Paladins

Prologue
A hooded figure, his face masked beneath shadows, stood with his back against the wall. A big man sat opposite him, with his finger to his chin. The room was dark, only lit by one candle. This was not nearly enough light to fill the large chamber. Silence clambered through the hall, as the big man studied the cloaked figure; a complete waste of time, he thought angrily to himself. The big man suddenly stood, having a red flowing cape, only centimeters from skimming the ground. His dark silver armor clanging loudly as he approached the concealed figure. He had long, curly black hair, reaching his shoulders. A gray/black mustache and beard surrounded his lips; however, there was getting to be more gray than black in it. But the most drawing detail was his dark, intense eyes.
"Why should I let you live, Demorsian, for even daring to come into Kata? It is the capital my Isola; the greatest city that one has ever set foot in. It is too great for a Demorsian scum like you to behold. So why; why should I let you live?" the man growled, his voice booming deeply. The cloaked figure took several steps to the man, the High Liege of Isola, making sure his hood did not show any feature.
"Because I have a deal that no man, certainly great as yourself, couldn’t resist," the hooded man replied.
"I want your name," the High Liege demanded. "Or no deal."
The figure shook his head. "My name is not needed. If the Demorsian Empire figured I dealt with you, they’d kill me. I certainly would not want the Demorsian Empire breathing down my neck until they decided to throw me in jail. You wouldn’t, wouldn’t you?"
The High Liege scowled at the cloaked figure, ignoring his question. "Then no deal," he said with finality, and turned back to his chair. "I have no time for the likes of you." To top off his anger, he added a curse in his own language towards the Demorsian man. Try to overdo it, and they’ll fall for it. Each and every time, his own father’s voice rang in his head. He didn’t hold his father’s teachings true, but this one seemed to hold its own ground. It hasn’t failed him yet.
The hooded figure hesitated. "Wait" was the only word the cloaked man could think of to stop the High Liege from disregarding him. The High Liege smiled cruelly and turned back to the hooded man. "One condition. You let me become a commander in your army. And I live in Kata."
The smile on the High Liege’s face shattered, as his brow furred together in anger. "How dare you demand such an outrageous condition in my own city and in my own presence." he asked. He paused and gritted his teeth. "Why would I dream of doing such a thing? A Demorsian, a commander in my army? Betrayal would be inevitable; and that would be costly. Even to extent of my own life."
"Why am I here in the first place?" The Demorsian challenged. "I was a diplomat in Demor. Pitiful job, really; no use. I despise that Empire and want every single one of its inhabitants dead, or in a slaveholder’s hands. I worked right under the King, sometimes even with him. I know his castle inside out, and when he calls meetings and such. I think you’d want to know what I’m about to tell you."
The High Liege nodded as he processed the information slowly. The gears in his head clicked slowly; they weren’t meant to go much faster. The High Liege, however, was very quick in battle. One second outside of your wits, and the next you could have a sword through you. "I want to help you, sire. I want to destroy Demor and help Isola take over." The figure added to sweeten the deal.
"Very well," the High Liege said at last. "I want to know if you can fight with a sword first."
"I can," he replied, drawing his sword at his waist. Quickly, he spun the sword around several times and did a couple lunges and upper cuts. The High Liege nodded his approval. When the man saw that he tucked the sword away and bowed. When the Demorsian stood, he pushed his hood back, revealing his neatly combed gray/brown hair, and a clean shaved chin. His eyes were a dark green, and had an evil greed scratched deep within.
Before the Demorsian could say anything, the High Liege jumped at his throat. His giant, beefy hands wrapped around the Demorsian Diplomat’s neck tightly. "You look like the one that got away from nearly killing me! How you ever got away, still questions me! I left you there to die! I struck you with my dagger." The Demorsian struggled underneath the High Liege’s tight, painful grip.
"No!" he cried, barely choking the word out. "That was my twin brother, Jae! He is the Paladin, I am the Diplomat, honest!" The High Liege let him drop to the floor, landing with a loud thud.
"I am Joseph," the Demorsian panted and rubbed his throat. "We are twins. And I despise my brother. He deserves n-nothing but his grave!" Joseph looked at the High Liege pleadingly. "I-I’m not lying."
"Very well," the High Liege growled darkly. Self-consciously he rubbed his left hand with his right hand; a motion he always did when he was about to fight or kill. "Joseph. Mayhap you’ll become my top commander. I only hope you can prove it, or it will be your grave you should worry about."
Joseph immediately stood to his feet and bowed with his chin hitting his fists in front of him. "You will not be disappointed in the least bit, M’Lord." The High Liege raised his eyebrow at the word ‘M’Lord’. Demorsains and their crazed language, the High Liege thought.
"But before you are sworn in to my army, I need to know your plan," he said turning back to sit in his chair. "And whether or not I need to kill you for stepping in front of me with crazed motions."
Joseph’s eyes lit up at the statement and took several steps closer to the High Liege. "The King of Demor will be having a meeting with the Paladins in about two months. To tell them that you are readying for war, from the gathering soldiers, and forging weapons."
"My what?" he asked, surprised. "I am preparing motions for war. But in two months? That is nearing impossibility. And what spies are you talking of?"
"The King has spies all over Isola," Joseph informed. "Telling him of anything that is unordinary."
"Now what are you saying ‘getting ready for war’?" the High Liege asked.
"Send word to all of Isola, telling the families that men fit enough to fight are obliged to come to Kata. The spies of Demor will immediately flee to Dasen to tell the King of what they see," Joseph said, ravines greed creeping into his eyes. "The King will send his Paladins north to ready for war, no doubt, and-"
"How do you see this is fit for me?" he shouted. "You are crazed, Demorsian!"
"Wait, my Liege," Joseph said holding up his hands. "You won’t have to worry if your army is already invading Demor right under the unknowing King’s nose."
"And how do you suppose we do that?" he asked bitterly.
"Send ten of your top men into each border city," Joseph said. "Slaughter the city’s entire defense in the night. Archers will have to take out each of the sentries. In total, there would be about twenty men stationed for the night attack in each boarding city. When the night is over, the awaiting one hundred soldiers will charge in and uphold the city. No one is to neither leave nor enter the city. No birds fly out. Several guards would have to be posted there. Although, that’s the easy part."
"Clever," the High Liege put in. "And for the smaller cities, less men would be needed. But I ask you, what of the Paladins?"
"Question them all, and then kill them all," Joseph said coldly.
"I have an idea to deal with them," he said. "Simple. But after that, then what?"
"We continue south, capturing every city, town, and village as we go," Joseph said. "And when we get to Dasen, we kill the King."
"What if we are noticed?" the High Liege asked superiorly. "What happens to your creative little plan then?"
"That’s why we ask the men fit enough to come to Kata," Joseph said. "We will train them and when or if they are needed, we will send them into Demor."
"I’ll thank you for your plan as you are escorted out," the High Liege said angrily. "Why are you wasting my time? Proposing a simple plan, demanding to be a commander in my army. You’ve got no real reason for approaching me. Leave. Now."
"Ah, wait, my sire!" Joseph said quickly. "I have the maps of all the cities in Demor. Their secret ways in and secret ways out. The paths that are rarely traveled, and yet still connect the cities. You’ll want those, wouldn’t you?"
"You are right, I would appreciate those," the High Liege growled. "Hand them over."
"I cannot do that!" he exclaimed. "You’d kill me right after. I want to help you, so please let me."
The High Liege sighed impatiently and folded his left hand over his mouth, obviously deep in thought. If he let the Demorsian join him, it could destroy his plans, he thought. Then grew serious at his next thought: or worse, it could kill him.
"If my neither plans nor information can convince you, maybe this will," Joseph said and knelt down on one knee. He pulled his sword out of his scabbard, making a scraping metal sound. "This is the sword of Demor. The first King of Demor held it. Now, it will become sword of Isola, one more step to destroying Demor."
The High Liege laughed. "Very well," he said between breaths and grabbed the sword from the Demorsian. "Come with me, Commander, we will discuss our plans." Josephs’ face lit up and rose immediately. "You better not disappoint me, Dem…I mean Commander. Or you’ll be facing the inside of a ditch."
"Oh trust me, you won’t," he said. "One more favor if you would." The High Liege scowled at him. "Leave me my brother."
The High Liege’s brows furrowed in anger. "No!" he exclaimed. "want my sword to pierce his chest. He must die at my sword."
"If my plan goes accordingly, he’ll die a slow painful death," Joseph pointed out. "And I think that would be a favor for us both."
"Very well," he growled. "If it doesn’t work, Jae’s death will be at my hand."
Joseph nodded. "Good enough for me."