who stood at attention next to the king rushed toward Karth with spears pointed but the king waved them off smiling. "You got balls prisoner, I like that."
Karth raised his eyebrows. "I won't judge what you like or what gender you roll with."
The King's expression turned neutral as he assessed the situation. "You have two options: work for me the rest of your life or die a painful death."
"I will take option three," Karth jumped toward the King's throne. He lunged over one shocked guard and dodged the second. Karth used one of the three steps leading up the throne for leverage as he launched himself over the king.
He smiled briefly at the king's shocked expression as he held his palms face up. Time seemed to stand still as he felt magic rising through his body and trace into his hands. A ball of blue light formed in Karth's open hands and within seconds it formed a sword. Electric blue ran from the hilt to the tip of the blade. Karth willed his weapons to his hands. Two glowing blue swords appeared in his hands.
The assassin gently gripped the ornately carved steel handle and stared down his target. An assassin had tried to sneak up behind the king and was still partly hidden in the shadows of the throne. Karth's enhanced vision allowed to spot the movement instantly before the assassin could even prepare an attack and now put his target on the defensive.
Karth made it passed the throne and into the shadows where his blue sword lit up every move he made. In three moves, Karth easily dispatched the assassin and dragged him from the shadows to the front of the throne for the king to deal with. Without saying a word, Karth took a few steps back to his original position in front of the throne.
The king's eyes were wide in fear or astonishment or possibly both as he looked at the enemy assassin and back to Karth for a few minutes before finally speaking. "Who sent you?"
The enemy assassin said nothing and gave no expression as he lay on the cold marble floor. Karth was staring at him almost willing him to talk. The enemy assassin seemed to sense Karth's will as he opened his mouth to speak.
"I am sent from the NeveRealm Brotherhood to destroy the last king who refuses to bow to the emperor," the enemy assassin growled. "I will not be the last one who hunts you down King Cortdz."
Before Karth or the king could say anything, the assassin started bleeding from his eyes as he fell to the marble convulsing until blood from his throat suffocated his last breath.
"Clean this filth off my floor," Cortdz ordered the guards. "Take this prisoner back to his cell."
Before Karth could object, a pair of hands roughly grabbed him and dragged him out of the court. If this king refuses to bow to the emperor and he treats innocent people this way then I can't imagine how the emperor treats those. Freya was right. The emperor needs to be destroyed. The scraping of the iron bars opening jolted him from his thoughts as he fell into his cell. He had nothing to do now but wait for the king.