BALCONY, ISLAND OF FETTERS

Four days before the attack on Iolite

Decades, no... A little over a century ago, Lord Krystol used his power to craft the halls of his throne room. In the room, there was a menacing throne, one that was overflowing with miasma. The dark crystal that formed it exuded an aura of malevolence, jagged thorns jutting out of the edges. The hall in which Krystol stood was a cavernous space, shrouded in darkness and filled with rows upon rows of black crystal pillars. Each pillar carried torches that burned with the black flames.

Krystol had waited patiently for this moment, bidding his time as he watched and planned. His attention fixated on the two strongest fairies who posed the greatest threat to his plan—Princess Lucia and King Albireo II. Despite the minor setback, Krystol remained calm. Everything was proceeding according to plan.

As he sat on the throne, the blue ring on his finger cast a soft glow upon his command. The ground beneath him began to tremble. With a swift gesture of his hand, a rectangular platform rose from the ground. The ground morphed, taking on a new shape as a table. He carefully placed two gray stones on a stone platform as the surrounding air vibrated with a low rumble.

The gray stones were known as Eminus, a dwarven invention that allowed two individuals to speak across a distance. Krystol had scheduled a meeting with the two underground organization’s leaders, Hyuma and Ratalia.

The one to his left immediately flashed bright yellow. “Hyuma here, you called?”

The one to his right flashed bright yellow. “This is a joint call? Krystol, you freak! Hyuma out of all Creations?”

“Utter any bullshit and I am out,” Hyuma answered, learning about the other respondent. It wasn’t the person he was too pleased to hear.

The Nevil Nook and Lax Rover. A pair of rival bandit gangs specializing high up in the southern mountains of Iolite. The Nevil Nook took the western side, while the Lax Rover took the eastern side.

Hyuma, the hulking beastman, was the leader of the Nevil Nook. His posse had expertise when it came to snuffing people and impersonation, which helped them break into even the most secure fortresses. The Blind Bob, a crafty member of the gang, was known throughout the underworld for his incredible skill in forgeries. He could create perfect copies of even the most intricate and delicate documents, fooling even the wariest of foes.

The Lax Rover, led by Ratalia, was a smaller gang, but no less fearsome. The small rat beastman was an expert thief, able to sneak past even the most alert of guards with ease. Her gang specialized in stealing valuable goods and slipping away before anyone knew they were there.

“Silence, you mutts. Both were given the same task, yet you failed miserably,” Krystol interjected them both.

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Ratalia’s voice rang louder than before. “What, did you expect the assassination of the king was simple? I wouldn’t send any of my dearies for something this risky!”

“But you enjoy the gold, don’t you, Ratalia?”

Hyuma interrupted, “As usual, the Lax Rover cowers while we attempt the commission. I guess this is why the Nevil Nook is the better one.”

“Huh? Say again, you edgy twerp! You sent amateurs, raising the security of the capital!”

“Amateurs that perform better than your ‘professionals’,” Hyuma said mercilessly.

Krystol had enough. These were leaders of their respective organizations yet bickering for nonsensical pride. “I will not repeat myself. I have a commission for you.”

The two immediately calmed down. Ratalia gave a small squeak. “Both?”

“Yes. Both. Work together or have one of your mindless fights. I don’t care. You’ll only get the coin for a completed job,” Krystol said.

“Before, fifty gold pieces were awarded for each agent infiltrating Antlia,” he began. “Listen carefully, my dear accomplices, for I have a proposition that is worthy of your attention. My offer is simple, but oh so lucrative. I propose that both of you attack on different sides of the continent, Ratalia attacking Antlia, while Hyuma attacks Fornax and Mensa. You will have four days to prepare for this endeavor. And if you are successful, you will be rewarded with fifty thousand gold pieces each. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, my friends. And to show my sincerity, I will provide you with a deposit of ten thousand gold pieces to your lair.”

Fifty thousand! One gold piece was the salary of a mere farmer for a month. The two bandits have great imaginations about how they plan to spend the money. Riches for life!

Despite the distance, Krystol could envision their jaw drop. Dislocated, probably. He heard rattling from Ratalia’s side, trying to calm herself down, “Krystol, we are thieves, bandits, and puny assassins, not some mercenaries of war!” She allowed the reality of her limitations to overcome her never-ending greed.

Hyuma kept quiet. He can’t dispute that fact. Thieves and bandits plunder villages of innocent civilians at most. That only works in rural areas. In the major cities, royal guards will be patrolling, watching out for danger like a hungry hawk. Even if all the disguised thieves attacked, the royal army would immediately round them up in a day or two.

The man replied, “The royal guards won’t be around. Plunder and loot as you wish. Make sure you cover each side of the continent.”

Hyuma interrupted, “What do you mean, the royal guards won’t be around? What about the monarchy? Don’t you think they would fight us?”

Sensing the rising anxiety, Krystol started, “Less doubt, more action.”

“And you wake up wondering why you are in this situation. Outcasts, hiding in the shadows, fearing what they call ‘justice’. That is the world you live in, where there was never enough. Persecuted based on your origin or the race you were born in,” Krystol continued. “Do you think silence and submission would ever protect you? These insignificant antics of yours will never bring you the riches.”

The two grey stones stopped glowing. No one muttered a single word. Indeed, once they complete this job, it was fifty grand in their pockets, potentially even more. They already had ten grand of gold coin in their pockets, but if they chose to cower and run, they would be losing out a lot on the potential riches.

“The royal guards and the kingdom of Iolite exist solely for my amusement and to serve me,” Krystol claimed. “True power is the ability to anticipate every action of one's adversaries and manipulate them to one's advantage, denying them any possibility of success.”