Zephyr and Ili instantly went on their guard, as a dark figure leaped through the open window, landing inside the room. The man closed the window, before turning to face the two, taking off his mask. It was Rash'aa. "Yes, she is." he spoke, looking at Ililith. "I checked her, and she has the Dark Angel's mark. Not only that, but I also found this."
He took out a small book from underneath his cloak, throwing it on the table. It was Ili's master's journal.
Ili took out her weapon immediately. She looked at Rash'aa, before turning her gaze back to the lord. But the man seemed calm, his cold and emotionless expression not betraying any hint of unease. "What do you want?" Ili asked, holding her sword towards the lord. He instead lowered his back in his chair, looking at her with more interest.
"The apprentice of the Dark Angel... It's a pleasure to meet you."
Ili's eyes narrowed, not returning the greeting. She was still waiting for an answer.
"I see hate in your eyes. I don't blame you. Well, I will get to the main point." The lord looked at Ililith, raising his back and resting his arms on the table. "Today, Feinhdall will fall."
Ili was taken aback by the blunt words. "What do you mean?"
"Before the night ends, Feinhdall will be no more. And along with it, neither will I. The city will burn to the ground before the sun lights the sky again. By that time, I will be long gone, so I don't have time to waste with words. The army of Æhre, the Liberation Army, as they call it, will destroy the city."
"Quite the bold assumptions, no, my lord?" Rash'aa asked, looking at him with a hidden smile.
"Even if that were the case, what does it have to do with us?" Ili asked coldly, keeping her sword in her hand.
"It's not Æhre that's the problem." the lord responded in a deep tone, looking Ililith in the eyes. "The problem is that they are not alone. They have allied with an organization called New Heaven."
"New Heaven?" Ili asked, confused.
"Æhre wants to break free from the shackles the Bwovn Empire placed on them. In that case, even though I've fought and killed so many of them, and regarded them always as enemies, I can see the value in what they fight for... I can see honor in the blood they shed, even as enemies." His expression darkened. "But that's not the case for New Heaven. They only seek chaos and destruction, and would use any means necessary for achieving it. They don't kill for a cause, but purely for chaos. They don't care about the people of the Iron Gates, not for the people of Æhre, but purely for the sake of burning this world, for the birth of their new god." The man took a pause. Rash'aa took down his dark cloak and put it on the ground, moving back towards the window. "That's why I ask of you, apprentice of the Dark Angel. Tell your master about New Heaven. And let him eradicate them... Before this world has to meet their vision..."
Rash'aa sat behind the lord's chair, calmly wearing a large white cloak with dark edges. He fixed his cloak on his body. "You talk quite a lot for an old man, don't you?" he spoke, stretching his back.
Outside the city, as well as inside the castle, the sounds of explosions were heard, starting all around the city. Sparks started flying in the sky from the streets, like fireflies, lighting the dark sky.
The assassin smiled even more, looking outside the window. "It seems the show has started..."
"So, you were with them, Rash'aa." the lord spoke calmly and coldly, not turning to face him.
"Hey, don't call me a traitor now! I never worked for you. And besides, I did everything my contract mentioned. I did no more and no less than what you paid me to." Rash'aa turned back from the window, calmly. "Well, you were right about one thing, old man. You will die today, at the hands of New Heaven."
In an instant, from beneath Rash'aa's hand, a blade arose, as he slashed towards the back of the lord's neck. Blood splattered in the room. Rash'aa laughed, looking down at his abdomen, seeing the lord's sword impaled through his body, gushing out blood. "Almost, old man. Almost." He took out the sword, as the lord's hand released the sword, and his body fell lifeless on the ground.
Rash'aa turned towards the two, smiling. "We'll meet again, when the New Age comes, apprentice of the Dark Angel!"
From underneath his sleeve, Rash'aa threw two poisoned daggers at the two, which Ili deflected with ease. Before she could attack him, Rash'aa jumped out the window. As Ili tried to run after him, a burning bottle entered through the window, causing a large explosion. The explosion pushed Ili back, and as the smoke settled, Rash'aa was gone. Left behind was only a burning symbol on the wall, in the form of an unfinished circle. The fire started talking over the room, such as in the city, as smoke was rising high in the air all around the city. Screams started to be heard inside the castle, and more explosions started taking place all around the castle and the walls.
Another strong explosion hit the castle, making the tower shake, as wood started to crumble and fall from the ceiling. Ili and Zephyr ran back down the corridor, towards the ball room. The door at the end of the stairs was blocked, so without a second thought, Ili broke it with her sword.
Looking from above, the ballroom was in flames. Some people were trying to exit, but the doors were blocked.
People were dying left and right, as masked soldiers were getting inside the room through broken windows and shattered walls. The castle guards were trying to fight against the soldiers, but they were simply overwhelmed by their sheer numbers.
With dirty gray cloaks, white masks with two dark circles cut for the eyes, and black clothes padding over the cloak, the soldiers were wearing one symbol on their arms. The symbol of a cracked, burning mountain, with three spears rising from the bottom. The symbol of Æhre. The Army of Liberation.
Throughout the chaos, the soldiers were only killing the guards and lords, but weren't touching the maids nor the servants, curled onto the ground in fear.
Ili looked at the scene, frozen in place, gripping her sword. She didn't know what to do. To fight, to run, to do something, anything... Before she could find an answer to that herself, a hand pulled her running down the corridor, as a cennfhear ( an explosive bottle of fire ) hit the platform they were standing on, breaking into a sea of fire.
Zephyr pulled her to the corridor outside of the ball room, as more explosions could be heard from inside. As they kept running down the corridor, at the other end appeared some Æhre soldiers, looking around. Without thinking twice, Zephyr broke the door to a room right to them and pulled Ili inside, closing the door with caution.
Zephyr froze as he turned around and noticed where he was. At the other end of the room, Aenia, the lady of the house, was standing afraid, looking at the two. Zephyr wanted to say something, but right at that moment, the door's knob was pressed, opening the door. With no better way to hide, Zephyr pulled Ili to the other side of the opening door, trying to stay out of the sight of the people on the other side. He held his crystal dagger tightly in his hand, ready to attack anyone on the other side if they found them or tried to attack the lady. But then, a voice was heard. A soldier of Æhre walked inside in a hurry, taking off his mask. It was the same servant that brought them to the lord's room.
"My lady, come with me quick! The fire will take over the castle, it's not safe for you to stay here!"
"Nassar, what's happening?" lady Aenia asked with worry in her voice.
"The time came! The time for you to finally be free, my lady! For us all to be free! Come with me and I'll bring you to safety!"
"Nassar... Why are you doing this for me?"
"My lady... You're always been kind to us. You are not our enemy, but only another victim of the oppressors. I give you my word, my lady. I won't let any harm come to you. I swear on my life! Now, please come! We don't have much time!"
The lady nodded softly, giving him her hand. The soldier brought her outside the room. Zephyr wanted to follow him outside, but then, more voices started to be heard from outside, of other soldiers that came to the room. From the sounds of it, they had the same thoughts as Nassar, so he stood quietly inside, waiting to hear them leave.
As the soldiers left, Zephyr closed the door, turning back to Ili, as the fire was slowly engulfing the room. Without any need for words, Ili nodded her head towards Zephyr, understanding his intentions. Without a second thought, he threw the dagger at the window, shattering it. Then, taking a running start, he leaped from the window onto the walls surrounding the castle, catching himself by a stone and pulling himself up. Ili leaped right beside him.
This side of the castle was dark and empty, gazing towards the city. The castle was slowly going up in flames, smoke rising towards the sky. The city itself was no different, as the lights and screams of revolution could be heard all around.
"We'll go get Vella, then try to find a way out of this city." Ili spoke calmly, gazing over the city with a serious expression. "And try to take any innocent people out as well, if we can..."
Zephyr nodded. "Alright. Let's go."