Thirty minutes had gone by since they had climbed the wall, and they have reached the south western tower overlooking the South and Western Paths leading to the city.
Jack, now walking four paces behind Cassandra, was watching the back of his little partner's head. His gaze, was blank. His thoughts, were traveling faster than light could possible comprehend. The world around him was moving so slowly, yet he was calculating her next step, the possibility if she was going to fall within the next hour.
As they walked through the tower, they passed by a couple of Guards who were slouched over a table. Looking over paperwork, writing reports on thick parchments.
Jack hardly showed much interest except for a simple glance at what they were doing.
It was at least something he could comprehend thanks to Cassandra's tiny mind. He didn't have her very high on a pedestal. For the time being she was to just be a tool, and possibly a toy should she feel the need to keep prodding at him.
At least he knew what drove her, what she was attracted to. Intelligence. He could understand her emotional status, her actions what pushes her. Her only motivation was gaining knowledge, with a minor goal of avoiding marriage.
That being using him to make sure her father doesn't forcefully use her as a political tool.
Jack in that department was rather sympathetic for her. He didn't want her sent off to god knows where to possibly be bullied into submission by someone else.
A happy subordinate, is a working subordinate. If she wasn't happy, she wouldn't work. Though that was most people. If they weren't happy, they'd likely not work unless it was something to drown themselves in to avoid feeling that way.
There were so many different kinds of people out there that it was hard for him to figure out who was what and what was who.
Vivian was a young woman who had survived torture, abuse and inhumane treatment from simple villagers and a group of Knightly folk who knew not chivalry.
The world was vulgar in every direction he looked. Poverty in the streets, defenses so broken that they'd not even stop a simple toothpick.
His eyes drifted over the door which lead to the western perimeter wall, tracing over the shoulders of Cassandra. Small, cute, witty. He'd dissect just about anyone who was put in front of him in order to understand them. Reactions told him a lot, especially when he showed what he truly was to people who lacked prior knowledge.
As they went through the door and exposed themselves to the sun once more, the two slowed down and looked over towards the North West Tower. Unlike the North East and even the South East, and the one behind them, that particular tower seemed a lot more quieter.
No movements in the windows could he see. He didn't even see anyone on the Northern Wall. The door of the North Eastern Tower also appeared to be open, at least that is as much Jack could see of it.
There were hundreds if not thousands of buildings interrupting his view, which was in flux as they started to resume their previous pace.
That was when he noticed someone standing on the Western Wall. No, walking towards them. They were in a green elven cloak with golden accents, their face obscured by shadow.
Closer the two would get, and quickly Jack would notice Cassandra couldn't see the individual as they were walking passed them. Yet Jack's eyes followed the Elf as they were walking casually on by. "Cassandra, halt."
Cassandra misstepped, stumbled forward when he had told her to halt, before whipping around with a frown on her lips. "I AM NOT A DOG!" She snapped before pausing seeing Jack's head moving, watching as if he was following the movement of an invisible object or person.
The Elf in the cloak paused as well, only being about six meters away from Jack.
Judging by their build, the individual was male or had an androgynous build. Their skin tone and height would mostly align with that of a wood elf. Their composure and the weapon on their back made Jack only assume they were a magic ranger. There were no arrows on their back, but there was an bow.
"I suggest you surrender," Jack spoke in a commanding tone as he pulled his spear from his inventory, the Elf watching them from the corner of their eye.
The Wood Elf's eye widened seeing the man draw the weapon from thin air. His fingers curled around the two daggers under his cloak. As he became visible, he twirled flashy-like on his heel and drew his weapon as he turned to face them completely.
Yet before he could get his wits about his enemies, the spear was mere inches from his neck, the flat face of the blade nudging his chin.
His eyes narrowed on Jack only for his eyes to widen even further than before. In the man's hand was his magical bow. "How did you..."
"Nevermind that, are you surrendering? Or am I sending you to a Benevolent Death?"
"Benevolent Death?" The Elf spoke in a questioning manner as he dropped the daggers in his hand to the ground. Letting them clammer against the stone surface of the walkway.
Cassandra immediately moved forward to acquire the blades, her eyes excited and her hands wild. Jack and the Elf swore they saw heart steam exit her nose in a heated fashion.
Both of them stared at the girl for a few seconds, "What was with that look you just made?" Jack couldn't help but ask.
"What'd you me?" Cassandra blinked a few times as she excitedly spun the elven daggers along her fingers, sticking her tongue out slightly towards him.
"Lady Cassandra..." Jack uttered before looking to the Elf who blinked a few times hearing her name.
"Wh...what is the Lord's daughter doing on the Wall at this time of day!? Who are you?" The Elf seemed to demand despite his disadvantaged position, though he didn't sound all that arrogant. If anything, it sounded and looked as if he was trying his hardest not to piss himself right now.
"… Tell me why the North Western Tower is so silent, and I'll tell you who I am."
The Elf gulped slightly, his eyes flickering over towards Lady Cassandra who was pulling at his cloak. He had a chance to take her hostage, but he was a good judge of speed.
He wouldn't survive if he tried anything.
"My Taparan Unit has taken it under their control..."
"Taparan… Elite?" Jack pursed his lips as his elvish from the game was rusty. He started out as an Elf before turning his main racial class into that of an Angel. Though that didn't show since he also changed his appearance after that.
"Why are there Elite elf forces in Noctia?" Cassandra's face turned a greyish-blue as she got a bad feeling.
The Elf just looked at her as she was standing there, most his cloak in her hands, as if she had just asked a dumb question which had an ultimately no brainer answer.
"They're beginning their invasion?" Jack asked as he looked down at him, a visible frown across his lips. He wasn't expecting them to launch a full out invasion, not just yet.
"We are only the Reconnaissance team… Our forces are a few days away, in the name of the thirteenth Princess, the Imperium will reclaim this city, with or without me."
"How many of you are in the tower?" Jack's calm tone was almost eery, not caring about what the man had said about the Princess. He didn't reveal that she was alive, not yet. Though he had made it clear that his life didn't matter. Essentially giving Jack 'permission' to kill him.
"Six."
Jack used 『Detect Life Signs』 which was a basic spell to detect life. When he looked to the tower, there was a total of eight life forms. Two of them on their knees, tied and bound. Six others were moving about the North West. None of them currently looking in this direction.
"Two hostages..." Jack then turned his head to look towards the one man. "Only one of you needs to make a report back… Hurry over the wall."
"Wait… You can see that all the way from here?" Cassandra turned her head and strained her eyes towards the tower, yet saw nothing. "You and your silent magic..."
"Silent Magic…?" Murmured the Elf almost helplessly.
"My name is Jack Graham." His eyes shifted over towards the Elf after giving Cassandra an unimpressed glance. "You are the sole survivor of the Taparan."
"Wha---"
The Elf was cut off as Jack turned around, aiming his spear towards the North West Tower.
A sphere of green glowing energy formed at the end of his sphere, reflecting in everyone's eyes. It started to feel just a bit colder outside than it had a few seconds ago. As if it was going to snow…
Jack would cast the spell known as『Null Vigor Strike』which wipes out the vitality of its targets, ultimately causing them to die spontaneously without conventional cause..
Like a volley ball, the sphere was thrown into the air at a sharply sloped angle. It was going directly towards the tower. It was a noninvasive area of effect. It didn't matter if one was behind cover, in order to escape, people had to be out of its radius!
"Wait! There… YOUR PEOPLE ARE INSIDE THERE, WHY ARE YOU ATTACKING!?"
"My people?" Jack turned his head towards the young elf male, a brow raised. "I only told you my name," His six wings would sprout out from his back, tearing free of the clothes which shielded his back and revealing his holy being to the lowly creature. "I am not human."
Cassandra entire body tensed slightly, her eyes ignoring Jack as the ball was closing in on the tower at an immense speed.
Then all of a sudden, BOOM, the sphere briefly engulfed the tower and within a matter of seconds… Everyone inside would be dead. There was no signs of life, the elves inside the tower, the human hostages; all of them were terminated by the spell.
"Now… Over the wall with you," Jack would sat as he brought the spear to the young man's throat. "Leave the Elven Cloak though...."
"Y-yes Ss-s-s-ssir! Yes Mister Gr-Graham!"
A grin formed over his lips as he watched the terrified elf shed his cloak, drop his other belongings and leap over the wall without hesitation.
Cassandra picked up the cloak and grinned to herself, dancing around with it held around her shoulders. "Ohohoh~ I always wanted one of these!" This cloak could only be made by an Elven Enchanter, and in order to be an Elven Enchanter, you had to be an elf. So it was a sought after item. "If only he left his boots!"
Jack rolled his eyes as knelt down and picked up the belt the man had left behind, opening the pouch to reveal what looked like a journal. Blinking a few times, Jack would retrieve it from the pouch and open it up.
Immediately his eyes were assaulted by various high detailed sketches of wild-life and people. Humans, villagers, orcs, game, monsters. The Elf who he had spared seemed to be a talented artist.
Licking his lips slightly, he started to casually flick through the images as he left the other images for Cassandra to collect in her arms. Even though he could have just easily tossed them into his inventory. He believed she needed something to do anyways, briefly being a pack mule was one of them.
"H-hey! Wait for me!" Cassandra called after him as she used the cloak to bundle all the stuff left behind by the Elf Ranger, and swung it over her shoulder before running after the fast paced casual walker.
Jack glanced over his shoulder towards the girl as she came running up to his side. "Hm?"
"Did you have to kill the hostages?"
"Don't you want to see resurrection magic?"
"R-resurrection magic!? I'm going to witness this!?"
"Yes," Jack retorted as he shook his head slightly, "Your father had witnessed it once before, after he killed my cats." He gave her a nod before looking to the tower, only to set his gaze back on the book.