The Chief knight's eyes opened slowly,her eyeballs rolling severally as she strained to see,her head was throbbing and her body weak all over.
The ceiling above her bled into the walls,their edges smeared into each other as the room wavered, swimming in and out of focus.
Her eyes shut swung shut,her lids were heavy but she managed to lift them again as a low sigh escaped her lips.
She suddenly felt a wet piece of cloth press over her head.
Athena caught the hand to stare at a face she couldn't make out but through her blurry vision she could tell the person's long curly reddish-brown hair reminded her of someone.
The chief knight racked her brain as she threw the hand aside before slowly sitting up.
"Fine!...you can just do it yourself!"The familiar voice echoed irritably,aiding her to match the puzzled pieces together in her head.
Mia was it?
She tittled her head then her nose picked up the scent of someone else.
Zero had just appeared before pulling a seat by her bed side.
"You didn't tell me you were in a bad shape and you got beat pretty bad but kept coming at me,then you passed out....what are you some crazy woman?"
Memories of last night fight suddenly came flooding in,she had fought with the emperor's Knight and had lost,she was no match for him but refused to yield, instead she kept coming at him and had gotten beaten pretty bad till she...she couldn't remember what happened after that.
"Says the idiot who called my out of my room at night for sparring!". Athena snapped and Zero placed a hand to his head as he shook it in frustration."We could have talked this over in some calm coozy place but you insisted on a cold windy sword clatter—ring at—mos—phere!".
"You reported for duty yesterday,how could I have known, you could have refuse my request".
Athena's face took a twisted expression.
"What! are you worried about me now!—"
"No"Zero cut in "How can I be at ...at least not that much but I could have killed a Chief knight and I would get arrested".
"You could have easily buried my body somewhere she said and faint shudder ran through him in cold distaste as his nose wrinkled,lifting a slow curl that exposed his teeth,his brows lowered in displeasure.
"What!...what in the—you think am such a horrible person?"he muttered,his tone dripping in disbelief.
Athena nodded before rubbing on her eyes.
Her surroundings had assumed their proper appearance,her vision was clearer.
Her eyes caught sight a raven flying across the window before they settled on Mia who had been watching them argue.
Mia followed her eyes to rest on the wet piece of clothing she held.
"She's up and ok ,I should go"she said dropping the cloth in the bowl before getting to her feet.
"Wait...we need a plan",Zero said.
Mia eyed him for a moment before quietly returning to her seat.
"I say we get rid of every last one of them... except Crown prince Garrith...I heard he objected to Gerald's murder".
"No objections here"Athena raised an arm while Mia affirmed with a nod.
"But if we get rid of them,what happens to the imperial prince,the prophecy —"
"If it involves the prince's life,count me out"Mia said grimly as the chief Knight studied her closely.
"What....you scared of being killed for treason?"
"You're mistaken...I don't care about treason, neither do I care about some prophecy"Mia retorted.
"You'll be surprised how much more death his life will bring upon us....you certainly know nothing about the upcoming crisis or the doom that awaits if he lives—".
"Says some stupid prophecy written by some stupid sorcerors"Mia interrupted.
"The prophecy means nothing to me, revenge does"Zero cut in, slamming a fist into his bed.
"For Gerald's death or something more?"Athena raised a questionable brow not expecting an answer she knew he wouldn't spill.
"For his death,that's all you need to know for now they will pay for all they have done".
Although killing most of these people would be in the emperor's favour.
And as much as he would love Tyran's enemies to get rid of him first,the emperor wasn't someone easily distructable and his revenge for Gerald's death couldnt wait that long.
For now he would spare only the King of Urah,the one he guessed had eyes for the throne and help him destroy the Emperor after which he would get rid of him but before that he had to get stronger.
Athena adjusted herself on his bed to face them both before folding both hands.
"We will take them out from weakest to the strongest"she said.
"Who are the strongest and how do you intend to doing that?".Mia asked grizzedly and Athena and Zero exchanged glances.
They both knew who he was,the strongest was the king of Urah unless there are more kings involved.
"They are known as the higher ups, we never met them in person but they must be highly influential people,who intend to keep their identities hidden"Zero spurted out and Athena gaze drifted to him.
Why didnt he mention the king of Urah's name.Perhaps he felt it wasn't yet time to let her know.
"So highly influential certainly means difficult to get rid of but how do we find out who they are?".Mia asked.
"We only know of five persons,who physically frequented the meetings.Since their activities are kept from the lot,to track down the rest of them... we investigate these two persons—Dark and Lord Tydor...we watch them closely,who ever they meet with,partner with,their conversations, get as much information as we can from this lot,we could find some leads".
Both females nodded but Zero's gaze had settled on the Chief knight
"Athena.....you have to get back right with the rest"
"What!"
"I can't do it because they took my best friend,they are not dumb...but you can,only this way can you keep a closer eye on that unpredictable sorcerer....I feel he will lead us directly to the higher ups. "Zero narrowed his gaze as he stared at her.
He meant the other higher ups.
Athena didn't respond only stared, unknown to him,he was piling up a lot of questions for himself when Mia left.
"The kings are in this,I can issue you,princess Kaugra is with child so she would be mostly in her chambers for now....Crown prince Garrith's activities would be the most difficult to trace amongst them as the throne's next heir...as for his father King Zemah,i wont spare him if he is one of them".
Tyran's voice suddenly boomed in Zero's head causing a frown to form on his face.
He had summoned him early which was unlike him.
"Yes your majesty".he muttered grimly, trying to hide irritation in his voice.
Zero rose to his feet before walking over to his wardrobe to return with two neatly folded bundles of black clothing.
He dropped one directly on the bed opposite Mia and the other next to Athena.
Both females eyed the clothing before giving him a quizzled stare.
"In them I put a branch of Fripju lily to mask your scent....You know better than to take on a royal,they are stronger than you can imagine, including Prince Marcus,he might be a non elementarist but he knows few spells and is extremely skilled with the sword...By take on,I mean those below your magic level...leave the highly skilled,the kings and higher-ups to me...you can only keep an eye on them".
Athena glanced over at him.
The kings were of magic level of upper middle tire and above but Zero was a mid-middle tier just like she was.
Taking anyone above his magic level was the same as digging himself a comfy grave.
From their conversations he had been digging this same grave ever since Gerald's demise,but deep down she knew he wouldn't lay in it just yet,at least not until he settles his score with the imperial family.
Athena couldn't place her hands around it but she was certain his hatred for the imperial crown prince stemed from that which he had for the Emperor.
Zero cared nothing for the prophecy,all he desired was revenge.
This revenge which encompassed getting rid of all his enemies and for some reason the emperor was included in this lot.
"You can't be serious...what are you planning?".
Zero grinned warily before resuming a position close to her on the bed.
He threw an arm over her shoulder,his lips curved into a cocky smirk as he peered into her eyes before whispering into her ears
"It's a suprise".