Myria screamed and buried her head into Tier's chest as Nallia backed out
of the room and feeling extremely sick. Tier and Brent observed the scene
with cold faces and Aeron held Soyee from falling to the ground.
After a thorough examination from Tier and Brent, the two concluded that it was the work of the enemy. There were scorch marks on many of the guards, which meant that the famous Ghetto death clan magicians had joined the enemy ranks. Many of the guards also died to what were sword wounds, tipped with poison.
"Assassins!" Brent stormed around the room watching Soyee perform cleaning rituals and ceremonies over the dead. Many of the town's folk had ventured into the room to help with the clearing of the dead. Acolytes helped comfort the friends and families of those dead and priests joined Soyee in the rituals.
"Yes Assassins. By the looks of it, from the South." Answered Tier.
Taking a shard of a broken sword from a priest, Tier examined it. The mages and the priests all had a respect for Tier. They answered to him and showed great respect for any command Tier may have for them. These arouse suspicions among the group of young people.
Suddenly Tier looked at the group and cleared his throat. Seeing Myria look at him expectedly, he said, "I suppose you'll follow me wherever I go?"
Myria smiled and walked up to him, "Of course."
Tier shook his head and sighed. "I'm going to the enemy's head quarters. It will be very dangerous. You may lose your life Myria. Will you still follow me?"
Myria looked him in the eye and said quite clearly for all to hear. "Yes. I will."
Tier smiled sadly and hugged Myria briefly. Looking at the rest of the group, he asked for forgiveness for leaving and starts to walk away. Before he can take a step though Aeron stood up and blocked his way. "You're not going anywhere with my sister, unless I'm going with the two of you."
Nallia and Soyee also stood up. "Same here." The two smiled at each other and walked up to Tier. Brent looked around and sighed. "I'm too old for this."
Taking off the red bandana, Brent put on his old panda hat and smiled. "There, much better." Taking a few steps towards the door, Brent turned back and said, "Well? You guys coming or what? I'm not quite sure where the enemy's head quarters are."
The whole group laughed and walked out of the castle. As they left, the high priests looked at each other. There would have to be a ceremony to pray for their safe return.
It had been three days since they had journeyed from Izlude towards the south. Along the way, there were many southern soldiers that were terrorizing the land. Myria and Nallia practiced their skills on these soldiers and were rewarded by the soldier's immediate defeat and retreat.
As they walked towards Comodo, Myria admired all the different customs of the people of Midgard. Within a week's time, they would reach the southern waters and they would have to fight. Would Myria be able to see such beautiful lands again?
As if thinking the same thing as Myria, Aeron walked up to her and put an arm on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll protect you."
Myria smiled softly and started walking. "What do you think we'll be doing when we get there?"
Aeron looked surprised, "Of course we're going to sabotage their plans and kill anyone who stands in our way!"
Myria sighed, "That's what I'm afraid of."
That night, she watched the silent forest animals around the forests. A sudden sound made Myria jump as she turned around and tried to see through the shadows. Crouched on the ground, was Tier and in his arms, he held Wen and Tye.
Growling, Tier asked the two boys, "What are the two of you doing here?"
Noticing Myria, Wen quickly stopped fighting and smiled mischievously, "Hi there, lady. Remember me?"
Rolling her eyes, Myria shook her head. "Tier, I know the two of them."
Arching an eyebrow, Tier let Wen and Tye go. "You know two no good thieves?"
Sighing, Myria nodded and motioned for Wen and Tye to sit by her. Running away from Tier, the two boys sat down and Myria noticed the shoes they wore. Trimmed with soft fur on the bottom of the shoes, the two boys were able to run without making any sound on the hard ground.
Turning towards them, Myria asked, "What are you guys doing around here? If Aeron sees you, he'll have your head for taking away all our equipments and zennies."
Blushing, Tye stood up and bowed slowly. "Sorry. I really didn't want to, but Wen said that we needed zennies to join the thief's guild."
Scowling, Wen glared at Tye. "Well we did, didn't we?" Myria stopped listening to their bickering and looked up at Tier. The man was staring at the two boys with astonishment and the look sent laughter rolling through Myria. Unable to stop laughing, it was her turn to receive the stares from the three people around her.
Tier sat down next to the exhausted Myria and patted her on the back, "What exactly was that?"
"You should have seen the look on your face!" Myria smiled and turned towards Wen and Tye. "So what did you say you were here for?"
"Well we were just adventuring away from Morroc and happened by these forests. We're here to see the Great Mage. The Boy in the Great Wars. I have a few items that may help him AND we hear that the Great Mage's items are VERY rare to get. Perhaps we could trade with him?"
Tier started blushing and shook his head. Walking away from the two boys, he sat a distance off as if thinking. Noticing that he was in hearing distance, Myria smiled to herself. Is he trying to eavesdrop?
Myria turned to Wen and Tye and shook her head stubbornly. "I believe the Great Mage would not want to talk to you."
Tye looked disappointed and Wen looked confused. "You know the Great Mage?"
Myria nodded. "Of course. I traveled with him many times before."
Wen smiled. "Then I'll trade you some secrets and you tell me where he is."
Myria thought about this. "What are the secrets about? They must be good to trade for his whereabouts." Myria noticed Tier's shaking body. Is he laughing or is he angry?
"Well, I know that the southern enemy is getting ready to fire on Comodo. They have been sneaking pass the guards there for a whole month now, but they want to take over the fun loving city. So I believe their ranks hidden among the Comodo people are going to fight any time soon."
This Myria thought to be very interesting, "What else is there?" Hiding the strong emotions within her, Myria tried to contain her anger.
"That's not good enough?" Myria shook her head. "Well then, the enemy is also saying that they have captured two of our spies. A man and a woman. If we do not surrender Prontera, they're going to die. I hear these spies are actually heroes in the Great War. They sabotaged the Enemy King's plan, along with the Great Mage."
Myria noticed Tier getting up, "The Great Mage knew the two spies?"
"That's what I heard." Wen stopped talking and looked at Myria expectedly, "Where's the Great Mage now?"
"Tell me more about these secrets. Do you know more?"
Wen frowned, "I hear that the Enemy King is launching a full magical assault on Comodo and Geffen. They are also searching for the two spy's family."
"Why the spy's family" asked Tier.
"It is said that the two spies are excellent fighters and it is to be believed that their son and daughter must also be great fighters. If they do not know how to use their talents, then the Enemy King can kill them before they become a threat."
Tier sat down beside Myria and took her hands. "We're going to have to go now. We can't stay here. Every moment becomes more dangerous. Can you go to the others? I'll take care of things here."
Myria nodded and ran off to warn the others about their departure. Turning back, Myria saw Tier take off a charm from his waist pocket and give it to Wen and Tye. Before she was out of hearing distance, she heard Tier say, "A charm from the Boy of the Great Wars."
Enveloped in his blanket, Aeron yawned and dreamt about his father. He remembered how his father would always come home late. Waking suddenly to the sound of Myria's voice, an image caught in his memory. The image of his father in bloody clothes, holding a knife, which belonged to the assassins of the East.
After a thorough examination from Tier and Brent, the two concluded that it was the work of the enemy. There were scorch marks on many of the guards, which meant that the famous Ghetto death clan magicians had joined the enemy ranks. Many of the guards also died to what were sword wounds, tipped with poison.
"Assassins!" Brent stormed around the room watching Soyee perform cleaning rituals and ceremonies over the dead. Many of the town's folk had ventured into the room to help with the clearing of the dead. Acolytes helped comfort the friends and families of those dead and priests joined Soyee in the rituals.
"Yes Assassins. By the looks of it, from the South." Answered Tier.
Taking a shard of a broken sword from a priest, Tier examined it. The mages and the priests all had a respect for Tier. They answered to him and showed great respect for any command Tier may have for them. These arouse suspicions among the group of young people.
Suddenly Tier looked at the group and cleared his throat. Seeing Myria look at him expectedly, he said, "I suppose you'll follow me wherever I go?"
Myria smiled and walked up to him, "Of course."
Tier shook his head and sighed. "I'm going to the enemy's head quarters. It will be very dangerous. You may lose your life Myria. Will you still follow me?"
Myria looked him in the eye and said quite clearly for all to hear. "Yes. I will."
Tier smiled sadly and hugged Myria briefly. Looking at the rest of the group, he asked for forgiveness for leaving and starts to walk away. Before he can take a step though Aeron stood up and blocked his way. "You're not going anywhere with my sister, unless I'm going with the two of you."
Nallia and Soyee also stood up. "Same here." The two smiled at each other and walked up to Tier. Brent looked around and sighed. "I'm too old for this."
Taking off the red bandana, Brent put on his old panda hat and smiled. "There, much better." Taking a few steps towards the door, Brent turned back and said, "Well? You guys coming or what? I'm not quite sure where the enemy's head quarters are."
The whole group laughed and walked out of the castle. As they left, the high priests looked at each other. There would have to be a ceremony to pray for their safe return.
It had been three days since they had journeyed from Izlude towards the south. Along the way, there were many southern soldiers that were terrorizing the land. Myria and Nallia practiced their skills on these soldiers and were rewarded by the soldier's immediate defeat and retreat.
As they walked towards Comodo, Myria admired all the different customs of the people of Midgard. Within a week's time, they would reach the southern waters and they would have to fight. Would Myria be able to see such beautiful lands again?
As if thinking the same thing as Myria, Aeron walked up to her and put an arm on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll protect you."
Myria smiled softly and started walking. "What do you think we'll be doing when we get there?"
Aeron looked surprised, "Of course we're going to sabotage their plans and kill anyone who stands in our way!"
Myria sighed, "That's what I'm afraid of."
That night, she watched the silent forest animals around the forests. A sudden sound made Myria jump as she turned around and tried to see through the shadows. Crouched on the ground, was Tier and in his arms, he held Wen and Tye.
Growling, Tier asked the two boys, "What are the two of you doing here?"
Noticing Myria, Wen quickly stopped fighting and smiled mischievously, "Hi there, lady. Remember me?"
Rolling her eyes, Myria shook her head. "Tier, I know the two of them."
Arching an eyebrow, Tier let Wen and Tye go. "You know two no good thieves?"
Sighing, Myria nodded and motioned for Wen and Tye to sit by her. Running away from Tier, the two boys sat down and Myria noticed the shoes they wore. Trimmed with soft fur on the bottom of the shoes, the two boys were able to run without making any sound on the hard ground.
Turning towards them, Myria asked, "What are you guys doing around here? If Aeron sees you, he'll have your head for taking away all our equipments and zennies."
Blushing, Tye stood up and bowed slowly. "Sorry. I really didn't want to, but Wen said that we needed zennies to join the thief's guild."
Scowling, Wen glared at Tye. "Well we did, didn't we?" Myria stopped listening to their bickering and looked up at Tier. The man was staring at the two boys with astonishment and the look sent laughter rolling through Myria. Unable to stop laughing, it was her turn to receive the stares from the three people around her.
Tier sat down next to the exhausted Myria and patted her on the back, "What exactly was that?"
"You should have seen the look on your face!" Myria smiled and turned towards Wen and Tye. "So what did you say you were here for?"
"Well we were just adventuring away from Morroc and happened by these forests. We're here to see the Great Mage. The Boy in the Great Wars. I have a few items that may help him AND we hear that the Great Mage's items are VERY rare to get. Perhaps we could trade with him?"
Tier started blushing and shook his head. Walking away from the two boys, he sat a distance off as if thinking. Noticing that he was in hearing distance, Myria smiled to herself. Is he trying to eavesdrop?
Myria turned to Wen and Tye and shook her head stubbornly. "I believe the Great Mage would not want to talk to you."
Tye looked disappointed and Wen looked confused. "You know the Great Mage?"
Myria nodded. "Of course. I traveled with him many times before."
Wen smiled. "Then I'll trade you some secrets and you tell me where he is."
Myria thought about this. "What are the secrets about? They must be good to trade for his whereabouts." Myria noticed Tier's shaking body. Is he laughing or is he angry?
"Well, I know that the southern enemy is getting ready to fire on Comodo. They have been sneaking pass the guards there for a whole month now, but they want to take over the fun loving city. So I believe their ranks hidden among the Comodo people are going to fight any time soon."
This Myria thought to be very interesting, "What else is there?" Hiding the strong emotions within her, Myria tried to contain her anger.
"That's not good enough?" Myria shook her head. "Well then, the enemy is also saying that they have captured two of our spies. A man and a woman. If we do not surrender Prontera, they're going to die. I hear these spies are actually heroes in the Great War. They sabotaged the Enemy King's plan, along with the Great Mage."
Myria noticed Tier getting up, "The Great Mage knew the two spies?"
"That's what I heard." Wen stopped talking and looked at Myria expectedly, "Where's the Great Mage now?"
"Tell me more about these secrets. Do you know more?"
Wen frowned, "I hear that the Enemy King is launching a full magical assault on Comodo and Geffen. They are also searching for the two spy's family."
"Why the spy's family" asked Tier.
"It is said that the two spies are excellent fighters and it is to be believed that their son and daughter must also be great fighters. If they do not know how to use their talents, then the Enemy King can kill them before they become a threat."
Tier sat down beside Myria and took her hands. "We're going to have to go now. We can't stay here. Every moment becomes more dangerous. Can you go to the others? I'll take care of things here."
Myria nodded and ran off to warn the others about their departure. Turning back, Myria saw Tier take off a charm from his waist pocket and give it to Wen and Tye. Before she was out of hearing distance, she heard Tier say, "A charm from the Boy of the Great Wars."
Enveloped in his blanket, Aeron yawned and dreamt about his father. He remembered how his father would always come home late. Waking suddenly to the sound of Myria's voice, an image caught in his memory. The image of his father in bloody clothes, holding a knife, which belonged to the assassins of the East.