I miss you brother

Rithia has read that line for many times now after picking it up from the floor. The note had only four words in it and yet it had caused so much chaos in one day. Rumors have spread that the IronGuard are losing their grip on themselves and are slowly abandoning their oaths and with Marcus' disappearance made it more influencing. Rithia sits on a bench near the healers' tent and sees Finn quickly roaming around gathering IronGuard recruits and Knights alike to the main hall.

Finn woke up a few hours after Marcus left with Mordin and he immediately asks that all IronGuard gather in the hall but so far only a few hundred listened to him because of the tension rising in the city and some already call Marcus a traitor. Rithia approaches Finn and asks him. 

"What are you doing Finn? everyone is troubled enough as it is" she says. 

"I have too tell everyone that Marcus did not betray us" he says as he walks away towards another group of Knights "Be in the main hall by midday!"

Rithia asks permission from the healers to leave early and they allow her. She quickly changes into her armor but not all of it. She passes by Marcus' room and finds that Lady Therese is there but she doesn't want to talk to her for now.

She's the first one to come in the main hall, hundreds of seats and tables but only she is there to use them. She sits there in the corner with the note in her hand, reading it over and over gain. She's only known Marcus for a short time and doesn't know a lot about him but her thoughts ponder about who Marcus really is. Before she knows it Dello and the rest of their group who survived the quest in Icehold arrives and sits beside her. At first whispered chatter came from them but Dello cuts the uncomfortable mood. 

"Marcus did not betray us" Dello declares but in a calm voice. "He has no reason to"

"But why would he runaway with some stranger? The soldiers say that it was a demon" Zel replies. 

Rithia places the note at the center of the table and all of them stare at it. Reading the words. 

"His sister?" Merriell asks. "His sister was taken by the demons"

"And she's the reason why Marcus joined the IronGuard" Dello says. "And she's alive"

"But why wouldn't he tell us about it?" Zel asks.

"Because he couldn't" Ortos replies. 

"What? That doesn't make sense!" Zel replies as looks at Rithia. "Why would he leave?"

"She doesn't know Marcus well enough" Merriell replies. "Only one of us here can answer that question" They all turn to Dello.

"He always said that no matter what he will get his little sister back" Dello picks up the note. "He has done so much to get here, to survive to this day and I don't think he will risk it all for just one note. There must be a real truth, the only truth you could see and you'll find it when you look at his eyes." Dello turns to Rithia. "I know you're the last one to have seen him close. So tell us what you think?"

"I...uh" Before Rithia can say much the main hall's doors burst open and a sea of IronGuard come pouring in and the council enters from the other side. 

"Finn!" Merriell calls. Finn hurries to get everyone seated, he hurries to his friends. "What's going on?"

"I have something to tell everyone and the council has approved" Finn quickly leaves and heads to the front of the hall where the council members are seated. Owen, Elos and Annalyn comes shortly and sits with Dello and the others. 

"Your friend's got some courage in him to convince this lot" Owen says as he sits comfortably beside Annalyn. "I wonder what excuse did he tell everyone"

"Now everyone please be settle down!" Finn shouts from far in front and everyone follow him and calms down. "now thank you for coming!"

"Where's the venison stew that you promised to us!" a knight shouts and the others yell in agreement. 

"Venison stew?" Dello says. "No wonder that fool convinced almost everyone to come"

"The bread and soup will be handed out in a short while but first..." Finn says but suddenly an uproar of angry men and women shout at him. Believing that they would be getting a decent meal for coming but instead they get hard bread and cold soup again. 

Some of them started walking out but suddenly the four Talons of the IronGuard arrive along with the captains and Generals of Perion. Things quiet down as Lord Harold stands in front beside Finn. 

"We have important matters to discuss regarding this morning's events. About Marcus" Lord Harold announces, his voice carried throughout the great hall. 

"With all due respect Lord Harold, we don't care about a traitor we'll just kill him like the rest" A knight says and others cheer in agreement but Finn steps in.

"Marcus is my friend, I've known him for four years and never did he show any second thoughts of becoming IronGuard. We recruits wanted to leave during our first real training but he was the one who carried us through it" The crowd settles down and begins to listen more closely. "He hates as much as you do because he lost his family"

"Get on to the point boy" Lord Harold whispers. 

"Marcus left so that he could give us a chance to settle this feud between the IronGuard and the demons" The crowd begin to murmur but is silenced. 

"And how would he give us that chance?" One of the Generals asks.

"He will draw out the High Lords of the Demons to come out and face us without their minion and fanatic armies" The crowd then bursts into laughter. "You don't believe me"

"How could we? Some boy from who knows where is going to convince the High Lords to faces us without their armies?" A captain asks. "Even if he does it, the demons still outnumber us ten to one. How could we beat them? Who does this boy think he is!"

"Marcus Silver, that is his complete name" Lord Harold intrudes. "Son of Mathew Silver and grandson of Lord Titus Silver, hero of the IronGuard fifty-five years ago" 

Everyone in the hall fall silent and drawn back to their seats. Titus Silver, the strongest council member to have ever set foot on Perion and said to have slayed over a thousand demons. Named a hero for leading every major battle and saving countless lives in the process. Every Knight can only dream to become like him but realizing that they have stood beside his grandson all this time. 

"But Titus Silver disappeared before the war ended!" Someone from the crowd shouts. 

"Yes he disappeared but he did not die" Lord Harold looks at the crowd with calmness "He had a son which he hid away fearing that the demons would come for his child but the child showed no strength and was never chosen to become IronGuard but his grandson on the other hand showed remarkable power, power that has not been felt since the founding of the IronGuard that is why we must be there when Marcus gives us the chance to win this war" 

Suddenly a messenger comes in and brings Lord Harold a message saying that the King has approved of the army moving out with the IronGuard. 

"Now! Whether or not Marcus Silver can give us the opportunity we need!" Lord Harold angrily cries out "My arse is getting tired of all this sitting around and waiting for the damn wretches to come to us!" Lord Harold draws his sword and raises it up high "I say we finish this like the IronGuard of old, standing in the field of battle facing our foes straight on with no walls to hide in and if we are to die! We take as many of them with us!" 

Everyone in the hall stood and drew their swords and cheered their loudest. The war cry of the IronGuard that hasn't been heard for fifty years. The roar of each person is like a wild beast yearning for battle. With renewed hope in their hearts, they set out for the deciding battle. They empty the hall fast and prepare. 

"Lord Harold I would like to ask for your permission" Rithia asks.. 

"What for?" Lord Harold replies. 

"To head for the old citadel and await Marcus" She says. "We're coming too" Dello and the others approach.

"Don't be fools, we'll move out as an army" Lord Harold says to them. 

"Please sir! We have to do this" Rithia begs, her eyes filled with determination. 

"I'll go with them" Gildas comes. "You'll need a scouting party, I'll bring fifty more men and have them send  reports" 

Gildas' proposal makes Lord Harold think but knowing that these kids could do something reckless to save their friend. "Very well but I want clear reports and I want to see everyone when we arrive in four days"

four days? Rithia thought. Marcus said he would be there in three but no time to argue so Rithia and the others leave and Gildas speaks to Lord Harold. They reach the courtyard where the soldiers are in a hurry of packing and moving things.

"Four days is a long time" Dello says. 

"Marcus said he'll be back in three days" Rithia says. "I don't what to do if the army doesn't come"

"Don't worry Marcus will think of something" Finn says as he catches up with them.

"How do you know about Marcus' plan by the way?" Dello asks. 

"Oh when he knocked me unconscious he was speaking to me at first I thought it was a dream or some sort but it felt deep down it was real and he told me everything about his plan that's why we must be there in three days"

"Don't worry we'll be there in two" Owen announces. He, Annalyn and Elos are coming with them.

*Somewhere in the old lands of the east the next day

 "Come Lord Marcus we are near" Mordin says as they cross the foul land. Dead trees, dry rivers and rotting stench surround them. 

"Where are we?" Marcus asks.

"We are home" Mordin stops and mutters some words. 

Suddenly a huge castle appears in front of them with black walls and black gates and terrifying eyes atop the wall, cloaked in black and holding bows pointed at them with arrows locked. The gates cracked and slowly opened.

"Come young Marcus, it is time" 

HELLO! THANK YOU FOR READING! :) PLEASE VOTE AND COMMENT IF YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER :)

ALMOST DONE HMM LIKE FIVE MORE CHAPTERS? OR MAYBE TEN? I'M ENJOYING THE DIALOGUE WRITING FOR THE NEXT CHAPTERS SO IT MIGHT TAKE A WHILE. 

THANK YOU FOR READING AGAIN! NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE POSTED SOON!