The hour hand just hit the twelfth hour, and yet the quill would not stop from writing. The dying candlelight however brought everything to a halt.

An antiquated system, anachronistic useless garbage. Ah, whatever. Replacement candles, where are they.

Scouring through the draws and empty pouches searching in desperation for spares. Time was running out, the deadline, and the frustrated image of a King was looming above me like Hypnos would above his guests.

Why are they not here?

I had to have the report ready by daylight least I wished to entertain guests in a port aloo in the riding grounds.

Cabinet empty, storage room empty. Where’s Ona?

At that time, as if fate itself willed, the door creaked open.

“Ona, you’re finally here! Where have you been? More importantly, we’ve run out of supplies, could you p-“

A sudden sharp pain spread across my lower half, dropping the parchments I held to the ground.

What the-?

The pain amplified until every part of my body grew numb.

My vision slowly faded away. A cold sensation enveloped me until it all vanquished into darkness.

“Kain, wake up. Kain!”

I felt a sting on my cheek, followed by another sting. My eyes slowly opened only to witness Ona staring at me worriedly.

A repulsive stench flowed up my nostrils forcing me to gag.

“That’s it, you’re awake. Good, you’re all good, you’re alive, you hear me?”

Her panic-stricken voice threw me into disarray. I tried standing up, but my body wouldn’t respond.

W-what?

I tried to speak but my lips barely moved, it was as if my mind and body had been separated, in half.

“It-it’s okay. No need to talk. You will be fine, you hear me?”

Ona’s words were not particularly reassuring, especially given her horrified expression.

Dishevelled hair, an open wound on her cheek. Her battle gear was on?

The infamous Ona was reduced to such a sorry state. Was that even possible?

A loud thud was heard, I couldn’t exactly pinpoint the location. The noise intensified, but I simply couldn’t focus. My eyes were getting drowsy, and the numbness was being replaced by an eerie cold feeling.

“Kain, I am sorry.”

Her words confused me, but I just couldn’t muster any strength to ask why.

I caught the last glimpse of her fiery hair and ivory eyes until all was swallowed by darkness.

It was then when the darkness was expelled by a flood of light accompanied by screeching bells. My head felt heavy, just like after a night of heavy drinking. The noise was only making it worse. I scrambled through to find the alarm and switch it off but to no avail.

“Please Ona, could you turn it off.”

My request seemingly had fallen on deaf ears as the chaotic noise persisted.

“Ona, please!”

In a burst of annoyance, I stood up to reach out to the clock. My vision went momentarily blurry, and dizziness overtook my body.

Wo-wooh the world is spinning.

I fell back onto my chair,

Weak, pathetic body. Why can’t you be normal! This clock won’t stop ringing either. Whose idea was it to buy such an annoying clock anyways?

After a momentary pause, my vision was restored. Left with no choice I walked over to the watch and stomped on its head. The alarm had stopped; order had been restored.

What a chaotic morning. And what’s with these nightmares lately?

After tidying up my desk I noticed a note which read:

“If you read this then you are late Kain.”

I checked the time only to notice that daybreak was approaching.

Late!

The realisation sprung me into action. My clothes were changed, the ceremonial gown and hat were worn, and the rucksack was prepared within a matter of minutes. Without looking back, I dashed for the elevators located at the palatial gates.

Due to the suspended nature of the palace, the King had commissioned three large elevators to be constructed to allow ease of access with the ground. The first few attempts proved catastrophic, but after a delegation from the Northern States proposed to take ownership of the project, and given their technological prowess, they succeeded in connecting the Upper Sanctum to its lower part. Unfortunately, the project was prohibitively expensive as the intellectual rights belonged to the Northern States, as such only three such elevators existed in the entirety of Endelthir.

Upon arriving at the palatial gates, the oval-shaped entrance was blocked off by the checkpoint where a group of guards, part of the King’s guard carried out the routine inspection. Their bright red uniforms, embroidered with dark and gold patterns truly made out a great uniform.

Satisfied with the insignia I presented, the guard instructed for the heavy steel doors to open, making way for the elevator.

The structure was intricate yet eloquent. A testament of the Northern Cities, where technology and magic co-existed and complemented one another. Unfortunately, such practices were prohibited in the Southern region, and magic was outlawed. This was chief among many other reasons for the divide between the Northern Cities and the Southern continent.

The radiant engravings worked in harmony with the illuminating crystals on the walls. Functionalities wise the device was powered by ether, a substance produced by the alchemists in the Northern Cities. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it magic — as the platform would effortlessly work without mechanical parts. Their exclusive and prohibitive value was precisely why these elevators were classified as national treasure.

As far as the journey went, there were twelve floors including the underground cellars. The descent was smooth and frictionless.

Ah, the wondrous sound of technology. It is a shame father’s reluctance on challenging these giants. Well, it does pay off being the middleman rather than the producer, but we have the talent; we have the resources and the will. Perhaps someday.

The doors parted once more signalling arrival. A second checkpoint with a group of palace guards stood ceremonially. Their uniforms were strikingly different from their upper floor counterparts. They donned a checked combination of orange and blue, and their open helmet was adorned with a peafowl’s plume. They were known as the Peafowl Regiment and responded solely to the King.

One of the guards turned in curiosity but then resumed his duties after seeing the insignia I held in my palm. A blazing sun crested with a scripture. There was only one such insignia in the entire kingdom.

Past the first checkpoint, I was greeted by a large zigzag-shaped stable that housed the king’s horses and carriage. Within the riding grounds, three carriages with a rounded top were in the process of being loaded.

I could already see from the distance that Ygrit and Rowan were doing all the heavy lifting, whilst Ona fiddled with her notebook. Witnessing Rowan struggle to lift the box made me pity him to the point I wished I could help; It’s just that I didn’t want to.

“We are running late. I thought preparations were ready from yesterday.”

“No, Kain. You are running late. Furthermore, preparations would have been ready if your interns didn’t screw up and instructed the wrong boxes to be collected. Now they have to do all the grunt work themselves.”

The two interns did not seem particularly cheerful. Their expressions were desperate, downright depressed.

“Hello there. Rowan, Ygrit. What’s up, why the long face?”

Ona’s chuckle accompanied by the perfectly time horse’s neigh, was a much-needed compliment for my well-placed joke. It felt great to be acknowledged.

“See, you would be a perfect jester. Why bother to be a civil dog — I mean servant.”

Ygrit’s expression turned ugly, her eyes looking at me in disbelief.

“If only you placed as much effort as you do in trying to make fun of me. The world might have been different. Vastly different.

“Regardless, we digress. I have been informed that the guards will be meeting with us at the third gate, by Aeon’s monument. What about the free company?”

Pondering for a second, she shuffled through her notebook and replied.

“The free company– which by the way, their name is cool, wait for it — Crooked Tooth.”

Ona’s sudden snort was followed by a raised eyebrow.

“Anyways, what a name am I right? Our rendezvous point is also the third gate. That should be fun.”

The animosity between the royal army and the free companies was the purpose behind my annoyance. In normal circumstances, a royal representative hiring a free company would be unheard of, as if it was a smudge on the royal army’s honour.

“It is unfortunate, but we had no choice, it seems I cannot trust the council with manpower. I definitely look forward to the upcoming fiesta you have planned. Now if you excuse me, I will be waiting within the carriage, my eyes are too tired to roll at you.”

From the three carriages, the one in the middle was the largest one. It was also the carriage Ona, and I would be sharing during the journey — a personal gift from the treasury department for a comfortable journey.

Stepping inside I was pleasantly surprised by the arrangements. The cushions seemed of decent quality, in the middle part there seemed to be a wooden compartment that contained a silver flask.

Yes! That’s exactly what I am talking about. Although I am still on duty, it has been five exceptionally long minutes, so a drink is definitely overdue.

Unscrewing the seal, a familiar fragrance emerged. My brows furrowed.

Well, I had my hopes too high. Cheap wine. I guess beggars can’t be choosers.

A swift shake and a large gulp made me immediately regret my decision.

This wine is actually worse than I imagined. Sigh, I suppose the sooner we leave the capital the better. That will finally draw the unwanted attention off, and I can potentially enjoy a decent cup of wine at last.

I placed my feet up and closed my eyes. The curtains were drawn, the atmosphere was cosy. Comfort was at last at its peak — until the door opened and Ona walked.

“Your interns do a great job at annoying me. Say, you’re the head of an entire department and all you can muster is two teenagers that are not even able to sort out boxes?”

Her complaints were legitimate but all I could do was shrug.

“Budget cuts I am afraid.”

“What an absolute joke.”

“And will remain a joke, unfortunately. It’s not their fault, Ygrit is the daughter of a councillor and Rowan’s father is a spice merchant, both equally famous and profitable for the treasury’s coffers. All their parents had to do was forget a bag of coins in the Treasurer’s office and et voila, they both have their roles directly under the procurator fiscal. Plus, you can’t expect them to know how to lift a box, when they had a servant lifting their own spoon for them. It’s just how life is.”

Ona mumbled, fussed, and kicked, until her shoulders dropped. A resigned sigh was her white flag.

“Hey, here’s a novel idea, Ona. How about you train them? At least they are willing to work, from experience I had interns walk out because posting letters was below them. With a bit of work, they should be a great asset to our team.”

“Key focus on should. Anyways, we are ready to depart.”

With that, the door closed and the curtain was pulled to the side which allowed a clear view of the street. Shortly after, the carriage started moving.

Lines of shops appropriated to articles of taste and fashion decorated both sides, with every third building having a carriageway that led to the suburbs. Glimpses of neatly arranged residences, some decorated with ornated lamps, benches, and small gardens for the residents to indulge in. This was the luxury the nobilities lived in, whilst peons in the outer circle dealt with overcrowding, squalor and dirt.

Unfortunately for Sanctum, the design was concise yet strictly defensive. Apart from the residential and commercial areas, the city was divided by two internal walls, with an overall larger third wall surrounding the entire region. As a result of this perhaps intentional design, the society was split into two halves, the infamous inner and outer circles — with nobility residing within the inner walls, and the remaining population outside. There had been many instances where the case to demolish the walls had been brought before the council only to be unilaterally dismissed on grounds for national security.

From the way wealth flowed into the inner circle, it was apparent that the division was something they preferred to maintain. After all, the most renowned academies and living facilities were segregated from your everyday peon by means of social status or money.

In the distance, Aeon’s column stood proud, a monument built to immortalise the forefather and liberator of Endelthir.

The slit opposite of me was slid open, revealing a pair of eyes staring intently.

“This is an announcement; all passengers prepare to disembark”.

The slit slid off once more, followed by the sound of boots landing on the ground. The door was opened gently in a ceremonial manner, and Ona was seen bowing on the side.

It was difficult not to roll my eyes at her but played along. I descended slowly and surveyed my surroundings. The street was peculiarly empty for this hour but paid no heed. Six horses have lined up ahead, with two banners floating on each end — a thorn circlet pierced by a spear.

Erzhekiel’s Wrath — well that’s a surprise, a welcome one for sure.

One of the horsemen removed their helmet and dismounted, making her way towards us.

The guard’s features were a blending with the dim morning light — rose hair and emerald, green eyes.

Wait for a second, is that the Defiant?! It can’t be, the circlet? Unless…

“Legatus Iraes presents herself to the Procurator Fiscal. We are eager to accompany you on this journey.”

If there was room to disregard manners my jaw would have definitely been left wide open, so much so that a horse could fit.

“It is an honour to have you accompany us in the journey. Please forgive my ignorance, but I thought your company would have been deployed in the far North rooting out the rebel incursions?”

“Your highness ought to improve your flow of information, the rebellions have been rooted out long ago. It was merely peacekeeping. As for our arrival, we arrived this morning at the direct orders of his majesty, the King.”

“I-I see. The King himself. What can I say but that I am in awe? I must say I am an avid admirer of the feats your company has achieved, and to have you accompany us in this unimportant journey, I am humbled.”

A dry cough was heard from behind.

“Your highness you flatter us. However, time is running, and we ought to depart.”

That made me swallow. I shifted between the Legate and Ona in confusion.

“Is there something wrong my Lord?”

“Well…you see, when this mission was announced we were not expecting our escort to be this extraordinary, and so we are waiting for a free company to join us.”

A moment of silence replaced the wide road.

“Your highness…even if it weren’t to be us, do you…do you not trust his majesty’s guards?”

“Outlandish! If I am honest, I wasn’t expecting anything at all.”.

A group of hooded individuals approached, only to be met by the raucous shout from the cavalry.

“Halt your steps, approach no further.”

Their spears were lowered, the hooded group reacted in kind. Swords were drawn, shields were raised. The situation was tense. I was feeling sweat drip down my neck already.

The legate did not say a word, she simply looked as if curious about the outcome of the exchange. It was at that point that Ona interjected.

“Everyone, thank you for gathering today. Since all parties have arrived, we better prepare for departure.”

A burly individual lowered his hood revealing a thick beard and a bald head. The wrinkles on his face and the bags under his eyes only embellished his character.

“The name is Ralph, and I am the leader of the Crooked Tooth. We received a request for an escort order by someone called…Big Boss.

A light chuckle was heard from between the ranks of both the horsemen and the Crooked Tooth.

I can bet my life savings that werez Ona’s doing.

As soon as I turned towards her, she shifted her look away.

“Ahem, that’s probably me. It’s a codename for anonymity’s sake. Then, Ralph, delighted to meet you and your team. Your team will be responsible for the carriages, and the Legate’s team will be in charge of overall protection.”

There are five members in Ralph’s team and another six in the Legate’s. That means a total of 11 guards, in fact not bad. This is a pretty decent force that should prevent any brave fools.

Ralph responded with a simple nod; the Legate did not even say anything but merely departed to her squad.

“Fine by me, Big Boss.”

Returning to my carriage I simply faceplanted on the bench.

Great, they send the Defiant without telling us, which is amazing, but the very fact we hired a free company must have insulted them greatly. The legate fell dead silent. Ah, what a mess. I feel like I aged ten years.

The slit slid open; Ona’s irritable voice reappeared.

“That wasn’t half bad, I was expecting a worse showdown but frankly that went just okay.”

“We are lucky they didn’t slaughter each other; you know well the animosity between them. Ah, these will few exhausting days or weeks. Or months.”

“Yeah yeah, life goes on. Cheer up.”

The slit was shut close once more and the carriages began moving. I wasn’t in the right mood for sightseeing.

I hope Noelle arrives well at her destination. Then again, she should be fine. Additionally, the Defiant, I can’t believe she is here! That’s…so cool.

I giggled to myself as I re-positioned my shrimp posture.

The next three days should be a breeze then.