The second assassin commander smiled as he successfully managed to bypass the Scavenger guild’s defenses and stood inches away from the princess…daggers glowing bright red with anticipation for the taste of fresh blood.
Without flinching, Elencia stood perfectly still…muscles and instincts sharpened by months of training and sparing with Percy.
With one swift motion, she caught the invisible strike from the attacker with her bare hand.
Using her right hand, she gripped the assassin’s wrist tightly and pulled him close with a firm tug, followed by a powerful left elbow strike to the throat.
The assassin let out a high-pitched wheeze as he staggered gasping for air, unable to breathe from the massive blow.
In one swift motion, Elencia shifted her grip from the assassin’s wrist to his upper arm and using both hands Elencia flung the assassin into the air.
FWIP, FWIP, FWIP
The second assassin commander was swiftly impaled by three arrows expertly aimed by Kay, killing him instantly.
With their surprise attacks ruined and commanders dead, the remaining assassin went into stealth hoping to escape the failed mission.
“Wain!
Now!” Arthos called out.
Wain unleashed a new attack which he later called the “Smoke-Bomb” specially developed for cases like this.
The Smoke-Bomb was a two-part attack.
The first part functioned by reducing the amount of air within a confined area, and second part functioned by incinerating the remaining air.
The two parts combined forming a thick smokey attack…harmless in a fight but useful for flushing out hidden enemies.
The Smoke-Bomb painted a faint silhouette of shadowy figures fleeing the room.
“Not so fast.” Arthos said calmly as he activated his skill.
The heroes saw on their system’s displays the following message:
[HOLY GROUND skill activated by Arthos]
[Holy Ground increases allies Attack, Speed, and Defense by 50%.
Enemies are decreased by 50%]
The assassins escape slowed to a painful crawl as they struggled to flee the area.
“Percy!
We need them alive!” Arthos shouted preemptively as Percy and his team of shadows closed in on the fleeing assassins.
Before Percy’s shadow team could apprehend the assassins, the assailants slit their own throats in defeat.
“Damn!” Arthos grumbled in disappointment.
He hoped to capture at least one assassin alive for questioning.
“Is everyone ok?
Status report now!
Hector, heal the wounded nobles!” Arthos yelled taking command of the situation as scores of royal guards surrounded the area in response to the commotion caused by the surprise attack.
“Oh, thank heavens!
You are ok my King!
Sorry…I panicked during that cowardly attack.” Chief Counselor Thornell said a bit too exaggerated.
“Chief Counselor Thornell,” The King said in a serious tone, “it appears you were struck by a knife yet there is no blood or sign of injury.
Is it because you are wearing armor?
Why would a counselor wear armor to a private meeting…unless you suspected something dangerous would happen.”
The old man stuttered trying to form a coherent thought.
Finally, he managed to say, “my King…with the…with the…a man can never be too careful.
Fortune favors the prepared I always say, a person can never be too careful in these dark times.
That is a lesson we should all take to heart.”
“Chief Counselor Thornell, what is the price for treason?
What is the price for betraying one’s own King?” The King asked with a hardened voice.
His temper and countenance visibly becoming enraged.
“What?
My King…there must be…there must be some mistake?
Who…when…why ask such a question during a time like this?” The counselor stammered in a desperate voice.
“Your Highness, the man is holding something in his right hand.
He has been clutching it under his robe in secret since we entered this chamber.
I believe it to be a crystal.” Percy said coldly as his expert eyes took in every detail in the room.
“Chief Councilor Thornell, open your hand and put the crystal on the table.” The King ordered as an army of royal guards closed in on the old man.
“Do it now, or I will split you in two.” Arthos threatened as he prepared to swing his sword.
The old man desperately shifted his gaze from person to person in the room looking for an ally or someone to help him out of this predicament.
He stammered repeatedly as he tried to come up with a reasonable excuse.
“My King!
There must be some sort of misunderstanding…if you just give me a moment to calm my old nerves.
I can explain…I can explain everything…my King please.”
“Ok, then.
You have three seconds then starting now.
Three, two, one.” Arthos counted down while signaling to Kristan to proceed with “hard negotiations.”
“Wait…wait just a minute…wait!” The old man screamed frantically.
Too late.
FAWUP
“Aaaggghhh!”
With one quick swing, Kristan sliced-off the old man’s right forearm.
The old man let out a painful squeal as he clutched his missing hand…nearly fainting for the pain.
“Hector, cauterize the wound and don’t let the old bastard die until we get the truth.” Arthos said while eyeing the traitor coldly.
Wain picked up the severed hand and pried open its dead grip.
Inside the hand, there was a unique red crystal similar to a Promotion Stone.
He held the crystal up so that everyone in the room could see it.
“Your Majesty, this here is a Sending Stone.
It’s a very rare crystal used to secretly send messages across vast distances.
This man has been sending messages to someone outside the Kingdom.
He was sending messages just now…before, during and after the failed attack.” Wain explained as he held the Sending Stone in his hand.
All eyes shifted to the old man.