Before we start, I'd like to personally apologize to anyone reading this for the month-long wait between the last chapter and now.

Between suffering a bit of writers' block and general emotional baggage within my personal life, I felt it best to take a step back and recharge creatively before properly deciding to return to writing this once again.

And while I still don't feel back at 100%, I just couldn't put off not continuing this any longer. So I hope it doesn't impact your general enjoyment too much.

Now with that out of the way, let's continue...

CHAPTER SIX

The Prince and Kaileena woke up the next morning, taking a bit of time to unstiffen their bodies from the awkward sleeping positions of the previous night before proceeding back down carefully to the lower streets and snatching some leftover market foods for the road, knowing they'd need as much energy as they could foster if they were to have any chance at getting to and defeating the Doppelganger.

Stealthily moving through the streets, they made sure to avoid confrontation unless absolutely necessary as the Prince tore off a slightly rusty but still efficient dagger from a barged-in door which evidently had been broken into by the Doppelganger's forces for whatever deluded plan he had in store for these unfortunate souls. Army growth, slavery, hired assassination... Whatever it was, the Prince knew whoever lived here had refused to go down without a fight.

He admired his new weapon closely in his right hand. It was no proper blade, but it was better than having nothing to primarily defend himself with (knowing full well that he couldn't always rely on Kaileena to get him out of trouble, the Prince knowing that she had a far greater need for the stolen Prison swords than he did).

Attaching the dagger to his belt, the Prince moved back to Kaileena's position. She appeared to be looking down from a higher street level, with her pointing out a stable nearby that could house a chariot which could get them to the Babel Tower more quickly, rather than continuing to tediously proceed on foot.

Agreeing with her, the Prince and Kaileena continued their exploration of these seemingly dead streets, dispatching the occasional guard all the while until they eventually reached their destination.

Fortunately, it didn't take too long for the duo to get their hands on a chariot with a couple horses already primed for transportation as the Prince took control of it while Kaileena held on tightly, gripping her swords with determination as she prepared herself for action. These efforts did not go completely unnoticed however as they sped past the newly-unlocked gate, a few guards shouting for reinforcements as their targets continued off into the distance.

'That was easier than expected,' the Prince commented. 'One would think powerful invaders would have more alert guards on duty in an area as secure as a stable.'

'With power comes overconfidence, my Prince,' Kaileena suggested. 'Turn right!'

The Prince immediately knew why his lover-in-arms had been correct in suggesting a slight detour, as a barricade was in the way. Making a hard right through a very cramped alley, they found themselves welcomed by soldiers standing in the middle of the streets who did what they could to either get onto their chariot or kill them with arrows from a higher position. But this all proved trivial to Kaileena as the Prince struggled to maintain a stable sense of direction while she sliced unwanted passengers or retaliated at the odd archer, by flinging a snatched enemy weapon as far as she could to take them out.

Believing they had dealt with the last of them, their relief was short-lived as an opposing chariot came down to join them from a different route, bashing into them as hard as it could in the hopes of doing his master proud.

'Try that steep dead end over there!' Kaileena pointed out to the Prince as he returned the favor to the determined assassin, bashing his chariot enough against the opposition that it was too late for the outmatched foe to alter course, slamming into the wall hard as the horses lay in a collapsed heap among a wreckage of wood and blood.

'That was close.' Kaileena said.

'Hold on!' the Prince responded as he whipped the horses and instructed them to slow down, just before the entrance to the Babel Tower streets.

Gently stroking the horses in order to calm them down, Kaileena and the Prince made their way through the tightly-squeezed crack in the slightly agape door, their next taxing challenge only just beginning.