Kingdom's Bloodline, page 369
The Star Killer snorted in dissatisfaction and mumbled to Justin, "So this is why our scouts can never follow her…"
A few seconds later, Aida turned her head and her expression became dark.
"The exact situation isn't clear, but I see people running away," Aida muttered as she faced the nervous people who were watching her in anticipation. She told the people about the situation ahead of them, which was happening from a distance no normal person could see. "Oh, there are still sounds of fighting in the air. At least dozens of people are fighting…"
Thales narrowed his eyes slightly. 'People running away? Dozens of people are fighting?'
But soon, the elf no longer needed to tell them what was going on.
"Lord Nicholas!"
As the clatter of hooves were heard, a cavalier who was on patrol came rushing back. He was out of breath and sounded exasperated.
"Up ahead… Black Sand Region's quarters… Lampard… The King's inn… is under attack!"
Everyone was taken aback!
'The King's inn?
'Under attack?'
The cavalier's anxious words could still be heard, "The protectors of the inn… seem to be in a very bad situation… The patrols in Axe District… were caught off guard. Two disciplinary officers and three squads are fighting. I see a few dead bodies—"
Many of them furrowed their brows.
"Stop!" Nicholas spoke resolutely, breaking off the cavalier's report. He was really just rambling at this point.
"Speak only of two matters. What is the enemy's situation? What is the current situation?"
The cavalier was startled. He only managed to recover his strength a little while he panted.
"Very chaotic!"
The cavalier who went scouting shook his head. "The enemy launched their ambush from more than one place. The number of attackers is unclear. They look like Northlanders. They do not only possess swords, but bows and crossbows too…
"As for our side, Black Sand Region and our patrols are fighting against the enemies. The disciplinary officers in the periphery of the battle zone have locked the area down and are setting up defenses. But the place is filled with fleeing civilians. There are even some who have lost their cool and are ready to pick up their weapons to join the battle…"
When Justin heard this, his expression tensed. He got close to Nicholas' ear and said, "It is the day of the council hearing. There are too many nobles in Axe District. Their private armies and guards all spell trouble…"
Thales frowned even more.
Nicholas' face looked like it was covered in a layer of frost. He nodded and said, "Continue scouting the area. Have more people report back to the castle and Regent Lisban."
The Star Killer turned around. He first looked at the Archduchess' Guards. When he saw that most of them appeared calm and level-headed, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Hmph, to think that they have the nerve to act in an area of nobility like Axe District on the day of the council hearing."
Nicholas looked up at the sky ahead of them and snorted. The tone in his speech suggested that he was taking pleasure in their misfortune.
"No matter who the enemies are, they must really hate the King…"
He turned his head and clicked his tongue at the worried looking prince. "Looks like your trip to Axe District to seek refuge in Lampard's arms will have to be delayed, young prince."
Before Thales could respond, Nicholas shouted his orders.
"All hands! Patrols clearing the way, once the next batch of scouts return, immediately stop moving forward! Form a defense line, lock down all flow of personnel from Axe District! Stop anyone from passing through, be it yourself or anyone else!"
When they heard these orders, the patrol team immediately started moving. The accident six years ago had caused the patrol team of the First Gatehouse to be the same as the palace guards. They would only listen to direct orders from the Archduchess or the Commander of the Archduchess' Guards
Nicholas' voice was resolute, "As for the Archduchess' Guards… Archers, spread out! Clear the highest spots on both sides of the streets and increase the defenses there! Make sure your field of vision is clear, and kill all unidentified targets who move towards this place at high speed!
"As for us, we will change our direction and head back to Heroic Spirit Palace… Justin, lead the fourth team and form the interception formation. You'll be in charge of the rear guards. Beware of all threats from that direction!"
The actions of the Archduchess' Guards were swifter and much cleaner than those of the patrol team. All of them immediately moved to retreat, causing the teams that were at the back to now lead the march. Lord Justin's team practically formed a human wall to seal off the path leading to the chaotic district. A rather large number of archers scaled the houses on both sides of the street and drew their arrows before they cautiously took aim in that direction.
Once he heard Nicholas' orders to lock down the street and retreat, Thales sighed. He knew what stance the Star Killer held now.
Thales turned to Nicholas and reminded the Star Killer indignantly, "Hey, I know that you want to see him dead, but if Lampard dies here today… are you sure it'll be a good thing for Dragon Clouds City?"
Nicholas shook his head in contempt. "My current responsibility is to bring you back to Heroic Spirit Palace in one piece. I don't care about anything else."
Thales took a deep breath.
"All right." The prince spread his arms. "Think. King Chapman dies for some unknown reason in Dragon Clouds City, ruled by the Archduchess…
"If I were to be from the City of Faraway Prayers or Defense City, I would definitely criticize Dragon Clouds City for not providing adequate protection to the King and being highly suspicious of regicide. Plus, I would make all my accusations in a righteous manner. Then, during the shady dealings in the King Selection Congress…"
The Star Killer froze for a moment.
He turned his head to look at Thales, his expression chilly.
Thales shrugged in resignation. "For Dragon Clouds City?"
At that very moment, the sound of the third whistling arrow came from afar.
The atmosphere grew even more tense.
Several seconds later, Nicholas harrumphed angrily and grumbled while he turned around.
"This son of a b*tch…"
He roared, feeling displeased. "Galla. Bring the fifth and sixth teams and head to the inn to support the patrol teams there. We've practiced this sort of situation six years ago. You know what to do!"
Galla, an old timer among the archduke's personal guards, nodded. With a look of pity that this became a missed opportunity, he smiled, and brought half of the archduke's personal guards to support those ahead.
Nicholas' mood was clearly not good. "The rest, retreat based on the original plan!"
In the horrid atmosphere, the group turned around with complicated emotions. They went back in the direction they came.
They traveled back swiftly for several minutes until they returned to the intersection point between Axe District and Spear District. When they saw the familiar chess room, the tense atmosphere among the group slowly bled away.
"Damn it." Wya clicked his tongue, feeling tense. "Why do we always run into such things?"
"Calm down, Wya," Thales said with a sullen expression. "Remember what I said, don't panic."
However, Thales was also regulating his breathing on his horse, thinking about what just happened.
'Who's the one attacking, no, trying to assassinate Chapman Lampard in Axe District, where the nobles would gather on the day of the council hearing?
'And… if Lampard dies here…'
When Thales thought of this, he clenched his fists and tightened his hold on the reins.
He stayed among the retreating group with a solemn expression.
"Hey, young prince." The Star Killer rode to Thales' side and coldly said, "You know, if we had maintained our normal speed and reached Axe District earlier, we might have been caught up in that ambush."
Thales frowned. "What do you mean?"
Nicholas shook his head. "I'm saying… your head may not be less valuable than Lampard's life."
Thales thought of something, and he felt his skin crawl.
"Are you saying that the group of people may have wanted to attack me?"
Nicholas scoffed derisively.
The second prince instinctively looked around. The street was quiet. Aida ran across the roofs cautiously and observed her surroundings from a high place. Everything was normal for the group of Northlanders.
Only then did Thales turn his head around and ask with a skeptical look, "I-I can't possibly be that unlucky, right?"
Just as he spoke, an accident occurred.
Chapter 331: Bumping Into a Ghos |
"Wait!"
While Thales and Nicholas were having a conversation, Aida, who was standing on one side of the roof and observing them, suddenly lowered her head. She then exclaimed, "Below me—"
The next moment, a loud sound suddenly rang!
*Boom!*
The wooden roof beneath Aida's feet shattered abruptly!
As the elf exclaimed, she fell from the roof into the house.
The expression of everyone on the street changed in unison!
Thales looked worriedly at the house Asda disappeared into. But Nicholas, whose face was contorted with anger, pulled the reins of Thales' horse backwards. "Protective formation!"
*Thud!*
The sound of something heavy falling onto the ground traveled into their ears.
Under their anxiety, the Northlanders moved in an orderly fashion. The elf protector's indignant, angry yell rang from the house, "Who are you—"
But before Aida could finish speaking, the sounds of weapons clashing rang intensely.
*Sching—Cling—Clang—Cling—Sching—Sching—Cling—Clang—*
Thales' expression changed at once. Within a second, the sounds of weapons clashing rang more than ten times in succession!
There was no time to even breathe!
It was like a wind bell, which chimed non-stop in a violent gust of wind.
Nicholas and Justin were also shocked. They stared at each other in disbelief.
'Fifteen clashes?
'That means… in one second, the two parties in the fight…'
*Clang!*
With one final clash, the sound of fighting came to a halt.
*Boom!*
Before Thales could react to the situation, an unfamiliar figure broke out of the window in the blink of an eye while the wind howled!
He pounced straight towards Thales!
Thales' expression immediately changed. 'Aida lost?'
The interval between Aida crashing down into the house and the black figure breaking out of the window was only four or five seconds!
Moreover, if they calculated the interval since the sound of metal weapons started rising into the air, Aida had only been in contact with this black figure for one second…
'And Aida lost?'
A chill ran down Thales' spine. At that moment, he remembered the fearsome assassin who broke through the heavy siege—Bannette Charleton.
But there was no more time for Thales to think. While Nicholas yelled furiously and the Archduchess' Guards formed their orderly formation, the figure who suddenly appeared landed on the ground.
Since he already cleared the periphery when they arrived at the street, Nicholas stationed most of the guards at the outer layer of the formation. On the contrary, his guard against the intruder who suddenly appeared during their return journey back to the palace was down.
The black figure staggered a little as he landed. But he was only a few meters away from Thales when he rose unsteadily.
He had a very tall, slender build, so much so that he was a head taller than Nicholas, who was of average height. His entire body was wrapped in a dark, black robe. Neither his face nor his skin could be seen.
It was as if he was darkness in its purest form.
However, he was holding two thin longswords. The blades were not even the width of two fingers.
"Attack!"
Nicholas decisively dismounted and roared.
He whipped out the Rising Sun Saber from its sheath on his back.
Lord Justin had rushed to Nicholas' side from the back with his weapon in hand. He was ready to hold back the black figure.
The six Archduchess' Guards who stood around Thales to protect him shielded him behind them.
At this moment, along with the sound of an explosion, thick gray smog suddenly appeared around the intruder's body!
"It's an alchemy ball. Step back!"
While the gray smoke hindered their vision, Nicholas yelled furiously, "Protect the prince well and look for cover! I'll deal with it!"
The Northlanders in the area came forward and surrounded the assassin to attack him while part of the Archduchess' Guards shielded the prince and retreated towards the other side of the street.
As the smog became thicker, Thales' vision blurred. He could only see the back of the black figure and Nicholas after focusing really hard.
"Your Highness!"
Wya spared no effort in pulling Thales down from the horse. He then dragged Thales backwards together with Ralf. Willow, Genard and the other Constellatiates stood behind the Archduchess' Guards and shielded the prince behind them.
After standing on solid ground, Thales shrugged off Wya's overly-tight grip. "Get into formation first…"
That instant, through his smog-blurred vision, the prince noticed that the black-robed intruder had raised his twin swords.
*Cling, cling, clang, clang—*
The next moment, Thales' ears quivered.
He only had one feeling.
'Is it raining?'
The intense sound of metal clashing rang incessantly in the air almost without pause!
It was like an endless rainstorm, violently beating the fragile eave of a house while a frightening, violent wind howled.
*Cling, clang, cling, clang—*
It was pleasing to the ear and breathtaking.
The rainstorm-like sounds of fighting almost drowned out the Northlanders' furious yells as they pounced forward.
But at this moment, no one at the center of the thick smog was more shocked than Nicholas.
There was no other reason.
He was suppressed.
The moment he whipped out his saber to engage the black figure in combat and deliver the first strike to parry his attack…
*Cling!*
The opponent immediately thrust his other sword at Nicholas in a continuous motion!
Nicholas tensed. In a split second, the Twist of Fate unique only to him surged into his joints. When the momentum of his swing ended, he immediately swung his saber upwards and staved off the second strike.
*Clang!*
Yet, this was not enough.
Because right as his opponent drew his first sword back, he thrust forward with that same sword as if he did not need any time to readjust himself to attack again.
*Sching!*
Nicholas activated the Twist of Fate once more. With his face flushed, Nicholas warded off the third strike.
It was not enough.
The opponent's fourth attack came from his other hand, breaking through the thick smog and heading straight for Nicholas!
*Clang!*
It was still not enough!
Nicholas almost felt like he was about to suffocate.
The fifth strike.
*Cling!*
The sixth strike.
*Clang!*
Within a second, the opponent's twin swords delivered alternating strikes at Nicholas at an unbelievable speed.
There were no movesets belonging to any sword style, no flourish in his strikes, no specific angles.
Only speed.
Sheer speed.
And Nicholas realized in shock that he could not keep up with his opponent's speed when he attacked!
The seventh strike.
The eighth…
*Cling, clang, cling, clang—*
The only thing the Star Killer could do was continuously strain his body with his Power of Eradication, keeping up with his opponent's speed in the thick, gray smog.
Nicholas' face was contorted while he was in the smog that obstructed his vision. He could barely see his opponent's movements clearly.
*Sching! Clang!*
When he heard the two synchronized clashes beside his ears, Nicholas was surprised.
He was not the only one.
At that moment, Justin was also engaged in a combat with the intruder in the thick smog.
He was on the other side of the enemy, and just like Nicholas, he gritted his teeth and braced himself against him!
Nicholas and Justin, two battle-seasoned Archduchess' Guards stood in two different positions. One of them was even a supreme class warrior.
Nonetheless, their opponent had managed to suppress them alone with his alternating attacks, which were delivered at a frightening speed rivaling that of a rainstorm!
*Cling, cling, clang, clang—*
The sounds rang non-stop.
The black-robed figure's swings increased in speed with every strike he delivered with his swords.
'How is this possible?'
*Sching! Cling!*
After only two seconds, Nicholas had no choice but to take a step back due to the opponent's ninth strike. His heart trembled in terror. 'How can there be… someone who maneuvers the sword at such a speed?'
This was something the Star Killer had never encountered in his lifetime of battles.
His bones were moaning in pain, the tip of his saber was shaking, and his muscles were screaming in exhaustion!
Nicholas knew that he was almost at his limit when it came to parrying and fending off strikes.
But the opponent's twin swords did not pause at all. Instead, they moved at an increasingly rapid pace!
*Clang!*
By the third second, Justin gritted his teeth, and his feet quivered. He swayed… He was not able to keep up with the opponent's next strike.
The black-robed figure immediately seized the chance. He propelled his body upwards with his right leg and leaped over Justin's head!
