《🏳️PACIFIST WAR🏹 [LITRPG] [COLOR MAGIC] [SKY-PIRATES]》 Chapter 1: Privilege of Peace When Katy awoke from her imprisonment, freed with nothing but a hazy memory, there was only one question on her mind: why the heck is there an engagement ring on my finger?! It hadn¡¯t been more than half a day since she found herself at the bottom of the tower, an uncertain feeling of dread accompanying her. Despite her missing memories, her mind screamed at her to go and see her father. Her father¡ªthe asshole who not only was the lord of the Ambertrix kingdom but also had the audacity to never visit her in all this time. Not even once. Who could have thought that showing up there without any warning would turn out so badly? ¡°Miss Ambertrix, please halt!¡± the voices yelled after her again. But Katy wouldn¡¯t listen. She ran as fast as she could. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t particularly fast. ¡°Get away from me, you freaking stalkers!¡± she shouted back. Katy hadn¡¯t expected the soldiers to be looking for her already, let alone to find her. But as she darted through the streets of Ferat¨®l, she began to realize why she¡¯d been spotted so easily. The people living down here seemed more than just poor¡ªalthough that wasn¡¯t necessarily true. They could have been rich, but simply from a different period of time. Primitive. Old-fashioned. Dirty. Katy must have stood out like a white rose in the desert. The same went for the entire look of the city with its rundown appearance¡ªmore roof tiles missing than present¡ªyet colorful decorations were scattered everywhere. Garlands hanging over the doors, confetti mixing with dirt on the ground. Running through a crowded market place, countless citizens gawked at her, some astonished with mouths agape, others horrified, pulling their children aside. It wasn¡¯t simply because of Katy¡¯s appearance but more so the whole scene that must have baffled them. The chase, the soldiers¡ªmany of them¡ªrunning after a white-haired girl dressed in crystalline warfare armor. Katy lowered her gaze. The situation was humiliating, being stared at like an animal in a zoo. They must have assumed she was some kind of criminal. But really, she felt more like a clown than that. An involuntary clown. Even when no one was laughing, she could hear their voices in her head. From way back¡ªin a life before the tower¡ªwhere she had tried to meet expectations. ¡°Miss Ambertrix! Don¡¯t force us to use violence!¡± The soldiers couldn¡¯t have been far; she heard them clearly. Being the shut-in that she was, her lungs burned from exertion. Her eyes darted around for an escape¡ªshe had to find a way out! Otherwise, all these people¡ªinnocent humans¡ªthey would all¡­ She couldn¡¯t bring the thought to an end. If only she had made an Oath already, maybe she could escape them! Everyone had to leave this island¡ªevacuate. But where? Where would they even go? Ferat¨®l was supposed to be the safest island of all, hovering directly under Magicae, where the most powerful Oath Keepers resided. Yet her father wanted to punish them. Punish them for whatever must have happened while she was locked up in that damn tower. If she wanted to stop him, she had no choice but to fight. Fight these trained soldiers with her nonexistent abilities. Boots slid across dirt, dust filling the air as she came to a halt in an empty alleyway. At least here, no civilians would be dragged into this. Whirling around, she raised a hand toward the soldiers. ¡°Halt!¡± Her voice was exhausted¡ªuncontrolled¡ªbut to her surprise, the soldiers did as she demanded. Even they looked surprised at that, eyeing each other questioningly. While yes, Katy was a noblewoman¡ªthe daughter of one of the so-called Big 5¡ªthe soldiers were the ones hunting her, not the other way around. Yet, the girl suddenly seemed so self-assured and composed that they simply obeyed. For now. Using the moment of calm, she let her gaze sweep across their faces. One, two, three¡­ Only three soldiers were after her? Katy put on a smile, the men swallowing nervously. It was just as she thought; they knew exactly who they were dealing with here. To the public, she was still a big deal, after all! With a trembling voice, one of the soldiers blurted out, ¡°I b-beg your pardon, but we will escort you back home now,¡± taking a step toward her. ¡°I had ordered you to stay put,¡± Katy said. ¡°Or do you wish to defy a potential heir to the throne?¡± She tried her best to sound intimidating. The soldier¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Uh, n-no, of course not!¡± Another soldier interjected, ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense! If we obey her command, we¡¯re defying Lord Ambertrix¡¯s command!¡± The nervous soldier nodded. ¡°Yeah, right.¡± Once that was settled, the three soldiers looked back at Katy, as if expecting her to solve the problem. Katy hesitated. ¡°Then¡­ see it this way: If you defy me, I will kill you. For my father¡­ he will only have you whipped or something.¡± She tilted her head with a faint shrug. ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡± ¡°I w-want neither!¡± ¡°Yeah, both sucks!¡± Frick! Katy cursed to herself, feeling her heart beat faster. What else could she offer to convince them? She¡¯d be in real trouble if they found out that¡ª ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± the third soldier said, drawing the others¡¯ attention. ¡°I think she¡¯s just bluffing!¡± Oh, no. Please don¡¯t¡ª ¡°I heard the Lord¡¯s daughter is a complete loser!¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°People say that Lord Ambertrix was so ashamed of her that he locked her high up in a tower!¡± Once again, they looked at Katy, expecting an explanation from her. But her actions spoke louder than a thousand words ever could. She dipped. No bluff in the world would save her if they knew about the thing with the tower! She kept running at a mediocre speed until a fourth soldier appeared ahead of her. I knew it had been more than three! ¡°Please give up,¡± The soldier said, ¡°You will only get hurt from any resistance.¡± Give up? She didn¡¯t even know those words. Besides, she would always make sure to hide one last card up her sleeve. Clenching her fists, she screamed, her voice trembling with years of pent-up anger, ¡°I VOW TO NEVER BECOME LIKE MY FATHER, OR MY LIFE SHALL END!!¡± Taken aback, the soldiers halted in their tracks. Everyone stood silent for a moment. Knowing the power of the Ambertrix family, their hesitation was only natural, reconsidering whether they should risk making even a single move. ¡°Was that¡­¡± one began. ¡°Did she just swear an Oath¡­?¡± another muttered. Katy stretched out a hand, opening it wide, palm facing the soldiers to both sides. ¡°This is your last chance! Leave!¡± The men glanced at each other. ¡°I said leave,¡± she repeated, smiling to herself. Suddenly, a soft sound emerged, like rapid, shallow breaths, growing more erratic, more intense with each exhale. Katy looked back and forth between the soldiers on both sides, searching for the source. A chill ran down her spine as she realized what the sound actually was. First one soldier began laughing, then another, as if infecting each other. The sounds grew louder with every frantic exhale, morphing into a cacophony of unhinged, amused grunting. ¡°Hey, kid, I think you forgot something," one of them giggled, pointing beside her. Katy¡¯s eyes followed, staring at her hair hanging over her shoulder. She paled when it hit her. It¡¯s still white¡­ she thought, of course. Seconds later, Katy lay on the ground, face pressed against the turquoise, crystalline pavement. ¡°She¡¯s even more pathetic than I expected,¡± snickered the soldier pressing her down. ¡°Did she really think the bluff would work on us twice?!¡± laughed another. ¡°Careful!¡± hissed the third, silencing the others. ¡°Don¡¯t you forget: she¡¯s a ¡®heir to the throne,¡¯¡± he wheezed mockingly, acting scared. At that, all of them broke into laughter, again. Katy stopped struggling. She just lay there, their laughter gnawing at her pride. Tears started rolling down her face. She had failed. Again. The Oath hadn¡¯t taken effect. She really was just the clown of her family¡ªthe outlier who could never live up to their standards. No wonder Father wasn¡¯t worried if I ran away, she thought. He must think I¡¯m just a failure too. Perhaps he¡¯d even hoped she would betray him, so he could finally get rid of her. What a joke! Everyone will die¡­ just because I¡¯m so useless! Suddenly, a sharp sound cut through the laughter. A yell echoed in the distance before fading away. The pressure on her back lifted, allowing her to move freely. Hesitating for a moment, she got up, wiping her tears. She frowned at the sight of only three soldiers standing before her now. Their eyes were wide with terror. Another sharp sound whizzed past her, ruffling her hair, before yanking away a second soldier. It looked like the wind itself had clenched its hand around the man, shoving him through the alleyway like a fallen chess piece rolling off the board. Confused, Katy stared after the men. Motionless, they stood pinned against the stone wall of a house. No, it was more like an unseen force pressed them against it. Is that the power of an Oath? Katy wondered in awe. However, observing the men further, she noticed what it really was. Arrows. Deep in the soldiers¡¯ armor, arrows skewered them against the wall. Yet she didn¡¯t hear any cries of pain. Not a single sound escaped the pinned men. Had the arrows killed them instantly?! If so, this wasn¡¯t just a skilled archer¡ªthis was an excellent one. After the third had been eliminated too, the last remaining soldier glanced nervously between Katy and his comrades. She could feel his panic even before he screamed and ran, hoping to escape the attacker. Katy knew she had to act quickly, too, if she didn¡¯t want to meet their fate. Seeking cover, she hid beneath a cart stand that barely covered her upper body. She exhaled shakily, only a hint of relief washing over her. Then, a dull scream echoed afar, making her flinch. Katy swallowed hard. Where was the archer? Where had they fired from? And more importantly, what was their goal?! It seemed unlikely they were one of her father¡¯s men, considering they had just taken out four of their comrades. Much more likely would be that this was a bounty hunter after Katy herself. She was the daughter of one of the Big 5, after all. If her father didn¡¯t hate her, there would be a lot of money to be made. Nervously, she glanced around, peeking cautiously into the alleyway. Four soldiers pinned to the wall and nothing but silence. There¡¯s no blood, she thought, bewildered. Why isn¡¯t there any blood¡­? ¡°Are you okay?¡± a voice casually asked beside her. Katy whirled around, screaming and jumping up. Ready to fight, she aimed her palm against the stranger like she¡¯d done with the soldiers before. A brown-haired boy, his eyes barely reaching her chin, looked at her with his green-blue eyes. ¡°W-what do you want from me?!¡± she asked, her voice trembling. A bow in hand and a quiver strapped to his waist; the clues didn¡¯t bode well for him. And even less for Katy. She¡¯d been caught, yet again. ¡°Nothing¡­¡± he pouted. ¡°I just wanted to help.¡± Katy grimaced, slowly walking backward until hitting a wall. She winced much harder than what suited the impact. The boy tilted his head. ¡°You look very pale,¡± he acknowledged worriedly. ¡°How did you do that?!¡± Katy asked, gesturing toward the skewered men. She didn¡¯t take her eyes off the boy for even a second. ¡°Oh, well¡­ I pinned them to the wall with my arrows.¡± ¡°Yes, I can see that! But those can¡¯t be normal arrows.¡± Suddenly, all the joy disappeared from the boy¡¯s face. Panicking, he held his head. ¡°Oh, no! Those were my last green-crystal arrows!¡± ¡°Green crystal¡­? What the heck is that supposed to be?¡± When the boy opened his mouth to answer, he merely grimaced instead. Out of nowhere, a droplet rolled down his forehead. He watched it with squinted eyes as it slid to the tip of his nose. More drops followed, running down his cheeks this time. Katy raised a brow. ¡°What is that all about now?¡± she demanded. But the boy didn¡¯t seem to listen. Tilting his head to the sky, he frowned. Katy flinched as she, too, noticed the drops on her face. Still, she didn¡¯t understand his sudden bewilderment: they were just raindrops, after all. ¡°There are no clouds,¡± he muttered. Then he looked at her again, this time more seriously¡ªurgently. Before Katy could speak, the boy moved his fingers, quickly notching two arrows, aiming them directly at her. Chapter 2: Tear them apart If only Argon had known about the Core¡¯s ego before swearing his oath, he¡¯d have sworn nothing less than to ¡®tear¡¯ his enemies apart. The rows of the colosseum were reminiscent of a vineyard, reaching so high they could¡¯ve housed an entire city¡ªyet the seats remained mostly empty. Despite the crowd''s unpleasant reaction, Argon walked into the arena with his head held high. Not even an Oathspawn itself could have drawn such dismayed applause as he did. Angry shouts echoed, calling him a traitor, a disgrace to their race, and all the other usual parols. Argon shed a hollow smile at their phrases; he couldn¡¯t even deny them. He really was the scum of this world. So, in a way, he was even happy they cheered him on like that. It alleviated some of his guilt, though he¡¯d never let himself forget the burden he carried. The pain remained; the guilt; the shame. Those kinds of wounds didn¡¯t heal, and you couldn¡¯t run from them either. It was cruel. He¡¯d only been a child, after all, just wanting to do the right thing. When he reached the center of the arena, he stopped and looked up at the king. Cavroyn Lyrengard, the man he¡¯d have to conquer in a duel to regain his honor, to become king himself. Once he''d fought his way up in the tournament. Cavroyn finally rose from his throne to deliver the usual speech. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I¡¯m honored to see us all gathered again," he began, reading from an endlessly long paper scroll. "It has been three years, three long years, but now¡­ Ah, you know what? Scrap that.¡± He tossed the scroll off his podium, someone below whimpering in pain when it hit them. Murmurs rose among the few but overly talkative spectators. All of them belonged to the Oath Keepers, a race that considered themselves above humans while simultaneously trying to place themselves on equal footing¡ªor rather, stooping to their level. The present level of ego was correspondingly high, and the outraged cries at the king¡¯s unfitting behavior were entirely predictable and unsurprising to Argon. The king, rolling his eyes at the crowd¡¯s political correctness, raised his hands in a placating gesture. ¡°Now, now. Can you please shush?¡± Surprisingly, that only fueled their anger. The king, however, wasn¡¯t bothered. ¡°Well, before anyone has the audacity to ask that question again: no, we won¡¯t be allowing humans in the audience this year. We have learned from our past mistakes, haven¡¯t we?¡± He smiled, and Argon could have sworn the king shot him an inconspicuous but intense glare. ¡°Right¡­ where was I? Oh, yes!¡± Cavroyn raised a hand, gesturing to one side of the colosseum. ¡°And in the left corner¡­¡± he began jubilantly, as if trying to stir some excitement, ¡°The now only son of the Aschenbrenner House of Phoenix and upcoming prodigy swordsman: Argon Aschenbrenner!¡± A moment of silence followed. Apparently, the crowd didn¡¯t bother to boo him again; they¡¯d done that thoroughly enough when he entered. ¡°Woohoo,¡± The king cheered with feigned enthusiasm. ¡°And for his opponent¡­¡± he gestured toward the other tunnel leading into the arena. ¡°Kathalona Teluna¡­ Telana¡­? No, wait, what was her name again?¡± Hesitating, he looked to both his guards until the red-haired one handed him a note. ¡°Ah, right! In the right corner¡­ Katherine Theresa Ambertrix!¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Unlike with Argon, the audience didn¡¯t boo immediately, though they didn¡¯t cheer either. Murmurs rose. ¡°Pretty lively crowd, huh?¡± Cavroyn said, scratching his cheek. ¡°To be honest, I haven¡¯t really heard much about her either,¡± he admitted with a shrug. Argon cracked his knuckles, shaking his body. He¡¯d been preparing for this tournament for the last four years. Now, he finally had the chance to redeem himself. But not only that¡ªhe¡¯d make sure to fulfill his oath too. The entrance still remained empty and the murmurs grew louder; the crowd became restless. And even Argon, with all his honor on the line, couldn¡¯t stop his muscles from tensing. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± The king began, frowning as his second guard, a young man with green, spiky hair, whispered something in his ear. Cavroyn cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to inform you, but it seems dear Katherine hasn¡¯t shown up today.¡± The murmurs swelled into accusations. Some complained that something was fishy, that this wasn¡¯t right. Others, however, found amusement in it, suspecting that it was beneath her dignity to fight someone like Argon. Oh, how funny. Argon, standing between all these sneers, felt powerless. Was this how it would always be? Would people avoid him, even on the battlefield? Would they never even give him a chance to make up for his mistakes. To clear his name? Desperately, he scanned the rows of the colosseum, searching for someone¡ªjust one person¡ªwho¡¯d side with him. There, eventually, he met her gaze, a woman with dark skin, curly orange hair, and eyes of deep red. Amyra Aschenbrenner, his mother. Sitting alone, no one even willing to share the same row as her, she stared down at Argon as if she wished he¡¯d never been born. He was to blame for everything. The reason the colosseum remained empty, the reason Amyra sat there alone; all her children, her husband, their servants¡ªgone. Why is she even here? Argon thought bitterly. ¡°Then, let¡¯s move on to the next fight, shall we?¡± Cavroyn said, ignoring the cacophony of outrage. ¡°Move¡­ on?¡± Argon repeated silently, staring at the king, unable to process those words. Argon didn¡¯t even consider that an option. He would stay. Fight anyone. Cavroyn, noticing his stare, waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Clear the arena, boy.¡± Then, turning to his two guards again, he spoke to them as if he had no care in the world. This ridiculous behavior of the king¡ªhis complete lack of accountability¡ªonce again reminded Argon why he¡¯d sworn his oath in the first place. Because the war had to end, and this joke of a king certainly wouldn¡¯t do the job! Someone had to kill him; sacrifices were necessary to achieve peace. Sacrifices no one was willing to make. No one but him. The oath he¡¯d sworn four years ago was supposed to grant him the strength to claim the throne. More specifically, the oath bound him to become king by age twenty. In return, the Core owed him immense power, for the harder it was to meet an oath¡¯s conditions, and the severer the punishment upon failure, the stronger the powers one would be granted. Argon¡¯s jaw tightened. There was a chance here. ¡°Come down and fight me!¡± he shouted up at the king, one of his twin blades poised towards him. Cavroyn kept talking with his guards, the red-haired one glancing over at Argon for just a moment. Argon stood silent, his blade trembling in the air from his excitement. People started laughing, pointing at him, slapping their thighs in amusement. A fledgling like him¡ªno, a disgraced warrior challenging the king¡ªhow pathetic. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t care!¡± Argon screamed, this time not only addressing the king but everyone around. ¡°If you¡¯re really that great, why don¡¯t you prove it?! Fight me! I¡¯ll take you all on! Are you too scared of losing your meaningless honor?!¡± Cavroyn lay his head back, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Listen, boy, if you don¡¯t leave now, you¡¯ll be eliminated from the tournament. So just crawl back into your tunnel, will you?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to drag me there yourself!¡± Chapter 3: Helping Hand It had all happened way too quickly. Just a moment ago, it had only been droplets, until suddenly they transformed into a torrent of water, crashing down on Felix. The arrows he had shot just before the impact had connected with Katy¡¯s shoulder plates on each side, catapulting her backward with an irrational force. She could only watch as the massive flood descended, burying him underneath. Water spilled through the alley, first forming a stream that quickly turned into a river with a rushing current. Crashing waves pushed Katy further until her back slammed against a wall, the impact rattling her senses. Her eyes frantically searched for the boy. The boy who had just saved her life¡ªagain. ¡°Felix!¡± she called out, hoping for an answer. As she repeated his name over and over again, water splashed into her mouth. Katy coughed wheezily, irritated by the liquid¡¯s taste. She had expected normal water¡ªnot¡­ Saltwater¡­? But then why didn¡¯t it sting her eyes? Coughing, she tried to keep herself above the water as a figure descended from above, diving into the water stream that was finally starting to subside. The water washed over the silhouette, gradually streaming down until Katy could finally take a look at her enemy. A young man with messy orange hair and vermillion eyes. His chartreuse cape was soaked, his silver armor gleamed brightly, glistening with droplets. The water level continued to recede, draining away as a murky brown sludge down the alley, leaving Katy standing on solid ground again. ¡°What did you do to the boy?!¡± she demanded. The stranger glared at her. ¡°You¡¯re Katherine, I suppose?¡± ¡°Answer my question!¡± At that, he plunged his hand into the water, which now only reached his knees, and pulled up a limp figure. Gripping Felix by the hood, he held the pale boy up toward her. Katy flinched. ¡°What did you do to him?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one asking questions now.¡± Katy wanted to argue, but she understood that he held the upper hand. So, she nodded. ¡°I¡¯m here to settle an old score,¡± he continued. ¡°He isn¡¯t my target.¡± With that he let Felix drop to the ground, the boy landing with a splash in the remnants of the water. Katy, her gaze flickering between Felix and the stranger, still couldn¡¯t comprehend what was happening. Was this man a headhunter? If so, she had no chance of escaping. He had already shown a glimpse of his power, and she feared that wasn¡¯t even the full extent of it. ¡°He¡¯s not breathing,¡± Katy said, crouching down and turning Felix onto his back. ¡°I won¡¯t try to flee from you, but please don¡¯t drag innocent people into this.¡± ¡°Flee¡­?¡± the man asked, confused. ¡°Am I not even worth fighting? Is that it again?!¡± ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about! Just help the boy¡ª¡± A hand clamped around her throat, lifting her into the air. ¡°Tell me! Are you the daughter of that Ambertrix Elder?!¡± Gasping, she struggled for air, but his grip was too tight. ¡°Answer me!¡± the man demanded. ¡°Let me go¡­ I¡­ must¡­¡± her words faded into silence. The grip suddenly loosened, and air streamed back into her lungs. Eyes widening, she saw Felix behind the man. The two short swords he held in his hands were crafted from red crystals, adorned with yellow ones that seemed to have lost all their color. The man let Katy drop to the ground, turning his attention to the boy instead. ¡°Do you want to die?¡± Felix stuck his tongue out at him. ¡°Catch me if you can!¡± Then, he darted off, his footsteps splashing through the alley. What is he thinking¡­? Katy thought groggily. Such an idiot¡­ He¡¯ll get himself killed like that. She swayed a few times before finally managing to push herself off the ground, listening as the man followed into the distance. What now? Katy thought. A part of her wanted to help the boy, but wasn¡¯t her own escape more important? She still had to warn the citizens. Besides, she couldn¡¯t do much against the overwhelming force that was this Oath Keeper. Hurting, she held her head. The chase reminded Felix of playing tag, and if the situation weren¡¯t so dire, it would¡¯ve been quite funny. Though, he found himself giggling anyway. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Give back my swords, you stray!¡± the man yelled behind him. ¡°They are the sacred legacy of my family!¡± ¡°Then catch me!¡± Felix called back, leaving a little surprise for his pursuer. A moment later, the man started gagging and coughing violently. Felix snickered in amusement. ¡°What¡¯s that smell?!¡± the man choked, trying to hold back a retch. Felix rounded the corner. So far, his plan was working; disarm the opponent and lead him away from the civilians. But there was a problem: he couldn¡¯t be sure the girl was okay, and worst-case scenario, the man might return to her. In her condition, he wasn¡¯t even sure if she could run. Felix had no choice. He had to go back to the crime scene eventually. He had only been in Fetr¨®l for about a week, yet he had felt at home pretty quickly. He knew that if he just ran in a square around this block, back toward the marketplace, he would end up in the alley where the girl lay. Hopefully, she would be fine until then, for he hadn¡¯t heard anything from his pursuer for a couple of seconds now. Glancing back, Felix found himself alone in the alley. He paused and cupped his ear in case the man was still chasing him but just a little slow on his feet. But nothing. ¡°Darn it!¡± Felix cursed. ¡°You don¡¯t just do that! Stopping the chase without a proper time out¡­¡± Laying down the stolen swords¡ªas they were more of a threat than a help to him¡ªhe peeked back around the corner. Katy stumbled backward, holding her face in shock. ¡°Stupid bitch!¡± the man growled, towering over her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you show up?! Tell me!¡± Katy¡¯s world spun as she felt the man¡¯s grip on her collar, pulling her up to eye level. At that point, it was clear: she really should have dipped when she had the chance. But no, of course, she had to run after the psychopathic Oath Keeper. ¡°You¡¯re coming back with me to the Colosseum now, where we will have our fight!¡± He shook her aggressively. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare pass out! I want a real fight! You hear me?! A REAL fight!¡± This guy really must have been crazy! Katy had been locked in that damn tower for the last three years¡ªwhat freaking fight would she be involved in?! Katy struggled against his grip, trying to free herself but with little success. When he kept on yelling, Katy had enough. She spat right into his right eye, kicking between his legs. ¡°Fuck you!¡± He blinked against the spit, though still holding her tightly. Katy bit her lip at the aching in her foot. Armor, of course! At least the weirdo couldn¡¯t kill her. Or rather wouldn¡¯t. Unless he wanted to fight a corpse in the ¡®Colosseum¡¯¡ªwhatever that was even supposed to be. The man, however, seemed to see things differently. He pulled back his fist for another strike. Katy squeezed her eyes shut. ¡°Cowardly woman-beater!¡± she spat. But the blow never landed. Confused, she opened her eyes. An arrow pierced both his bracers, chaining his arms together like a pair of handcuffs. No blood seeped through. The man cocked his head sideways, glaring at the intruder once more. Felix, standing with a drawn bow, aimed right at his head. The man stuttered, bewildered, anger slowly finding its way back into his voice. His grumbling turned into uncontrolled screams, furious. Katy seized her chance¡ªthe psycho was distracted¡ªit was time to run. Out of instinct, she ran toward Felix, even though it wasn¡¯t her smartest move as now he wouldn¡¯t have to pick between his victims. The crack behind Katy sent a shiver down her spine. ¡°Run!¡± Felix yelled, biting his tongue for focus as he drew another arrow, leaning forward. The man, having broken free from the arbitrary handcuffs, stumbled after Katy. The bowstring snapped, an arrow darting right past Katy¡¯s neck, slicing through strands of her hair. The man yelled in pain¡ªor anger¡ªshe could no longer tell the difference. Something grabbed her leg¡ªshe fell. Her knee ached as if a hammer had split it apart. Yelping, she got back up, limping forward. Felix nocked another arrow, hesitating. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything against him!¡± he yelled, standing far from the chase. ¡°My normal arrows are useless against his armor!¡± Katy¡¯s heart pounded. Hands reached for her, tearing off pieces of clothing where there was no armor. Nails bit into flesh where there was no protection. Felix watched with trembling eyes until, eventually, he turned around and ran off. Yes, that¡¯s good¡­ Katy thought. Everyone has to think of themselves. That¡¯s how it always has been. And it always would. She should have thought of herself too. Should have just stayed in that tower. Should have kept Father¡¯s secret to herself. Compassion was a weakness. A weight pressed down on her body from behind. Lying on top of her, the man huffed like an animal. She felt his hot breath on her neck. Hands clamped around her wrists, pinning her down despite her screams. Then he yanked her up by the hair, bending her torso and spine to the extreme. ¡°Now I¡¯ve got you!¡± he hissed triumphantly right into her ear. ¡°If you run away again, I¡¯ll kill that boy too! Do you understand?!¡± Katy didn¡¯t dare to speak. Not even the sounds of resistance escaped her anymore. An image flashed before her eyes. The boy¡¯s smile beamed at her, his giggle so lively it was almost annoying. She had rarely seen anyone like him, someone who actually cared about others. No. Stop that. He ran away. He left you behind. He¡­ Is just like Mother. Why does everyone leave me? All the weight suddenly lifted off her body as two shimmering crystals shot past her. Green¡­ Yadis? Katy turned around, watching the arrow¡¯s impact. Just like with the other soldiers before, the arrows bit into the man¡¯s armor and latched onto it, dragging him along the alleyway until he finally hit a wall. Two arrows pinned the armor above his shoulders, two more following at his legs and torso. Like nails hammered into the wall with a single, precise strike. ¡°What is this supposed to be?!¡± The man tried to free himself with visible effort. He shook, stretched, and strained¡ªhis neck and facial expression the only parts of him able to move. Eating deep into the stone wall, the arrows ensured he wouldn¡¯t harm anyone anymore. ¡°Are you okay?!¡± Felix asked, crouching, and laid a hand on her shoulder. Katy winced at the touch. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± She looked up, confused as if mistaking Felix for someone else. ¡°I mean, yes¡­ yes, I¡¯m¡­ fine.¡± ¡°Sorry that it took so long, but I had to get these back before I could beat him.¡± He wiggled three more arrows with green tips in his hand. She stared at Felix with empty eyes. ¡°You should really visit a doctor now,¡± he insisted, pulling her up. ¡°Get back here!¡± the man yelled. ¡°I¡¯m not done with you! Why does this not work, goddamnit?! Fire! I need fire!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Felix said, glancing at the man still cursing and stomping like a child throwing a tantrum. Katy kept her gaze on the Oath Keeper for a short moment. Then she followed Felix¡¯s lead, absentmindedly. She winced yet again when he grabbed her hand tightly, but it was different from other men. He was so pure, so childish, and his warmth felt¡­ Comforting. Chapter 4: Seed of Doubt A crosshair marked the target. Argon Aschenbrenner, the young man, rendered immobile, standing with his back against a wall. He¡¯s crying like a little, annoying brat, the spectator thought. Some things never change, huh? The scope¡¯s vision followed as the brown-haired boy and girl left the scene. The spectator aimed their weapon at the girl''s head, watching as her unnaturally long white hair swayed with each step. What if I shot her? they chuckled to themselves. Just like that? For a moment they really considered the option. Eventually, they sighed and lowered their weapon. Their compassion stood in their way; Argon¡¯s ego was fragile like a vase, after all. I should really get rid of my empathy¡­ It¡¯s only ever causing me trouble.
Murmurs arose in the marketplace as a young woman shouted strange slogans from a podium of stacked boxes. The soldiers patrolling observed the scene, exchanging dubious glances, but cared barely enough to keep watching. ¡°The Oath Keepers will attack you! I mean¨C not all of them, but the Ambertrix kingdom! You all have to get out of here! Quick!¡± People walked by, going about their business of buying foods, clothes, luxury goods, and other consumables. They acted as if it were the most normal thing in the world for some lunatic to try turning them against the Oath Keepers. She was just one of many. Katy did not understand. How could they be so stubborn?! Sure, she wouldn¡¯t be the first to agitate against Oath Keepers¡ªhumans were kings at that discipline, after all¡ªbut for an Oath Keeper herself to talk like that? Wouldn¡¯t that catch some attention? Add at least some credibility to her warnings? She shook her head, stepping down from the podium, which was the crate of an apple vendor. The woman, unamused by the trespass, glared at her with crossed arms. ¡°Pretty tough crowd,¡± Katy laughed sheepishly. The woman shook her head. ¡°It ain¡¯t your fault. They know that trick already.¡± ¡°Trick¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah. Pretty good bleach you used there I must say.¡± Bleach? Katy followed the woman''s gaze and understood. ¡°It-it¡¯s not! I really am an Oath Keeper,¡± Katy insisted, pointing at her eyes. ¡°Blue contact lenses. The classic. So what?¡± Katy palmed her forehead. ¡°Whatever¡­¡± Something tapped on her shoulder and she turned to be met with a creepily wide smile. ¡°And?¡± Felix asked hopefully. Katy scowled. ¡°Nothing. You saw their reaction, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t really a reaction if you ask me.¡± Felix shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s the point¡­¡± Katy turned her back on him, walking off. ¡°What¡¯s your plan now?¡± Felix asked, catching up to her. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°Oh, I need to tell you something. I got a really important appointment. It might even help us¨C¡± Katy ignored Felix¡¯s brabbling and walked onto another crowd of people gathered around a cooking table. There, thick rustic smoke hissed upwards in a cacophony of sizzling fat and burning ingredients. A young chef stood behind the stove, flipping meat in a pan like the next gourmet prodigy. People awed at his talent, cheering whenever he flipped the meat into the air to turn it around. When the meat fell back down, the people¡¯s excitement suddenly vanished. Everyone blinked in confusion. The chef, still convinced of his skills, remained unfazed, but eventually, he followed the crowd¡¯s gaze down to the pan. Or rather, where the pan had been moments ago. A shrill, deafening sound echoed across the entire marketplace. The chef, still caught in his confusion, watched as within seconds, countless curious eyes flooded the apple stand. Having lost his entire audience in the blink of an eye, he shed tears of loss. ¡°Humans of Ferat¨®l, listen to me!¡± Katy¡¯s voice rang out, a pan in one hand slapping against the arm guard on her wrist. ¡°This is not a drill! The Ambertrix kingdom is planning to attack you all! You¡¯ll have to evacuate immediately!¡± Murmurs spread through the crowd, some afraid, but most annoyed, still doubting her words. ¡°Katy, is this really a good idea?¡± Felix asked, standing next to the apple crate. ¡°They seem rather¡­ angry.¡± ¡°What, do you want me to give up?! It¡¯s their problem if they¡¯re all gonna die!¡± ¡°That¡­ doesn¡¯t quite make sense, I think,¡± Felix wondered aloud. ¡°But keep trying! If they see how much you care about them, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll listen!¡± As Katy opened her mouth for a second round of alarm, the sound died in her throat. The crate she stood upon rattled, shifting left and right, almost throwing her off. Below, a couple of citizens pushed against it, trying to tip it over. ¡°Shut up, stupid conspiracy theorist!¡± a man with a long beard yelled at her. ¡°Give back my pan!¡± the chef shouted. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Katy almost lost her balance, flailing her arms wildly. ¡°Felix! Do something!¡± The boy paled, stuttering. ¡°H-hey! What she says is true!¡± He tried to position himself between the people and Katy. ¡°She¡¯s told me¡ªI mean, I saw them talking about it with my own eyes!¡± ¡°Heard,¡± Katy corrected. Felix nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes, I heard it with my own eyes!¡± Katy palmed her face. ¡°Good lord¡­¡± The angry mob paused for a moment, eyeing Felix from head to toe. The boy, smiling with his otherworldly charm, laughed hesitantly. His dirty, ragged clothes and brown hair blended well into the surroundings; having him as a witness might add even more credibility to her warning. Katy patted herself on the shoulder, proud that she¡¯d made the right decision after all by adding this boy to her rebellion. ¡°See? Even this local boy agrees! Please, you all must leave this place. Now.¡± ¡°Why does he have such colorful eyes, though?¡± a man asked suspiciously, pointing at Felix. ¡°Good question,¡± Felix pondered. ¡°No clue.¡± ¡°C-contact lenses!¡± Katy corrected. ¡°He¡¯s wearing colored contact lenses!¡± The man raised a brow. ¡°It¡¯s totally in fashion right now, isn¡¯t it?¡± she pointed at her own face. ¡°See, I¡¯m wearing them too.¡± The man shrugged. ¡°Matter of taste.¡± Another voice spoke up, ¡°Wait a second! I know that boy!¡± Katy¡¯s breath caught. An old grandma walked up, hobbling on her cane. People formed a path, stepping aside, watching her approach Felix. She still walked. And walked. ¡°Come on, speed up, granny!¡± Katy sighed annoyed. ¡°Our lives are on the line!¡± The crowd glared at her for that comment. ¡°Okay, okay¡­ Fine! We¡¯ll wait. Not my problem if you¡¯re all gonna die!¡± ¡°She keeps pointing that out,¡± Felix noted. Finally, the grandma came to a stop, adjusted her glasses¡ªwhose lenses made her eyes look like balloons¡ªand nodded self-assuredly. ¡°Yes¡­ yes¡­! I know that boy!¡± ¡°You already said that,¡± Katy tried to keep the aggression out of her voice. With little success. ¡°Hello, Miss Aster,¡± Felix greeted her, waving. ¡°You actually know her?!¡± Katy asked. ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Then why¨C whatever.¡± The grandma nodded yet again. "Felix helped me with the garden a few days ago. Such a nice boy." "Great. Good for you. But what does that matter right now?! I''m telling you the world is going under! Go-ing-un-der!" The grandma blinked at her. Another voice arose. "Wait, now that she said it... I know him too! He helped me catch a jewel scarab yesterday! I¡¯ve been hunting that one for weeks!" "Oh~" Katy hummed excitedly before adopting a sarcastic tone. "Amazing!" "Felix helped me decide which bread I should eat for breakfast!" another yelled from the back rows. "And he patched the hole in my roof!" "He organized a birthday party for me!" More and more voices arose from the crowd until Katy felt like every goddamn person on this island had been blessed by Felix''s magic somehow. She whirled her hands wildly to shove the voices away from her. "Okay, okay, OKAY! I GET IT! He''s the Samaritan of this island apparently!" The crowd fell silent, watching Katy¡ªthis time with different looks. ¡°What? Did I say something wrong again?!¡± The birthday girl walked up, smiling at her. "If Felix backs up what you say, then I''ll believe you!" A loud commotion of voices agreed with her. "But... does that really mean¡ª" bug boy began. "We''ll have to leave our homes now?" finished the roof-hole mother. "Why are they attacking us?!" breakfast guy yelled from the back rows. "Isn''t there peace right now?!" Katy paused at that. Hopeful childrens¡¯ eyes stared at her, along with the concerned faces of adults. "Hey! What''s going on here?!" a gruff voice demanded. Katy turned to see the soldier, a general¡ªeasily recognizable by the blue uniform with golden sigil. He looked unamused at best, staring at her with his brown eyes and black hair. "Haven''t you listened?" Katy hesitated. "You''re a human too, aren''t you?" At least that¡¯s what his looks indicated. ¡°I¡¯m not in the position to side with troublemakers like you.¡± "But if you are human, my fath¨C Lord Ambertrix won''t make an exception. No matter if you follow his commands or not.¡± Katy explained. "Trust me, I know him. He''s not what he presents himself to be." The general exchanged glances with his comrades. They still seemed to doubt. Why couldn''t Felix have helped them out with something?! That, for a change, would have actually been useful... "Say..." the general began. "Could it be that you actually are an Oath Keeper?" He examined her hair and eyes as if checking for authenticity. Katy let her shoulders slump. "Guess hiding won''t make a difference anymore," she sighed. "Yes, I''m an Oathless. More specifically, I''m the daughter of Amadeus Ambertrix." Realization spread on the general''s face. "He sent out a message calling to find you.¡± "I know," Katy said, pointing at her injuries on her clothing. "S-sorry for that. Of course you shouldn¡¯t be harmed in the process.¡± She waved a hand. "Nah, there was another incident, but don''t worry, we got rid of him. Anyway, I assume you won''t try to take me into custody anymore? Now that you know what''s behind that order? Or do you still doubt my credibility?" The general stared at her. Katy was demanding something absurd: the soldiers should listen to her and thus defy one of the Big Five. She couldn''t even blame them if they slapped the handcuffs on her right now. But what choice did she have? Without the soldiers at her side, her plan was damned to fail. "I don''t know what my father is planning exactly, but I beg you¡ªflee.¡± Katy looked the general right in the eye, her voice growing more and more desperate with each word. ¡°There are plenty of merchant ships at the harbor. If you ensure that everything proceeds in an orderly manner, you can prevent worse. As soon as my father realizes I¡¯ve spilled his plan, he will make sure nobody survives." She gestured toward the crowd of people that had only kept growing, housing more than a hundred people by now. "It''s your job to protect them, isn''t it?" The general closed his eyes, massaging his forehead. He looked troubled, as if waging every outcome of each possible scenario. When he opened them again, he looked¡­ determined. Katy felt a relieved smile jump on her face. Laughing, she looked at Felix. Finally, she had been heard. Her efforts hadn¡¯t been in vain. If war broke out between humans and Keepers, it would only hasten the invasion of Oathspawns. Now, it was more important than ever that humans and Keepers stayed united. Mother would be proud if she could see this. Felix¡¯s expression, however, crumbled all the joy inside Katy like a hammer slamming onto a house of cards. A soft clicking sound echoed from below. "I''m afraid I must disagree," the general said, one half of handcuffs locked around Katy''s wrist, "our job is not to protect the citizen, but to enforce the law." Katy trembled, unable to get a single tone out. Why¡­? Why wouldn¡¯t they listen to her¡­? Anger arose within. How could she have been so stupid to trust the military?! Of course Father controlled them! They¡¯re too scared to go against him! Even if it means their demise. "H-hey, what are you doing there!?" Felix walked in front of Katy. "She''s telling the truth, I know it." He looked the general deep in the eyes. The man¡¯s face twitched with something Katy couldn¡¯t quite place before any emotion vanished from his face. "Arrest them. The boy too." More soldiers walked forward. Booing sounds arose from the crowd, reaching their peak as soon as the men lay a hand on Felix. The general drew his sword with a powerful motion. The hissing silenced the people like their throats¡¯ had been cut all at once. "Miss Ambertrix, I¡¯m arresting you on suspicion of high treason!" Chapter 5: Crowds Favorite "You''re making a huge mistake!" Katy protested, shaking her arms vigorously against the iron grip of the general behind her. "Thousands will die if we don''t act! My father is ruthless! He hates humans!" "Hey!" the soldier hissed, tightening his grip. "You better shut up now; all you''re saying will be used against you!" The crowd roared, their unrest resembling an uprising. Although the soldiers¡¯ raised swords had intimidated them for a moment, fear now seemed to drive them, transforming into anger. Fear and anger¡ªboth were stronger than reason, and Katy knew it could quickly escalate into panic¡ªa mass panic at worst. People yelled to let Felix go. They really seemed to trust what Katy and him had reported about the Ambertrix kingdom¡¯s attack, or they simply loved the boy that much. Some people, mostly older ones, stepped forward, trying to stop the soldiers in their act. The group of soldiers stood in a defensive line before the apple stand, the whole scene giving Katy the feeling of war. The citizens easily outnumbered them, but their weapons were arbitrary, and their experience was lacking. Katy hesitated. This wasn''t what she wanted. The real enemy weren¡¯t these soldiers, but the evil pulling the strings. Both the citizens and the soldiers were simply victims of the higher-ups¡¯ filthy games. If she didn''t act, many innocents would be hurt. Or die. Apples flew through the air, clattering as they bounced off the soldiers'' helmets. Screams grew louder. Now even children?! Katy thought, shocked. Was this all her fault? Adults struck the soldiers with wooden boards, pans, fists¡ªall breaking against the metallic armor. The soldiers, at least a spark of honor left in them, did not strike back, merely holding the line. Their shouting¡ªdesperate attempts to stop the inevitable¡ªwere drowned out by the crowd¡¯s hysteria. Desperate, Katy glanced at Felix. The boy seemed completely beside himself, lost in thought, his chest rising and falling faster with each breath. Did he blame himself for all this, too? After all, these people would never have started such chaos if it weren''t about protecting him. Katy still couldn''t believe how this simple boy had won all these people over so easily. And in some way, he had won her over too... Katy shook her head. I have to do something now! she thought. Glancing behind her, she locked eyes with the general. Sweat dripped down his face; if any of his superiors found out about this disaster, he''d probably be in trouble. "You have to let him go!" Katy yelled as loud as she could so her words had even a chance to reach him beneath the cacophony of terror around them. "I..." the man hesitated. ¡°I can¡¯t do that!¡± "Let Felix evacuate the island!" Katy insisted. "Please." The man pondered her words. Katy had intentionally left herself out of it; he couldn''t possibly let her go, but Felix? He was just an ordinary boy, beloved by the citizens. He would continue what Katy couldn''t. She entrusted him with this task. ¡°If you don¡¯t let him go, people won¡¯t back off!¡± Katy knew the general would be held accountable for this. A human uprising would not escape her father''s attention. And there had to be someone to blame. Always. Of course, that someone would never be him¡ªeven if everything had been his doing. Despite knowing this, reluctantly, the general nodded. When Felix''s handcuffs popped open, he stood for a moment, frozen. When Katy gestured her head toward the crowd, he slowly seemed to understand. Yet she could see the denial on his face. His mouth stood open, as if wanting to tell her something. Perhaps, say goodbye? Or thank you? Why, though? They barely knew each other. He had helped her escape Argon, but that was about it. Now she was returning the favor. At least she didn¡¯t owe him anymore now¡ªnothing worse than that. Even if the other person might not even expect to get anything out of it. In the end, no words escaped Felix. He simply stared after her. Like a lost child. Katy felt the soldiers pulling behind her. It was time to go. This was her part of the agreement. Turning to the crowd, Felix raised his hands high. "I¨CI''m fine! You can all calm down! We¡¯ll leave the island now, okay?" With each word he spoke, the unrest calmed down like boiling water turned down from the stove. Katy watched the spectacle, smiling to herself. Yeah, keep going, she thought. You''ll do fine. The soldier''s shove made her stumble. "We''re leaving!" he exclaimed. His comrades looked back and forth between him and Felix, as if expecting an explanation. Disbelieved of what they just witnessed. "This incident has never happened,¡± the general grumbled. ¡°Understood?!" With hesitant nods, the others finally followed. Walking off the marketplace, Katy listened as the cheers of the crowd, happy to have reclaimed Felix, slowly faded into the background. She''d done her job. The people would be fine. Hopefully. If there even was enough time to flee. She had no clue what exactly was her father¡¯s goal after all. Nor did she know what his attack might look like. But one thing was certain: any moment they could die. ALl of them. In a single instance. The Ambertrix kingdom was powerful, and even more so their leader. It''s their problem if they''re gonna die, Katy tried calming herself down with a chuckle. Their fate was no longer in her hands. But she¡¯d won them the chance to fight for their lives. Now, she''d face the consequences for it. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Completely beside themselves, the crowd kept cheering for Felix like celebrating some festival. The boy blinked at the utterly exaggerated reaction. As if he¡¯d just saved their lives. When, in fact, all he¡¯d done was fail. Fail the chance to help Katy. Fail to bring harmony into this dire situation. They could¡¯ve used the soldiers¡¯ help at the evacuation, but now they were gone. For a moment, Felix considered running after them. Why? To beg for help? To fall on his knees and plead? Or was it more so because he wanted¡­ No! Felix thought. These people are more important now! They were hundreds, if not many thousands, considering all the citizens this island held. But really, shouldn''t all life be of equal value? Shouldn''t he save them all? Including Katy? He glanced sideways, watching the soldiers escort her away. His gaze wandered to the ground, then back to the crowd. He wanted to be strong, motivating, leading them with enthusiasm¡ªhe owed that to Katy¡ªbut he couldn''t shake off his unease. The picture from seconds ago; hundreds of people¡ªscreaming, fighting, children crying¡ªall flashed before his eyes. This incident had triggered memories of old days. Memories he would rather lock far away inside of him. And never watch them again. I''m sorry, Katy, he thought, though it was directed at more than just her. He clenched his fists. So tightly that it hurt. The pain helped forget it all. If only for a moment. "What''s wrong, Felix?" a boy¡¯s voice ripped him back into the present. Felix winced at the sight of Bug Boy eyeing him worriedly. "You''ll bring us to safety now, won''t you?" he asked with hopeful eyes. Felix forced himself to smile. "Of course." Then he turned to the adults. What a liar. But he couldn¡¯t possibly tell the truth¡­ All people stared at him, probably sensing his fear. His¡­ incompetence. Say something¡­ Just something! "P-pack as much food as you can carry!¡± He finally got out, his voice cracking from nervousness. His face must¡¯ve been glowing red by now. ¡°And alert everyone who doesn''t know yet. No one is to be left behind!" The people muttered beneath themselves until they nodded and darting off in all sorts of directions. Even more chaotic than before. Only now did Felix note the sad, desperate sobbing beside him. Gerta, the apple stand owner, knelt crying on the ground. "My apples!" she wailed, sniffling as if her baby had just died in her arms. A carpet of trampled apples spread across before her. Felix stood right on top of it. What could he even say to comfort her? It were just apples after all. Though, this was probably the product of month¡¯s hard work. Felix tapped her on the back. "You can still make applesauce out of them when we return.¡± If they ever did. ¡°But now you have to flee, okay?" A few minutes later, tremendous chaos filled the streets of Ferat¨®l. Carts and people collided, sacks full of food toppled over, spilling their contents, only to be crushed beneath wheels and shoes. Hopefully, Gerta wouldn''t see this. Felix hadn''t considered that there might be traffic jams with everyone heading to the same place inthe same way at the same time. The harbor of Ferat¨®l was a particularly large trading hub for export, but it wasn''t designed to accommodate the entire population of the city at once. Yet it was the only solution. This is going to be something, Felix thought, swallowing hard. It was still about three miles until they would reach their destination, yet people kept running to him with all sorts of problems. "Felix! Felix! I can''t find my grandpa!" a man said, panting on his knees before him. "Can you go and get him?! He''ll die if we leave him behind!" Felix hesitated. Where would he even start searching?! Besides, wasn''t he supposed to lead this evacuation? How did one even do that in the first place? "I... I can try and look for him. Where does he usually¡ª" Another voice interrupted. "Felix! Felix! Someone broke the wheel of my pram! If I have to carry my children, I''ll be late for the takeoff!" The mother sounded on the verge of a breakdown, tears flowing down her cheeks. Felix took a step backward, trying to get some space when he accidentally bumped into someone. The man yelped as he hit the ground, his crutch landing beside him. "Grandpa?!" the man from earlier said in relief, kneeling down to the man. "W-we found him?" Felix asked, but the scream escaping the old man destroyed any hope. "My leg! My leg! Aahh!" the man clutched it with an agonized expression. Was that... my fault? Annoyed grumbling sounded from behind. "Is this going to move along or what?! I don''t want to die here because of you sluggish snails!" Suddenly, the man grabbed Felix by the collar, pointing at his grandpa. "Why did you do that?! Don''t you have eyes in your head?!" All attention jumped onto Felix. He suddenly couldn''t get a sound out. The world felt like it was spinning at rapid speed, a mix of harsh reality and terrifying memories he¡¯d sworn to never be repeated. I''m going to let everyone down again. Everyone will die because of me. Katy had entrusted him with this whole thing, sacrificing herself for it. When in reality, out of anyone here, she deserved the most to be saved! But what am I thinking here?! Disgusted by his own thoughts, Felix felt sick. He didn¡¯t want this. He didn¡¯t want anyone to look at him. If people ended up dying, it would be his fault. Again. No! Please not again! He buried his head in his arms, covering his ears while the man kept yelling at him. Just... leave me alone! I don¡¯t want anyone to care about me! I don¡¯t want anyone to... rely on me. I can''t... do it. I can''t... bring peace. A firm, confident voice silenced them all. His thoughts too. Everything slowed down. "Leave all your luggage behind! Take only the essentials! We have no more time!" The grip around Felix¡¯s collar released. Everyone had stopped in their tracks. Never before had such silence settled over a crowd so quickly. "Furthermore, all men will stay behind and let women and children pass through. If anyone is missing, report it to me, and I will send someone to find them." Every eye was glued to the man¡ªnobody dared to interrupt him. Felix''s mouth stood open in disbelief. He couldn¡¯t decide between astonishment and... fear...? What is he doing here? Why him out of everyone who could have stepped in?! Wet Orange hair, rose-red eyes... a soaked green cape and gleaming armor... Felix stood frozen, facing the exact same Oath Keeper who had just attacked him and Katy in the alley. Murmurs erupted through the crowd. While they didn''t dare to speak up against the man, they were clearly displeased with his appearance. Grimaces of disgust and anger betrayed the words they kept to themselves. The man waded through the crowd like a foreign body in a defective immune system. "Do not worry, humans! Citizens of Ferat¨®l!¡± He shouted, stretching out a hand, reaching for the skies. ¡°For I, Argon Aschenbrenner, will ensure your survival!¡± People''s faces grew darker. It really was him¡ªthe traitor, the harbinger of doom, the scum of this world. ¡°The Aschenbrenner kingdom will not allow such barbaric means; the Aschenbrenner will side with justice; the Aschenbrenner will impose order on the Ambertrix!"