Chapter Thirty-Two: It begins

Aaron walks hastily to Lei who is sitting amongst his family. Having a joke with his little sister Fen.

"Lei..." Aaron says urgently as Lei looks up at him with surprise.

"Aaron, what are you doing here? And you have to call me prince in this setting or you will get into trouble." Lei says as he drops his dumpling.

"Aaron!" Mali shouts as he clumsily runs to him. "What are you doing here?! I hate to say it but this is a royal noble affair... And you are making quite the fuss. Because all of a sudden word is spreading that an assassin is lurking around!" Mali frustratingly gritting his teeth. Trying to remain quiet as possible.

"It's true..." Aaron whispers to him.

"Oh! Aaron, there are always assassins. But creating panic is not a good way to handle it! The royal guards have it under control. Now be a good boy and go back to whatever it was you were doing! I will speak to you later!" Mali tugs at Aaron's hand.

Aaron sighs in defeat and leaves the dinner area. With some people and dragons staring at him on his way out.

Aaron still curious decided to wander around close by. Everyone did look like they were having a great time.

Aaron takes a deep smell of all the magnificent food. However, he wasn't invited so he avoided the food.

Aaron walks past many guards on duty and stands still only their heads moving as they constantly check their surroundings. They are in full force... There are so many. Many guards are familiar with him since he has been living in the palace.

Maybe I am overthinking it... There are so many guards... And there are powerful priests around... Aaron sighs again. He decides to leave the main hall and looks outside. The festival continues on. But in his mind, his instincts are telling himself that something is wrong. He looks up at the palace wall.

His curiosity gets the better of him as he leaps up multiple windows and enters a random bedroom. Another empty room? It felt quiet compared to the rest of the palace But the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Aaron opens the door and looks in the hallway. No guards? Aaron's heart begins to race. Something isn't right at all... There should be guards...

Aaron looks down on the floor. And notices an all too familiar red substance. Aaron smears his finger on the small splotch. He sniffs it... Blood, some of it still wet... He is surprised at how small the splotch is. Someone must have cleaned most of it. Maybe that assassin who tried to kill me?

He stands up as he sees a two-door wardrobe. Aaron slowly walks towards it. His heart pounding fast. He opens the door and confirms what he feared. A body of a naked guard. Like the other two guards, he was stabbed in the back.

Shit! Aaron thinks to himself. He shuts the door as he leaves the room. However, unlike before there was a guard standing in the hallway.

"You shouldn't be up here..." The guard said. However, he didn't have a Lan-Se accent. Aaron has a quick look at his armour it doesn't fit him right.

"I don't think you are meant to be here either..." As Aaron chuckles nervously.

The guard walks towards him. He has a spear in his right hand. Aaron at that moment felt even more nervous. He can hear another set of footsteps. There is someone behind him.

First, it was a walk as it quickly became a run as the guard threw his spear. Aaron dodges it easily. THAT CONFIRMS IT! However, he can hear someone running from behind. Aaron jumps and kicks the person behind him. A woman with a set of black draconium daggers, lands on the other side of the hallway.

The guard unsheathes his daggers and backflip kicks Aaron away. Aaron crashes onto the floor. As the guard jumps onto him, kneeling on his chest breaking a few of Aaron's ribs. Knocking the air of him Aaron couldn't help but scream in pain. The guard tries to stab Aaron as the dagger got close to his neck. Aaron using his raw strength snaps the guard's arm easily and pushes him off. The guard slams into the wall.

The woman assassin in quick succession tries to stab Aaron's abdomen. Aaron likes before kicks her off. He quickly takes the daggers from the guard and arms himself with them.

She swipes at him multiple times. His other arm being cut. Aaron uses the daggers in defence. The daggers clash left and right. Both trying to kick each other.

They both fought in the hallway as Aaron gets kicked into a room. He lands and sees another freshly killed guard. Aaron leaps up as the assassin tries to kill him again. Aaron throws part of the wooden door at her and she falls backward. Aaron like the guard breaks her arm she screams. He picks her up and makes her sit with the other guard. He removes their helmets. The woman has pale white skin with black and grey hair. Yet she looks so young... Around his age. The man has pale brown skin with white hair. Both having dark purple eyes a signature trait of Inclementia.

"Bastard slave." He says spitting at Aaron.

The assassin laughs "An Iqosha slave no less... They are strong."

"What are you planning?!" Aaron asks angrily.

"We were angry about being not invited to a beautiful wedding..." She smiles smarmily.

"I mean it!" Aaron shouts. "Or do you want me to break another limb?!"

Aaron looks to the guard as he notices he has stopped moving.

"What?" Aaron gently moves his head as he sees a trickle of blood drips from his mouth.

The woman laughs "Thanks for killing yourself early asshole..." She cradles her broken arm trying to apply pressure on it.

"Are you planning to kill yourself?" Aaron is well aware of people from the Orange and Black Empires will kill themselves before their secrets come out. He was taught to do it himself... Tablets that have poison, an instant kill. Aaron knows how it feels... It is a scary prospect to think about.

"I don't feel like dying today..." She says jokingly. "I didn't even want to come all the way here... So far away from home..."

"If you tell me information, I will let you go... You have my word." Aaron gently touches her leg trying to comfort her. Even though it was a moment ago she tried to kill him.

The woman laughs again. "Your word? I suppose that's all I have. I want to live..." She then sighs in defeat. "Alright... We are not the only assassins. As you probably know... I did see you fall from the roof. You were lucky..."

"Get to the point," Aaron asks desperately.

She removes her joking demeanor and becomes serious. "I don't even know much of the plan. I am a lesser assassin... I was told to kill guards and I did it. All I can tell you... Is that, it is too late... They have been planning years for this..."

Aaron sits back. "How many of them are there?"

"Not sure... They slowly seeped in over the years. Many from the south, who know how to act like northerners. That is all I know... Can I go?" The woman looks at Aaron's eyes. However, he is wearing contacts like Iolene and they are blue eyes.

She could be lying... But with her skill I easily overpowered her. She is clearly a rookie. Different from the man with magical armour I went against earlier.

Aaron sighs and stands up. He gives the woman her hand and she hesitantly takes it.

"What is your name?" Aaron asks.

"I'm not going to tell you." she laughs as she stumbles away.

Aaron lets her go as he rushes down the palace levels. I NEED TO GET BACK TO THE PARTY! His heart races as he then decides to jump out the window and climb down the palace walls. He looks at the skyline as it now nighttime. The two full moons of drakkus and abandon are high in the sky.

He re-enters the palace main hall where many people are enjoying themselves. However, most of the room is empty and is a complete mess. He couldn't see Iolene and Lexi anywhere in sight. So he decides to find the tiny Suravi man. He jumps onto a table to find him and to his not surprise he is drinking wine in the corner.

"Mali!" Aaron shouts. Mali glances upwards as he drinks from his glass.

"Yes, Aaron?" As he burps. Aaron had to wave away the stink of his breath.

"It isn't just ONE assassin. There are many! Please you have to believe me!" Aaron felt like he was begging at this point. Assassins are assassins and they are still dangerous.

"Aaron..." Mali sighs. "Discretion isn't really your strong suit is it?"

"I have fought three of them ready. I almost died by one. The other one killed himself and the other escaped!" Aarons heart races fearing that Mali is just going to avoid him.

Mali looks up at him seriously as the news sinks in. Aaron looked like a complete mess. His hair is disheveled and his body is covered in sweat and blood. His left arm still having an open cut from the dagger. "What? Three of them?"

Aaron nods yes in reply. Mali sighs as he leaves his wine and glasses on a nearby table. "Let's go!" As he changes to a serious tone. "Everyone will be moving to the gardens to see the fireworks display."

They walk out of the main hall where Beau looks like a mess himself. Covered in dirt and leaves.

"What happened to you?!" Aaron asks.

Beau roars and shrugs as he shakes off more of the dirt.

"We have to find the others lets go!" Aaron instructs as he picks up Mali and gives him a piggyback ride. Beau running next to Aaron side by side as they race through the palace gardens.

Iolene, Lexi, Iymp, and Stein stand together as the royal family gives their final speeches before Chin and Shu Lan go to the marriage bed. Everyone claps as the speeches end.

The Emperor stands with pride raising a glass of wine. "To my son and my new daughter-in-law. May you both have long and happy lives!"

Aaron, Mali, and Beau enter the garden as fireworks begin firing into the sky. Everyone claps with happiness until a loud bang could be heard, the sky became bright and loud following with immediate silence.