As another hour passed away, the noon eventually unfolded. The sun blazed as fierce as usual, cooking the floors with its ineluctable heat, as winds projected nothing but sheer hotness, and silence coated the place as it was barren,
Mina's hearty attempts eventually reached the bottom of the well, surrendering herself to the imminent fate, stuck in this inescapable space that was.
At that point, they just quietly rallied at the middle of the platform, and both sat back to back to each other, gazing at that dazzling bluish-red sky, which was natural in the under realm.
Meanwhile, the clouds mundanely frolicked at their favorite games, shaping themselves into any form of their desire, casually levitating through this boundless sky.
During the time of their captive in this space, nothing exciting had manifested within their surroundings.
Mina then emitted out of boredom,
"Keena, do you think there's gonna be someone worried about us? Mina is feeling superly bored..."
"I can assure you that your absence is going to stumble over everything that currently matters. Given that you're the princess, after all." Keena unwavering responded.
"*Sigh* Mina is bored. Mina wants to go home and play..."
"Supposedly, this trip was going to end ages ago. But because of your roguery, we have now stranded in this place where exactly nobody shows up!"
Keena complained in an annoyed, bitter tone. Making Mina down and murmuring in a downcast tone,
"Mina is sorry for the mess she always caused to others..."
"Always...?" Keena wondered with a twitching eyebrow, slowly imagining how handful the princess could be.
"Well... Mina does wonders... Is Keena gonna hate her for the rest of her life... If so, Mina is very sorry for the trouble she had brought you into..."
Mina regrettably apologized, as she then silently lowered her head, repeatedly blaming herself for the deed she committed.
However, Keena did not blame Mina for the ruckus. Instead, she responded with a deep sigh, discharging those gloomy breaths of hers and articulating in a tender tone, attempting to elevate Mina,
"It's okay... Mina. I'm not the kind of person who holds grudges. It's not like I hated you or anything... It's that your lack of self-control is kinda upsetting me-"
"So Keena, don't hate Mina for her troublesomeness?" Mina was so elated by Keena's forgiveness, as she burst into joy and interrupted Keena halfway.
"*Ahem* As I was saying... It's important for us, especially you, Mina, to learn self-control. You are the princess of Vuzgaria, after all. You cannot just string around places empty-minded. Your safety is always at risk, and you must understand that your presence is weighed over anything else. Who knows what will happen if you are all by yourself here? Somebody can even plot something evil on you now!"
"Well... Mina has always been a lively one... Mina feels her over-energetic and rashness have always made her decide things unrulily. Sometimes it also bothered those who cared for her, bringing them a hard time in taking care of Mina... Hmm... Maybe Keena was right, Mina should learn self-control and so she can take care of herself without worrying about others! But... Mina doesn't know how..."
"*Sigh* Maybe Mina should start looking deep for the reasons that led to Mina's rashness... It could be something that related to Mina's life, like... maybe... solitary or something...?"
"Sounds like a lot of work..." Mina drawled, but latterly continued,
"But still Mina's home is always crowded with all kinds of Demonkins, like guards and maids. Also those quirky ones, like ones with tall hats, or those with funny mustaches and jewelry clothes-"
"That is not what I meant!"
Keena denied as she paused momentarily, tilted her head upward, and gazed upon the bright clear sky, pondering over the cause behind Mina's vigorousness. While Mina was just carelessly fidgeting her fingers and humming quietly.
"Mina... you see, most of our boredom happens because of small spaces and isolation. And I believe Mina, the reason behind your hárse like energy is because of most of the time you've been spent, alone, in a limited place too. Where many things will just seem new to your liking." Keena added,
(Hárse is a horse-like creature that dwells in the under realm. The differences between hárses and horses are their apparent six legs, four eyes, and two horns features.)
"But the castle Mina stayed in is vast and enormous. Small space shouldn't be a concern, as Mina can run around the castle that is equivalent to three times the Dragania campus." Mina replied,
"Besides, inside Mina's castle, Mina is also often exposed to many of these funny-looking trinkets, shouldn't that be satisfying Mina's jungly thoughts? And Mina never felt lonely most of the time. Mina means that wherever she traveled, everyone either just looked at her or got too close to her. So Mina is always in the center of attention, meaning that Mina shouldn't be lonely at all..."
"Hmm... I guess that's the power of being a Princess..." Keena was overwhelmed a little by her statement and tittered, but latterly continued,
"But even though Mina is given a large space to walk around, a lot of trinkets or toys, or even often focused by everyone. But to think more deeply, Mina. Have you ever spent time with someone who isn't blood-related to you or that lived with Mina? Especially somebody that wasn't with Mina because of bidding, or maybe with "friends" that weren't linked with Kingdom's affairs. Or rather, they are rare occasions or don't happen at all?"
"Mina... doesn't really know..." Mina then blankly stared at the concrete floor, lost in her thoughts, contemplating her life once in the castle.
In the meantime, on an imperceptible balcony far from their position, two mysterious figures in a black cloak, and a plain white mask, spied on their presence.
"The coast seems clear. And the princess is perfectly aligned with the position we planned. This assassination should be smooth sailing." Figure one emitted,
"Not really... " Figure Two interrupted and resumed in a prudent tone, "There seemed to be another spotted figure resting beside the princess, a big hindrance to our plan."
"Can't we just take both of 'em out in one clean swoop? I mean, that girl didn't look much like a big shot anyway. Her demise probably not going to be fuss by anyone else."
"Your idea might sound enticing, but I'd rather stay on the good terms with our client."
"Care to elaborate?"
"Reason one is that girl wasn't on our target list, also mentioned by our client, collateral damage is best forbidden. Reason two is that girl precisely to be someone we should not taint our hand with."
"Meaning...?"
"I believe the name Zaran rings the bell?"
"Ugh... Fine, have it your way. Now you limited all the best possible plans, any idea how we should improvise on this one then?"
"As long as the veil is set, no one should notice their whereabouts let alone sense them. If the collateral damage is forbidden, and the assassination is thwarted, we could just let nature have its last touch on them."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You know... hunger..."
"Right... you know, you coulda just say "starve them to death," right? Besides, wouldn't you worry that the more we delay, the more likely we will foil the plan? I mean, she is the princess. The King without a doubt will come looking for her pReCiOuS PrInCeSs.
Besides! It will increase the risk of our plan being wrecked! Considering that your veil is as powerful as you said, we are yet to know the full potential of the king. He might crush it with a single snap of his finger, which not only will tamper with our plan but also apprehend us in the process.
So, yeah, I don't want to gamble on that high-risk plan of yours, and rather just do it and beat it."
"Hmm... Yeah... you're right... I have seemed to disregard some of these considerations... Allow me to devise a new one instead..."
Figure Two then dwelled into its contemplation, devising a new strategy.
Shortly after, he came out with a new plan and addressed it to its partner,
"I have a new plan..."
"Great, let's hear it..." Figure One keened.
"The plan is simple...
First, we separated ourselves into two one-man squads with two respective tasks...
Second, squad one will create a perfect distraction for the collateral and lure it to a spot that buys enough time for squad two to perform a perfect execution. The distraction can be sounds, disguises, summons, illusions, or whatever tricks there are, as long as you manage to create a distraction that buys enough time.
Third, once the distraction is in operation, squad two will go in under the nose of the collateral and finish the job, executing the princess. But remember! Times are ticking, so, a clean death is the sole option, meaning there will be no tormenting or toying with targets. Instant death is what we deliver.
Concluding, I will be focusing on the execution while you handle the distraction."
"Wait, hold your hárses! I'm sorry. Shouldn't you be the one who does the distraction while I handle the princess?"
"There is no debate, Nora. Whoever bloody their hand shouldn't be the topic we pry on."
"Then, I should be the one who does the honor then, if there is no debate."
Figure Two peered at Nora's self-affirmation and declared,
"According to my anatomy, your past action has shown your numerous despicable actions. Proving it is more advisable to let me handle the execution."
"I thought you said you wouldn't mind who takes the last hit. You hypocrite."
"*Sigh* Fine, Nora! You can handle the execution, and I handle the distraction."
"That sounds more like it." Nora wickedly grinned,
"But hear me out on this one last time, Nora! And carve this information into that rebellious brain of yours! We are professional, and we provide clean and painless death for those on our hit list! And so, please... do not torment the target nor pressure her to the point of despair under your own liking! Otherwise, you are permanently banned from any future execution."
"Ugh... Fine... Have it your way, Dalon!" once Nora finished her sentence, she immediately dropped from the balcony onto the rooftop at the lower level, agilely leaping across the aligned roof path, closing the gap between herself and the target, Mina.
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While Dalon casually dropped from the balcony to another side of the building while chanting. As soon as he landed on the lowest ground, the chant was complete. And there he vanished, "The Chameleon Cloak" was the spell he cast, which concealing oneself from being detected by the flesh.
"I'm in a position, Dalon. Waiting for your call now." Nora reported,
"Give me a second, Nora." Dalon nimbly sneaked through the pillars that surrounded Mina and Keena, from one to another, chanting another spell in a whispery tone.
Moments later, a cutesy creature was summoned from the wisps of thin air, a creature similar to a rabbit but instead traversed with two feet, one tiny horn on its forehead, a tolrab is what they called.
Once the tolrab arrived from its summon, it was ordered to dash across the view of Keena, alluring only her attention.
The tolrab abided by its command and dashed across from pillar to pillar, captivating Keena's attention in the meantime, even though it was only a skim through her vision. Keena quickly reacted and reached out to Mina, claiming,
"Mina! I saw it! There was a tolrab there just now!"
"Where?! Mina doesn't see any!"
"I'm pretty sure it just dashed through that part of the pillars!"
"Hmm... Mina doubts Keena's words were sound. Since Mina doubts that tolrabs are permitted to step on the school ground anyway..."
"Yeah, Mina may be right... but I'm pretty sure, I just saw it! I know that Dragania's ground is highly strict to regulations, and the entry of wildlife is near to impossible. In addition to the fortification from the orientation, it shouldn't even be existed! Unless-?"
Keena dived into her detective thought and was woken with an answer,
"Mina! I think we're saved! It might be a summon from someone else. Maybe it was sent to look for us!"
"But Mina still hasn't seen any tolrab, though..."
"Wait here, Mina! And don't you dare move a muscle! I'm going to do a quick check on the tolrab and come back with an answer! Remember! Stay put, Mina!" Keena responded in a hurried, curious tone and dashed off right after.
She was determinedly run after the creature but also dubiously murmured in a hushed tone, "Hope that wasn't my imagination..."
In the meantime, Mina was secluded all by herself, alone. But before Keena entirely disappeared from her sight and was mile away from her, Mina decided to break the silence by hollering at her,
"Be careful, Keena! Remember not to run too far ahead! Otherwise, Keena might get herself lost in some other places!"
"Don't worry about me, Mina! I won't stray too far ahead! I promise I will regroup with you as soon as I do my investiga-!" Keena replied to Mina with a shout, but it slowly faded as she marched further.
Only seconds had passed, and Keena's shadow was no longer perceivable.
Thus Mina, as everyone else would, sat alone in the space. And not having the faintest clue of herself being targeted.
At a point that is yonder from Mina's whereabouts, a wicked grin emitted.
"Great job, Dalon. The collateral moved and the princess is now wide open. And I believe it's my time to shine."
"Remember, Nora! No toying with the target! And the time is ticking, ending it fast and we feast it fast."
"Yeah, yeah. Got it, grandpa!"
Nora proceeded to mute the communication link that connected herself with Dalon and murmured in an annoyance tone,
"What a naggy geezer he is..."
She then leaped forward, arriving at the pillar top which directly stood at Mina's rear.
She then dropped and attempted to land silently.
Despite the sound of Nora's descent being deathly quiet, it somehow provoked Mina's attention, causing Mina to turn for a check.
"Keena, is that you?" Mina reacted.
Mina's abrupt and unanticipated reaction placed Nora in shock. Although the turn was second, Nora managed to utilize her expeditious wit and speed to dodge her impending doom.
As Nora darted to the exterior of the platform, behind one of the pillars, and hid before Mina.
"Tck... that was a close one! It wasn't supposed to be for her to be alerted, since it wasn't meant to be at all and that frail body of hers is supposed to be dropped by now! Damn that Vuzgal blood of hers, all those years of training gone to waste in a mere second. Supernatural hearing, huh? What a pain in the a**." Nora ranted in a whispery tone.
While on the other side, Dalon posed behind a pillar that is totally opposite of Nora's but provided a vantage view for the final blow.
Since Nora's action didn't manifest, he was worried and attempted to reach out to her, questioning her whereabouts,
"Nora, how was the execution? Why haven't I seen any sign of yours yet? Nora, time is ticking! You gotta act now! The distraction won't last forever-! Hello...? Hello!? Damn, that ignorant brat! Shutting me off from the communication link like that! I don't even know where or what she's plotting now!"
Dalon growled, frustratedly worried at Nora for her rebelliousness that may lead to their failure.
While on the other side of the street, Nora was stalled by Mina because of her alertness. Leaving her with the sole option of waiting. But it appeared that it was going to last an eternity.
"Tcks... Come on, Princess... " Nora began to fidgety tapped her left foot, murmuring in an antsy tone. "Turn around, please... Show me that delicate back of yours, please!" Nora was propelled to stagnant as she couldn't conduct a killing blow.
She then recited in her brain, searching for an alternative,
*If I head-on charge now, she will probably react and evade my attack. Given that she inherited Vuzgal blood, her reaction speed undoubtedly topped anyone I had ever laid my blade on. So the head-on attack is already out of the book.*
*Or... Wait a minute- she's only seven. Her reflexes shouldn't even be much developed yet, let alone be on par with my speed... Hmm... maybe I should... give it a try?*
During this intense fifty-fifty moment, Nora's heart beat faster than ever, and cold sweats profusely dripped down to her neck, but she still clung to her habitual wicked grin,
*Let's see who's the first to be dropped! My blade or your head, Princess!*
Nora placed herself into a charge-in-ready stance, tightly clenched the daggers in her sweaty palms, stiffened her legs, and prepped for the launch.
But before she lost herself in the charge-in attack, an ominous sensation discharged from Mina's shadow and fully stunned Nora from executing.
Leaving Nora gritting her teeth in dismay, quivering on the spot, immovable.
During this dire situation, a sudden grip landed on her left hand, which startled her tremendously.
She then swung her dagger out of reflexes but ceased at the last second, realizing it was none other than Dalon himself.
"You're too late, Nora... Meet me at the rendezvous point. We'll discuss this matter afterward."
Nora faintly peeked over Dalon's shoulder and noticed Keena had returned, reuniting with Mina with a holler,
"Mina!"
"Oh, Keena! How is the search?" Mina excitedly responded.
"Meh... It's a fluke, probably just my thought playing games with me..."
Nora and Dalon's plan was foiled due to Nora's prolonged hesitation.
Meanwhile, Dalon was surprised by Nora's performance and questioned,
"It's my first time seeing you get cold feet on the killing, Nora. Did something happen?"
"tcks... The princess just got lucky, that's it... She somehow read my movement and put me into peril, nothing else..."
"Huh...? Not something I hear often..."
"Yeah, yeah... a hotheaded girl like me managed to miss an opportunity to kill! I want no part of hearing that anymore! Let's reconvene at the rendezvous point!"
Before they departed, an abrupt thunderous shout from Mina erupted and startled them.
"BEHOLD, MINA'S FELLOW AUDIENCES. IT IS MINA, THE PRINCESS OF VUZGARIA! WHO IS ABOUT TO COMMIT HER WONDEROUS STUNT TO YOU ALL! AND MINA CALLS IT, THE BEHEMOTH'S PITCH!" once Mina finished her recitation, she hurled a rock with her full strength, causing it to whizz at a blistering speed and splintering the veil accidentally.
"Woah..." was the response from Keena, who was captivated by Mina's stunt and gently applauded. Meanwhile, Mina immediately posed herself muscularly after the hurl.
Both Dalon and Nora were flabbergasted by Mina's fortuitous stunt, shattering the veil to pieces, leaving their mouth and eyes agape, zoned out in the middle of the rallying.
"DALON, I THOUGHT YOU SAID THAT VEIL COULD WITHSTAND A BLAST OF A METEOR?!" Nora remarked,
"YES! IT'S CERTAINLY SO!" Dalon retorted Nora's assumption in an agitated manner but quickly composed himself and resumed,
"*Cough* I never foresee myself believing of such monstrosity inhabiting our princess. Especially inflicting such devastation to my veil..."
"Great! Now our plan is in fiasco. Any idea on how should we pick up the pieces?"
"Hmm... We run, of course!"
They both rushed out from the scene, refraining from being apprehended by the impending patrols that were shrouded by the veil.
On the flip side, Keena began to realize the shattering of the veil that was resting above her, rendering her to panic,
"Wait, Mina, Look! There is something wrong with the sky! Are those cracks...? WAIT... DID MINA JUST SHATTER THE SKY OUT OF THIN AIR?"
"Hmm... Mina believes her toss shouldn't be capable of obliterating the sky..." Mina spoke in a concerned tone.
The cracks on the veil began to form bigger and bigger and eventually deteriorated into pieces. Once the veil was wholly obliterated, it lifted consequently. And there, a group of figures, worn in shining reflecting clinking armors, passing through the streets they sited, reappearing to the common space.
Their presence wasn't easy to mistake, as one of them immediately had his eyes on them and bellowed at their presence, mustering the attention of the rest,
"I have located the Princess and the missing student! I repeat I have located the Princess and the missing student!"
The entire platoon of guards promptly rushed to their rescue, securing their safety. As Keena immediately burst into tears of relief as the guard approached, as a child would react.
In the meantime, Mina just stationed expressionlessly, as if nothing ever happened.
Once they were secured in the custody of the guards, they were escorted and relocated back to their parents, who were positioned at the campus's gate.
The moment Mina reappeared before her parents, she noticed that her father was in a bicker with the campus representative, seemingly grumbling over her disappearance.
Meanwhile, her mother just fidgetted and wavered before the gate, sobbing in tears with maids comforting her by her side.
But not before long after Mina and Keena exited from the gate, whole attentions were locked on them, and the Queen straightaway launched herself to Mina, seizing her in her warm embrace, dribbling in tears of joy and uttering in a shivering tone,
"Oh my dear, Mina... Where have you been? I'm so relieved that you're okay! It's unwise of me to even release you from our own supervision! How gruesome it is for you to get lost on campus!"
"Mama, Mina is perfectly fine. Not even a scratch is on Mina..."
In the time Mina was persistently constrained in her mother's embrace, the King dismissed the campus representative and interrogated the guard for their last spotted location, delving into the causation of the incident.
But the guard only responded to what they comprehended, an apparent answer of their location, which did not satisfy the King in the slightest.
The King then proceeded to dwell on his mind, contemplating the plausible scheme that could be involved in her daughter,
*It's near impossible for my daughter to get lost inside the Dragania, especially slip passed everyone who attended the ground. Considering the enormous and vast ground, each corner of the campus should be the least overwhelmed with patrols.*
He then turned his gaze upon the sky, diving deeper into his mind while watching the sunset, pondering,
*As Mina's whereabouts were not exceptional. How could not a single eye lay upon their whereabouts when they were just standing in the plain space? There must be more to it... It must be an orchestrated play by someone. Someone skillful enough to pull this through while surpassing others' cognition...*
While the King continued to deliberate on the matter, Mina leisurely approached her father, and tucked his sleeve while stating,
"Papa, did you know what Mina did just now?"
"Oh... Mina, yes, what is it? What did Mina do?"
"Mina not really certain with the explanation behind it, but Mina sort of shattered the sky and turned it into raining pieces just now."
The King was speechless and shallow for a moment before a light bulb illuminated the King's head, realized,
*And so I thought! Mina and her housemate weren't lost in the first place. But instead, they were shrouded by the nefarious work of the veil, averting them from interacting with the open reality. Come to think of it, a mere summons of the veil required sheer aptness in arcane competency and mana. Deducting it only to none other than the handiwork of the professionals.
But how and why, though? Shouldn't the ground be fortified with guards and, let alone happening at the center of it, targeting children? Assuming it was a kidnapping and the kid accompanying Mina was a witness.
But even so, the pure notion of kidnapping Mina is very injudicious. Primarily there's not much of a deceptive space in Vuzgaria to hide from, and the Vuzgaria Horizon (the veil safeguarded Vuzgaria) had protected her from exiting it, which forbade them to deliver her to the remote area from Vuzgaria. It doesn't surmise it's a propitious idea.
Or maybe it was not an abducting ploy at all since it was executed with an intricate scheme. Could it be... the worst ever possible deduction I procured... The assassination! Why would everyone wish to do that? Slaughtering a princess won't benefit everyone else other than sheer amusement.
Wait... perhaps? The prophecy? Mina was targeted because of the prophecy?! But the information was enforced with impregnable restrictions... and only given daylight to the council, myself and my consort... Unless- I see... There is a traitor among the council... A cunning and hefty one, that is. With current salvageable information, I believe I have yet the strength to dig you out to the daylight. But, one day, no matter what, I will expose your deceit, bring your treacherous haunch to light, and protect my precious daughter from your foul clutch!*
The King clenched his fist out of frustration, returned himself to the common space from his perplexed thoughts, rejoined with his family, and departed from Dragania for the rest of the day.
From a vantage point that was distant from Mina, there they stood with two figures that gazed upon them while conversing,
"It seems like our mission has resulted in the debacle. We shall retreat and call it for the day. We also should report the matters to the higher-ups for the update. Let's go, Nora, and the fault isn't fully pertinent to yours."
Once Dalon ceased his tongue, he turned his back and left the spying ground. While Nora remained stationed and couldn't drop her gaze off Mina, and added,
"Dalon, under no debate, it a shame of mine inflicting our mission to be foiled, but still, I just want to appreciate you for pulling me back in from the head-on attack."
"And why is that? I thought you wouldn't care less about the collateral." Despite Dalon ironically replying, Nora somehow averted her reactionary retort. Instead, she uttered, in a petrified tone,
"It's not that, it's just I sensed something back then when you stopped me, I sensed it... something makes my skin crawlled just to think about it..."
"Sensed something...? I don't grasp what your intention is."
"Just hear me out, there was something... Something that was ominous, mortiferous hidden within her shadow. It was readied, readied! To decimate me if I even laid my hand onto-"
She hesitantly paused in fear upon her half-completed utterance, and decidedly scrapped it from continuing.
As she then diverted her topic to another, expressing back with her casual tone,
"*Sigh* Anyway, I knew taking on this job would be a bludge anyway. We shouldn't even get ourselves involved in such a demanding request."
"But the sum they proffered beyond others'. I gathered that riches were supposed to be the foundation of your current bidding."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. But still, exercise that brain of yours, Dalon, how do you think we could relish the riches when we got ditches? Come on, Dalon! Let's return before the moons surface."