Jack had decided he really needed to read up on his faith, so he was going to take a trip to his library. A few moments ago, in the conversation with Emily, he shamed himself for not knowing about the faith he was the pope of... This echoed in his mind a bit too much for his liking.
The hallways in the Holy Palace were like a maze, but luckily Jack had a great memory, even if it was slightly clouded over from his time with Leslie.
As Jack walked the winding paths, it still seemed intreating to him that he very rarely ever seen anyone in these bone lined halls. There were so many rooms, he wondered what good all of them were. Interestingly enough there were two sets of halls in the Holy Palace. Those for the servants, and those for The Holy Witch King, Clergy, and guests of the Palace, such as Verruca or the Ambassador, Emily.
Jack continued, and as he turned down the next hall... A strange feeling washed over him. This was the exact same feeling he had that day just before he died on that microwaved dinner, or when he was fighting Boss Crag. That feeling when Crag turned into a rock monster...
Jack immediately invoked his personally crafted spell he called Seal of Protection, "Segex!"
Instantly an eave of light surrounded Jack protecting him from every angle. This was Jack's more powerful spell. It could protect him for any harm of any kind for five seconds. The cost was half of his current magic power. He could only use it twice on a single day, and this meant he couldn't use any other spells. It was a cheat like a spell Jack came up with after his battle with Crag. He feared that Crag may one day make a move against him. So made an absolute spell defense. Even with Jacks innate ability to craft spells with a cost reduction, it was still an astronomical amount of power needed to use. If anyone else would have crafted the spell, then only Ancestor Ranked Cultivators could use it.
Just as the light surrounded him, a dark vorpal blade slashed across Jack's chest. The Light barrier hummed, as a whole was made in the shield, that quickly filled back in, but even for that half a second... This attack opened a whole in Jack's thought-to-be absolute shield. One could imagine just how powerful this attack was targeting Jack.
Jack caught off guard took a step back to see his attacker, who wanted to make another attack! The attacker looked a lot like something Jack had seen before... He looked like a Feral Bat Man. In his last world, there was a caped superhero that took on the mantle of a bat... And this attacker looked like he was a Feral but ninja version...
[BATMAN! THE FUCK I DO TO YOU!?!] Jack quickly thought in his mind.
As the attacker went for the second attack, multiple flashes of light occurred blocking some of Jack's vision. When Jack gained vision the Feral Bat man was in three pieces on the ground. There was three standing undead surrounding the attacker.
Jack had seen these undead once before but didn't know much about them. He knew they were guards, but never got a chance to ask about them.
They had heads full of Dreads, even though they were Skeletal undead. Each of their faces was covered by a white sheet of cloth with black Holy runes that were written in gold. An interesting note that Jack didn't notice before was that their bones were black... Solid black, which was in stark contrast to the white armor they wore. They were like Han Zombies in slim knight armor.
Jack's shield dispersed. From the start to finish, the attack and counter-attack took five seconds.
The Feral Bat Man on the floor spoke his dying words, as his soul leaked from his corporal container...
"Long unlife to King Jakahn!" with this spoken, the undead ceased his movement. He was truly dead.
The Sentinels stood and looked at Jack. As he walked over to the body to look at his attacker. The weapons he held were two black bone carved short swords. They were almost like daggers, but just a tad longer than a dagger, but shorter than a normal sword.
Jack looked around, he was unsure of the next attack. This was the first time he had been blindsided in this new world. He had always felt safe, if safe could be considered as a skeleton from his previous life, in the Holy Palace. Due to his ignorance of his situation, he didn't feel danger, even when he left the palace. This was the first time he realized that he was a high profile target... This was an assassination attempt!
[Does the Palace have a morgue? Do undead have morgues?!] Jack couldn't figure this question, so he decided to do the next best thing, "Take this body for investigation!"
He would let his subordinates figure it out.
The three sentinels nodded. The looked silently at each other. Two of them picked up the pieces of the body and started to walk down a different path. The third disappeared in a flash.
[Light ninjas?] Jack's second impression of these Holy sentinels were all over the place. They wore thin knight armor, had Han zombie sheets over their faces, but came and went like ninjas, but instead of a smoke bomb it was a flash of light.... Jack shook his head.
[JACK?! HUSBAND?!]
Jack heard Leslie's voice echo in his mind. It was a good thing that all mental messages were at the same volume, or else Jack would risk going deaf, in his opinion... Skeletal undead could only go blind or deaf if damage to the soul occurred, so this wasn't a problem for him, but Jack still had some lingering thoughts from his past life.
[I'm okay.]
[...Okay... You're not hurt? I'll be right there!]
[Actually, I'm going to my office. Meet me there.]
[Alright!]
Through Leslie, the entire palace was buzzing with noise. Even though the Holy Sentinels remained silent and out of sight, the hum of Holy power was thick in the air. The entire city was being turned upside down. Verruca was the second person to find out Jack was attacked. Leslie mentally messaged her as well. She had scrambled all of her soldiers, she called her fellow Warmarshall and best friend Stephanie Chaoshood. She lent her forces. Even Warmarshal Ken stopped his holiday and rode with Verruca. This might of been an excuse to just get closer to her, but no one would say this today.
The local undead-at-arms surged into the streets like locust. Every home was searched in Saigunrai. No Official put up a fight, as the skulls in the palace square was a reminder of the leaf the Holy Witch King had recently turned over.
Verruca was rampaging through the City. Even the underside of the society in Saigunrai mobilized, helping the military and Clergy. The Judges of his Grace were out.
Later in the days of this assassination, these groups mixed of these would ride out to all the neighboring city, when Saigunrai turned up nothing.
The whole kingdom was in an uproar! Someone tried to assassinate The Holy Witch King!
Verruca remained in Saigunrai, but Stephanie Chaoshood rode out, as well as Ken. Verruca lent half of her forces to Warmarshal Ken to ride south, where Stephanie went east. Verruca sent word to Warmarshal Frostgard.
*******
Jack had just sat down in his seat when the door swung open, and Leslie bolted in the room. She soon jumped into Jack's embrace, as she held tight to Jack's rib cage. She talked very quickly.
"I failed you! I failed so much! I don't know how!"
"Leslie, calm down! How did you fail me?" Jack said while patting the dead beauty on her back. He tried to console her as much as possible.
"I should have seen this coming. I don't know how this happened." Leslie cried while talking to Jack.
"I'm fine. There isn't anything to worry about."
Leslie's crying soon stopped, as her voice turned from sorrow to anger.
"Jakahn is going to pay for this. They have been a sore for too long...!"
"Why should you of seen this coming?" Jack thought this was an odd statement... Just what did Leslie know?
"Oh." Leslie leaned back in Jack's lap. She was sitting in the middle of him, as she pressed her two hands together. She was searching for words on how to explain this.
Just as she was about to open her mouth, Lucius burst into the room.
"Your Grace, We have failed you!"
"Lucius... Calm yourself." Jack said in reply.
Lucius stopped in mid-step to see that Leslie was sitting in The Holy Witch Kings lap. He stared at the two but said no more.
"Alright, Lucius... That's too calm." Jack chuckled.
"No. I mean. Am I interrupting something?" Lucius could see from the contact of the two, they were more than what they use to be. He was sure that Jack put the knowledge he gave to him to work.
Leslie quickly stood up, now that she was reminded of the situation. Her original pose was shrouded by grief for Jack's safety. Jack made a mental note to ask Leslie later about her work and why she should have known.
"I've already got our alchemists and bone doctors working on the corpse. They should have more information on the origin, but even raving undead would see it's a Cultivator of the Bat from Jakahn." Lucius said his first findings.
"I doubt it's really Jakahn."
Lucius and Leslie looked to Jack in slight confusion.
The door opened again, and Verruca now made her appearance. She had already ordered a grand search on all of Saigunrai. Soon as she knew that Jack was fine, she would head back out. Woe be any who happened to cross her today!
"Ah... It's good to see your okay, Jack." Verruca had actually slipped and said Jack's real name. Ever since Jack had first laid to rest in his entombment, Verruca was slightly crazy over him.
She immediately noticed she had done wrong, as she looked to Lucius and Leslie. She didn't know if they knew.
Jack seeing her expression, waved his hand in the air. The fact his name wasn't known was always a mystery to him. He didn't know why this was originally done.
"It's alright. We're all family here."
This statement caused a mix of emotions for the three present. Lucius was touched, Verruca was conflicted, and Leslie hesitantly nodding in agreement.
"Let's just get something out of the way before. Everyone have a seat."
They took their usual seats.
Jack leaned forward in his seat looking at each of their faces.
"First thing. You all know my name is Jack. You can call me such in private, or among Us. So no need for honor among family."
Lucius nodded vigorously, Verruca also nodded, Leslie made no further comment but smiled deeply.
"Second thing. This assassination couldn't have been committed by Jakahn."
Verruca clenched her fists tightly, while breathing the name, "Jakahn." through her teeth. In a rare moment of agreement, Leslie narrowed her eyes as well. She completely understood this feeling.
"Easy there. One... Far as I know, this has never happened before." Jack looked at the three. They understood that he had memory issues.
Leslie shook her head, "No. There has never been an actual attempt."
Jack noted her words... 'Attempt.' This meant there had been others before that tried but never got a chance to be in front of him.
"Alright then... Why would Jakahn only now decide to deal with me? So obviously as well. Assassinations are meant to be silent, to leave no trace if one fails. Unless Jakahn wants a war, why would they make it so blatant."
Understanding Dawned on Both Lucius and Leslie. Leslie only needed a moment longer to comprehend this. She felt slightly dumb for not realizing this earlier. If this event didn't involve Jack, then Leslie would have figured this out the moment the assassin named Jakahn as his employer.
Verruca made no comment. She only released her clenched fists.
"Someone has set this up to frame Jakahn. There are a few things to consider."
Jack had decided to use all his game, novel, and movie knowledge to figure out the culprit. The others remained silent, as they waited for him to speak.
"The Grand Tomb of Neolith could be a party, but seeing as they sent their youngest princess to me... I don't think it's them, but We can't take them off the table for the moment."
"The Ambassador is a princess?" Lucius spoke aloud and in confusion.
"Yes."
"But... Why?" Lucius couldn't help but ask, as he looked to both Leslie and Verruca.