My eyes stayed locked on Amisair. (It felt like a staring contest—who would blink first?) A black hand burst from his shoulder, opened like a claw, and fired a jagged stone projectile. I shoved Hunt as hard as I could—The shot flew straight at his brother, who deflected it effortlessly, barely flinching. At the same time, six or seven hooded figures, clad entirely in black, emerged from Amisair's shadow.
Seconds later, the guests stormed back into the hall—panicked, disoriented. Neither the guards nor any of us knew how to react.
The scene was chaos. Hunt and I stood surrounded by a ring of knights, second-level mana crackling around them. In front of me Amisair, encircled by the seven shadows. Behind me Alistar and a pair of guards. To my right Durman and the other Guildmasters. To my left the palace windows.
Amid the distraction of the surging crowd, I caught Durman out of the corner of my eye. I couldn't hear him, but I read his lips: "The girls."
(#●— I'm sending the girls to the subdimension. I don't care if they see us. —#)
(#■— Here are the coordinates. Bring yours; I'll handle mine. —#)
(#●— Understood. —#)
We leapt past the guards, cutting through the chaos.
I crossed paths with Astrid without thinking, I touched her shoulder. She vanished, gone to the subdimension. Hunt did the same with Dalia and Selene. But when he tried with Sena, she shook her head, defiant.
— Sena —No. I'm staying. I'm the Guildmaster — She said, her voice unwavering.
When I returned to Durman and the others, I saw Ruki speaking with him. Behind them stood Miranda, looking frightened and lost, clutching Ruki's hand like a lifeline. Durman nodded at me, then leaned down to whisper something to Ruki. She turned and gave me a solemn nod.
I placed a hand on her shoulder she disappeared instantly. Solomon came straight toward me.
—Solomon — Please. ― He pulled someone out of the crowd his wife, holding their tiny daughter, maybe four years old. Behind them was their eldest son.
There was no room for doubt. I placed my hand on the woman and child they vanished. Did the same with the boy.
One by one, I did the same with the wives and children of the Guildmasters the hunters, the adventurers, the carpenters.
But just then the light pouring through the main entrance suddenly dimmed. A monstrous shape loomed at the doorway. It pushed its massive head through—a creature like some ancient lizard, dinosaur-like in scale. In truth, it was a colossal gekko, mounted by one of the hooded figures. It planted itself firmly at the entrance, sealing off any hope of escape.
Durman came up behind me and murmured a quiet thanks. Moments later, Tor, the Adventurers' Guildmaster, and Justo, the Hunters' Guildmaster, joined us.
— Justo —That's a Gekkonidae — He said, tense. —The biggest I've ever seen. It won't go down easy.
— Tor —If only we had weapons... —he muttered. —
●—They're not much, but... take these. I reached into the subdimension and pulled out three swords. They were a bit worn but made of Feroxignis they'd hold up.
Hunt arrived just then, and we started sketching out a plan. But before we could finish Flaming projectiles shattered the palace windows. More hooded figures burst in, flying through the smoke and fire. The blast echoed like thunder. Then came Amisair's voice, low and commanding. Everyone dropped to the floor Crushed by a fear that came not from reason, but from something primal.
— Amisair —Hunt, Neo… my dears, where are you? ― His voice echoed across the hall like a hymn from a dying god. We stood, rising from among the terrified crowd. He spotted us and smiled. — I see you're still here. ―
●― If it's us you want, there's no need to take any more hostages. —I raised my voice so he'd hear me clearly.
■— Let them go, and we promise we'll listen to what you have to say. —Hunt added, dead serious.
Amisair made a barely perceptible gesture with his hand.
And in that instant, his hooded followers moved. They spread out in silence, gliding through the room like shadows, closing in on the nobles. What followed was a massacre. Fast, efficient, horrifying. The silence shattered as noblewomen screamed, their voices shrill with terror as the carnage unfolded.
The air grew thick hard to breathe, like I was underwater. My hearing dulled, everything distant and muffled. The horror I was witnessing was nothing like the horror movies Hunt and I had watched together. This was real. This was wrong.
Blood poured freely from the noblemen's bodies, flowing across the marble like a new river. It wouldn't stop. I followed a single droplet with my eyes until it stopped at the tip of my boot. When I finally snapped back to the moment, I saw Solomon impaled by a sword, lifeless. The Guildmasters were frozen in terror. Hunt was still staring at Amisair, unblinking—his expression unreadable. A mix of hatred, fear, and stunned disbelief.
Everything moved in slow motion. Then came the smell of blood sharp, metallic and that snapped me back. The silence vanished. The wails of the nobles' families filled the hall with unbearable echoes.
Thena sharp pain locked my whole body. I looked down. A blade was jutting out from my stomach.A surge of inhuman strength lifted me, and I was hurled against the wall. The impact knocked the scream out of me.
I saw Hunt and Durman spin around, eyes searching for me. My vision blurred I could barely keep my eyes open. But I managed to blink them open again. And again. I saw Hunt raise two fingers sharply. From the floor, two polished stone hemispheres rose and closed around me. I opened a portal to the subdimension fell backward landing hard in the courtyard.
Dalia and Selene were there, trying to calm the others. The last thing I saw… was Astrid running toward me.
==+-+-O-+-+==
The moment Neo collapsed to the ground, his future mother-in-law was the first to reach him. Despite Astrid's remarkable magical talents, healing wasn't one of them not at that level.
But kindness repaid itself. Salvia, Solomon's widow and head of the Healers' Guild, was there.As always, the challenge was the same: the raw mana it took to repair a body. Without hesitation, Salvia unleashed level 3 mana in a blink. And the healing began.
Midway through the process, Neo woke up and immediately started giving orders. He sent Dalia and Astrid to retrieve Magiston crystals and enchanted thread from the storage. They didn't take long returning with ten crystals and a spool of magical wire.
— Salvia —These crystals... They're the purest I've ever seen. — She said, tying them together with the wire. She attached the other end to her hand, while the others tried to warm her with fire magic.
She began drawing mana from the crystals. It was no use. Her hands started to freeze over, pain etched deep into her features. Agonizing, blinding pain. When she stopped, Neo's condition worsened again.
But then a new surge of mana. Her son stepped forward, his presence radiant. He pushed her gently aside and took her place, deploying level 3 mana without hesitation.
— Salvia — Since when can you handle level 3? ―
— Samuel —Mother… I didn't tell you because I knew you wouldn't want me to follow your path. But this? This is nothing. ― And with newfound resolve he released level 4 mana.
His mother, along with the others, stepped back due to the sheer force of his mana. The boy first used up the mana from the crystals, then continued with his own. After spending over 7,000 liters of mana, he nearly collapsed.
●— Bro, you saved my life. I owe you one. — Neo let himself fall back, sinking through the floor and returning to the stone sphere Hunt had made to protect him.
==+-+-H-+-+==
Neo's scream pulled my attention away from Amisair for a moment. I didn't get the chance to check him twice, but his chest was bloodied, and Alistair's sword was soaked in blood. I didn't think twice. I didn't have his magical talents, but with a command, I wrapped him in a stone shell. The spell triggered so fast and with such force, everyone else's movements felt almost comical. Sena, Durman, and the other Guildmasters stood frozen, watching the gruesome spectacle unfold.
Between the Guildmasters and the knights, they gathered the survivors into a corner, while the shadows slowly returned to Amisair's side. They didn't interfere it was as if they didn't care about anything else.
■— Durman, look after them. — I said as I covered them with a stone dome. Supposedly, the Master of the Mage's Guild was among them—he'd figure out how to get out through the other side of the wall.
My shout was barely audible Above us, Alistair and Amisair's swords clashed. By the time I noticed, I was already standing beneath their duel.
— Alistair — HOW COULD YOU!
From behind the "throne," more soldiers emerged to side with Alistair. Meanwhile, the ones who'd carried out the massacre lined up behind Amisair. And I was stuck right in the middle. Not knowing what to do. Feeling like a total background character.
— Amisair — Finally taking me seriously, little man?
— Alistair —Who do you think you are, you worthless runt?
Both they and their mages began releasing mana. Others channeled that mana to cast spells of all kinds. The battle seemed on the brink of erupting When Alistair gave a silent order to one of his knights.
— Amisair — You're going to use them again? Isn't it barbaric to use children? ―
— Alistair —Children? These are just commoners. They're born and die to serve us what does it matter if they die young or working as adults? ―
As his words echoed through the hall, a black mist rose at the feet of one of Alistair's knights. From that mist, two children appeared clearly malnourished and wearing strange collars. One of them was forced to swallow a red pill. The other was tied with a glowing rope from his arm to Alistair's waist.
The wire disappeared after a few seconds. At the same time, the first child transformed into a miniature hulk. His body looked broken by the sudden growth in muscle.
— Amisair — Sir Hunt, now you understand why I had to kill my father. These are the techniques nobles use to fight without fear of death. For years, I was forced to participate in duels like this. ―
The mutant boy charged at me in a rage, while Alistair sprinted fearlessly toward his brother.
The clash of their swords, along with the knights exchanging blasts and spells, completely overshadowed my brilliant resolution to the problem.
When the poor boy approached me, I surrounded him with stones from the ground, forming a shell that kept him from moving.I could feel him slowly trying to break through the rock, but by adding more and more layers, I managed to hold him back.
The scream of the boy tied to Alistair moved me. Amisair slashed at his brother's arm, but the one who lost an arm wasn't him—it was the boy.
Amisair jumped back to land beside me. And before I could stop him, he executed the mutant boy.
■— What… what did you do? —I said, grabbing him by the collar.
— Amisair — Once you take the pill, there's no going back. Death is the only rest that child could have.
■— You think you're all grown up just because you turned eighteen. — I slapped him so hard it echoed even among the magical explosions.
Everyone both sides paused to look at me. Raising two fingers, I encased the spoiled brat in stone. His soldiers rushed forward, but I blocked them with a wall of rock that rose from floor to ceiling.
— Alistair — I see you know who your true lord is. Perhaps I'll be willing to forgive the earlier insult… if you bring me his head.
Before I could answer, a strange sound like an egg cracking interrupted me. Neo emerged from his shell, completely healed and now without shirt or jacket.
●— Sorry I'm late. ―
The brothers stood stunned at the sight of Neo fully recovered. To them, seeing someone survive that kind of wound was unthinkable.
■— You got here just in time. — I said, just as the wall and Amisair's team's shell shattered. Neo tapped his sword against mine and, with one fluid motion, spun us around. He was facing Alistair again.
●— I think you handle this one better, don't you? ―
The two brothers charged at us, but what they didn't count on was that Neo and I were already used to these kinds of fights.
Alistair brought his sword down on me from above, but with a smooth motion of my left hand, I deflected it. His entire body followed the swing, giving me the perfect chance to grab the magic cable tying him to the boy. When his sword struck the ground and got stuck, I ripped the cable with my hands. I saw the boy begin to breathe again.
Alistair looked at me with fear but one solid punch to the jaw was enough to knock him out cold. On Neo's side, he was about to receive another direct stab to the chest. But he caught the blade with his hand. Only the tip pierced his palm.
The boy froze in shock. Neo grabbed the sword with his other hand.
●— What a shame. Took us a lot to forge this one. — With the sound of crystal shattering, he broke the blade, leaving the boy with no weapon. He threw the broken tip of the sword at him, and with perfect aim, hit him in the forehead with the blunt side, knocking him out.The most surprising thing was seeing his hand heal in just a few minutes, as if nothing had happened.
The men on both sides didn't know what to do. They were confused. We were ready to fight them too but Corlen had other plans. He leapt in, decapitating the great gekko.
==+-+-N-+-+==
(aaaaaa it burns, aaaaa Neo stay serious, don't let Hunt see you, don't let Hunt see you, aaaaaa it burns so bad, who the hell tries to stop a sword with their hand. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa)
— Corlen —What on earth happened here?
— Justo —Corlen, well… — I was right behind him.
Between Durman and Justo, they tried to explain to the palace's head of security what had just unfolded over the last few minutes. But the worst was yet to come. Ignar's wife and daughter were about to arrive.
— Sorina —WHAT HAPPENED HERE!?
While the two of them were stunned by the massacre of all the nobles, Durman came over to us.
— Durman — Alistair will probably take control of the city. You're all in trouble. You'd better flee now before they catch you.
A second after Durman's warning, we found ourselves buried, our legs dangling down into the floor below. The only one capable of doing this to us was Astrid.
Astrid, Dalia, Selene, Sena, Sorina, Doina (Ignar and Sorina's daughter), Zeythur, Salvia, and Myrla took control of the situation. Astrid, Dalia, and Zeythur led a group of magical knights who quickly restrained the brothers' soldiers with magic gravity magic, maybe? Selene and Sena spoke with the noblewomen, while the others tried to calm the situation outside the hall.
Durman stood motionless next to us, talking with Justo, Tor, Mateo, and Corlen. Within half an hour, the crowd had dispersed. The two brothers were unconscious, tied up with some kind of special rope.
Little by little, the bodies of the nobles and Solomon were carefully removed from the hall. Meanwhile, Dalia came over to tease me a bit.
— Dalia —I think you look even cuter like this.
●— How did you get out of the subdimension? — I whispered to her.
— Dalia — Let's just say this isn't the first time I've busted my way out of a magic pocket. (What do you mean it's not the first time? Who is this girl, really?)
Zeythur scolded Dalia for coming near us, while Astrid couldn't help but flash a mischievous smile out of the corner of her eye. After an hour passed and everything was more or less in order, Sorina took command of the situation and called for us to appear.
==+-+H+-+==
Sorina called us, seated on the throne of her late husband, with Doina standing behind her. She crossed her legs before speaking.
— Doina — I think you're the prettier one —she said, looking at Neo. But her silly comment quickly vanished with a single glare from Dalia.
— Doina — Relax, Dalia, I'm not going to steal your fiancé… unless he wants me to, of course.
Neo turned to look at Dalia, who was burning holes into him with her eyes. I glanced at Neo discreetly, but it was impossible not to feel a chill when I saw Selene. When I turned back, I saw Sorina smack her daughter on the head with her fan.
— Sorina —Myrla, can you explain to me what happened here? ―
Myrla gave a very detailed explanation of everything that had occurred. She didn't leave out a single detail. Just as she was recounting how I helped her escape, Alistair woke up and began shouting. One of the marquess's knights gagged and restrained him, letting Myrla continue.
—Salvia (whispering) —Durman, I don't see Solomon. Where is he? ―
— Durman (whispering) — How do I say this… ―
— Salvia — Durman, don't you dare tell me he's outside. Don't you dare. ―
Durman swallowed hard without saying a word. Salvia shook her head, eyes damp, and quickly left the hall, ignoring the marquess's insults and abandoning all responsibility.
…
— Sorina —Well then… first, wake up my other useless son. ―
Astrid didn't hesitate to conjure a ball of water and throw it at Amisair, who woke with a start, as if nothing had happened.
— Amisair —Good morning, mother. Long time no see. ―
— Sorina —What am I going to do with you, my son...―
— Alistair —Kill him, mother. Kill him. He doesn't deserve this life. He murdered father in cold blood and executed everyone!
— Sorina — Remind me of something, both of you. ―
Sorina's gaze remained one of the most terrifying things I've ever seen. Empty. As if her soul had left her.
— Sorina —Just because you came out of me doesn't mean I'll forgive you for everything. You're just more filth created by that disgusting man you called your father. Doina is the only one who turned out right.
— Alistair — But mother... ―
— Sorina —Silence. Your lust has gone far enough. Having over fifty women for your "sleep problems"… and even daring to grope Selene. How could you possibly think you're worthy of even touching that woman? Filthy piece of meat. ―
The boy lowered his head, saying nothing.
— Sorina —Very well. I'll send you to the king's army. I'll make sure they treat you worse than the commoners. I believe you've earned that.
— Alistair —Yes, mother.
— Sorina — Get that trash out of my sight. —
She dismissed him like he wasn't even her son.
— Sorina — And as for you, Amisair… I no longer have the authority to punish you. I'll send you to the king. But sending you in a carriage would be far too kind, so you'll go on foot while my knights ride. I hope you make it in a week. If not, they'll drag you there. Understood? ―
— Amisair — And who do you think you are, you whore? You think that just because you gave birth to me you're better than me?
He gave a signal, and one of the hooded figures self-destructed, creating a small but sufficient distraction for Amisair to lunge at his mother. but Corlen caught him midair and slammed him into the ground.
— Corlen — Sorry, madam. I think he tripped. ―
— Sorina —Corlen, you've heard his sentence. Tell Raus to escort him.―
Corlen said nothing else. He simply obeyed and left.
— Sorina — Now… what am I going to do with you two? ―
—Sena — Sorina, they're not bad people. ―
— Sorina —Darling, give me what you brought. ―
Doina extended her hand and pulled out a few sheets of paper from her magical pocket. Sorina began to read. The silence in the room was tense. Every time someone tried to speak, Doina would immediately shush them.
— Sorina —According to these reports from my despicable offspring Amisair, to be exact these two are sages from a distant village.
— Sorina — That one is Hunt. —She pointed at me. —And the other one is Neo. —She said, handing the papers back to her daughter.
— Sorina— I believe I now know exactly what I'm going to do with the two of you...
==+-+-O-+-+==
After the meeting, Sorina left the hall accompanied only by her daughter. She walked slowly, as if every step weighed a ton. Her legs trembled. Doina wanted to offer her arm but didn't dare. She followed her in silence to the private chambers, where, once inside, Sorina collapsed into the chair by the fireplace.
— Sorina —My bones feel heavy... like I've been emptied out. ―
Doina said nothing. She approached and sat beside her. The silence was thick. Then, without warning, Sorina covered her face with both hands and began to cry.
— Sorina —That wretch... that damned bastard who ruined my whole life… — she sobbed— But in his way... he loved me so much... he always said I was the only flower that grew in his swamp... ―
Doina hugged her, not fully understanding, feeling something break inside her mother. They both cried in silence, until a knock came at the door.
— Soldier —Forgive me, my lady... some of the noblewomen insist on speaking with you.
Sorina wiped her face with anger, regaining her usual tone.
— Sorina —Tell them to wait. Until tomorrow. ―
— Soldier — As you command. —He bowed and closed the door. ―
As the lock clicked shut, Sorina collapsed again, this time harder. Doina hugged her more tightly.
— Sorina — My sons... my foolish little sons... they're already dead... they just don't know it yet. The king will execute them... or they'll die in some stupid war... and I... I gave birth to them for this. ―
Doina didn't know what to say. She just cried with her. And the night stretched on, cold, within the castle walls.
…
Salvia left the palace alone. No one had to say a word. She walked quickly, almost without touching the ground, her eyes already wet, her hands trembling. The courtyard was silent, broken only by the murmur of families beginning to arrive. Covered bodies, in a line, with heavy white veils. She didn't ask. She knelt beside the first and lifted the veil. It wasn't him. Nor the second. Nor the third.
She didn't cry not yet. She just checked them one by one, as if her soul already knew she would find him. And when the guard saw her, he said nothing. He just pointed.
And then she found him.
Solomon.
Lying on the ground. His chest split open by a deep wound. His face peaceful, as if he were sleeping. Salvia collapsed to her knees. This time, she couldn't hold it back. She took his face, his hands, as if she could bring him back just by touching him. And she cried. Her body bent over his, as though the grief weighed more than her own body.
— Salvia —No… —she whispered, as the tears began to fall. ―
Samuel, carrying his little sister asleep in his arms, passed between the knights who had escorted him. Upon seeing his mother, he clutched the girl tighter. He walked forward in silence. He stopped in front of the body, gently set the girl down, and knelt. He placed his hands on his father's chest and tried to channel mana. Nothing. He tried again. Already empty. A third time. No response.
— Samuel —If I hadn't… if I hadn't used so much mana on him… —
The words came out choked, heavy with guilt and anger. His sister, unaware of everything, looked at Solomon with innocent eyes.
— Sonia — Mommy, don't cry, daddy can heal anything… ―
Salvia trembled. She felt something break inside her again. She took the little girl in her arms and held her tight. Then she pulled Samuel close, wrapping her arms around him, as if she could still protect them from everything.
— Salvia — Listen to what mommy says… —her voice was broken—. Daddy is gone… but I won't let you go without. Nothing will happen to you… I promise.