Before I could even ask anything, Persephone shouted in an anxious voice, which of course only I could hear. I raised both of my hands and grabbed onto the shoulders of the companions I had out on a stroll beside me.
" Sir Arth-? "
" Wha-? "
They yelped, as I crouched while pulling Ducas and Valerie with me. They were surprised and since they were caught off guard there wasn't must resistance so I easily pulled them with me.
whoose... Clunk.
I was going to use chatbox -to yell about the sudden clamor- when I heard something cutting through the wind above our heads, and then it hit the ground in front of us. I raised my head a little and I saw a weapon lying in front of us, it was a knife with sharp needle like blade and a palm size handle, like a dagger.
I lifted my upper body and rolled my head to look around, searching for the attacker.
" Behind the carriage, some are over the roof and alley as well, they all are wearing yellow dresses. "
Persephone's melodic voice guided me and I looked toward the carriage, it was a medieval-style carriage, light yellow in color and it was filled with golden flowery designs. A person with a hood over his head was sticking his head from behind the carriage. I also spotted some other people - wearing similar yellow overcoats with a hoodie and white masks - behind some other places, they all looked like professional assassins.
From the corner of my peripherical view, I noticed that Valerie - still graceful but with more determined expressions - and Ducas - with Hardened expression completely different from his clueless expression- were already looking in the direction of 'our' attackers.
Focusing back on the people with yellow hooded coats, I tried to be calm and spoke with stern authority.
" Ducas. People in yellow overcoats and mask. "
" Yes, Sir Arthur. "
Ducas, like he was already expecting those words replied, and the aura around him started to change, when suddenly an urgent thought came into my mind.
" And don't destroy anything. "
My words came out a little uncertain and with a plea, different from before but still stern.
" ...Yes. "
The aura around Ducas faltered and he hesitated a bit while answering as he suddenly disappeared. I guess that'll have to do but it was okay, I thought to myself.
His stats are way too monstrous, like how he suddenly disappeared, How many people can do that even in this world? If he didn't control them he would accidentally destroy a part of the city, and that is the reason I was a little concerned.
I thought he will be able to control it. He will be able to. I reassured myself a couple of more times, and then I looked toward Valerie. Her eyes looked ahead like she was trying to analyze everything. I offered her my hand as I spoke.
" Can you stand? "
Valerie looked at me, she was still in a crouching position. She took my hand and got up. She looked toward where Ducas was headed. I don't even know how she can see where is headed, and I tried not to think about it.
" I was surprised. I am fine now Sir Arthur. "
Still looking towards a direction she spoke. I just nodded my head and let go of her hand. I wasn't worried about her anyway, she is more powerful than me.
I was worried about this incident. I didn't understand why, either, it was because for once, I was a part of the attack I used to see in my dreams, or because, I don't remember this kind of incident happening with Valerie, but I decided to take this event more seriously.
Putting my left hand inside my pant's pocket under the coat, I took out my right hand like I was holding an invisible wine glass. Two rings on my hand - a black ring with a metal design covering a black stone and another ring that was silver in color, that was the storage ring and it was shining as I activated it.
I stand straight and pulled my hand back underneath the cloak as it formed into a fist. 'No need to worry I thought to myself, after all, this is the world I know everything about.'
: WYNFOR DUCAS
It was a normal day - it was supposed to be at least. After so many years, normal became a rare word to me. A couple of days ago, When I first came back to my senses, it was all blurry at first, but then color started to fill my vision, like a drop of color spreading on a white canvas, and color came together and formed an image of green and black.
Soon my vision cleared and I realized that I was in a park - which didn't look 'that' odd but something was different about it, the place seemed evolved- and my mind started to piece together whatever last memory I had.
Despite everything I could ask, only what and where left my mouth, and with that suddenly one side of my cheeks felt warmer and warmer. I didn't realize until it became painful but then the sudden realization that I had been slapped settled in.
The sensation of a ringing sound slowly became dull and my eye focused, as an image of a boy came into my view.
He had Black hair, messy but shiny and not too long or short but like a wolf haircut. His face was a little feminine but it also contained subtle masculine features.
I wasn't angry at his action, I thought he was a little kid as I am much older than most of the lower existence, but then his words resounded 'Have you calmed down?' His voice was heavy and all I could answer was 'Yes'.
Since then it is been a couple of weeks, and It was supposed to be a normal day.
Valerie wanted to submit her assignment - she is very hardworking - I agreed to accompany her because she said it was Professor Yates's class assignment and If she is submitting that assignment then she has to submit it to 'him'.
I decided to went with her, as we reached the faculty hallway where every professor's and their assistant's offices are, and he appeared coming out of Professor Yates's office.
A messy black hair that didn't look weird but only enhance his impression. A black cloak rested on his shoulder above his white shirt that had designs at the front and a black chain on his chest pocket. A pair of black trousers with a pair of classic brown shoes.
Arthur's eye shifted to us -I could sense no threat coming from him, it was like I was looking at my favorite brother, whom I could just run and hug. I was surprised by how pure and approachable he felt.
When we reached him, his posture changes a little as his shoulder got up, his cloak and the beautifully embroidered shirt underneath got straightened out. The approachable feeling was gone and the usual mystification took place.
Valerie and I both greeted him and he did the same but with more perfection as if to tell us the right approach. I couldn't understand how someone so young could do it more perfectly than me who is much older.
That's how it started, then Valerie and Arthur got into the conversation, I also tried to say something but what could I say in the middle of these kids?
Then we agreed that we all should have lunch together. We casually walked as we chatted about some things and Arthur led us to a restaurant that was the most expensive in the whole town.
The Palms. It was a tall beautiful thing. An amazingly majestic door - ten feet in height- comparable to the one with 'Trivia'. It was covered with colorful yellow glass with metal designs covering the window like the roots of a tree.
As we walked, Valerie, tuning to my remark, tried to point out about the 'High expenses' of the place. But Arthur, as if to feing ignorance to that, led us inside, and we followed him like a couple of servants following his Leash.
Then soon we were led to a room on the second highest floor, everyone was being respectable, bowing at us. Even though the room was at a large height, the big window to the balcony, like a big screen, kept the place cool.
I let the kids go inside first. Arthur went to the large velvet sofa and sat on it like he was covering the place making the entire place his own.
I also came inside following Valerie and sat on another sofa opposite him. The room was beautifully filled with maroon color things - just of different shades -, like curtains, embroidered mat, and abstract pictures hanging on the wall behind.
As we settled in, Valerie and I both again tried to tell Arthur about the expenses of this place but like a conductor of an orchestra, he waved his hand shutting our tunes - saying that it is his treat. How does he seem so natural? This boy didn't change. Exhilaration settled in and my thought came out.
Both of them stared at me. Realizing that I said something, I tried to say something but a lady with a menu came.
Then, Arthur and Valerie both started conversing in a back-and-forth manner. Arthur was trying to encircle her with his words and Valerie tried to deflect the conversation with confusion. I became curious as to what these kids were playing.
Until Arthur dropped the comment like a bomb, he addressed Valerie as some Royal. Intense pain pricked my heart like a needle as a part of my past surfaced but I held it in.
The silence descended only for a second. Arthur and Valerie again started conversing their back-and-forth banter again, and when I thought it has gone long enough. I spoke to Arthur.
'Um... Sir Arthur?', cautiously, trying not to seem too curious, but the person shifted the work to the person on my side. Valerie looked at me and she explained some things like, she is hiding her true identity, and that she is actually a royal from a Dukedom.
I also asked some things which I was wondering about. Like, how the situation among royals has changed since I was asleep in the church, again a sudden pain and anger which I tried to control.
After taking everything she said, I could only say that kids these days have wild thoughts. She left her house so that she could study more?, because Why? when she told her parents, did they tell her not to study, excel and achieve something?
Calming myself, I asked some more doubts that I had and the conversation went on.
There was also a moment when the boy started disrespecting himself saying 'He is bad' and all. I lost my cool a little and told Valerie what had happened so that she could judge for herself, but the boy silenced me.
Frustrated, I decided not to play with them anymore. I ate my fish and didn't say anything, when we checked out Arthur paid the majestic expense.
I don't understand, with him it was like being with a father, you feel like you know better than them but actually don't. It should be other way around. And how does he have so much money? Does 'Trivia' pay that handsomely or he is secretly from the Queen's family?
We walked past the street, which was beautiful as always - the sun shining, lighting the yellow walls all around. I was so immersed in my thoughts that, I didn't even realize when Arthur suddenly put his hand on my shoulder and pulled me down.
My legs got tensed, because of my muscle memory or one of my passive skills, I don't know. That's when I noticed the wind behind me changed, something came cutting past above our head.
If it was a second late, it would have hit one of us by now. My eye shifted to the boy who pulled us down. How did he sense that? He is weak. I could feel it. It is a privilege of having all stats higher than a hundred.
Was it a skill? I thought to myself. If so, it would be impossible for someone to have such high skill with such low stats, balance would not allow it.
The more I spend time with him, the more mysterious he gets. Like I am peeling an onion, revealing new layers every time.
I shifted my head to look back on our attackers. I spotted them all over the town, there were more than a dozen assassins covering the entire plaza.
Suddenly a chilling authoritative voice came into my ears, ' Ducas. People in yellow overcoats and masks. ' and as if I was waiting for that statement, adrenaline rushed in my veins and I spoke.
My body became warm and I tried to imagine the world around me change. With my past action, suffering, and hard work, my stats were above a realm. My vision of the world changed and a world filled with black pollen appeared in front of me.
Just as I was about to activate a skill, Arthur's voice with a plea reached my ears 'Don't destroy anything.' The aura around me faltered as I replied.
Even though I said 'yes', I felt a little disheartened that I might not be able to go all out. Shielding my heart I ran with almost all my stats, which might have looked like I disappeared to others.
I focused ahead. And then in instant, I appeared in front of one of the yellow-hooded assassins. His eyes looked at me, and even though, I couldn't see his face, I could make out the confusion from his gaze.
My brows frowned upwards as I looked at him with pity. I took out a small sword - a little more than a one-meter blade and my palm size handle, with a symbol at the end of it - a four-clover leaf inside a circle. I took it out from inside my own cloak, which is a compulsory dress according to the 'Trivia's' conduct.
I cleanly plunge the sword inside the assassin's heart and took it out just as fast. His body falls down like a sack, blood soaking white areas in his coat.
Then I disappeared from there without looking back. I focused on yet another person, and then I killed him. I focused on some other yellow-hooded assassin and killed them as I did with the earlier, repeating the same thing over and over again.
A sense of deja-vu occurred and suddenly I was dancing. I started needling all the yellow assassins. Going straight, running left and then right, and hopping on the roofs.
I ignored everything and just danced. Even when someone threw a bomb, I ignored it, Even when the sky got covered with them like dots, I ignored it all, Valerie, Arthur, all, and just killed people.
Then when my hunger felt full -holding an assassin by his neck-I released a sigh and looked around.
My eyes became transparent and the world around me became normal. Looking to the side I focused, and then suddenly my mind went blank.
I saw Valerie kneeling on one knee holding her hand towards the sky like she was trying to hold something. An Assassin was in front of her, half transparent like most of the light was just sliding from him, his hand was thrusting forward with a knife in it, and between both of them was, Arthur.
Standing straight with no intention of moving, although he seemed exhausted and had a sense of frustration in his face, what caught my attention was a knife, thrust into his abdomen.