Kingdom's Bloodline, page 474
Stake.
He was still all smiles and rubbing his hands while he stood in front of the dim flames. Darkness surrounded him.
"Did I not say it? I will wait for you outside, and…"
Ricky strode forward and said coldly, "You know that this is not what I meant."
Ricky then waved his hand lightly.
In the span of one breath, Thales could feel that the atmosphere had become different. The Disaster Swords turned sideways and bent their knees. They kept their hands on their weapons and switched to the most suitable position for striking.
Marina did not forget to grab his shoulder, in case anything happened.
At that moment, all the people were like soldiers at the front line. They were instantly ready for battle.
Thales held his breath. He was cautious as he watched every single tiny change around him.
'Here it comes.'
"I can feel it." Ricky's eyes appeared to be fixed on Stake, who was in front of him and whose smile froze. However, Ricky swept his gaze at the area around Stake, casting his eyes on the seemingly empty darkness.
"The chilly air in the darkness.
"It's just like the tip of an unsheathed sword."
Stake's smile crumbled slowly.
He rubbed his forehead. He seemed to be wiping sweat off of that spot.
Baron Lasalle was still among the Disaster Swords. He noticed something was amiss. He said quickly, "Everybody…"
However, in this moment, no one showed any tact to the representative of King Chapman. Ricky continued speaking aggressively.
"Stake, did you get all the manpower of Shadow Shield on the surface down here when you went out?
"And then you blocked this path to wait for us here?"
Silence.
Even Lasalle stared at the assassin before him in astoundment.
Thales noticed that Klein, Samel, and the Disaster Swords were staring warily at the dark corners around them while on guard, as if someone was going to suddenly appear in the darkness.
In no time, the prince was no longer in doubt. The response provided to him by hell's senses told him that there were more than one set of breathing. They were travelling regularly and rhythmically from that inauspicious darkness that was not lit by flames.
Steady, drawn-out, and fear inspiring.
There were two parties in this scene.
One side was completely packed by the murderous and fierce-looking Disaster Swords. Ricky stood as their commander, and they were as cold as the freezing wind.
On another side was Stake. He stood alone in darkness. The contours of his face were revealed only when lit by flames, but it felt as if he was ruling the darkness that was impenetrable by light.
Thales thought that the 'freezing wind' Ricky mentioned seemed to have gained corporeal form. It slowly froze up the two parties who had been collaborating happily with each other earlier.
Stake looked calm and coughed softly.
"What sharp senses you have."
He sighed and said, "Let me get to the point then."
In the next second, Stake's smile faded away. His movements were tense, and he spoke in a flat tone.
"My honorable Crassus, and everyone else… May I request that you hand over His Highness to me?"
Stake said expressionlessly.
Thales exhaled softly.
'Here it comes.'
The prince could not help but frown when he saw Stake acting in this manner.
Ricky curved the corners of his lips.
"Hmph," Klein snorted, and with it, their attitude towards this matter was clear.
Baron Lasalle noticed that things were not right.
"Stake, for the sake of His Majesty, I can feel that, this… Crassus is only one step away from his goal. Maybe we should not turn on them just yet…"
But this time, even Stake who usually spoke kindly and gently interrupted him brusquely.
"It is precisely because he is only one step away from his goal that I can no longer pay no mind to this, Your Grace."
Lasalle's eyebrows twitched. He looked towards the mercenaries.
"What do you mean?"
On the Disaster Swords' side, Ricky's expression did not change, Klein exhaled, Samel clenched his sword hilt, Josef bared his teeth and revealed a malicious smile.
"I appreciate your goodwill, baron." In the dim flames, Stake's hooded body appeared cheerless and cold, just like his voice, which was slowly turning back to how he originally sounded like—cold and emotionless.
"But the honorable Crassus might not."
Ricky and Stake's eyes met in the air; one person's gaze was cold and detached, while the other was as severe as thorns.
"I initially thought that temporarily handing over the prince to you was a harmless act, and nothing would happen," said Stake expressionlessly. "After all, our wariness and balance to each other was the best guarantee in Blade Fangs Camp, and it would last until our collaboration is over."
His voice was flat but, compared to words that were pleasing to the ears and harsh words spoken at a fast pace meant to rebuke others, these words spoken with a calm and flat tone were filled an air that could mysteriously cause another person's heart to freeze.
"Therefore, Shadow Shield was eager to help, and was even selfless in devoting themselves to helping you."
He was like the worst actor reading off the script.
He was completely emotionless.
When he heard this, Klein sneered and scoffed without showing any respect.
"Why does this sound so awkward?"
Stake raised his hand slowly and pulled his hood down, revealing his fair and clean face.
However, his expression only made Thales feel colder on the inside.
"When you handed over work on the surface to me, be it breaking through the defence or guarding the ground, I thought that it was because you wanted to win my trust.
"I also thought that you would not turn on me. After all, the people who guard the surface work for me. If there is any changes in the plan, both of us may die here."
Stake continued speaking with a stable and calm tone. His eyes never left Ricky for even a second.
"But when I see a breath-taking building like this, I finally understand a litte.
"You must have prepared for this a long time ago. That is why you know the wizard's territory inside out. Am I right?"
The leader of the Disaster Swords did not answer. Only the corners of his lips could be seen twitching.
Stake continued, "I was wondering. This is very clearly a suicide mission. Yet, you do not seem concerned at all. You have made up your mind long ago to break into this place and did not worry about the way out. You even trusted us with guarding of the surface, even though you absolutely did not trust Shadow Shield."
Klein interrupted him impatiently, "What are you trying to say?"
Stake smiled.
But his smile caused goosebumps to break on Thales' flesh.
Because he did not seem to be smiling, but instead, had something tugging the skin on his face to make him appear as if he was smiling. That smile was lifeless.
He looked like a puppet.
However, Stake deliberately looked into Thales' direction with that terrifying smile of his.
"I was chatting with Prince Thales just a while ago…"
Stake's words turned the prince into the center of the center of attention for the group.
"The both of us agrees that the ventilation in this place is done too well. It is not only not stuffy, but one can also light a fire in here without hesitation."
The Disaster Swords were stupefied.
"We are only left with one possibility."
Stake was still staring at Thales. His words turned cold slowly. "This place, the Prison of Bones, Alchemy Tower, Confinement Research Center or whatever you want to call it… has another exit, isn't that right?"
When his words were uttered, the entire place quietened down.
Baron Lasalle who was troubled as he observed the situation by the side, started to understand something. His face turned pale.
"What?"
The silence in Black Prison lasted a few seconds.
The Disaster Swords looked at each other, but none of them said a word.
Then, Ricky turned around slowly and cast a profound glance at Thales.
It caused the latter to feel a surge of cold rush down his spine.
'Ah… this is bad.'
"I was only chatting casually with him," Thales said awkwardly. "You know, when we were in Dragon Clouds City, the Northlanders' tunnel was also like this… Since an exit was made, so the ventilation was good…"
But his voice became softer, and in the end, he quietly retreated in defeat under Crassus' gaze.
Ricky chuckled softly and said, "Perhaps I should have listened to you just now, Marina."
Right when Marina frowned, Thales felt his heart chill, and the both of them pondered over the meaning of the words, Ricky redirected his gaze on Stake.
Before him, the person in charge of the Shadow Shield seemed to have shaken his head with a look of pity. His gaze was as cold as ice.
"My people searched through the area from front to back just now, and while we didn't manage to find the exit, but based on your reactions just now… we shouldn't be wrong."
Stake's gaze turned even sharper.
"That's why you refuse to let go of the prince in your hands, and you're also not worried about your exit on the ground, because right from the start, you don't intend to keep to your end of the bargain, my honorable Crassus."
Stake gritted his teeth coldly.
Ricky let out a harrumph, though no one knew why he did that. "It isn't that complicated."
"I'm not a fool." Stake said with a sigh, "When we were in the tavern, our very difficult to handle royal highness must have given you some sort of bargaining chip, and in turn, changed your attitude."
When Thales heard this, his eyebrow twitched, and he bent his head quietly.
Stake slowly narrowed his eyes, and a cold glare shone from his eyes.
"You've never intended to get out from the original path, but instead, once you finish your task, you planned to disappear from another exit along with your prize of victory, as well as our prince," Stake said softly. "Perhaps you also intend to set us up here, make us fall into a trap, and then throw us into the hands of Blade Fangs Camp and the livid Constellatiates?"
Lasalle stared incredulously at the Disaster Swords. He instinctively took two steps backwards, leaving the team that had already drawn their swords.
One second, two seconds, three seconds passed.
Ricky slowly exhaled, then laughed faintly.
"No matter what, you aren't Teng." Ricky sighed, seemingly in pity. "If you were him, then when you entered the Prison of Bones, he would have used every method in his disposal to attack when we were forced to a corner."
Ricky did not answer Stake's question, but Stake did not demand his answer.
"I won't repeat myself, Disaster Swords."
Stake retreated with light footsteps into the darkness. His face gradually became indistinct. When he stared at Thales, his gaze became colder and fiercer.
"Hand him over to me right now, and then we will both have nothing to do with each other anymore."
Ricky shook his head and laughed.
"And if we don't?"
Stake snorted.
"Or else… Perhaps your understanding towards the Magic Tower is great, but…"
Stake clicked his tongue and chuckled softly. He sank completely into darkness and only left behind a string of words that brought them unease.
"...we are the masters of darkness."
In the next second, before Ricky could respond, an incredibly clear scream of pain shot up from behind the Disaster Swords' group.
"Ah!"
Almost at the same moment, before anyone could issue a warning, the battle-seasoned mercenaries drew their weapons without hesitation!
*Swoosh! Cling! Clang!*
Countless sounds of metal crashing against leather and metal against metal rose into the air.
Thales felt as if he was going through another Dust Bowl in the desert. It forced him to cover his ears!
Then, in the next instant—
*Thud! Bang! Crash!*
As the shrill sounds of wind howling rose, practically every single person's torch was extinguished!
All the light in the area disappeared, and the world before Thales immediately became dark.
"Ah!"
"They're here!"
*Riiip—*
"Careful of ambush!"
"They're at your feet!"
*Clang!*
"Kill him—"
In just one breath, weapons clashed, flesh was torn, screams and moans shot into the air, the cries for murder and enraged cries resounded, countless sounds of intense battle echoed in the darkness. Everything rang together and were jumbled into one!
They traveled into Thales' ears at the same time.
Disaster Swords.
Shadow Shields.
Both sides, with their own agenda and who pretended to treat the other party with sincerity, finally tore off their disguises and experienced a complete fall out.
Chapter 416: Disaster Sword's Battle |
Thales had experienced the bloodiness and grimness of the battle between the two armies in front of Broken Dragon Fortress; he had felt the acute violence in the life-and-death fight between the White Blade Guards and the Archduke of Black Sand Region; he had also experienced the horrible impact of the confrontation between the desert orc infantry and the cavaliers. However, the sudden fight in Black Prison was definitely the most eerie fight he had ever seen.
The reason being, it was a fight that happened in the dark, a battle he could not see.
*Swish*
In the pitch-black darkness, Thales heard the roar of the wind right after he used Hell's senses!
"Get down!"
A loud voice came out of nowhere, and what followed was Thales seeing a Disaster Sword three steps away from him falling to the ground in pain through his Hell's senses. A short arrow had suddenly materialized in his chest.
The mercenaries around him all raised their swords warily, but they were unable to see in the dark. They could not detect where the threat came from.
Hell's senses gave Thales a much greater advantage. It allowed him to see clearly in the dark, but it gave him another level of fear, one that only he could sense because the other mercenaries could not see anything.
The difference between him and the mercenaries right then were like people who drove at the edge of a dangerous cliff during day and night.
"Three o'clock! Crossbow!"
Angry shouts from the mercenary, Shawn, traveled into Thales' ears.
Thales saw Shawn turn swiftly before his handaxe flew out of his hand.
"Suppress the periphery!"
The Disaster Sword threw a few axes and knives at the same time. They followed Shawn's orders and threw their weapons into the darkness to their right!
*Thud!*
Low groans instantly rang out, signaling the result of their retaliation.
However, the Disaster Sword's retaliation was just temporary. It was only the beginning. The sounds from the chaotic battle came from all corners in the dark.
"Above!"
Thales heard the sound of a robe moving to his upper left. He could not resist turning his head. Then, to his shock, he saw an eerie dark figure falling down from the ceiling. It lunged directly at a mercenary on the left side of the periphery!
*Thud!*
The two men fell to the ground. The mercenary convulsed a few times before he stopped moving. The assassin rolled backwards to avoid the enemies surrounding him. He was agile.
"Watch the hostage well!" Ricky's voice came from the distance amid the chaotic battle.
Thales did not even have a chance to be shocked. He suddenly felt a weight on his shoulders, and he was pushed down to the floor in the dark by Marina!
"Stay here! If you dare play any of your little tricks…" the female swordsman in red brusquely said through gritted teeth. She placed her entire weight on Thales without reservation.
Thales was still coughing non-stop due to the flying dust. 'Abusing your power to settle a personal grudge, huh?' he thought in pain.
He finally managed to calm his breathing, and suddenly, for some reason, he was reminded of the scene when he fought against the Blood Clan in the Northland Birch Tree Forest six years ago.
'It was exactly like this…'
*Clang!*
The noise of weapons clashing against each other interrupted his train of thought.
"No!"
Not far from him was a mercenary who swung his sword instinctively. He avoided a blow that came at him from the dark, but immediately after, he cried out in surprise and tripped. It seemed like he was tripped by a rope which had bound him at some point of time. He was immediately dragged into the boundless darkness. His screams were the only thing left of him.
"Damn it!"
Even farther away from him was an experienced swordsman cursing up a storm while he cut down an assassin who wished to sneak up on him from behind. However, he was immediately attacked by about eight hidden weapons, and he groaned before he fell to the ground and died.
Thales, who could see clearer than the others, felt cold sweat break out on his skin as he watched everything unfold.
Stake was right.
The darkness was dominated by assassins.
They came prepared and they did not hold back. During the first round of attacks, the Disaster Swords could not adapt to the darkness, and they could only passively defend themselves. They were unable to react in time to the endless stream of attacks from Shadow Shield!
"Here it comes!"
"Use the shield!"
"There's one coming on your right!"
"Aargh! Defend the line, I've been shot!"
Crossbows, throwing knives, swishing sounds, screams; all these sounds kept coming and echoing in his ears.
The assassins would either shoot past the outer ring of the formation with agility, persistently look for opportunities, or cry out to discover where the mercenaries were. All of those actions caused the mercenaries to be anxious.
