Chapter 39

"First Prince Chordus is colluding with the Fire Nation?" The Archmage asked in disgust. Gainsbraith tactically guiding the Pyromaniacs had already established the connection.

At that moment, a young man wearing an Armor that was emitting flames suddenly landed on the battlefield. The Armor seemed to be made of a peculiar kind of leather and the mere presence was causing the palace area where the fight was taking place to boil.

"Not quite Duke Lum. I am not colluding with the Fire Temple, I have willfully joined the cause of Fire. I will be the next King of the Southern Fire Kingdom!" Chordus, the first prince had arrived on the scene.

"So the Fire Nation wishes to turn out Kingdom into a Vassal?" The Archmage raised an eye as magic continued to flow. Ice spikes were impaling Pyromaniacs left and right, however, the female leader of the Fire Templars was giving him a hard time.

"Stop resisting old man." Chordus laughed. "Gainsbraith's duchy is already under my control. We are directly connected to the Fire Nation and the inflow of help cannot be stopped!"

---

Locke and a woman dressed in servants clothes had slowly left the room, alone. The palace was vibrating with explosions, but the contest was primarily taking place in another area of the gigantic palace.

With the help of Ghost, Locke was avoiding any contact with other frenzied nobles. He couldn't trust anyone at this moment.

Locke and Selestia would go through labyrinthine paths twisting and turning, making sure not to come across anyone at all. Unfortunately, in the end, the two came face to face with Duke Methis and his entire group of subjects.

They seemed to be in a frazzled state. When they saw Baron Mith, Duke Methis ordered him to stop. Locke did halt.

"Baron, have you learned about First Prince Chordus and Duke Gainsbraith's treason?" Duke Methis asked. "They've joined the Fire Nation!"

"Oh, many thanks Lord Duke for informing someone as lowly as myself about such affairs. I will keep he information in mind." Locke calmly replied. Behind him, dressed in a servants uniform, Selestia was panicking.

"Will you join Third Prince Dictus then? Help him destroy the scourge that is the First Prince's treason!" The Duke asked.

Locke bitterly smiled. "My lord, I am just a lowly Baron. I can't even overrule mh lord Viscount, let alone the wishes of my Liege, Duke Lum. I humbly suggest you discuss the matter with him directly. The palace is too dangerous for weaklings like me. I am making my way out." Locke replied, before crossing the corridor and entering a room, with the servant following him.

When he closed the door, he sealed it from inside, before taking out a map of the Palace that Duke Lum had handed to him. This room had a secret route to a hidden exit.

Locke quickly led Selestia to a wall covered by books in the room. He picked out the book as instructed by the Duke's map, causing a part of the shelf to open up leading to a passageway leading underground.

Behind him, Ghost informed him, that Duke Methis and his men had come across Duke Breave and his men. Sighing in relief, the two quickly entered the passageway, letting the shelf close behind them.

"Will father be alright?" Selestia asked suddenly. She had been silent the entire time till now.

"I don't know." Locke replied with a sigh. "Things have deteriorated too much too quickly. However, your father is an Archmage after all. I'm sure he can protect himself. Right now, you need to safely escape so he doesn't get cornered."

As they followed the passageway down, they came to an underground tunnel. The place was poorly lit by the natural light from the tunnel's end. However, he saw five people with wooden torches walking towards the exit as well.

"It is the Marquis." Ghost informed him, causing Locke to relax. The Duke had instructed the Marquis as well, so he assumed that the Legacy user was also part of the Duke's plans.

However, Ghost's next words caused him to halt. "There is something wrong with the people around him." She said.

Locke carefully tiptoed closer, with Selestia following behind him in confusion. He warned her not to make any sound and his voice seemed a bit on edge. So Selestia obeyed.

When they reached close enough. "Is this the only secret exit?" A raspy voice asked.

"The Duke did not lie to me. So I have no reason to doubt the validity of the map." Marquis Tasmodius voice was perfectly normal and calm.

"Why is the girl not here then?" The raspy voice interrogated Tasmodius.

"I don't know." The Marquis replied. "May be the Duke didn't trust me in the end."

"Didn't trust you? Then why are we hiring you? This was the job you had to do." The raspy voice said with disgust.

"I think..." Ghost spoke to Locke through their telepathic link. "That those are undead."

"Undead!" Locke thought. The absolute enemies of the Sun Temple. He was sure that they had been completely eliminated in the Kingdom, but his thoughts were being constantly upended.

"Your master still hasn't initiated me into the Vampiric Line." The Marquis snarled. "I have done my part till here. Don't forget that I can tell when someone lies. It doesn't seem like you are interested in completing your part of the agreement."

"We don't need you anymore. The girl has been found." The raspy voice suddenly laughed. Locke and Selestia closely behind walked forward towards the group.

Near the moonlight at the end of the tunnel, Locke could now see the appearance of the four individuals beside the Marquis. The Marquis seemed calm. The other four had no skin that would help identify their emotions. They were skeletons.

"From your armor, you don't appear to be low level undead." Locke commented like a distant observer.

The Marquis nodded. "They are Sentinels. One ring above the lowest level."

"I thought the temple eliminated the Undead in the Kingdom." Locke spoke directly to the Marquis.

"How could it be so easy. Don't believe most of what those stupid temples say." The Marquis laughed. "Anyway, hand over the girl. These guys want her, and I want to become a Vampire."

Locke didn't reply. He was mentally communicating with Ghost. "What do you think Ghost?"

"They look delicious." Ghost replied back.