"Little Prince and Omri, listen up."

Athos, Omri and Sagitta huddled quietly atop the branches of a tall cedar tree overlooking the border gate of Sequi. The group arrived early, it was now 11:00 AM and they were making preparations on entering the city.

"I was able to get in touch with an old acquaintance living in the city, he warned me that violent crimes against the Moirai are common in the streets. We need to be careful once we enter Sequi..."

Athos and Omri's eyes widened in shock as they listened to Sagitta's information, it was a clear sign that their adversaries, the Sedito and the Church of Arbor have already infiltrated the city.

"I’ll give you both a Concealment Ward.” Sagitta reaches out and grabs Athos and Omri’s hands, a golden light envelops her body as she activates it. "This will hide your mana presence and change your appearances as well."

Athos and Omri observed each other as their hair darkened and became obsidian, their verdant irises changed into ochre and their skin complexion gradually tanned, they now looked like commoners from the Eastern Continent.

"I made both of you look like siblings from Orto, so that should make the two of you inconspicuous." Sagitta casts an illusion ward on herself, her hair and eyes turned dark brown. "The wards I've bestowed to both of you should last a week."

Sagitta releases her grip and leaps to the ground below. Her landing was graceful and silent as she had a stealth enchantment endowed on her body. Omri followed shortly after carrying Athos on his back.

"I'll expand my enchantment and enable invisibility so we can sneak past the gate. Stay put for a moment." She then flicks her index finger, Athos and Omri sensed a warm mana current course through their bodies.

"Let's go and enter the city."

***

Tuerri felt discomfort from his neck and head as he opened his eyes. It appears that he had fallen asleep after reading Sagitta's swift letter. Wrinkles and marks littered his face as he slept over the pile of paperwork on his desk. He stretched his arms and back and stood up from his seat to alleviate his aching body.

"...Her companions should be here in Sequi by now." He glanced at the wall clock inside his room, it was now 12:21 PM.

"Looks like I need to make preparations…"

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Tuerri sighed as he invoked the enchantment on his signet ring to write a letter. He remembered Sagitta's reply and she intended to have her companions granted asylum to Orto. Deducing the nature of Sagitta's letter, Tuerri had an inkling that her companions were prominent Moirais that were trying to escape to the east.

'I need eyes to observe her companions. After all, merchandise should be kept in good condition.' A snarky grin forms on Tuerri's lips.

He then writes a swift letter addressed to the Mercenaries situated in the port area. He left his initials as a signal to his men to be discreet.

{The Mountain wishes to watch the trees growing at its base. Take note and keep watch of the people that enter its forest. Particularly a middle-aged woman with grey hair and jade irises}

'That should put a tail on Sagitta. Hopefully, her face hasn't changed much.'

***

Athos, Omri and Sagitta were leaping across the rooftops of the western residential block of Sequi. They had opted to avoid the roads and alleys due to the angry mobs that patrolled the streets. They also noticed the sheer number of Seditio's officers and brethren marching along the main thoroughfares. Seditio's followers were rallying residents to take up arms against the Moira residents of the city.

The three of them watched helplessly as they saw numerous homes being burned or ransacked by the mob below. They saw countless Moira men, women, children and the elderly being rounded up outside their homes and shortly executed by beheading or impalement.

It was a horrendous sight, some of the victims begged for their lives to spare the women and children but the armed mob paid no heed to such pleas and would cut down anyone who dared do so. Seditio had offered a bounty of five hundred gold coins to every Moira corpse being surrendered to them. It was a substantial amount considering that the average household in Sequi earns an annual income of a hundred gold coins.

The public who were blinded by greed clamoured for more, it was genocide.

Athos clicked his tongue as he heard the agonizing wails of his fellow Moirais below. He couldn't bear watching his kin being hunted down and slaughtered. His fists clenched in anger and frustration as he held onto Omri's back.

"Why did the city allow this? Isn't Sequi a neutral state?" Athos grits his teeth. "Why is the Council turning a blind eye on this?"

Athos was familiar with Sequi's socio-political structure. His private instructors in the Palace had taught him well about history, politics and diplomacy toward other states and countries. He was aware that Sequi had the Agnoscere, a decree that regulated and restricted the practice of one's belief and tradition.

"There might be something going on within the city, my prince." Omri groaned. "Looks like mother's acquaintance spoke the truth."

"That is why we need to tread carefully here," Sagitta interjects. "We'll reach the port area within the hour as long as we stick to the rooftops." She then layers on a haste spell on top of their invisibility enchantment, making their movements faster.

"Where are we going, mother?" Omri gazed at Sagitta inquisitively. "I remember father telling me that he sold off his property here when you took me in."

"He did, but Turris kept his private workshop and his research laboratory here… We're heading to his workshop near the trading port, it should be there still since I helped Turris seal up the place."

"The streets are already littered with murderers, Sagitta, I think the violence would probably be the same in the port area." Athos sighed.

"Well, the port would be safer than the city itself, after all, the Orto Mercenaries manage the security and safety of the eastern merchants there." Sagitta groans as she recalls the meeting she had arranged with Tuerri tonight. "I'll guide you both to the workshop since it will be our temporary shelter here in the city."

Sagitta suddenly stops on her tracks, she lands on a chimney a few paces ahead of Omri.

Omri with Athos in tow leapt and stopped on the roof near Sagitta. "Mother, what's wrong?"

"There's a faint mana presence behind us… It seems we are being followed." She clicks her tongue and conjures a teleportation circle underneath Omri. "It can't be helped. I'll distract them while both of you go on ahead first, I'll send you to the path where the workshop's entryway is."

"Wait! Mother, how will-"

Sagitta cuts off Omri. "Your mana will show the way Omri. Your name will allow you access inside." She smiles and snaps her fingers.

The circle activated and the two men vanished.