133 Infiltration 20

A table full of plastic cups. Five people enjoying the cold refreshment. One person done with them.

"Ok, to the plan," Xavi put his tea back on the table.

"Did you really have to go and get the tea?" Lia was full of disbelief.

"It relaxes," Noel gave his two cents worth of nothing.

"Of course, we can't proceed with the plan if Lia's power isn't back, but our objective is the Ghost King- we need to purge the Ghost King's power, so he can't use them anymore. Anyone else in our way needs to be eliminated," Xavi started.

"Wait, how do we purge Min's power?" this was the first time Lia had heard of that. She thought by stopping Min, they would have to kill him.

"That's where your power comes into play, once you've awakened the true potential you can take away his power. Remember the Ghost King's power is part of the Immortal King's. The Immortal King gave birth to the Ghost King and so can also take it back."

"I see."

"But," Xavi sighed and the others shifted around, "You can also kill him. It's up to you because you'll be the one facing him. We get you to him. That's our mission, to protect you until you reach the Ghost King."

In other words, their priority was Lia. No matter what needed to be done, no matter what needed to be sacrificed, the goal was to get Lia to Min.

Even if it needed them to lay their lives down, Lia was the one who was important. Not them. Hit with this realisation, Lia suddenly didn't want to proceed. Were they really fine offering up their lives?

Lia opened her mouth but Susa wrapped her hand around Lia's and gave her a gentle smile, "Don't feel bad or anything. Didn't I say from the beginning? I'll serve you loyally as your knight. This goes for all of us and don't forget, I can see into the future, partly. Everything's going to be alright."

Yes, Susa could see into the future. And saw the future that awaited them. Far, far. Their dreams would be achieved. It was just-

"What got you worried? Susa said it, didn't she?" Noel nudged Lia in the back before slapping it and laughed.

As long as Lia succeded, nothing mattered. That was the thought that ran through all of them.

"Don't forget, I'm not going to forsake my life. So don't go and kill me off in your head," Mika's stubborn voice faded as he put the straw in his mouth and sipped on the drink.

"Ok," Lia smiled, "Then how does the plan look like?"

If Susa said it was going to be fine, then it was. She trusted them, there was no point in worrying about the future.

"We'll split up into different groups," Xavi pulled out a hand-drawn map and started to scribble.

"We're here, next to the capital the facility's here- Group A which consists some of my men will attack the facility as a decoy and this will be when we proclaim it's the hidden families doing. While probably, half of the private army will focus on the facility, the defence at the palace will be weaker. However," Xavi circled the palace and headquarters,

"They will anticipate that this is only a decoy and keep their strongest forces with the Ghost King, because once they know it's us the hidden families, they'll know our target is the Ghost King. The Ghost King will stay in the palace and be protected. That's why group B- some of Mika's men led by Mika will distract the forces from the front," Xavi pointed at the first layer of the capital.

"This whole place will become a battlefield. Lily will be responsible for escorting the civilians to safety. Mika takes the front, while Noel, Susa and I will attack from the other side. Meanwhile, you will sneak in with Nana. Nana's power will be incredibly helpful, once, inside the palace, you'll have to be on your own," Xavi wrote everyone's name on the different positions,

"Don't forget, we're the decoys and you are the main player. Once we're able to subdue the soldiers outside, we'll move to the palace to help you, but while we distract the private army, Lia lay low and only focus on sneaking in and finding the Ghost King. Don't try to help us or anything, if you see we're in danger ok?"

The plan was fairly simple. It all mostly relied on the surprise element. From then on it was having the hidden allies divert Min's and his army's attention away from the possibility of having Lia sneak up on Min.

So, they were willing to lay their identity open, turn the capital into a battlefield and sacrifice many people's life- all of it for Lia to be able to stop Min.

"I see," Lia said after a while.

All eyes were on her, "The possibility-"

"The chance of you stopping Min is almost 100%. Susa has confirmed it," everyone was so confident that Lia couldn't help but feel they were hiding something from her. Did they have an ace up their sleeves? Could it be that Noel's men might help? Did they figure out something else? Had a hidden weapon or power?

And the reason why they didn't tell Lia was because they only wanted her to focus on getting to Min? If they were sure this plan was going to work, Lia decided to trust them.

"Ok, when do we put the plan into action?"

"That's the thing," Xavi looked at Lia.

Lia sighed, "It depends on me."

"Finally realised?" Mika let out after taking a break from drinking.

"As soon as possible," Xavi continued, "You and Nana have to come back."

"There's no way around that. Ok, I'll return to the academy and tell Nana."

Also, Lia wanted to properly say goodbye to Zero. After all of this was over, hopefully, they could meet again.

Lia stood up and headed to the door.

"Wait!" Susa ran up to Lia and hugged her in a tight embrace, "Your highness, you smell great!"

"Wha-" Before Lia could push Susa away, Noel put his arms around Lia, "Lemme smell."

"What in the world?"

Noel's tight hug was suffocating her and his nose trailed her neck, "Yep, smells good."

"What's wrong with you?" embarrassed Lia looked at both of them.

Noel shrugged his shoulders and grinned, "Very good."

Lia's cheeks flushed red and it was the first time anyone saw her visibly embarrassed.

"Me too!" like a child, Xavi ran into Lia's arms and hugged her. Lily joined too.

"Seriously, what's up with you?'' Everyone turned to look at Mika. Mika blew his cheeks up and approached Lia.

"Fine," he held his arms out and awkwardly embraced Lia, "You won."

Lia was confused, "I won what?"

"My approval!"

"Is that worth anything?" Lia teased him.

"You! Whatever…" Mika also embarrassed turned around.

"I was just joking, thank you," Lia patted Mika's head before Xavi's. Surprisingly they both allowed her without much resistance. Lia laughed.

Her laugh was pleasant and light as a spring breeze, it travelled around the room before making its way to everyone's heart. Forever to be cherished and remembered.

"I'll see you soon!" Lia waved and waited for everyone to go back but she pulled Susa to her side.

"Come with me," they both headed a distance away from the house.

"Lia?" Susa was confused.

Lia took Susa's hand and brought it to the necklace, "Can you tell me anything about this? Can you see anything? Any info?"

Susa widened her eyes before nodding.

The reason why Lia wanted to know about this necklace was that there was something Xavi and Elder M hid from her. The fact that such a person who could grant any wish existed, went against any rational laws.

Even for immortals, a power that broke the universe's rules was too frightening and absurd. How could a power like this exist? Just who was this person?

"I can't really see their face but I think it's an old man," Susa said after a while.

"Anything else?" Susa shook her head, "The person won't have much time left?"

"What does that mean?"

Susa looked at Lia with a sad look to the point it seemed like she was on the verge of crying but it was just for a second.

Then Susa's gentle smile appeared and Lia thought she hallucinated the heartbreaking expression just now.

"Lia, be careful ok? Whatever the future holds, I hope you can stay how you are. Don't let anything take away your smile," Susa hugged Lia away, then pushed her forwards.

"Go now, we'll be waiting! Hurry ok?" Susa waved the confused Lia way.

Lia didn't put much thought to it. The maker of the ring was apparently an old man and he was going to die.

***

Meanwhile in the academy. Heavy steps echoed in the darkness. The pair of shoes moved forward, slowly, lazily. Then they stopped for a second. Two. Three.

They started to move again. Further and further away.

A round room appeared. In the midst, glass shards covered the ground like flowers covering dead soil. It was empty. The insides of what once the glass shards contained disappeared.

A long sigh filled the empty room then the steps disappeared. Back outside on the bright school grounds, Timo strolled at a leisure pace through the fields.

His tall figure exuding strength once again overwhelmed the students and they all turned their heads to look after him.

Until they saw him leave the academy. Behind the gate, he vanished from their sides. Timo walked to the palace, passed it and stopped in front of the headquarters.

"Commander!'' Two guards at the entrance greeted him. Timo nodded and passed them. Inside the headquarter was a large training field. Timo quickly swept his gaze over it and said.

"You two come with me."

The soldiers immediately rushed to his side. With those two, Timo headed back to the academy.

A while later, Zero dragged Nana out of the academy.

"What are you doing?" Nana tried to free herself but Zero's grip was surprisingly too strong for her.

"Come with me," apart from that Zero didn't say anything, however, they didn't make it far from the academy when Lia met them.

"Zero? Nana?" Lia was as confused as Nana about the situation. Zero didn't say anything.

"But good timing, Zero. I need to talk to her alone, can you give me some time?" Lia turned to Zero.

"I'll wait over there," Zero pointed at a bench which was pretty close to them.

Lia sighed, "Ok."

After Zero sat down, Lia quickly said, "Nana, we're leaving the academy, plans have changed. Xavi and the others have come up now with a plan, so we can't stay in the academy longer, we need to prepare."

"That's quite fast but ok," Nana nodded.

It was a shame for her to leave but if that was what everyone agreed on, she needed to take their opinions into consideration.

"You should go back first. I will talk to Zero and the academy, it might take me some while. Do you know the way back?"

"Yeah, I'm going to be fine! Come quickly!" Nana parted form Lia and headed to the outskirts.

Lia approached Zero but just when she opened her mouth, Zero interrupted, "Where did she go?"

"I sent her back for now. I wanted to talk to you-" yet again Lia didn't get the chance to say anything as Zero dragged her with her.

"Where are we going? Zero, please stop, we should talk," but Lia's words fell on deaf ears. It was weird how Zero was acting. Could it be he caught on that Lia wanted to leave and this was his strategy to stop her?

For now, Lia thought to go along with Zero's whims. This might be the last time she would ever see him.

Across the streets, Zero found his way to the palace.

"It's somewhere here," Zero mumbled and his head moved to the left and right to orientate himself.

Seeing the gradually closer sight of the palace, Lia slightly panicked and her fingers moved to her necklace.

Only after rubbing the tiny gem a few times did Lia feel at ease but she was now worried about what Zero wanted to do.

"Zero, can you explain-"

"It should be here," once again Zero cut her off, he dragged her to the right of the palace, close to the second layer where the Z family's residence used to be.

That area between the palace and the second layer was desolate and had no houses or any people. It was cut off from the rest off the capital by four high walls.

At the entrance to this area, two guards stopped Zero and Lia.

"No entry for outsiders."

"I came here on order of the commander. I've brought the person."

The two guards checked Zero and Lia.

"For what?"

"For the opening."

Seemingly having said the cue word, the guards stepped to the side and Zero entered.

Lia got gradually worried. Was Zero now acting on Timo's behalf? Why was she referred to as the person? What was the opening?

All these words begged to escape Lia's mouth but she swallowed them down, seeing Zero's small back that seemed so confident.

Inside the sealed off area, pedestrianised streets and only a large platform were present. On that large platform was a huge half-ring-like circle where the middle of it was painted by colourful static.

Lia found it oddly reminded her of something but couldn't guess what it was as now Zero ran up to the platform with her in tow.

Only when they stood in front of the huge circle did Zero turn to Lia. His face showed an expression Lia thought she had hallucinated when saw it on Susa. It was the same sad and melancholic face hinting that an inevitable fate awaited them.

"Ze-?"

"Miss Kim, is that even your name?" the sad smile Zero gave her almost broke Lia's heart. Zero's hand holding Lia's trembled and for a minute the whole world seemed quiet.

Except for them breathing at the same time, relentlessly staring at each other.

"You're not going to answer?"

"Zer-"

"Miss Kim, I know you're not the person you pretend to be but…thank you," this time Zero's smile was the angelic smile she first ever saw on him, yet this one still had a glint of sadness and longing. It was also genuine.

"Thank you for not giving up on me and staying by my side when I needed you," now tears spilt from Zero's eyes as he approached Lia and held her hand up.

"Thank you," he whispered and took the ring off her fingers. Then he pushed Lia through the circle that now shimmered in purple and green.

"Farewell, Miss Kim."