40 He's Out There, Fighting

"Follow me to the central keep. Keep your screams to yourselves and use that energy to run and help your friends run with you. We don't lack contingencies. Let's go!" Kanaru flew off, and the people chased him. Even the servants couldn't find the will to disobey and loiter.

"Wow! That's amazing!" Eann gasped, but he joined the others in running instead of hoping to fight. Soon enough, the whole tide of outer court members followed Kanaru to the central keep. Natucha wondered how Kanaru knew about the path, but she only needed to ask him. He would tell her about the map Melaka had given.

"Wait! Stop! What are you doing?" Everyone at the back of the crowd heard Kanaru scream. It was then followed by a loud clang of heavy metal. It was Natucha's first instinct to swim through the crowd and get to where Kanaru was.

Kanaru banged at the thick grill of the metal crisscross wall in front of him. On the other side was Ushka, who only huffed and ran down the stairs leading to the safer areas of the central keep. When Natucha arrived, she grabbed at two and figured it was too sturdy for them to break. They looked at each other, Natucha frowning at the prince.

A deep sigh sharply came out from Kanaru. "…she saw how the outer court was coming, so she closed the gates. I think only the inner court managed to escape inside. I don't know if they will even open it for us if I manage to call Melaka or Rosamund to help."

"Are they for real? What are we, feeds to the monsters?" One princess banged at the gate and then screamed on the top of her lungs, "Cowards! I hope you starve to death down there!"

"They didn't really care about the outer court," Natucha whispered as she looked at the terrified faces of the outer court members. "Uhm… look, we're still safe inside the palace. We are even in the central section. We can still hope that those monsters won't get to us. I'm pretty sure His Majesty is going to find a way to make sure everyone is safe!"

One male concubine growled. "Is she for real? Why would the king not be inside that central keep? He's the most important person, and I'm sure the inner court took no chances because he's inside."

At this, Natucha could only leave her mouth open. After all, if this was a normal palace, the reigning monarchs were indeed the first ones to be evacuated. She then gazed at the people waiting for her command. "I… We can't…"

Henrik glanced at the other men and cut in before Natucha would faint. "Everyone, we're already stuck here without help. If you want to live, stay closer to the gates. Those who can fight, we have to make sure nothing goes through us. After all, the resources will stop flowing when we die."

"Find a way to get through the metal grates and open the gate from inside." Joca nodded at one of her friends and walked to the back of the crowd, along with some males. "We will try to hold off anything that comes near. Hopefully, nothing will."

"Eann, stay here with Natucha. Keep her awake." Kanaru had long turned off his glow, so the people didn't follow him anymore. It was just that he felt how something grabbed the back of his collar. He was even pulled back as if that person yanked him against the metal gates.

Those who saw him fall back gasped and hoped to help him, but Kanaru raised a hand as if asking them not to pull on him anymore. After all, he could see someone grabbing him from inside the gate. It even looked like this unicorn was cloaking himself with invisibility, so no one else saw him.

Kanaru's gaze stared straight into Fenris's eyes, but the person he saw didn't seem to be the same one who refused to punish him in court. It was the man he punched. The person holding him against the gate was Rodnir, not Fenris. There was even a telepathic message sent to him.

["Listen, the inner court will not open this gate, and it's activated only by a charm owned by those girls. Forget about coming inside. Also…"] Rodnir glanced to the side as if hesitant, but he still gritted his teeth.[ "He's out there right now, fighting. My body couldn't handle a fraction of his power, so he won't be doing miracles. Find the royal adviser and let him know."]

"If something happens to anyone in this room, I will hold Ushka responsible," Kanaru whispered, but only those who had enhanced hearing reacted to his strange words. Even to the fact that Kanaru was talking to someone.

Rodnir rolled his eyes and released Kanaru. ["Then, hurry. If Fenris gets into more trouble than necessary, I will hold you responsible."]

At the mention of the king's name, Kanaru stared at Rodnir through Fenris's eyes. Without another word, Kanaru ran off to look for the royal adviser. Then, he would run to where Fenris was. If the king chose to fight, then something colossal must be out there. Just like that day in Burdett, Fenris would have to destroy it before it could destroy the country he wanted to protect.

Just like what the ministers feared, one spell too powerful might cause Fenris to lose his life.

…

The Black Smoke Corps could decimate the jellyfishes that attacked them. However, someone had to deal with that leviathan banging against the walls that held the country. Sir Heinz, in his giant bat form, oversaw the battle and ordered the knights through a subvocal frequency he could produce. It was just that he saw how Rodnir jumped around and shot laser beams into the water.

"His Grace! What are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be—?" Sir Heinz would scold the other, but Rodnir grabbed the other's mouth. Rodnir then used his other hand to shoot another laser beam. The banging soon stopped.

"Sir Heinz, order the Black Smoke Corps to clear a hundred meters from the eastern walls. The light curtains summoned another leviathan into our waters. If it finds a weakness, the walls will break again." Rodnir released the captain's face. "Lecture me later. Save the lives of your men first. If I had to pick them up one by one, I wouldn't have time to kill it."

Setting aside the disrespect, Sir Heinz growled. "You can't kill something like that. Only His Majesty could, but… the last time he had to use so much magic…"

Rodnir only laughed, remembering how things went down two years ago instead. "Right, we only fended it off the last time. Now that it has returned, I must put an end to it. Don't worry too much. I can handle this. Just move your knights and soldiers, captain.

"I'm revived through his power. Don't underestimate what my body can do."