Thin Air Lags

      An open space. A great feast. Havila. 

       "How do we take out the guards?"

    Tzu asked looking through the three people. The emperor had been quiet since a while as usual while the chief did more of the comments. 

     "The emperor holds an answer to that."

   The chief gave up his position. He obviously didn't have an answer to that. They were all following the instructions of the emperor. Whatever he said to them was the dough. 

    Jim had been unusually quiet. The emperor had cast a spell on him. Not such spell that made a fool of someone. But such spell which would make him do whatever the emperor bade him. 

    Tzu didn't have a contention with that. Having Jim charmed was even a ease of things for Tzu. Jim only stared at the three of them, picking each person at a time. 

     The four of them had stolen out of the pit. The emperor had used one of his magical traits on the bar of the pit. The bar had been set at the mouth back after their escape and molded puppets had been placed in the pit in disguise of them. 

   None of them could explain how the Emperor had done that. For him to had been broken by Aojen, that meant that Aojen had such magic beyond the earthly decadence. 

     The four of them at that moment were few metres away from the field were the feast was being held. The palace guards were in their eyeshot. 

    Twould be very difficult for them to make their ways through the guards without being caught. 

   The emperor found his words at last after steering so keenly,

    "If the mat had no connection to me, we probably would be a thing of regret. We probably would be gnashing our teeth and end up broken. Probably eaten by panthers."

    His usual pause was enthroned. Tzu was impatient. His gaze gave him away. He wished he could lay his hands on the discourse and tear it open. Discover all he needed to know and go to figure it out. 

     "Either would none of you be able to keep up with the smoothness."

     The Emperor noticed that a guard was looking towards them. Seemed as though they had spotted. He hastened over it,

     "We've been spotted."

   He muttered and took a deep breath. Then he started a trail of chant,

     "The wandering winds set beyond rent realms,

    Go now fate, and the quatrain to me fetch. 

    Anon, wrap us for into lone mounds,

    And bear us on and on to our rounds."

    Immediately he stopped chanting, there was a strong wave of wind which blew. The guards who seemed to be rushing towards them couldn't see anymore. Then abruptly the four of them disappeared into thin air. 

    The mystery of the transition was the fact that, they could see themselves walking, but they couldn't be seen. Tzu didn't know that yet. 

    "They are coming. We have no swords nor spear."

     Tzu remonstrated as soon as they reappeared. His eyes were up and alert but his brain seemed weak. 

       "We're invisible to them."

      The chief called at him. Tzu looked away from the emperor to the chief. He shot,

     "How about invincible?"

     The Emperor was the one who took the turn that time,

     "It's up to you."

     The emperor began to walk on till they catch up with those wondering guards. One of them quizzed,

     "Where did they go. I just saw them before the sandstorm."

     Another guard argued almost immediately,

      "Who calls that a sandstorm? Sandstorm travels miles and that only happened in just few seconds. It's no sandstorm."

    The six guards made a circle in no regular order having their backs to themselves. They were expecting a wonder to happen. 

     "Why did you poke me?"

      One of the guards turned immediately challenging the other guard who had just turned to face him. 

    "I didn't."

   The other guard argued. 

     "Let's be guided."

    The first guard shot a stern gaze and resumed his position. Then soon, the Emperor who had been working in disguise knocked the guard again. 

    Immediately, the knocked guard  turned and dangled his sword, then drove it through the other guard's stomach. 

     "You learn the hard way."

     There was a battle between the guards as they were divided into halves. 

     "My cousin!"

    Another guard screamed and aimed his spear at the one who had stabbed the other guard. 

    Tzu who also wasn't in appearance watched in surprise as they all fought in ignorance. He was enjoying the view.  

   He couldn't help it that he walked towards them and pulled the hair of one the guards. 

     "Wait all."

    The guard whose hair had been pulled called. The four remaining guards stopped fighting. Two of them were already dead. 

     "Another trick, eh?"

   Another of the guard challenged the one who was trying to explain. 

    "You have to believe me, something isn't right. Someone just pulled my hair."

     The biggest of the guards shot almost immediately,

     "Retard!!! Who complains of cold when he's seated by the seaside? You could still talk because your head is sitting on your neck."

   That guard noticed that none of them would believe him, he reassumed a fighting position. 

    Then did the emperor walked to one of the corpse and picked up a spear by the corpse. 

     "See!"

     That guard called as others gasped. To them, all they could see was a spear floating in the air. 

     "Run!!"

     Another of the guards bade, but the emperor was way too swift to miss. He aimed the spear at one, picked the other spear and aimed at another. 

    He rushed to the other two with a sword picked from one of the freshly killed and sent the heads of the running two flying in the air. 

     "Over to Aojen."

     He called, his robe had blood lacing it. None of them had an exception. They followed, though they had taken spears and swords in case of necessities. 

     In no time, they found their ways past the crowd. Twas easy for them. Tzu enjoyed the experience. He walked to a woman amongst the crowd and touched her boob. 

   The woman turned and slapped the man beside her, ranting. Tzu chuckled. 

    There was a fight going on while the feast was on. Panthers fighting humans. Quite a scene. 

    "Over there!"

   The emperor called pointing towards Aojen. In no time, they've gotten there. 

   There was a rich smile on Aojen's face. Beside him were his brother and the last warrior by the right and left. 

     There were guards too behind them. 

    As soon as the emperor and co got there, he turned to his people,

     "Leave all to me."

    He headed to behind Aojen and slayed all the guards as blood splattered on Aojen while the congregation was scattered. 

     Before Aojen could turn, the emperor had swung his sword at Aojen's neck but he was surprised. 

     Aojen held the edge of the sword with two fingers and broke it. He turned on the seat and threw the emperor over his head. 

    The emperor fell into reality by the feet of Aojen and the remaining three were seen too. 

      "Maybe I underestimated you."

      Aojen stood up as the Emperor's accomplice were brought to their knees.