Shea bit down on her lip hard as she looked down on the corpse of the young man she just killed, his once bright armor now covered with blood. Taking advantage of the temporary calm around her she surveyed the mess of a situation they were in. Having lead her unit here as soon as she got the message that a bunch of the soldiers on the second wall had betrayed them, they made it here just in time to stop them from taking the gate.
Whether it could be called lucky or not the traitors didn't try to take advantage of the situation and because they weren't hiding their hatred and feelings Shea and company were able to quickly take action. Right now the two hundred or so enemies were pushed back to beyond the gate which was being held with the help of two of the enchanted armors that Shin had left behind. Untiring and untouchable by the weapons of the enemy the two were almost able to completely block the gate off by themselves giving their troops time to rest and patch up their wounds.
"We're lucky we aren't dressed in the same armor and they were too stupid to take advantage of it." Caroline walked up to Shea while cleaning her blade. "We've gathered up all the remaining soldiers and gave them healing, Rin and Ran are in charge of watching them for now since we can't verify if they are loyal or not."
"Thank you Caroline," Shea looked over to the open patch of field where roughly a hundred men were sitting there many with bandages over the various wounds they had. Shea laughed a little at the two small figures that were at the head of the group responsible for watching over them. "Even from here it's easy to tell who is who."
"It's a wonder why they refuse to surrender despite being at such an obvious disadvantage." The two turned around to face Medline who was making a troubled face while walking towards them. "For now they seemed to have retreated back to the second wall, but they don't seem intent on leaving."
"They are probably waiting for reinforcements," Caroline crossed her arms as she thought, "It's unlikely that the temples would fall even in the case that they are overwhelmed the remaining force shouldn't be very large either."
"There's more than one place they can come from you know~" Reacting to the voice that was right behind her Caroline swung her fist as she jumped forward. Having caught Caroline's arm that was aimed at her face Joker gave the company a bright grin. "You don't have to be so surprised do you?"
"Where did you come from?" Hissing Caroline retracted her hand from Joker's grasp with some difficulty.
"From the princess's room." The words from Joker's mouth temporarily stunned the people around as they took in what she said.
"Why, were you in my room? Wait, that's not important, what did you mean about them coming in from other places?" Shea held out an arm to stop Caroline as she was about to start yelling at Joker, rubbing her head with her other hand.
"Your little bird has been playing with others behind your back you know, there's currently several groups of soldiers in the secret passages to the castle and a horde of over a hundred thousand coming in from the south."
"A-a hundred thousand?!?!" That was over ten times the number reported in the first place there shouldn't be an army of that size reaching the city unnoticed.
"Kaila did?" The number of a hundred was staggering, it was definitely not something they could win against therefore Caroline's exclamation was the logic reaction, to Shea however the most shocking piece of information however was that Kaila betrayed them.
Having spent their childhoods together almost as sister's and given her family's background Shea wouldn't believe it if someone told her that, especially someone as dubious as Joker. But somehow Shea couldn't help but consider it a possibility, certainly if Kaila who was in charge of their information network betrayed them the fact that the enemy attacked at a time that was different than predicted and in much larger numbers was a possibility. At the same time however a quicker march would bring the enemy here faster and while you can't easily hide such number if they were using secret passages. No, no one should have known about the secret passages aside from the royal family and those closest to them. Even her father didn't know all of them but if it was Kaila, she probably has the knowledge and capability to access most of those.
"How did they get this many troops in without being seen? Even IF," Caroline paused to look over at Shea with concern,"If Kaila was manipulating the information someone would've seen such a large amount of soldiers marching, the supplies required for that as well wouldn't be easy to hide."
"They didn't have to come all at once you know, if they just planted soldiers that were on their side as the gate guards they can easily bypass the security and come in with an unchecked wagon full of soldiers to hide in the noble's houses, as for the supplies the royal family has been paying for those have they not? And with the cooperation of merchants, purchasing supplies in bulk wouldn't be all that suspicious." Joker tilted her head with a hand to one of her ears as she finished explaining, "Seems like they are're here. Well time for work, if you need help desperately there's a surprise for you in your room, it has to be you though Princess." With that before they could respond Joker disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Do you really think what Joker said was true?" Shea looked at Caroline and Medline.
"It's possible... What she said is logical and there's no reason for her to lie." Medline looked away as Caroline stated hesitantly. Soon after they heard a large explosion and saw a dust cloud rising up from the direction of the south gate.
Shea bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, if even Kaila who was a sister to her betrayed them... Who else?
----------------------------------------
Kaila slowly sneaked along the shadows of the throne room, silent and hidden from view, her hand on the hilt of her sword. The king had just sent all of his guards away and was just sitting there on his throne, did he know Kaila was there? That she was there to kill him? No but if he did he wouldn't leave himself undefended would he? But if he doesn't why isn't he moving? Maybe the guards are hiding waiting to ambush her, but who would be able to hide from her?
"To be able to hide this from your father you've grown a lot Kaila." As if mocking her excessive thinking the king started speaking to her without moving from his spot. "There are no traps or soldiers here just us."
"How did you know?" Kaila cautiously slide out of the shadows behind the throne and slowly made her way towards him, weapons partially drawn.
"That you were here or that you were helping the nobles? It was all information provided by Joker in the short time that she was here. You won't get many opportunities as good as when your target is in confusion after a surprise attack after all."
"If you knew, then why would you-"
The king turned to look at her as she rounded the throne and gave her a gentle smile, "For generations your family had been serving loyally with not so much as a word of complaint or a request for reward. In addition to the blood and sweat your family has spilt for our country ever since it's founding, you are like a daughter to me. If I could help you and your family in some way even if it costs me my old life I would do it without hesitation."
"I find it hard to believe that the king of a country would be willing to leave himself undefended like this." Kaila slowly expanded her consciousness to try and search out every corner of the large room, above on a pillar she felt a familiar aura. To even follow her here...
"I'm a king yes but a failure of one, but I am also a father. Shea and Gwyn are more than capable of running the kingdom, it was about time for me to step down for the new generation anyways. My only regret would be that I couldn't have done more for you and your clan."
Kaila clenched her teeth together as she struggled to contain her emotions, it hadn't been easy at all for her to come to this decision. She also felt that the royals were family just like how they felt about her, but when it came down to it her clan was more important to her. Her eyes started blurring as the emotions she forced down for the past while started surging up again, gripping her fists she glared at the figure of the king, the figure of a man she considered a father. "They're not going to live after tonight, there's over a hundred thousand men attacking tonight! A hundred thousand!!! Not to mention the fact that the Mage Council and the Vampire Hunters are there too."
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
"Shin's bad feelings about those two were correct after all, it may be inevitable that we turn towards the item he left behind." The king spread out his arms, "Let's quickly finish this before anyone comes back."
"I, I..." Kaila stopped pulling her sword out half way, the sound of the blade shaking against the scabbard was echoing in the large hall.
----------------------------------------
Misaki was watching things unfold from the shadows of one of the pillars, if Kaila couldn't do it in the end Misaki would do it for her. Even if Kaila ends up hating her for it at the very least Misaki could take some of the guilt off of Kaila's shoulders, and if killing her will help Kaila she was willing to lay down her life as well.
Quietly she took out several throwing daggers that were glistening venomously even in the dark shadows she was hiding in, seeing Kaila waver it seems it's time for her to intervene.
"Boo." In response to the sudden whisper into her ear Misaki twisted her body and threw the daggers directly behind her. What she saw behind her was the terrifyingly grinning face of Joker's who was catching the daggers out of the air.
----------------------------------------
*Thud
Kaila quickly pulled out her sword and pointed it in the direction of the sound out of reflex, her mind taking several seconds to catch up with the situation. "Misaki?" Looking down at the face of a familiar mask Kaila was confused as to why Misaki who had been hiding up by the pillar was suddenly crumpled onto the ground down here.
"You guys are making my work so difficult," Jumping down from the pillar where Misaki was Joker revealed herself; all Kaila could do was stare at Joker in surprise, even now she couldn't feel any presence from her. "Protecting you old man was also part of the contract."
"I... won't let you interfere." Getting up unsteadily Misaki clumsily drew the sword that was on her back as mana started collecting around her left hand.
Joker looked between Misaki's left arm which had a small cut slowly oozing blood and the dagger she held in her hand that had a green shine to it in surprise, "That was enough to knock out a rock bear you know."
"We're trained to resist that!" Shooting the mass of black mana that had concentrated in her hand at Joker Misaki dashed forward, sword slashing down at Joker's chest.
Tilting her body to one side Joker dodged the magic as she pulled out two daggers from out of nowhere to intercept Misaki's sword. "I'm surprised you can still move but you shouldn't force yourself, it's not good for your skin~" Parrying the weak slashes that Misaki threw in her direction Joker landed a solid kick sending Misaki tumbling back several meters.
"Wait! Joker this is my decisio-" As the king started to get up from the throne a dagger was thrown right beside him planting itself solidly into the back of the throne. "Wha-" All of a sudden the king lost unconsciousness and fell back down, a small amount of blood bleeding from a cut on his neck.
"Night Night~" Joker was facing the king completely disregarding Misaki's existence.
"Your overconfidence will be your down fall!" Ignoring the pain in her abdomen Misaki once again dashed forward with her sword reaching out for Joker's blood. In a relaxed manner Joker raised the remaining dagger she had in her hand to block Misaki's sword causing a thin smile to appear on Misaki's face. Of course Misaki's sword was easily blocked and she was forced down to her knees as Joker pushed her sword down towards her but then out of the shadows eight swords sprang out towards Joker's undefended back and bite in deeply causing Joker to cry out in fear-
Did not happen, Misaki's triumphant expression quickly turned into one of disbelief as all eight of the shadowy clones had a Joker appear behind them breaking their outstretched arm causing their swords to fall to the ground. Kaila who had also started moving when Misaki was forced to the ground was suddenly tripped by the leg of another Joker who appeared out of the shadow of the pillar next to her, Kicking away Kaila's sword the Joker clone who tripped her pulled both her arms behind her back and kept Kaila down on the ground despite her struggling.
"So who's over confident again?" The original Joker gave off a chilling smile as she regarded Misaki who was being lifted up by two of the eight Jokers that destroyed her clones. "But still to summon those, could you be... a chosen?"
Hearing that word Misaki who was struggling froze for a moment, "What are you talking about?" Misaki swore inwardly as Joker's smile revealed that she didn't miss clue that Misaki dropped.
"What an unexpected treat," After stating so Joker took out a wooden coin from out of the air and tapped it several times, "Hellooooo! Can you hear me?" After a couple seconds passed Joker opened her mouth again, "Everything's just fine, it's just that I found a chosen, what would you like me to do with her? Hmm? Okay I understand, what do I do about the chosen's master? Yes she's the one, okay! Bye!" Apparently done with the conversation Joker tossed the coin into the air where it disappeared.
Walking up Joker held a dagger against Misaki's throat her smile sending chills down Misaki's spine, "Now, would you like to join us? My master is currently... Collecting, chosens."
"My allegiance is to milady only." Even under threat of death with the dagger drawing blood Misaki answered unwavering and without even a moments hesitation.
"Hmm, admirable but what if we bring the life of your... Milady into question?" With her arms still held behind her back Kaila was forcibly dragged over.
"You!"
In response to Misaki's outburst Joker just waved her hand in the air dismissively, "Don't pretend you didn't see this coming, but that aside," Joker turned to look at Kaila's defiant face, "Would you like to join us? If you do master will save your clan."
Kaila's defiant attitude immediately broke in face of that statement; from what she has seen of Shin's forces and what she knows of him strength is not an issue. If they were to help her clan it would be a simple thing but-
"Don't trust her milady, she's just trying to trick you." Misaki tried to push forward only to be pulled back painfully by the clones that were holding onto her. She knows how desperate Kaila is to save the clan, after all she even betrayed the royal family, but Joker and Shin were incredibly suspicious. She could think of no reason that Joker and her master would want to keep them alive except to torment for entertainment.
"I'm insulted," Joker put a hand on her chest and faked pain, "To think you thought of me that way. But-" Joker turned back to Kaila, "It's your choice whether to believe me or not, if you don't they'll die because of your failure, if you do they may survive." Joker's smile was cruelly emphasizing that she knew Kaila's answer already, after all it wasn't even a choice.
"I-I'll accept and join." Kaila said between grit teeth while Misaki closed her eyes, depressed and angry at herself for not being able to stop this from happening.
"Great!" Joker clapped and together as a group with the two of them still restricted they started marching out of the room. "First let's start with bedroom etiquette."
"Eh?" Surprised at their first activity they didn't have much time to protest before the Joker's started groping their bodies as they were walking. Soon there was no one left in the room except for the unconscious king and a small box that had a lever sticking out of it.
----------------------------------------
Note* The second one will be out tomorrow, what was supposed to just be a lunch with family turned into an almost full day shopping trip... gotta love that right? Also what took the longest in proportion to it's length was... the chapter title, I suck at those. I may end up just leaving it as Chapter # in the future. That aside I'm trying to get a friend to proofread for me but since it'll delay the chapter anywhere between a day to a week I don't think that would work out very well.