The sounds of screaming and crying echoed shortly after the sounds of the Aurum manor gates being destroyed. Of the attendants Oscar sent, one came back, terror flickering in his eyes.

He ran towards Oscar, currently next to the standing Signorus and Primor.

"Oscar...Claire and Jason....they...."

His had broken into whimpering sobs, his knees flat on the floor. The once hospitable event had become deathly cold. The guests hung on every word, every trace of sorrow and fear in those words. The attendants had taken their final task to their graves.

Mona felt light, his body wavering. He had met with Claire moments ago, near his bedroom. And yet now she was no more. Mona had grown up with few people to call friends, and now one of them died in less than an hour. He couldn't imagine how she died, nor was able to stop it at all.

"Calm down, Alex, calm down. I need you to speak calmly and quietly with me and Lord Aurum. What had happened?"

Oscar revealed a handkerchief, passing it to the fellow on his hands and knees. The sobs grew quieter as he wiped away his tears.

After a moment he began to speak once more.

"Royal blue and honey yellow...they came on horses...their numbers overflowing...guards dying left and right..."

His words sent shock waves throughout the masses. Royal blue and honey yellow? Who didn't know what that meant?

"Claire died...from their archers...each arrow had flaming heads...it went right through her..."

At this point Alex became mute, words no longer coming from his mouth. Oscar took off his coat, placing it on the shivering fellow. Alex quickly gripped its edges.

"Father." Signorus turned around towards the Duke, whose face was was 4 parts confusion and 6 parts fear.

Primor looked into the eyes of the city lord, his hand unfastening his great blade. He turned towards Raven, who was deep in contemplation.

"I hope the Admiral can send one of his scouts to give his an explanation as to what is happening outside."

Raven was brought out of his thoughts and hesitated. He understood what the color pattern meant. How could he send one of his men out there?

He eventually gave in. If it wasn't what he thought, then he would damage his own reputation among the upper classes. He motioned one of his men, Everleaf, to come forth.

The fellow was short of stature, yet his face showed the signs of harsh training. He gave his Emblem to Admiral Raven, who infused his Aura into the designs. His hand made various symbols, adding another layer to the Emblem that quietly disappeared.

Everleaf signaled off, then left. The sound of the door opening and closing was almost nonexistent. The guests began to talk with one another, their fears slightly alleviated. Raven stood in the center of the hallway, his Aura being released in waves.

The waves of Aura condensed into a rectangle 20 ft wide and 12 ft long in the air. It began to solidify, wispy vapors of Aura surrounding the edges.

"Raven, what art is this?" Signorus hoped to keep the nobles from getting any more frightened. Few nobles had ever seen arts of such a kind.

"This...this is called an Auric Mirror. You'll know what it means soon." Raven released another stream of Aura, which was quickly consumed by the Auric Mirror.

It glowed and brightened, before becoming a screen. It showed Everleaf's position from his line of sight. This Auric Mirror was clearly an art of espionage.

*****

Everleaf was clearly dashing in the hallway. His narrow frame quickly passed smoldering ruins and rubble. Apparently the outer courtyard was in flames, a majority of the elegant paintings and curtains becoming fuel to the fire.

"Have him go to the Garden Tower." Signorus urged the admiral to send the order, which promptly occurred.

On his way to the botanical gardens outside the manor, an occasional corpse could be seen.

Their eyes were devoid of light, with blood pools spread out beneath them. Their deaths violent, not one able to tell of how they met their end.

Mona became pale at the sight of the various persons among the dead. He knew them. They were more than attendants in the castle; they were his friends and family throughout his life. Flashbacks brought streams from his eyes as he watched the Auric Mirror.

The number of corpses grew the further out Everleaf went out. Near the entrance were countless bodies strewn about, limbs in oblong positions. They either died upon assault, or from the crippling wounds that came after.

The scout finally made his way to the outside gardens. The fires here were more abnormal, colors of a darkly blues and greys. Under the shade of several trees and fallen arches, he made his way to the central tower, called the Garden Tower.

The building, cylindrical in creation, served as a water tower, seed storage area, and an overseeing tower. Unlike when it was made, there was now a huge whole in the side of the building. Various storage boxes were haphazardly thrown around, their contents dirtying the ground.

Everleaf used a Cloaking Art, then made his way into the building and up the damaged stairwell. Upon reaching the top, he found the body of a sentry in the corner, scorched to a crisp. His feet rose on the edge of the tower, his hands gripping at the roof. He pulled himself up to the top, his gaze overseeing the entire manor.

Everleaf, look around and tell me what you see. Raven's voice arose in Everleaf's mind.

Quietly, Everleaf swiveled in place on the rooftop. Everything coming into view. The city of Eshwin was in cinders, city hall's bell tower completely demolished. The flames were a serene icy grey, ever increasing in size. If not for the distance between the manor and Eshwin, perhaps the manor would already be done for.

Towards the manor gates, several battle flags flew high in the air. Their colors matched the army, royal blue and honey yellow. The sounds of battle chants hung in the air, strengthening the ground troops with a unique Art.

Everleaf's bloodstreams pumped with trepidation and adrenaline. He made use of another Art to further hide his presence. His eyes focused on the hidden archers around the vicinity. One mistake, and his body would be no different than the sentry below him.

Primor rapidly became pale. The colors of Alberdan Army....but why?

Valence broke the silence. "Grandfather, why is the Alberdan Army here?"

The crowds scurried towards the exit. The screen, the words Valence uttered were all enough to send them into panic. A single Alberdan soldier was equivalent to three Leafwinder troops, let alone nobles never trained in war.

Primor's Aura infused into his great blade, the weapon giving off a violet light. Valence and Signorus followed in suit, their longsword and rapier giving off pale white glows. Mona was behind Oscar, who had pulled out a tome giving off an archaic tone of power. He mutter several lines in an unknown language, spreading his Aura and quelling the riotous guests of their uneasiness.

Raven quickly sent another mental message to Everleaf. Come back to the hall. And avoid detection, otherwise... you will die.

Everleaf activated another Art, his speed increasing tremendously as he returned.

*****

Signorus looked back to his father, their countenances grim from what was to come. He looked back to Mona and Valence. If I die, they must not perish here with me...

"Oscar, I want you to execute plan C, and take Valence with you." His voice was low, to reduce alarming the nobles present.

Mona looked back to his father, only to be greeted back with a false smile. He wanted to speak, but what could he say?

The doors opened and closed rapidly, with Everleaf on one knee in front of Raven, breathing heavily.

"The Gods are with us..." Raven whispered softly. His comrade had not died. He was about to ask for a briefing, before every Aura user felt their nerves heightened, all of them looking to the panting Everleaf.

Primor's gaze turned cold. "Raven...he brought them to us..."

The atmosphere was still and silent. Raven looked to his scout, releasing his Aura. His pupil shrank slightly.

On Everleaf's left foot, an Auric sign was present. Only when Aura was released could it be seen. The circular marking glowed with a ferociousness. A manifested Art in the form of tracking.

Everleaf shuddered after examining himself. "Admiral...", he weakly cried out. A few tears came down his right cheek.

In the next moment, the roaring of squadrons echoed into the hall from beneath the doors. All the nobles ran to the opposite wall, the noises approaching ever closer.

A distinct voice echoed out, deep and with a barely veiled bloodlust, "Here is the signal, Captain!"

The door was pulverized by a special Art. The frame came following it, giving birth to dust and collapsing rubble.

A figure jumped over the collapsed ruins, landing squarely in front of Everleaf. Raven was thrown back, the air pressure alone not enough to keep his position.

In but a second, Everleaf died in front of them all, his body transformed into a bloody mist, dissipating. A shriek was heard, but nothing followed.

The figure raised up from his crouched position. He stared at the crowd, until locking gazes with Primor.

His smile killed the hope of all the nobles present. This was the end.