Traitor in Our Midst

As we made our turn at the corner, a sight so gruesome has befallen us that it made my stomach churn.

The hallway is pretty much painted red with blood, from both human and elven soldiers.

The door to the princess’s chambers had been destroyed completely, leaving a large hole in its wake.

As we’ve gotten closer, I see inside the room a handful of human knights with their swords at the ready, a battered-up Felaris who’s currently protecting the unconscious princess behind him, Elzara and Captain Lipton who’s standing from a distance.

Our arrival distracted the knights as they turn towards us. Felaris saw this as a chance to strike.

A single step forward was all it took for Felaris to close the distance, and with a single thrust from his sword, a soldier is stabbed on his chest, instantly killing him.

“Billy! Curse you!” A knight yelled as his companion is killed.

I know this voice. It’s Orlin!

By now, Arin and Elvina got ready for battle as well, with Arin seemingly having a spell at the ready and Elvina has her sword pointed at the nearest foe—I have my sword that I picked up earlier out as well.

Captain Lipton unsheathes his sword—such a magnificent and terrifying sight. The souls of the departed is absorbed by the sword like it’s some kind of cursed sword.

My pattern recognition from all the anime and video games I’ve ever watched and played respectively tells me that Captain Lipton is going to do an ultimate attack. To put it simply, we’re dead unless we can stop him.

“Arin! We have to stop him. I think he’s getting ready to do something.” I yelled hoping to get his attention.

Arin finally releases his spell, a violent gale bursts towards Captain Lipton, taking out some of the knights along the way.

More than half of the knights are taken out by Arin’s magic but unfortunately, Elzara managed to nullify it just before it hit Captain Lipton.

“Tch! Everyone, get behind me!” Arin yelled as he starts to chant another spell.

The energy emanating from Captain Lipton’s sword is at an all-time high—he swings his sword in the air and a huge beam of energy starts blasting from the tip of his sword.

It was the kind of attack that would leave you hopeless. There’s no way that we’d survive a hit of this.

Arin finishes chanting his spell just in time as a wall of wind forms in front of him and absorbs the daunting beam of darkness.

“Augh!” Arin yelps as the beam overpowers him.

The wall of wind starts to form cracks as the attack overpowers it.

“Arin!” Elvina comes to Arin’s rescue as she helps him with the spell—I assume she’s lending him her mana.

Unfortunately, the both of them couldn’t hold it at bay as the beam completely destroys the defensive spell sending the both of them flying back.

I managed to jump to the side just in time, avoiding the hit but still getting sent flying towards the wall. I’m now near to where Felaris is but I feel like he has to look out for me as well on top of watching over Princess Rhiannon.

The beam still continues to fire, destroying everything it touches. Arin and Elvina got sent so far back that they’re not even in the room anymore. I could only hope that they’re safe!

With no current targets to hit, Captain Lipton decides to point it towards Felaris.

Thankfully, he is slow to turn as it seems the sword has become heavy while shooting the beam of darkness.

Felaris is fighting against the remaining knight—only one remains.

“Felaris, watch out! The beam is coming to hit you!” I notified him.

“Naoki! Take the princess and run!” Felaris ordered me as if he suddenly grew apathetic to his own life. Isn’t this a death flag?

“Naoki? Naoki Kusunoki?!” The knight who’s voice I recognize as Orlin’s said, completely surprised.

“Orlin? Is that you?”

Orlin paused as he and Felaris locked swords, as if he’s deep in thought.

“You… What are you doing with them! Traitor!... It’s your fault Billy is dead…”

He starts to cry audibly—my heart sank the moment I heard him. He really respected Billy.

“No, that’s not true! Orlin, this isn’t right! Please, just lay down your weapon.” I pleaded.

I didn’t have any authority to help or save him in the off chance that he does surrender, but I said it anyway. It just became a reminder of how powerless I truly am.

“RAAAAH!” Orlin strikes at Felaris—with Felaris parrying the strike.

The beam of darkness is creeping to us—Felaris and Orlin are going to get hit.

“Felaris, look out!”

Felaris, alerted by my voice, kicks Orlin towards the path of the beam—his body disintegrated at contact.

I couldn’t even react to his death—the beam of darkness is coming my way.

Felaris tries to do an evasive maneuver, getting himself out of the beam’s path.

“Naoki! The princess!” Felaris yelled.

I look at Princess Rhiannon, still unconscious. I carried her body—it’s surprisingly light, and I ran out of the way.

I overestimated my endurance though as I stumble after some distance. My legs have lost all its energy.

I fell carrying the princess. I held her tightly and made sure that my body takes the brunt of the impact. I close my eyes in anticipation.

It never came about though as when I opened my eyes, I was no longer in the princess’s room. Hell, this doesn’t even look like the palace.

I scan the room, barely seeing anything as the candles’ fire is very weak—its glare only lit its very small vicinity.

A heavy “object” is lying on my thigh. I run my hands on it, trying to discern what it is.

It felt soft to the touch, and smooth like scraping butter with a knife. It reminded me of my bed back in Japan—an expensive one that I ended up saving for for half a year. It was very soft.

“Yawn…”

Yawn?

Oh, wait… it’s the princess.

I recoiled back in surprise. I’d rather for her to not catch me near her.

“Uh… Huh?!”

“Ack!” I felt a sharp pang on my cheek.

The princess just slapped me across the face. Quite surprising she’d connect considering it’s pitch black in this place.

“You?! What are you doing to me, you pervert!” Princess Rhiannon squealed, angst in her voice.

My cheek hurts but it’s not too bad. She really is a tsundere.

Wait! Now’s not the time for this!

“Princess Rhia! We need to-”

A slap ran across my face once again.

“Don’t call me Rhia, you pervert! Only those close to me can call me that.”

“Tch! I’m telling you, we’re in danger right now!”

“… Now that you’ve said that, this place does not seem familiar. Where are we?”

“I don’t know princess… One moment, we saved you in your room and the next, we’re here.”

“Saved me? I do not need saving!”

“Princess! You have to listen to me. The Knights of the Sacred Flame are after you—Elzara’s working with them too, and I believe he’s also responsible for the abduction of your sister, Princess Thalia.”

“What?! That’s ridiculous! Elzara has been one of my closest confidants. I highly doubt he’d have a hand in the abduction of my big sister. It’s those human scum who are responsible!”

“Please, princess. I heard it with my own two ears—Elzara’s making plans with the human knights. He was even with them when we were rescuing you from the knights and their captain.”

Our back and forth is distracted when a voice from the distance calls to us.

“Princess?”