The King's Guard

Chapter 5

“Well, what?” The lady asked.

“I can control time to some extent,” Kael said causing the lady's eyebrow to raise. His ability was a very rare own and raised questions whenever he talked about them.

“That's one crazy ability.” She reached for a wristband in a box beside her and handed it over to him. “Here take this, you'll need it.”

“Thank you ma'am.” Kael teased and before the lady could react, he walked away briskly smirking.

After few minutes when everyone had been checked in, a booming voice echoed through the air, all eyes turned to the towering figure stepping onto the stage. The man was massive, a wall of muscle with a long scar slashing across his nose and several smaller ones crisscrossing his rugged face. Resting on his shoulder was an enormous sword, a weapon that looked more like a slab of metal than a blade. The sight of him alone was enough to command attention, but the crowd’s excitement hit a fever pitch when they realized who he was.

"Welcome, Rookies," the man growled, his voice carrying effortlessly over the crowd. 

Kael, standing among the other hopefuls, couldn't help but feel a surge of adrenaline. This was Archon, the leader of the Shadow Corps. Known throughout the three kingdoms, Archon was a warrior of unmatched skill and ferocity. His mere presence was enough to silence any dissent or doubt among the assembled recruits.

To Archon’s left stood a woman who, despite the aura of power emanating from Archon, drew just as many eyes. Her long, fiery red hair cascaded down her back, and she wore a stunning red gown that glittered as if woven from the flames themselves. Her beauty was captivating, but there was an unmistakable edge to her presence, a danger that lurked just beneath the surface. This was Ember, the second in command, renowned not only for her beauty but for her lethal skills in both combat and strategy.

On Archon’s right was a man of more average build, but with an intensity in his eyes that spoke volumes. Dressed in black leather armour, his gaze swept over the crowd with a cold, calculating precision. This was Drax, the third in command, known for his ruthlessness and tactical brilliance. Together, these three were the heads of the King’s Academy, the very individuals who would decide who among the gathered would join the Shadow Corps, the elite force that operated in the shadows for the King and the Royal Family.

"Welcome to the bi-annual tryouts to become a Shadow Corp of the most powerful Kingdom in all of the three Kingdoms," Archon continued, and this time the crowd couldn’t contain themselves. A wave of cheers erupted, the noise almost deafening.

Ember stepped forward, and Kael noticed several of the male recruits practically drooling as they watched her. She smiled a gesture that was equal parts inviting and intimidating.

"You will all undergo three different tests," Ember announced, her voice silky yet commanding. "Only the top forty will be admitted into the academy. We want only the best."

The air grew thick with tension as the gravity of her words sank in. Out of the hundreds gathered, only forty would make it. The rest would go home empty-handed, their dreams of joining the Shadow Corps crushed.

"For the first test..." Drex stepped forward, waving his hand with practiced ease. In response, a huge door behind him swung open with a heavy creak, revealing three large teleportation circles inscribed on the ground. Runes glowed faintly around the edges, humming with arcane energy. "Each of you will be teleported to different locations within the Forest of Death. As the name implies, you’ll encounter numerous deadly beasts. Your goal is simple: survive for an hour. After that, you’ll automatically be teleported back here. However, if at any point you wish to give up or find yourself in a situation you cannot handle, tap the button on your wristband, and you’ll be immediately teleported back."

The recruits shifted nervously at the mention of the Forest of Death. Everyone had heard of it—an ancient, dark woodland said to be home to creatures that could tear a man apart in seconds. Many who ventured into its depths never returned.

"So, without further ado," Archon declared, raising his sword high, "let the games begin!"

The crowd of recruits was quickly organized into three lines, each leading to one of the teleportation circles. Kael’s heart pounded in his chest as he waited his turn, the reality of what he was about to do sinking in. This was no ordinary test—this was a trial by fire, designed to weed out the weak and unworthy.

Finally, it was Kael's turn. He stepped into the teleportation circle, his senses heightened by the tension thrumming through the air. The moment he did, a blinding light enveloped him, runes swirling around his body as the magic took hold. His stomach lurched as the world around him twisted, and then everything went dark.

When Kael opened his eyes, the brightness was gone, replaced by a dim, eerie light filtering through a dense canopy of trees. The Forest of Death. The air was thick with moisture, the smell of rotting vegetation and damp earth filling his nostrils. Towering trees with gnarled roots surrounded him, their twisted branches creating a labyrinth of shadows that danced ominously around him. The ground was uneven, littered with fallen branches and patches of moss that squelched underfoot. In the distance, Kael could hear the calls of unknown creatures, some low and guttural, others shrill and piercing.

He barely had time to take in his surroundings when a rustle behind him made him spin around, his heart leaping into his throat. Emerging from the shadows was a beast that towered over him, its massive frame covered in thick, dark fur. A gigantic wolf, its eyes glowing with a menacing yellow light, stood before him. Its canines were long and sharp, dripping with saliva as it growled lowly, the sound vibrating through Kael’s chest.

"What are the chances..." Kael muttered to himself, his mind racing. Of all the creatures in the Forest of Death, he had to run into a direwolf—a beast known for its relentless ferocity.

The wolf snarled, creeping towards him with slow, deliberate steps, its fangs bared. Kael took a step back, his hand instinctively going to the dagger at his waist.

"Hey, hey..." he tried to speak softly, hoping to calm the beast, but his voice sounded shaky even to his ears. The wolf, unimpressed by his attempts, let out a deafening roar and lunged at him, its jaws snapping.

Kael barely managed to dive out of the way, hitting the ground hard as the wolf’s claws raked the air where he had just been standing. He scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding in his ears. The wolf turned to face him, its eyes locked onto him with a predatory hunger. It swiped at him again with a powerful paw, and Kael, with no time to think, rolled beneath its massive claws. He felt the wind of the swipe brush past him, the sheer power of the blow sending shivers down his spine.

Just as he was about to rise to his feet, the wolf struck again. This time, its claws connected, and Kael was sent flying through the air, crashing into a tree with bone-jarring force. The impact knocked the wind out of him, and he crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath. Pain radiated through his side where the wolf’s claws had raked him, but he forced himself to stand, gripping his side as he did. The wolf, surprised to see him still standing, paused for a moment, its head tilted slightly as if in curiosity.

But the reprieve was short-lived. The wolf growled, its eyes narrowing, and charged at him once more. Kael’s eyes darted to the side, spotting his dagger lying a few feet away, having been knocked from his grasp when he hit the tree.

The wolf was nearly upon him when Kael made his move. He dove for the dagger, grabbing it just in time to swing it with all his might at the wolf’s snout. The blade connected with a sickening thud, sending the wolf reeling back with a howl of pain.

"Yes!" Kael shouted triumphantly, feeling a surge of adrenaline as he regained his stance.

But the victory was fleeting. The wolf recovered quickly, its eyes now burning with fury, blood dripping from its wounded snout. It let out a roar that echoed through the forest and charged at him once more, faster and more furious than before.

Kael knew he couldn’t outrun it, not in his current state. He had to end this now. As the wolf closed in, he focused on the power that lay dormant within him, the rare ability he had but is terrified of using it due to its instability. He felt the energy coursing through his veins, a tingling sensation that grew stronger with each passing second. Then, just as the wolf leaped at him, time seemed to slow to a crawl.

Everything around him moved in slow motion—the wolf’s furious snarl, its powerful muscles rippling as it soared through the air, the leaves rustling in the wind. Kael could feel the power coursing through him, and he moved with precision and clarity, diving beneath the wolf’s massive body and driving his dagger into its exposed belly. He sliced the blade across the wolf’s flesh, the wound gaping open as time resumed its normal pace.

The wolf landed heavily on the ground, letting out a roar of agony as blood poured from its belly. It thrashed wildly, its pain turning to blind rage as it turned to face Kael once more. But its strength was waning. The wound was deep, and it was losing blood fast.

"Come on, just die already," Kael muttered, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The wolf, refusing to go down without a fight, made one final desperate lunge at him. But just as it was about to reach him, its body froze in mid-air, time wrapping around it and holding it in place.