Under cover of darkness, Quinus and his convoy arrived at the outskirts of the Capital City of Tairal after a series of events that had unfolded over the past eight hours.
As the carriage rumbled along the road, Sir George rode his horse up to the left side and rapped on the window. Quinus promptly rolled down the window and extended his head out, taking in the passing scenery.
"I will, thank you, Sir George," Quinus said before closing the window. He then looked over at Dalia, Nieren, Yuliana, and Rya, "We''re almost there. Once we''re inside, you four will have to keep your hoods up until we reach the palace," Quinus told them.
"Wow, what a long day, huh, Dalia?" Quinus remarked, and she nodded in agreement.
Quinus, Johan, and the other girls couldn''t help but giggle at the sight of the wolfkin.
As Quinus, Johan, and the girls gazed out the window, they marveled at the breathtaking scenery unfolding before them. The outline of the capital city gradually emerged, captivating their attention. Rya''s elven eyes, with their superior night vision, allowed her to discern the details of the imposing, high walls and the grand gate, offering a glimpse of the immense size of the capital. She also spotted the massive structures nestled within the walls, their outlines looming in the distance. The buildings, seemingly taller than they appeared, were accentuated by the presence of a colossal hill at the city''s center. This sight evoked comparisons to New York City, yet the gothic and medieval aesthetic of the buildings lent the capital a unique and enchanting allure.
ent than the last. Enchanted torches illuminated the bustling streets, casting a warm glow on the elaborate architecture and vibrant banners adorning the stone structurs.
The guard nodded knowingly as he whispered the code phrase, "It depends on the night. The night may not always be a good time to return," he said.
f the Royal Family was in need of secue passage through the conceale entrance leading to the Royal Palace.
Quinus emerged from the elegant carriage, his presence immediately drawing the attention of the surrounding royal guards. Walking in his wake were his loyal companions - Rya, Dalia, Percy, Nieren, and Yuliana. Meanwhile, Johan and Tayna remained inside the comfort of the carriage as the group made their way forward.
"I will," Quinus replied before looking over at General Douglas, who opened the secret passageway into the palace grounds.
As the Prince''s group reached the hidden entrance, the dwarves bid farewell and followed Johan''s carriage, disappearing into the distance. Meanwhile, Quinus made his way through the passageway. After everyone was inside, the secret entrance was shut and securely sealed, leaving no trace of their presence.
Rya marveled at the hidden passageway, feeling as though she had stepped into a scene from a movie as she made her way through the cavern. She couldn''t help but notice the enchanted torches that magically ignited whenever someone approached within fifteen feet of them.
Quinus couldn''t help but notice Rya''s gaze fixed upon the flickering torches, and a soft chuckle escaped his lips.
"Nah, that''s not what I''m marveling at... It feels like I''m in a movie... as if we''re on a special mission to save the princess and defeat the evil wizard," Rya joked. Quinus burst into laughter while everyone else looked on, a bit puzzled.
felt a surge of twords slipped from her lips, revealingo. The last thing she wanted was for any of the knights to discover her secret. Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, Quinus stepped in to save the day
"It''s like an EchoSphere. Where you can watch someone''s events repeatedly, but it''s mostly for entertainment purposes like plays," Quinus explained.
"Are you serious? What''s the other reason?" Rya asked eagerly. Back when she was still on Earth, she couldn''t get enough of the vampire craze that took over in the mid-2000s. Now, in this new world, she couldn''t help but wonder just how different vampires were here on Tertius.
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The room fell silent as everyone absorbed the information. It all made perfect sense, but Rya struggled to truly grasp the reality of it. However, there were lingering doubts nagging at her. Specifically, she couldn''t shake off the memory of when Hiro had expressed his desire to become a vampire shortly after their arrival on Tertius. Yoona had insisted that vampires were born, not made and that one couldn''t simply be turned into a vampire. Rya was uncertain whether Yoona had lied to discourage Hiro from his pursuit or if it was genuinely impossible to undergo such a transformation. The situation was complicated by the fact that they were already in the process of turning into Dark Elves, leading Rya to wonder if Dark Elves couldn''t be turned into vampires.
Yuliana was taken aback when she heard Yoona''s name. There were legends about the Dark Elf who had bravely thwarted her father''s armies during the High Elves'' attack on Sorellia. Yoona was feared for her Demi-god-level Vein and her exceptional skill in crafting golems. However, upon reflection, Yuliana found Rya''s golems to be even more remarkable.
"Did you meet Yoona, the legendary Slayer of Light? The High Priestess of Darkness and Death? And she didn''t try to kill you because she sees your potential to surpass her?" Yuliana asked, clearly surprised.
Rya was shocked by Yuliana''s response, which made her realize that many people were afraid of Yoona. However, Rya''s stay in the citadel was brief, and she never witnessed Yoona''s actions. She had little information about the elf, only knowing that Yoona was involved in bringing her to Tertius.
"Well... I''ve never actually witnessed her using her magic or seen her golems in action... But I have a feeling that she just didn''t care enough to show them off. It''s hard to say, but I remember a friend of mine expressing interest in becoming a vampire, and she actually talked him out of it. Apart from that, I haven''t had much interaction with Yoona," Rya revealed, carefully choosing her words to avoid disclosing the entire truth about her situation.
Rya made a face before saying, "He was pretty clueless, to put it mildly."
"Hey, it wasn''t me who wanted to become a vampire in the first place. That was all him! I just found it strange that I was lied to about how people become vampires," Rya said, defending herself.
Quinus became curious, "What did this Priestess tell you about vampires?" he asked as they could see the exit in the distance.
"Huh? Where did she lie to you, Ry? Because she''s correct. We Elves can''t be turned into vampires. Only humans can be turned into lesser vampires. All the other races would become ghouls, becoming mindless slaves of a master vampire," Yuliana explained, and Rya frowned.
"You''re much wiser than I expected, Prince Quinus. Are you sure you learned all this from only reading books?" Yuliana complimented him again.
He smirked and shook his head. "Like I said, I learned to read at an early age, and the library had a lot of good books on Vampires... I have never met one in real life, so I can''t really comment on them through experience. And I hope I never do."
Sir George couldn''t help but shiver as he vividly remembered the chilling night when three deadly vampire assassins attempted to take his life and that of the young Prince, who was just a year old at the time. It was a harrowing ordeal, and he barely managed to escape with his life. Although Douglas was present in the palace during the attack, he only witnessed the aftermath of the fierce battle that unfolded that fateful night.
"You were a baby, right?" Rya jumped in as Quinus almost let it slip that he was reincarnated and a fully conscious adult when he was reborn.
"Well, what Sir George is saying about not knowing who hired them is partially true. We suspect that the Kingdom of Marn was involved, but we''re still in the dark about who exactly within their ranks hired them. We lack the evidence to confirm if it was one of their nobles or even their King, Arnaud Dupont," General Douglas explained.
The entire assembly of Knights gazed at Rya with wide eyes and dropped jaws, their surprise evident in their expressions. The only ones who didn''t appear surprised were Rya''s friends, and Yuliana beamed proudly at her adopted daughter. The hushed atmosphere was shattered by the sound of Douglas clearing his throat, signaling his intention to speak.
Douglas fell silent as he carefully considered her words.
"Yeah... I would prefer not to kill innocent people. But their Kingdom will be destroyed, and the King will lose his head if I find out that he was the one who sent those vampire assassins after Quinus," Rya clarified.
Quinus was grateful that she was willing to seek revenge on his behalf for the wrongs done to his younger self. However, he couldn''t help but wonder if she would actually go as far as to take Arnaud Dupont''s life if she discovered he was the one to hire the assassins.
"I guess there''s no stopping a determined Dark Elf like you," Quinus teased as Rya grinned back at him.
"That sounds pretty intense. Being pregnant for that long must be tough. How do you manage to stay sane?" Rya asked while Quinus smiled with amusement.
I don''t want a child for at least 50 years," she declared, and Yuliana sighed.
Nieren felt her cheeks grow warm as a subtle flush of embarrassment spread across her face. She stole a quick glance at Quinus, hoping no one would notice her blushing, and then quickly looked away.
"I''ll have children when I''m good and ready. There''s so much I want to accomplish before even thinking about it, Mom," Nieren declared, her expression returning to its usual calm.
As they approached the exit, Rya couldn''t help but notice the sheer size of the door. It loomed large before them, easily big enough to accommodate an elephant.
Quinus approached the imposing door and paused, turning to face the expectant group gathered behind him.
Rya stood in awe as two of the knights focused their energy, channeling their mana into the ancient door. The intricate mechanisms of the door began to shift and rotate as if coming to life. With a surge of power, the two halves of the door slowly parted ways, revealing the mysterious courtyard beyond. The knights then concentrated even harder, pouring more mana into the door to halt its movement, ensuring that the passage remained open for their party to enter.
As the door swung open, it revealed the magnificent palace courtyard. A broad stone pathway stretched out, leading to the most stunning fantasy castle that Rya had ever laid eyes on.
"It''s even more magnificent than I could have imagined. It''s nothing like the Elder Tree," Nieren admitted.
"You''re welcome," Percy answered her as he helped her get back on her feet.
Quinus watched as the others followed suit, and a warm smile spread across his face as he observed the happiness evident on Rya''s face.
The group''s arduous journey back home has finally reached its conclusion. Little did they know that their next test awaited them the very next day when Quinus would receive word of the Prime Minister''s devious scheme.