亚洲综合中美

“Keep the small talk to a minimum,” he said staring down a dark stairway, “-where’s the assailant?”

“He’s been taken to the dungeon.”

“Good,” the king motioned to enter the darkened halls – another guard interjected by stomping his foot, “-majesty,” he said with chest, “-forgive the insubordination, I have orders from the Alrosian council to let the man live until further order’s been given. The attacker is a diplomat from an Alphian province.”

“Diplomat?” he chuckled, “-the man has attempted to take the life of my prime minister, éclair. Doth thee think treason a pardonable offense?”

The guards shuddered, “-care to let me pass?” path opened, and the King’s clops echoed into the lower castle level. A jovial Yui skipped, took a glance at the guards, and smiled, “-the king’s back, yes?”

“Lady Yui,” they gasped for bodies were on high alert, “-you startled us,” they breathed a relieved sigh, “-we were asked not to harm the assailant by the council. We thought it’d be a good idea to stop the king from getting into trouble, you know...”

.....

“I understand the plight,” she answered, “-I wouldn’t be worried. Take the message to the retainers, King Igna’s returned from the jaws of death. Our immortal monarch’s here to stay and bring order to matter. For now,” she also entered the stairway, “-keep the area restricted. We’ll see what comes from the interrogation,” she giggled, “-or something along those lines,” her footsteps were creepier, witchlike, an embodiment of evil – such as the shared collective. Figures dressed in armor turned to one another, gestured by nods of the heads, and created a perimeter – a smaller figure understood his task and scurried along to the retainer’s quarters.

Down below in the labyrinth of the castle’s underground passage; Igna knowingly took turns, passed catacombs, were on a bronze plate scribbled, ‘-to those lost by the Gehntry fever of XX40,’ amber orbs lit the paths and eventually arrived an ominously broadening walkway.

“Here,” waved Yui already leaned against a wooden table, “-master, this path is much simpler,” she flicked her thumb to a larger entrance.

“Right it is,” he said, “-I preferred to take the scenic route.”

“Scenic route?” she mumbled and he passed her figure without so much batting an eye. Yui, keen on observing expressions, followed Igna’s sharp facial features passed before her, in the heterochromatic iris flakes sparked frigid bursts of purple, a disgust of life oozed. ‘-What the?’ she froze still, unable to move a muscle – two shadows loomed at his side, they seemed to turn and stare, her heart raced not before a loud crash broke the pseudo-paralysis.

Light brown hair, a lighter colored complexion, freckles upon the chin and nose – a little mustache and untamed facial hair, the short stature outline rose its head from the pitiful crouch and stared at whoever had come to the cell. Light off the airholes reflected off the ground, cobwebs and the smell of rot and bodily fluids reign, “-who’s there?” asked an audible accent from the Alphian nobility.

“The Devil,” he boomed, the man clambered to his feet and shuffled to the iron bars.

“Has the devil come to take my soul?” he leaped at the bars and shook – the dungeon thundered a cacophony of insanity and pain, “-TAKE IT I SAY!” he screamed. Igna rose his finger through the gates, lined it at the man’s forehead, and flicked, *crash,* the walls shook, he kicked the door, “-the devil’s come to take everything,” he said, laughing.

Disgruntled and on his bottom, he rose a severe look, “-do you know who I am?” Igna stopped and stared, “-no, and I don’t care who you are,” a casual gesture rose the man off the ground, mana waves flickered around the devil, “-tell me, why did you attack éclair?”

“Never,” he replied, “-I rather die than speak.”

“Right, you rather die?” he mildly closed the open palm, pressure wrapping the attack tightened, “-wha-” he pained.

“I don’t care,” *Blood-Arts: Crimson Threads,* dark rods lunged into the target’s brain, flickers of white transferred from him to Igna, by the end, the threads undid themselves and the man fell onto the hard ground, not breathing and unresponsible. Igna turned, conjured a bucket of water, and lathed a broken outline. “-Have the man taken to the hospice,” he said, passing the confused Yui, “-I’m headed to Alphia.”

Later that day, on the unconscious diplomat reaching the hospital; information arrived from the Alrosian Court, the man’s identity was the prince of Ital, the son of the Duke of Ital, an influential figure in the emperor’s personal court.

One could imagine how the hospital ground turned into a battlefield. Duke Ital, resident at the Alphian Embassy outside of Rosespire brought a group of at least fifty men. Defending was the Hidrosian leadership; namely, Yui and éclair. The duke barged into éclair’s room and shouted, “-WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!”

To which, the prime minister, circled by Raide Rosie, Bleu Aizo, and a few students from the Aizo Academy, simply said, “-whatever do you mean?”

“My son,” he shrieked, “-he’s in a coma. I heard it was the damned King’s fault!”

“Duke Ital,” returned a composed Bleu, “-we’re in a place of rest. I’d strongly advise keeping the noise to a minimum.”

“I don’t care,” he fired, “-I’m a Duke, a noble! I have power, and I’ll make certain thee understands the severity of challenging a noble of the emperor’s court.”

“Duke Ital,” said éclair scanning the well-dressed man of no hair and a strong mustache, “-your son fired at me and nearly took my life. How will the argument of I’m a duke hold in court? Must I remind we’re in Hidros’s jurisdiction? No matter one’s status or clout, the law is equal, doubly so for Hidros. You’re lucky king Igna didn’t order the death of the prince right there and then. Not rare for people to go missing in Hidros, I mean, our continent is large and some provinces are home to dangerous forests and monsters.”

“éclair, doth thee dare oppose the Alrosian Council?”

“No, I surely don’t want such an awful squabble. Listen,” he sat upright and threw his feet off the bed, “-the hospice is mostly funded by us, and we have the right to stop treatment for anyone undeem of healthcare. Argue or go check on thy son – throw another tantrum and I’ll have you and your son thrown onto the street. Care to bet how long he’ll survive in the open without attention?”

“éclair...” the eyes widened, “-how da-”

“Enough,” interjected Raide, “-Duke Ital, please move from the prime minster’s side. The prince will be in arrest at the hospice, until then, no one will be allowed to meet the traitor. Attempted murder of a state official,” police officers arrived in full as were members of a special unit who instantly pulled guns on the Duke’s armed party, “-Duke Ital, please leave the premises before we have to resort to further action. The life of a diplomat is only worth so much – and Hidros’s been the underdog for too long, don’t push thy luck else we may... you know, return to our roots, trial by combat.” Defeated, Duke Ital exited premises to be ambushed by a horde of reporters, the headline said night read, *Attempt on the Prime minister’s life,* and further elaborated in, “-attacker, Yeero Ital was spotted by many eyewitnesses as having shot the minister. A maid by the name of Doreth was shot as well, her injuries are severe. An act of high treason against the court by a member of the Alrosian United Nations – is there more to the story or was it a freak accident? One thing’s for sure, Duke Ital was flustered and angry, more details in the video below.”

Silence roamed the hallways, “-he’s gone,” said Bleu, “-we should get going, éclair.”

“Let’s prepare for war,” said Raide, “-a legal battle,” the students silently cheered, leaving Yui in the company of éclair.

“Why the sudden shut of mouth?”

“I don’t know,” she replied, “-I saw something truly disturbing today. Igna’s truly the Devil, I heard much about the stories in Marinda, I was there and I know what I heard, never saw it, but today,” she shook, “-the sheered uncaringness towards another life, man, I was scared to my bones.”

“Stories of Marinda, tell me about it.”

“Stories about Marinda,” she smiled, “-I’d love to.”

Night turned day, Igna landed in Odgawoan – the city all but thickened in size, the outer layer pushed against the forestry, expansion made the once outlying airstrip become part of the city. Sun over his head and briefcase in hand, Igna slid off the stairs and touched the hard ground, “-majesty,” called a beautiful air hostess, “-what shall we do?”

“Take a rest,” he said, “-go into the city and have some fun. We’ll be here for a few days, I think. Just be ready to fly at a moment’s notice, is that okay?”

“Thank you,” her fingers trembled after which she turned to the cockpit and relayed the news – screams of pure bliss echoed, leaving a nice feeling in Igna’s chest.

He escaped the hangar and headed inside a bigger array of buildings – passengers ran across the tile floors to the commercial area of the airport. A hard right against the flow of people led outside, clean black tarmac curved and led into the city.

“Hello mister,” waved a young driver, “-care for a drive?”

“Lead on,” he said, “-take me to Raven’s casino.”

“Raven’s casino,” he watched the reflection, “-sir, you must be rich to afford that casino.”

“Why?”

“Because only the elite frequent said place. It’s a no-go zone for people like me – instead of that casino they bought another opposite them and made it equally fun.”

Sweat gleamed as he made small talk, “-tell me,” said Igna, “-are you scared?”

“Scared?” he slammed the break at a red light, “-no, not really,” he shook, “-it’s not like I own them money or something...”

“A-ha!”

“...”

“Don’t worry,” he returned, “-drive on, my friend, there’s nothing to be worried about.”

“You don’t understand,” he added, “-the mafia’s very prominent in Odgawoan. Go against them and life here is assured to be hell...”

An electronic store caught the attention, the taxi halted and news played in one of the windows, *Raven under fire for the death of a young starlet!* the car drove and soon were on the De Costle strip.

‘There it is,’ rose the majestic building, car pulled off the main road, circled around the casino, and slowed to a stop at the entrance, “-there we are,” he said.

“Good luck covering the debt,” said Igna, passing a note to cover the fare.

“I will, thank you, sir,” nodded the youngster, engines rolled into the distant right, leaving Igna standing at the gate. He walked and looked through, “-who’s there,” shouted a guard.

“A visitor,” he replied.

“A visitor?” the armed guard rose from his cabin, “-we don’t take visitors last I heard,” he stood arms akimbo. Another voice rose from the inside, “-who’s at the gate?”

“I don’t know, sir, someone says he’s here for a visit.”

“A visit?” the distant voice approached, “-we don’t take customers at the moment, what’s the matter?”

“I don’t know, sir,” returned the guard, “-look for yourself,” the familiar voice stopped and stared through the gates, “-white hair?”

“Asmodeus, let me in,” snapped back.

“HOLY SHIT!” he jumped, “-OPEN THE GATES JONGE.”

“Sire?” returned the guard.

“Don’t ask questions, the King’s here to visit!”

“King?” the guard leaped into the cabin, flicked a switch, and parted the separation.

The Devil stared with a mundane expression, ‘-I should really inform people when I plan to visit.’

“Majesty,” the prince opened his arms, “-we were excited to hear thy triumphant return.”

Igna rose a finger, “-no,” he narrowed at the prince’s-stained trousers, “-don’t you come close to me with thy fluids. Messy hair and clothes,” he peeked to the side, were in a car held the silhouette of a lady, “-seriously?”

“What seriously?”

“Prince of Lust,” he shook his head, “-can’t blame you. Go take a damn shower, I’ll head inside.”

“Understood, Kul, Mammon and Starix should be at the office.”