The Chronicles of Onyx: Book 1

Chapter Eight

"Aye!" all the Orcs yelled at once, causing a loud commotion. Sith raised an axe high in the air, a sly look about his face. "We shall honor our Queen, should she set us free for our duties!" Sith encouraged his followers, filling them with hope of being free once again, and not working like slaves.

"We can take them!" Onyx exclaimed to Rok, lively youth spilling out through her words. Her spirit filled him with eagerness, her fearlessness contagious. He too raised his weapon and without hesitation, charged towards the small battle.

-ooooo-

With her strong, long legs carrying her swiftly like a stag, Onyx ran alongside Rok, holding her makeshift club high. Before her eyes, they reached their enemies, and the fight began.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rok swing at an Orc, knocking him down and leaving him unconscious. However another Orc swung his axe at Onyx's face, just barely missing her. Reacting swiftly, she countered by angrily kneeing his elbow, causing him to drop the axe. Weaponless, he resorted to swinging his fists at her, hitting her in the cheek and knocking her down to her knees. But at chest height, she swung, landing a powerful hit to his chest, knocking the breath out of him.

She picked herself off the ground, only to meet eye to eye with Sith. His dark eyes glared into hers, filled with malice and a thirst for revenge. "Why?"

His scarred face contorted with anger as he swung his axe at her. Onyx deftly dodged the attack, feeling the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins. She knew she had to stay focused and agile to stand a chance against the fierce warrior.

Their fight intensified, the clash of their weapons echoing through the air. Onyx's agile movements kept her one step ahead of Sith's brutal attacks, however this was sure to change. Onyx fought back hard, skillfully dodging the swinging axe intensively, using her stick as a shielding herself from his blows.

She could feel her muscles weakening, but she pushed through the pain. Every strike, every dodge, brought her closer to understanding Sith's way of fight. She searched for weaknesses, for any opportunity to gain the upper hand.

Sith's attacks grew more relentless, and Onyx knew she had to change tactics. As he swung the axe again, she sidestepped and delivered a swift kick to his knee, causing him to stumble. Seizing the moment, she swung her club with all her might, connecting with his side. Sith grunted in pain, but he didn't back down. Instead, he roared with fury, unleashing a flurry of attacks.

In a sudden, desperate move, Sith lunged forward and grabbed her neck, the cold, sharp blade of the axe pressing against her throat. A ragged breath caught in her lungs, as she could feel the cold metal digging into her skin.

"You fight well, little pet," Sith growled, his voice thick with satisfaction, despite struggling to catch his own breath. "But this is where it ends for you."

-ooooo-

Rok's eyes widened in horror as he witnessed Sith's blade pressed against Onyx's throat. The sight sent a surge of rage through his veins, and without hesitation, Rok lunged forward, his instincts taking over.

With a burst of strength and lightning speed, Rok delivered a powerful blow to Sith's ribs, causing him to loosen his grip on Onyx's throat. Taking advantage, Onyx quickly moved away, gasping for breath as she regained her freedom.

Sith snarled in fury, his eyes narrowing with hatred as he redirected his attention to Rok. Gripping his axe tightly, he prepared to strike back at Rok when two loud voices called out from behind, "The Queen orders this fight to stop—immediately!"

Cowering down, Sith glared at Rok, "This is far from over," he threatened as he limped away, nursing his side.

Rok stood, his chest heaving, sweat dripping from his brow, and blood trickling from numerous small surface wounds. He glanced around, searching for Onyx, feeling relieved when he spotted her. She was standing as well, her eyes looking at him with a questioning manner.

"You two!" one of the guards called out, "You are to follow us immediately!"

-ooooo-

Queen Demeter sat upon her throne, her ebony wings stretched out wide. "You have caused quite a stir at my unbuilt wall," the Queen stated, her voice commanding. "But you two seem to have a bond." Her fear of him had been taken away, with the safety of her guards by her side. Ready to lash out at the slightest hint of danger directed towards the Queen.

"What do you mean?" Rok asked, his weariness evident in his voice.

The Queen's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Well, if I am to be honest, Rok, I didn't expect you to be standing here before me—breathing," she added with malice, her eyes gleaming with an amused look.

Rok swallowed hard, trying to maintain his composure despite the Queen's taunting words. He exchanged a quick glance with Onyx, who stood beside him, her expression unreadable. He knew they had to tread carefully; the Queen was known for her cunning and vindictiveness.

"You see," the Queen continued, leaning forward on her throne, "I had a more fitting end in mind for you after your skills in the arena. But Onyx here," she gestured toward Onyx with a smirk, "seems to have a certain fondness for you."

Rok's heart skipped a beat at the mention of a bond. He didn't know how he felt about Onyx, but their time in the dungeon had forged a connection between them, no doubt. But he also understood that Onyx was clever as well.

"We were both fighting against the odds, nothing more," Rok replied, keeping his tone neutral. "We have no, bond."

Rok glanced over at Onyx, unsure of what she would say next. He wanted to protect her from the Queen's manipulations, even he couldn't deny the bond that had formed between them during their captivity.

Onyx, however, surprised him with her response. "No bond," she said firmly, her eyes locked with the Queen's void of emotion. "You seem to have forgotten that I don't like Orcs, no matter the circumstances."

Rok shifted his weight, he was stunned, not knowing fully if she was serious or not. He wondered if Onyx was trying to put distance between them, to protect herself from the dangers of their situation.

The Queen's eyes narrowed to slits. "Rok, I am returning your duties as my once-trusty commander, I hope you don't waste away this chance." she said, her tone cold. She then gave a hard stare at Onyx. "It is clear I can't keep you in the dungeons any longer. I will allow you to roam my castle, nothing more. However, I will throw you back in the cage without a second thought, don't test me." She looked at the two Orcs, gaving a dismissive hand motion to the both of them. Following suit they opened the grand doors, and began to lead both Onyx and Rok out into the castle halls.

"Like as if it never happened, but it did," Rok thought, looking at the Queen once more before being led out.