"Let us in, damn it!" I tried to barge in.
"Calm down, calm down. We were told to let no one in," said the soldier.
We had arrived at the castle but the guards wouldn't let us in. it was infuriating. But they weren't attacking us either. Which ant we weren't branded as enemies…yet.
"I have an appointnt with your princess. Now let in!" I tried to push through but the guard was very persistent in keeping us out.
"Settle down man. I'm just doing my job." He raised his arms up in an attempt to calm down.
"What's with the ruckus?" A familiar voice appeared from the shadow. It was Gorgan. Was he in it too? I looked at him containing my hostility but so of it still slipped. "Oh, Daarc. Glad to know you made it. Are these your companions?" He genuinely looked glad.
I made myself clear. "We don't have ti for this. I need to et the princess." I couldn't possibly explain things here and besides, Gorgan was on the suspect list too.
"Her, eh? But I've been ordered to let no one in." Gorgan himself looked uncomfortable but he wanted out too. It didn't look like he was about to let us in.
"Please, this is an ergency. It's far greater than just the undead's uprising," the elf boy said, his eyes raging.
For so reason, I felt he might know sothing but he was hesitating. I'd be sure to lecture him thoroughly if I survived.
"If you say that then I have no choice. LET THEM THROUGH!" Gorgan led us.
Just like that? Just who is this elf-boy? Although I was sowhat doubtful and skeptical I didn't ask unnecessary questions. Might be a pipsqueak of elven nobility or sothing. He did look noble and all, but I didn't expect too much. He looked like a kid after all.
We went inside. The castle always made feel uncomfortable. The fragrant scent in the air was no longer prominent. It made even more uncomfortable.
There weren't any guards, which was rather odd. The throne room of all places was completely unguarded.
"How co there aren't any guards outside this door?" I asked Gorgan.
"There should have been at least two. Let's head inside. I don't like where this is going." Gorgan was agitated. "Maybe she ordered them outside?" Gorgan mumbled to himself. I didn't like where this was going either.
We made our way into the throne room as quickly as possible, passing through the massive double door. The princess was inside, alone. She was sitting on the throne looking all pretty. She looked just like I when I first t her in this room, except kinder.
Gorgan bowed to show respect. Without bowing I threw my questions. I didn't care for courtesy not after what she'd done. "So after leading countless undead into the city you sit there like nothing is wrong?"
Gorgan looked at with questioning eyes but he didn't say anything for the princess said nothing as well. She was sitting there wearing a kind smile over her beautiful face. The sheer guts of that woman pissed off. She was just smiling and said nothing: almost like a doll?
"Well? WHY PRINCESS? WHY! AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO PROTECT YOUR PEOPLE?" I roared. And before I knew it, I was screaming at the top of my lungs.
"Sothing's odd," Lianne whispered into my ears.
Honestly, I too could feel that sothing wasn't right either. Gorgan didn't say anything at all. He was too quiet.
I went closer to the princess. Nothing changed. She was just the sa. Is it possible that…?
I tried touching her hand.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Gorgan finally shouted.
I ignored him. Upon touch, she imdiately turned into water and flowed straight to the ground. What the hell? I kind of expected sothing like this but I was still a little surprised when it did happen.
"What did you do to the princess?" Gorgan scread with his spear pointed at .
He was more confused than angry. He must have realized at least sothing. I betted on that and continued. "As you can see, I did nothing."
So this was just a double?
Gorgan didn't seem convinced. He was about to co at for real. But before he could do so… A man barged in haunted by pain and terror.
"Lord… Go-Gorgan."
"What is it?"
The soldier's face was pale. He couldn't speak as he was drowning in his own sweat. "A-tida-tidal-"
Gorgan forgetting his primary concerns for a mont looked genuinely worried. "Calm down. You're not making any sense."
"A tidal wave is coming. Look outside the city. What's wo-worse… her high-"
Gorgan exploded with excitent. That was the first ti I saw him losing composure. "WHAT IS IT?"
"Th-the princess is seen in the west gate: alone."
I wasn't surprised and nor were the two elves but the sa couldn't be said about Gorgan. His face went pale and he sweated. After a mont's pause, he lost it.
Gorgan snapped with a grinding tone. I was surprised his teeth didn't break. He ran outside. We hurried out as well. There really was a huge tidal wave above the city, covering the entire western region. The tidal wave floated in the air. It flowed normally and held its place. How is it standing there against gravity? Magic? Even if it was magic, the odds of accomplishing sothing of that caliber was definitely beyond humans.
"I-I think we can speculate the enemy now," Lianne said as her face was leaking sweats of terror.
"And that would be?" I stared at the tidal wave as well.
The elf boy pointed at the wave. "See those red dots inside the water?"
I couldn't tell water from waves, let alone dots. "Even with my good vision it's indistinguishable for to identify them," I said while getting sucker-punched inside. Good eyesight was my selling point and if that was taken away then what did I have left?
"Those are undead," he said with a soft tone, barely audible.
"Undead!?"
"Undead rmaids, to be exact," Lianne said.
What if that thing falls? Hey, isn't the slum that way too? I couldn't shake the feeling that sothing bad might happen to those siblings. And by extension sothing very bad was about to happen to this whole city. Please find so shelter guys.
Gorgan was very shocked. The poor guy was speechless and didn't know what to do anymore. He was on his knees.
I couldn't bla him. I was shocked as well. Anybody would have been. However he was probably more shocked to find out that the princess was behind all that. But I got the impression that he didn't believe . I didn't force it upon him either. He'll have to see it for himself.
"Lord Gorgan, rmaids are falling from the tidal wave by the west gate," Another soldier declared. "The slums… the slums would be overrun!"
Gorgan didn't respond.
"Lord Gorgan, a massive undead force approaches from the east gate!"
"Lord Gorgan, the princess is missing!"
"Lord Gorgan!"
He still didn't respond. He was bombarded with responsibility but he looked miserable. His eyes quivered and he held his head in his hands while on his knees, panicking. If soone was shouting in my ears like that I might have ended up punching the guy, but Gorgan just stayed on his knees.
Lianne couldn't contain herself anymore. She went close to Gorgan and patted his back. I was shocked. So you're not going to slap him?
If it were I'd have slapped him to his senses. Guess that was unnecessary.
"It's okay; we all face the impossible at so point in life. But it's up to you whether you make a choice to overco the impossible or not. Don't you want to save the princess?" Lianne's voice was kind and she knew exactly what to say. Gorgan stared at Lianne. It took a second but he regained composure.
He cald down and nodded. If he hadn't I would have surely punched him, as this wasn't the situation for lodrama.
"Damn it! Order the n to form three units. One unit go up the wall and one stay here. The rest follow ," Gorgan said as tears stread down his cheeks and his eyes bread with determination.
He got up. Did he get back his resolve?
"Wait! What good, will protecting this castle get us? We need to protect the people first. If there are no people then there can be no king," said the elf-boy beside .
Well said. Obviously, I agreed. For a little kid, he sure knew his way with words.
"Very well. It seems I too have a lot to learn. You heard him, N. Unit two will protect the people instead. Unit three, follow !" Gogan's shout ignited sothing in the soldiers.
"Sir!" with a unified shout, the soldiers present saluted Gorgan. Everyone started running around but there was no sense of chaos, it seed too coordinated. They were trained soldiers, after all.
Was this holy knight really the most powerful knight here or was he just respected? I couldn't tell. What I could tell was he was no different than : a broken man deep within. So, I had no right to judge him.. But I respected him if only a little.
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