"Oh me?"his smile broadened."Your father's acquaintance... let's teleport you to Carolene,the maiden is frightened to death on your behalf"
Ramses nodded.
"Brother let's play this evening when we get back,I will get father to give his consent"he told Ruel.
He took Ramses's arm and was alerted by the antimagic-antiweaponry barrier around him, unable to hide his surprise,Tyran's doing perhaps.
To think the emperor would go to lengths to learn forbidden spells to protect this cursed child.
Unfortunately for him,he had also prepared his own suprise but an exposed area would be an unsuitable place to present it to the prince.
He immediately gave Ramses an assuring smile so as not to arouse any suspicions,he had heard the prince was far intelligent than his peers,maybe even smarter than an adult,a child that would be almost difficult to kill.
The semonio lifted him in his arms before approaching the back stirway as Ramses waved his brother goodbye.
The stair way was barely illuminated by the small lampstands on the wall even in daylight with no connection to the floors of the building.
He noticed the uncomfortable stare on the prince's face as his eyes rummaged his surrounding,placed a hand on his back then slowly tapped on it to reassure him.
"We will be there soon your highness...fret not"
"Why are we not going the other way my lord?"
"Carolene's waiting this way"he responded with a wide grin.
"But I don't smell her"Ramses protested.
"She's farther off on this part that's why...and this way is faster".
Ramses nodded and quietly wrapped his arms around the man's neck as he rested his chin on his shoulders.
When he felt the prince's guard completely lowered,he brought out a small dagger and was about to stab but stopped walking the moment the scarlet general appeared,fierce as ever,his red eyes glistening in the darkness.
"Let him go while am being nice"His voice wasnt harsh but subtle,unhurried his eyes afixed on the sorcerors face which had contoured into a dark smirk.
"You try anything funny and I won't hesitate to kill him"Lord Hart threatened but Ren was calm as ever,his face void of colour and features the usual expressionless kind.
"You don't want the imperial academy destroyed by two powerful Semonios clashing now do you?"
"Council man Hart...I won't ask again".Ren muttered dispiritedly, lowering his head and Lord Hart suddenly found himself gasping for air,he quickly grapped his neck choking as he dropped to his knees trembling.
The general's arm had wrapped around Ramses abdomen in the brink of an eye,the prince's head raised to watch a dying man for the first time.
"Impossible...What—are you?I am—also—a ...a commander tier,is there something higher?"Lord Hart managed to say amidst choking spells through a mouth full of saliva.
It was the general's turn to grin as the red crimpson mana enveloping him intensified.
"Unfortunately you are hearing this late... but I did say anyone of you who touches him will die by my own hands and high rank Sorcerors are no exception".
Lord Hart dropped to the ground gasping for air,his entire body had turned purple as the general approached him.
Ren raised a foot, his eyes embroidered by hate and disgust as he slammed it into his neck, instantly claiming his kill.
He teleported Ramses to his room,helped him sit on the bed and turned to leave but the prince's hand gripped his index finger.
"Please stay with me,at least till Carolene returns".
Ren didn't respond but took few steps backwards to sit at the rim of the bed,backing him.
"Thanks for saving me...I must say general Ren,you didn't look it but I could tell you were angry,you never spoke that much even to father...were you angry because he tried to kill me?"
Ren peered at him from over his shoulders for a while before averting his gaze.
"If you walk out on your on next time...I guarantee I won't come to your aid"Ren snapped and a soft giggle erupted from Ramses.
"You do jest my lord,you even say what you don't mean... anyone can tell you care deeply for me and father"
"Hmmmpphh!!"Ren scoffed before he abruptly got to his feet.
"The next time you desire to see him,I'll take you to him don't ever wander off on your own and don't follow strangers...you must scream if they ever offer a hand then ill—"the general paused to swallow his next words before fading from sight.
"Then once again you'll come rescue me"Ramses grinned to himself.
***************************
The sunset beautifully ahead down the rooftops of the street of the streets of Urah,the amber horizon etched with the grey bright coloured clouds that floated below it.
Most labourers had retired for the day behind shut doors to leave a street with barely any evidence of life in it while a couple of men in black outfit snuck around corners and roof tops,carefully avoiding the eyes of few passersby as they watched the emperor's Knight from different places,changing their locations based on the Knight's movement.
Tyran appeared behind the lead assassin who recognized his scent and bowed to greet him but he raised an arm signaling him to stop.
"Don't bother...in this outfit I am no different from you all,tell your men,I need no protection".
The assassin nodded before establishing a telepathic link with the others.
"Where is he?".
"Up ahead,down the bend up hill in this district...my men have eyes on him"the assassin paused to face the emperor his eyes widened.
"It appears he has found Dark".
Tyran quickly let out a hand which the assassin accepted willingly to teleport him to the location.
They had stopped by two houses apart and watched Zero enter a thatched building, surrounded by similar type of building along a street with barely anyone in sight.
"I won't get close.... although my scent cannot be percieved, sorcerers have a heightened sense for sensing magic energy,Dark would easily sense a high magic level such as myself... quietly listen to their conversation and do not approach alone,relay everything to me as said".
Tyran moved to cast a spell, his eyes glowing bright golden before placing his tumb on the lead assassin's head as he muttered a spell.
"I don't know your magic level but this will seal your powers temporarily".
The assassin nodded before Teleporting atop the roof of the building.
Tyran watched him crouch low, listening for a while but when he blinked the empty sunset sky atop the roof faced him,the roof was empty and the assassin gone.
His breath caught halfway as he stared up ahead white-faced.
"Something—something's wrong!"