After leaving the fort, receiving cautious looks from the pirates at the entrance, Callen headed directly to Lord Halad's mansion to discuss the situation the village was going through.
On the way, he could notice that everything was gradually getting worse. People were talking—no longer whispers as during the short speech, now the villagers' opinions flooded the air.
He passed small angry groups shouting at the guards; in others, the pirates took it upon themselves to preach against Halad, spreading news about the famine that could ravage the northern villages due to that order.
Everything was falling apart too quickly. Only half an hour had passed since the speech, Callen thought with concern. Besides, what do the pirates gain by inciting rebellion?
Seeing the speed at which everything was happening, the entire village could enter open rebellion in just a few hours. If he didn't act, he would find Halad's head on a pike.
He quickened his pace, running at full speed toward his goal. He could stop this, but he needed to know the situation from the noble's point of view.
Luckily, Zara isn't here, so her search can wait half a day more, the prince thought.
"My Lord, the people are angry—very angry. Perhaps you should go out and back down from your plan," commented one of Halad's escort knights.
"No, I can't. If I back down, they'll kill her," responded the noble, seated at his desk, with one hand on his head and tapping a finger of the other on the table.
"Even so, you should think about it. If this continues, it could end in rebellion," added that same escort.
"Bah, who cares! If it ends in rebellion, we'll just have to crush them as an example!" said the other escort, on the other side of the room.
"We can't do that. They're within their rights—the war has them nervous."
"And we're not? All of this is those pirates' fault. It was a tremendous mistake to let them stay."
Halad agreed with that last part. It was true the pirates helped save these people, and he was willing to pay them, but this was too much.
"Hey, you can't go in!"
A shout was heard in the room—it sounded distant, probably one of the mansion's guards.
Footsteps were heard outside—metallic ones. The door opened, and one of the soldiers appeared.
"Sir, we have a situation!"
"What's happening?" Halad asked, barely lifting his head.
"Well, it's complicated. There's someone at the entrance who wants to speak with you."
"Tell them I'm busy. I'm not in the mood."
I should prepare to calm these people somehow, but it's risking her.
"You don't understand, my lord. That person claims to be Prince Callen."
Halad lifted his gaze, frowning. He was about to call the soldier stupid for believing him, but then he remembered his encounter with Princess Olivia the day before.
With a sigh, the man stood up to head to the mansion's entrance, closely followed by his escorts.
"My lord, you're not believing what that soldier said, are you?" whispered one of the two.
The other escort preferred to stay silent.
"I won't believe him—at least not until I see him in person," the noble responded firmly.
The three walked accompanied by two other soldiers. Upon reaching the entrance, there he was, surrounded by soldiers on the first floor.
"Ah, there he is," Callen said from below.
Yes, that definitely isn't Prince Callen, Halad thought upon seeing the disheveled man wearing a dirty cloak.
"Just expel him. This was a waste of time," he said with a sigh.
"I don't think that would be prudent."
The man removed his cloak, revealing his suit and his scimitars. He also reached into his bag for the crown and placed it on his head.
What a suit does for a man—he doesn't look anything like he did seconds ago, the man thought, but even so...
"How do I know you're not an impostor passing yourself off as the prince?" Halad asked, staring at him.
"Are you serious?"
"I think you've realized how the situation is in my village. I can't trust just anyone."
I've never seen the prince in person, and although the description they give of him is quite similar to how this man looks, he could simply be someone who looks similar, Halad thought, frowning. But there's something only the prince is capable of doing.
"Fine, I can show my ab—" the prince's sentence was left unfinished when one of Halad's two escorts raised his weapon behind him.
Damn it! He thought as the man launched a vertical attack, with no one nearby able to stop it.
The noble could see death reflected in the blade's edge, but then a red glow passed at full speed in front of his face.
The escort fell screaming to the ground, clutching his wrist, which now bled—one of his hands had been severed by that attack. An attack launched by the man on the first floor.
The sword fell beside him, though Halad didn't manage to regain his composure instantly.
Callen said as he climbed the stairs toward the noble, sheathing the scimitar with which he had launched the cut.
"I must apologize, Prince." Now calmer, Halad and all those present hurried to bow to Callen. "It's been a complicated day. I didn't want to offend you in any way."
The noble looked to the side, at the traitor who had tried to kill him seconds before, while the soldiers began treating his wound.
"And thank you very much. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead now."
"We don't have time for this, Lord Halad."
"I must agree with you, Prince. Tell me what you need."
Callen sighed.
"I need you to explain to me from beginning to end what a pirate crew is supposed to be doing in imperial lands."
There was cold—no, moisture, a lot of moisture. She could feel the crackling of the flames nearby, but it was upon hearing another voice that she finally woke.
"You're finally awake, dear Lin."
The woman opened her eyes wide, and immediately after began to cough. She could still feel the pressure on her neck, though now she was safe—at first glance, at least.
"I must say I'm very disappointed. Bringing that person here—how did you think this would end?" Viss said from the hallway.
Now Lin was in the same cell as Halad's wife, though the latter was in a corner, as far from Viss as possible.
"I don't know—with me on a mountain of money, I suppose," the woman responded with sarcasm.
"Money like this?" The captain pulled a small bag of coins from his pocket—one that had previously belonged to the woman.
"Damn rat," the woman muttered, frowning.
"But who do you think is more of one—me for taking your gold, or you for betraying the crew?" The man put the bag of coins away again and crouched to the woman's level. "You know what we do to traitors, dear Lin. You've seen some of those cases."
"Stop calling me that, you bastard!"
The woman tore some moisture from the walls, creating a water bubble a little larger than a fist, which she launched at full speed at Viss.
The captain put a hand in front of him. The bubble simply dissolved upon contact with his hand, surprising the woman.
"You know, Lin, stealing is fun." Viss pulled out a gold coin and began playing with it between his fingers. "Since my youth, when I started in this business, I knew it was mine. The theft, the plunder, looking people in the face while you take everything valuable from them—it's an incredible feeling."
The man stopped the coin between his fingers, and it began to float slowly above his palm.
"But stealing something physical isn't as fun. If I steal ten coins from a person, they'll replace them in no time and even forget they were robbed." The man smiled. "No, I need to be able to steal something that leaves a greater impression."
The woman watched in horror as, by the torchlight, a small water bubble surrounded the coin to keep it floating. But she was even more horrified when she realized she couldn't use her spiritual ability.
Viss's smile widened upon seeing the woman's reaction.
"That's it, dear Lin. You're missing something more important than simple coins, aren't you?" The man burst out laughing.
With a movement, he launched the coin at Lin, propelling it with the small water bubble to give it more speed. It ended up passing wide and embedding itself in the wall behind the woman.
"My spiritual ability. I discovered over time that when it comes to robbing someone, there's nothing more valuable than their spiritual ability. People tend to be too dependent on it."
And the man was right. She was trembling—without realizing it, she had begun to tremble. She didn't remember the last time she'd been unable to use her ability, since it had been before she awakened it.
She felt empty, helpless, like a small girl stranded in an enormous ocean with nothing but a plank to hold onto. Before her was a predator. Her instincts had always been right—this man was just waiting for the right moment to attack.
"But honestly, your ability seems pretty lame to me. Controlling water? That's useless to me, though it was worth it to see your face."
She could feel it again—the familiar sensation of being able to use her ability. It seemed Viss had given it back to her, at least for now.
"I'll be back, dear Lin, when the job is done." The man blew her a kiss. "Wait for me eagerly."
The man's footsteps faded until they left the hallway—he was probably heading to his study or some other place. She couldn't think about that. There was something she was sure of: if that man came back, it would be her end.
"Ma'am, um..." The woman brought her hand to her chin. "Jullie, yes!"
"You'd forgotten my name?" the woman reproached her in a calm voice.
"No, of course not. Listen, I'll get us out of here."
"How? Your ability is only water control."
"That's true."
The woman approached the door, checked that Viss had indeed withdrawn, and generated that water bubble again.
"But creativity has never been Viss's strong point."
She inserted the bubble into the door's lock until it was completely full. Then she began applying pressure until a "Clack" was heard.
Bingo, the woman thought as she opened the door. I should thank Viss for giving me back my ability.
Jullie was left speechless. Lin approached the back of the prison to pick up the coin—who knows what it might be useful for.
"Why are you doing this?" Jullie asked, confused, though she stood up to follow her. "Weren't you one of them?"
"Yes, I was. I suppose I'm not anymore. I must say I plan to ask for a reward for saving you," Lin admitted, turning for a second, provoking a small laugh from the woman.
"If you get me out of here, by the goddess, I'll make sure to pay you well," the woman responded.
Both women walked through the hallways in silence, though these were as empty as when Lin had set out to explore them. She finally managed to reach the main hall where the exit door was.
There they stopped, before leaving the last hallway. There were two people talking—one of them was Viss, the other was a man who looked old, with gray hair and a white uniform adorned by a fur cape, perhaps from a white wolf.
"A Tarzovian, and he's at least a captain!" said the woman behind Lin, her hands over her mouth.
Accompanying them were two more men—two soldiers in leather armor reinforced with some metal plates.
A Tarzovian here? This gets more complicated by the minute, Lin thought, sweat running down her face. Could Viss have some deal with Tarzovia?
"The plan is going well, for now. The village is on the brink of rebellion. You'll have the opportunity you've been looking for," Viss told the man.
"Viss, I warn you—if this goes wrong, I'll have your head," the man responded calmly.
"You can try, though I'll tell you again: everything is already in motion."
"What about Lord Halad? We can't risk him calming the people."
"I bribed one of his personal escorts. By this point, he should be dead," Viss said confidently.
That's not good.
Jullie stifled a scream, and tears began forming in her eyes at the idea of her husband's death.
"Shh, calm down. He's probably just exaggerating. Don't worry," Lin whispered to her, urging her to be quiet.
"Then everything should be in order. My ship is already prepared in a grotto near here. The moment these people lose control, we'll attack," said the Tarzovian.
"Yes, yes, but remember—my band receives half of whatever you get from plundering this province," Viss exclaimed, pointing a finger at him.
"After all, you'll be facilitating our victory. But half is too much. Let's make it forty percent."
"Mmm, I like it. I accept." Viss shook the man's hand.
What the hell am I witnessing? The plan all this time was to plunder the entire northern province? Lin thought, confused. I thought we'd just stay here, take gold, and leave. Now we're directly involved in the war!
But right now, the most important thing was that she couldn't leave. That would mean these people seeing her, and most likely she wouldn't get out alive.
But staying wouldn't work out either. Viss would go to that hallway soon.
"Tsk. I hope that bastard Nellac managed to do whatever he was going to do."
The woman created two bubbles using the moisture from the walls, leaving Jullie confused.
"I'll be a distraction. I'll go out and attack. In that moment, run as fast as you can to the exit," she told the woman.
"But I can't run in heels!" she whispered back.
"Then take them off!"
The simple idea of being barefoot made the woman make a grimace of disgust, which angered Lin.
"Just run, damn it!"
Lin came out of hiding, keeping the two bubbles at the height of her elbows.
"Hey, Tarzo-shits, look here!"
Everyone turned to look at her, though the soldiers received the impact of the two water orbs on their faces moments later, leaving them out of combat.
"Damn it, water doesn't do that!" Viss said from one side, bursting into laughter.
Though the other Tarzovian reached behind his back, probably for a weapon. He didn't look like a spiritualist, but Lin knew Viss was.
The surprise attack was over. From now on, it was two against one, and she had the disadvantage. But oh well—she'd thrown herself headfirst into this. At least she knew Jullie was safe.
Turning around, she saw her running with all her strength to the door, though it left much to be desired—it would serve.
Then the door shattered into a cloud of wood dust and a red aura.
Not now! What's happening now!?
Jullie stopped. Beside her appeared a figure that patted her on the shoulder. Lin recognized him instantly.
"Nellac!"
"It seems I arrived just in time for the party," said the prince, keeping his scimitar on guard.
"You sure did, you bastard!"
Viss smiled and took two steps forward.
"Well, after all, this got complicated," he said calmly as he reached to draw a saber he carried at his belt.
"This will cost you dearly, Viss," the Tarzovian reproached him, pulling out the dagger he had hidden.
The two groups shared looks, analyzing the terrain before the combat that would possibly decide the village's future began.