An Understated Dominance (Dustin Rhys)

“Damn it! This punk’s tougher than I thought. We’re in real trouble if this keeps up,” Connor said, swinging his twin blades relentlessly. Every strike was aimed at Axel’s vital points.

But Axel was quick. He weaved in and out of reach and avoided direct confrontation. It was obvious he was just stalling for time.

“Sir Prescott should be far enough by now. There’s no point dragging this out. Let’s fall back.”

Sensing the futility of their efforts, Dave considered retreating. He didn’t fear death, but he wasn’t about to waste his life for nothing.

Since Warrick had escaped, their interception mission was also completed.

“You guys hold him off. The rest of you, fall back with me.”

Connor was decisive. Realizing they weren’t making any progress, he quickly ordered a retreat and left a few decoys behind to buy time.

They had barely run a hundred yards when a wave of soldiers suddenly appeared at the alley’s entrance. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, filled the narrow space and completely blocked any chance of escape.

“Fall back!”

Connor and Dave exchanged a glance.

Without hesitation, they turned and bolted in the opposite direction. With fewer than a hundred men, charging into an enemy several times their size would be suicide.

The sound of perfectly synchronized footsteps echoed from ahead, and the ground beneath them started to shake.

Connor and Dave skidded to a halt. Their eyes widened in shock as they stared at the distance.

of the road, a wave of black steel surged

They were tall, their eyes sharp, and radiated a deadly authority. Their presence was even more intimidating than that of the elite enforcement

“Draken Guardians?”

Dave’s face paled when they saw the emblem on the black-armored soldiers’

already the most elite military force in

They were the cream of the crop, handpicked from thousands of Black Dragon Army soldiers. They were the best of the

one was a master in their own right. Any single member could

the castle would never deploy such a force unless the situation was dire. Neither

they appeared, Connor and Dave knew there was

they could fight their way through.

with the reinforcements and

trapped. They were caught between a

had nowhere to run or

then, the Draken Guardians came to a stop. A broad-shouldered, imposing middle -aged

Dave before he spoke in a cold, commanding voice. “Surrender, or

simple, but they carried

was Jaxon Steele, who achieved great feats

fry-but Warrick, who was halfway to

enough to warrant the Draken Guardians’

“What should we do?”

Connor, and his grip tightened around

need to live on the

else can we do? Fight