Tori Transmigrated

Wood splintered above them and as Tori dragged Gideon past the threshold that was barely held up by a column of packed dirt, she strengthened the energy output of the ice crystal to surround them and block the sudden gush of hot air blowing out as the interior roof collapsed.

“Guevera!” Fabian ran towards them and shoved a single-handed sword through his belt and quickly supported Gideon on his other side.

“He inhaled too much smoke. We need to get somewhere safe so I can purge it, otherwise, he can’t escape like this,” Tori said as she and Fabian dragged Gideon between them. She looked around the yard as she led them to the side, further away from the burning shed.

There was smoke and ashes drifting in the air. Those weren’t good to inhale either. They needed shelter and the closest building was the large house where they were, but Adrien would be back soon, and the large house was the first place any additional guards would go.

She turned her head back to where she’d trapped the six men originally guarding Gideon and almost jerked back. Six bodies were limp, hanging from the waist down in various angles while still encased in dirt from the thighs down.

“I took one of their swords after I killed them,” Fabian said. “You can have your dagger back.”

“Hold on to it. We need to find a shelter first,” she replied. Against the firelight, she could make out a several story tall steeple of sorts not too far away. She gritted her teeth and grounded. “Follow me. There’s a church down the road. Let’s go there. I don’t know when morning will come, but as long as no one finds us, we can wait and try to get a better view of the area from the steeple.”

Fabian nodded and Tori led them around a low stone wall at the back of the large house. Rather than take the road and be sighted easily, she led them in between abandoned yards to get to a derelict church. It was an old wooden building and since the village appeared abandoned long ago, they didn’t face much resistance breaking in through a back door.

It was dark and while Tori had clear quartz on her bracelet, she didn’t want to risk turning it into a light crystal and alerting enemies. The wood was old and creaked with every step, but Tori couldn’t sense any heartbeats in the building. She had Fabian remain in place with Gideon as she felt around to try to find stairs.

A wooden door was hanging off its hinge and when Tori pushed past it, it nearly fell. However, right behind it was a set of narrow stairs. Tori kept her hand on the wall and took careful steps until she reached the top of the steeple.

The steeple likely once held some bells and had glassless windows on all four sides so the sound could be heard. Light from the nearby shed fire came in through those windows, which was good enough for her to work with. She went downstairs as fast as she could without damaging the aged wood.

“Anything?” Fabian asked as he leaned against the wall, still holding a wheezing Gideon.

“Can you help him up the stairs? I’ll put a silence charm around us when we’re up there. When you reach the top, stay low and avoid the windows.”

Fabian nodded and followed as Tori led them to the stairs. She followed behind them in case Gideon fell, but though he was wheezing, he was still able to climb up. When they reached the top, Tori had Fabian sit in the corner before she dragged a crystal around the walls.

“Gideon?” Fabian said as he laid the second prince on the dusty floorboards. “Are you all right?”

Gideon’s breathing was shallow, and Tori crawled over, trying to stay low to avoid being seen from the windows.

“Lift up his shirt so I can write a purification charm,” Tori told him. Fabian nodded and gathered Gideon’s shirt hem, tugging it up to his armpits. Tori fished out her mem crystal and began the draw across Gideon’s chest and abdomen. “Take deep breaths. Slow, deep breaths.”

Gideon’s chest trembled with his first few breaths and his red face contorted with pain. However, the more he breathed, the easier it became.

Tori slumped back against the wall.

“They’re going to start searching for us sooner or later,” Fabian told her. “What do we do?”

Tori had her eyes shut. “We can’t do anything except hide until we figure out where we are. We don’t know where to go if we don’t know where we’re starting. Anyway, Gideon will need time to purge the smoke. Let’s take a moment to recover.”

Fabian nodded and looked down at Gideon, whose head was resting on his lap. “How is it?”

“Burns less....” Gideon wheezed.

“Keep your breathing even. Let the charm do its work,” Tori told him. She pursed her lips and frowned. “This is classified information, but I don’t have a choice. Adrien Rosiek is suspected of being a Duraga Federation agent planted in Soleil. With him attacking your carriage, kidnapping us, and trying to burn Gideon alive, it’s fairly obvious that even if he’s not an agent, he is in some way trying to cause turmoil in the empire.”

Fabian looked over at her with squinted eyes. “Was Alessa involved?”

“Alessa was involved?” Gideon tilted his head up as much as he could to look at Tori and didn’t seem to want to believe it.

“She believes that I’m a spy for foreign forces and that I’ve gotten close to Piers and other influential people in the empire to gather information to give to a foreign enemy.”

“A spy?” Gideon choked out. He crinkled his eyes. “That’s not true.”

“Yes, I know it’s not true!” Tori snapped. “But she saved Rosiek’s life and trusts him completely. I don’t know how long he’s been feeding her lies, but she’s been watching me and everything I’ve been doing seems to support his conspiracy.”

“How do you know it’s Rosiek?” Fabian asked with uncertainty.

“He’s been watched by Piers and Piers’ intelligence team for some time now, and there are many unanswered questions on his background. It’s as if he appeared out of nothing. He also has suspicious contacts. The spice vendors who supplied spices to the Golden Cow were smuggling in spices from a tunnel in the northeast mountains. You know how Axton had to suddenly go on an errand and we had to postpone his surprise party?” She looked at the two and could see them nod. “He went on a mission to collapse the tunnel.”

“What if Rosiek didn’t know?” Gideon asked, grimacing.

“Von Dorn’s sword instructor. Suspicious workers who only work for him. Questionable resources and associates who also appeared out of nothing. He developed a vast network within Soleil ideal for moving not only goods, but people,” Tori said. She took a deep breath. “Also, before I found von Dorn, they brought me to him and Alessa.” Her eyes lowered and she shook her head. “She really believes that he’s an agent of Soleil and when Rosiek saw her out, the men left in the room with me said they planned to kill us. To burn Gideon alive and then frame me for his murder.”

“If he was an agent of Soleil, my brother would’ve known,” Gideon said. His voice was a bit hoarse, but he was breathing better. “I trust my brother.”

Tori stared at him for a moment, a bit irritated that he didn’t trust her after she dragged him out of a burning building, but instead relied on his unwavering belief in Piers. She gave him a disgusted look before turning to Fabian.

“By the way, von Dorn, they also suspect you’re a traitor.”

Fabian’s head shot up. “Me? Why?”

“Guilty by association with me, I suppose. I don’t know. They didn’t make sense and anything I said to Hart was met with fervent rejection. She said she knew I’d try to change her mind and that I was lying.” She shut her eyes and did another sweep for nearby heartbeats. “I’m not lying.”

“I know,” Fabian said in a quiet voice.

“How long do you think it will take for the sun to rise?” Gideon asked in a strained voice.

“Stop talking. Just concentrate on breathing,” Tori told him. “And I don’t know. There weren’t any clocks, and I don’t have a time piece on me. What about you two?”

Fabian patted his pocket and shook his head as he tried to empty it out. “Nothing.”

Gideon swallowed hard and moved his hands to his pocket. “Also, nothing.”

“They took your ring. They must’ve taken away anything that could be useful for escape,” Tori said. “They were smart, but not smart enough to hide them. My dagger, bracelet, and your ring were on a desk.”

“What about our comcry?” Fabian asked. Tori shook her head.

“They might have left them behind. My comcry and Gideon’s can be tracked.”

Gideon squinted at her. “When could my comcry be tracked?”

“Since I became your part time Lycée guard,” Tori said. She wasn’t sure if he could see her deadpan expression, but gave one anyway. “Your brother said he was worried.”

Gideon’s ash smudged face broke out into a smile. “I have a good brother.”

Tori snorted. “We can only wait for the sun to rise and give us some light. It’s too dangerous to run out in the dark. You can’t see where you’re going and if you’re injured or fall into a trap, our problems are worse. You have to be prepared to leave as soon as we have a direction. If my estimation is correct, we should’ve only been asleep for a few hours. While potent enough to make us sleep quickly, I don’t think we were around the poison long enough to have breathed in toxins to sleep for more than a few hours.”

Fabian nodded. “Everything happened so fast. I didn’t know what was happening outside.”

“I won’t activate the noise canceling crystal next time,” Gideon said with a grimace.

“Good, you’ve learned,” Tori said. She took a deep breath and clenched her hands. “Here’s the plan. When I start to see the rays of sunlight on the horizon, I’ll use my clear quartz as a light flare. It’ll be dark enough that the signal can be seen for a long distance. I’m sure by now, people are searching for us and will be on the lookout. That will alert searchers of our location.”

“Then, we just stay here and wait? Won’t the crystal let the enemy know we’re here?” Gideon asked.

Tori shook her head. “We can’t stay here. I don’t think this village is very large and they’ll find us within minutes. Also, there are...a lot of people here.”

“We hardly saw anyone,” Fabian told her.

Tori drew in her lips and looked down. Dread twisted in the pit of her stomach and her heart ached. There was no way she and Fabian could fight off the number of heartbeats she found. Even if they ran and tried to thin out the pursuers, their abilities were limited.

“We went around the back and were careful to avoid them,” Tori said as she swallowed and tried to keep her voice even. “When the sun rises, I’ll activate the light flare. If anyone sees it, they will reply with a light flare of their own.” She lifted her eyes and looked towards Fabian. “When we see that flare, run in its direction and don’t look back.”

“What if we don’t see a flare?” Gideon asked.

“We’ll see what the terrain is once the sun rises, before I activate the flare,” Tori told them. “The flare is extremely bright, so when I activate it, turn away from it, shut your eyes, and cover them with your hands. Don’t turn around until I tell you or it will blind you, and we don’t have time for you to be temporarily blinded.”

“How many times can you use the crystal?” Fabian asked.

“With the amount of energy, I can put into it, twice before it runs out. The light uses a lot of energy.” She looked at Gideon. “When you flee, I’m going to give you the crystal. Don’t use it as a flare. Activate it if you’re cornered. Do you understand? Point it towards your pursuers, shut your eyes, ground, and activate it, then count for five. Anyone who looks at it will be blinded for a few hours, and you can keep running.”

Gideon nodded.

Fabian narrowed his eyes. “What about you?”

“I need to stay here. I can see the village and the surrounding area from here and can provide cover for you while you flee,” Tori told them. “I also need to gather a lot of energy to contain the threat and I can’t do that if I’m running. It’s better for me to stay here and keep them back.”

“Then we’ll stay with you,” Gideon told her, as if it were an obvious choice. “We’re not going to leave you.”

“Gideon,” Fabian said in a tight voice. “She’s going to be a decoy.”

“What?” Gideon struggled to push himself into a seated position. He nearly slipped when his arm gave out, but he still forced himself up. He shook his head. “No, are you crazy, Guevera? We can’t leave you!”

Tori cracked a small smile. “I never thought I’d hear you say that.”

“Be serious!” Gideon choked out. “How can we leave you behind? Just run away with us! Won’t we have a better chance if you stay with us?”

“Both von Dorn and I aren’t enough to fight off the army hiding here.”

The two went quiet save for Gideon’s trembling breath. “What do you mean army?”

Tori took a deep breath. “I’m not going to explain much, but when I was searching for von Dorn, I thought he could be underground as I couldn’t find him on the surface. When I found him, I found a few more...people, nearby. I thought they were guards, so I extended my search to see how many there were and....” She bit her lower lip. She held out her hands. “This village sits on a vast network of underground tunnels and caves. They probably stretch out into the countryside, but there are....thousands of people under this village.”

Gideon shook his head. “Are they villagers?”

Tori bit her lips. She vaguely remembered the glowing location on the crystal table on Piers’ birthday. The area was near Geyser Cliffs. “When Axton collapsed that smuggling tunnel, there was evidence of soldiers having passed through. We don’t know of any mass infiltration from the Duraga Federation; we haven’t seen one. But they must’ve gone somewhere.”

“Don’t be rash, Guevara,” Gideon said with a frown. “What if they’re villagers? Did you see them?”

“Villagers would have no need to live underground when there is a perfectly settleable village on the surface,” Tori told him. “And as we’ve been sitting here, I’ve been monitoring the patrols. Those who are done seem to go underground and another set come up to replace them.”

“But are you sure they’re not villagers?” Fabian asked.

“If you make a mistake-”

“I will find out,” Tori told them in a firm voice. “So, I have to stay and confirm my suspicions before I act. If it is an army hiding here, even if we hide and wait for rescue, our people will be outnumbered when they come. If we run together, we’ll be overwhelmed if they come after us. I’d rather not take the risk if it is an army.”

“If we cannot take them together, what makes you think you can handle them by yourself?” Fabian asked with some irritation. “Guevera, you’re one woman.”

Tori lifted up her left arm. “I’m one woman with crystals. I’ll have more control and be able to gather and release energy if I remain in place. If it is an army that’s hiding underground, I can use my crystals. As long as I don’t have to fight them individually, I can do it.”

Gideon scowled. “I know you’re some sort of crystal fanatic, but you don’t have enough energy to do that. I know what happened that summer by the lakes. Not only did you sleep for days, but you lost feeling in your legs.”

“Only temporarily.”

“But what if it’s not this time?” Gideon glared. “How much energy will it take to...to deal with an army of thousands underground?”

Tori grimaced a bit. “A lot. But, I have improved in the last two years.” She saw Gideon open his mouth and she raised her hand to silence him. “I am the daughter of a marquis. It is my duty to protect this empire and the family that rules it.”

“Guevera, we can’t leave without you....” Fabian said in a low, breathy, and pleading voice.

Tori pursed her lips. “We of the marches always follow our instincts and my instinct is telling me to stay. Von Dorn...Fabian. When I tell you to run, you take Gideon and you run. I will cover you as long as I can see you and I’ll write some more charms on you to increase your stamina and offer some protection.”

Fabian closed his eyes, his jaw clenched. “Gideon....”

“Who is going to protect you when you’re covering us?” the second prince asked in a quiet voice. “Agafonova and the others always say that you do too much. That you’re reckless when you work to the point of hurting yourself. If something happens to you, then something happens to us. Don’t you understand that?”

She was quiet for a moment. “Believe it or not, I’ve always been like this. Always the dependable one. Always the one who needs to be in control of her situation.” She played with the mem crystal in her hand. “I will take precautions and draw out sacred geometry and charms around and on me. It’ll be fine.” She said it with an air of finality and Gideon glared at her.

“Guevera, if something happens to you, my brother-”

“Nothing will happen to me.” Tori smiled. Now, she was lying. “At most, I’ll suffer severe crystal shock, but I’ll take precautions to mitigate backlash. Nothing is more important than ensuring your safety. You have to have some faith in me. You’ve seen what I’m capable of. I can do more.”

Gideon lowered his head. His hands grasped the cloth of his pants. “My brother loves you so much....”

“Tell him to wait for me to wake up.” Tori continued to smile. “I know my limits. As long as I can confine possible attackers, I’ll be fine. You have to trust me.” She didn’t tell them that she didn’t exactly trust herself a hundred percent.

Gideon shut his eyes. He seemed to be at a loss as to what to say, but Fabian’s neck craned up. “The sky’s brightening.”

Tori sat up straight and followed his gaze. She also lifted her neck to look over the edge of the nearest window. While it was still dark, there was a faint shift in the color to one side and Tori could make out the faint glow coming from behind the shadows of mountains in the distance.

She released a low breath to calm herself. “Gideon, how are you feeling? Can you breathe well now? Can you run?”

Gideon stretched out his arms and legs from where he sat. He twisted his waist and took a few deep breaths. “I think so.”

“Fabian, do you have the sword?”

“Yes.”

Tori turned towards him. “Lift up your shirt. I’m going to write speed, strength, and agility increasing charms on your back.”

Fabian shuffled around and took off his shirt baring his back to Tori without question. She drew a series of circles interlocked as she grounded and poured energy into every stroke. “When do I activate it?”

“I’ll tell you when. I don’t know how long it will last, but I want it to last as long as possible.” Tori pulled her hand back and looked at Gideon. “You, too.”

He nodded and bared his back to Tori. She tried not to tremble as she drew the sacred geometry on him. “This won’t make you a better swordsman or fighter, so don’t try to confront anyone directly. Just run.”

Gideon gave her a shaky nod of her head. Tori pulled her hand back and looked towards the horizon. She removed the clear quartz from her bracelet and scraped the side with her mem crystal. She closed her eyes; the patrols hadn’t changed, meaning no one had noticed that they were missing.

She extended her energy towards the large house. It was empty. Did Adrien go with Alessa? She would think he’d return to make sure all three of them were dead.

“What is it?” Gideon asked. She opened her eyes.

“They’re not looking for us yet. I’m going to give the sunrise some more time.” She fell to her knees and drew a large circle around her.

“What are you doing?”

“Preparing the sacred geometry to gather energy and increase output. I need to have enough to cover you when you run and to keep anyone from chasing you,” Tori told them. She drew circle after interlocked circle before writing Old Sulfae across the surface.

With how much she was using her mem crystal, she’d turn it into a nub when she was done. She removed the terracrystal from her bracelet and began to write on it.

Her mind was racing. She was trying to put all her attention into preparing the formation and crystals, but at the same time keep her senses open for any approaching enemies. A heartbeat’s familiar energy triggered her senses and she froze.

Adrien Rosiek was nearby. Tori lifted her head and swallowed hard.

“Face that corner. Shut your eyes and cover them until I tell you to stop,” Tori said. The two followed her instructors and Tori stood up. She crawled beneath the nearest window, pinched the quartz between two fingers, and stuck her arm out. She closed her eyes, covered them with one hand, and took a deep breath.

Even with her eyes covered, there was a faint glow that pierced flesh, making it glow almost pink. Tori counted to herself, ignoring the yells that sounded from around the area.

If there was no reply light flare, then she would send Gideon and Fabian east, as the majority of the underground caverns she sensed extended west. If she shifted the earth, she wasn’t sure if the surface would crack. It was best to send them away from the area of prospective destruction.

After five counts, Tori lowered her hand. There was no light coming through her eyelids and she brought her arm back inside. She opened her eyes.

“Each of you watch one of the windows to see if there is a response flare,” Tori said as she kept her eyes out the two windows closest to her.

“Will that flare blind us?” Gideon asked.

Tori shook her head. “Only if you’re close enough. This doesn’t have the capacity to be as strong as the S-Class light beacons. They shoot into the air and last longer than a traditional crystal flare. Look for a white light that shoots upwards-”

“There! To the north!” Fabian nearly shot to his feet and Tori reached over to grab him and keep him down. She arched her back and saw the white light rise into the dark sky like a star shooting up.

She squinted her eyes. “They’re at least a few miles north....” Tori muttered to herself. She took a deep breath. “Ground! Both of you activate the charms. When I say go, run downstairs and out the door we entered from. Fabian knows which one.”

Gideon nodded and closed his eyes. He took in a sharp breath. “Guevera...what did you put on us?”

“Good luck charm,” Tori replied as she peeked over the edge of the window. “I wrote some on myself and have a safety charm from Montan.” She heard shouting in the distance and could make out shadowy figures rushing towards the church from across the village. “On the off chance that something happens to me, please tell my family and friends that I love them, and that Victoria de Guevera regrets nothing.” She grabbed Gideon’s hand and stuffed the quartz in it. “Now go in the direction of the response flare!”

“Let’s go!” Fabian grabbed Gideon’s arm and pulled him towards the stairs. Tori watched their heads disappear downstairs and took a deep breath. She grounded and rose to her feet. She stretched her fingers at her sides.

“The game wanted me to be a villain...it never specified to whom.” She cracked her neck. “All right, fuckers. Avatar Tori has arrived.”

They shot out of the back door of the dilapidated church. Gideon gripped Fabian’s hand, unwilling to lose him as they ran across the yard. With some light coming from the horizon, they could make out the somewhat flat, cleared land behind the church. His eyes nearly bulged out as he noticed the weathered stones protruding in rows from the ground.

“Cemetery?” he choked out.

“Look ahead and watch where you step!” Fabian called back to him. Gideon swallowed and refocused, careful not to accidentally catch his foot on a divot. Beyond the cemetery were rows of water-starved trees bearing no leaves.

“Over there! There are two of them!” Voices shouted behind them, and Gideon grit his teeth, refusing to look back.

He had to keep running. Just run towards the flare, like Guevera told him. As they ran, he could’ve sworn he felt a slight vibration around him. He shook his head. It was likely just his running.

Screaming came from behind him and despite himself, Gideon looked over his shoulder. His eyes went wide as he saw a dark, massive shadow rising from the ground and blocking the church from view. On either side of it, the shadow was rising, surrounding the village slowly.

“Gideon!” Fabian shouted. He tugged on his arm. “Come on!”

“Do you see that?” Gideon choked out as he looked at Fabian and then back over his shoulder. “Is that a wall?”

“She said she needed to contain the village! Maybe that’s what she meant!” Fabian shouted back.

The heavy weight in Gideon’s heart lightened. He couldn’t help but grin as he looked forward. Maybe Guevera would be all right after all.

“Go after the prince! The girl can’t escape!”

Gideon tried to quicken his speed. He darted around trees and kept a close eye on Fabian ahead of him. He told himself that Guevera would be all right. If she had enough power to enclose a village with a massive earthen wall, surely she’d be able to take care of herself.

“Gideon, they’re on horses! Stay close!” Fabian shouted. Gideon nodded as an arrow whizzed by his head.

“They have arrows!” He heard Fabian swear.

“Just keep running! Guevara said not to look back! Just run!” Arrows flew past them, narrowly missing them as they ran. Gideon knew he wasn’t out running them, but all he felt was a cool breeze as an arrow appeared.

“They’re not hitting us!” Gideon almost wanted to laugh. “Is it Guevera’s charm?”

“I don’t know of any charm that redirects arrows, but maybe she does!” Fabian said. The sound of horses was catching up with them. Gideon didn’t know how far they’d run, but the sun was now partway through the horizon, and they could see up ahead of them. “Ah!” Fabian let out a yell and skidded to a stop as four horses closed in from the sides and blocked their way. He reached down and pulled the sword from his belt. He swallowed hard as he gripped the hilt in his hand. “Gideon....”

“Don’t think you can run away. There are plenty more of us coming!” one of the men said.

“Gideon, I’ll hold them back, you run,” Fabian said in a quiet voice.

“Fab-”

“I never stopped believing I was your knight, Gideon,” he heard Fabian’s tight voice. “Not then. Not now.”

Gideon furrowed his brow. He gritted his teeth. “Close your eyes, I’ll buy some time!” He lifted the quartz and shut his eyes.

Several screams were heard and after he counted, as Guevera told him to, he continued to run. Fabian could be heard behind him, slashing at the blinded men.

The flare response wasn’t too far, but it would still take some time to get there. Gideon could only continue pumping his legs. Whatever Guevera wrote on him, it was working. He wasn’t out of breath or tired, but as she said, he didn’t know how long it would last. He could only push himself as far as he could.

“There’s one of them!”

Gideon let out a growl as he lowered his head and pushed ahead. No matter how fast he was, even with the charm, he couldn’t outrun horses. Dirt was kicked up as the ground vibrated with the beat of horse hooves. Ahead of him, Gideon could see two groups, each with at least a dozen people, closing in.

His heart sank. He couldn’t get past so many people with weapons and horses. His mind whirled, trying to figure out if he should change direction. Wouldn’t they catch up? If he stopped, he couldn’t fight them. What did he have to fight them with?

Gideon’s eyes crinkled up as helplessness filled him. Outnumbered. Out weaponed.

His limbs became weak as he stumbled over his feet, stopping before he ran into the wall of horses and swords.

Is this how I’m going to die?

Several mocking faces looked at him, as if asking what he was going to do.

Then, a body fell off their saddle. Gideon turned his head, his eyes wide as in the midst of tense silence, a decapitated head rolled between him and the horsemen. Tension filled the air and a figure seemed to melt from his peripheral vision and stand in front of him.

“Kidnapping an imperial family member is grounds for immediate execution,” Lord Kasen said in a terrifyingly calm voice. Several horsemen reached for their swords and Kasen tilted his head to the side. “Only a few? Maybe you don’t understand. How about if I say-”

The rest of his words were in another language Gideon couldn’t understand, but it was clear the horsemen did. Whatever Lord Kasen said angered them and they began to yell, but before they could move forward, another man swept through like a shadow. Gideon could smell the scent of blood in the air as men fell from their horses, covered with blood. The horsemen in the back tried to get their panicked horses to calm down as they shuffled back.

“Where are you going?” The newcomer’s amused voice chuckled. “You kidnap my little sister, and you think I’ll let you live?”

“Sebastian, why don’t you show them why you’re nicknamed The Monster,” Lord Kasen said.

Gideon could feel a wave of crystal energy emanating from Lord Sebastian’s sword. He recalled all stories he’d heard of his brother’s master from when he was a child. This man single-handedly beat every single imperial knight during the Anniversary Tournaments.

“Your Highness,” Lord Sebastian said as he shifted his position and raised his sword over his shoulder. “Cover your eyes. This isn’t going to be a pleasant sight.”

Gideon shut them. He heard screams, shouting, the cries of horses and men as blood and urine filled the air. He scrunched his face and turned away until the screaming was done. When there was silence, he dared to open his eyes.

No animal or man survived from the enemies that surrounded them. Gideon felt his entire body go weak at the sight of corpses littering the ground and blood splattered on shriveled tree bark.

Lord Sebastian flicked his sword to get rid of the remaining blood.

“Senior! I’ve got von Dorn!” That was Axton’s voice. Gideon turned around and shouted as Axton reached them with Fabian slung around his shoulders.

“Fabian!”

“He’s fine! He’s just tired,” Axton said. “He used up an incredible amount of energy to go after those archers.”

“I’m fine,” Fabian said as Axton knelt down and slid Fabian off, letting him rest on the ground. “I just need a moment.”

“Gideon.” As he fell to his knees beside Fabian, he looked up and saw Piers with a sword at his side, still wet with blood. His brother’s eyes swept over him, looking for any wounds. When he didn’t find any, Piers looked around and frowned. “Where is Tori?”

“She told us to run. She’s still at the village,” Gideon replied at once.

“The village?” Lord Sebastian asked.

“Guevera created a wall around the village. She wrote a lot of sacred geometry and charms-”

“She’ll overexert herself.” Lord Sebastian frowned.

“Do you remember what charms she wrote?” Lord Kasen asked Gideon.

He shook his head. “No, it was dark. She was writing like mad. She said she was taking precautions for her safety and had a charm from Alvere-”

“Kasen!” Lord Sebastian shouted at once, whirling around to look at his brother. Lord Kasen looked at Axton as he reached into his coat pocket.

“Did your brother give you a safety charm?” he asked. Axton nodded and immediately reached into his pocket and handed it to Lord Kasen. His blue eyes narrowed as he grabbed the charm and wrote a series of characters across it. At once, a breeze seemed to pick up around it, making it flap in the air as Lord Kasen held it up. “Find my sister.”

He released the charm, and it flew out of his hand.

“Follow it!” Lord Sebastian shouted and he and Piers raced after the charm that seemed to be caught in the wind.

“Axton, you stay here with von Dorn and the second prince. The knights will arrive soon,” Lord Kasen told them before turning around. “We’re going to get Tori.”

His eyes widened and he threw the door open.

When he had returned, all he could hear was the crackling of the fire at the back of the house. It seemed that the second prince met his planned demise. Before they cleared the village, he needed to place the ring that had been on the second prince’s finger back on the corpse.

Adrien had a smile on his face when he returned from seeing off Alessa’s carriage. He’d stood at the broken gate of the village, watching her carriage disappear into the night. If she knew that everything he’d told her was a lie and that it wasn’t Countess Guevera who was a spy, but him, he didn’t know if she could take it. Alessa trusted him and believed him for so long.

I’ll make it up to her. She saved his life, she deserved to live without worry. As soon as his father led their tribe and the others into Soleil, he’d take Alessa back to where she’d be safe from the war.

She was lovely now, but in a few years, she’d become a more mature beauty. Someone much more to his taste.

Adrien had walked down the hall and licked his lips. While Alessa had yet to mature, there was another young woman who had put on the curves he particularly enjoyed. He’d been surprised to see the Countess had blossomed so well. He always did have high expectations of her. Blue eyes and black hair against that porcelain skin were his favorite.

A part of him regretted that he didn’t tell his men to wait until he returned so he could enjoy her first. The first prince was a strange one. It was impossible for him to have taken the Countess already. Adrien had quickened his pace, growing impatient to grab her mass of curly black hair in one hand and pull her head back as he punished her for being a thorn in his side.

He didn’t think the spoiled daughter of the Guevera March would turn out as she did, but as long as she didn’t get involved further, they could proceed. Ten years of slowly smuggling in their men through the mountains to build up a hidden army couldn’t go to waste because of one girl.

She had been snooping around the spice vendor he sent to the Golden Cow and shortly after, he heard that the tunnel the spices came through collapsed. Those tunnels were ancient; how could she not have anything to do with it? Since their first meeting, she'd been a hindrance and didn't act the way his people reported. His intuition told him that the longer he let her live, the more problematic she’d become.

The sounds of torment and grunts of pleasure didn’t spill into the hall, and as he had approached, he worried that his men had already ruined her. Then, he opened the door.

His right-hand men were frozen in place. A chill still filled the room as their skin took on a strange, pale pallor.

“Astor! Kryga!” He cried out their names as he rushed in. As soon as his hand touched them, he recoiled. It was like touching ice. His wide eyes swept over them, and he shook his head. “No....”

A flash of light came from the window, overpowering the light crystals with their blinding white light for just a moment. Adrien winced at the brightness and turned his head away from the windows.

When it faded, he squinted and looked outside. The light had shot into the sky and his face fell. He snapped his head towards the desk and swore. The second prince’s ring remained, almost as a reminder that he hadn’t gotten rid of the items when he should’ve. The Countess’ bracelet and dagger were gone.

He let out a growl and ran out of the house. “They’ve escaped!” He stopped the first set of patrols he ran into on the street and shouted orders. “Send the cavalry and the archers out in all directions! The Countess has escaped! Find her and kill her!”

“Yes, my lord!” He was saluted as his men rushed in multiple directions. Adrien looked towards the house and the pillar of smoke rising behind it. His lips tightened into a frown. Why did no one come out when he yelled?

He ran around the back, towards the shed. The shed was still burning, but six bodies were partially buried in the earth in front of it. The blood drained from Adrien’s face as he stumbled to a stop. All six men had fatal wounds around their necks and chests.

“Impossible....” A shallow breath left his lips as he looked towards the shed. He didn’t need to look inside to know that the second prince wasn’t there.

A tremble came from beneath his feet, and he stumbled back, looking down at the dirt. He narrowed his eyes and just as he questioned whether he really felt something, the ground shook again.

“What is that!” He stumbled back and felt his stomach turn as a massive wall of earth rose from the ground, as if being pushed up by an unknown force. For a moment, he could only stand where he was, trying not to fall over as he watched the ground crack and birth a thick barrier as tall as a house.

It wasn’t only in one place, either. The earth began to rise along the perimeter of the village. His eyes widened. They were being closed in. The main entrances to the cave system below were within the village grounds.

Who was doing this?

He turned around, looking for a source.

His eyes caught a movement from the belltower of the old church. His eyes narrowed and he grit his teeth.

“That bitch.”

He ran past the bodies in the yard and out into the street. He ignored the yelling coming from all over the village as the wall encircled them. They could get out if they broke through the wall, but he didn’t know how long it would take or if the Countess would do something else before they could get out. He couldn’t risk any more interference.

She may have been proficient in crystals, but everyone had a limit. After raising the earth wall, she’d be exhausted.

Adrien ground his teeth and sneered. He’d punish her until she couldn’t remember her own name. Then he’d kill her. Maybe he’d kill her in front of her beloved first prince. Yes, he’d love to see their expressions.

He burst through the doorway of the church and ran down the aisle, past the broken pews. A wooden door was on the ground to the side of the altar, revealing a dark stairwell. He didn’t hesitate.

Adrien ran up the stairs, his heart pounding and his hands ready to rip her apart.

Cool air brushed him as he reached the top of the belltower, but along with it was a heavy pressure in the air that almost suffocated him upon arrival. The small space crackled with energy that made his skin rise and his earlier race to apprehend the girl came to an immediate halt.

A young woman was seated on the floor, towards the corner furthest from the stairs, eyes closed and relaxed as energy flowed around her. Her legs were crossed beneath her and her palms were on the floor on either side of her. Dust and small debris were caught up in the moving air inside the bell tower, but where she sat, she was untouched.

Not a thread moving on her clothes. Not a stray strand of black hair out of place.

“They’re long gone. It took you long enough.” Her voice was calm, as he remembered it being whenever they clashed in Horizon.

The corners of his lips tugged upwards. “They won’t get far.”

“I don’t know. They’re running pretty fast.”

“Horses run faster.” He remained by the stairs. He took a step closer and the breeze that had appeared to sway through the bell tower picked up. He narrowed his eyes as the wind grew stronger. Was this her doing? He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes. “They left you behind?”

“I volunteered. There’s something I needed to know first,” she replied with ease. “Why do you want to frame me of all people? Surely there were better targets.”

Adrien laughed and looked at her with contempt. She didn’t seem to realize her value at all. “Soleil was built on the backs and the bloody swords of its marches. Only they would rival the imperial power in military might. If they turned against Soleil, the empire would fall apart. When it does, we can reclaim our land.”

She didn’t seem moved at all by his statement and it only served to irritate him.

“There are channels you can go through to file for reclaiming land,” she replied. Was she being sarcastic?

“Soleil will never yield territory willingly to us from the Duraga Federation,” Adrien scowled. “Soleil says it conquered these lands, but they also drove many out!”

“That was several thousand years ago, and during the Classical Period, there were open borders for nomadic tribes-”

“We want Soleil gone!” It wasn’t enough for mere access. They wanted the territory. How could a handful of villagers take over all of Soleil? With their warrior class. His ancestors were pushed further and further away from the heart of the empire because they refused to submit, and were thus forced to compete with the nomadic tribes in the east for land that couldn’t sustain them all.

For centuries they tried to regain their lost territory, but against a formidable monolith of an empire, what chance did a few tribes with no permanent settlement stand?

It was why his family began a unification of their own.

His pride at how far his family had come was dashed when he saw her sneer.

“With what army? You and your handful of guards? The chances of your men finding the second prince alone is small. We hardly saw anyone here when we rushed out of that house and the six guards are dead.”

Adrien let out a laugh. She was skilled with crystals, as he was told, but she was still just a teenage girl. He lifted his hand to shield his face from the wind as he inched closer to her. “Do you really think that those men were all I have?”

“Those patrols won't be able to escape the village with the wall up.”

“There are more of them and another way out. It’s only a matter of time. I have thousands of men here. At my order, they will emerge and kill the second prince.”

The Countess let out a small snort that he could hear even over the howl of the wind. “What thousands of men? We saw a dozen at most, and they were so easy to avoid, it was almost pathetic. You’re just as delusional as you were in Horizon, Rosiek.”

He took a step towards her. The loose fabric of his clothes whipped around him, and he could feel pressure push him back. Adrien looked towards the girl on the floor. She didn’t open her eyes, but he didn’t drop his guard. He hated that she looked so calm.

Adrien could feel his blood boiling as he glared at her serene figure, wanting to replace her tranquility with fear. His lips turned into a snarl. She wouldn’t be so calm if she knew what awaited her below.

“An army of ten thousand, five-hundred men are under my control, Countess.” He watched her face, waiting to see her shudder so he could revel in it.

“Ten thousand, five-hundred, and twenty-seven to be exact,” she said. He caught her full, pink lips curling up into a smile. “Thanks, Rosiek.” Countess Guevera opened her big, blue eyes and met his. “That’s exactly what I needed to know.”