Chapter 2: Chapter 2 — The First Gate

The tunnels beneath the capital had been abandoned for nearly a century.
Ren remembered them from old military maps, though the maps had called them something else:
Emergency Royal Passageways.
Built by the first Emperor of Aurelian, they had once been used to evacuate the royal family during rebellion.
Now they were filled with darkness, stagnant water, and the bones of forgotten rats.
Ren moved quickly.
The infant slept against his chest.
Every few moments, Ren glanced down to make sure the child was breathing.
He still couldn't believe it.
The Emperor's heir.
A child who had never spoken a word.
A child who had already caused an empire to tremble.
Behind him came the distant sounds of pursuit.
Boots.
Shouting.
Steel striking stone.
They had discovered the tunnels.
Ren increased his pace.
At the end of the passage stood a massive iron door.
He inserted Varos's bronze key.
Click.
The door opened.
Cold night air rushed inside.
Ren stepped through and found himself beneath the western wall of the capital.
Above him, hundreds of Imperial soldiers moved along the battlements.
Searchlights swept across the countryside.
Ren crouched beneath the shadow of the wall.
Beyond it stretched a dark forest.
And beyond the forest stood the first border fortress.
Gate One — Blackstone.
Ren studied the fortress from a distance.
It was enormous.
Two towers rose from the mountainside, connected by a stone bridge. A portcullis blocked the only road through.
The Imperial banners hung from the walls.
Black and gold.
Ren knew the commander.
General Darius Venn.
A veteran who had once served alongside Ren.
A man famous for never losing a fortress.
Ren looked down at the child.
"Of all the places we could have gone," he whispered, "we had to start with him."
The infant opened his eyes.
They were an unusual shade of silver.
Ren froze.
He had seen those eyes before.
In portraits.
In the Imperial palace.
They belonged to Emperor Cassian.
The child stared at him silently.
Ren sighed.
"You're definitely his son."
A horn sounded from the fortress.
Ren looked up.
The gate was closing for the night.
If he waited until morning, every road would be guarded.
He had one choice.
Go now.
Ren pulled his hood over his face and entered the forest.
________________________________________
The forest was silent.
Too silent.
Ren stopped.
He listened.
Nothing.
He took another step.
A branch snapped behind him.
Ren spun.
Three arrows struck the tree beside his head.
Ren drew his sword.
"Come out."
Figures emerged between the trees.
Six men.
Black clothing.
Crossbows.
Assassins.
Not Imperial soldiers.
Ren recognized them immediately.
The Ash Knives.
Mercenaries used by nobles who wanted problems erased without official involvement.
Their leader smiled.
"Ren of the Imperial Guard."
Ren raised the Crimson Blade.
"You've heard of me."
"Everyone has."
The assassin pointed toward the bundle beneath Ren's cloak.
"Hand over the child."
"No."
"Then you die."
Ren looked at the six men.
He counted their weapons.
Three crossbows.
Three short swords.
Poor formation.
No discipline.
He sighed.
"I was hoping you'd say something more interesting."
The first bolt flew.
Ren moved.
The bolt passed through empty air.
His sword flashed.
One assassin fell.
The second attacked immediately.
Ren stepped inside his reach and struck the man's wrist.
The sword dropped.
A second movement.
The hilt of the Crimson Blade slammed into his temple.
He collapsed.
The remaining four surrounded Ren.
Ren kept one arm wrapped around the child.
"You'll have to do better."
They charged.
Steel rang through the forest.
Ren moved like a shadow.
A sword passed over his shoulder.
He ducked.
His blade struck the attacker's chest armor.
The man flew backward.
Another assassin came from the left.
Ren turned.
Their swords collided.
Ren's opponent pushed hard.
"You can't protect the child forever."
Ren smiled.
"I don't need forever."
He twisted his wrist.
The assassin's sword broke.
Ren struck him with the flat of the blade.
The final two hesitated.
That was their mistake.
Ren stepped forward.
One strike.
Two.
Silence.
The forest became still again.
Ren sheathed the Crimson Blade.
He looked at the unconscious assassins.
None were dead.
He had deliberately spared them.
They would spread the story.
They would tell Malrec's soldiers something important.
The Crimson Blade was still alive.
And he was heading west.
Ren continued toward Blackstone.
________________________________________
By midnight, he reached the fortress.
The main road was heavily guarded.
Ten soldiers stood outside the gate.
Archers watched from the towers.
Ren crouched behind a rocky ridge.
He needed another way in.
His eyes moved across the fortress.
Walls.
Towers.
Moat.
Then he saw it.
A narrow drainage channel beneath the eastern wall.
Too small for an armored soldier.
But Ren wasn't carrying armor anymore.
He removed his crimson cloak.
Wrapped the child tightly.
Then crawled into the channel.
The smell was terrible.
The infant began to cry.
Ren whispered:
"Please don't."
The crying became louder.
Ren closed his eyes.
"Please."
Footsteps echoed above.
A guard shouted.
"Did you hear that?"
Ren froze.
The infant continued crying.
Another voice answered.
"Probably an animal."
Ren held his breath.
The guards moved away.
Ren exhaled.
"You're going to get us both killed."
The baby stopped crying.
Ren stared at him.
Then, unexpectedly, smiled.
"Good."
They emerged inside the fortress.
Ren immediately recognized the courtyard.
He had been here twelve years earlier.
He and General Darius had fought side by side against northern raiders.
Ren remembered Darius's words from that battle.
"If you ever need a door opened, knock twice."
Ren walked toward the command tower.
Two guards stood outside.
They saw him.
Their hands moved toward their swords.
"Stop!"
Ren removed his hood.
Both men froze.
"Ren?"
"Take me to General Darius."
One guard swallowed.
"You're wanted for treason."
"I know."
"You'll be executed."
"I know."
The second guard looked at the child.
Then back at Ren.
"Who is that?"
Ren's expression hardened.
"That's none of your concern."
The guard drew his sword.
Ren sighed.
"I really don't want to fight Imperial soldiers."
"Then surrender."
Ren slowly drew the Crimson Blade.
"I already surrendered once tonight."
The guard attacked.
Ren parried.
But before he could strike back—
"ENOUGH!"
A deep voice echoed across the courtyard.
General Darius Venn stepped from the command tower.
He was older than Ren remembered.
Gray hair.
Scarred face.
One eye clouded from an old wound.
He stared at Ren for several seconds.
Then his gaze fell upon the infant.
His expression changed.
"You actually found him."
Ren lowered his sword.
"You knew."
Darius nodded.
"Yes."
"How long?"
"Long enough."
Ren stepped closer.
"Then help me."
Darius looked toward the fortress walls.
Beyond them, hundreds of torches were approaching.
An army.
Malrec's soldiers.
Darius's face hardened.
"They've already reached the outer road."
Ren tightened his grip on the Crimson Blade.
"Can we hold the gate?"
Darius shook his head.
"No."
Ren looked toward the approaching army.
"Then we'll open it."
Darius stared at him.
"For them?"
Ren smiled.
"For us."
Darius understood.
He turned toward the soldiers.
"OPEN BLACKSTONE!"
The guards stared at him in disbelief.
"But General—"
"OPEN IT!"
The enormous portcullis began to rise.
Outside, Malrec's army charged toward the fortress.
Ren mounted a waiting horse.
Darius climbed onto another.
The child remained safely against Ren's chest.
As they rode toward the open gate, Darius looked at his old friend.
"Ren."
"What?"
"There are twelve gates between here and sanctuary."
"I know."
"And every commander has been ordered to stop you."
Ren looked toward the dark mountains.
"Then we'll have to convince them otherwise."
Darius smiled grimly.
"That's not how the Empire works."
Ren raised the Crimson Blade.
"Then perhaps it's time the Empire learned."
Behind them, Blackstone Gate erupted into chaos.
Ahead lay eleven more fortresses.
And the hunt had only just begun.

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