ã€ŠInvictusã€‹


 Prologue

    The noise of the curtains being dragged violently jolted me awake. The light had encroached in the dark room revealing the messy surroundings and with it the culprit.

    ¡°My, oh my, it¡¯s only been a day since the room was tidied up.

    ¡°Books, clothes, and even more books scattered all over the floor. What is more frustrating is that your desk is spotless What kind of ¡®sage¡¯ works on the floor anyways?¡±

    A hiss was the only appropriate response to her intrusion. My sanctuary was yet again defiled. The radiant light was my arch enemy and to counter it I had to abandon my pride and hide under the duvet, like a five-year-old.

    Why? Because this world sucked.

    ¡°Why must a sage wake up this early anyway?¡±

    ¡°Young master, one shouldn¡¯t disregard their physical wellbeing. And well, the early bird gets the worm after all.¡±

    ¡°No, no. You have it all mixed up ¨C the early bird dies from being too tired.¡±

    ¡°What a cynical approach to life, truly fitting of your title. Isn¡¯t that right, Bitter King?¡±

    ¡°Ouch. That was uncalled for. I am not bitter!¡±

    ¡°Narrator: In fact, he was very bitter.¡±

    ¡°This systematic bullying is uncalled for, Ona. Are you forgetting your manners?¡±

    ¡°Please I beg thee, forgive my insolence, oh Bitter King¡­¡±

    Her insults stung as if one applied salt on an open wound. Why was she so cruel!?

    It wasn¡¯t my fault that I was removed from the succession line in favour of my brother. In fact, from a noticeably young age, the royal physicist diagnosed me as unfit for military training. This coincidentally meant, at least in my father¡¯s opinion, that I was unfit to inherit the throne, which was totally unfair. A king should always lead his armies in battle, was his excuse. Instead, to make up for my deficiency I was given the ¡®opportunity to focus on my studies and become a sage ¨C something like an advisor to the king responsible predominantly for the paperwork.

    Fortunately, and unfortunately, after completing my training and joined the service of the crown I realised that sitting on that uncomfortable, exhaustingly decorated chair had more demerits if anything. No, they could call me bitter all they wanted. For me, the true reward would be my own independence. A little bit of pond and a little bit of land.

    Ah, how idyllic.

    With a thud a round object had landed where I was hiding, thankfully the thick duvet absorbed most of the impact.

    The insolence...what is it this time?

    Reaching out towards the boundary between hell and heaven, my fingers slipped through the narrow gaps and went on to inspect the unwelcome guest.

    Its round, dry and appears to have a protective layer. Slight fragrance, an onion? No, too small. Wait a second, is this garlic?

    ¡°Ona, seriously? Garlic, again? I don¡¯t recall going pale and growing fangs¡±

    A light snort followed my completely legitimate complaint.

    ¡°A crude joke, but if you act like this for much longer you might as well, you know? You wake up late, you sleep even later. I might even get the Church involved, just to be sure.¡±

    My eyebrow twitched after hearing Ona¡¯s retort, and not because of my alco- cough, caffeine dependency.

    ¡°Ona the things you sometimes say are borderline heresy.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I only jest. Young master, the rooster crowed for the second time this morning. It is advisable you prepare for the long day.¡±

    ¡°Alas, there is no choice. Let me guess, meetings, meetings, and more¡­meetings?¡±

    A fissure had formed in the ceiling of my empyrean residence and from within terrors unimaginable to mankind crept inside. Duties, responsibilities, a royal decree. Each monstrosity had, one or the other, carved distinctively on their chest.

    There I stood steadfast, prepared, and determined to not falter. My eyes witnessed the storm forming, my only companion being the spear I held onto so dearly.

    With my waist lowered I took the stance akin to that of a crouching tiger and prepared to brave what was to come-

    ¡°Okay, okay. Two more minutes¡­¡±

    ¡°Young master must I remind you that his royal highness is not fond of lateness, especially during the Grand Vizier¡¯s visit.¡±

    The swarm had won.

    Dejected by cruel fate and left to the mercy of the crown. There were times where I dreamed of breaking free from this vicious cycle and was ever so close to achieving my desire, only to be dragged back to reality.

    A rebellious groan echoed across the room, only to be followed by an elongated sigh.

    Lowering the duvet slightly brought the chambermaid¡¯s figure into sight, she was three feet away standing as straight as a candle.

    ¡°Ona, never mind today¡¯s exchange. You are indeed punctual as ever, trustworthy and to be relied on. There is one thing though. Next time, do you mind adding a little pause between ¡®young¡¯ and ¡®time to wake up, I don¡¯t know, an odd three or four years later, perhaps?¡±.

    ¡°Your highness¡¯s humour seems to improve by the day. I am certain the royal jester might finally feel the need to improve his acting or else lose his role.¡±

    This girl is killing me.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    You see Ona was not an ordinary maid and unfortunately that meant she could get away with a lot of things, including bullyin- anyways, the short exchange ended but with a wry smile and myself contemplating life choices.

    With a cap made in the form of a coronet with lace-edged frills her lush blonde hair was covered save for few strands that escaped. A pair of crystal blue eyes, a tall nose, and freckles decorated her face. At first glance, her innocence and perhaps charming allure would trick you to lower your guard. Unfortunately, this was all but a ploy for beneath that fake smile the executioner¡¯s axe awaited.

    ¡°I am truly honoured, in fact, being the royal jester doesn¡¯t sound bad at all.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I believe you are definitely on the right track. Speaking of which, there have been some rumours lately regarding your last visit to the Margrave¡¯s estate. But before I get into it, are you sure you can handle it? I feel like you already had enough.¡±

    ¡°I...already?¡±

    I gulped and felt the heartstrings pulling. That visit was nothing but a disaster. That stubborn, petty, short-sighted old fart just wouldn¡¯t listen! It wasn¡¯t my fault.

    ¡°Well then, hit me. What¡¯s the worst that can happen?¡±

    ¡°Your highness let''s just say your proposal for solving the poverty-stricken south fell right off ahorse¡¯s saddle into a pile of cow dung.¡±

    I breathed in. Cow dung? I spent two months, two entire months reviewing the entire province¡¯s records and he dares?!

    ¡°Your highness, you seem as if you¡¯re about to cry. Are you alright?¡±

    Am I alright? What kind of question is that? That buffoon who sticks his ass in a metal helmet and swings his sword all day like a three-year-old. Who funds his coffers to raise his armies and bring his supplies? That imbecile, that.

    ¡°Okay, you are drooling now!¡±

    Oh, that. I wiped my mouth using the sleeve. Sometimes¡­ I couldn¡¯t control myself.

    ¡°I suppose, no, I hope he did not announce any plans as of yet?¡±

    I felt fidgety. The matter wasn¡¯t a joke at all, and that¡­that thundering twit refused to listen.

    ¡°Actually, my sources mentioned that the Margrave requested emergency funding from the treasurer this very mornin-¡°

    ¡°We are going to meet with the Treasurer. Now.¡±

    Jumping from my bed only to land over a pile of books. Stumbling was not an option, but immediately recovered my posture. Darting across the room, I hastily picked up the ceremonial clothes and bolted out.

    Ona¡¯s perplexed look remained, she had mumbled something, but I didn¡¯t manage to hear anything.

    My bed-chamber was located on the eastern wing of the palace known as the Hall of Wisdom. The treasurer¡¯s office, along with the other courtiers and officials were located on the western wing, designated for their affairs, and was pompously known as the Temple of Gold.

    I had traversed these corridors daily for over fifteen years. The grandeur and pompousness that the royal family subscribed to was simply something I couldn¡¯t get my head around. Gold, red velvet, silks, porcelain, palladium, platinum, you name it. Ornaments, portraits had all been extravagant expenses from the treasury¡¯s coffers to rebuild the ¡°building that represented the nation¡±. Nation my arse.

    Why do the guards keep giving me the funny stare? It¡¯s not as if they haven¡¯t seen me before.

    Turning right revealed the main staircase which led to the reception. The ceiling fresco was one of the most captivating pieces of art I had ever witnessed. Portraying the painful birth and followed by the glorious rise of the kingdom. Truly heart-warming.

    ¡°My lord, is everything alright? You¡¯ve been staring at the ceiling for a while now.¡±

    The haggard voice of the guard brought me back to reality. His eyes looked confused, but I paid no heed.

    Right, the treasurer.

    I looked at the guard and immediately got off my feet, there was no time to waste. With the golden-gilded door in sight, I paused to catch my breath.

    This will be a disaster; I can already feel it. He better not have approved the request. Oh lord. Please.

    After rearranging my gown and repointing my hat I walked in.

    The wide chamber revealed a dozen figures surrounding an oak table. With solemn faces, no one dared to say a word. To my surprise, at the head of the table father was sat massaging his forehead.

    ¡°The courtier decided to grace us with his presence. You are late. Again.¡±

    ¡°Fath- Your highness I can explain. However, more importantly, I was informed that the Margrave requested emergency funding. I pray this was not approved.¡±

    I could feel the sweat build-up, my nervousness should not show, but I couldn¡¯t help clenching my fist.

    ¡°Would you so kindly elaborate as to why we ought not to approve it? In fact, if you happened to be on time, we might have decided against it. Nonetheless, do enlighten us.¡±

    Wait, they approved the request? Oh dear, we are screwed.

    ¡°Your highness and esteemed council members. In light of the report, there are endemic issues which I cannot disclose least before of the King alone. The redacted version will be provided given his highness¡¯ approval.¡±

    ¡°Complete rubbish! What do you take us for?¡±

    The room was suddenly thrown into chaos, with most of the councilors vexing and threatening legal action.

    It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not the first time. I can handle this.

    ¡°Silence!¡±

    Father¡¯s figure rose, a towering figure decorated with a now belly large enough to fit a barrel. What was that about being fit to lead an army? Anyways.

    ¡°I grant you permission to release the information before the council.¡±

    Smug smiles were now plastered all over their faces. They crossed their arms and awaited eagerly.

    Very well, father. As you wish.

    ¡°In line with your highness¡¯s request, the two-month survey of the southern administrative region of Dracia, has brought to light concerns over the budget and supply management. The last year''s accounts show a large part of funds provided for military, social, and industrial expenditure as being diverted to unknown sources or completely missing. There is evidence which points towards administrative corruption from upper echelons which ought to be immediately identified and removed.¡±

    The smug smiles were nowhere to be seen.

    I don¡¯t see any of you barking anymore, what has the cat eaten your tongues?

    ¡°It is, therefore, my duty as the watchdog to oversee treasury reports and announce that funding towards Dracia to be fully reviewed and reconsidered. Additionally, I recommend a task force comprised of administrative officials to be sent immediately for remedial actions.¡±

    This was only a small part of the report, but that should be sufficient to sway them from supporting the Margrave¡¯s lavish lifestyle. A robber baron, absolutely disgusting.

    ¡°Well, you got me there. Very well, Kain, you will be setting out tomorrow along with a small contingent from the royal guard to assist you with your task. Now, you are dismissed.¡±

    I wonder what they will think, how could they simply accep- wait what?

    ¡°Your highness?¡±

    What? Just like that? Not a word single complaint? And wait, why am I going?

    ¡°Are you deaf? You must set out tomorrow first thing.¡±

    ¡°As you wish¡­your highness¡±

    With a stiff bow, I ended my briefing and returned to the chambers. There Ona was lazily resting on the armchair.

    ¡°You look happy. I suppose the meeting went well?¡±

    ¡°I am ecstatic, can¡¯t you tell? Tomorrow we are leaving for Dracia. I will leave everything on you.¡±

    What a disaster, why do I have to set out and butt heads with the Margrave? Ahhh

    Falling headfirst I landed on the soft pillows. The day would go by in the blink of an eye.

    Fate you are truly playing tricks on me.

    <h2>Author¡¯s notes:</h2>

    Dear reader,

    Thank you for taking your time in joining the adventure with Kain and Ona. At the time of writing, this is one of the many drafts I have been working with and truly your feedback is most needed and most appreciated.

    The plan is to release a chapter each week, ideally on Sunday. These will be made available on multiple channels online and more information will be given to you.

    Thank you,

    Chapter1King

 Chapter 1 - Twisted fate

    Fate for many is a funny thing you see. That¡¯s because it¡¯s pure superstition until the stars somehow align and you¡¯re King that is.

    Overheard in a speakeasy

    Navigating through the room always felt like a challenge, a sea of obstacles that had to be traversed with. The agony, the self-inflicted stress.

    Why was my room always this messy? No surprise Ona complains a lot. Although to be honest most of the parchments, books and letters scattered on the floor were remnants of older tasks I had to ultimately action. Unfortunately, the backlog never ends.

    My eyes shifted at the opening door where Ona, followed by two youngsters dressed head to toe in yellow gowns walked in.

    Speak of the devil. Dear me, did the uniforms always look this bad? They remind me of young ducklings. Note to self: place a request for the uniforms to be revamped.

    ¡°Your highness, the interns have arrived. Ygrit and Rowan. Greet your supreme leader.¡±

    Her boot kicked the floor, and her hand was raised in a salute. Although powerful, the after effect resulted in complete, awkward silence.

    ¡°What¡­what in the world are you doing?¡±

    ¡°What? I thought that would rub your ego. You know, showing off before the newcomers? Asserting your authority? All that good leadership stuff¡±.

    Her hands waved haphazardly alongside her odd grimaces. Meanwhile, I couldn¡¯t help but wish the earth opened and swallowed me whole.

    I sometimes simply can¡¯t understand her. What exactly is wrong with her?

    ¡°Ona, you do realise that the interns, including myself, are jus¡­ never mind. Ygrit, Rowan, welcome. Please ignore Ona¡¯s remarks, ideally forever.¡±

    ¡°Y-your highness it¡¯s an honour! Thank you for letting us work alongside you. We will make you proud.¡±

    Rowan¡¯s eager side revealed itself. He fell to his knees as if he paid homage to one of the great sages of old.

    ¡°Rowan, your manners! Your highness, please forgive my friend, it¡¯s his first time being assigned to such a high-profile courtier. He..he is not quite to grasp with reality yet.

    ¡°I-I see. Yes, right. I understand. Moving on. Thank you, Rowan, Ygrit. Let''s start with housekeeping. We will be departing at daybreak. The duration of the assignment is expected anywhere between six months to a whole year. Our aim is to review treasury accounts in line with the council¡¯s request. I would have thought that given the gravity of the matter, they would ??  ??have sent more a few more¡­helpers, but anyways. Questions?¡±

    Rowan¡¯s sparkling eyes overflowed with excitement; in contrast, Ygrit¡¯s face was serious, the kind of seriousness one would encounter in a life-threatening situation. Meanwhile, Ona¡¯s laidback attitude stuck out like a shore thumb whilst she yawned throughout the briefing spoke miles about the chances of the project even succeeding.

    I beg for forgiveness Mother. I better start visiting the Chapel again, perhaps confessing to the bishop would reshuffle the terrible deck of cards fate has played for me.

    ¡°None? Well, great. Get on with your preparations.¡±

    With a mere hand gesture from Ona, they were both dismissed. As for me, sighing would have been a pure waste of breath.

    This is nuts. They are both newcomers into the section and yet the court thinks it¡¯s okay to dispatch an inquiry with only one official assisted by two junior inspectors to conduct a year-long audit on a potential traitor to the crown?  Absolutely flabbergasting.

    Left with no choice but to turn my attention to my trustworthy aide who delighted in my misery.

    ¡°Ona, what is your take on this? Something smells awfully fishy.¡±

    ¡°Looking at the state of the room and including yourself, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if that stench came from you, your highness.¡±

    ¡°You dare?! I showered last night.¡±

    Preposterous, the guts this girl has sometimes.

    ¡°Apologies your highness, I am not accustomed to the high society, and so my manners slipped. How clumsy of me.¡±

    ¡°Your brain is what slipped into the gutter. Now focus¡­¡±

    With a shrug, Ona began her long-winded talk whilst she tiptoed past the books.

    ¡°Very well, as you may be aware you have accused of if not, the most popular and generous donor to the council for embezzlement. Instead of poking the hornet¡¯s nest, you decided to dive headfirst. To that I say congratulations, you really outdid yourself. One doesn¡¯t have to be a genius to conclude that your actions have made someone very, very angry.¡±

    Stopping her hopping, she leaned over and grabbed a dusty book. She blew the dust off and opened the cover.

    "I like this book - The Robber Barons, a hefty title. Wasn''t this book about the high judge that gets somehow involved in a trial about embezzlement, and they die? Wow, what timing!"

    "No. Yes, well, but no. He doesn''t fully die. Anyways, that''s beside the point! Also, while I do admit I may have bit on more than I can chew, it doesn''t mean I will choke."

    Ona harumphed at my comment, clearly unmoved.

    "Spoiler alert the protagonist does end up on death row. You know, only a few months after the case is brought up. The only difference between you and him is your status. That''s what we call that privilege. If it were me, or any of the two greenhorns that showed up today then I guarantee you they wouldn¡¯t even stand in the trial.¡±

    Her comment cut like a hot knife in butter. It stung, but it wasn''t something I could have denied.

    Ona¡¯s perception of all the courtiers and the nobles are truly right up there next to a dumpster. I mean, I don''t blame her but there''s little I can do about this. Or perhaps I can...well that''s another can of worms for another day.

    ¡°We digress, and to add on top it is paramount we take precautions against what the system will throw at us.  With that in mind, I believe it would be a good idea to hire a mercenary band to complement the guard detachment the court will dispatch. I do have my suspicions."

    The draw was pulled open which revealed a golden framed strongbox. The sturdy and trusty box was my personal vault, and a tiny silver key used to unlock it was attached to the chain around my neck. A series of pouches came to appearance, of which a medium-sized pouch was chosen and tossed towards Ona''s direction.

    "That should be plenty. Remember no haggling, no newbies. Some experience in bodyguarding would be ideal."

    ¡°Very well, I will look into it. Oh, before I forget, any specific preference? Young, old? Male, female, non-human? Pointy ears?¡±

    ¡°I am looking for guards, not a consort.¡±

    ¡°Your highness you as if anyone would marry you although, it is great to be optimistic.¡±

    Another set of daggers pierced my heart. A cough escaped.

    ¡°Why must you be so cruel?! Also, by the looks of it, you and I will be celibate forever. In fact, I am close to becoming a grand wizard and I am certain you¡¯re up next!"

    ¡°Ha ha. I hope my laugh doesn¡¯t seem sarcastic because it really is. In fact, you''re the only virgin around here.¡±

    ¡°O-o-kay we are derailing from the core subject. We have work to do, and by we, I mean I have work to do. Go be useful, use that glib tongue of yours to hire mercenaries.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay. Whatever, Kain.¡±

    Ona¡¯s departure was swift and without much noise and the room had finally returned to a state of peace that I really yearned for. Peace and quiet accompanied by the sweet spring sun and followed by a gentle spring breeze flowing through the windows. Books, letters and parchments were scattered all over in complete chaos. Works of art that had no connection hung around the walls. This mess, this chaos was my sanctuary.

    Oh, how I wish I could just live like this. Perhaps I should just buy some land in the far east. The rivers there flow calmly, the cherry trees bloom, and most importantly the people never bother you. Why bother dealing with stubborn, thick incompetent people? Why?Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    An extended sigh released the heavy air from my lungs. Time was running, the hourglass from my desk showed every second go by until the sands of time exist no more.

    Right, the journey. That needs to be planned as well.

    The real reason as to why my desk was immaculate was in fact the map etched on top. And this wasn¡¯t just any kind of map that you could find yourself in the surveyor ateliers. No, this piece of parchment was perhaps the most detailed map of the kingdom. A treasure I had dearly paid for.

    The texture and detail on it were top notch. The artwork was a personal favourite however, it just never ceased to amaze me. Across a vast coastline, somewhere in the middle where the mouth of the largest river adjourned and flowed into the vast oceans, a white palace surrounded by cyclopean walls was etched. That was the capital of Endelheim, Sanctum. Its position was extremely convenient both geographically and economically, meaning it was transformed into one of the major hubs of the continent for commerce both inland and the sea.  From the city of Sanctum, an intricate web of roads extended outwards connecting the key towns and cities allowing trade, and armies to move but at a moment¡¯s notice.

    Quite frankly Endelheim was considered second-tier in terms of hard power. Our positioning was not of immense strategic importance which meant the big boys had the chance to play somewhere else, whilst we had time to focus on matters such as infrastructure, trade, and commerce. Of course, like every Kingdom, the military complex was the darling of the council, but it was to the point where it was sufficient to deter any foreign invasions. In other words, as good as other powers would allow us to be.

    Instead, the people of Endelheim heavily leveraged the geographical advantage - the narrow paths, the swamps and the mountain ranges which acted as physical barriers to our adversaries. Understanding the topology was essential, and this was precisely why I considered maps as essential. Plus, it really helped when you had a clear understanding of what natural resources were around in the continent. That knowledge was essential for effective policy, and that was precisely where Endelheim had the advantage.

    My finger moved along the horizon line towards the distant south. Beyond the wide fertile valleys and dense forests, carving through the main mountain pass. There another fortress was erect - the Ogrim Citadel was a fortress carved into stone and acted as the main point of defence for any daring invaders. In fact, the Margrave¡¯s territory was a specially administered region set up beyond the citadel and acted as a frontier to the wilderness. To consolidate control of the region, a series of towns and forts had to be established to public order and most importantly harvest the natural resources ¨C diorite, silver, and timber, which were extremely lucrative. Unfortunately, when the Margrave arrived in the lands, the native population was particularly pleased by our arrival. Following a little brawl, an agreement was sealed and a substantial military presence was stationed to uphold the peace in the region. Hence why substantial funding was required, and this is where I came into the play. The funds kept funnelling to unknown locations, and much-needed projects had fallen into disarray.

    On our last trip, we stayed over at the Dryad¡¯s Arms and The Peddler & Peacock. These two are well situated and are frequented by crown officials and mercenaries alike. This should at least act as a deterrent for any troublemakers.

    The two names were imprinted on the mini journal. A small pouch with three coins was drawn next to it. One coin meant super cheap, i.e. no problem, whereas three coins meant I would have to have soup for a week to cover the costs.

    There will be three carriages in total, one would consist solely of the archives of accounts and other storage requirements. The other two will be reserved for staff. On our arrival at the city of Blackrock, the city hall would have accommodation prepared for us meaning I only have to worry about the journey to and fro, plus covering salaries for the duration.

    In conclusion, accounting for the lodging expenses, rations, stable service, and an emergency fund for fifteen members means an average of one Pentari per visit. The wages for the staff will equate to fifteen Dekari and five Pentari, for the month; or ninety Dekari and thirty Pentari for the six-month period. This will put a very nice dent in the department¡¯s budget, especially ??as the court so generously restricted my yearly allowance to only one hundred fifty Dekari. How incredibly frustrating.

    Pencil crunching, coin counting and miserably sighing at the dim outlook of the expedition.

    I should have let Ona and the interns do all the planning, but then again if they messed up, I would feel guilty at my lack of guidance. Wait, no, Kain, you are too considerate for your own good.

    Tucking the journal away was one way of coping with anxiety. It wasn¡¯t procrastination, rather, it was contemplating and reviewing the work carried out so far. The wooden chair was stiff, and the pillow attached had lost its softness.

    I should get a reclining chair, that would be much more fun. The ceiling really lacks some colour, doesn¡¯t it? I wonder what¡¯s new in the capital today. Where did I leave the newspaper?

    I straightened my posture that resembled a shrimp and shuffled through the draws in search for the Morning Star, a weekly newspaper that provided insights on the economy of the Kingdom. It was all the fad right now.

    Ona would typically leave them around here, somewhere here anyways. There it is!

    Beneath a pile of documents, a beige document with bold uppercase letters announces The Morning Star. Underneath a second, bolder statement covered the page.

    "Unrelentless Avarice and the search for justice.¡±

    Well, there goes the whole anonymity and confidentiality.

    ¡°The Crown¡¯s watchdog accuses officials of embezzling funds, gets sent to investigate and the desperate search for missing gold. The ??treasury''s coffers now lay empty.¡±

    Wow, these town criers do know how to exaggerate their stuff, alright.

    Fumbling with the paper, the texture felt soft, appealing, immaculate. Much like the expensive books one would encounter in the national archives.

    Wait for a second, the quality of the paper is outstanding. It seems that even the binding technique has improved drastically. Although I doubt, they could produce them en masse anytime soon. Imagine that, every person being able to own one of these and read them of their own accord.

    Whilst I marvelled at the quality of the paper, the actual quality of the reporting was subpar, in some cases revolting.

    One extreme headline after the other, with the latter being more outrageous than the former. It is unfortunate that they must go to such extremes to captivate the people. Quite frankly the situation is nowhere near that terrible, and nowhere near that exciting. This form of transmission of information is¡­terrifying.

    "Excuse me?¡±

    The voice made me jump. I thought the door was locked.

    "Ona? How many times have I told you to knock?¡±

    She shrugged in response, her face had a certain innocent as if she was absolved of any guilt.

    ¡°I did? You just never answered. Just to let you know that preparations are half ready, although the two ducklings are not particularly useful. On the bright side, I managed to find a mercenary band crazy enough to be willing to accompany you on your final journey.¡±

    I shoot up from my seat.

    "So they do look like ducklings! It wasn''t just me. Hey, you are making it sound as if I am sentenced to certain death. if I am going to be brutally murdered halfway, with my remains to be hidden under a tree, and my disappearance to be played out as an unfortunate accident.¡±

    ¡°Who knows, maybe you are. You are peacefully riding towards Blackrock unaware of the ambush ahead. The guard on your left receives an arrow to his throat, and you are being rushed by horsemen from each side. Their spears pierce your body and you drop to the floor. The jackals then feast on your remains and your disappearance is reported as an unfortunate

    accident. The end!

    My jaw had reached the floor.

    ¡°H-how terrifying. The pinpoint accuracy only raises my suspicions.

    I recomposed myself and cleared my throat.

    "I have a better plan in mind, how about you prepare dinner first? By the way, we might have to request additional funding, my allowance will run out halfway through the journey.¡±

    ¡°The Crown¡¯s watchdog struggles to meet the obligation, requires bailout from the taxpayers. Now that¡¯s what I call a sensational headline.¡±

    ¡°You are wrong, and sensationalism is wrong! I am merely a servant of the crown.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong, sensationalism is wrong. Blah blah, you think the ordinary peon will care. Plus, you''re a handsomely paid servant of the crown. Right, I will prepare for my evening walk. Ona, see that all preparations are done. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Aye aye, Captain.¡±

    Ona¡¯s mocking salute remerged but I paid it no heed. Seeing my unamused face she grimaced and departed annoyed.

    Why can¡¯t this girl ever be normal? Well, now she is gone so it doesn¡¯t matter all that much. I am stressed, I need a break.

    Grey Gown, feathered cap and a leather bag. These were all the things I needed. Shortly after the door was slammed closed. I darted between corridors and made my way to the palatial gardens. The beautiful decorations, the inspiring art, the strange looks from the guards and maids that went on with their duties, none of them mattered to me. I had to get there.

    Past a marbled archway, the pure white was slowly replaced by lush green. A live garden wall embedded with an intricate iron gate adorned with the royal crest. This was the main entrance to the palatial gardens. Few meters down there was a more modest wooden door, that leads to the lower section of the gardens. That¡¯s where I preferred to frequent. Why? Because there was no one there most of the time, save for the occasional gardener on duty.

    With the door pushed open one would be greeted by a simple patch of grass, few roses, and a line of wooden benches overlooking into the horizon. Personally, I thought the view was severely underrated. What was fascinating about the palace, and more importantly its hanging gardens, was that the overall palace spanned six enormous columns of rock, with each column connected by a suspended bridge.

    From a strategic point, it was an impenetrable fortress, logistically however it was a pure nightmare. The city as a whole spread at the bottom of the columns and took advantage of the fertile grasslands.

    Just where is she?

    I strolled around the small garden inspecting every corner and little crevice. The trees showed no sign of her either.

    "Noelle!¡±

    "Noelle where are you?¡±

    A high-pitched squeak brought my attention to the distant sky. A black dot that was overtime expanding, slowly revealing a cub-sized lion with wings the size of an eagle.

    ¡°Noelle, there you are.¡±

    Noelle approached and with her nose, she pointed towards my leather bag.

    "Of course, you have your priorities right. You better prepare yourself.¡±

    A large lump of raw meat was withdrawn and with all the force I could muster was thrown into the distance beyond the rails.

    Accepting the challenge, Noelle darted off to chase her meal.

    That should give her some sort of challenge at least. What sort of predator receives her meal this easy? Ts, how spoiled.

    Ah, I forgot my gloves. Now my hands are bloodied. Gross.

    Like the civilised human I was, I wiped my hands on the grass.

    There should have been a tap or some source of water around, poor planning decisions.

    I could finally marvel at the beauty of nature. The clouds, the birds flying, the mountains piercing the horizon. Noelle¡¯s screech resounded, she returned empty-handed, her expression.

    Perhaps I overestimated. She is just a cub.

    ¡°Here, don¡¯t pout like that. You can only blame your own limitations, my dear.¡±

    Opening the mouth of the bag I let Noelle dig in.

    Doubt she heard me; she looks like she enjoys it too much.

    Listening to Noelle devouring the meat was not particularly complementing the scenery but it was a welcome one, nonetheless.

    ¡°We will be going on a journey, Noelle. Hope you are ready for it because I am not.¡±

 Chapter 2 - The Defiant

    The hour hand just hit the twelfth hour, and yet the quill would not stop from writing. The dying candlelight however brought everything to a halt.

    An antiquated system, anachronistic useless garbage. Ah, whatever. Replacement candles, where are they.

    Scouring through the draws and empty pouches searching in desperation for spares. Time was running out, the deadline, and the frustrated image of a King was looming above me like Hypnos would above his guests.

    Why are they not here?

    I had to have the report ready by daylight least I wished to entertain guests in a port aloo in the riding grounds.

    Cabinet empty, storage room empty. Where¡¯s Ona?

    At that time, as if fate itself willed, the door creaked open.

    ¡°Ona, you¡¯re finally here! Where have you been? More importantly, we¡¯ve run out of supplies, could you p-¡°

    A sudden sharp pain spread across my lower half, dropping the parchments I held to the ground.

    What the-?

    The pain amplified until every part of my body grew numb.

    My vision slowly faded away. A cold sensation enveloped me until it all vanquished into darkness.

    ¡°Kain, wake up. Kain!¡±

    I felt a sting on my cheek, followed by another sting. My eyes slowly opened only to witness Ona staring at me worriedly.

    A repulsive stench flowed up my nostrils forcing me to gag.

    ¡°That¡¯s it, you¡¯re awake. Good, you¡¯re all good, you¡¯re alive, you hear me?¡±

    Her panic-stricken voice threw me into disarray. I tried standing up, but my body wouldn¡¯t respond.

    W-what?

    I tried to speak but my lips barely moved, it was as if my mind and body had been separated, in half.

    ¡°It-it¡¯s okay. No need to talk. You will be fine, you hear me?¡±

    Ona¡¯s words were not particularly reassuring, especially given her horrified expression.

    Dishevelled hair, an open wound on her cheek. Her battle gear was on?

    The infamous Ona was reduced to such a sorry state. Was that even possible?

    A loud thud was heard, I couldn¡¯t exactly pinpoint the location. The noise intensified, but I simply couldn¡¯t focus. My eyes were getting drowsy, and the numbness was being replaced by an eerie cold feeling.

    ¡°Kain, I am sorry.¡±

    Her words confused me, but I just couldn¡¯t muster any strength to ask why.

    I caught the last glimpse of her fiery hair and ivory eyes until all was swallowed by darkness.

    It was then when the darkness was expelled by a flood of light accompanied by screeching bells. My head felt heavy, just like after a night of heavy drinking. The noise was only making it worse. I scrambled through to find the alarm and switch it off but to no avail.

    ¡°Please Ona, could you turn it off.¡±

    My request seemingly had fallen on deaf ears as the chaotic noise persisted.

    ¡°Ona, please!¡±

    In a burst of annoyance, I stood up to reach out to the clock. My vision went momentarily blurry, and dizziness overtook my body.

    Wo-wooh the world is spinning.

    I fell back onto my chair,

    Weak, pathetic body. Why can¡¯t you be normal! This clock won¡¯t stop ringing either. Whose idea was it to buy such an annoying clock anyways?

    After a momentary pause, my vision was restored. Left with no choice I walked over to the watch and stomped on its head. The alarm had stopped; order had been restored.

    What a chaotic morning. And what¡¯s with these nightmares lately?

    After tidying up my desk I noticed a note which read:

    ¡°If you read this then you are late Kain.¡±

    I checked the time only to notice that daybreak was approaching.

    Late!

    The realisation sprung me into action. My clothes were changed, the ceremonial gown and hat were worn, and the rucksack was prepared within a matter of minutes. Without looking back, I dashed for the elevators located at the palatial gates.

    Due to the suspended nature of the palace, the King had commissioned three large elevators to be constructed to allow ease of access with the ground. The first few attempts proved catastrophic, but after a delegation from the Northern States proposed to take ownership of the project, and given their technological prowess, they succeeded in connecting the Upper Sanctum to its lower part. Unfortunately, the project was prohibitively expensive as the intellectual rights belonged to the Northern States, as such only three such elevators existed in the entirety of Endelthir.

    Upon arriving at the palatial gates, the oval-shaped entrance was blocked off by the checkpoint where a group of guards, part of the King¡¯s guard carried out the routine inspection. Their bright red uniforms, embroidered with dark and gold patterns truly made out a great uniform.

    Satisfied with the insignia I presented, the guard instructed for the heavy steel doors to open, making way for the elevator.

    The structure was intricate yet eloquent. A testament of the Northern Cities, where technology and magic co-existed and complemented one another. Unfortunately, such practices were prohibited in the Southern region, and magic was outlawed. This was chief among many other reasons for the divide between the Northern Cities and the Southern continent.

    The radiant engravings worked in harmony with the illuminating crystals on the walls. Functionalities wise the device was powered by ether, a substance produced by the alchemists in the Northern Cities. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call it magic?¡ª?as the platform would effortlessly work without mechanical parts. Their exclusive and prohibitive value was precisely why these elevators were classified as national treasure.

    As far as the journey went, there were twelve floors including the underground cellars. The descent was smooth and frictionless.

    Ah, the wondrous sound of technology. It is a shame father¡¯s reluctance on challenging these giants. Well, it does pay off being the middleman rather than the producer, but we have the talent; we have the resources and the will. Perhaps someday.

    The doors parted once more signalling arrival. A second checkpoint with a group of palace guards stood ceremonially. Their uniforms were strikingly different from their upper floor counterparts. They donned a checked combination of orange and blue, and their open helmet was adorned with a peafowl¡¯s plume. They were known as the Peafowl Regiment and responded solely to the King.

    One of the guards turned in curiosity but then resumed his duties after seeing the insignia I held in my palm. A blazing sun crested with a scripture. There was only one such insignia in the entire kingdom.

    Past the first checkpoint, I was greeted by a large zigzag-shaped stable that housed the king¡¯s horses and carriage. Within the riding grounds, three carriages with a rounded top were in the process of being loaded.

    I could already see from the distance that Ygrit and Rowan were doing all the heavy lifting, whilst Ona fiddled with her notebook. Witnessing Rowan struggle to lift the box made me pity him to the point I wished I could help; It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t want to.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°We are running late. I thought preparations were ready from yesterday.¡±

    ¡°No, Kain. You are running late. Furthermore, preparations would have been ready if your interns didn¡¯t screw up and instructed the wrong boxes to be collected. Now they have to do all the grunt work themselves.¡±

    The two interns did not seem particularly cheerful. Their expressions were desperate, downright depressed.

    ¡°Hello there. Rowan, Ygrit. What¡¯s up, why the long face?¡±

    Ona¡¯s chuckle accompanied by the perfectly time horse¡¯s neigh, was a much-needed compliment for my well-placed joke. It felt great to be acknowledged.

    ¡°See, you would be a perfect jester. Why bother to be a civil dog?¡ª?I mean servant.¡±

    Ygrit¡¯s expression turned ugly, her eyes looking at me in disbelief.

    ¡°If only you placed as much effort as you do in trying to make fun of me. The world might have been different. Vastly different.

    ¡°Regardless, we digress. I have been informed that the guards will be meeting with us at the third gate, by Aeon¡¯s monument. What about the free company?¡±

    Pondering for a second, she shuffled through her notebook and replied.

    ¡°The free company¨C which by the way, their name is cool, wait for it?¡ª?Crooked Tooth.¡±

    Ona¡¯s sudden snort was followed by a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Anyways, what a name am I right? Our rendezvous point is also the third gate. That should be fun.¡±

    The animosity between the royal army and the free companies was the purpose behind my annoyance. In normal circumstances, a royal representative hiring a free company would be unheard of, as if it was a smudge on the royal army¡¯s honour.

    ¡°It is unfortunate, but we had no choice, it seems I cannot trust the council with manpower. I definitely look forward to the upcoming fiesta you have planned. Now if you excuse me, I will be waiting within the carriage, my eyes are too tired to roll at you.¡±

    From the three carriages, the one in the middle was the largest one. It was also the carriage Ona, and I would be sharing during the journey?¡ª?a personal gift from the treasury department for a comfortable journey.

    Stepping inside I was pleasantly surprised by the arrangements. The cushions seemed of decent quality, in the middle part there seemed to be a wooden compartment that contained a silver flask.

    Yes! That¡¯s exactly what I am talking about. Although I am still on duty, it has been five exceptionally long minutes, so a drink is definitely overdue.

    Unscrewing the seal, a familiar fragrance emerged. My brows furrowed.

    Well, I had my hopes too high. Cheap wine. I guess beggars can¡¯t be choosers.

    A swift shake and a large gulp made me immediately regret my decision.

    This wine is actually worse than I imagined. Sigh, I suppose the sooner we leave the capital the better. That will finally draw the unwanted attention off, and I can potentially enjoy a decent cup of wine at last.

    I placed my feet up and closed my eyes. The curtains were drawn, the atmosphere was cosy. Comfort was at last at its peak?¡ª?until the door opened and Ona walked.

    ¡°Your interns do a great job at annoying me. Say, you¡¯re the head of an entire department and all you can muster is two teenagers that are not even able to sort out boxes?¡±

    Her complaints were legitimate but all I could do was shrug.

    ¡°Budget cuts I am afraid.¡±

    ¡°What an absolute joke.¡±

    ¡°And will remain a joke, unfortunately. It¡¯s not their fault, Ygrit is the daughter of a councillor and Rowan¡¯s father is a spice merchant, both equally famous and profitable for the treasury¡¯s coffers. All their parents had to do was forget a bag of coins in the Treasurer¡¯s office and et voila, they both have their roles directly under the procurator fiscal. Plus, you can¡¯t expect them to know how to lift a box, when they had a servant lifting their own spoon for them. It¡¯s just how life is.¡±

    Ona mumbled, fussed, and kicked, until her shoulders dropped. A resigned sigh was her white flag.

    ¡°Hey, here¡¯s a novel idea, Ona. How about you train them? At least they are willing to work, from experience I had interns walk out because posting letters was below them. With a bit of work, they should be a great asset to our team.¡±

    ¡°Key focus on should. Anyways, we are ready to depart.¡±

    With that, the door closed and the curtain was pulled to the side which allowed a clear view of the street. Shortly after, the carriage started moving.

    Lines of shops appropriated to articles of taste and fashion decorated both sides, with every third building having a carriageway that led to the suburbs. Glimpses of neatly arranged residences, some decorated with ornated lamps, benches, and small gardens for the residents to indulge in. This was the luxury the nobilities lived in, whilst peons in the outer circle dealt with overcrowding, squalor and dirt.

    Unfortunately for Sanctum, the design was concise yet strictly defensive. Apart from the residential and commercial areas, the city was divided by two internal walls, with an overall larger third wall surrounding the entire region. As a result of this perhaps intentional design, the society was split into two halves, the infamous inner and outer circles?¡ª?with nobility residing within the inner walls, and the remaining population outside. There had been many instances where the case to demolish the walls had been brought before the council only to be unilaterally dismissed on grounds for national security.

    From the way wealth flowed into the inner circle, it was apparent that the division was something they preferred to maintain. After all, the most renowned academies and living facilities were segregated from your everyday peon by means of social status or money.

    In the distance, Aeon¡¯s column stood proud, a monument built to immortalise the forefather and liberator of Endelthir.

    The slit opposite of me was slid open, revealing a pair of eyes staring intently.

    ¡°This is an announcement; all passengers prepare to disembark¡±.

    The slit slid off once more, followed by the sound of boots landing on the ground. The door was opened gently in a ceremonial manner, and Ona was seen bowing on the side.

    It was difficult not to roll my eyes at her but played along. I descended slowly and surveyed my surroundings. The street was peculiarly empty for this hour but paid no heed. Six horses have lined up ahead, with two banners floating on each end?¡ª?a thorn circlet pierced by a spear.

    Erzhekiel¡¯s Wrath?¡ª?well that¡¯s a surprise, a welcome one for sure.

    One of the horsemen removed their helmet and dismounted, making her way towards us.

    The guard¡¯s features were a blending with the dim morning light?¡ª?rose hair and emerald, green eyes.

    Wait for a second, is that the Defiant?! It can¡¯t be, the circlet? Unless¡­

    ¡°Legatus Iraes presents herself to the Procurator Fiscal. We are eager to accompany you on this journey.¡±

    If there was room to disregard manners my jaw would have definitely been left wide open, so much so that a horse could fit.

    ¡°It is an honour to have you accompany us in the journey. Please forgive my ignorance, but I thought your company would have been deployed in the far North rooting out the rebel incursions?¡±

    ¡°Your highness ought to improve your flow of information, the rebellions have been rooted out long ago. It was merely peacekeeping. As for our arrival, we arrived this morning at the direct orders of his majesty, the King.¡±

    ¡°I-I see. The King himself. What can I say but that I am in awe? I must say I am an avid admirer of the feats your company has achieved, and to have you accompany us in this unimportant journey, I am humbled.¡±

    A dry cough was heard from behind.

    ¡°Your highness you flatter us. However, time is running, and we ought to depart.¡±

    That made me swallow. I shifted between the Legate and Ona in confusion.

    ¡°Is there something wrong my Lord?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­you see, when this mission was announced we were not expecting our escort to be this extraordinary, and so we are waiting for a free company to join us.¡±

    A moment of silence replaced the wide road.

    ¡°Your highness¡­even if it weren¡¯t to be us, do you¡­do you not trust his majesty¡¯s guards?¡±

    ¡°Outlandish! If I am honest, I wasn¡¯t expecting anything at all.¡±.

    A group of hooded individuals approached, only to be met by the raucous shout from the cavalry.

    ¡°Halt your steps, approach no further.¡±

    Their spears were lowered, the hooded group reacted in kind. Swords were drawn, shields were raised. The situation was tense. I was feeling sweat drip down my neck already.

    The legate did not say a word, she simply looked as if curious about the outcome of the exchange. It was at that point that Ona interjected.

    ¡°Everyone, thank you for gathering today. Since all parties have arrived, we better prepare for departure.¡±

    A burly individual lowered his hood revealing a thick beard and a bald head. The wrinkles on his face and the bags under his eyes only embellished his character.

    ¡°The name is Ralph, and I am the leader of the Crooked Tooth. We received a request for an escort order by someone called¡­Big Boss.

    A light chuckle was heard from between the ranks of both the horsemen and the Crooked Tooth.

    I can bet my life savings that werez Ona¡¯s doing.

    As soon as I turned towards her, she shifted her look away.

    ¡°Ahem, that¡¯s probably me. It¡¯s a codename for anonymity¡¯s sake. Then, Ralph, delighted to meet you and your team. Your team will be responsible for the carriages, and the Legate¡¯s team will be in charge of overall protection.¡±

    There are five members in Ralph¡¯s team and another six in the Legate¡¯s. That means a total of 11 guards, in fact not bad. This is a pretty decent force that should prevent any brave fools.

    Ralph responded with a simple nod; the Legate did not even say anything but merely departed to her squad.

    ¡°Fine by me, Big Boss.¡±

    Returning to my carriage I simply faceplanted on the bench.

    Great, they send the Defiant without telling us, which is amazing, but the very fact we hired a free company must have insulted them greatly. The legate fell dead silent. Ah, what a mess. I feel like I aged ten years.

    The slit slid open; Ona¡¯s irritable voice reappeared.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t half bad, I was expecting a worse showdown but frankly that went just okay.¡±

    ¡°We are lucky they didn¡¯t slaughter each other; you know well the animosity between them. Ah, these will few exhausting days or weeks. Or months.¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah, life goes on. Cheer up.¡±

    The slit was shut close once more and the carriages began moving. I wasn¡¯t in the right mood for sightseeing.

    I hope Noelle arrives well at her destination. Then again, she should be fine. Additionally, the Defiant, I can¡¯t believe she is here! That¡¯s¡­so cool.

    I giggled to myself as I re-positioned my shrimp posture.

    The next three days should be a breeze then.

 Chapter 3 - Daybreak

    Golden fields spread as far as the eye could see. Within these fields groups of men were lined up and cut through the golden sea with their long scythes, only to be followed by women and children who tied the wheat into sheaves to dry.

    It was a peaceful display of cooperation, where everyone banded together under the sun reaping what they sowed for the half-year. To these villagers this would be their much-needed supplies for the long winter, least they should face starvation.

    The road up ahead started to curve, only to split into smaller directions. The narrow turn revealed a large chestnut tree situated atop a molehill. At its feet, a wooden pew with a narrow roof and a well were built to provide respite to the travellers.

    Coincidentally, the carriage wheel had stumped over a larger rock shaking the entire space. Miraculously, Ona¡¯s raucous snore also came to an end.

    ¡°T-th-these lackeys. They don¡¯t know how to pull the horses properly!¡±

    ¡°Ona your manners! These are not your lackeys, they were hired by us, remember?¡±

    ¡°So¡­what¡¯s exactly the difference? Anyways is there a reason as to why we stopped?¡±

    The truth was that I was as lost as she was, but it didn¡¯t bother me. The place looked welcoming, ideal for a break. Although the carriage was designed to be comfortable, it had been a day since our journey began and we were scheduled to arrive at the first inn tomorrow.

    Heavy boots were heard clanking against the solid surface and soon enough the door was pulled open bringing Irae¡¯s face into sight.

    ¡°Your highness, one of the horses appears to be injured.¡±

    Stupefied by the situation I had no choice but to concede defeat. Dropping off from the carriage I was greeted by the burning afternoon sun.

    Given the size of our party, the entire road was blocked. Fortunately for us, it appeared as a very quiet day.

    Following behind Irae, we made our way to the first carriage, there Ralph and his aide ¨C whose name escaped me - were tending to the horse.

    ¡°A sprained ankle, boss. It is most likely due to the horseshoes being poorly made. Give it a day or two and should be fine.¡±

    ¡°Never imagined you knew how to tend to the horses, Ralph.¡±

    ¡°It ain¡¯t me, boss. It¡¯s this lad ¨C he¡¯s got a talent I suppose, goes all funny and can understand animals, or at least he claims to.¡±

    Ralph spat on the ground and turned to the young bloke behind him. He was donned in a light outfit, with no signs of combat equipment at all. Ralph¡¯s towering body made him look like an underage child.

    ¡°Come on, greet your lord. Too much talking made you forget how to speak to humans?¡±

    The lad sheepishly turned and greeted in the crudest way.

    ¡°M¡¯lord, t-the name is R-Randy.¡±

    It appeared that was as much as the lad could speak before he hid behind Ralph¡¯s back.

    ¡°Ey, don¡¯t mind him, boss. He¡¯s a shy one. You see, his mother got cut clean by one of the local nobles when he was a youngin, so now he is terrified of the lot. But hey, can you blame him?¡±

    The realisation shocked me and couldn¡¯t help but shake my head.

    ¡°I beg your pardon, what? The noble did what?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a sad story, boss.¡±

    ¡°Cut, cut. Nobody cares, can we get the carriage moving? We have a schedule to meet to.¡±

    Ona¡¯s interjection was rather rude, but her complexion seemed annoyed. The bumpy road did her no favour after all.

    ¡°Ahem, the horse can¡¯t walk for more than an hour. If I recall the next in should be about a day¡¯s travel away, right?¡±

    It was then when a haggard voice grabbed our attention.

    ¡°Belua¡¯s farm, he¡¯s got horses.¡±

    Turning towards the voice revealed an old man sitting by the pew smoking his pipe. He wore lose clothes ¨C or rags to be more precise ¨C and a straw hat which covered his tangled hair allowing for more emphasis on his white beard.

    Walking over to his side, I raised my hand in a salute.

    ¡°Good day, sir. If may I ask, who¡¯s Belua?¡±

    Releasing smoke, the old man was seemed unbothered to repeat himself.

    ¡°Not who, but where. Belua¡¯s farm. It¡¯s about an hour to the north. Cross the prairie and you will come across a pumpkin farm. That¡¯s Belua. He should have horses for sale.¡±

    ¡°I see. Thank you for your assistance. What is your name?¡±

    The old man seemed uninterested in continuing the conversation. His head turned towards the blue sky.

    Upon return, I saw Irae had made arrangements already.

    ¡°To the pumpkin farm, then?¡±

    ¡°Well,  Ygrit and Rowan are not of use, so they better stay. Myself, Irae, Ona, Sol and Erin.¡±

    Irae had no issues with the arrangement and tasked the guards to work alongside the Crooked Tooth company to set up a camp.

    ¡°You know how to ride a horse, your highness? I am impressed.¡±

    ¡°Very amusing, Ona. Yes, I do. In fact, I used to be top of the class for my cohort.¡±

    One of the guards, Timothy then approached and handed over his warhorse, it was a head taller than me and without a doubt could easily crush me. I gulped at the mere sight of this beast.

    In one swift motion, Timothy dismounted. It turned out he was a head taller than me as well. Sharp eyes, a sharp jaw, and a wide scar across his face. He looked intimidating, to say the least.

    ¡°Take good care of Eloise, your highness.¡±

    With a forced smile, he handed over the reins. Eloise seemed a little nervous parting way with her companion, but a slow pet from Timothy seemed to ease her tension.

    Placing my left foot on the strip and then holding tight from the saddle, I pulled up and in one elegant motion, I found myself atop Eloise. She shook, but Timothy yet again calmed her down.

    ¡°See, I told you I was good at it.¡±

    ¡°Very good, your highness. Be mindful as she does throw a tantrum sometimes. Here, this pouch contains few bits of cantaloupes. Should do the trick if she¡¯s too feisty.¡±

    ¡°Right, I see. Thank you, Timothy. Is everyone else ready?¡±

    ¡°It took you more than ten minutes to mount up, of course, we are ready.¡±

    ¡°No way. It didn¡¯t.¡±

    Leaving the band to deal with camping, Irae led the way north as indicated by the old man. Traversing past the golden fields the landscape began to change.

    Smaller patches of land with various vegetables segregated by either stone or wooden fences. Scarecrows were installed to keep birds at bay, they all had in common the shared characteristic of a pumpkin head.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little creepy for a scarecrow? Plus, wouldn¡¯t pumpkins just rot?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Well, a scarecrow is supposed to scare you, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s doing great work I tell you that.¡±

    The smaller patches gave way to woodland until a thicker forest surrounded us. A large sign ¡®Balua¡¯s Farm¡¯ indicated to keep our path.

    ¡°At least we will be reaching soon. How¡¯s everyone doing?¡±

    Sol and Erin were not particularly talkative. In fact, they never even introduced themselves, they just kept quiet. If it wasn¡¯t for Ralph, I would have serious concerns. Nonetheless, they were important ¨C at least according to Ralph.

    Sol was classed as a druid and Erin was a ranger. Of course, what that meant was that they both had an awareness of their surrounding which I lacked. As far as magic is concerned, their arsenal was most likely limited to potions and alchemy ¨C after all magic was forbidden as an aftermath of the great war.

    As we strode along, the forest opened up once more to reveal a wide field of pumpkins, separated by one main road. Just like before, people were seen tending to the pumpkins, loading them in carts and most likely preparing them for transportation to the markets. They turned in curiosity, only to then return to their work.

    At the very end of the path, a brick wall with an arched pathway revealed a large fountain in the middle and a series of wooden structures with thatched roofs spread around the compound.

    Passing through the archway, the barks of angered guard dogs greeted us, and soon enough their respective owners appeared. Two bulky figures dressed in white tattered clothes and brow pants; their straw hats were crudely made but served their purpose.

    ¡°Greetings, I am the Royal Procurator Fiscal and are on a duty on behalf of the King. We require your assistance as one of our horses has been injured, and therefore we need a replacement.¡±

    The duo stared at us, their crooked noses and round eyes shifted between one another. The man on the left released a snort, whilst the man on the right tapped his shoulder to stop.

    ¡°Procura what? Apologies your royal highness. Around here we don¡¯t keep up with your lot. We got work to do, fields to tend. Say, how much?¡±

    He raised his palm and rubbed his three fingers in a motion indicating he wants money.

    ¡°Gold, preferably. Oh, your royal highness.¡±

    Followed this he did a satirical bow, and his straw hat fell off to the ground revealing a bald head.

    Ona¡¯s face was mortified and could see her nerves were being pricked terribly given how tightly she was twisting those reigns. On the other hand, Irae and the rest remained unmoved by the apparent taunt.

    ¡°Pricing wise, a horse should cost at most than a silver pentari and couple of copper banuti. Are you trying to take advantage of the crown?¡±

    Irae¡¯s horse then moved beside me, her suit of armour, a mixture of black and red made her look intimidating.

    ¡°No, no. We would never think of that. However, the real world works like this. You need something, you have to pay for it. One gold dekari and the horse is yours.¡±

    The situation was getting a little frustrating, making me feel the need to roll my eyes. However, I knew these people would not budge.

    Seeing the commotion, people from around fields began gathering. Another man, roughly a head taller walked behind the duo and stood there, staring intensively.

    ¡°Ol¡¯ Bal. Is erthin al¡¯rit?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it''s just, the King¡¯s men, again. They want to rob us!¡±

    The man shouted so that everyone around could hear. The people around started murmuring between one another until they began pointing fingers and hurling curses.

    ¡°The King¡¯s men! Who¡¯s King? Not our King!¡±

    They proclaimed and shouted. The spectacle that was unfolding was baffling especially as the farm was only a day and a half distance from the capital.

    It was a peculiar situation, especially as we were surrounded by peasants whose enmity for the crow was apparent, but also, we had two mercenaries who from conversation discovered their colleague hold grudges against the nobility.

    ¡°As a representative of the Crown, I demand you to disperse and return to your duties.¡±

    At that point, laughter broke out, and the duo seemed specifically joyful.

    ¡°The Crown, ay? I didn¡¯t choose you to be a representative, I never even chose to appoint the King himself. All you do in your palaces of gold is take advantage of us. You demand us to return to our duties! Ha!¡±

    Another peasant interjected as he mimicked my words and strutted liked a peacock.

    ¡°I demand you do this, do that. Waving your stick as you please.¡±

    Mockery was expected, but this was the downright refusal of the divine right of Kings. Irae¡¯s face was unamused but there was a fit of certain anger growing in her eyes. Ona of course had a strange grimace that couldn¡¯t hide her disgust.

    ¡°Silence, will you provide the horses or not?!¡±

    Raising his hands, the bulky man succeeded in silencing the crowd. The man on the left stepped forth.

    ¡°I feel generous, ¡®cause the Crown and all. Two gold coins. Special offer. Whaddayasay?¡±

    Laughter resumed. The crowd surrounding us had nearly doubled. The people were carrying pitchforks, axes and other types of farming equipment. It made me feel uneasy. Left without any choice I motioned to Irae and had no choice but to withdraw.

    ¡°Very well, we shall conclude this here.¡±

    ¡°Course you would, Royalist scum! Get out of my lands.¡±

    Turning the horse around, we galloped and made our way to the exit. It was at that point were stones came hurling at our direction. Luckily for us, none succeeded to hit us. I dared not peak back in fear one would land on my face.

    Upon distancing ourselves from the farm we had the brief chance to review our situation.

    Team morale was at an all-time low. A sombre mood rained upon us like a never-ending cloud. Ona was the first to break the silence.

    ¡°Well, that went great. Now what?¡±

    Looking over to the rest of the team I noticed that the Crooked tooth members remained silent as if they were detached. Irae was quick to entertain Ona.

    ¡°They saw your face and decided to pick up a fight instead. After all, it¡¯s true what they say - beauty kills.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at that remark, it was a good hit against Ona. Definitely ten points for Irae.

    ¡°What are you laughing at four-eyed nerd? If it wasn¡¯t for my intimidating gaze the strange brute would have torn, you in half.¡±

    ¡°Ha, as if they would dare to hurt a servant of the Crown.¡±

    ¡°Clearly being a servant of the Crown did not stop them from hurling rocks and dung at us. So much for name dropping, huh. Oh, look at me, I am the Procurator Fiscal, oh me. So big, I am a big boy.¡±

    Ona¡¯s imitation involved silly grimaces and hand gestures; it did embarrass me a little but had no choice to admit that name-dropping was a common weapon in my arsenal.

    ¡°Alright, alright. You win. Now stop behaving like an orangutan, will you? Irae, what do you make out of this situation? It has indeed been a while since I last left the capital, but on my last trip we didn¡¯t have these issues at least.¡±

    She remained quiet for a moment, in contrast, her horse neighed in agitation pacing back and forth.

    ¡°If we were to compare the current incident to the northern rebellions, then all I can say is that discontent is ripe. Think of it as a boiling pot, but for it to overflow it would require a cataclysmic event of sorts. We are at the heart of the kingdom, and aside from taxes, people should be content. Now, if they are not then the outlook is grim.¡±

    Irae¡¯s breakdown echoed my thoughts. The people in the capital were content, but clearly, there was more behind the curtains. Perhaps something was indeed brewing, and the apparent stability was ultimately an illusion.

    The horses had grown agitated, and flocks of birds could be seen flying past us.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of smoke up ahead, Kain.¡±

    Peering over, it appeared to come from the direction we were heading.

    ¡°I would assume it¡¯s the campsite that Ygrit should have set up.¡±

    ¡°That looks like a bonfire unless we are overthinking it.¡±

    ¡°How about we return, now!¡±

    Interjecting, Irae simply suggested we make haste. The horses were forced into a gallop and our journey began once more.

    It has been a series of misfortunate events one after the other, and the journey has just begun. What an absolute mess.  I can¡¯t help but feel paranoid over the Crooked Tooth members, the way Randy looked at me, there was hatred in his eyes. What if¡­?

    I shook my head in an attempt to push the thoughts aside. There was no reason to overthink the situation, being paranoid could only make things worse and cloud the mind.

    The smoke meanwhile intensified, and as we approached the molehill appeared before us, covered in flames with the chestnut tree lighting up the surroundings. Screams and shouts could be heard, a cacophony of noise.

    In an instant, Irae¡¯s sword materialised, darting ahead of us.

    ¡°Stay here, Kain. Ona, you have to protect him. Erin and Sol with me.¡±

    I understood that in a fight I would only be a liability. The two did not respond but galloped ahead, in an attempt to catch up with Irae.

    At that moment, a ragged figure appeared from the sides covered in blood.

    ¡°Randy!¡±

    It was the first time I heard one of the people speak, Erin was the first to dismount and approach Randy in a hurry.

    His figure was dishevelled, dirt and blood covering his head, a result of his injuries. A dagger was barely held in his left arm, and the buckler was hanging by its straps.

    ¡°What on earth happened, we were only gone for a moment. You¡¯re hurt?¡±

    Randy¡¯s lips were shaking, but not a word came out.

    ¡°It will be okay, Sol will help you recover, it''s okay. You are safe now.¡±

    Erin held Randy in her embrace as she shouted to Sol to wake up from her daze.

    ¡°Sol! Wake up, what on earth are you doing-

    To her shock, Erin¡¯s words were cut short. She tried to speak, but nothing would come out.

    ¡°W-why?¡±

    ¡°Erin!¡±

    At that point, I was shocked at what was unfolding. Ona grabbed the reins of my horse as she slowly backed up.

    ¡°Ambush!¡±

    Ona shouted as she spotted armed individuals appearing from the sides. Sol had remained frozen in her place.

    They carried pitchforks, axes, and all sorts of jagged tools. Their outfits were mismatched, some wearing gambesons, and others wearing plain tunics.

    ¡°Kain, we need to charge through. Sol, wake up!¡±

    She shouted and smacked the reins. My horse darted through, even as the brigands rushed towards.

    They hacked and slashed in an attempt to stop the horse but did not succeed. Ona was close behind, followed by Sol.

    Whichever direction we headed they lied in ambush, the camp was overrun and there were no signs of Irae, the guards or even Ygrit and Rowan. Only the worse could be assumed.

    We darted past the molehill and escaped for the direction we were supposed to head out. Retreating to the city was not an option as the road was blocked.

    Left without choice we rode on, leaving behind a trail of smoke, and traversing deep into the woods. The twisted treeline provided some cover, but we knew we couldn¡¯t stop. We had to reach the nearest outpost and make way for the citadel.

    The situation was overwhelming, bizarre, and completely flabbergasting. Sol was lost in her own mind, and Ona seemed to have been injured as her leg was scraped. Hopefully nothing serious.

    Why are they attacking us? Who are they, what do they want?

    Questions overwhelmed my mind; I wasn¡¯t able to say a word. The situation was surreal. This was meant to be a simple expedition, and for all I know everyone I brought along was almost dead. Why?

    The evening sun was slowly fading away, making way for darkness. We had traversed considerable distance and decided we had to get some rest. Deep into the treeline we hid and covered our trails.

    No campfire was lit that night, no words were mentioned. Darkness soon covered it all, in a slim hope that daybreak comes again.

 Chapter 4 - Day Zero

    We traversed the dense forest in silence under the mantle of the darkness.

    Our steps were weary and our minds alert. Every slight disturbance forced a reaction, a slight jerk, be it owl or passing jackal. Call it paranoia, but it wasn¡¯t the beasts that habited these forests that we were wary of but of the beasts that we once considered fellow countrymen.

    Following the disaster that struck at the crossroads our mission was frankly driven to an abrupt end., Irae, the interns, and the crooked team; the thick smoke and raging flames left us with no choice but to consider them dead. A tragedy which no words helped shed light onto the question as to why it unfolded.

    Never mind the bothersome why, considering them as such only provided us with some sort of disillusioned belief that it was the right thing to continue our journey to the citadel in search of help, rather than return.

    ¡°I am not a coward. I can fight!¡±

    I voiced with conviction my determination to return, although that was only on the surface. Truthfully the very thought of returning to that field only to come across a mound of burnt corpses made my knees weak, palms sweaty.

    Ona of course only laughed at my childish tantrum. She thought otherwise, and rightly so. In the spar of words that followed she succeeded in dragging me back to earth, away from my la-la land. I couldn¡¯t use a weapon let alone embark on a revenge quest.

    ¡°What will you do, kill them with boredom? Read them some treasury accounts, or a treatise of emancipation you¡¯re working on? Wake up, Kain. You are useless.¡±

    I berated her condescending attitude. I wanted to prove to her that I can be useful even in such dire situations.

    Her sudden slap helped reinforce the belief that I was completely useless. My cheek was numb, and I could feel tears form. It wasn¡¯t often that I would get hurt physically. Mentally sure, why not work. But an actual physical slap, not even Father, the king did that.

    It was a paralysing realisation that words could take you a long way, but the harsh truth was that they were empty words, and in the face of adversity actions were what mattered.

    And yet I couldn¡¯t just move on. The whole thing remained impossible to stomach. This wasn¡¯t a battlefield. This was a farm like any else perhaps a day or two distance from the heart of the Kingdom. This wasn¡¯t a trip behind enemy lines.

    Of course, no one had an answer, not even battle-hardened Ona let alone the druid that accompanied us. It wasn¡¯t anything anyone anticipated in our preparatory stages, and that¡¯s what shocked us the most. What now? What if we arrived at the citadel only to be met with the same fate?

    A thought impossible to shake off, but unhealthy nonetheless. We had no other choice but to push forth and worry about that bridge when we come to it.

    Aside from the brief exchange, our journey was shrouded in complete silence. Our heads lowered in defeat, hidden away in shame under the guise of our hoodies. Ona said that we would reach the Ogrim Citadel at dawn.

    A relief indeed but then what? I doubt the castellan would even entertain our request. Bandit eradication? You need a sheriff, not professional soldiers, is what he would most likely say.

    On the bright side, we weren¡¯t injured, we escaped unscathed in fact. The only downside was the exhaustion, but really in the grand scheme of things, it was not that bad considering the fact we could have been dead.

    Walking behind Sol made me uncomfortable, but it was an important buffer between Ona and me, especially after our previous exchange. Although an eerie silence permeated, the inside of my mind was in complete chaos.  It wasn¡¯t often that my mind was in such a state, in fact, this was even worse than the time I was informed I was officially disowned and sent off to lead a life in servitude of the royal ministers.

    That time I wanted to leave, abandon everything, and run away ¨C God knows where. Alas, it never happened, I was too comfortable with my position. Perhaps this time? Who knows, I doubt it.

    ¡°D-do it. Coward.¡±

    For a brief second, I thought someone spoke to me, I heard them loud and clear but I couldn¡¯t see anyone.

    ¡°Up h-here.¡±

    The voice resounded once more, and to my surprise, two figures floated incoherently in the sky whilst spouting nonsense. Some called them apparitions, others called them the result of a descent into madness.

    I agreed with both definitions, but I could sense some form of familiarity extrude from them. As if I had met them before. In fact, upon a closer look, I did recognise them. They had¡­grown older?

    These apparitions or more specifically inner demons had first appeared during that troubled time in my childhood. I suppose it is that time of the decade again.

    It¡¯s a shit show, yo. Y-yo you gotta get your mess s-s-sorted out!

    The incoherent mumble-jumbler was drunkard Kain. He looked like me, he dressed like me but behaved nothing like me. His feet were up on a floating table, whilst resting on a similarly floating chair. It was rather amusing seeing him dangle his silver flask haphazardly whilst spitting profanities. What a truly troublesome fella.

    On the other side of the room, you had the silent monk version of Kain. He never said anything, he simply sat there radiating positivity, smiling widely at you, and simply shaking his head in disagreement every time drunkard Kain muttered anything. A stark contrast, but a noteworthy one, nonetheless.

    Seeing the two Kain¡¯s levitate truly made me marvel at the state of my mental wellbeing. Over the years the times in which these two showed up had drastically decreased ¨C a positive upward trend in my mental health. Unfortunately, just like everything else in life, there are booms and busts, and this was the signal that we were spiraling down ¨C and quickly. It was however important to note that their presence was an important distraction from which in drunkard Kain¡¯s language you would say - shitshow ¨C that was playing out.

    In an unexpected twist of events, the pupils of drunkard Kain diluted. His posture changed and the table began shrinking until they entered the pockets on his coat. At that point, a blinding light erupted, and monk Kain appeared wielding a lightning-powered Warhammer. His goal seemed sole to eviscerate Drunkard Kain.

    Looking around Drunkard Kain was nowhere to be seen. Did he succeed? That was fascinating. It all seemed too real. Turning around I could only witness the dense foliage of the forest. It was dark as far as the eye could see.

    Thereupon a tree branch a white figure floated, it seemed that monk Kain missed. Drunkard Kain was taunting him, pointing the middle finger whilst sipping from his flask. His thunderclap missed. Better luck next time then.

    In other news, the two imaginary beings having a showdown in my mind was not the main issue. Rather, it is potentially a materialization of my worries as to what happens next. What should I do next? Do I continue for the Margrave¡¯s territory or pack my things and return to the capital? What if on our way to the citadel we get attacked again? Then what?

    Perhaps this was my cue to retreat and follow my dreams. Retire as a hermit and cultivate my own herbs, write poetry, or perhaps pick up necromancy. Jokes aside, the temptation was there, but in reality, I was dirt poor. All of our belongings were in the caravan, safe for a small pouch I had by my waist ¨Cwas it more than a few pentarii? At best it could secure accommodation for a week at worst pay for Charon¡¯s fees.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Eloise¡¯s neigh pulled me back into the real world. Thinking of our short journey together I could only be in awe as to how amazing she really was. She obediently followed without voicing any complaints, and just generally behaved better than Ona ever did in her service years so far. It did make me understand why the Mad King was willing to trade an entire kingdom for a horse. They were phenomenal creatures, although, it made me miss Noelle.

    Eloise halting her movement suddenly brought back the anxiety that I was trying so hard to escape from. Looking around there wasn¡¯t much to discern. However, up ahead I could see Sol¡¯s collapsed on her knees. She had her back turned towards me concealing her face. A light sob was then heard escaping her mouth.

    That was her third breakdown in a day, totally understandable. It¡¯s just, I can¡¯t feel pity for her. You see, in times like this, you would expect companions to support one another. The truth is, I couldn¡¯t fully trust her. What if we have never hired the Crooked Tooth company, maybe then we would have never had any issues. That was definitely my mistake, and perhaps Ona¡¯s too.

    ¡°P-p-athetic. Isn¡¯t she? L-l-ook at her, ha! As if crying will bring her companion back from the dead.¡±

    Drunkard Kain was quick to interject, his raw hatred was apparent. In all fairness, these were the deep inner thoughts I couldn¡¯t voice, so him saying that brought me some relative comfort. Seeing monk Kain, however, he only shook his head in disappointment.

    They both vanished at Ona¡¯s arrival, who was quick to lift her up and console her. She hugged her weak body whilst darting daggers at me, her upper lip twisted ready to voice her complaints as to why I simply sat there, looking at the poor soul before me.

    The sobbing continued for some time and concluded along with Ona¡¯s patting. They shared words of encouragement which frankly I wasn¡¯t in the mood to listen to.

    ¡°Kain, snap out of it, will you? Why are you behaving like a twit anyway? Give me a hand with this. We are not far from the town.¡±

    Ona¡¯s irked voice resounded in my ears.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re right we¡¯re not far. Last time you said that it was still dark. Now look, the sun is up and smiling at you. It¡¯s not too far for God knows how long now. Look, let¡¯s- let¡¯s just keep walking. Not in the mood to talk.¡±

    Finishing that line Ona¡¯s face twisted into a grimace as if she had tasted something extremely bitter. But that was fine by me. I pulled Eloise¡¯s reins and took the lead. Ona wasn¡¯t wrong, there was a narrow slit of light a long distance away, perhaps the exit to the fields, or just a small clearing only to be followed by the endless forest. Presumably, from there a village would be found, and we could get some help ¨C if any.

    Filled with renewed vigor I walked towards the light. Step by step past the rocks and uneven surface. Things would get better once we cross the forest. We could ride on horseback and reach the citadel in no time. We would bathe and eat and drink. I could picture myself soaked in clean water and donning fresh clothes. I could picture the dishes that awaited ¨C fish, meat, mead, bread, soups you name it. All for my empty stomach to devour.

    With each step, I convinced myself that I could move on the disaster that just happened and start anew, potentially figure a way on how to bring those brigands to justice. But first, I had to reach the light.

    The narrow slit grew larger, and the forest foliage was opening up. The vast tree canopies no longer covered the sky, although bright and blue, there was something peculiar ¨C an indistinct smoke. Well, truthfully it was the harvesting season.

    Few more steps and the vast forest would be before me. Few more steps into the light and at last, the future is before me.

    At that point Eloise stopped as we had reached a small cliff, we would have to descend with care but that was not a particular issue. Looking beyond the plains opened up, and that¡¯s when as if in awe I halted my steps.

    ¡°Ona.¡±

    I shouted, but there was no response.

    ¡°O-Ona. Hey¡±

    I shouted again only to be greeted by an irritated voice.

    ¡°What do you wa-?¡±

    Her voice cut midway, perhaps she too was stunned by what she saw.

    ¡°It all makes sense now.¡±

    She woke up from her shock.

    ¡°The fleeting birds, the billowing smoke, the agitation of the forest. The brigands that attacked us. It all makes sense now.¡±

    The town situated in the middle of the fields was ablaze with the citadel itself shrouded in a veil thick of smoke.

    Our safe haven had been breached with us left nowhere to go.

    Outside the city walls, a sea of colourful flags waved, with ragged structures erected across the field as far as the eye could see.

    ¡°We need to warn the capital. Kain, let¡¯s hurry back¡±

    Ona¡¯s feet were quicker than her words, she was already on her horse prepared to dart away.

    Sol on the other hand stared absentmindedly at the events that played out before us.

    It was terrifying, to say the least, but the mass of people that had gathered was equally awe-inspiring. A full-blown invasion was unwrapping right before my eyes.

    ¡°Kain, will you wake up? What are you waiting for?!¡±

    Agitated, she dismounted and rushed towards me. My cheek felt numb as her palm landed.

    ¡°There is no time for daydreaming.¡±

    Her face had turned red, a flustered feeling ¨C was it anger? Why was she so specific about returning? She hated Sanctum and the nobles that resided within their walls.

    Light laughter escaped only increasing Ona¡¯s agitation further. The timing was all too perfect.

    The truth is I hated them as well. Their practices, prejudices, and stubbornness. An irritable lot, all of them. Chances are the invading army will give up the siege, like every other army in the past. For me, however, this is an opportunity to escape. Death at the hand of brigands during the foreign invasion. Nobody will look into it. Was it finally my chance to some sort of good fortune?

    Yes, the temptation to a new life unshackled and unburdened by the crown. The truth was that I was hungry and had little money, however, if I were to flee to the capital there was a chance I would get killed.

    Should I? Should I go south?

    ¡°To t-that I say yes. Brilliant idea. Lets-lets go now! Like now.¡±

    Drunkard Kain reappeared on my shoulder. His outfit had received a considerable makeover. He no longer donned my grey outfit, instead, a brown furry coat with a beaver¡¯s hat replaced the scholarly look. Did it look¡­manly?

    Meanwhile, monk Kain sat there nodding. Perhaps for once, they had reached common grounds? Wait, this is nuts.

    ¡°Kain!¡±

    Ona¡¯s angry shout brought me back, it was deafening, but that did not succeed in shaking my determination.

    ¡°Ona, you can¡­return. I decided I will be going south-.¡±

    A second slap stopped me midway. Followed by a third. My face had no feelings anymore. But I didn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°You¡­you¡¯re speaking nonsense. Get on that horse. Now.¡±

    Despite her order, I did not budge.

    ¡°No¡­Ona. This is my chance. It''s my chance to leave the burden of the crown behind. You can come with me, and we can start all over again.¡±

    She stepped back abruptly. Her eyes had turned watery.

    ¡°What about Noelle? Your father? Your mother? Kain what is wrong with your head. How can you even think of abandoning everything all of a sudden?¡±

    The situation turned grim, I never expected Ona to tear up first of all, let alone question her role in the grand scheme of things.

    ¡°T-they will be fine. There¡¯s no reason for us to go running when all they did was cause trouble. It is a sign, Ona. Our sign!¡±

    Jumbling up words and doing awkward hand gestures I tried to resolve the situation but to no avail. Ona¡¯s composure had crumbled apart.

    I wasn¡¯t sure what to do, I looked to Sol for solace but she was lost in her own world besides her horse.

    ¡°Coward. The country is in peril and so are its citizens. Your plan is to abandon them all?¡±

    ¡°With all due respect, the crown sent me to my own death, and the so-called citizens of this country almost murdered all of us two days ago!¡±

    Ona stood up and recomposed herself. She looked in my eyes, her deadpan, emotionless expression written all over.

    ¡°Coward. Selfish coward. Do you want to leave? Then go. Go! I am not coming with you. I have a duty towards my country.¡±

    Seeing her act like that made my heart ache. I tried to speak but something was stuck in my throat.

    Y-y¡¯ know, she right. You¡¯re a coward. So, what? It''s your chance to follow your dreams. Sure, you¡¯re pathetic, a-and weak. But at least now you¡¯re free. Nobody¡¯s gonna even remember you. The world is at your doorstep, Kain.

    Drunkard Kain¡¯s glib tongue was impressive. Yes, it echoed with my innermost desire ¨C freedom. It was an opportunity which I couldn¡¯t miss. I had to leave.

    Clenching my fist, biting my lip, and pressing forth with courage I uttered my last words.

    ¡°Very well, I will not pressure you. I hope we meet again, Ona. I will be heading for the city of Akra, in the South, to visit an old acquaintance and head of Brenderberg Merchant Guild. You can find me there¡­and if not, ask anyways.¡±

    I turned and mounted Eloise, Ona¡¯s eerie quiet was not assured, but she seemed determined to return to Sanctum. There was no need to continue this, she too can now pursue her own path.

    Her bright blue eyes had lost their lustre and yet she did not budge. She did not say a word. She stared at me; her lips tremored slightly yet ultimately remained unmoved.

    The wind blew gently, and the leaves danced to their tune. She left and made her way to the King¡¯s Road, the path to the capital would be treacherous, but I was confident she would be just fine.

    Her figure faded into the distance and not once she looked back. It hurt my heart that what was supposedly a tedious assignment turned all our lives upside down.

    As for me, I pondered no longer. I would have plenty of time to think and contemplate of what happened. The road to Akra was equally long and treacherous but I was thrilled. I was excited.

    ¡°Kid, it¡¯s going to either end really well, or you will end up eaten by the jackals. Ideally, let¡¯s choose option one. Also, you¡¯re hungry and probably going to starve, but hey adventure!¡±

    A lunatic¡¯s adventure. Here I am conversing with my inner thoughts. How embarrassing. Well, it could be worse.

    Armed with an eager spirit I descended down the hill and followed the road that stretched into the horizon. Away from the invading armies, and far from the capital.

    Today was day zero of Kain¡¯s journey.

 Chapter 5 - The journey

    <blockquote>

    In the face of extremities, the brave stands against the current, for the wise have already fled to safety.?¡ª?Overheard in a taver

    </blockquote>

    A considerable amount of time had passed since Ona, and I parted ways. The days were dull, boring, and unsurprisingly chaotic. The destruction was beyond expectation, entire villages were wiped out, with bodies littering the muddy roads and barren fields. As for the survivors, their fate was worse than death.

    So much suffering and so much pain in such a short amount of time. Humans were truly vicious, unforgiving creatures. One would imagine that following the long peace their hearts would grow softer. After all the last war which the kingdom was involved in was decades ago. Alas, it came as no surprise that avarice was considered a primordial sin, after all, it poisoned our minds. Proud as we were of our tenacity and ingenuity, we were ignorant of our uncontrolled greed.

    Perhaps it is why the Cacilians or the Bahadur, even the scaly Cinaed kept humankind at a distance, leaving us to quarrel with one another, constantly embroiled in conflict.

    ¡°Arrogance. Cavern-dwelling, hut living beasts. They cannot even hold a candle up to us. Bound to live in their hollow caverns for eternity.

    Clicking his tongue in annoyance he continued.

    ¡°Cowards.¡±

    Drunkard Kain was back and with vengeance, and surprisingly he didn¡¯t stutter.

    Was he sober?

    Regardless that was the least of my concerns and believe me, tempted as I was to respond to myself, entertaining my inner thoughts would only be a slippery slope towards utter madness.

    What if¡­

    The hunger for a conversation was incontrollable left without a choice but to blurt towards Sol out of the blue.

    ¡°What do you think of the Bahadur Confederacy? Do you consider them as a potential threat to our security?¡±

    She stared absentmindedly. Her brown eyes were going fuzzy at this point.

    ¡°The Baradur¡­who are they anyway?¡±

    ¡°The Confederacy of Bahadur, BA-HA-DUR. Ferocious warriors, but also surprisingly excellent governors. Although it must be said the last time, they went to war was even before this kingdom was founded. Nevertheless, they are a reigning force within the Aksum continent. Just how can you not know of them?¡±

    Her head had leaned sideways and a smile was struggling to form.

    ¡°I-well, never heard of them. Isn¡¯t an enemy invasion why we are leaving Endelthir behind, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Do you reckon they are the masterminds behind all of this mess!?¡±

    Her index finger pointed up in question, her face grimaced.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°B-but how?! You were a member of a free company. I am sure you might have come across them?¡ª?some of them are even famous sellswords. Even I came across them in Sanctum. They easily tower over the tallest man you¡¯ve ever met. Their gazes are vicious, akin to a wolf; their claws are sharp, and their dark fur makes them the perfect predator.¡±

    ¡°No, really I have no idea who they are..¡±

    ¡°No clue at all? Really?¡±

    ¡°Really.¡±

    And that¡¯s precisely why Drunkard Kain is?¡ª?in some ways?¡ª?better.

    It was saddening as most of our exchanges would end in a similar fashion, but could I blame her? We had extremely diverging lifestyles. In fact, she seemed less stressed and bothered by everything than I was, and maybe it was better that way. She knew less, and by not knowing she did not have the looming existential crisis that haunted me, and like many others she basked in the sun.

    And yet, at this point in time my existential crisis was nowhere near as distressing as Ona¡¯s absence. Even if most of the time she was a bully, a mean bully she did make life in the palace more bearable.

    Contributed greatly to that dull feeling that loomed in the air to the point where I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why did I leave?

    ¡°Cause you¡¯re a cowar-coward! That¡¯s why¡±

    Yet again Drunkard Kain showed up with renewed vigour to berate me. His mannerisms did remind me of Ona in all fairness. Although it pained me to admit his words were true. I had abandoned my country without thinking it twice.

    ¡°Have you got no shame? No sense of duty?¡±

    No. None at all.

    That was precisely why I migrating to a different country with my tail tucked between my legs. Notions of greater purpose, freedom, and allure were all mere excuses to make me feel better. There was no turning back now, at least not until things settled down. Plus, what did you expect after listening to an imaginary, flying, trash-talking, rambling alcoholic?

    ¡°Are we there yet?¡±

    Sol grumbled. It had been more days than I can remember since that day and morale was running low. My patience too.

    ¡°Soon.¡±

    That was the forty-fifth time that I uttered that word that day.

    I stared into her eyes for a moment, she was unconvinced. I didn¡¯t care, however, and once more looked far into the horizon.

    It was beautiful. The plains and forests stretched as far as the eye could see. My sense of direction was simply okay?¡ª?a skill I picked off spending summer camp with my brother¡¯s regiment. I wasn¡¯t the best but it was all I could muster to make my life easier, so whilst timing was unclear at least I was certain we were heading in the right direction. My instinct however was saying soon?¡ª?simply keep heading north, and north we went.

    We travelled under the cover of the night, with the northern star being our guide. We avoided the daytime travel like the plague, which made us feel like some sort of fugitives?¡ª?even outlaws. The truth was we didn¡¯t commit any crimes, and yet there was this knot in my heart which I couldn¡¯t place my finger on.

    Oh right, abandoning everyone back home during the war. That¡¯s it.

    Mystery solved, didn¡¯t take that long. Nonetheless, adjusting to this new on-the-run lifestyle was not easy. It was a gargantuan task and say what you will but anyone with my background would say the same.

    From prince to beggar, heaven to hell. Dust to dust. And I¡¯m singing oh, oh.

    Might as well become a travel-travelling bard. Ha!

    Drunk Kain¡¯s laughter is truly irritable. Reminded me of Ona. Speaking of which Ona would always rebuke every time I complained how hard life was ¨C

    ¡°And beggars can¡¯t be choosers, and you were born with a golden spoon. Not silver.

    Words which only now I truly understood. Without much choice. Sleeping on a mound of leaves wasn¡¯t half bad, except for the occasional unwanted visitor?¡ª?the furry friends, and the crawlers and other such similar nightmare-inducing creatures. Everything else aside, getting my hands dirty wasn¡¯t that bad either, although I really wish I didn¡¯t have to. Speaking of wishes, hot baths and decent meals was on top of my wishlist at the moment especially as our diet consisted of fruits, and whatever leftovers we could scavenge from the already ransacked villages.

    ¡°I swear if I eat oats with water again, I will go nuts. Pun intended.¡±

    Sol¡¯s reaction to my classic joke was mute, even Eloise who usually welcomed my humour remained silent, not even a single neigh.

    ¡°Sol, how about we add some meat to our dull meals, what do you say?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    It was in such a manner that our campfire conversations played out. Starting off with a great joke and unfortunately falling into obscurity. Nothing interesting occurred, until of course, my eyes were opened to something I had never expected.

    ¡°Sol, how about now? It¡¯s been god knows how long since we last tasted meat. What¡¯s so daunting about adding some variety to our diet?

    She glared at me with the kind of look that she was ready to pounce at me.

    ¡°For the last time, I said no. It will only anger the spirits of the forest.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t expect someone to completely live without meat because of some farcical spirits¡­¡±

    Realising my comment was a tad too harsh I faked a dry cough.

    ¡°Do elaborate for the ignorant¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°What¡¯s so difficult to understand? If you do something that angers the elements, and you fall out of favour then you are no longer worthy of their power. That¡¯s how druid ¡®magic¡¯ works.¡±

    Sol¡¯s words made me realise I was forgetting something important?¡ª?she was a druid. Magic was prohibited across the continent, but indirect magic wasn¡¯t. Sol slipped through that category as menders and healers in this day and age predominantly used concoctions.

    ¡°Fascinating, and to follow up from that¨C which deities or spirits do you worship Sol?¡±

    ¡°The tribe I was born and raised worships the teachings of Luvia, the deity of the falling dusk. Because of her favour, I am able to summon light that can heal and mend light wounds-¡±

    ¡°Hold on a moment, direct magic, isn¡¯t that supposed to be against the law?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯ve only saved lives so there¡¯s not much they can say, right?¡±

    ¡°I am certain benevolent acts do not make it an exception, that¡¯s not how laws work! Plus, is your power restricted to restoration?¡±

    ¡°Well, no. I can use it whichever way suits me. I just don¡¯t like harming others?¡ª?animals included. So no meat!¡±

    Her eyes darted between my gaze and the fire. She hesitantly said.

    ¡°Do you want to see? I have to say it¡¯s very cool¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re even asking? Of course, but two conditions: one I don¡¯t turn to ash, and second wasting precious use. Wouldn¡¯t there be consequences from using it haphazardly?

    Sol pondered for a short moment to which she laughed.

    ¡°We have long given ourselves in servitude to the spirits. If your spirit, soul and body can take it, then the eternal will let you wield their power. Of course, if I were to go around doing what I want all day I¡¯d very soon die of exhaustion most likely.¡±

    That was shocking, wasn¡¯t magic supposed to work on a basis of equivalent exchange? Why wasn¡¯t this mentioned in the

    ¡°Do you happen to recollect any occasions where someone did die from overuse?¡±

    ¡°Let me see, well. My elder sister went on a rampage against the neighbouring tribe. A day later she returned, her eyes were bleeding. Her nose was bleeding. Her mouth was spewing blood. It wasn¡¯t nice. That¡¯s why when you see these things, you just naturally know not to overdo it.¡±

    ¡°I-I see. I am ready!¡±

    Heeding my words Sol grabbed the short blade resting by her side and pricked the tip of her finger. Drop by drop the blood flowed. Her other hand hovered above her wound, her eyes were closed and her lips were slowly moving soft whispers could be heard.

    At that point, a small light coalesced until it magnified and disappeared completely. The whole process lasted no longer than a breath. Her wound was never there, to begin with.

    My jaw had dropped to the floor. What I witnessed was incredible and yet terrifying. Perhaps aware of my reaction, Sol retreated and went on to her own place. Her reaction was bizarre, but maybe she thought my reaction was even worse.

    To date that was the longest, I had ever conversed with Sol, and although I was amazed, I was also incredibly worried. What if we were prosecuted and burned at stake? Magic was after all prohibited, and what if she can use this, it only means there are other people out there that go unnoticed. It comes as no surprise it was banned outright. A catastrophe of unimaginable proportions could occur at any moment.

    Cut, cut. No. Ignore it. Kain, listen to me. What you have here is a gift, a treasure. This can be your key to opening doors you could not imagine. What if she can heal more than small wounds? The son of a noble, the daughter of a king? Think of the rewards!

    My thoughts were spiralling out of control to the point where greed was slowly embedding itself in my desires.

    No, that was below me. I am thinking exactly like those people I was critical of a moment ago. Using such tools to your benefit. There are too many variables I have to consider. We cannot go around like that. Short term benefits maybe, but long term it will only lead us up the gallows.

    With that, I pushed everything that had transpired into the depths of my mind. Never mind my desire to have meat, I was no longer feeling hungry.

    Another thought that came to mind was that my mental conversations had to be reduced drastically. I was spending way too much time inside my mind, no longer paying as much attention to my surroundings. The mental fatigue had started to show.

    With the sun setting, we set out once more, in the middle of the stary sky a bright light was shining on the horizon. As we approached nearer it a large fire was raging swallowing an entire farm.

    Yet another victim, land and wealth laid to waste. Humans really knew nothing else but war. They fight and pillage, bringing destruction for the pursuit of riches. Ironic isn¡¯t it.

    Even Endelthir, a nation that war was not very common the most common topic was war. The entire society is they children or maidens, they were all infatuated?¡ª?mesmerised by knights and their deeds. Everything glorified war, and because of that, I believed that we as a civilisation had regressed. It came as no surprise that the diplomats of other races focused solely on trade and nothing more?¡ª?for them we were nothing more than a body of walking disappointment.

    On the topic of disappointment, if my father were to find out that Sol and I scoured through the burning farm for provisions whilst committing a crime, then that would shock him even further.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to steal? Theft would cost you an arm, or an ear, and sometimes your head. Quite frankly I am okay with nuts and berries.¡±

    Is what I asked Sol, only to have her roll her eyes at me, and then proceed by taking the leftover remains of food.

    ¡°Kain, the owner is dead, who is going to come to ask who stole their tomatoes? if we don¡¯t take it, someone else will.¡±

    So much so that even drunkard Kain, in an unexpected show of solidarity held a long-winded speech explaining how our cleaning was not considered stealing as they chose to abandon it, and therefore forfeiting their right of ownership. Instead, they committed a sin of loitering, and we were doing a greater service to mother nature herself, by making use of the goods provided.

    ¡°F-fine, but was it worth it? You got burned quite badly.¡±

    ¡°It''s okay, remember. I can handle this much at least.¡± To which Sol¡¯s words were spot on. The burn marks no longer ached, although the redness remained.

    I apologise father for Sol has sinned. Not me.

    A deviant, an outlaw, and now collaborating with the occult. I could feel that my case was only getting more challenging to defend, and to satisfy my moral compass had no choice but to fool myself as it was all her fault.

    We left behind the ruins of the farm and continued our journey in the most inconspicuous manner possible. We travelled at a steady pace along the edge of the deep forest and given the last few towns we bypassed I was certain it was Whilain¡¯s mountain range, meaning we were on the right path. Dipping in and out whilst seeking refuge when needed to avoid caravans or marching armies proved tricky but ultimately, we managed just fine.

    And avoid them we did, only the aftermath wasn¡¯t something we could bypass. The once rich fields in wheat and flourishing orchards were replaced by scorched earth, and on multiple occasions with bodies piling covering the earth. That was problematic because aside from the carrions, disease and pestilence, there was also a growing concern over rumours in which corpses reanimated to life, which was highly unlikely and most likely a rumour to deter looters. Sol however seemed to be disturbed, and she did mumble something about the elements being unpleased by I instead chose to ignore it.

    Lingering no longer we continued the long journey. Along the way, different thoughts crossed my mind. The banners that we came across put into the spotlight the Despotate of Lesaly, a grumpy neighbour of the kingdom. However, this time something had changed. Their sheer madness to invade couldn¡¯t be explained by looking at past events, as in the past they were unable to even quell their own rebellions let alone launch expeditions abroad.

    One thing was clear: the Endelthirian army had scored a victory and, therefore outlook could be considered promising at best. Perhaps the Kingdom had a chance to push back against the current?¡ª?maybe Ona and the Legate reunited and formed a counterattack. But would that be sufficient?

    From memory, the citadel of Sanctum was well supplied to withstand approximately two years of siege which should give the royal court sufficient time to come up with a plan or a resolution. Regardless, my priority was to arrive in the northern Duchy of Navisk. From there it would be a new beginning.

    The following day a discovery greatly improved our spirits. Far ahead between a narrow ridge, there rested a keep which oversaw the area. A sturdy palisade wall and for added protection two guard posts were erected. It clearly wasn¡¯t abandoned.

    Although great news to come across something that was not burnt to the ground it raised the question of whether this was a brigand stronghold, an enemy encampment or potentially an Endelthirian keep.

    Without much consideration, Sol and I agreed that we had no choice but to approach. At any signs of hostility, we would retreat.

    We trod ahead and approached leisurely towards the wall. Our disguise would be a scholar and his apprentice. We were in search of supplies for our journey.

    As we drew nearer, banners that had lost their colour waved at the mercy of the wind, the figure of a peafowl with three stars flying overhead. I tried hard to remember if I had come across this coat of arms, but memory only served to reaffirm that this was neither Endelthirian, nor Lessalian. Which was both great news.

    ¡°Approach no closer. Who¡¯s there?¡±

    Our attention was drawn to the guards atop the watchtower. Their leather coifs and shabby gambesons worried us. Even bandits were more likely to be better equipped than them.

    ¡°Greetings, I am but a wandering scholar. This is my assistant. Who is the lord of this fief?¡±

    ¡°Aye, a scholar you are. Beyond this point begins the land of duke Sief. What do you want?¡±

    Whispers erupted from behind his back, whispers which with enough effort could faintly be discerned.

    ¡°We seek passage for Akra. Would you please be so kind to point us in the right direction?¡±

    ¡°No travellers allowed by order of the duke, and our land has a lot of your lot. All talk no use.¡±

    His hand moved, pointing his spear towards the direction we came from.

    ¡°Your words are true, for scholars are many but I assure you that your lord will be eager to hear what I have to say and offer.¡±

    The man spat on the ground in ridicule.

    ¡°No is no. I thought scholars have trouble seeing, but you have trouble hearing.¡±

    An irritating fellow. His stubbornness was one expected of a guard stationed away from his lord¡¯s supervision. Perhaps a bribe? No, that would only give them the motive to expel us, or even worse?¡ª?rob us.

    ¡°I bear words of great importance, to both your lord and king.¡±

    Surely my words made them think as whispers being resumed.

    ¡°Me too. Sod off!¡±

    He angrily waved his spear whilst raising his middle finger.

    How vulgar.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there famine and pestilence wreaking havoc upon this land? The Gods have abandoned you, and instead, they sent me for salvation. The damned will roam the world of the living again.¡±

    ¡°Everyone is hungry, and everyone is dying. What are you going to do?¡±

    I pondered for a brief second, it was true. Behind me was a land decimated by war. What lay ahead of me was unknown, but it was certainly not great either.

    ¡°I have served many kings and gave counsel, helping their people have a roof over their heads and sleep with their bellies filled. To that I say, take me to your lord and if I am deemed a nuisance, I shall compensate you heftily.¡±

    A momentary silence ensued, followed by more whispering.

    ¡°Wait here.¡±

    One of the guards retreated into the keep. We also retreated into the distance in case they planned anything suspicious. It was an onerous wait filled with uncertainty until the wooden gates opened, and a group of poorly equipped guards appeared. The vulgar one was among them, it appeared he was the leader of the squad. It only made sense as he did all the talking.

    ¡°If you¡¯re wasting my time, I will take your horses. Deal?¡±

    A tough bargain, but a necessary one, nonetheless.

    ¡°Deal.¡±

    ¡°Great, now you follow me and don¡¯t talk unless I say so.¡±

    A bizarre request but we complied.

    We followed the group of guards patiently. The leader¡¯s name was Athaulf, and aside from his name, our walk was done entirely in silence. We zigzagged through the forest and passed a small stream towards what appeared to be the hinterlands of Tors named after the small town that acted as the border town. Akra was only a few days travel by horseback, but to get there we would require travel documents, and only the Lord himself could issue them.

    Although silent the walk was pleasant. The vegetation was lush, the fields were wide, and the sight of wildlife was abundant. That was very strange as Athaulf had explained the western side of the Duchy was struck by famine. Peculiar but there was certainly something.

    We crossed paths with hunters, lumberjacks, farmers, and miners who eagerly greeted Athaulf. His popularity was apparent, but there was also clear respect in their greetings. As for us, they gave us the weird look but that must probably be the sorry state in which we were in.

    Not too long after the town of Tor revealed its walls. It wasn¡¯t majestic at all, in fact, the fields around it seemed uncultivated and much of its defences were crumbling apart.

    Despite the sorry state in which Tor appeared, I was overfilled with excitement. At last, no more hiding and sleeping rough. A bright future awaited ahead.

 Chapter 6 - The Breaker

    The once peaceful streets of Sanctum were now reduced to rubble. Homes, shops, carts, and tents were ablaze, the thick smock covering the sun. Women pulled their children as they cried while carrying any belongings they could as they fled to safety.

    The bells rang across the city in distress, mirroring the hopelessness, panic and despair felt by the people. They lamented in wonder what their future might hold, if fortunate enough to survive.

    Betrayed.

    Ona murmured as walked against the current. Her black armour had deep red marks and the protruding horns on her helmet made her appearance resemble that of a devil, making the crowds part ways before her.

    ¡°To the walls!¡±

    Her voice bellowed in succession.

    ¡°Defend the walls!¡±

    She shouted as she raised her fist to the sky. She stood still as she watched everyone run past her.

    ¡°You may run now, but you will have nowhere to go. Stand and fight!

    ¡°For Endelthir, for Sanctum, for the King!¡±

    Her voice thundered across the streets. She was selling the people false hope.

    She knew well that the jewel of Endelthir was abandoned, left to perish with the King and the royal army nowhere to be seen. The mere thought of the royal family infuriated her deeply. She never imagined that they would be so spineless. Even now the royal caste had succeeded in exceeding her expectations.

    Cruel as it may be, she had no choice but to stand and fight. She was hopeful that the children of Endelthir would not cower. They would stand and fight. All they needed was their hope to be rekindled.

    She roared again and again, in hope of rekindling hope and reminding people of their duties.

    Heads turned from the crowds as they noticed Ona¡¯s call for action. One by one they looked towards the horizon and past the billowing smoke, staring at the chaos unravelling before their eyes. Some were guards that took the sacrosanct oath to protect the city, others were merchants that had ventured to the city of opportunity to strike it rich. Others were blacksmiths, butchers, tailors, and street vendors that witnessed their livelihood vanish in the blink of an eye.

    They were all citizens that had dedicated their blood, sweat and tears to build their lives in this great city ¨C only to lose it all within a moment.

    And yet in face of adversity, rather than stand and fight, they chose to flee and abandon everything they had dearly worked for. That infuriated Ona beyond reason.

    ¡°You may run today, and you may live tomorrow. But forever a shadow will loom above you, reminding you of your cowardice.

    ¡°For that, I ask you all. To arms! Defend your city, to the walls!¡±

    She walked as she roared at the fleeting crowds in hope of their spirit to awaken.

    At first, they passed by their heads lowered in shame. Others offered their apologies, whilst others their prayers.

    Hope however was not lost. For some did not cower and their faltering steps were brought to a halt. Their cries soon echoed Ona¡¯s calls and one by one, be they man or woman turned to defend their home.

    ¡°To the walls men!¡±

    ¡°The city must not fall!!¡±

    They roared as they reorganised their positions. They scoured their vicinity for axes, hoes, spears, and swords and banded together following the black knight that summoned them.

    Behind the devil clad in black armour, they rallied for their salvation, for the children of light had abandoned them.

    ¡°Omur, it¡¯s Omur!¡±

    ¡°The God of War has come to our rescue¡±

    They cried and pointed with renewed fervour as they mustered their courage.

    Within the span of minutes, Ona had found herself guiding what remained of the city guard and any individual able to wield a weapon into battle. A disorganised mob which fate was uncertain. Many of them would perish that night, but it was a necessary sacrifice.

    Beyond the market square and towards the main street wide enough to fit two carriages Ona led her hastily formed militia towards the city gates. Projectiles were launched from across the walls, occasionally landing on the buildings nearby, debris falling onto the streets and crowds.

    ¡°Steady!¡±

    She did her best to rein in the crowds. Under artillery barrage even the most veteran soldiers would feel fear ¨C let alone civilians. Disorganised as they were they rushed to the city gates.

    At the end the main road before the large city gates a savage battle was unfolding. On the wall, and on the ground, fighting had broken out as ladders allowed enemies to scale the walls. The menacing view of a siege tower approaching the walls only added to the sense of urgency.

    The city guards were already engaged in a disorganised brawl where all order had collapsed. Seeing a considerable force, the enemy troops decided to withdraw and await reinforcements.

    ¡°Reorganise your ranks¡±

    ¡°Tend to the wounded!¡±

    ¡°Prepare to engage in combat!¡±

    Ona¡¯s flurry of orders helped restore order among the Endelthirian ranks.

    A limping guard rushed to her side. Long hair mixed with dirt and blood, with a fresh scar running down his face. Despite his sorry state, his uniform seemed much more delicate compared to the other guards. The deep yellow brigandine was reinforced by a breastplate held together by the pauldrons. A small metal crest decorated with a key and a shield ¨C an insignia that did not belong to the city guard.

    ¡°The name is Odmark, I am the captain responsible for guarding House Heres¡¯ southern quarters. Thank you for your support.¡±

    He introduced himself, and quickly reduced his voice into a whisper.

    ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea? It is noble to stand and fight to the last man, but dead men tell no tales.¡±

    Eyeing up Odmark from the ground up it was apparent that he had seen better days. Despite his injuries, he remained on the frontlines. The man before her at least had the decency to fulfil his duty.

    Completely ignoring his question Ona pushed through.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the remaining guard of Heres? I presume you did not simply end up with the remaining city guards for no reason?¡±

    His head lowered in shame.

    ¡°The majority of the guard fled accompanying the lords. Whoever stayed back was either killed or laying in the rubbles behind¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    He pointed towards the remains of a building; a small tent was set up with few soldiers tending to the wounded.

    ¡°That sounds like a very lordly thing to do. Regardless, we need to secure the gate.¡±

    Odmark shook his head apologetically.

    ¡°That will be¡­difficult with the current situation. We can barely hold them off from advancing. The city guards are not fighters. True, they were the first to respond to the attack and also the ones that paid the heaviest price.  In fact, it was a one-sided massacre which led to many  broke them to a mass rout.¡±

    His shoulders shrugged as he continued.

    ¡°City guards are after all unfit for warfare. Their routine involved dealing with petty thugs, not warriors clad in armour.¡±

    ¡°Remind me to ask you when I need an opinion. We have no choice anyway, we got to make do with what we got, and push them back we will.¡±

    Ona¡¯s attention shifted towards the ramparts, a mere two hundred feet away. A battle was raging with the Endelthirians being at a disadvantage. Time was running out, and so were her resources.

    ¡°Arrange that sufficient oil and firewood is brought. We will need to burn the siege tower at all costs. As for the ladders, give the strongest men axes to chop them down. I don¡¯t imagine we have any arches available?¡±

    Odmark shook his head. Realising that it was an order and not a suggestion he complied.

    ¡°As you command.¡±

    ¡°You heard the orders, what are you idling for!?¡±

    In a similar fashion, Odmark barked orders and limped to organise the mob that just arrived.

    Wasting no time Ona dashed towards the battlefield, initially picking off sole targets with enough ease to immediately alert the enemy troops on retreat. Left with no other choice they regrouped by the guardhouse that led atop the city walls.

    A shield wall formation was immediately set up with their tower shields proving impenetrable to the Endelthian that tried to assault them. Each attempt would only leave them skewered on their spears. It was no surprise that a professional soldier could easily dispose of mere novices.

    Ona observed the enemy formation ¨C their tower shields had a silver star engraved, with their open helmets revealing cold eyes that were unmoved and ready to pounce at a moment¡¯s notice. Their captain moved inside the formation, waving his hands chaotically. His plate armour was exquisite, with a red gambeson matching the red plumes on his helmet.

    He might be worth something

    Ona pondered, and soon enough signalled the Endelthirians around her to organise and prepare for a pitched battle. Seeing her signal, they grouped and faced off the enemy formation.  For a brief moment, it seemed as if time stopped.

    Both camps stared attentively. The Endelthirian forces resembled vagrants, some carrying maces, spears, and axes, lacking the imposing spirit their counterparts exuded.

    They bundled together and readied themselves for the fight about to ensue.

    ¡°When the red plumes drop, you attack.¡±

    She did not wait for an answer, instead, she ran towards the enemy formation. Seeing her approach, they once more tightened their formation.

    Her eyes were on the target, even if hidden by his helmet she could sense his smirk. The condescending grins on all their faces, she could sense it all. Prior to impact with the spear tips, Ona leaped into the air bypassing the shield wall, with the Breaker aimed at the captain.

    Taken by surprise, the soldiers immediately reacted, thrusting upwards without any success. Her fist coalesced only to come down crashing down at the captain¡¯s location. A wave of dust billowed, following which bones cracked, metal crunched, and the ground shook.

    It was impossible to see from the dust, but that did not stop the enemy soldiers from thrusting towards Ona¡¯s direction. Each one of their strikes hit nothing but air, Ona had long escaped to safety.

    The dust dissipated and the captain that a moment ago barked orders had collapsed to the ground, with spider cracks spreading across the floor.

    One by one they turned and looked at the disfigured captain, his helmet meshed with his skull. This was their cue. The Endelthirians along with Ona once more rushed towards the disoriented lines with her relentless strikes debilitating her enemies.

    Her blood was boiling with overflowing anger fuelling her momentum.

    Before she even returned to the capital, she vowed she would seal her past to never unearth it. She was promised freedom, it was all a lie. Against her will, the Breaker had been dragged back from the dead to torment the living.

    Helpless against the torrent the enemy formation faltered, with many breaking into a rout.

    ¡°Running already? I am just getting started.¡±

    She snickered under her visor. A view she was too familiar with. It was true that some things never changed. Conflicted by her reunion with her former self which half of her scrutinized it, yet the other half welcomed it, as if two lovers that had longed for one another had at last reunited.

    Astonished by her bravery, the blue coats and other militia rushed towards the routing enemy lines. Their bodies clashing, shields slamming on contact and blood painting the streets red.

    ¡°For Endelthir!¡±

    They cried like madmen as they hacked, kicked, and charged at assaulting forces.

    A wave of blue stormed against the wave of red, soon enough drowning it out of existence. No prisoners were taken, and the unarmed mob were quick to follow behind to scavenge and reuse equipment from the fallen enemies.

    The offence successfully restored control of the courtyard and neighbouring streets with barricades and chokepoints created to help control the situation ¨C more importantly, the morale was restored.

    It was then when the siege tower had landed on the walls, ushering forth a new wave of enemies. The archers atop were picking off the guards exposed, forcing them to retreat.

    Their offence had been brought to a halt as enemy troops once more descended under the cover of arrows.

    ¡°Shields, use your shields, you morons.¡±

    Odmark barked at the guards who quickly brought in the tower shields collected from the fallen enemy soldiers. Slowly, and undercover they retreated abandoning the courtyard they had toiled so hard to capture.

    Seeing the dire situation Ona had no choice but to attempt and clear the archers on her own. With the majority of the enemy forces gathered on the streets proved to be the perfect moment to strike.

    These are all grunts.

    She complained as she picked off sole targets, she had lost count of how many had perished by now.

    Where¡¯re the officers? Give me the good stuff!

    Ona¡¯s eyes darted from one target to the other, the more pompously decorated the armour, and better protected the better.

    Jackpot.

    A pair of golden wavering plumes bulked between a group of footmen immediately caught her attention.

    Locking on she bolted across the courtyard whilst effortlessly evading strikes and slashes aimed at her. They were but a nuisance, a meagre challenge to which his head was the prize.

    Sensing Ona¡¯s intent, the officer stepped back as he pointed and barked orders. In unison, the footmen took the offensive.

    They surrounded her as if a net was cast and approached slowly. Shields front and spears pointing forward. One step at a time they encroached and tightened their circle.

    How neat!

    A wide smile had been plastered over her face as her punch obliterated the spearpoint, sending splinters outwards. In a matter of seconds, the momentum brought her gauntlet near the footman¡¯s face, his helmet denting inwards and blood gushing out.

    Their formation was compromised, and Ona spent no more time fooling around with them. She darted straight for the officer.

    Albeit shocked, the knight swung his poleaxe daringly against her. The stage for them to dance was set.

    Sneering at his arrogance Ona leapt forth with ferocity, only to have her first strike deflected. To her surprise, it was the first of the day and couldn¡¯t help but feel her blood itch in excitement.

    Marvellous, I got myself a knight in shiny armour.

    Pushed back from the impact she immediately rolled sideways as she evaded a sneak attack from her flank ¨C to which she followed up with a one-hit elimination of another soldier.

    Sure-is getting crowded here. If only the Royal Army was here¡­Dammit. There¡¯s only so much I can do!

    Seeing the collapsed footman, the knight brought his poleaxe downwards once more. Ona responded by easily stepping backwards.

    ¡°You¡¯re not half bad.¡±

    The knight taunted; his irked tone was apparent.

    Unfortunately, you are bad. Three hits.

    She did not voice her response, to her a dead man¡¯s talk was of no interest. After all time was of the essence.

    Darting forth again, she aimed for the chest, but her advance was cut short by the wide swing of the poleaxe. Stepping back, she repositioned herself and attacked once more.

    Chaining his previous strike, the poleaxe came down slicing vertically, only to be evaded by Ona¡¯s nimble moves, leaving his neck exposed.

    Exploiting the opening, Ona struck with vengeance completely debilitating the target, his body collapsing on the ground.

    Witnessing the target fall, the neighbouring enemies halted their movements as if in shock.

    Two and a half. Still, I could have done better.

    Unfazed by the reaction Ona once more support Odmark. By eliminating the ranged unit, the Endelthirians could once more regroup and engage in combat.

    Sensing the danger, the enemy troops once more began retreating towards the guardhouse only this time their backs were exposed.

    Relentlessly, Ona rushed in wreaking havoc across her path. The bludgeoning impact of her fists only helped to cause terror amongst the enemy ranks, many deciding to drop their arms to surrender. To their disbelief, prisoners were not considered.

    Hacked, slashed, and chopped. The once civilian mob now had its opportunity for revenge, and they did so with vengeance.

    War is an ugly business after all

    She did not interrupt them, nor did she think they should show mercy, for they would receive none. It was simply how the war was.

    Odmark limped once more to Ona¡¯s direction.

    ¡°We have everything ready; we can burn the damned things now. Shall we send the men?¡±

    Ona nodded and readied herself. Fatigue was getting to her, after all, it had been years since the last time she was on active duty.

    ¡°Alright men, follow me!¡±

    They marched onwards prepared to face the enemy once more, even Odmark had joined Ona limping along.

    Bracing for impact both sides readied ¨C only for everything to be brought to a grinding halt. A hundred horns burled, and a loud screech came from the skies.

    Impossible, him?

    Ona thought, her mind working overtime.

    We need to retreat. We can¡¯t fight this.

    To her dismay it was too late, the air was heating up, a large beast covered the skies.