Freedom at Last Chapter 7: Freedom's Price

Hey! Tomorrow's chapter isn't really a chapter. It's more of a short epilogue of what happens years later. I am putting up the pics of characters after this. Today's the grand finale. It's has a different ending. Read and find out. Recap: James and Zero were about Artemis's successful siege and the qualities of a NightHunter. Zero mentioned the hidden passageways underneath the castle. Artemis then comes to gring the news. Castle Torienaw is in sight. To the final chapter!

Chapter 7: Freedom's Price
Ravew paces angrily. How dare those lords defy him. His lineage deserves the throne, not the weak Armonts. He scoffs and kicks a nearby officer. "Get forces to that fort. NOW!" The officers staggers down the hall, clutching his stomach. Little did Ravew kew,  James had called for reinforcments from Gorwen before he left. One of the NightHunters named, Gordon, had ridden on Strike, the fastest horse in the NightHunters, to Gorwen and is now riding back with reinforcments. By the time Ravew's men got there, they would be met by a army a trained Gorwen knights and be obliterated.
While Ravew is taking his time abusing his men, James is jogging lightly underneath the castle. Zero leads the army through the twists and turns. Artemis and a few other NightHunters found out yesterday that a large chunk of the defending army was willing to help fight. Artemis, Keith, Jordan, and Stephan are getting that chunk into place. Zero raises a hand and motions upwards. "This leads to the throne room. Artemis has infliterated Ravew's maids and says that he is in the room abusing his men. We need to have him move into a room nearby so we can get out of this tunnel without getting crowded by Ravew's loyal men." James nods understanding. A sinking feeling in his gut tells him that something's going to go wrong. He shrugs it off and adjusts his shield. Grunts and shouts rumble above. A quiet settles and a shuffle of feet begin walking out the southern exit of the throne room. Zero slowly leads them to the hidden door. After five minutes of silence, Zero slides the door out of the way.
 Ravew is fuming. A loud crash sounds from outside of room. He and his men come out to see that pesty female NightHunter, Artemis. That girl has gotten under his skin more times than he has fingers and toes to count. She has her hood knocked off and is pouting. Ravew grins at her. "Oh, look what has happened. I win Artemis. You can't beat your older brother."
James freezes. He stands next to the large doors listening. "No way!" he whispers hoarsly. Zero clamps a hand on his mouth. "I know it's suprising, but we have to be quiet." James nods slowly.
Ravew's voice rings through the door. "Time to behead you." Zero nods once and the army gets ready to charge. A man shouts that an army has been spotted to the east. There are villagers to the west lauching smoke and fire bombs slings and catapults. Ravew growls and the hidden army streams out of the throne room. "What!" the evil king roars. He turns to face a boy. A boy who looks just like the man he murdered 15 years ago. "How?"
James glares at the man in front of him. Artemis is already hacking her way through the crowd. "This is my family's throne Ravew, and I plan to take it back. There were shouts coming from the courtyard. Ravew glances out to see some of his own men wrecking the yards and causing mass confusion for the defenders fighting the army outside. "It's over, Ravew." Ravew screams with rage and lunges at him. The strength behind the blow jars James shield arm. He jumps back and shrugs his shoulder trying to fight back the numb feeling. Ravew smirks and begins to slice and hack at James' shield. As another numbing blown crashes down on his shield, James let's the shield go and Ravew pulls his sword which flings the shield at him. Ducking from the shield, he gets a wound to the stomach by James. Ravew straggers into his army lines and three other men run up to engage James in battle. After stabbing the first in the gut and twisting his sword free, James turns to his second attacker not seeing the third behind him. As the second attacker fell, James feels blood splash against his neck. Turning around, his throat grows dry. Artemis stands two feet away from him with the third Black Rider's spear embedded into her chest. Straggering backwards, she falls to her knees. James cuts the surprised assainant across the neck and turns to Ravew as he charges to him. As he struggles to keep his sword in his hand, Ravew delivers a shattering blow, literally. James sword shatters a foot from the hilt. He jumps back from the hissing blade and looks around desperately from another weapon. A sword slides on his feet. Picking it up, he does a series of forehand, backhand, and thrusts that are even faster than the ones Ravew had done. At a sudden change in the swing, Ravew exposes his chest slightly. The gap is small but it is enough for James to deliver the killing blow. Turning to his fallen companion, James tries to think of a way to stop the bleeding. Artemis opens her blue and croaks, "Freedom at last," before going limp. James stares sadly at his friend. Only then did he see her empty scabbard which fits the blade that he holds. He places her sword back into her hand. "Thank you, Artemis."