Kingdom's Bloodline, page 460
'Letter?'
Thales started to become puzzled.
Ricky scanned through the letter roughly, then immediately raised his head and frowned. "Why?"
Stake looked as if he had predicted his reaction. His smile remained on his face, and he bowed, as patient as ever.
"Look at the name."
Ricky cast Stake a profound glance, clearly not too pleased with the other party's blatant attempts to feign mysteriousness.
But he still looked at the letter,
"H. N…"
Ricky's expression changed.
He lifted his head and waited for Stake's reply.
In the face of Ricky's question, Stake presented a pleased but enigmatic smile.
"That's right."
"H. N. Jadestar." he repeated word by word. His voice was airy, as if he was summoning a distant memory.
Stake sucked in a deep breath and said gently,
"That is the writer of this letter.
"Herman Nate E. Jadestar.
"The former Fourth Prince of Constellation."
At that moment, only two people reacted to this: Thales sucked in a sharp breath; Masked Man opened his eyes wide.
But after a few seconds, many people's expressions changed.
Stake said in a dark tone, "Eighteen years ago, at that night, I received his will, which he did not manage to send."
The assassin from Shadow Shield narrowed his eyes, as if he was enjoying a delectable dish which he had not tasted for a long time.
"I was with Prince Herman, at the top of the tallest tower in Blade Fangs Camp… before I personally pushed him down."
Chapter 404: Stupid Idea |
That instant, Thales stopped breathing.
Eighteen years ago…
Herman Nate Jadestar…
Blade Fangs Camp…
Ricky's pupils suddenly shrank!
"You?"
He looked at Stake in a shocked and grave manner. He instinctively glanced in one certain direction, "The Ghost Prince… is you?"
Stake straightened his robe and revealed a perfect smile as he nodded his head. "I am."
Soon, the way everyone looked at Stake changed. Even Lasalle was not an exception.
Their looks ranged from wariness and disgust… to fear and shock.
Thales stared at Stake.
'If that's the case, he's…'
"Look, everyone has a past.
"There's a reason why Teng promoted me to be one of his assistants, then sent me to become the one in charge of Shadow Shield in Dragon Clouds City." Stake laughed. He spread his arms, and a bizarre grin appeared on his face.
He turned to Thales, still smiling.
However, the prince only felt chills running down his spine from that this man's smile.
A long time ago, the Bloody Year was just a label in Thales' mind, an event that happened in the background.
It would only be painted in the colors of history when he spoke to others about that particular era because others spoke of the many drastic changes during that time.
He was shocked by Gilbert's remarks. He was sentimental in the Jadestar Family Tomb; he sighed for Willow's fate; he was surprised when he passed Rayman Pass; he felt angry when he heard King Nuven's story; he was puzzled when he discussed it with the Old Crow; he was disconsolate when he passed by Ghost Prince Tower.
Yet, Thales had never been so close to that bloody era, so close that he even wondered if it was a figment of his imagination.
That was all in the past...
The war, assassination, conspiracies, deaths, and blood... All those things happened in the Year 660 to 661 of the Calendar of Eradication. Everything seemed to have happened behind a curtain, separating him from them...
Like a piece of history, a legend, a story.
Nonetheless, at that moment, when Thales looked at Stake, he saw the mouth of the instigator of it all curl up. Thales also saw the zealous look shining in his eyes. Suddenly, he came to understand something.
He had been living under the shadow of that Bloody Year.
"F*ck…" Lasalle could no longer maintain his own noble demeanor. He clenched his fists against his chest and stared at the person who traveled with him, feeling stupefied.
Masked Man's eyeballs bulged out of their sockets. He then narrowed his bloodshot eyes at Stake and shuddered slightly.
The mercenaries were even more stunned, but Stake ignored them.
"Is this guarantee enough?" Stake stared at Ricky and his grave expression closely.
"Do you still think I'll sell you to Blade Fangs Camp? Do you still doubt my stand against Constellation or question my integrity?
"If that happens..." Stake sneered and pointed at the letter in Ricky's hands. "Use it.
"Send me to Kessel and add to the Black Prophet's list of people they need to get rid of, since they missed adding my name in it. Also, send the letter to the Secret Intelligence Department and have them search for me as well as go after my life endlessly."
The whole tavern was quiet.
It was as if a century had gone by.
Ricky took a deep breath and calmed down his emotions.
"Not bad."
He nodded laboriously, as though there was a heavy weight on his neck. "This is indeed a substantial guarantee.
"Let your people come in." Ricky seemed to move slightly. He folded the letter and carefully put it away into his bosom. He sounded a little dejected. "Once you take the prince away, we still have a lot of things to do."
Thales felt chills in his heart.
Stake smiled heartily.
He bowed in a respectful way,
"Happy to help."
At that point, Thales stared blankly at Ricky, who waved at his subordinates. He also stared at Stake who brought out a whistle in a satisfied manner before he blew it. It made no sound.
Under Ricky's orders, Marina and Shawn walked towards the three of them with frowns on their faces.
Despite that, the prince's shock and fear still lingered in his heart.
'Herman.
'The fourth prince.
'The Ghost Prince…'
He suddenly remembered Old Hammer's sigh as he said the following words. "...plunged to the ground face down…"
Soon, however, the Sin of Hell's River surged through his whole body. He shuddered, and the zoned out Thales suddenly came back to his senses.
'No.'
He raised his head with a dazed look on his face.
He saw Ricky's seriousness, Stake's smile, and Lasalle's solemn expression at that moment.
Thales gasped and watched the people of Disaster Sword hand the rights to own him over to Shadow Shield.
'No.
'It's not over yet.
'Shadow Shield…
'I must not follow them!'
As Thales thought of that, he clenched his teeth.
He skimmed over surroundings and looked around.
Immediately, Thales looked firmly at Dean and Quick Rope behind him.
Then, he whispered, "Cover me."
The similarly panicking Quick Rope glared at him.
"What?"
On the other hand, Dean looked into Thales' eyes and guessed his intention. He could not help but turn pale and cry out in surprise, "Are you crazy?!"
Thales tightened his fists!
He looked at Stake's satisfied expression as the man stood in the distance.
"Trust me!" Thales said through gritted teeth.
That was the end of their secret conversation because Marina had arrived behind Thales.
The prince pushed Dean and Quick Rope aside. He became the first to receive Marina and the mercenaries behind her.
"Just put your hands behind your back, Your Highness, and it won't hurt so much."
Marina spoke coldly to Thales, and her gaze harbored malicious intent.
Yet, Thales just snorted and slowly approached Marina.
"Marina, right? I think you must be really angry now…"
The prince sighed. "Your family's been wronged, and they died in a crime which they did not deserve. Today, your actions will sit on that charge…"
Marina was a little startled.
She clenched her fists and took a deep breath.
"Jadestar?"
Marina leaned forward and stared into Thales' eyes up close. "You look just like the ordinary people, don't you?" she said disdainfully.
Her gaze gradually became colder.
"What makes you so important that when a drop of your blood is shed, countless innocent people have to be buried?"
Thales stepped closer and winked playfully. "Maybe it's because our blood can glow?"
Marina scowled once she sensed just how provocative his words were.
*Clang!*
Thales felt a chill in his heart.
The swordswoman in red drew out one of her swords with her right hand. She lifted it slowly from her side, then brought it close to the prince's face.
Marina sneered, "Then, let's see your—"
"I'm sorry!" Thales schooled his expression and suddenly said those words.
Marina was stunned. She probably did not expect him to surrender so quickly.
"What?"
Thales sighed.
"Go blame Kurtz. She was the one who taught me this."
Marina frowned in confusion.
"Kurtz?"
However, the next moment, Marina felt the prince seize her wrist!
Her years of training caused her battle instincts to react. Marina was about to instinctively swing her sword with a reverse grip, but with a sudden burst of strength, Thales yanked her forward! It did not feel weak in the slightest.
Marina instantly lost her balance. It was impossible for that power to come from the thin young man.
Marina was just about to raise her elbow and fight back, but what happened next far exceeded her expectations!
Thales took a step forward like he was dancing, and pulled the swordswoman in red into his arms.
That second, Marina saw the prince's bright sparkling eyes swiftly growing larger right before her own eyes—the distance between them was swiftly getting shorter. She could even clearly see his eyelashes.
They were so close that she could even see his pupils.
Just as her lips quivered, it touched something soft.
It was a little dry, a little rough, and a little… warm?
Marina was slightly stunned.
The next moment, that soft object moved gently and covered her entire lower lip, which brought about an even stranger sensation.
It was silky, moist, and… warmer?
'This is…
'They're gray...
'His eyes.'
That thought popped up in Marina's head when she looked into the prince's eyes up close.
'They're gray. How rare.'
All the people who saw the scene were stunned.
However, it only took a millisecond for the poor Marina to realize her situation.
'No.
'No!'
In a flash, the stunned and angry Marina hit Thales' chest, pushing the prince's face away from hers!
*Slap!*
Amid the surprised looks of the others, the exasperated Marina struck Thales violently in the face with the back of her hand!
The poor prince stumbled back, but he did not forget to put on a smile. He then turned and ran.
"Thank—"
Marina could still feel the sensation on her lips. She could also feel all the gazes on her. Humiliation and anger rushed into her mind at the same time.
She was…
She was…
She was actually…
Her face was twisted. She raised the sword in her right hand and roared in anger, "You bas—"
'Huh?'
Marina, who was about to hit Thales' back, looked at her empty right hand. She was in shock.
'My…
'Where's my sword?'
"—You!" the prince said. What followed was the sound of wind when he turned around.
Behind Marina, Shawn was pale and in shock. "Be careful!"
Marina came back to her senses. At some unknown point of time, one of her twin swords had appeared in Thales' hands.
Being in the prince's hand, it helped him in his charge as he ignored everything else in his sight. An indescribable speed erupted from him, and he rushed towards Ricky, who was at the center of the tavern!
The mercenaries in the distance had not registered what was going on. Shawn and the others, who were the first to witness it drew their swords in anger. But they were stopped by Dean and Quick Rope, who were already prepared to block their way!
'Sh*t.'
Marina only had time for that thought to appear in her mind.
On the other side...
*Swoosh—*
Thales gritted his teeth as he held the longsword horizontally. He moved his feet swiftly and heard the wind roar even louder in his ears due to the effects of the Sin of Hell's River. His focus was only on one person.
Ricky frowned and looked at Thales, who suddenly charged at him.
The sudden turn of events surprised everyone, but the battle-seasoned warriors reacted very quickly. Klein turned his wrist and charged towards Thales' face at an even faster speed with Twilight!
*Bang!*
The Sin of Hell's River filled Thales' legs like water surging downriver.
He bypassed Klein's interception!
Klein exclaimed in surprise, but his sword could only slide past Thales' leg.
"Ah—"
Thales felt the pain on his knees and ankles. Regardless of the costs, he roared and broke through an interception he could not have possibly broken through normally. Then, he swung his sword at the weaponless Ricky.
They had too many people with them.
Too many.
He only had one chance.
He needed to grasp it.
He had to!
A hint of surprise appeared in Ricky's eyes as he stood in front of Thales.
"Beautiful moves…" Ricky only had time to blurt out those two words.
Thales' sword was already in front of him!
His sword was stabbed into Ricky's chest.
*Splitch!*
The next moment, Thales only felt like he had crashed into a big whirlpool.
The force surged into him from all sides, squeezing down on his sword-wielding arm. That led the prince to lose control of himself and fall forward. He could no longer control the sword in his hand.
'Sh*t.'
He only had time to think about that.
*Bang!*
The next second, Thales' vision blurred. He felt pain in his knees and elbows before his entire body dropped to the ground!
Thales groaned. He tried to push himself off the ground, but felt something cold on his neck.
He lifted his gaze in shock.
At some point, the sword he took from Marina's hands had traveled to Ricky's hand.
Thales was stunned.
'How can this be?'
The leader of the Disaster Swords had an indifferent expression. He was kneeling on one knee, and his sword was pointed at Thales' neck as he looked at him from a higher position.
On the other side, Quick Rope and Dean were subdued by the mercenaries. They sighed together.
"Beautiful moves..." Ricky who defeated Thales with just one move, sneered. He then finish the latter half of his sentence.
"...but it was a stupid idea."
Thales was left lying on the ground alone. He saw the sword that was held against his neck, and breathed with his mind completely blank.
Chapter 405: Sinner |
Marina's blade was very cold, especially when it was held against his throat.
Thales had felt himself improve after that battle, in which he found himself stuck between the Star Killer and the Raven of Death. The three of them brought out all their cards at the end of the bloody battle. His reflexes in real battles had become better, his movements were quicker, and his Power of Eradication flowed more smoothly.
'However…'
Thales looked at Ricky's indifferent expression with an unwillingness to admit defeat. He stared at Ricky's relaxed attitude, and he was forced to move his neck when Ricky shifted the blade.
'Damn.'
The entire encounter lasted less than two seconds, right from the moment the prince suddenly charged forth to the moment Ricky successfully suppressed him. Their clash of fists lasted as short as a greeting, and the sudden turn of events ended as soon as it began.
Quick Rope and Dean were firmly pressed against the ground by numerous opponents while they tried to cover for Thales. They could not move at all and had painful expressions on their faces. Many mercenaries were still in their battle stances, and they were surprised to see the instant turn of events.
"Someone obviously has to teach our prince what he shouldn't do in certain situations." Klein snorted disdainfully as he put Twilight back into its sheath with a lightning quick move.
"Told you." The former Baron Lasalle, who had calmed down from his shock, looked at the Disaster Swords around him in dissatisfaction. "This prince is very troublesome…"
Stake frowned and looked at Thales who had failed in his counterattack. "A restless child, huh?"
"Bastard…" The red-faced Marina held a single sword and walked forward as she gritted her teeth. She was ready to take the impudent prince down and give him a lesson.
However, at that moment...
*Thunk!*
The prince turned around without hesitation. He relaxed his right arm, then firmly grabbed his enemy's sword arm.
Ricky's expression changed, and he stared at Thales in surprise.
Even Marina stopped moving.
"Hey, Disaster Sword."
Thales' arm muscles were tense as he pushed the sword away from his neck. His voice quivered in the contest of strength. "It's not… the end yet..."
Right then, unfortunately, the prince found that his opponent's wrists were as immovable as a thousand-year-old tree, which had its roots buried deep into the ground. It also reminded him of a thousand-pound stone that sank into the ground.
