Chapter 17

Two days after William’s escape. Back at the Capitol City of Crownspire. The princess is on her way to a meeting when Dr. Borscht stops her.

I can see he has something important to say, but won't say it with an audience. I dismiss my guards and turn to him.

"You're making me late for an important meeting. This had better be of equal or greater importance."

Borscht nervously fumbled with his hands before awkwardly bowing and speaking.

"Princess. Yes. It's about the heart- Ahem! The relics. We were able to recover five of them in decent condition. Sadly, I doubt the others would be fit even for ritual magic. However! Five is incredible. This is beyond simple radiant armament qualit-"

"Good. I trust you will find the most appropriate use for them."

His face lit up. He was such a simple man. All he wanted was toys. Still, he was quite useful.

"Yes! Of course, your majesty! Thank you for entrusting me with this. I won't let you down. Also, Um, any news on, you know, recovering "relic zero"?"

"Not yet."

"I see... y-your majesty? What if the other heroes find out about... everything?"

I couldn't help but smile. This was the best part.

"Want to see?"

"Excuse me?"

"Follow me. That's an order."

Before he could protest, I turned and continued down the hall to the double doors. Borscht followed from a distance, confused and nervous like a puppy. The guards at the end of the hall opened the doors as I got closer. Inside the room, I crossed the floor until I stood in front of the throne. Father was dealing with the gap left by Lawrence. This was something entrusted to me. A rite and a trial for each generation of the royal family. I looked out at the 4 heroes gathered and kneeling before me. They were my responsibility. At least until Father decided he wanted them for the war. But he didn't like heroes anyway. They questioned his orders and often invited dangerous ideas that promoted change. They were this country's super weapons, but they were fickle and hard to control. When Father had been in charge of the heroes, back when he had been a prince, he lost the trust of 2 of the 4. One was executed, giving birth to the start of The Embers, and the other died trying to flee into enemy territory.

Borscht had stayed near the door, looking terrified. I had to suppress the urge to laugh. I so loved this. This game of deceit and lies. As if I were weaving the will of the world using invisible strings. The thrill of avoiding being caught, the satisfaction of creating the perfect fiction, those moments when my words changed reality itself. Borscht would see it now. He may have been a genius when it came to his toys, but he would witness a different kind here.

I turned to the heroes with a soft smile, but sad eyes. I had taken care to look as though I had been crying recently as well. Some of them, I could tell, were staring daggers at the scar on my cheek. So eager to ask about it, but waiting for me to begin, like well-trained heroes.

"Heroes. Please rise. Thank you for returning here so quickly, and I apologize for the abrupt order, but something terrible has happened."

Ryan, the hero with the bow, asked, "Is it related to the scar on your cheek, Alenya? Was there an attack?"

Insolent. A perfect example of why the father disliked heroes. Ryan was a loud, boisterous, hothead. The soldiers apparently loved his contagious energy and loud mouth. I tolerated it. Obviously, I didn't let it affect my act. I made a show of blushing and covering the scar with my hand to look timid while turning away as if I was ashamed to be reminded of it.

"It- it is related. However, I am okay. Physically, at least."

Chris, the hero with the sword, spoke, "Forgive him, your majesty. Please, tell us what happened."

He said that "Your Majesty", with emphasis. Likely to remind the others to show respect. He was the smartest of the heroes, and that was dangerous. But I loved that. William had a different kind of talent that made him even more dangerous. He was like me with his ability to read people, though unlike me, he refuse to use it for his own benefit and, instead, chose to believe in what others showed him rather than what he had seen in them. I could see doubt on his face as he willingly believed what he knew were lies just to make others happy. Perhaps that was why he was attracted to Sarah.

I wore a sad, but serious expression and made sure I was loud enough to make the words felt.

"Your friend, William, has returned."

They all looked surprised, but Sarah, the mage, was the one to ask.

"What? How is that even possible?"

"We are not sure how he was able to do it yet, but there are two leading theories. Either because he was not originally a summoned hero, he was not able to return and was simply sent back here after being stuck between worlds for a time. Or he was originally granted a blessing that was overlooked, and it is related to his returning here. Sadly, and as you know, the ritual magic circle that summons heroes here is extremely complex and uses techniques that have been lost to time. We only know the ingredients needed to summon heroes and send them home. We don't fully understand how it works. As for where he is... that's complicated."

They talked amongst themselves. Whispering loudly and arguing. Speculations, their own theories, even jokes.

Ryan was particularly loud. "He probably just got lost on his way back and ended up here again. If anyone could mess up a one-way trip, it was Will."

Chris addressed me first once they calmed down a bit. "So he came back and attacked you? Why would he do that?"

A good question, but one I had taken many steps to answer.

"Actually... this scar was from before he was sent home. Have you not heard the rumors about it? I asked it to be kept secret, but even I hear the guards whispering about it at times."

They looked at each other. Of course, they hadn't; they had been sent to the border the same day William had been scheduled for "return".

Chris spoke for them. "No, Princess. I think we all noticed it, but what happened?"

I made a show of hesitating before taking a deep breath like I was gathering the courage to say it. "William was sent home, but... he didn't go quietly. It seems he was quite angry after being excluded from your missions and still upset about the argument you all had. He very much didn't want to be sent home. At the time, I believed it was the right choice. He would have been in danger here, and I didn't want anyone to get hurt."

Sarah interrupted. "William did that? He attacked you?! No, that's... he would never."

Sarah was the opposite of me. It was quite sad, really. I was honest with myself about who I was and what I wanted. While she believed herself to be something she wasn't and chased after something she didn't want. In short, I lied to others; she lied to herself. William had been similar to me in that regard, though for a dramatically different reason. I could tell he ALMOST knew the real me.

"I'm so sorry, but it's true. Many of the guards will attest to it. Lawrence defended me, and we eventually sent him home, but this was the cost of my mistake. It is my reminder to be more aware of others' feelings. I wish I could've made it easier for him. He left feeling so hurt and angry."

There was a silence. Had they believed it?

Owen spoke for the first time, breaking the silence. "I can see it from him. There was probably a lot of frustration building up with all his failures and the lack of a blessing. I think finding out he never had a place here really got to him, and it boiled over. We should've been here to see him off and clear any misunderstandings."

Owen, the hero with the spear. He was a quiet one. Intelligent like Chris, and calm under pressure. Fortunately, I found his heart was his weakness rather early. Too pure and easily motivated by strong feelings of justice and an inflated sense of responsibility.

"It's not your fault. He was a messed-up guy even before coming here. Obviously, he couldn't handle life in either world. You can't blame yourself for his actions." Owen reassured me.

Ryan added, "Just wish we had been here. He's needed some sense knocked into him for a long time. Never thought he would go that far, though."

Sarah spoke next. "Your Majesty, we understand if he's locked up after attacking you, but could we talk to him? I'm sure we can calm him down and convince him to return peacefully. He's only here because he tried to grab me and pull me away from the summoning."

I'm sure it had nothing to do with her grabbing him first, as William had claimed when they were first summoned. But life was easier for those with weak wills when they could convince themselves they were without blame. I suppressed a smirk at her attempt to absolve herself. Instead, I took on an expression of shame and sadness.

"Actually, William is not here. After he reappeared, those who saw him claimed he was in a rage. When a guard approached him, William stole their blade and k-... killed him."

They looked shocked, but they didn't look skeptical. I continued.

"He attempted to flee the castle using the underground passages and came across Dr. Borscht in the hall."

I gestured towards him at the back of the room. He looked like a rabbit staring up at wolves. Thankfully, the heroes turned to look at him, because I was unable to suppress my smirk this time.

"It's ok, doctor. Tell them what he did to your nurses."

"Y-yes, right. I was simply returning from the prison after a routine medical check when I came across him. We hadn't met before, so I was nervous and cautious as he was armed and bloody at this point. I- I..." He was panicking.

I rolled my eyes before correcting my demeanor.

"It's ok, doctor. I'm sorry I asked for something like that when it's still so fresh. I’ll continue for you. William attacked the doctor and his nurses in the hall. They were unarmed and tried to flee, but he caught up to them and... ended all 3 of the young women. Borscht was the only one who escaped, which he blames himself for. I have reassured him that it wasn't his fault. There was no way he could've known, and nothing he could've done. "

He inhaled and exhaled dramatically. "Right. Thank you for your kind words, princess. It was just... a lot very quickly."

Owen reassured him, "Doctor, the princess is right, you made the right choice in running away. It must've felt like a nightmare to you. You probably have survivor's guilt from the whole thing."

"Where were all the guards? William wasn't that strong of a fighter." Ryan asked an obvious question with an easy answer.

"That passage is not normally guarded. It leads to the prison, the castle's infirmary, and the recruits' barracks. All of which have their own entrances and exits that are more convenient. Depending on how you view it, maybe it was fortunate he found himself in prison. You may not consider him a strong fighter, but he was still a hero who was trained alongside you under Sir. Lawrence. I fear there may have been many more casualties if he had run into the young recruits or the sick and injured."

Nods and sounds of acknowledgement from three of them, but Chris stayed looking at me with a focused expression. Did he doubt me, or was he just absorbing the information?

I continued. "Once in the prison, her killed more guards and freed some extremely dangerous prisoners. Rebel's assassin's, murders, and even a mage with a special death magic. Along with them, they killed many more guards and escaped."

Ryan interrupted, "Why would the prisoners help him?"

Owen answered for me. "He probably promised them freedom if they helped him escape. They're not mindless monsters."

I followed up, "we don't know for sure, but we assume what Owen was quick to point out. By the time they escaped, enough guards had been alerted and there was a pursuit. However, due to a stroke of horrible luck, rebels had been attack at the same time and caused a landslide a few hours earlier. Because of this, William and the prisoners were able to ascend the mountain, while many of the soldiers worked to try and save the men and women buried below the rubble. So many promising young soldiers, many of them only recruits… they didn’t make it.”

I wiped a tear from my eye and made a show of getting my breathing under control before continuing. The heroes were hanging on my every word.

"They escaped into those mountains, and it's rebel territory. I've been told it's next to impossible for soldiers to navigate it while fighting there."

Chris finally spoke. "So that's why you called us back here? Send a small team into the mountains to search for the prisoners and William?"

I hesitated. This part wasn't an act. My hands balled up into fists, but I suppressed the anger on my face.

"Not entirely. During their escape, a group of wyvern knights managed to spot them and engaged the group. Among them was... Sir. Lawrence. They... he... I'm sorry heroes."

They were shocked. As was I when I heard the news. Sarah and Owen both had hands over their mouths to hide a gasp. Chris' eyes went wide. Ryan immediately looked angry.

Surprisingly, it was Chris to speak first. "No. Impossible. Lawrence was untouchable. He..."

"I was in denial as well, until I saw the body. It was certainly him. It seems he was thrown from the mountain. I... I know this must be hard for you all. He taught you for months, and Lawrence himself thought of each of you as his family. He was also like family to me. Lawrence had been my personal guard since I was a child."

Now to hammer the final nail in.

"Heroes... I know what I'm asking is selfish, but... would you-"

Ryan interrupted me, "We'll kill him... How could he do that!? Lawrence was hard on him, but he was hard on all of us! I'm so sick of him hurting everyone else for his failures! I'll teach him a lesson, princess. Count on it."

The enthusiasm was appreciated, and I didn't really care if they found out about his actual blessing, but I had a persona to keep.

"No. I couldn't ask something like that of you. He was your friend. The prisoners can be executed, but as for William, out of respect for you four, simply return him alive for judgment."

The others didn't seem to know what to say or how to react until Chris took a step forward. "We will hunt him down and bring him to justice. But, as his friends, We have a responsibility to correct his ways, so my apologies if he isn't returned in perfect order."

"... I think that's a reasonable compromise. I appreciate your efforts, heroes. The real reason I brought you back so suddenly was because, Sir. Lawrence's Funeral is tomorrow. I thought you might want to be there for it.”

Ah, perfect.