Within the heart of the Royal Town, a palpable tension hung in the air, a legacy of the recent tremors that had shaken the very ground beneath them. The tremors were the aftermath of a fearsome battle involving three distinct figures - Roznok, Sougo, and Mika. Their arrival now sent a chill through the crowd, from the highest noble to the humblest peasant, their eyes wide with fear and awe at the raw power these three exuded.
Meanwhile, Luna and Kimaru lingered behind, taking refuge in Roznok's office, trusting in their comrades to quell the brewing storm.
Whispers filled the air as the trio strode through the crowd.
"Isn't that the sheriff?" "And that golden-haired lad, isn't he Toragol's bodyguard?" "Who's the man brandishing the blade, an assassin?"
The nobility watched in stunned silence, their whispers fading into nothing more than murmurs, as the trio's presence overshadowed the grandeur of the Royal Town itself. None dared to interfere as they made their way past the guards who attempted to bar their path, only to be easily dispatched.
Entering the heart of the castle, Roznok, Mika, and Sougo made themselves comfortable on the plush seating, their eyes locking onto Toragol, who sat nonchalantly sipping his tea.
Toragol, his voice laced with betrayal, spat out, "What's the meaning of this, Mika? Why have you allied yourself with that vermin?" His disdain for Roznok was evident, and his disappointment in Mika was as clear as day.
Ignoring Toragol's outburst, Roznok cut to the chase. "We've defeated your assassin," he announced, his voice echoing in the silent room. Toragol's nonchalant demeanor remained unbroken.
"Interesting. So, you've defeated my pawn, but it's going to take more than that to win over the world government," Toragol retorted. "Now, return my sons, you scoundrel!" Toragol shouted in anger, especially knowing his sons were held captive by him.
"It's true your sons are in my possession, Toragol. But let's not forget the charges against you - bribery, corruption, breaking the law, propagating inhumanity, causing wanton destruction, murder, and slavery. You're sitting on a throne built on these sins, do you truly believe you can simply walk away unscathed?" Roznok's voice held an edge of steel, his gaze piercing Toragol's soul.
Toragol retorted, "How dare you, Mika! Betraying your own class for this rat. You're a stain on the nobles!" His wrath was palpable, his finger accusingly pointed at Mika who remained unflinching.
Roznok continued, his demeanor calm, "The choice is yours, Toragol. Will you admit your crimes to the world government, or shall we expose them for you? I do wonder how they'll react to such treachery from their appointed governor."
Toragol responded with an eerie calmness. "Bold words, but they mean nothing as long as I hold power over this province. I am invincible."
Roznok, who seemed confident that he might win, felt something odd about Toragol.
"(Hold on... I haven't told him that I captured his two sons...)" Roznok questioned in his head, feeling suspicious.
"!?" Suddenly, Roznok used his shadow now knowing that his two sons had escaped as well as the assassin.
The assassin he caught was only a decoy, as he touched the ground, he used his earth magic from his foot and transfered his real self beneath the surface. Since decoys also possessed similar shadows.
Like the seasoned assassin he was, he effortlessly slipped through the shadows and deftly unlocked the magical cuffs. Thus, they were freed and the assassin emerged from behind Toragol, a smirk on his face signaling that his scheme had been successful.
"So, Roznok... Will you face execution or watch as the town you've sworn to protect crumbles to ruin?" Toragol gloated, relishing his apparent triumph.
Silence filled the room as Roznok's fist clenched in frustration, the sting of defeat after such a long struggle was a bitter pill to swallow. Then, with a heavy heart, he accepted his punishment.
"And for the two of you, you share his fate! Off with their heads!" Toragol commanded, his guards now encircling the trio.
"Surrender or watch as the people pay the price for your rebellion!" Toragol cackled in delight.
Cornered and left with no viable options, Roznok chose surrender to protect the innocent. Mika, though hesitant, followed suit, hoping for a chance to correct their course even in defeat.
Both Mika and Roznok knelt in submission, while Toragol reveled in his victory, his laughter echoing through the chamber like a cruel dirge.
Yet, Sougo stood unyielding...
Facing a multitude of foes, his resolve was unwavering. His sole focus was to reunite with his family.
"You dare defy me?! I will execute the people in this town! And you'll..."
As Mika knelt, a troubling thought crossed his mind. He realized Toragol's sons were conspicuously absent. A heavy dread filled him, the thought of harm befalling Kimaru and Luna was unbearable.
However, Mika's fears were unfounded. Back in Roznok's office, Luna had successfully defended Kimaru from Toragol's sons. Her mastery of water magic, honed by Mika's relentless training, triumphed.
With Kimaru in tow, Luna burst through the door, concern for their comrades gnawing at her. Upon exiting, they were met with an unexpected sight - a crowd of defiant peasants.
News of Roznok's rebellion against Toragol had sparked a flame in the hearts of the people of Avalaya.
"It's the village chief!" Kimaru exclaimed.
"I am grateful to all of you. Your actions have lifted a weight from our shoulders. After hearing of Roznok's victory over Toragol's assassin, our hope has been rekindled. We have rallied the brave, and together we will reclaim Lalapila and restore Avalaya! Join us!" The village chief rallied his people, his strength rejuvenated by Sougo's aid.
Together, they stormed the royal grounds, their anger leaving a path of destruction in its wake. The guards were helpless, outnumbered by the enraged mob. It was the time for them to turn the tides.
"Get away from me, you savages!" A nobleman's protest was cut short as the mob descended upon him, a flurry of pitchforks ensuring a swift end.
"No, don't touch me!" A noblewoman's plea fell on deaf ears as she was torn from her escape route and subjected to the mob's wrath.
Even the slaves, once leashed by the nobles, joined the uprising. The royals met their fate at the hands of those they had oppressed. Some spared, others not so lucky, their lives claimed in brutality. Not even generations apart were spared, each and every one of them were faced against their own sins of merciless treatment.
With their rage, they burned the whole royal ground. All was set in blaze.
Meanwhile, Sougo, Mika, and Roznok was in Toragol's abode when they suddenly hear the havoc.
"You dare defy me?! I will execute the people in this town! And you'll..."
"What in the...?" Toragol's words trailed off as he bolted to the scene unfolding outside.
The brutality of the scene was shocking, the very peasants he held in disdain were savagely attacking his people. The nobles' property was demolished, his people suffered, and as if facing demons that had awoken in them.
As Toragol staggered back, he barked an order to his assassin, "Annihilate them all!"
The assassin retorted, "And what's my compensation? I don't deal death for charity."
"Obey me now! Do you dare defy an order from a governor?"
Roznok chuckled, "How quaint, Toragol. You seem to forget that you enlisted an assassin, one who operates outside the jurisdiction of the world's law. The man here, he doesn't play by your rules, he only comes in for the money." Roznok rose, taunting Toragol's ignorance.
"Off with his head, now! I COMMAND Y-" As his loud demanding voice to order the assassin, he was killed by his own assassin plunged a knife into his back.
A fit of bloody coughs erupted from Toragol's mouth before he collapsed to the ground.
"Shame, you talk a big game but your pockets are empty. You must have forgotten that I can see through your lies, your vault is barren." The assassin grinned, remorseless.
Sougo, Roznok, and Mika readied their weapons to confront the assassin. However, the treacherous man deftly slipped their attacks, pilfering the remaining wealth and fleeing the scene.
Roznok transformed his arms into raven feathers, shooting himself into the air with a burst of speed that shattered the roof. He reached out with shadowy chains to yank the man out of the mud, but his kicks were futile; the assassin had become impervious, his body now intangible.
Undeterred, Roznok unleashed a powerful strike that cratered the earth beneath him. Just as the assassin was about to escape, Kimaru arrived, tossing Roznok a pair of magic-removing handcuffs.
"Great work," Roznok commended Kimaru, clutching the cuffs.
With a powerful force, Roznok sent the man skyward, but the slippery assassin eluded his grasp. That's when Sougo stepped in, using his wind magic powers to hold the assassin in a vortex of energy.
Roznok seized the opportunity, fastening the handcuffs on the assassin, his liquefied form solidifying instantly.
It was their victory.