The Order of the Skull

Chapters 6-10

6: Christopher

"How did this happen, Christopher?" The Duke shouted at me angrily, he paced up and done the throne room while I stood silently, stone faced. To say the Duke was mad, was a severe understatement. As you can imagine, he wasn't pleased that one of his councilmen had been killed, at his party. "Patterson, dead? At my ball? This is unacceptable, Captain. This certainly isn't the first time this mystery assassin managed to kill someone and evade your eye, is it?"

All I could do was nod and mutter, "No it isn't, Duke Reith, but-," he cut me off before I could go any farther.

"Captain Farthein," the duke continued with a disciplinary tone, "What can I do with you, some are beginning to question the effectivity of a captain who is so... young." He said the last word as if it were an insult.

"Duke Reith please," I began as calm as possible, I couldn't lose my title, I'd worked too hard to obtain it. "I think I might have some idea of who the assassin was?"

"Well go on then!" The duke said impatiently, "Spit it out!"

"It was this girl," I said slowly, trying to remember all the details about the beautiful creature that was Cynthia. "She was wearing a dark green gown, she had brown hair, blue eyes, and she left right after the councilman collapsed." I paused for a second as I took in the Duke's now blank expression. "She was young, she couldn't have been much older than myself."

"Bah," the Duke said, he now looked annoyed, "You're trying to tell me this assassin you've been trying to hunt down is some Adolescent girl?" I stayed silent as the Duke's voice boomed over me, "Did you at least get some sort of name?"

"I think it was Cynthia," I said before quickly adding, "If I remember correctly."

"We need more than this, as I'm sure you understand. We need solid evidence, not leads." The Duke said. "I can't deal with your lack of results much longer Captain, but I have a task I need you to do in the meantime." I nodded, grateful for the change of subject, but afraid I might have framed Cynthia for something she had never done. "One of our ambassador's is leaving today for the Copper City. I need you to escort him there."

"Of course," I said quickly, eager to get away from the Duke's chambers.

"Let me finish," he said, "Make sure no harm comer to the ambassador, the roads are covered in snow and often plagued by raiders and deadly animals."

I nodded, "Anything else?"

"Please head my warning." The Duke said very seriously, "Be extremely careful, this journey especially." I raised an eyebrow at the Duke. "There have been reports of a dragon, around Copper City and roads leading to it."

The color drained from my face a little bit and the Duke smirked as I shouted, "Yes, sir!"

I quickly walked out of the throne room thinking to myself about what the Duke had told me. A dragon! He couldn't be serious, could he? I could deal with the few raiders and animals on the road, but a dragon? Impossible, dragons haven't plagued the region for ages. I had seen one once before when I was a small child many years ago. I still remember it clearly, the majestic blue scales, the fire from its mouth, the roar that seemed to make even the very sky rumble in fear of its somehow beautiful power. No matter how majestic the creature may be, I still remember the destruction they could because, I'm certain nothing good could come with more dragons. We would rely on those who could wield magic in order to keep them at bay, yet it seemed that as the dragons vanished, so did those with the gift of magic. I shuddered again, magic certainly was exciting, but also dangerous, I'd heard tales of single men who slaughtered entire armies. I both balked in terror, and longed, for magic to return. The world seemed safer since it had gone away, yet there seemed to be a depressing sadness that couldn't be cured. No longer did children run happily through the streets of Cyphol, children that remained in the city streets often called to me with weary eyes, hoping for food or a piece of silver.