Kingdom's Bloodline, page 220
Nevertheless, Aida exhibited the agility of a bat once again. She leaned here torso backwards in the air. With her legs stretched to her back, her body curved into a 'C' shape.
*Poof!*
The spearhead pierced the air, emitting a booming sound.
However, Kaslan's deadly spear arrowed through the hollow space created by Aida's posture, fleeting past her back.
It was a close miss.
Kaslan frowned and the spear advanced again!
Aida pulled her left hand back, grabbing the handle of the Soul Slayer Pike and following the direction of Kaslan's attack. Her flexible torso sprung like a spring!
Using her left hand as a center point, she took a full circular swing on the Soul Slayer Pike, and with the help of the momentum, she bounced backwards.
If Thales had been present, he would have probably gaped and shouted, "You know how to swing on the high bar!"
The elf performed an acrobatic flip in the air, and landed steadily on her feet.
*Clunk!*
In the meantime, the spearhead also landed, jabbing into the stone tile.
The treacherous match ended right then.
Carrying her machete, Aida stood up. Her hood had flopped down to the back of her neck due to her drastic movements, revealing her silky, braided white hair.
Kaslan on the other hand, was twirling his spear. His calm expression unchanged.
"I have fought enemies from White Mountain, and met the envoys from Late Dusk Kingdom," the old tavern owner said slowly. "But the color of your skin… is neither of the White Elves or Demon Elves."
Aida lifted her chin, revealing her exquisite, girlish face and a pair of sharp, perfectly-curved ears.
"You're a Sacred Elf, aren't you?" Kaslan exhaled softly, adjusting his spear-wielding posture. "Of course, I've never met High Elves and Grey Elves from the East Peninsula, but I guess you're most likely from Sacred Tree Kingdom; that's why you're in the Prince of Constellation's entourage."
"Good guess." Aida snorted, eyeing the Soul Slayer Pike vigilantly. "Little Northland brat."
Kaslan nodded and smiled.
"I know that Sacred Tree Kingdom is a longtime ally, and royal in-law of Constellation." The old man sighed and said, "But I didn't expect that the kingdom would even go as far as to assign a supreme class bodyguard to Constellation."
Aida's expression changed.
"Bah!" The elf waved her machete in frustration. "What bodyguard? I am a supreme class elite warrior. Their grandfather, grandmother, father, mother begged me repeatedly and hired me with the promise of high pay!"
There was a slight jerk in Kaslan's eyebrow.
"I am a tenured honorary instructor of Constellation's Royal Guards!" The elf pointed at herself with the machete, and announced proudly, "Aida Laura Carter Gisele Durielos…"
Then, as though her words were stuck in her throat, she stopped abruptly.
She rolled her silver eyes, and looked down in frustration.
"Haih, I cannot remember what comes after… call me however you like."
In the meantime, Kaslan's expression turned grim.
"I see. The instructor of the Royal Guards." The spearhead in the old man's hand was raised. The way he looked at Aida changed. "We White Blade Guards often say that, other than the Glacial Sentries, if there's another armed force that can rival the elite troops of the White Blade Guards, the Dragon's Imperial Guards…
"It would be you, what we call the 'Emperor's Praetorian Guards—the Royal Guards of Constellation.'"
Kaslan heaved a sigh. His eyes were brimming with nostalgia.
"Whoa." Aida swung her arm with contempt. "So, you do remember that you're a member of the White Blade Guards… When your people were taken down, one by one, were you there to witness it?"
Hearing that, a painful look appeared on Kaslan's face. His eyebrows wrinkled into a knot.
"They were a group of good warriors, good kids," the old man said sadly. "They just happened to meet their worst fate at the worst time."
Aida gave a cold huff. "Look who's talking—the legendary 'Ground-Shaker', as it appears, is only a traitor."
Kaslan squeezed his eyes shut.
"Let's get this over with… If we continue to stall for time, our men will arrive. We won't have the chance for a fair duel." His voice sounded incredibly weary.
Aida remained quiet, staring at him coldly.
"Throughout history, fights between the Dragon's Imperial Guards and the Royal Guards have been rare—I sparred with Zakriel once when I was young. It was an honor," Kaslan said, opening his eyes. His white hair glimmered under the frail dawn light. "Instructor Aida..."
"Zakriel?" Aida's expression changed. She looked as though she was reminiscing. "Was he that snot-dripping, donkey-faced brat who slacked around on the training field every day… I often punished him…"
"He is the notable 'Knight of Judgement' in Constellation." Kaslan smiled in nostalgia. "I haven't heard of him for twelve years."
Aida's expression darkened.
"That fellow is in the Prison of Bones in the Western Desert," the elf said, sighing. "He will most likely be in there for the rest of his life… That silly kid…"
Kaslan was slightly startled.
"Really…" the old man mumbled.
"What a shame." Kaslan shut his eyes regretfully. "He was a good opponent."
The next moment, the fight resumed.
Kaslan's spear sprung up without warning, stabbing at her three consecutive time!
They were all aimed at Aida's legs.
*Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!*
The spearhead zapped into the ground three times, stirring up countless gravel.
But as if she was performing a peculiar and graceful dance, Aida took six consecutive steps. Each time, she landed just in time to avoid the attacks.
Amid the splattering gravel, Aida did not retreat. Instead, as she dodged the gravel, she came close to Kaslan!
Thus, the defense and offense positions switched once again.
*Swoosh!*
While Kaslan was not able to withdraw the spear, Aida launched a surprise attack, swinging her machete at his head.
The legendary Commander of the White Blade Guards whipped around and dodged the attack.
His experienced eyes never left Aida's shoulders.
Following Aida's moves, the blade was turned abruptly three times!
Each slash targeted the directions in which Kaslan intended to move towards.
Nevertheless, relying on his sharp eyes and intuition, Kaslan managed to dodge the three murderous slashes.
The blade shot past the old man's face.
And it sliced off a lock of his white hair.
Kaslan finally withdrew his spear. The old man lifted both arms, and waved the spear, drawing a large circle around him!
*Ssssssss!* As the spearhead was dragged on the ground, the friction caused an ear-splitting sound.
Meanwhile, Aida had already performed two back flips in the air, far away from the Soul Slayer Pike's range of attack.
The nerve-wrecking exchange came to an end. The two supreme class warriors put the fight on hold once again.
"Excellent flexibility and agility," Kaslan said, sighing. "Good combat instincts, sturdy slashes, nimble footsteps.
"You have perfectly exhibited the dual advantages of being both an elf and a woman."
Aida chuckled, eyeing her opponent's face closely.
"You will suffer if you underestimate a woman, you know."
Each of them stood on the opposite side of the street, staring at one another in silence. Both were highly vigilant, and secretly calculating the other's next move.
"I would never dare," Kaslan said with respect. "After all, I was a contemporary of the 'Heart of the Rain'.
"Nonetheless, these are all the natural advantages of an elf. There's nothing surprising about them," the old man said flatly.
Aida's pupils contracted.
Kaslan stared at the surface of the ground, his gaze focused on the three stab holes. "What surprises me the most is... you've managed to provide a good countermeasure to every offensive and defensive move without delay. It's nearly perfect."
"Ah." Aida shrugged. Her sharp ears wiggled. "I'm just really good."
"Haha, really?" Kaslan's expression brightened. His face was beaming.
"I attacked your legs to restrain your movements.
"I splattered the gravel to counter your agility.
"The last swing of the spear was to get you for good as you were closing in."
The old man nodded with admiration. "Yet you've managed to evade the stab aimed at your legs, and in turn came at me, dodging the splattering gravel, and countering. You even dodged my swing in the end."
Kaslan lifted his chin, peering at Aida.
"All three of my attacks, merged into a combo, yet none of the attacks have succeeded.
"This can't be explained away with good reflexes or experience." He shook his head slowly.
"There's only one possibility."
Aida's expression remained unchanged. She tightened her grip on the machete in her hand.
'That combo earlier was spot on.
'But…'
Kaslan sighed. His utterance was intertwined with huffs and puffs of heavy breathing. "You knew what my next moves and tactics were, and responded with the perfect countermoves, isn't that right?"
Aida's expression changed.
'No way.
'This old fellow…
'How long has it been since we started fighting?'
Kaslan chuckled.
At that second, the legendary Ground-Shaker seemed to revert to his younger self.
"I've heard that the possibility of elves obtaining psionic abilities is far higher than that of humans—it's an interesting phenomenon, isn't it?" The old man swung the Soul Slayer Pike once again. The spirit of a warrior burned in his eyes. "There's a wide variety of psionic abilities. Each is unique in its own way."
Asda's expression darkened.
She paid the infamous Soul Slayer Pike all her attention just now, but now, as it appeared, compared to the Soul Slayer…
She had underestimated the Ground-Shaker.
Back then, all she had heard of him was that after he left the Tower of Eradication, he never lost a battle as the leader of the White Blade Guards.
'But…'
Kaslan's eyes gleamed and he calmly said, "However, I didn't expect to encounter such a unique psionic ability."
Aida sighed.
"Instructor Aida, you're a Psionic—No, you're of a supreme class, so I have to call you a Psionic Warrior'." Kaslan stared into Aida's silver eyes, and said in an unrelenting manner, "You can read minds."
Chapter 193: Choose Who You Want To Become |
*Thump*
Gu slammed two large bowls of hot, fuming meat broth on the table's surface.
Thales and Little Rascal, who were washing their faces with cold water in the corner looked up in puzzlement. They ogled the expressionless Gu.
The feeling of hunger, which had been masked by terror and fright earlier on, was rekindled in the prince's stomach.
"I heated them up with Eternal Oil—the smoke will fade indoors. No one will find out that we're here," Gu said flatly as he sat down opposite the two of them. He raised his thick right eyebrow meaningfully. "Of course, it's not cheap. I'll make sure to add this to the fees you owe me."
Little Rascal's stomach growled just in time.
The girl glanced at the boy beside her timidly—Thales swallowed.
"What now?"
Gu stared at the two stupefied children, frowning. He then said impatiently, "Are you waiting for me to offer you napkins and serve you some grape wine, my young master and lady?"
The moment he had said this, Thales as well as Little Rascal exchanged glances and blinked at one another.
At the next second, the two of them leaped onto the chairs like horses being rid of their reins. They lifted their bowls and gulped the meat broth.
"Drink slowly." Watching them gobbling their food, Gu heaved a sigh.
"When you're done, we'll talk about the important stuff."
Within a few minutes, the two starving children had finished their meat broth. They leaned back in their chairs, rubbing their bloated bellies and panting.
Little Rascal even let out a loud burp. She lowered her head nervously.
Thales exhaled contentedly.
"So…" Gu placed his right hand on the back of his left hand. His fingers moved up and down like ocean waves, slowly tapping the table.
Before Gu finished, Thales caught his breath. Looking up, he anxiously said, "We-We need help!"
"Yeah, I can see that…" Gu scanned him from head to toe. His eyes were filled with disdain. "Tell me something I don't already know."
Holding Thales' gaze, Gu said with indifference, "For example, in this chaotic night, where it's nearly dawn, why are there two children wandering in Armor District, which should already have been evacuated much earlier?
"And you even did so in a humiliating manner, like dogs with tails between their legs."
Thales was slightly taken aback, and instinctively said, "We…"
However, his words died in his mouth. The prince opened his mouth hesitantly, then decided to shut it for good.
His instincts and experience as a prince told him that one could not always trade all of his or her intel for sincerity and understanding: He learned from the examples set by Serena and Black Sword.
"We got into trouble." Thales took a deep breath, and said seriously, "We need to head to Heroic Spirit Palace in secret and without catching anyone's attention. Can you help us?
"We will reward you!"
Gu stopped tapping his fingers. His hands were clenched into fists and he stared at Thales without once moving his body.
The man's gaze was calm, like an undisturbed surface of a lake. Nevertheless, it unsettled Thales.
He could not help but sat up properly and straightened his clothes.
'This Far Easterner…
'Why is he giving off a strange vibe?'
As Thales was about to lose it, Gu slowly began to speak, "Heroic Spirit Palace?
"Is this another power struggle among the nobility?"
The corners of Gu's lips curved in a cold, cryptic smile.
The Far Easterner's black eyes were deep and dark. Thales could not see his pupils clearly.
"Sneaking to Heroic Spirit Palace from Armor District... Do you know how difficult it is? The distance, the hill, the city gates, the road blocks, and the blockade set up since yesterday…"
Gu stared at Thales in the dim light.
"I can clear up some space for you and let you stay here. But sending you into Heroic Spirit Palace without being noticed, and getting dragged into a political scuffle between nobles?"
The Far Easterner shook his head. The coldness in the corner of his eye chilled Thales to the bone. "Sorry, I don't owe Kaslan that much."
He rejected them.
Thales turned his head, glancing at Little Rascal worriedly.
They could not just stay there and wait for trouble to catch up.
Lampard's operation, Nuven's assassination, the unfortunate events they encountered, these issues needed to be…
"What about contacting someone?"
Thales looked up and said while feeling uneasy, "You can't send us over, but can you contact someone on our behalf?"
Facing Thales' worried gaze, Gu smiled.
"It will not be easy, but it is not impossible." Gu narrowed his eyes. "Who shall I pass your message to?"
Thales lightened up.
However, as he opened his mouth and the words were about to be said, Gu interrupted him.
"Choose with caution, kid. Don't choose the ones I can only reach by shouting from Heroic Spirit Palace's front gate." Gu lowered his head slightly. Due to the dim light, his eyes were enveloped by the darkness. He then said meaningfully, "If you're really in danger, it's better to choose someone you can trust, who's less attention-grabbing. After all, I too am not keen on getting myself into trouble."
Listening to Gu's advice, Thales was puzzled.
The first person who came to his mind just now was Putray.
Aida said the vice diplomat sent some men to look for him. Perhaps, he could also send someone…
'No.'
The prince shook his head internally.
Thales did not know how tight Lampard's surveillance was in Dragon Clouds City, but if the current situation was as bad as he expected, then the Constellation diplomat group led by Putray would become the huge target of Lampard's attention.
Their presence would be especially striking in the now calamity-ravaged city, with each district under curfew. Even if they managed find his location, they would most likely be stopped by the enemy halfway.
The same could be said of the people loyal to King Nuven, such as Nicholas.
He needed another candidate.
Thales frowned. 'A trustworthy person, someone who has secret dealings with both King Nuven and Lampard but appears neutral. This person will therefore seem unnoticeable.
'Preferably, this person should have some useful tactics and connections, so that he or she will be able to take action after receiving this man's message.'
Thales' eyes focused.
Thales took a deep breath, returning Gu's gaze. "Actually, I have a name in mind. He has numerous connections—you will definitely be able to contact him."
Gu's eyes were fixed on him.
Five seconds passed, and the Far Easterner nodded slowly.
Thales gave a sigh of relief.
A few minutes later, Gu put on a hooded cape and stood at the doorstep.
"I'm not certain how long I'll be gone. After all, it requires time to locate contacts maybe dozens of minutes, maybe longer than that," the Far Easterner said grimly. "Before that, stay still. Do not touch anything in my store."
Thales could only nod, implying that he understood.
Gu surveyed the outside through the wooden window. When he was assured of the situation, he grasped the door knob.
"Mister Gu." As the light crept into the butcher's shop while he was about to leave, Thales blurted out, "Thank you."
