The soldiers immediately went into action. While the crown prince remained unperturbed, the delegate had anger on his face. An assassin made it past all their security checks?! How was this even possible?
Maybe only the assassin himself could’ve answered this question, but naturally he wasn’t in the mood right now. The hooded figure gathered all their strength, raining down hell on the soldiers.
But how could someone accompanying the crown prince be ordinary?
One half of the prince’s soldiers quickly stood in formation. They raised the heavy shields on their arms. A collective shout shook the cloud beneath their feet. A bluish shimmering force seemed to connect all the shields together.
Tepo was fascinated. His eyes were enraptured by the show playing out. With how leisurely Quill and Anvil behaved, the young man knew there was no reason to be afraid. He could completely enjoy the spectacular display of spells. He was only missing some snacks.
In complete opposition to Tepo’s calmness, the soldiers were giving their all right now. Trained to combine their strengths they formed a sturdy barrier, repelling the chaotic blizzard. Bone-chilling coldness slowly engulfed the plaza as the shattering of ice continuously sounded.
Another team of soldier advanced against the storm. Their metallic armors threatened to freeze against their skin, but they continued with determination. Killing the assassin meant protecting the crown prince. This was all that mattered.
Within the wind channel the hooded figure stood silently. No one could guess their thoughts. Were they waiting for an opportunity?
If this was the case, then they should hurry up. The advancing soldiers were only a short distance away. With stone cold faces a viciousness appeared in their eyes.
Suddenly cries rang out. The crowd yelled. Shock spread. The situation changed at a moment’s notice.
Two soldiers abruptly slashed out with their swords. A solid, dark energy shot through the air. When Tepo’s eyes fell on it, the young man felt as if his soul would leave his body. Death was staring at his face.
He quickly shook of this feeling. But the assassin wasn’t able to. Standing this close, the hooded figure was stiff as the scythe of death cut towards him.
Left with no chance to defend himself, the figure was hit. The onlookers cried. Parents shielded their children’s eyes as a head sailed through the air. Blood splattered… or did it?!
Suddenly the beheaded figure burst open. It turned into splinters of ice, shooting towards the soldiers. Those had no time to care, however. Their bodies shook. They turned around abruptly.
During the seconds of bombardment, some ice had made it through the barrier. It laid on the ground among the defending soldiers. Suddenly some movement came into it.
Abruptly the ice gathered towards the crown prince. In front of everyone’s shocked eyes it only needed a moment to take on a human form. A hooded figure suddenly appeared. It was right next to the prince!
All the soldiers panicked. This was a dereliction of duty. How could they not manage to stop the assassin?!
The hooded figure saw their chance. With an insane laugh they drew a long dagger. The metal flickered under the sunlight. And stabbed towards the prince’s chest!
Everyone’s hearts were in their throats. Could this really be happening? Was the prince going to die here?
Suddenly a hand shot out. It grabbed the assassin by their neck. A mellow, almost friendly voice sounded out:
“Nice try.”
Tepo stared with wide open mouth. The many twists and turns left him in awe. Suddenly it was the crown prince who had the assassin by their neck. It seemed this attempt had ended in failure.
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Barely able to struggle, the assassin only managed to advance his dagger at a snail’s pace. Finally, it touched the crown prince before the assassin’s body turned limp. They had been strangled to death.
Gradually chatter rose. Some sporadic cheers rang out amidst the crowd. Many warriors scoffed at the assassin, annoyed at the delay.
In the VIP area slow clapping sounded. Tepo turned towards Quill, watching the latter’s uninterested demeanor.
“A good show, really. But the emotions were lacking a bit. 8/10.”, spoke the scholarly man lazily.
“Tzz. The assassin wasn’t convincing at all. 5/10 and I’m already being generous here!”, scoffed Anvil.
Tepo looked at his new companions in bewilderment. What were they talking about? Did they mock the assassin’s death?
Noticing Tepo’s look, Anvil chuckled slightly:
“I hope you don’t think any of this was real, right?”
“What do you mean? Someone died out there!”
“Yes.”, acknowledged Quill calmly. “A death soldier of the Subire royal family. They were raised to die for the family and now fulfilled their purpose. It’s an outdated method used by ruthless rulers, but it can serve its purpose.”
Tepo frowned. He was somewhat shocked by Quill’s calmness. Although he showed some sympathy, it was a far stretch from the genuine anger in Anvil’s eyes.
His stomach churning, Tepo had the urge to throw up.
What’s the difference between raising death warriors and raising livestock? Sh*t. That’s disgusting! If Quill’s words are true, those royals aren’t much better than the ‘outsiders’.
Rage burning in his chest, Tepo stared at the crown prince. The royal never lost his brilliant smile and calm demeanor. He seemed to have everything under control.
Meanwhile the city’s delegate apologized over and over again. After this assassination the kingdom might have to make a lot of concessions. From this perspective, everything ended perfectly for the crown prince.
But… Tepo’s gaze sharpened. Did the blond man just wince as he raised his hand? Did he get hurt?
Tepo was left with doubts as the entourage turned their backs towards the crowd, advancing towards the big palace at the end of the street.
Finally, Quill and Anvil stood up. The tall woman stretched tiredly as she addressed Tepo:
“Come on, newbie. We should be able to continue soon.”
Tepo let go of his thoughts. Standing up, he followed Anvil downstairs before walking to the edge of the cloud.
The crowd scattered slowly. The soldiers already began to let ships pass in an orderly manner. Quill waved his hand, his ship appearing out of thin air. Some surprised and greedy gazes fell on the warrior, but he confidently ignored them.
When Tepo stopped on the cloud, waiting for the ship to enter the wind channel, Anvil understood quickly. With a mischievous laugh she grabbed the newbie’s arm, jumping into the ship together.
Glaring at the still chuckling woman, Tepo massaged his shoulder as he took a place behind Quill. As the ship started, the trio could finally advance, taking the quickest way towards their base.
After slowly making it through the city’s blocked off area, the ship entered a broad wind channel. Although Quill didn’t show it, he was also annoyed by the lost time. Thus, the scholarly man drove as if in a high-speed race, shaking the inexperienced Tepo in his seat.
After multiple hours of a bumpy ride the trio had long left the Hurricane Kingdom. Tepo studied the World of Carrying Winds in amazement.
He couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw floating, rocky asteroids with a variety of plants. Mountains floated on clouds, housing different kinds of beasts. Massive ships traveled along the wind channels, transporting goods.
From time to time, they passed gathering places for warriors ready to try their luck in danger zones. But even commoners could traverse the world as long as they stayed within the wind channels. They came home from their work on special clouds full of fields, looking forward to their families.
Finally, as Anvil was already bored to death, Quill’s ship entered an empty wind channel. They traveled a bit longer before turning and entering the storms.
Soon, a spectacular sight entered Tepo’s eyes. A gigantic mass of water hung in the air. It’s waves, churning form the storms, sparkled mystically in the reddening evening sun. Fish, or rather aquatic beasts, happily jumped out at the surface.
Clusters of rocks formed small islands full of exotic plants. Some birds hovered around the ocean, adding a lively feel.
The gorgeous scenery immediately drew Tepo in. Once again, the World of Carrying Winds showed off its paradisical side.
Even Quill and Anvil weren’t completely numb yet even after seeing the ocean so often. Their minds relaxed as Quill steered his ship forward.
Suddenly, unbeknownst to Tepo, lights flashed on Quill’s and Anvil’s necks. Under the newcomer’s surprised gaze, the water parted around their ship, avoiding it.
Quill calmly advanced as the ocean closed behind them. Their ship appeared as if enclosed within a bubble. Curious beasts swam around them, instinctively not daring to touch the bubble. They fletched their sharp teeth and shook their colorful bodies while circling the sudden invader.
But the longer Tepo observed them, the less threatening those beasts appeared. The rather seemed… welcoming?
Just as this strange thought appeared in Tepo’s mind, the ship slowly arrived at another bubble. A big space free of water opened up before them. Tepo’s body trembled, his mouth gaping wide open.