Chapter 32: Saving Everyone (And Losing One)

When we arrived at the castle, we saw more enemies outside. Waiting for an intruder to kill. Some of the paace guards are dead beside them or are being killed by them.

"What the hell are these bastards doing?! They can't even kill a single soul?!" Granger commented in a pissed tone. Then he shot two of the enemy, making them look at us.

"What a dumbass~" I said and sighed before freezing the enemy and clenching my fist, breaking the ice. "Don't attack suddenly! We might get too much attention! What if they held everyone as hostages? We don't want to see another life on the line right?!" I said, but he didn't even looked at me.

"Come on! We need to see if the queen is okay." Zandre said and we all entered the castle easily. I guess some things do change huh? The formation of the entrance is different than the last time I was here. It was more on guards last time, but now... It's full of different plants and flowers like a garden. But, the only things that make it disgusting, are these corpses around. There blood is ruining the colors!

"Tch! I hate seeing things like this!" I whispered and used my wand to float every body and lay them beside next to each other at the right part of the path. Then we all continued walking inside the castle.

As we enter, we were greeted with flying spears and arrows...

So before we could even become dart boards, Zandre and I moved in front of everyone.

"Athena's Shield!" Both of us chanted and he held his shield firmly in front of everyone, while I point my wand in front of us, to protect everyone behind.

"Stop! That's General Zandre!" Everyone stopped attacking after hearing the voice of a woman. "Thank you for coming as fast as you can general. I didn't think even for once, that something like this would happen after you leave." She explained and bowed to pay her respect. Who is she anyway?

"We apologize for being a bit late your highness. If only we got her sooner, the damage wouldn't have been this worse." Zandre answered and they all bowed in respect.

"Wait! Your highness?! Does that mean she's-" "Ouch!" I was kneeled down when I felt a leg hit at the back of my knees. When I looked at who it was, I was surprised to see Professor Greg behind me. "Is he the one who kicked me?! He doesn't have to though~ I could've just bowed with them~" I feel like a criminal right now with what he did.

"Glad to finally meet you my liege." Dean Jean said, making the queen look at her and us.

"You must be from Genesis Academy." She smiled and bowed. "Thank you for helping us." She then thanked.

"This is not the right time to thank us though~ we still have to make sure that the enemies are all defeated- Ow!" I was again hit at the other back part of my knee, making me kneel again.

"That is not the proper way to talk to the queen you moron. Where are your manners?" Granger said and looked down at me with his serious eyes. I glared at him without saying a word.

"Let her be, Granger. She has a point. We still have to make sure that the empire is free from foes." The queen said, making me stand up to look around. Nothing much has changed since the last time I was here though. But the portrait of the late king and queen was now framed gold instead of just silver.

Oh~ haven't I told you that the royal family has this tradition about framing their portraits? If they are the ones ruling the empire, the frames would be silver, because it is the part where they are doing everything they can to be capable of having the highest rank on the empire. That will also make everyone decide wether to accept his and her term or not. And when they die, the right hands and officials will talk to each other and decide if they should accept the term, and if they do. They will then ask the people their opinions. And if they agrees, they will then replace the silver frame with gold to honor the deaths of the royal family, and to show their respect of accepting them with the empire.

I just found out about it recently though, at the academy's library.

"We have to go and check now. General and Marc, please watch over the palace. I will go with the others to check the whole place."

"But your highness-"

"I'll be fine. I know that they will help me." The queen smiled reassuringly.

"Your highness... Is it okay if we wait here with the general? For them to have more hands, just in case someone barges in again." Dean Jean said and the queen agreed. So all of our professors will be left here with Zandre and Marc, while the only ones to go out will be team alpha, the queen, Sky and Granger.

We didn't waste any more time, and hurried outside.

"Your highness." I put my fist on my chest to show my respect, making them all look at me. "I just want to check on some places here. So~ may I please leave you all?" I asked looking at her intently.

I also saw Granger's hand about to hit me, but Guinevere stopped him by using the orb.

"If you want to, i'm fine with it. That'll make our work be done in no time too. Just take care okay?" She said and I bowed the last time before leaving them in a hurry.

"If my memory serves me right. The path that I need to go is..." I quiclly shifted my way to right as I walk pass a street. Then I saw some enemies trying to hurt  some kids, so I stopped to help.

With no other words to say, I just used my sword to slash all of them.

"Don't worry now okay? I'm here " I said and everyone of them was afraid for a moment. "I came from the castle. Sorry if i'm late though." I explained and they all embraced me while crying.

"Thank you for saving us mam! We thought that we will die!"

"Shh~ no one will die." I smiled to assure them and wiped their tears. There were four of them, so it's really a bit hard for me to calm them down. "By the way... Do you know an oracle named Ban around here?" I asked, and I could tell that I don't know something. They just went silent with my question.

I felt nervous for a minute as they all look at me with no expression. "Please tell me." I said and I could feel my legs losing their energy.

"We saw her inside of her house with an enemy! We don't know what happened! We just ran away after seeing them fight, because we were scared!" Said one of the children, and cried again. Making the others cry too.

"Shh~ please don't cry. I will make sure to save all of you, okay? Come with me." I said and we all ran towards the house that I remember. It was the same gate and same house styled, so it didn't took me long before I found it. "Come inside with me. Just to make sure you're all safe." I said and we all entered the house. And just as we entered the house. I saw the most horrible and scariest thing that I don't want to see.

"Oracle Baaan! Nooo!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs as I saw one of the two enemies, struck her with a knife, right on her abdomen.

To be continued~