The night sky was illuminated by a brilliant orange. The houses were caught on fire as Alastor casted spell after spell. Arrows were shot at him, but they simply diverted from their path.
Alastor then pointed at the archers, those archers being engulfed in fires as well.
Alastor's intention was to wipe out the entire rebellion in one fell swoop. To do that, he needs as many people to die with as few spells as possible.
Fire to a few houses would cause the houses nearby to catch on fire too. It was the most effective method of wiping out a full crowd.
The fire started spreading between the houses, catching more rebels by surprise. They gathered and started throwing projectiles, but it was useless.
Alastor casted another spell, waving his staff. A wave of flames swept over a smal area, setting the peasants and troops on fire. Those with armour had their armour melted into their skin. Those who wore clothes ran away, on fire.
Alastor's eyes reflected nothing but the orange flame.
In Inner City, while the houses were all dark and empty, there was a light in the dark city. Smoke rose high, the fire continuing to spread.
Even from a distance, Trojan could tell that a fire had started. Duke Phoenix took notice as well, and a slow smile spread across his face.
"What is it?" Trojan asked Duke Phoenix after seeing his expression.
Duke Phoenix covered his mouth, but his expression was still much too obvious. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about what a great opportunity this is."
"An opportunity?" Trojan asked.
"Yes, yes. For something I have been trying to accomplish for quite some time," Duke Phoenix continued, making eye contact with Trojan.
Trojan did not like where Duke Phoenix was going with his speech.
Duke Phoenix stood up and snapped his fingers. Ash appeared beside him with a gust of wind.
"It has been a real pleasure working with you, Duke Trojan," Duke Phoenix told Trojan.
"What?" Trojan demanded.
Trojan tried reaching out to Duke Phoenix, but both Duke Phoenix and Ash disappeared with a gust of wind.
Emilia, who was nearby, asked him, "What?"
Trojan turned around before facing the fire. The scene seemed much too familiar to him.
"No, no, no," Trojan started saying, walking out of the room.
Emilia stared out at the fire, managing to piece the puzzle together. She walked after Trojan.
"You don't mean to stop him, do you?" Emilia asked Trojan.
"Of course I mean to," Trojan answered. "I can't let him do what I think he's about to do."
Trojan stepped out of the estate.
"Domino!" Trojan shouted.
There was no reply from his mage. Domino had an important task, and it had barely began.
"I'll prepare a carriage for us," Emilia told him.
"No," Trojan stopped her. "Have a carriage prepared for me. You stay here."
"What? Why should I stay here as everything is going on?" Emilia demanded.
"Please, stay here," Trojan told her.
"You do not get to order me around," Emilia declared.
Trojan glanced behind him. "Please, I'll solve this issue myself."
Trojan knew he was running out of time. He let it slip his mind as to what Duke Phoenix could benefit from working with Trojan.
In fact, Trojan could tell that this night was the very night which Duke Phoenix had been waiting for.
"We might have a child!" Trojan told Emilia, looking her in the eyes.
Emilia hesitated. "What?"
"The night of our wedding, we had both gotten drunk. It appears that we…" Trojan started, not finishing the sentence.
Emilia's eyes widened before she stepped away.
"So please, just remain here while I go and solve the problem," Trojan told her, trying not to sound as desperate as he actually was. "Stay safe."
Emilia thought things through before she looked behind her. She looked back at Trojan, still looking unsure. "Fine, I'll stay here."
"Thank you," Trojan said.
Trojan managed to get the carriage prepared fast enough, and he was headed towards the Central Inner City.
Around him, he saw a few armoured figures lighting houses on fire. The people within those houses were all asleep, most of them unknowingly passing away.
Trojan looked ahead, after making a fast turn, he saw the beautiful Palace.
"Domino!" Trojan shouted once again.
Alastor was still wrecking havoc amongst the rebels, but he had started slowing down as a look of confusion appeared on his face.
"Huh?" Alastor asked, looking behind him.
Trojan looked as the beautiful Palace erupted into flames, the carefully designed building on fire. The windows glowed, and the entire building started collapsing. The garden burnt, the fire spreading across the entire garden.
Trojan quickened the horses, trying to get the carriage to go as fast as possible.
Things were going fine, everything was going according to his plan, but what made everything take such a turn?
Trojan thought he was using those around him for his own goal, but in the end, he was fooled by Duke Phoenix.
Duke Phoenix was a wise and intelligent man, surely he would not have agreed to Trojan's idea without having something he could benefit from.
Trojan needed Domino to help him out, but after seeing the Palace be engulfed in flames, he thought otherwise.
Trojan desperately looked everywhere, trying to find the one person he needed to find.
He saw him.
Duke Phoenix stood in the middle of Inner City. In a wide court where people would gather for festivals, perhaps the only place that was not in flames.
Trojan stopped the carriage and stepped out, knife in his pocket as he wakes up to Duke Phoenix.
Duke Phoenix noticed Trojan and smiled. Ash stood nearby, also smiling as she held her staff.
"You make rather quick decisions, do you not, Duke Trojan?" Duke Phoenix asked. "Perhaps you failed to think through everything?"
"What are you planning to do here?" Trojan demanded, walking up to Duke Phoenix. "We did not have this agreement!"
"Young nobility," Duke Phoenix started. "It is plainly obvious what I plan to do here."
Duke Phoenix gestured to the fires.
"I'm going to become God!" Duke Phoenix shouted like a madman.