Chapter 3

The next night found Nobu and Helix sitting in the plains around a fire, which was hungrily devouring a pile of logs. After an entire day without food, his stomach had begun to growl once again.

Is this something I'll have to get used to? Nobu thought dreadfully, as he bit into a piece of deer meat. Never knowing when I'll get my next meal...

He thought of King Terrace, sitting at an oak table, laughing as it enjoyed an entire banquet with its family. Enraged, he pushed the thought out of his mind.

“Well?” Helix asked. “Not too shabby, huh?”

“Quiet,” Nobu said bitterly.

“My brother taught me how to cook,” Helix continued, ignoring him. “I'm way better than him now, though. Poor guy can't catch a break. Anyway...” It paused. “You want the first shift, or me?”

“I'll take it,” said Nobu.

“Roger that.”

Despite having been awake since the previous morning, he did not feel tired, perhaps because of how late he had slept. Helix lied down in the grass, and Nobu stared up at the night sky. For a brief moment, doubt began to creep into his mind.

Floral is weak...he thought. Will this even be possible?

Nobu shook his head.

Yes...I will restore my kingdom. I have to.

He finished the rest of his food and continued to sit in the plains. Hours passed by, before the fatigue began to set in. He found himself dozing off a few times, but forced himself to stay awake. Eventually, the morning returned to greet them, and Helix let out a massive yawn, before climbing to its feet.

“Morning!” it grinned.

Nobu quickly lied down to avoid unnecessary conversation, and almost immediately fell asleep.

The next couple days followed a similar pattern as they traveled from the plains and into a forest. The trees' orange and brown foliage slowly drifted onto the ground as they walked forward, leaves and twigs crunching beneath their feet. Nobu noticed the air getting slightly more humid as they headed down the trail, before eventually spotting an arch in the distance. The words “Floral” were inscribed on the top of the arch, and a stone walkway lied beyond its reach.

“Finally!” said Helix. “The Kingdom of Floral!”

Several modest houses lined the sides of the walkway. They were each separated by a small garden box, with flowers of different colors and crops growing from the soil. Residents walked up and down the path in passive conversation, stepping over the orange leaves on the ground. To Nobu's left, the path traveled to a massive field in the distance, where he could discern what looked to be a series of greenhouses. To his right, the path stretched out before winding around a corner, concealed by a house.

“Any idea where the castle is?” Helix asked.

“No,” Nobu replied. “I'll have someone tell us.”

“You got it.”

They took a right and proceeded down the path, steering left at the corner. A gentle breeze drifted by, the sound drowned out by the chattering of the townsfolk. They stepped out into a plaza, where they spotted a statue of a man. Its right arm was stretched outward, lifting a sword high in the air.

“Who is that?” Helix wondered aloud.

Nobu turned to see a commoner walking near the statue.

“You there,” said Nobu.

“Hmm?” The man turned to face them.

“I'd like to see Floral Castle.”

“Oh, it's...oh! Aren't you--?”

“The castle,” Nobu repeated sternly.

“Of course, your highness,” it spoke. “Head straight down the road. You're almost there.”

Helix nodded at it and they continued. “Tertius has a jacket or two in that bag,” it said. “Thought about putting a hood on?”

“If push comes to shove,” Nobu stated.

They continued up the path, before arriving at a gated courtyard. A fountain sat in the center, surrounded by more garden boxes. At the end of the road stood an enormous castle, with two guards standing in front of it.

“Who goes there?” one of them called out.

“Hang on,” the other said, as Nobu approached. “Isn't that...?”

“Yeah...you're Prince Tempest, aren't you?”

“I need to speak to your king,” said Nobu.

“Right away, your highness!” one of them uttered. “Please wait here for just a moment!”

It pushed open the doors behind it and wandered into the castle, leaving Nobu to examine the fountain. He was immediately reminded of his own courtyard. The birds that hovered around the flowing water, the attendants shuffling in and out of the castle, the crickets singing in the night...He shook his head, dismissing the thoughts as he waited in silence. A few minutes later, the guard returned.

“The royal family will see you now,” it spoke. “Please, right this way...”

The guard stepped away from the doors, before Nobu and Helix headed inside. The throne room was enormous, with a massive, red carpet laid out on the floor beneath a sizable chandelier. On the far side of the room sat two chairs. The one on the right was occupied by an elderly man, with gray hair furnishing its tanned face, partially obscured by a bushy mustache. To the left sat a young woman with equally tanned skin and lengthy black hair falling to its back. Both of them glanced toward the doors as they shut behind Nobu.

“Prince Nobu,” the king addressed him, its gravelly voice echoing throughout the room. “It really is you. So you managed to survive. That's wonderful news.”

“Word travels fast,” Nobu observed.

“Of course,” it continued. “We've received the news. But forgive me. I am King Floral. Pleased to meet you.”

Next, the young woman beside it spoke. “I am Symonne,” it said, its voice clear and composed. “It's a pleasure to meet you. Now, then, what is your business in Floral?”

“You've heard of what's become of my kingdom,” said Nobu. “I intend to destroy Terrace and restore Tempest to its former glory. To do that, I'll need an army.”

“As much as I would love to help you, our kingdom is powerless compared to the might of Tempest,” Floral said. “I'm afraid there is little we can do.”

“You were trying to form an alliance with the city of Arbor, correct?”

“We are,” Floral confirmed. “Their technology would be a boon to us. We are making every effort to recruit them, but we've made little progress thus far.”

“And what efforts would those be?” Helix inquired suspiciously.

“Silence,” Nobu said under his breath, irritated.

Symonne glared down from its chair, its brown eyes piercing Helix. “Is there something you'd like to say?”

Helix paused. “No. Nothing at all.”

Nobu shifted his attention back on the king. I thought this might happen, he thought. There must be something that can be done...

“Terrace destroyed our kingdom by using a creature straight out of legend,” said Nobu. “A reanimated corpse that could heal itself from any and all damage. Does your science unit have anything that could combat such a monster?”

“I've never even heard of magic like that,” said Floral. “My word...could something so terrifying truly exist?”

“I'd like to take a look at your lab,” said Nobu, causing Helix's eyes to light up.

“By all means,” Floral said. “I don't know how much help we can be, but if there's anything we can do to support your endeavors to rebuild your kingdom, we will try it.”

“Thank you,” said Helix. “I'd like to check it out, too, if you don't mind.”

“Certainly. Symonne, please show them to the lab so they can take a look around.”

“What?” asked Symonne, mildly shocked. “Father, I am going down to the greenhouse--”

“The nursery can wait,” Floral interrupted. “You are a princess. Plants are not your priority.”

Symonne glared coldly at it for a few seconds. “Yes, Father,” it said, with a hint of bitterness in its voice. It stood up from its chair, and approached Nobu and Helix.

“If there's anything else we can do, please don't hesitate to let us know,” said Floral.

“We will return,” said Nobu.

Helix opened the doors and the three of them set out, closing the doors behind them.

“One moment,” said Nobu.

He set his backback down and dug through Tertius' clothes, before pulling out a jacket. The fabric was thin and fragile, but he ignored his disgust and put it on, before swinging his hood over his head.

“Told you you'd need it,” Helix grinned.

Symonne studied him as he put his backpack back on, before they headed through the courtyard and began walking down the path. They made their way into the plaza again, and the eyes of the residents rested on them.

“It's Princess Eagelily!” one of them exclaimed in a hushed tone.

Symonne did not return their glances, a hint of anger in its eyes.

“'Eaglelily'”? Helix asked.

“It's a nickname the townsfolk gave me a long time ago,” Symonne explained.

“It's a pretty name,” Helix said gently.

Symonne shot a cold glare at it. “I'll ask that you not call me that.”

“Alright, geez...” Helix scratched its head, before its eyes wandered over to the statue of the warrior. “So...who's that statue of?”

“You don't know?” asked Symonne. “That's Gladius Laston. He was a hero of this kingdom.”

“Really?” asked Helix. “What happened?”

“Twenty-five years ago, this kingdom was overrun by thieves,” said Symonne. “They were remarkably powerful. The story goes that Gladius prayed to the deity known as Albarin, and was bestowed with a divine power. He used this power to destroy the thieves and drive them out of our kingdom.”

“Woah,” said Helix. “So what happened to him?”

“Although he won the war, his mother was killed by the leader of the thieves. Gladius searched for the culprit for months...then, one day, he was found dead in another city. That's all we know.”

“Ouch,” said Helix quietly.

“Yes. But he'll always be remembered as a hero. Come, the lab is this way.” Symonne gestured toward a road that extended to their left.

“Your technology is less advanced than Arbor's, is it not?” asked Nobu.

Symonne nodded. “I don't know if you'll find anything that will help you here. You must be desperate.”

“I'll do anything to restore my kingdom.”

“I understand why you want to destroy Terrace,” said Symonne. “But maybe you should look at this as an opportunity.”

“An opportunity for what?” Nobu asked curtly.

“To live a normal life. Get away from your status as royalty and do what you want.”

“Living as royalty is what I want,” said Nobu. “Why would I want to spend the rest of my life as commoner filth?”

Symonne huffed. “At least commoners can choose what to do with their lives. I'd become a commoner in a heartbeat if I could.”

“Just as well,” Nobu replied. “Those who don't embrace their royal status don't deserve it.”

“You're full of it.”

“You've got the right idea,” Helix remarked, looking toward Symonne. “Life is all about freedom and doing what you want. You should leave.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“Isn't it, though?”

“The thought has crossed my mind,” Symonne admitted. “But I can't leave right away...the Altium Trade is in a couple of months. We'll be leaving soon.”

Nobu felt a jolt of surprise. The Altium Trade, he thought. I'd forgotten about that...

“Err...the Altium Trade?” Helix asked.

“You're out of the loop,” Symonne observed.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

“Yep.”

Symonne stopped in front of a set of open gates. “Here we are.”

Beyond the gates lied a path to a three story building, with a small orchard in front of it. After proceeding down the brick path, Symonne headed to the door and knocked.

“Who is it?” a voice from inside called.

“Princess Floral,” Symonne replied.

“Oh! Pardon me—just a moment--”

They heard a thud from inside. The door opened, revealing a lanky man in the entrance.

“Forgive me!” it exclaimed nervously. “We are a bit busy, but please come inside!”

“Thank you,” said Symonne.

They walked into the building, as the man closed the door. A flight of stairs traveled to the upper floors, next to a hallway with a dozen rooms. They followed the man into the first room on their right. It was crowded with machines and trinkets scattered across several tables, various scientists shuffling through the room. They all turned toward Symonne, as Nobu pulled the top of his hood slightly lower down the front of his face.

“Please don't mind me,” Symonne said. “I'm just here to show some people around.”

“It's no trouble at all!” the man assured it. “Forgive me...Basil is out right now, but we'll do our best to answer any questions you might have.”

“I've got one,” said Helix, raising its hand. “Any headway on negotiations with Arbor?”

Nobu ignored it, as Symonne gave it another suspicious leer.

“Forgive me,” the man said. “But that isn't our jurisdiction...we haven't received an update on that.”

“But you guys are interested in their technology, right? Has anyone from Arbor given you any...data or something?”

“I'm afraid not,” the man stated, bemused.

“Do you research unusual creatures here?” asked Nobu.

“Do you mean monsters? Yes, we've been studying them for a long time now.”

“I'm speaking of otherworldly creatures,” Nobu clarified. “Do you know of an undead beast with the ability to heal fatal wounds?”

The man looked shocked. “No, I've never heard of anything like that,” it said, as Helix began to stroll around the lab, examining the machines. “We've been creating a number of weapons to combat a variety of monsters. A cannon that shoots pressurized energy at larger monsters with reinforced builds, traps that restrain more agile monsters...we also have arrows that induce instant fatigue in a beast. We use those to capture them for research--”

“That will do,” said Nobu. “If you've nothing to defeat a zombie, then I'm done here.”

“My apologies,” the man said. “We had no idea such a terrifying creature existed.”

“Hey, you mind if I stay?” asked Helix. “I'm really interested in their tech, you know?”

“Would that be alright?” Symonne asked.

“Of course, your highness!”

Symonne turned to face Helix. “They're busy, so don't get in their way.”

“Yeah, yeah. See you later, guys.”

Symonne and Nobu opened the door and headed out into the open air.

“Another dead end, huh?” Symonne noted. “By the way, what is your friend up to?”

Nobu was lost in his own thoughts, as they walked down the path. This creature appears to be an unknown, but there's still the Altium Trade. Technology might not be of use, but there is always another way...there has to be.

“You,” Nobu started, looking at Symonne. “I need you to get me into the Trade.”

“Surely, you jest,” Symonne retorted. “I don't answer to you.”

Nobu paused, his anger beginning to boil.

“I would rethink that decision,” he snarled. “You may be royalty, but your scarred kingdom is filth next to Tempest.”

“Better scarred than destroyed,” Symonne riposted.

“What did you say to me?” Nobu fumed, his rage intensifying.

“Did I stutter? Flaunt all you'd like. Your status is a memory, and without our help, it will stay that way.”

Sparks began to flicker around Nobu's arm as he considered attacking, but quickly repressed it. Terrace's smug visage popped into his head once again, as he clenched his fists.

“I'm going to the nursery,” said Symonne. “If you'll help me in the garden, then I'll get you into the Trade.”

“I'm not doing the labor of filthy commoners,” Nobu spat.

“Have it your way,” it chirped.

Damn it, Nobu thought. When I restore my kingdom, all of them are going to pay.

They continued down the road, back through the plaza and past the statue of Gladius. Nobu could see the greenhouses grow closer as they strolled down the path covered in orange leaves, before eventually arriving in the nursery. Four greenhouses lied beside two massive fields of dirt, with green stalks emerging from them. The fields were bordered by several garden boxes. Some of them were filled with soil, while some of them were empty. Several people occupied the nursery. They were heading in and out of the greenhouses, carrying plants, and watering the fields.

“I'll take it you followed me here for a reason,” Symonne deduced.

Nobu hesitated. “If I do this, you'll get me into the Trade?” he asked, humiliated.

“That I will.”

“Then what do I do?” he asked impatiently.

“Follow me,” it instructed, before heading across the nursery.

Nobu accompanied it to a massive crate in the distance with a shovel leaning against the side. Nobu peered in from the top, seeing that it was filled with dirt.

“Here. All you need to do is take this soil and fill our garden boxes,” Symonne outlined. “We'll be planting snowberries in these soon.”

“All of them?” Nobu asked, revolted.

“As many as you can.”

“How long will we be here?”

“Until nightfall,” Symonne smiled.

Nobu glared furiously at the crate. “You're insane.”

“It's going to get hot. You may want to take off that jacket,” Symonne advised.

Nobu glanced around at the commoners, before pulling his hood further down his face.

“Suit yourself,” it continued. “There are snacks and water on the table over there. The berries will keep your strength up, and you'll need to stay hydrated! I'm going to help water the pumpkins...” it headed toward the fields in the distance.

Nobu hesitated, before once again trying to clear his mind. He reached for the shovel. After scooping up a helping of soil, he headed over to the nearest empty garden box and tossed in the dirt.

As the hours went by, daylight began to fade. The orange, evening sky set in, matching the color of the trees. In the science lab, Helix was still observing the cluttered room, keenly watching the staff.

“Glad to see more folks so interested in our tech these days,” one of the scientists said, pouring a purple liquid into a vial. “You're the engineer type, aren't you? I can tell.”

“Me?” asked Helix. “Oh, yeah, of course! Yeah, I really like this...doodad right here.” It reached toward a metal flask.

“Don't touch anything without gloves!” it hollered. “Could be dangerous.”

“Right, my bad.”

A door opened, before a woman in a lab coat stepped in.

“Time to call it a day?” it asked.

The rest of the team paused, before climbing to their feet.

“Yep...we'll pick back up tomorrow.”

“Woah, already?” Helix asked. “You're not done yet, are you?”

“Yes, but we do appreciate your enthusiasm...if you're still in town, perhaps you could swing by again tomorrow.”

“Yeah...alright,” Helix replied, audibly disappointed.

They headed out the front door, greeted by the chilly air.

“Hey...” Helix started, as one of the men closed the door behind them. “You don't think I could maybe take some notes here tonight, do you? While you're out?”

“I'm afraid not,” the man said. “We have sensitive equipment in there, not to mention hazardous materials...your curiosity will have to wait just a bit longer,” it laughed, before locking the door.

“See you all tomorrow!” another voice chimed in, as the group walked away from the lab.

Helix followed them, irritably glaring down at its shoes. After exiting the gate, it turned to face the staff again. “Welp, thanks for letting me hang out today, guys. Heading out now!”

They waved at it as it turned away from the group, and continued down the path past a giant tree. It then heard a voice coming from behind it.

“Ah, Basil!”

Helix turned around and noticed another man heading toward the group from the road. It had light brown hair, tied up in a ponytail, and wore a small pair of glasses. Helix quickly shifted behind the tree, before sticking its head out to the side and peering at the group.

“Good evening,” Basil replied. “Forgive my absence today; I had many errands to run. I trust everything went smoothly?”

“We made great progress. I tuned up the mana light's reactor a bit and expanded its radius by about one foot.”

“Marvelous,” said Basil. “I'm going to go gather my things. Have a wonderful night, and I'll see you tomorrow.”

“See you then.”

The group left as Basil sauntered toward the lab. It unlocked the door and headed inside, before shutting the door behind it. Helix hesitated, grasping the tree. After a few moments it headed toward the lab, staring in front of the door. It could not hear anything coming from inside. It reached forward and grabbed the knob, before gently turning it and pushing the door open as quietly as it could. It stepped inside, pushing the door back but leaving it ajar. It was immediately greeted by voices emitting from the second floor.

It gently stepped up the stairs, breathing as silently as it could. Reaching the second floor, it noticed the voices getting louder from a nearby room. Pressing its ear to the door, it recognized Basil's voice.

“--and finish things up,” it said angrily. “This is something we need to secure. Don't dawdle any longer.”

“I'm doing everything I can!” a panicked voice responded, sounding slightly muffled.

Helix's eyes widened. It recognized the other voice: It was Victor Northtale.

“I'm tweaking the values just enough for the machines to malfunction,” Victor continued. “If I make any further adjustments, it could risk destroying the machines altogether, and then Terrace would never get our technology!”

“Terrace?” Helix whispered.

“If the technology isn't passing inspection, then why isn't the mayor proceeding with the alliance with Floral?” Basil spat.

“Because he's stubborn as a rock. You know this,” Victor replied, mirroring Basil's irritation. “You're doing your part, are you not? You've been letting monsters loose near the outskirts of Arbor, but the mayor still won't submit.”

“Don't turn this around on us,” Basil growled. “Are you committed to this cause or not?”

“Of course I am, but it's going nowhere fast! I still don't understand why you want Floral and Arbor to ally in the first place. Why doesn't Terrace just invade Arbor and steal the technology for themselves?”

“We've been over this,” Basil said. “Arbor has dangerous weapons – we could suffer needless losses if we stole it right from the source. But if Floral gets their hands on the tech, their army won't be trained on how to use it. After that, we'll destroy Floral and take the technology for ourselves...and you'll be given a high rank in Terrace as promised.”

“I know, but we--”

Helix threw open the door, revealing a cluttered room. Basil was sitting at an oak desk, a lone seashell placed on the surface.

“Found you, Victor!” Helix hollered.

Basil jerked its head up to glare at Helix, visibly shocked. “What in the world...?”

“Victor?” Helix asked, confused, glancing around. “Where are you?”

“What's going on?” Victor's voice emitted from the shell. “Is someone there?”

“We'll talk later,” Basil said darkly, pressing its finger to the shell.

“A communication device,” Helix noted. “So Floral was never colluding with Victor...he's in cahoots with Terrace.”

“I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about,” said Basil, not breaking its glare. “But you're on private property.”

“You're not getting your hands on Arbor's technology,” Helix said, withdrawing a sword from its sheath.

“Are you threatening me?”

“You're coming with me. You're going to admit to everything.”

Basil opened a desk drawer and hastily withdrew another shell. “Guards!” it yelled, raising the shell to its face.

“Woah, hold on!”

“There's a trespasser in the science lab!” it shouted urgently. “He's threatening my life!”

“You gotta be kidding me,” Helix protested. “You're the one who's--”

“Know your place, criminal,” Basil said ominously, a crooked grin spreading across its face.

“Damn it!” Helix exclaimed.

It slashed the window, shattering the glass before climbing out onto the roof. It sheathed its sword and leaped down onto the grass, crouching as it landed. It then sprinted toward the woods, vanishing with unparalleled speed.

“Impossible,” Basil said incredulously, peering out the window.

The night sky gradually set in, stars twinkling overhead. Nobu peered down at the garden boxes. Several of the previously empty containers were completely filled with soil. Sweat rolled down his face, as he took a massive gulp of his bottle of water, welcoming the cold liquid with pure delight. After drinking it, he placed the water bottle on the ground and sat down, glaring at his filthy hands.

“Are you quite alright under there?” a woman asked him. “I know you wanted to be left alone, but you seem--”

“I'm fine,” Nobu said curtly.

“There's plenty more water over there,” a man spoke to him.

“I know,” he said impatiently.

The two wandered off as Nobu wiped the sweat off his face.

“I told you you should've taken off your jacket,” said Symonne, walking over to him, sweat rolling down its own face as well.

“Quiet,” Nobu ordered.

“You did well today,” Symonne praised him. “Time to head home.”

Nobu stood up. “You'd better get me into the Trade,” he murmured, as they headed out of the fields.

“I will,” said Symonne. “A favor for a job well done.”

“This is commoner work,” Nobu spat.

“And?”

“I am a Tempest.”

“You're a what now?” Symonne taunted. “Sorry, I couldn't quite hear you. Say it a bit louder?”

Nobu glanced around at the leering commoners, before clutching his hood and securing it over his face. Anger and humiliation once again flowed through him, but he tried to suppress it. “Gloat while you can,” he said furiously.

They headed out through the gates, fatigue beginning to set in. Suddenly, Helix bolted out from the woods, appearing in front of them. They quickly turned toward it, alarmed.

“You guys!” Helix shouted.

“What?” Nobu asked irritably.

“What in the world?” asked Symonne, surprised. “How did you--?”

“Sorry, no time!” Helix interrupted. “I was right! Well, sort of—Victor really is working with the science team here to steal Arbor's technology!”

“That isn't my concern,” said Nobu.

“Wait...what?” Symonne asked. “That's absurd! Floral would never try to steal from anyone!”

“It's not Floral,” Helix said, as Nobu continued to walk. “Victor is colluding with Terrace.”

Nobu immediately froze, glaring at it as the group stood in silence.

Back in Floral Castle, the king sat alone in the throne room, peering over a series of papers, with an open book next to them. It began scribbling notes, before the doors flung open. Floral lifted its head, looking startled. Basil entered, panting and out of breath, while holding a tray with a cup placed atop it. Steam was drifting up from the cup, leaving a ghostly trail behind it.

“Your majesty,” it said, approaching the king

“Basil?” Floral asked, bemused. “Awfully late for a visit, is it not?”

“We need to talk,” Basil said as it reached the throne. “Here...” It placed the tray on a table and handed Floral a cup. “Careful, it's hot--”

“Thank you,” Floral said, confusion still in its voice. “Is everything alright?” it asked, grabbing the cup.

“Not quite,” said Basil, as Floral blew lightly into the dark liquid. “It's probably no cause for alarm, but I do have my worries.”

“Go on,” Floral said, before sipping its drink.

“Did you happen to notice a man wielding two swords today?” Basil asked.

Floral lowered its cup, gulping down its drink, its expression painted with worry. “Yes,” it said apprehensively. “They wanted to take a look at the lab, so I had my daughter accompany them--”

“He barged into the lab tonight making a dreadful accusation,” Basil continued. “He claimed that Floral was colluding with a mole in Arbor to steal its technology.”

“What?” the king asked, shocked.

“Afterwards, he tried to attack me. I called the guards, but he escaped. I worry that his next target may be the royal family. What if he intends to crush the entire kingdom of Floral? I suspect he'll do anything to prevent this alliance from happening--”

“What of my daughter?” the king asked frantically, raising its voice and leaning forward. “Is she alright? Is...?”

Suddenly, Floral's worried expression was replaced with drowsiness. Its eyes began to droop, before closing, as it slumped back into its chair. Basil smiled.

Back outside, Nobu, Symonne, and Helix were still standing outside the nursery.

“What?” Nobu asked.

“Yeah,” said Helix. “Terrace is after Arbor's technology, and they're trying to arrange an alliance between us and Floral to get their filthy hands on it.”

“Are you certain?” Nobu inquired.

“I heard what I heard,” Helix stated.

“You're saying Floral's science team is betraying us?” Symonne asked.

“I don't know, it might just be that Basil guy. He waited til he was alone before talking to Victor. The dude called the guards on me...”

“Where is he now?” asked Nobu.

“No idea,” Helix said. “Last I saw him was at the lab.”

“I can't believe this,” said Symonne. “I have to tell Father!” It raced past them, heading down the road.

“Hey!” Helix hollered.

It may still be at the lab, Nobu thought. If it's truly associated with Terrace, it might know where they are now...

Nobu hurried down the road as well.

“Come on! Hold up, everyone!” Helix shouted, before darting forward.

Symonne continued rushing down the road, the chilly nighttime air freezing it. It raced through the plaza and down the road toward the castle, panting. It bolted up to the doors and pushed them open, running into the throne room. However, the throne was empty.

“Father?”

It stood alone in the room, its eyes fixed on the empty chair.