(Third Person.)
As the sun shone its brightest inside the kingdom of Korra, inside the castle at the office of the King's adviser, Herbert Conroy, clad in his armor, currently standing while looking out from the glass window beside his office chair when someone knocked on the door.
After a few seconds, clad in full-body armor, the knight captain, Callan Adelaide, emerged from the door.
Herbert briefly veered his eyes on him and returned outside of the glass window. "Have any of them decided to talk yet?"
Callan shook his head. "I did everything I could, to the point that I offered them a huge amount of reward and assurance of protection, but none of them even considered my offer. Some of them decided to go home without saying a word, and based on their behavior, something or someone might cause them to shut their mouth. "
"103 escaped slaves, and not one of them decided to talk? How's that possible?"
"Even I can't believe what's happening; most of them are from middle to high-class nobility from another kingdom and boast such incomparable pride before they get abducted. I didn't expect them to not hesitate to refuse the opportunity of getting revenge on those who enslaved them."
Herbert stared at Callan. "They're too afraid to talk. They have seen something worth fearing their life for." He sat on his chair and put his hand on the table. "It doesn't matter; we already know where they came from. However, the only thing that bothers me is why they decided to release them. Releasing a slave is the riskiest thing to do, especially when the slave comes from a noble family. If you did, you should prepare for a war-level retaliation. But 103? Is their ruler trying to say something?"
Callan paused for a second and nodded. "That's exactly what I'm thinking."
Herbert put his hand on his chin.
"Besides the fact that we have a decent relationship with that place, you know that the only thing stopping us from taking back the slaves from that place since their abducting operations started three years ago is because we don't want the wrath of the shadow fairy to get unleashed to us. She's extremely dangerous, however, for a reason that I couldn't comprehend; our King himself somehow respects her so much." He narrowed his eyes. "What is she trying to do?"
"What do you think we should do, Sir Herbert?"
"We can't do anything about this. We can't force them to if none want to talk. Besides, even if they talk or not, this news will explode and sooner or later will point to that violent town. But so long as the hero won't make any move, I don't think any of the kingdoms will initiate any kind of retaliation, or else they will face the rage of the ruler of the lawless town of Levaerûn, Raiden Magestus. And no sane king would want to fight that catastrophe for such a minor reason as escaping slaves."
"I see."
"However, Callan, I have a task for you."
"Let me hear it, Sir Herbert."
"Rally your team and investigate the current state of the lawless town. Those released slaves, there is more to it than we already know. I don't think slaves could easily escape from that place, especially knowing what kind of individuals were governing that place. Something changed in that place, and I need you to know what it is."
Callan nodded. "I understand, I'll immediately-"
"I'll do it."
The office door suddenly opened, and a person emerged from it. His silky smooth red hair swayed as he walked towards Herbert and faced him with a proud smile on his perfectly shaped lips that greatly rounded out his gem-like green eyes and seemingly delicate white face. He had such an elegant face as if it was sculptured to fit his title.
He's wearing a long-sleeved white tunic with buttons open to his chest under his richly embellished black cloak, gray furs on the shoulder and neck, and black trousers and black leather shoes.
Herbert closed his eyes and exhaled before facing him. "I didn't know that you had finally arrived from the academy, Prince Dieter."
Prince Dieter clicked his finger on the other hand while still leaning his other hand on the table. "I just arrived. I have decided to come here because I couldn't find my father; it's been six months since the last time we met."
"His Majesty went on a kingdom meeting in the kingdom of Milana; I'm afraid it will take the king a long to come back."
"It doesn't matter; I already have something to do while he's away. The lawless town of Levaerûn, right? Sounds like a fun place to go."
"It's a dangerous place for you to go, Prince Carlos." Callan proclaimed.
Prince Carlos veered his eyes on him and chuckled. "Oh, look who's here. I didn't notice you were there until you decided to speak." He tapped Callan's armored shoulder. "My old friend, Callan. By the way, I heard the sad story. You have my condolences for the death of your cousin. What's his name again? The one who disdained demi-humans so much he ironically died while chasing one?"
"Caspian, and he is not my cousin; he's just an acquaintance of mine."
He repeatedly nodded. "Really? I thought you were close relatives, so you helped him climb up to his rank easily. Too bad he died because of it. What a stroke of bad luck, isn't it?"
Callan didn't reply and just closed his eyes.
"Good. Now, leave everything to me. I'll go investigate that little town on my own, and who knows, maybe I could manage to put them on a leash and set them under our grip. I'm sick of hearing news about them doing whatever they want with my father not doing anything about it."
Herbert stood up. "That place is dangerous, Prince Carlos."
"I'll take some knights with me, and don't ever send another party to follow me. Or else, you already know what will happen."
Prince Carlos left the room, leaving them just shaking their heads.
Herbert exhaled and massaged his forehead. "We can't stop him now. Follow the prince and ensure his safety."
Callan nodded. "I understand."
"The lawless town of Levaerûn is never a good place for a proud prince to go to."
Meanwhile…
"You could have defeated him if you wanted to," Xin told Raiden after their daily report meeting.
"I doubt if I can even do that. I'm not even sure if I could survive the fight," Raiden said as she felt the pain of her injured shoulder. "Look what he did to my shoulder. It's still painful, and I could still feel the burning effect of his pyro magic."
"What do you think about him?"
"He's just a kid with the full potential to be a Kastighur."
"It is what Sora wanted to Summon, right?"
"A Kastighur is the evolved appearance of Summons. A beast born from destruction without a rational mind on its own. With the level of his imitation skills, Sora has summoned a larger problem that is far more dangerous than we are facing right now."
Xin looked at Raiden with doubt.
"Troy has a mind on his own. In fact, that he did challenge us to demolish our factions was something a mindless destructive beast can do. We should cling to the hope that Troy is not and won't become something we feared."
That kid, when I fought him, I felt like something was staring at me. Like watching every move, I was making. Not only did he imitate my magic skills, but I felt like he managed to evolve it. For example, Dark magic. Only an Evolved Black Magic from Dark Magic can summon the strongest creatures, like Mage-hunting monsters. I have many questions, but I knew Troy would never answer them, given he could imitate my Ultimate Concealment."
"That kid is full of surprises. I just hope he'll be back here by the time he reaches his adventures," Xin added before sipping his cup of coffee.
"Master Xin, Lady Raiden, Prince of Central Korra, came to meet you," Anabelle appeared behind them. You should come and face him."
"Very well," Raiden stood up. "What is the King's Brat doing here? Is he in for a death wish?"
Xin and Raiden arrived at the lobby; Leo was already there, acting cool before the men Clad in armor.
"What do you want, King's brat?" Raiden asked as they sat down before the men.
"I heard this Town houses rats and criminals, but I look around; it seems quite not the exact place my men describe," Prince Carlos said.
Raiden's brows furrow.
"Is that supposed to be an insult? Or what?"
"Depends on how you accept it," Carlos smirked.
"Oi, don't you know how to respect, BratBrat? Or are you forgetting this town doesn't belong to your kingdom? Did it ever occur to you that you might not come out alive of this town?" Leo said.
"Enough, Leo," Xin replied. "What brings you here, Prince Carlos? Our Boss is currently not here. If you wish to say something, we're all ears."
"Boss? You mean there's someone higher than you?"
"Yes, and he left us to improve and guard this town. If you wish to create havoc, then let us talk to the King directly."
"How dare you talk to me like that, low-life? I AM THE PRINCE AND-"
"Let me remind you where exactly you are right now," Leo gritted his teeth; he hated humans, especially royal blood. "Are you aware that this town does not bow down to royals?"
He was about to punch the light out of the prince, but,
"Pardon, Master Xin, Lady Raiden, the Prince wasn't aware of the situation between the Capital and Levaerûn," Callan, who arrived in time, appeared with a bunch of knights with him.
"Please collect your Prince, Callan. Otherwise, you'll bring back a dead Prince to your castle."
"Y-yes, Lady Raiden. Pardon our unnotified intrusion."