Chapter 119 – The Runaway Princess (9)

While Cyra was drowning in worry at the prospect of a foreign empire invading the continent, those who she left behind had reached a conclusion.

Joshua and Zola had thought it all. They concluded that they really don’t need to act like a terrorist. Taking Cyra back would prove rather useless if they truly want her back. But what if they just visit her? Although there was a big chance that they wouldn’t get an audience with her. It wouldn’t hurt to try. So the two talked to Silo about this. But yet Silo looked at the two with listless eyes. He looked at Joshua and Zola like fools. He turned his head away from them and went back to drowning himself in alcohol.

“Pathetic,” Zola said. She didn’t even try to say that in a low tone. Silo heard that clearly but he didn’t care or wince. He just sat there with a glass of ale and a rolled tobacco. He was not that hopeful. He had grown this complex that he was not worthy of her anymore.

This maddened Joshua. But he kept it in inside his heart. He told Zola that they should do it their self. Zola couldn’t agree more. She told Joshua to pack up. Joshua did and when he was done the first he asked was how long it would take for them to get to the demesne of Maltius La Fende.

Riding in a carriage or traveling on foot would take them months or possibly days. Joshua was bothered by this until he remembered the air balloon that he hid in Avilla City. He told Zola about this but then he remembered that there was a possibility that it could have already been taken.

Still, he needed to check so the two traveled to the City of Avilla. Joshua did not like the thought of going back to the city. He didn’t want to captured or taken note either. So he wore a hood and a mask around his mouth to hide his face. He also wore a cape to hide his heavily armed outfit.

Zola and he traveled along with the little pup named Titus. But before that, he bid farewell to Dan and Nana who promised to look out for Silo. For the most part, the road was peaceful and occasionally the two would hitch-hike on merchants going to Avilla.

There was big traffic of merchants going there and along the way, Joshua learned a few things. And the things he learned made him boil. He was seething when he learned what they did to Shig. Thankfully, someone took Shig’s body away.

Joshua didn’t hate Shig. He was the person who was friendly to him when he arrived into this world. He was mad that he abandoned him. But he could not hate him truly. Not to mention his grizzly death was undeserving. There was nothing Joshua could do so he prayed for his soul to rest in peace. He thought that the dead should not be hated any longer.

...

When Joshua arrived and entered the gates of Avilla. He was surprised by the changes around the place. There were banners of the Templars. The roads were in disrepair, the walls were decorated and there were many peddlers entering the City. The streets were crowded and it was hard to navigate.

Zola was behind Joshua. On top of her head was the little pup that was looking around at the place. Zola had never entered any city before. To her surprised the city had this Easter Europe aesthetics she had seen on geographic achieves once. She was fond of the place but since they had something to. She controlled herself from exploring the city whole and followed Joshua near the stronghold.

The stronghold was filled, guards. There were watchtowers and sentries going around. The patrols were doubled because of the recent bombing incident that happened. Joshua would like to get past the guards. But there were just too many. He turned to the walls only to despair at the height. Still, he intended to scale the wall but before he can do that he was carried like a princess by Zola.

It was quite shameful, not because he was being carried by Zola. It was that he had forgotten that he had a super-soldier as a companion. Even Titus the little pup was able to keep up with her super-soldier of a master. The sight of a woman carrying a man and a little pup sprinting on a wall would make anyone who would see it, open their jaws in surprise and awe.

Zola and Titus landed quietly behind the wall. Joshua stood up with his head lowered. He was trying to keep his eyes away from the smug expression that the Zola and her little dog were wearing. Damn you two, thought Joshua. It felt quite shameful being powerless. But Joshua got past that shame and crept around the outskirts of the stronghold until he found what he was looking for. After taking the parts of the balloon, he took the runes and then told Zola to take more runes from the airship. Zola was a fast worker and she was able to take addition runes for them.

After that, Joshua had to be carried like a princess again by Zola so that they can descend down. Zola didn’t mind it and even made fun of Joshua as she ran down the wall with her little pup. Then they exited outside of the city and Joshua went to the place where he stashed the wicker basket. He attached the parts he took from the box and adjusted the runes. Zola was piqued by the runes and scanned them. After Joshua was done, he implored Zola to enter.

Zola kept on scanning and studying the runes. The little pup Titus just kept himself cozy and dozed off while Joshua operated the balloon and made sure to keep it out of sight from the Templars and their flying ships. He elevated the air balloon. But to his surprise, there was someone else who got the same idea as him. He encountered a flying ship that looked like one of the Templars. But Joshua didn’t notice any of their sigils.

Joshua was about keep away from the ship when he spotted a familiar little figure watching the clouds. He met eyes with the little figure and that little figure opened her eyes wide in joy.

“Big Brother Joshua!” she shouted with utmost joy.

Joshua stared at the little figure. “Kioko,” he muttered with a complicated expression.