Eamon's POV

The central keep loomed ahead, an imposing structure of stone and iron. Me and the commander breached the entrance, taking down the guards with ruthless efficiency. We navigated the winding corridors, descending into the bowels of the castle where the dungeons were located.

Before we could reach the dungeon door, a sound of footsteps echoed through the chamber. I turned, my blood running cold as I saw the man in black step out of the shadows.

The commander's eyes widened as we locked onto the man in black, a figure wreathed in shadow and menace. The scene unfolded in a haze of adrenaline and fury. The man's sinister presence seemed to suck the light from the room, leaving only a suffocating darkness.

With a roar, the commander charged, his broadsword slicing through the air. The man in black met him head-on, their blades clashing in a burst of sparks. The room echoed with the sound of their furious battle, metal on metal, the grunts of effort and the sharp intake of breath.

Gripping my swords, I joined the fray. Me and the commander fought in perfect sync, our attacks complementing each other. We were a whirlwind of steel, but the man in black was relentless, meeting each of our strikes with calculated precision.

The clash between us was endless, a brutal dance of strength and skill. The man in black was an expert, his movements fluid and deceptive. I could see the frustration in the commander's eyes, and could feel his own muscles burning with exertion. We were giving our all, but it wasn't enough.

In a devastating move, the man in black parried the commander's strike and drove his blade deep into the commander's side. The commander's eyes widened in shock, a gasp escaping his lips as he stumbled back, clutching his wound. He fell against the wall, blood seeping through his fingers, his strength fading.

"No!" I shouted, my voice raw with anguish.

The man in black turned his cold gaze on me. With a swift, brutal motion, he knocked me to the ground. The impact left me breathless, pain radiating through my body. As I struggled to get back up, the man in black ran deeper into the shadows of the keep.

Motivation surged through me, stronger than the pain. I forced myself to stand while my vision blurred slightly.

“I couldn't let the man in black escape. I couldn't fail Sheira, not now.” Staggering, I rushed to the commander's side.

"Commander, hang on," I pleaded, my hands shaking as I tried to stem the flow of blood.

The commander's eyes were dimming, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. "Eamon... you have to... finish this," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"No, you're going to make it," I insisted, my voice cracking. “Don't go, we need you! I need you! I'm not strong, I'm…”

Before I could finish my words, the commander grabbed my wrist.

The commander’s grip tightened on my wrist, pulling me closer. “Eamon… there’s something you need to know… about your parents,” he said, his voice strained with effort.

My heart pounded in my chest. “What is it?”

The commander’s eyes glazed over with memories. “Your parents didn’t die of illness,” he said, his voice a faint whisper. “They were murdered… by a man in a hood. I… I was there. I saw it happen.”

I felt the world tilt, my breath catching in my throat. Memories of my parents’ death had always been shrouded in mystery and pain. Now, a dark truth was emerging.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” I asked, my voice trembling with a mixture of anger and sorrow.

The commander coughed, blood staining his lips. “I… I wanted to protect you… to keep you safe from that darkness.”

My mind reeled. The commander’s revelation was like a knife to my heart. I struggled to process it, to understand the weight of the truth I had just learned.

“Commander, please, stay with me,” I urged, my voice breaking.

The commander’s grip on my wrist weakened, but his eyes burned with a fierce light. “Eamon… what is stronger than the human heart, which breaks repeatedly and yet continues to beat.”

With trembling hands, the commander reached for my sword, pressing it into my hands. “Take it,” he said, his voice fading. “Finish what you started. For Sheira, for your parents… for all of us.”

My vision blurred with tears. “Commander, who are you, really?”

The commander’s eyes softened. “I’m just an old man named Liu XiangMing, your father’s closest friend,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “Go, Eamon… fulfill your destiny.”

With those final words, the commander’s body went still. My heart ached with the loss, but I knew I couldn’t falter now. I closed Commander Liu’s eyes.

"I will finish this," I vowed, rising to my feet. My grip tightened on my swords as I moved to follow the man in black, anger burning in his eyes.

I stood over Commander Liu’s still body for a moment, the weight of my promise pressing down on me. I paid my last respects to him. “ZiYou will remember you.” I wiped the tears from my eyes, my resolve hardening. There was no time to waste. Sheira needed me, and I would not fail her. Not now.

I rushed inside the keep, my heart pounding in my chest. The corridors were dark and foreboding, but I moved with purpose. The first Lorendale soldier I encountered barely had time to react before my sword sliced through him, sending him crumpling to the ground. I heard a voice of metal that made contact with the ground.

My eyes scanned the soldier’s body, spotting a key hanging from his belt. I snatched it up and continued going. With every step, my mind raced. I could feel her presence, almost as if she were calling out to me. I would find her. I had to.

Finally, I reached the heavy iron door that led to Sheira’s cell. My heart pounded in my chest as I forced it open, the rusty hinges creaking in protest. There, in the center, I found Sheira, chained and bruised, but very much alive. She was tied up with chains, her body slumped and unconscious. The sight of her, so vulnerable and broken, filled me with a mixture of relief and fury.

“Sheira,” I whispered, rushing to her side. I knelt down, my hands trembling as I examined the chains. They were thick and unforgiving.

I broke the chains with my sword, chains fell away with a heavy clink. I gently lifted her into my arms, her weight a welcome burden. “Sheira, wake up. Please, wake up.”

Her eyelids fluttered, and a soft moan escaped her lips. My heart soared with hope. “It’s me, Eamon. You’re safe now.”

Sheira’s eyes opened slowly, focusing on my face. “Eamon?” Her voice was weak, but the recognition in her eyes was clear.

“Yes, it’s me. I’ve got you,” I said, my voice full of tenderness.

“Eamon… you came,” Sheira whispered, her voice weak but filled with gratitude.

I brushed a strand of hair from her face, my heart breaking at the sight of her bruises. “We need to get out of here.”

Sheira nodded weakly, her strength slowly returning. “Thank you,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

I helped her to her feet, supporting her as we made our way out of the room. As we were about to exit, a slow clap echoed through the room. “Well, well,” the man in black said, a sinister smile spreading across his face. “The valiant hero has come to save his queen. How touching.”

I stepped in front of Sheira, my swords ready. “Stay behind me,” I told her, my voice firm. I met the man in black’s gaze with steely determination. “You’re not taking her.”

The man in black smirked. “You think you can stop me?”

My grip tightened on my swords. “I know I can.”

To be continued...