Chapter 34: Just a girl

Lucia kept her head down as she monitored the capital city. A day had passed. There was no news from the Royal Palace. Did that mean Keitel was okay? Her search more the Sword Saint hadn't turned up any leads. She felt anxious. She was reluctant to leave the Capital while Keitel was still there. However, she had limited options. 

She knew that the Sword Saint was involved in the management of the demonic door. Going there might be her best bet. On the other hand, that's exactly where they would expect her to go. Michael and Clover would be there at least. Maybe, they knew what was going on. If so, why hadn't they come to the Capital?

Later that night, Lucia made her way to Veldeer. She snuck onto the back of the merchant's trailer. The dark and empty roads put her on high alert. They could be waiting in ambush. She leapt off the trailer once the coast was clear.  Lucia took a turn off the usual path. She would have to go the long way to avoid meeting anyone. 

She decided to stop off at a small town along the way. She hired a horse and set back on the trail. Eventually, she reached the outskirts of Fraxinus Great Wood. There was timber strewn about the forest edge in preparation for building the perimeter. A number of workers were already camped along the border. There were knights coming in and out of the forest. 

Lucia watched carefully for a while. There seemed to be some kind of argument between the workers and the knights. The source of the uproar related to a delivery of supplies. Lucia couldn't get close enough to hear anymore. 

Taking a long route around, Lucia made her way into the forest. The forest was the most immense and vast body of trees in the country. There were stories of people becoming lost and never returning. There were established routes but Lucia couldn't risk the usual paths. Her map from her first trip to the forest had been seized during her first imprisonment. 

She had only a vague idea of where Veldeer was. There was no time to waste. She decided to take a chance. She caught a squadron of knights making their way through the forest. She followed them. 

Once they were in the heart of the forest, Lucia launched a series of fireballs out in front of the knights. They immediately went toward the noise to investigate. Lucia used the commotion to swoop down towards the knights. Her plan was to snatch one of their receptacles. As Lucia approached, one of the knights noticed her presence. 

A fight ensued between Lucia and the five knights. Lucia managed to overpower the first but the other's soon pinned her down. She pushed off the ground with the force of her mana. A blast of hot energy exploded the group back. Lucia scrambled through one of the knights' possessions. He was thrown back and had subsequently passed out.

The other knights soon recovered and took aim at Lucia. Lucia deftly escaped into the foliage. They began to chase after her. She sent back a barrage of flames. 

Once Lucia had lost the knights, she began to search desperately through the receptacle she had taken. She pulled out a scroll with a map of the area. Lucia breathed out in relief. She scanned the map quickly. She knew where to go now.

The journey to Veldeer took a full day's walk.  Lucia was tired. Her muscle ached but she pushed herself on. The location had changed since Lucia last saw it. A wall had been erected around the door. There was double the patrol of guards. A camp had seen set up. Patrols were being organised from a head tent. Squadrons of knights marched to and from the camp. 

Lucia prayed to the gods: Let the Sword Saint be here. She walked out in the open towards the tent. The guard immediately surrounded her. She held up her hands. The disturbance drew a crowd. They circled her like sharks in a frenzy. The tension was icy. Lucia searched the crowd.

"Is the Sword saint here?" She called out.

A knight knocked her to the floor. Her cloak fell to the floor. Lucia fell to one knee.  Blood trickled down her face. 

"Where the hell do you think you are, girl?"Another knight sneered mockingly.

Lucia looked down at her clothes. She had fled the capital with only the clothes on her back. Her hair had grown out since her time as a knight. Lucia realised in the eyes of these men, she wasn't a knight. They didn't seem to recognise her as a princess either. Her only public appearance had been during Petals festival. The knights here had likely been working in Veldeer since it was cleared. 

Lucia recognised some of her squad from her time as a knight. They didn't seem to acknowledge her. Or if they did, they weren't going to interfere. After all, the last they had seen her, she had been hauled off as a spy. Lucia stood back up. 

"I must speak with the Sword Saint," Lucia demanded.

A heavyset knight pushed through the crowd. He loomed over Lucia with a lewd look in his eye.

"I'll help you, little lady," He sniggered. He groped Lucia's shoulder, dragging her closer. Lucia pulled back her palm. She surged the mana to her hand and released a strike on the knight. He tumbled back.

The other knights began to raise their swords. 

"What's going on here?" A voice boomed. 

The towering figure of the Sword Saint shoved through the crowd. His eyes narrowed. He bent his head.

"Your Majesty," The Sword Saint began. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

The rest of the knights trembled with guilt. They bent their heads accordingly. The Sword Saint peered down on the knight who was still bent over on the ground. His eyes filled with vexation.

"Take that snivelling fool to the holding cells," He instructed. The knights quickly dissipated taking him away.

Valentus took Lucia into the main tent. There was a table set up with a map of the surrounding woods. Valentus cleared a seat and beckoned Lucia inside.

"We weren't expecting you, your Majesty," Valentus stated cooly.

"Sword Saint..." Lucia started.

"There's no need for formalities anymore. You're a princess now. You can call me Valentus." He interjected. "You'll have to forgive our men. We've been running low on food. The tension is high."

" Master, I mean Valentus, I need your help," Lucia implored. "Have you heard what has happened in the Capital?"

"We've had no word for over a week. We were expecting supplies to arrive but they never returned. I just sent out a scout to find out. Why? What's happened?"

Lucia recounted the events of the last few days. Valentus rose to his feet in astonishment. 

"The Emperor is dead?" He exclaimed.

"It hasn't been confirmed but it seems likely." Lucia sighed. 

Valentus took a moment to absorb the words. He looked down on the map gravely.  Without warning, he slammed a fist down onto the table. It cracked in half. All the pieces fell to the floor. Valentus pulled back his fist. The vein is his forehead popped with rage.

"I can't believe this. Damn it!" He snapped. "This is no coincidence! It looks like we were cut off on purpose to prevent our interference. What is that fool thinking? He must have known we would catch on eventually!"

"I don't think he's working alone. The demon who kidnapped me is probably not the only one out there."

"There are forces here at play beyond a battle with the court. The fact a demon is involved is a bad sign." Valentus deliberated. "We'll have to call those two back here."

Lucia looked to Valentus confused.

"Michael and Clover. Friends of yours, right? They're away studying in the wizard's tower. I'm reluctant to leave the door but at least if that mage is here, it should be okay."

Lucia nodded. Valentus gave the orders for a squadron of knights to accompany him back to the capital. Since Clover had created a portal between Veldeer and the wizard's tower, it was easy to locate the pair. Valentus quickly updated Michael and Clover. Lucia remained quiet. 

The shock hit Michael like a brick. He trembled as Valentus told him DB was dead. He glanced at Lucia for confirmation. She returned his gaze with mournful resolution. Michael's eyes fell to the floor. He could barely comprehend the rest of the words being said.

When Valentus had finished speaking, the tent fell silent. 

Michael clenched his fist. It seemed like yesterday, he and DB were patrolling the Capital together. They had been together in Veldeer too. What they had learned in the wizard's tower had come in useful. The Sword Saint had approached them to help work on the door. Under the Sword Saint's training, DB had finally awakened his mana. He had been so excited...

Michael turned abruptly to Clover. 

"I'm sorry to ask this, but can you handle this alone? I want to go with the sword saint." Michael asked. His eyes were alight with intense energy.

Clover smiled. "Yes. Leave it to me."