Ch - 9 I fight for truth, justice and an actually decent storyline.
Sam observed the wagon as it passed through the gates of Springchill from a small window. His mind was still consumed by the old man's words. The Phoenix referred to a ship, and it was expected to dock on the shores soon. This ship belonged to Samuel, one of the infamous seven pirate kings. It carried an item of great significance for their group.
The wagon came to a halt, and the rear door swung open, revealing the entrance of a man. After his arrival, the wagon resumed its journey. Hadrian was now clad in a silver armor adorned with the visage of a deer.
Hadrian wielded a massive greatsword, approximately six feet in length, which he leaned against the storage area for weapons. His appearance seemed more seasoned and weathered in the armor, a stark contrast to what Sam was accustomed to seeing.
"Hey, how are you holding up? I honestly didn't expect you to join us, especially after I advised you to stay away from the academy today," Hadrian remarked.
"Doing okay," Sam replied, taking his time to respond.
Hadrian turned his attention to Elyndor and Ren, inquiring, "And how's life treating you in the capital? Anything noteworthy?"
"I'm considering I should have asked to leave with you. Since you lot left, our workload has increased by hundreds of times," Elyndor complained. "But I never thought you would work for Nikola. I thought you hated each other."
Ren, on the other hand, remained mostly silent, grunting and showing little interest in the conversation.
"Time has its way of changing everyone, El, everyone," Hadrian remarked, a smile playing on his face.
"It certainly never changes those with more power," Mr. Kinoya retorted with an angry tone. "Nor will it ever change that king's bastard."
As Mr. Kinoya spoke, a sudden tension gripped the air. Out of nowhere, a sword and a dagger appeared, positioned threateningly under Mr. Kinoya's chin. The situation turned quite intimidating as Elyndor and Ren brandished their weapons, showing their readiness. Simultaneously, Hadrian, holding his enormous greatsword, lightly touched the edge of Ren's neck, creating a standoff filled with intense silence. The atmosphere in the wagon changed, charged with an unspoken threat, as each person held their ground, prepared for any unexpected move.
Sam was terrified as the friendly atmosphere from moments ago turned into a tense confrontation. He retreated to a corner, anxiously watching each person and fearing the consequences if a fight broke out. "Put your weapons down," Hadrian commanded in a loud voice.
"He may be a tyrant, but he's still our king, Hadrian. And you're aware of the new laws; it's the reason you all left. We'll drop our weapons if he retracts his words," Ren spoke with a measured tone, while Mr. Kinoya snorted in response.
"Kinoya, take your words back," Hadrian demanded while keeping a watchful eye on Ren's movements.
"His law also states that this town is lawless, which is why we were sent here, to rot in lawlessness while you prosper with those of your law," Mr. Kinoya spoke proudly, meeting the gaze of everyone present, including Sam. "Which means I can say all I want without any consequence; your law doesn't apply to me."
As if a switch was turned off, everybody returned to their respective places, their weapons disappearing as suddenly as they had appeared. "He is right. I am sorry," Elyndor said. Ren followed her with his apology, and soon, Hadrian offered his as well.
And then everything continued as if they had never attempted to take each other's lives. Ser Hadrian and Elyndor engaged in conversation about their current lives, making occasional attempts to include Sam. Meanwhile, Mr. Kinoya sat in silence, keeping both his eyes and mouth closed. Ren, on the other hand, attempted to mimic Mr. Kinoya's stoic demeanor but couldn't resist taking occasional jabs at Ser Hadrian.
Soon, when two hours had passed since the start of the journey, the wagons came to a halt. The expressions on everyone's faces became serious, and Mr. Kinoya took the lead with his spear as he exited the wagon, followed by the rest. Before Sam could step out, Ser Hadrian placed a firm grip on his shoulder and whispered, "No matter what happens, stay out of the fight. You're here because he chose you for your potential in the future, not because you're strong right now."
Sam nodded, fully aware of his limitations. Both of them exited the wagon, and Sam noticed that the three mercenary groups were assembled in the open space, each eyeing the others warily. From what he knew, they were never informed about their target, or else they wouldn't be risking their lives like they were at that moment. They had halted a few miles away from the shore, just behind the last line of the forest.
Mr. Kinoya took the center stage, overseeing the group. "Your job is simple: attack the ship from three directions and keep the crew busy while we take down their officers. The ship will pass by here in an hour. Get ready."
As Mr. Kinoya approached his comrades, a young man, about four or five years older than Sam, decided to speak his mind, "Now, we are so fallen that we have to take orders from some old man. I co—" Before he could finish his sentence, a spear swiftly impaled him in his throat. It was Mr. Kinoya who had thrown the spear. The event unfolded so rapidly that Sam could only register it after the spear had already found its mark.
"This old man was once known as 'The Alchemist.' Think before you speak next time, or it won't be good." Nobody said anything; most were just as baffled as Sam was, while a few of them kneeled, saying, "We are sorry, Lord. Please don't let his stupidity jeopardize the mission." The old man snorted before rejoining his friends.
"All of you know what to do, right?" the old man inquired of the group.
"Yes," each of them replied at their own pace.
"Good. Boy, when the time comes, you'll enter through deck of the ship and find me the box," said the old man.
"What box?" Sam asked, fearing he might bring the wrong box and face a fate similar to the young mercenary, impaled by Mr. Kinoya.
"You'll figure out which box to take once you're on the ship and which ones to avoid," he replied while sitting against a rock.
The next hour passed quickly. The mercenaries were getting to know each other, possibly to coordinate better during the mission. Ser Hadrian and his friend Elyndor were engrossed in conversation once again. Sam spent his time attempting to meditate, practicing switching between his eyes. However, he didn't find much success. He could switch for a few seconds, but then his head would throb with pain.