At high noon, beneath the scorching sun, King Cambyses leads a platoon of soldiers toward the heart of the Median Capital. Accompanying him are his loyal companions - Spero, Cyrus, Nefarious, Darius, and Parsa. The other generals remain steadfast in Anshan, safeguarding the kingdom in the king's absence. Upon arriving at the grand gates of the kingdom, they are greeted by various parties from neighboring tribes, some offering new alliances and others still uncertain. As the gates swing open, a grand procession unfolds, and each leader and high-ranking official is announced to the cheering crowd lining the city's main strip.

Within the crowd of onlookers, some keen-eyed soldiers catch sight of Spero, sparking hushed whispers among them that soon spread to curious citizens nearby [https://img.wattpad.com/75c6a14e27a1162a8453bd8fd0536bfea7885ed7/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f747643746931564e7562723354773d3d2d313530373835313635372e313831373762306633653136363532323336393433383739303334392e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

Within the crowd of onlookers, some keen-eyed soldiers catch sight of Spero, sparking hushed whispers among them that soon spread to curious citizens nearby. Unease settles over Spero as he notices shady figures lurking in the alleyways, their eyes following him. A silent exchange of concern passes between Spero, Cyrus, and Nefarious as they gain notice as well.

In the regal throne room, the group leaders and personal guards assemble for a crucial meeting. Cambyses and Nefarious sweep in with an air of authority. Following closely behind is Cyrus and Spero, the latter is halted at the threshold by a stern guard.

"You are not allowed to enter" a guard declares firmly.

"He is with the kingdom of Anshan; he is one of my father's trusted guards." Cyrus insists.

"Apologies Prince, but despite your lineage to the King, his kind is not allowed." The guard reiterates.

Spero locks eyes with the guard, his gaze piercing and unwavering. A drip of sweat drops down the man's forehead as he struggles to retain eye contact with him.

"He is one of my guests." a commanding voice interjects, "You will allow him entry," Harpagus demands.

"General, with all due respect, the king may not approve."

"I will address any repercussions later. Let him pass," Harpagus orders, his tone leaving no room for argument. The guard reluctantly yielded, allowing Spero to join the assembly.

Spero and Harpagus exchange a silent nod as they enter the grand hall, a hush falling over the room as all eyes turn towards Spero. Harpagus raised a hand, silencing the murmurs, and gestured for King Astyages to begin. The king greets the guests with a warm smile before launching into discussions about the upcoming harvest, the state of the battlefronts, and the pressing need for supplies.

It was then that King Cambyses spoke, "My lord, Anshan has stood firm against our enemies, facing the Orcs and Reptilians head-on. However, the Elves have proven to be a formidable foe. We may soon require assistance with supplies to sustain our defense?"

Astyages' response, "While I appreciate your valiant efforts, we are unable to fulfill your request at this time."

Cambyses retorts, "Respectfully my King, but we have been in this fight for years, we have been the main defense for your territories, for us to proceed with this push back we would require more than what we can foster."

"We have been allies in this fight for years, Cambyses. We have leaned on your strength as our main defense. But I understand your need for more support. We may be able to offer aid, but we will require some assurance for such a commitment."

Cambyses, clenches his fist and jaw, uttering a respectful,. "Thank you, my king"

As the meeting continues, Spero becomes hyperaware of a mysterious mana pervading the meeting room, he sees the piercing gaze of the King's Magi fixed upon him. In a silent exchange of tension, Spero catches Nefarious's eye, his concern mirrored in the sorcerer's expression.

Without a word, Nefarious gestures for Spero's attention, his voice barely a whisper as he instructs, "Search the city. I sense the Magi have left us some surprises."

Spero signals to Cyrus and Cambyses, who nod in silent acknowledgment of his directive. Spero swiftly departs the confines of the meeting room. Descending to the palace lobby, Spero joins Darius and Parsa.

He commands, "Gather our men and follow me."

Though confusion briefly flickers across their faces, Darius and Parsa then ready themselves without question. As their group assembles in the plaza, Spero's sharp eyes scan their surroundings, noting the subtle movements of shadowy figures lurking in alleyways and behind carts.

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"Parsa you and a handful of men go to the northern section and take out any bandits you see. Darius and you three come with me to the east side. We will take out any threats along our way."

Parsa grabs a few men. "You two, archers on each side. Climb now!"

Parsa and his men head north. Darius and Spero venture eastward, navigating through narrow alleys and descending through tight staircases. The musty scent of fabrics and clothes hanging out to dry fills the air around them as they move stealthily, ears tuning to any hint of movement. Each step is taken with caution, fingers tightly wrap around the handles of their blades.

Each step is taken with caution, fingers tightly wrap around the handles of their blades [https://img.wattpad.com/1931cb5a38bc9e08915bd701aedce4c4f88c0491/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f52433948716834346e36425657673d3d2d313530373835313635372e313831373762316437386665663961343434343338303737343639372e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

Suddenly, Spero's urgent signal halts their advance. The soldier in the rear turns, while Darius casts a glance to his left where another exit beckons. Darius brushes aside a hanging rug, CLANG, a blade cuts through the rug descending towards him. He intercepted the attack, engaging in a fierce struggle that ended with a powerful kick to disarm his assailant. As the attack unfolds, two more adversaries drop from above, launching an assault on the group. Darius incapacitates his foe by smashing his head against the unforgiving stone wall before delivering a decisive stab.

Meanwhile, the three soldiers in the rear dispatch the remaining assailants. Once the skirmish subsides, Spero confirms the team's well-being with a glance before leading them onward. Pushing forward, they arrive at a crucial intersection, where Spero's hand signals direct them to split up. With one soldier forging ahead, another veering left, and one holding the center position, Darius and Spero proceed down the path to the right.

As the duo press forward, Spero's voice is barely audible as he points out to Darius, "Look for any glyphs or sigils, their Magi has hidden some around here."

Deeper into the unknown, a sudden motion erupts - five adversaries appear from the shadows. Spero's fist meets one's jaw with a resounding thud, while his front kick sends another airborne, crashing into the distant wall. Darius lunges low, gripping an opponent's hips, and with a mighty heave, he hurls the foe down to the hard stone ground. As the remaining enemies close in from behind, Darius spins, driving his elbow into one's side and piercing his sword through the attacker's leg. The fallen adversary struggles to rise, only to be greeted by a fiery magic blast from Darius, sending him tumbling back to the ground.

Oh right, they're Divnians as well.

Darius extracts the sword from the man's thigh and aims for the man's gut, delivering a brutal strike. He then dashes towards the attacker now writhing on the ground, casting a spell that summons vines to entangle the man's limbs. Darius plunges his sword into the man's torso.

Meanwhile, Spero finds himself deflecting arrows while evading attacks from two adversaries. He incapacitates one enemy starting with a swift knife cut to the opponent's left ankle, Spero continues his assault with precise strikes to the right knee, left wrist disarming them, right elbow, and finally the neck. He focuses on his next foe by grabbing their face and forcefully smashing his head against the wall.

The enemy luckily spits some words at him, "You disgusting demon" as his eyes stare at him with disgust.

Spero coldly rebukes with disdain, "I'm tired of the weak making empty threats."

Igniting a dark mist of energy that envelopes the man's face, he watches as screams of agony fill his ears. Spero inflicts further pain by repeatedly slamming the man's head against the unyielding surface, a sight that makes Darius tremble slightly. A mysterious voice begins to echo in Spero's consciousness,

They deserve this, their insults are unwarranted.

Spero drains the energy from his opponent while swatting arrows out of the air that are flying towards him. With calculated precision, he parries four arrows in quick succession, anticipating the trajectory of each one. As the fifth arrow is released from the bow, Spero hurls his knife towards the assassin, the blade finding its mark in the man's skull. Spero manages to catch the arrow hurtling towards him as well. He turns his attention to the assassin in his grasp, delivering a series of deadly stabs to the man's neck and collarbone. The final strike comes as Spero plunges the arrow underneath the man's chin, its tip piercing through the roof of his mouth, ensuring his demise.

Meanwhile, Darius approaches Spero, attempting to draw his focus away from the grim scene before them. Spero's gaze remains fixed on the lifeless body slumping against the wall, his eyes blankly staring. It is only when Darius taps his shoulder that Spero shakes off his trance-like state. Parsa rushes in with the rest of the men,

"We cleared the northern side," he announces breathlessly.

Just as he finished speaking, a group surrounded them on both sides of the exits. SWOOP, arrows are released, flying by and dropping their assailants from above. The archers from earlier that Parsa ordered arrived at their location. Darius takes a moment to catch his breath, his eyes scanning the edge of each alleyway, a sigil had been carved into the bottom corner.

"Spero, look!" he calls out.

"They're tracking every person who walks in and out" Spero states.

"We need to do something about these bodies." Parsa brings this to their attention.

Suddenly, Nefarious emerges from around the corner. "I will deal with it," he declares, "Cover them up with any fabric you find hanging around."

Working quickly, they cover the fallen bodies with whatever they can find and make their way back to the palace. Spero, Parsa, and Darius meet Cyrus and King Cambyses as they exit from the meeting room.

Cambyses scoffs with irritation, "Outrageous, he's such a fool!"

Darius and Nefarious stay behind in the kingdom for a few days to plan some extra reconnaissance. As they leave the kingdom and ride away, Parsa strides over to Spero. "Good plan back there."

Spero arches an eyebrow, "Oh, thanks."

He continues, "I heard about your negotiations with the dwarves. Impressive work on persuading them, especially considering... that previous incident."

"It wasn't too difficult; a well-placed threat can work wonders."."

Parsa chuckles, "Well, learning how to use those weapons will greatly benefit us."

Parsa heads back to his squad as the sun begins to set the group camps for the night.