“Your Holiness!” Another urgent shout echoed from outside, eliciting a frown from Sang-je. How many times would this scenario repeat? However, the person who entered this time exuded a level of distress unlike any seen before. His body trembled uncontrollably, and his face was ashen, as if he were on the brink of death.
“Y-Your Holiness. It is terrible. The larks, the larks are…”
“I am aware that larks have appeared in the buffer zone,” Sang-je interrupted.
“No, Your Holiness, it is worse. The larks have breached the walls and are invading the Holy City!”
***
Most of the soldiers who had been closely tracking the larks found themselves helpless spectators as the creatures, upon reaching the walls, continued their advance. Unlike the larks, whose momentum remained undiminished, the soldiers were impeded by the defensive barrier. Despite their frantic efforts, the wall seemed perpetually distant.
For soldiers accustomed to maintaining a safe distance, this was their first encounter with such a phenomenon. Despite prior briefings, the experience felt surreal. Some soldiers charged recklessly, while others adopted a more cautious approach, assessing their surroundings. A few attempted to gradually close the distance to the wall. Chaos reigned among the ranks.
Some warriors attempted to attach ropes to the larks, hoping to be pulled through the barrier, but the repelling force at the wall’s edge flung them back.
However, once the larks had infiltrated the Holy City, subtle fissures began to emerge within the previously impregnable defensive wall. One by one, soldiers managed to squeeze through these openings.
Among the six kings, Myung King was the first to breach the wall. As soon as he sensed the wall’s proximity, he used the power of Praz to propel himself over it in an instant.
I’ve finally made it inside, he thought triumphantly, a surge of exhilaration coursing through him. A satisfied smile crept across his face as he stroked the two loyal creatures clinging to his arms.
However, he was devoid of any supporting warriors. No one else had yet discovered the breaches in the barrier. Undeterred, he embarked on his solitary mission.
He knew his destination with absolute certainty. Despite never having been there before, he had memorized the route with such precision that he could navigate it blindfolded.
His objective was to rescue his benefactor, and he headed directly towards Sang-je’s secret prison.
“This is the location,” he confirmed, gazing up at the towering wall crowned with iron bars. In stark contrast to the chaos unfolding near the Holy City square, this area was enveloped in an oppressive silence.
“Remain concealed nearby,” he instructed the magical beasts, who obeyed and stationed themselves outside. He then assessed the height of the wall. Crouching down, he channeled silver Praz from his eyes. With a powerful leap, he soared over the wall as if defying gravity.
Since Flora’s return, the priests guarding the ritual had retreated to the palace. Only the regular guards remained within the building. Uninformed of this detail, Nicholas relied on the intelligence provided by a warrior who had previously scouted the area.
The gravel beneath his feet posed no obstacle. For a king capable of traversing water, moving without disturbing a single pebble was a trivial task.
One of Nicholas’s warriors had previously discovered a method of descending into the underground without detection, courtesy of the Muen family. Employing this technique, Nicholas managed to evade the guards and access the subterranean entrance.
As he descended the lengthy staircase into the abyss, a wave of sorrow washed over him. The thought of his benefactor enduring countless years of confinement in this dark prison filled him with anguish.
Finally, he reached the lowest level. Navigating the prison corridor, he noticed a sliver of light emanating from a door crack.
He placed his hand on the door and gently pushed it open. As described by the warrior, the door was unlocked. Upon entering, he beheld a figure seated within, surrounded by the luminescent patterns adorning the floor.
“Who is it?” A voice, low and resonant, echoed from within. Nicholas felt an inexplicable force seize him, as if the voice had penetrated his very soul.
For the first time in his life, Nicholas experienced a profound reverence for someone other than his deceased father, the late king. Instinctively, he knelt.
“I greet the Elder. I am Nicholas, from Flake Kingdom,” he declared.
***
“His Holiness has commanded that Lady Anika Flora be brought forth immediately. Stand aside, Sir Pides,” a knight declared.
Seven knights encircled Pides, who stood guard at the bedroom door. Despite their numerical advantage, none of them made a move to overpower him. Each secretly harbored the hope that another would take the initiative.
“I have already informed you that Lady Anika Flora will soon depart for the palace. She merely desires a moment of rest. As you have already waited, a brief extension is reasonable,” Pides responded with unwavering firmness.
“Lady Anika Flora has been absent on an important mission for His Holiness, far from the Holy City. In these times, unrestricted entry and exit from the Holy City is prohibited. I offer you sincere counsel: it is unwise to provoke Lady Anika Flora,” Pides continued, his tone resolute.
Despite invoking Sang-je’s authority, Pides’s confident demeanor induced a sense of unease among the knights, prompting them to exchange nervous glances.
“How much longer must we wait?” one knight inquired.
“Only until the recitation of the morning prayer,” Pides replied.
The knights nodded, deeming the timeframe acceptable.
Nearly an hour has already elapsed, Pides thought anxiously. He felt his resolve weakening.
Then, a piercing scream from outside captured everyone’s attention, drawing their gazes towards the outer windows. The initial indifference among the knights transformed into alarm as the screams intensified and multiplied into a chorus of terror. One knight rushed to the window to investigate. After craning his neck outward, he stumbled backward, uttering an incomprehensible sound.
“W-What the—!” he stammered, struggling to articulate his shock. Another knight joined him at the window, only to collapse to the floor upon witnessing the scene. The remaining knights surged towards the window, their curiosity overcoming their fear.
“What the—! What is that?”
“Aaah!”
One knight stumbled backward, collapsing to the floor and writhing in terror. Pides watched the unfolding chaos with growing apprehension until the sound of the bedroom door opening startled him, causing him to whirl around.
