Hello everyone! So it has been a hectic month, but I am moving as we all have to. There will be a new update schedule on my tumblr And there will be some highlights at the bottom of this chapter which I hope you will enjoy!
Sakura froze and turned her head to the side looking at the table where Sinbad, Ja'far, and Hinahoho were. None had noticed her presence yet and she had been determined to keep it that way. But when she was about to leave, Mystras also just arrived and noticed her first. Flustered, Sakura hid behind some wine barrels, joining the young apprentice knight.
"Sakura, what are we doing?" Mystras sounded like a mouse.
"Why are you here?" She didn't make plans to meet with him today.
"I-I saw these new travelers here today so I followed them."
Sakura pulled a face "Oh please don't tell me you mean-
"Look that's them over there," he pointed to the three familiar figures "I saw them in town earlier; they were trying to talk to my father but the knights pulled them back so I followed them here, I've never seen people like them before!"
"They were trying to talk to the Knight King?" Sakura asked, it didn't take long for her to figure that Sinbad was most likely here to establish a trading relationship with Sasan.
"Sinbad, there are plenty of countries that are trading with Reim already," she pointed "But what you need is an edge over the competition."
"I think I get what you're saying," Sinbad said "We should establish commerce with those few countries that isolate themselves like Imuchakk. That way we're ahead of other companies."
"What about this one?" Sakura asked pointing to a certain location on the map in front of them "Sasan; already appears to trade with Reim but they haven't allowed other countries to trade with them. Why not start there? It's also the closest."
'Stupid!' Sakura mentally slapped herself when she realized that she and Sinbad had planned for this over a year ago.
Mystras's rambling broke Sakura from her thoughts "They all look so young! I wonder if they have interesting stories like you Sakura!"
Sakura grimaced when she saw the excited glimmer in Mystras's eyes; of course, he had a natural curiosity about the world that everyone else in Sasan lacked.
She didn't understand how people expected to grow if they kept themselves isolated all for the sake of preserving their way of life. Although she admired Mystras's efforts to learn more about the world, this time his curiosity was something that could prove to be problematic for herself.
After all, how would you react if you saw someone you stayed with for nearly an entire year and then vanished for another year without so much as a warning or goodbye?
"It's weird, that one guy with the blue hair....he looks a lot like those people you described in one of your stories Sakura, remember the one about the land of ice?"
Mystras was told about the largely built people in the icy barren land of Imuchakk; things were working in full circle right now as her past came back just to bite her.
If Msytras spoke to them and asked to hear Sinbad's tales, which he enjoyed doing in pastimes, then Mystras might connect the dots that linked Sakura with the Sindria trading company.
'And that means he'll confront me'
In a swift motion, Sakura pinned Msytras against the wall, holding him firmly by his shoulders which startled the young knight. His face became as red as his hair. He had never been this close to a girl before as religion forbids Sasan men from actually looking women in the eye. All he could see right now though was Sakura's powerful green eyes.
'They're like emeralds.'
"Mystras," Sakura spoke her friend's voice in a firm voice, her eyes narrowed "Please don't talk to those men."
"H-Huh?" he looked at her dumbfounded
Sakura glanced down at her shoes before turning back up to Mystras with a fierce expression "Please, you have to promise me you won't talk to them no matter what!"
"B-But Sakura-
"Please Mystras!"
"I....
"HEY WHAT EXACTLY DO THE TWO OF YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
Sakura and Mystras both stumbled and fell back, knocking the barrels, spilling wine, and catching the attention of everyone in the inn. Sakura moved to get up from her position on the floor but found that Mystras had fallen on top of her; with a groan, she gently pushed him to the side and sat up rubbing her head.
"Hey are you okay?" she asked him
Mystras sat him as well "Y-Yes."
Sakura gasped and stood up quickly when she realized that they had just caused a ruckus and everyone around them had heard it. Unless you were deaf it was impossible to miss that. Mystras stood up as well and looked at her curiously noting that her posture had become much straighter, her hands at her sides with fists clenched and trembling.
He looked at her concerned "Sa-
"Sakura?"
Turning back, she could see her friends standing there with dumbstruck expressions.
"Now this is interesting..." Sitri trailed in a mischievous-sounding voice
"My king?" asked Stolas "What troubles you?"
"Oh my king," Beleth sighed
"S-Sakura, Do you know them?"
Rubbing her head Sakura mumbled "It's complicated,"
"She ran out on us in the middle of the night without saying a word so now she's trying to avoid facing us, it's not all that complicated." Sakura and Mystras froze as the males voice, glancing back they saw a tall man looming over them.
"Hinahoho,"
"Long time no see," Ja'far greeted with a cold smile.
"Ja-Ja'far!"
"Well, well." Sakura winced keeping her head down but a finger dipped under her chin and pushed her face up, Sakura felt like time had stopped at that exact moment
"Sinbad..."
"It's been a while...Sakura."
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Escaping would not have been hard, but avoiding it for the sake of jeopardizing her goals, made Sakura easily overlook her discomfort. Sinbad ushered everyone to a table of the inn and even charmed the keeper to letting Mystras stay despite it being against custom.
"Seducing women into going against their religious practice," Sakura rolled her eyes "Same Sinbad I see,"
Mystras was seated beside Sakura, he looked nervously at Sinbad who was sitting across from them with Ja'far and Hinahoho with his arms crossed over his chest leaning back into the chair "Th-Thank you for helping me-
"I wouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions." Sinbad stated seriously with narrowed eyes "I only did it because I wanted to ask you a few questions."
"E-Eh?" Mystras stuttered taken aback "S-So what do you want to ask me?"
"Well for starters.....What exactly is your relationship with Sakura!?" he asked not bothering to beat around the bush.
Sakura flushed red "S-Sinbad! Why would you ask such a-
"Oh, I'll get to you soon enough." This wasn't the kind of reaction she was expecting from him, even in a situation. She wanted that calm charming smile on his face.
"Sakura and I are...." Mystras trailed glancing at the kunoichi with a tiny blush, Sakura just raised an eyebrow at him waiting to say something but the poor Sasan boy seemed tongue-tied "Um, we're. We- that is to say-
"Friends," Sakura interjected, "We're friends, not that it's any of your business!"
Sinbad's posture seemed to visibly relax in that instant; he smiled while Mystras seemed lost for words if not a little pouty "Oh well okay nice to meet you!"
Ja'far looked at Sakura "So care to explain why you suddenly vanished?"
"Without notifying anyone!?" added Hinahoho in a scolding tone.
"For over a year!?" Ja'far added
"Yikes, our king is getting scolded like a child." Sitri grimaced
"She is still a child." Stolas pointed
"But still our king, you two need to learn to be more respectful." Beleth scolded them
"Well, Sakura?" Sinbad asked leaning on his hands "Are you going to explain?"
With a final breath, Sakura spoke "It was time for me to leave."
Ja'far slammed his hand on the table angrily "That's your excuse!? Do you have any idea how worried we all were!?"
Hinahoho attempted to calm down Ja'far but he wouldn't have it "Ja'far there's no need to-
"No!" Ja'far hissed shaking his head before setting his eyes back on Sakura "You just left without saying anything! We thought something happened to you! We were set back all of our plans taking weeks to look for you!"
Sakura just stared at him, but her face was remorseful. She didn't believe that there would be this much turmoil caused by her actions. They were choices she made, but they had affected them more than she believed.
"Okay, that's enough Ja'far."
"But-
"Ja'far," Sinbad said sternly
Though hesitant Ja'far did as instructed, taking a step back so that Sinbad could come forward.
"A while back," Sinbad began "I remember Sakura said that she had her own goal she wanted to achieve, but she stayed with us for so long to help me with mine. That's why you left right?"
She nodded in turn.
"Well, then we can't be mad at her for leaving right?" Sinbad said looking at Ja'far and Hinahoho
Hinahoho then smiled "Well as long as you're safe, it's no problem."
Ja'far though calmed still seemed a little upset but said "Sure I guess..."
Sinbad walked over to Sakura's side and she knew that he was looking at her "He is right though. We were all worried; you could've at least told us you were leaving."
She continued to keep her eyes down, Mystras was looking at her with concern on his face before turning back to the men who were still strangers to him.
"That's enough!" he exclaimed "Sakura's-
Before Mystras could say anymore Sinbad had taken action, he grabbed Sakura wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her to his chest. Sakura gasped as she got a whiff of Sinbad's scent, it reminded her of the ocean and spices...
"I'm glad to see you again, Sakura..."
Sakura wasn't entirely sure what to do about this, she felt like she was choking unable to utter a single word. When she left she resolved that she was going to do whatever it took to return home, she was going to do that but when something like this happened...when they were here right in front of her after all this time, she felt conflicted.
Her mind told her that she needed to return home, back to her village, to her friends, to her unfinished business-to the ones who came first but in her heart it felt torn. One part longed for her to return home while the other couldn't ignore that she cared for these people but she knew it would be selfish to choose them over her world.
'They came first.' Sakura told herself pulling away from Sinbad.
"You got old."
Sinbad seemed to snap out of it and pulled a surprised face "I'm not old; I just grew up and got a little taller! I'm a handsome young man now!"
Sakura laughed; she knew his weak point "Oh you sure...."
"Yes!" Sinbad stomped pulling away from her completely.
With a smile Sakura moved over to Mystras and placed a hand on his shoulder "Anyway everyone, this is Mystras a friend I've made in Sasan, he is also the son of the knight king Darius."
The three merchants gasped in shock.
"Really!?"
Sakura didn't miss the glint in their eyes...she was certain that they were trying to figure out a way to interact with the knights after overhearing their conversation earlier on. Even though she was in shock she still paid attention. She could've guessed that Sinbad would be having difficulty establishing permission to trade with Sasan as they had a very strict upbringing that didn't allow them to interact with outsiders never mind merchants wanting to do business with them.
"You're really the knight king son?" asked Sinbad
Mystras nodded slowly still uncertain about what to say to these travelers, he had originally planned on asking them to tell him about the outside world but with everything that had happened up to this point he wasn't sure that option was on the table anymore.
Sakura gently shoved Mystras's shoulder "Anyway Mystras here has a curiosity about the outside world and wanted to ask you to tell him stories, you're good at that Sinbad."
Not missing the look on her face Sinbad gave a grateful nod before calling to the waitress "Miss food and wine and keep it coming!"
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Sinbad had regaled Mystras with tales of his adventures from the outside world. He spoke of dungeons and the powers they offered, captivating the young knight.
Sakura let out a sigh and turned on her side, trying to get comfortable on the bed. She had been initially worried about how long she would be able to stay in Sasan with Sinbad's presence, but now it seemed that he and Mystras were preoccupied with winning over the knight king. Sakura doubted that she would be a topic of heavy discussion.
"This works to your advantage though," Beleth pointed out, breaking Sakura from her thoughts.
She smirked, running a hand through her short tresses. "Yeah, I know. With this distraction, I can focus on finding that other djinn. I need to do it soon before Sinbad inevitably causes trouble and I get dragged into it."
Sinbad's voice suddenly sounded from behind her, "Aw, I'm hurt you think that way about me."
Sakura yelped, rolling off her bed and landing on the floor with a thud. She looked up to glare at Sinbad, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Standing up, she glared furiously at him. "What the hell are you doing here!?"
Sinbad crossed his arms over his chest. "You didn't honestly think I was going to let you off the hook that easily, right?"
Sakura was in shock. "But...but you told Ja'far and Hinahoho-"
"Ja'far looked like he was about to assassinate you, and Hinahoho was ready to get all fatherly. I figured this way I'd be able to get more out of you," Sinbad interrupted with a chuckle.
She groaned and stood up, glaring at Sinbad. "Cunning as always, huh?"
Sinbad nonchalantly plopped down on her bed and patted the space beside him, making her narrow her eyes at him. After a moment of hesitation, Sakura reluctantly joined him.
"So, what do you want?"
"Well, for one, I'd like to know when this happened." Sinbad held up the hairpin that he had given her years ago. Sakura glanced back at the nightstand by the bed where she had placed her metal vessels and other belongings.
Sakura averted her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Sinbad seemed unfazed by her denial. "Oh?"
He reached towards the back of her head, trailing a finger along her neck until he reached her short, boyish hair. He sighed softly. "It's such a shame. Your pink hair was truly eye-catching."
Sakura clenched her fists, recalling how her unique hair and eye color had made her a target for slave merchants. There were even bandits that talked about chopping off her hair and selling it separately from her body if she couldn't fetch the right price. Naturally, she shut down those thoughts with great force.
"Which is why I cut it."
"Care to tell me a few stories?" Sinbad asked, twirling the hairpin between his fingers. "Perhaps about how you acquired a second djinn?"
Sakura frowned, snatching her hairpin back from his grasp. "I'd rather not. It's late, and it's a long story."
Sinbad leaned back on the bed, his arms behind his head. "We've got all night."
Turning Sinbad down would've been easy, throwing him out of her room would've been effortless, and yet she let him stay. She surrendered to her old friend's request and charm. Laying out the highlights of her year away from him. Reiterating her experience in the different dungeons.
"Wow, so what's Siri's ability?" Sinbad asked staring at the hairpin in Sakura's hand.
Sakura extended her free hand, and with a graceful motion, she conjured a small tornado in her palm. Sinbad's eyes were captivated as he observed the swirling winds dance and twist within Sakura's grasp.
"Wow..." Sinbad looked up at her and grinned widely "So it looks like we're the first multiple dungeons capturers huh?"
Sakura scoffed "Maybe but I've got you beat by one."
"YOU HAVE THREE DJINNS?"
"Shh!" Sakura snapped slapping her hand over Sinbad's mouth. "Would you keep your voice down? They'll kick us out if we cause trouble."
Sinbad let out some muffled noises that Sakura couldn't make out so she removed her hand "You sound like Ja'far."
"At least he gets it," Sakura said placing her metal vessel back on the nightstand.
"So anyway, you have three djinns how?"
Sakura nodded and pointed to the arm bracelet that was next to her headband "My third djinn is called Stolas."
"Can you show me what this djinn Stolas can do?" Sinbad asked with an existing gleam
Sakura raised an eyebrow "Sure if you don't mind being paralyzed for the rest of your life."
"Huh?"
"Stolas is a djinn of poison." Sakura said with a sinister smirk "And he has many talents..."
Sinbad held up his hands in surrender "Okay never mind the demonstration, I'll just take the story."
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"I can't believe you let yourself get captured..." Sinbad trailed frowning slightly, his head drooping as his vision blurred with tiredness. He noticed Sakura's head drooping slightly and her eyes threatening to close. His hand reached out to her head and brought it down to his shoulder
"It wasn't on purpose..." Sakura yawned softly "I had everything under control; I was waiting for them to take me to their hideout so that I could free all those slaves."
"I despise it," Sinbad said resting his head on top of Sakura's "This world is corrupt."
Sakura mumbled closing her eyes "But you said you were going to change it right?"
Gasping softly Sinbad's eyes softened "You remembered huh?"
"It's hard to forget," she said honestly
"Will you at least stay a while before taking off again?"
In her groggy state, she said "I guess...."
"Good…."
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"Where the heck is he?" Ja'far hissed as he paced back and forth; taking his fifth glace around the common area of the inn in hopes of seeing Sinbad somewhere. Even stumbling half-drunk would've been fine as long as he was here.
"He wasn't in his room," Hinahoho said
Ja'far rubbed his head "If he tried to talk to the knights again we're going to have a lot of problems. We're not allowed to interact with the citizens never mind the knights."
"Relax Ja'far I'm right here." Sinbad said stepping over to the two yawning softly "Morning."
Ja'far glared at him "Where have you been?!"
Sakura appeared behind Sinbad, "He was with me,"
Hinahoho and Ja'far gave them both blank expressions "Never mind...."
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As the day wore on, Mystras returned to the inn looking crestfallen and distressed. Sakura, ever perceptive, noticed his troubled expression and hastened over to him with concern etched on her face. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a red mark on his cheek, which she immediately set to healing.
"What happened to you?" she inquired, her voice laced with worry.
Mystras looked away, his voice hard and devoid of emotion, "It was my father."
Sakura couldn't fathom how a father could harm his child, even though she knew such behavior was not uncommon. She placed her hand on his cheek, offering comfort and support.
"I'm sorry..." she murmured.
Mystras shook his head and took her hand, managing a smile despite his pain, "I'm okay now."
Just then, Sinbad appeared behind Sakura and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn and glare at him.
"What's going on?" he inquired.
"Mystras wants to come with us," Sakura explained, puzzled.
"What do you mean?" Sinbad and Sakura asked in unison.
"I want to leave Sasan with you. Please, take me away from this country," Mystras pleaded.
Sinbad, Ja'far, and Hinahoho exchanged uncertain looks, weighing the pros and cons of taking the rightful heir away from his homeland.
"We came here to trade with Sasan, Mystras. We can't just ignore their laws and take their future king away," Sinbad reasoned, trying to be diplomatic.
Sakura knew that Sinbad was right; taking Mystras away would be a violation of Sasan's laws and customs, and could jeopardize their trading relationship with the country.
Just then, Sinbad looked up and called out, "Who's there?"
A young boy, no more than eight years old, emerged from the shadows. He had short red hair and piercing red eyes, bearing a striking resemblance to Mystras.
"Spartos!" Mystras called out, surprised to see his younger brother. "What are you doing here?"
"Brother," Spartos addressed Mystras with admiration. "I want you to stay in Sasan and become the Knight King. Only you can rule this country!"
Mystras's expression turned grim, and he stood up, his back facing his brother. "You should be the king. I don't want to die without experiencing life outside Sasan."
Sinbad nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I understand. We'll take you with us, but not secretly. You must be responsible for your own decisions."
Mystras agreed, acknowledging the solemn promise he had made as a Sasan knight. "Once a person is baptized as a Sasan knight, they vow to serve the country until their dying breath. There's only one other way to leave the knights besides death."
Spartos became frantic at the thought of his brother leaving, but Mystras remained resolute. "Go home and tell Father that I want to leave the troop officially."
Without another word, Spartos departed, leaving the group in a somber silence.
"What exactly is this other thing you have to do to resign from the knights?" Sakura asked Mystras cautiously
Mystras clenched his fists "I....
"Mystras"
Sinbad came up behind Sakura and placed his hand on her shoulder "Sakura, this is Mystras's decision. He doesn't have to explain anything to us."
Though she wasn't too thrilled about it, she knew he was right. It was his decision and if this was their tradition it wouldn't be wise to go against them.
Besides she had other matters to worry about.
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"Will that boy be okay?" asked Ja'far. They were now outside of the inn, as visitors were able to enjoy the outside when it was still daytime.
"Who knows?" Sinbad replied.
Hinahoho stretched his arms out "He should be fine."
Sakura stopped when she heard a soft fluttering from behind her, Sinbad turned around along with her and was surprised to see a familiar blonde standing by the building.
"Hey." It was Yunan.
"What are you doing here?" asked Sinbad
Yunan smiled at them "Hello Sakura; Sinbad."
"Yunan, you're here," She hadn't seen Yunan since that night on the peer.
Ja'far then pointed to Yunan "You two know this guy?"
"He's a traveler who guided me to Baal's dungeon," Sinbad explained to them
"And I met him while I was traveling before I came to Imuchakk. Of course, I don't know him,"
Yunan came closer to them and placed his hand on his hip "Well that's a shame considering I've only been watching you two the entire time. Sinbad, I know that you acquired a second djinn, and Sakura you have three."
Sakura raised an eyebrow at Yunan and crossed her arms "How could you possibly know that?"
"Like I said I've been watching you," Yunan repeated making Sakura scowl further though Sinbad didn't seem to mind.
"So what exactly are you doing here?"
"You should know that lately, several dungeons have appeared worldwide."
"Ever since I captured Baal, many were seen in various places," Sinbad said.
The dungeons, which were a place full of danger had become tourist attractions, there were even cities beginning to flourish around them. It was thanks to Sinbad's stories, that people were more aware of the dangers, although they were also more aware of the power and treasure held inside. And it was becoming a beacon for people of power.
"Yes, not only for adventurers, royalty and powerful people challenged dungeons and obtained the power of the djinns."
Sakura narrowed her eyes and grunted in disappointment, it was hard enough to capture dungeons and get the shards from the djinns, imagine her trouble dealing with their king candidates.
"The Reim Empire and the new empire that joined the three countries called Kou, small countries like Artemyra and Heliohapt, and even here in Sasan kingdom...and your country Parthevia. You two are no longer the only ones with the power of a djinn." Yunan said
Sakura narrowed her eyes "Someone in Sasan conquered a dungeon already haven't they?"
"Yes, Sasan's Knight King Darius Leoxses." Yunan said to them "So what will you do?"
Sinbad placed a hand behind his head "I only came here to discuss trading with Sasan."
"Well, now I've gotta go meet this Knight King." Sakura crossed her arms over her chest and let out a sigh as if it wasn't already hard enough to get around Sasan with the people's strong religious beliefs that had them avoiding outsiders and she had to talk to their king.
"From the start, I sought an audience with the Knight King." Sinbad said grinning "The fact that he is a dungeon conqueror doesn't change anything."
Yunan chuckled softly before tapping his staff on the ground "You're interesting as always, I'll be looking forward to seeing you again...both of you."
They watched as Yunan vanished into thin air leaving everyone but Sinbad and Sakura stunned. Having known Yunan was far from an ordinary traveler.
Right now though there was something far more important to worry about.
Sakura turned to Sinbad "So do you know the way to the Knight King?"
Sinbad grinned widely holding out his hand for her "You didn't honestly think I wouldn't attempt to use a little force at first right?"
With a smile, Sakura took his hand.
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The group went to the knight's lodgings to look for Mystras, but they were informed that Mystras had gone to officially withdraw from the knights. However wanting to leave the knights was like breaking a sacred vow, it was prohibited and to resign was equal to a death sentence. The only way for a knight to resign and walk away with his life was to duel his way through the Knight's order until he came to the Knight King. If he failed to defeat him in a duel, he would be beheaded.
'That means Mystras might be killed by his father,'
"We have to hurry!"
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"Winner Mystras!"
Though they arrived later than they wanted, Sakura was relieved to see that Mystras was still alive and standing. There were signs of battle in the great hall, and Mystras had a few wounds to count for, but he was still standing strong. They squeezed through the crowd of knights who were watching in awe. They heard whispers of their surprise at Mystras's swordsmanship when he was known for slacking in his training.
"I did not know he was this strong."
"All that remains now is the Knight King."
Mystras turned to his father who was watching him with a piercing gaze "Come father. If I win, I will become the Knight King, our doctrine, the knights, this country, I will abandon everything and leave this place. If I become the most powerful man in this country no one can stop me. That's right isn't it!?"
Sakura crossed her arms over her chest as she watched the knight King step forward; this was her first time seeing him. He was a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and the same color hair as his son, only slightly darker, he carried a giant blue spear.
Ja'far narrowed his eyes "If that man has a djinn then...
"There's no way Mystras can win," Sakura said softly
Sinbad spoke in a hushed tone "Let's just watch for now."
This was more than just two knights dueling one another, it was father and son facing each other.
"Apprentice Knight, Mystras Leoxses and the Knight King Darius Leoxses. Make it a fair fight under the blessing of God. BEGIN"
Mystras sprung forward in the blink of an eye and began attacking with everything he had, not giving anyone enough time for his opponent to launch a counter. Sakura was surprised given the size of the spear which wasn't light. Mystras nearly hit his father but Darius moved his head at the last second.
"Nearly," Ja'far said
"He's good," Sinbad muttered watching the match closely
"But still." Sakura trailed softly "I doubt this is going to be the end of it."
Mystras stepped back watching his father closely.
"I see you have the strength to speak that way." Darius said holding up his spear "But an attack of this level..."
"BE QUIET" Mystras moved to strike, his spear raised firm.
"Repel Alloces!"
It all happened in seconds, He attacked but the tip of his spear would not pierce Darius. A transparent build of hexagons seemed to form a protective barrier against the attack, but the limits were yet to be realized as a pulsing force pushed Mystras back. He was knocked off his feet and flew back until he hit a pillar with enough power to break it down.
They spotted the eight stars on the spear; Sinbad and Sakura knew then that this was the power of Darius's djinn. However, the other knights were calling it the power of god.
"That's the power of the god only the Knight King can use."
"There is a legendary tower that appears at times when the world is full of unusual phenomena and the Knight King conquered it. That power returns any attack to the attacker."
"It seems they have no idea about dungeons or djinns. They believe it's exclusively for the knights only." Sakura told them while glancing worriedly at Mystras "If this continues...
"There's no way," Hinahoho said
Looking at Sinbad she asked "Well what now? Do you have a plan?"
"Just wait..."
Sakura glared at Sinbad if he wasn't going to do anything to stop the Knight King from decapitating his son; she was.
'Sitri...' Sakura reached for her hairpin only to have her hand grabbed gently by Sinbad. How was he already certain of what she was going to do?
"Hey-
"Not yet," Sinbad said watching Mystras get back up from the ground. "Trust me."
With a hard glare, she snatched her hand from his and returned to watching the battle.
"You're listening to him?" asked Sitri
'I'm waiting' Sakura responded 'Sinbad's intuition is usually right.'
"Wow, my king. I thought you would be the last woman to ever yield to a man."
"Sitri mind your tongue!" Beleth scolded.
The tense atmosphere in the room was palpable as all eyes were fixed on Mystras, who launched a barrage of fierce attacks toward his father. However, each attempt was met with the impenetrable barrier that surrounded the Knight King. Undeterred, Mystras drew back and hurled his spear at Darius with ferocious velocity, but the barrier repelled it with ease.
In a swift motion, Mystras lunged towards his father from the side, poised to deliver a decisive blow. Yet, just as his fist was about to make contact, the barrier materialized at the Knight King's side, preventing Mystras from landing the punch. The force of his momentum carried him past his father, causing him to crash once again. The room fell into stunned silence as Mystras lay motionless on the ground, leaving an air of apprehension as to what would unfold next.
Darius walked up to his son holding his spear above Mystras's head.
"This is the end." Darius said "Take it as thanks. Knight Mystras. I bless your life."
Just then Sinbad stepped in "Stop the battle."
Sakura sighed softly as she watched Sinbad step forward in front of everyone. Darius gave a dissatisfied look before his djinn reacted to Sinbad's. The other knights stepped in front of him.
"Who are you?"
As two knights charged towards him, Sinbad drew his sword with a swift motion, holding it aloft in a display of power and intimidation. The blade glinted menacingly in the light as Sinbad took a step forward, his gaze fixed on the approaching foes.
Suddenly, Baal's power became manifest, crackling through the air as lightning struck the ground around them with explosive force. The bolts of electricity seemed to dance and writhe but stopped short of striking anyone as if controlled by some unseen force.
Sakura, who had been standing nearby, watched with a mix of awe and trepidation as the spectacle unfolded. A small bead of sweat trickled down her forehead as she realized that Sinbad had deliberately prevented her from showcasing her abilities so that he could flaunt his own.
'What a show-off.'
When he stopped Darius spoke, "This is a sacred fight based on our religion. I would not meddle."
Sinbad with a hand on his hip looked at Darius's spear with a small grin "So a sacred fight...They say that Spear managed to conquer The Tower of Legend with the power of god."
Darius nodded, although his eyes held much suspicion for Sinbad.
"It truly is a remarkable power," Sinbad began, his voice resonating with a tone of respect and admiration. "But let me remind you that this power is not one that is solely yours to wield," he added, addressing the crowd of knights surrounding them.
Turning to Sakura, Sinbad gestured for her to join him in the center of the circle. With hesitant steps, she approached and lifted her hand into the air, her fingers splayed outwards.
"Beleth," she intoned, her voice ringing out with clarity. In an instant, a dazzling eight-pointed star materialized above her hand, and from within it, tongues of flame burst forth in all directions, engulfing the room in a fiery aura. The onlookers gasped in shock and awe at the sight before them.
As quickly as it had begun, Sakura withdrew her hand, the flames dissipating into thin air. Sinbad stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"As I said, that power is not the manifestation of god. It is a power given to anyone who conquers a dungeon." Sinbad stepped forward with Sakura until they were only a few feet away from the king "That is, that power has nothing to do with the religion of Sasan."
"Who are you?" Darius finally asked
"I am Sinbad, a merchant who travels the world and this is my associate Sakura."
The kunoichi let out a soft sigh when he said that, after some time Sinbad began telling people things that implicated their relationship status far from platonic.
"We are dungeon capturers just like you," Sakura stated
Sinbad gently pushed Sakura behind him and held out his sword "So let's have a duel."
OKAY! I love writing with all my heart but I have been a bit stretched thin this week as relaity takes its toll. So I'll be keeping this brief as I only have about three functioning braincells left.
Don't forget to join me on tumblr where you will also be able to see my schedules for the month and updates: