Reborn From the Cosmos

Miniarc-Villains-04

Samuel was no fool.

He also wasn’t as nonchalant about the proposed danger of an angry Lourianne Tome targeting him as he wanted to appear.

He knew the strength of a royal knight well. As a boy, when swordplay and simple magic excited him to no end, he used to follow Dowager to watch their training. That included bouts between the members. They restrained themselves but it was enough for even his young mind to understand that they were very powerful. A threat Ewan was hesitant to confront was not a threat Samuel should take lightly. He didn’t take it lightly.

But cowering was no option. Going home wasn’t an option either. Samuel had let fear command him for too long; so much of his life was wasted chasing a fool’s dream because he was afraid of rejection. He didn’t dare challenge his brother for the throne because he was afraid of going up against the monumental force that was tradition. He didn’t give his best at the Hall because he was afraid he wouldn’t measure up despite giving it his all. He didn’t have any more time for fear.

His actions weren’t totally fueled by his growing desperation. If he were going to Quest alone, he wouldn’t dare take the risk. His belief in the royal knights fueled his daring. Whatever power Lourianne Tome wielded, he didn’t doubt for a moment that his escorts had the power to protect him. Perhaps they couldn’t defeat her, not with that ridiculous green woman at her side, but the least they could do was rush him out of the city or to the neutral territory of the Hall.

Vague notions of duty mixed with morbid curiosity also contributed to his decision. His mind couldn’t grasp the idea that a major city had been destroyed in a conflict. He wanted to see it, confirm it. A part of him felt like it was his responsibility as a prince. His father had to know about the situation and the solution would have nothing to do with him, but a part of him whispered that he should be there. That as a royal, he couldn’t turn away from a tragedy.

For his many reasons, Samuel remained steadfast in his resolve to reach the city. Ewan had the power to override his decision, but it would not reflect well on him to ignore Samuel for an unconfirmed threat. To flee in the face of the enemy. Ewan wasn’t the kind of man that let reputation keep him from making the right decision, which was why he had such a good one, but he wasn’t above considering the perception of things. Perhaps there was a real threat to Samuel’s life, but if he returned to the capital without proof of such and the prince made a fuss, he could be sanctioned for insubordination. He could be stripped of his title.

So, shortly after dawn, the convoy continued. They were still days from the city but the usual quiet of the road was laced with a thick tension. His escorts weren’t happy. They trusted Ewan’s opinion and surely knew that they were proceeding against his wishes. There went any attempts to win the men’s respect.

If he thought highly of the royal knights, soldiers worshipped them. To go against their word was like going against the saints. The story of a haughty prince harassing the honorable knight trying to protect everyone would surely make the rounds. If something happened to Ewan, Samuel was sure he’d be despised by the army for the rest of his life.

Thankfully, nothing happened. The road didn’t open up and swallow them as the walls of the city came into view. At first, Samuel didn’t see the damage. Only when they were hours from the gate did it become obvious. Samuel scoffed when he realized that it was only a few missing chunks off the top. He was expecting a gaping hole, a vulnerability. A large crack in the face of the wall maybe, a scar that would shake the confidence in the city’s ability to defend itself.

Seeing the equivalent of a splinter had prompted his escort’s paranoia, he closed the shutters of his carriage and shut his eyes, willing the last leg of the journey to pass swiftly.

At first, he thought the knock on his door was the signal that they were stopping. The carriage had slowed its pace, but its speed remained steady. Frowning in confusion, Samuel opened his door.

Ewan rode beside him dressed in his armor, including a helmet that hid everything but his stern eyes. The serious air around him weighed down Samuel’s tongue, making it impossible to speak.

“Open your shutters,” the knight said, voice hard as steel. “You should see what you’re so eager to involve yourself in.”

The knight didn’t wait for Samuel to reply, slamming the door in his face. After a beat, the prince obeyed the command. He opened the shutters and he saw a ruined city.

The sight itself wasn’t horrific; there was little to fear from mounds of shattered stone and splintered wood. He imagined someone that didn’t know the city wouldn’t feel much at all. It was only because Samuel had a picture of what the city once was that he could truly appreciate the devastation. Homes, shops, workshops, all gone. Flattened. It felt as if a great hand had squashed the city beneath its palm with the same disdain of someone squashing a bug.

There was so much space. So much…emptiness. It felt like a physical thing, pressing on his chest with greater force the longer he stared. His eyes stung as he forgot to blink while searching for something that stood out in the uniform destruction. Something recognizable.

The worst part was the silence. Quest was a bustling city; the third largest in the kingdom. There were always carriages and wagons on the road. Always people shouting and laughing on the corners. The air should be humming with the thrum of thousands of people going about their lives.

Somehow, the absence of sound was louder than any crowd; it was so poignant Samuel’s ears rang with it, a horribly uncomfortable feeling.

Just as he was starting to feel sick to his stomach, they reached the Myriad Zone. Samuel detested the northernmost district of the city. It was a mess to travel through, as the roads were filled with disorderly drunks at all times of the day, usually ones incapable or unwilling to follow the directions of his driver. The bright colors were disorientating, and the district didn’t cater to any of his interests, along with several he despised.

Yet, after riding through a wasteland, he was overjoyed to see the obnoxious part of the city. He smiled at the plentiful signs of life, though the crowd was thinner and more subdued than usual. The pressure on his chest eased though his mind remained restless as he finally turned his gaze from the window. He hardly noticed when the earth casters raised him to the Hall.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Again, it was a knock on that disturbed him from his thoughts. Samuel opened it, expecting to see Ewan’s stern eyes watching him. Instead, Orphelia and her unnerving smile greeted him.

“Are you still eager to be in the middle of the trouble, your highness?” she asked, no trace of empathy in her pretty gaze.