Chapter 5: Negotiation III

I felt my shoulders trembling, as I opened my eyes to see Dean shaking me.

"We are here," Dean spoke and pointed out the open door. We were stopped a short distance away from a crowd, where I could see the city gates in the distance filled with people slowly exiting.

Just then, a commotion sprang out near the gates, as the crowd was seen rushing out screaming and spreading in all directions.

Two columns of troops in silver armor marched out of the gates numbering about fifty in total. Commoners were being kicked and beaten out of the way, when we saw two white horses pulling a grand gold carriage out of the gates, flying the flags we saw earlier with a golden lion and bright orange sun in the background.

"I knew it," my thoughts slipped out under my breath.

Behind the carriage, another set of troops marching came through. Seeing their weapons drawn, the soldiers seemed to be blocking the commoners from following, as the gate started closing. Two soldiers, one holding a torch and another holding a barrel, were tossing and spreading a black liquid just inside the gate. The man with the torch moved his face into the gate and was saying something, before stepping back and throwing the torch. A bright fire illuminated the surrounding walls and reflected off the armor of the soldiers.

"That is the King's carriage," I confidently pointed, as I looked Dean in the eyes.

"Harry!" I called out, figuring he was outside with the commoner.

As Harry poked his head inside, I shared my thoughts while grinning, "That King just tried to kill us and is fleeing his city, we haven't finished our negotiations."

"Oh, you want to do something diabolical don't you," Harry laughed.

"Eye for an eye," Dean stated, as Harry and I jerked our heads to look at him, while raising our eyebrows.

"We need a distraction, but there are too many armored soldiers," I said unsure how we would proceed.

Hearing the crowd booing their King in the distance, as the soldiers continued shoving and kicking the people out of the way. A mother trying to move out of the way was hit in the head, falling to the ground with her child in her arms. The child screamed as the mother lay unconscious, bleeding on the ground. My blood boiled. To think I had respected this man for the love of his people. I stepped outside without realizing, focusing on the King hiding behind his carriage. Moving forward, I slowly approached the fleeing golden cab.

My muscles were tense, my vision was seething with red. A hooded man standing next to the carriage holding an artifact, turned in my direction and his eyes went wide.

"The Soul Eater is here!" He alerted the soldiers. Chaos from the crowd erupted as people ran in all directions screaming. Some of the soldiers pivoted to face me, staring in shock, while some joined those fleeing away.

Harry, not missing the opportunity, shot out a massive fireball towards the middle of the troops in the front columns, as it illuminated the ground, zipping past me with a ferocious roar reaching its destination in but a moment.

The world grew silent as the radiant flash of light appeared in a grand spectacle, and quickly shrank to its focal point. Soldiers were attempting to run, but it was too late.

The shockwave was birthed, disintegrating everything in its path, swallowing the soldiers with a thundering roar echoing against the city walls. The road had been engulfed in flames, the horses pulling the golden carriage collapsed from the sudden change in air pressure, exploding their internal organs, their flesh on fire burning and spreading flames across the grass.

The man holding the artifact was running in circles engulfed in fire, as he collapsed on the ground and the artifact went rolling down the side of the road. My legs continued marching forward without stopping, stuck in thought how this King was acting as a friend, only to backstab us in the end. I saw the carriage unaffected by the explosion, as if protected by some unknown force. The rear columns of soldiers didn't even bother fighting as they all ran for their lives. It seems their devotion to their King was hanging on by a thread, or perhaps the devastation they just witnessed caused them to break for self preservation.

The carriage door flung open and another hooded individual appeared holding a familiar red stone. In an instant, his head was pierced with an arrow flinging his head backwards, but before his body could fall, someone kicked the dead man out of the carriage. That was when I glimpsed the face of a wide eyed man, mouth hanging open, wearing a shiny gold outfit shaking to reach and close the door.

My movement was forced to pause, as a towering rage of fire exploded from the fallen man illuminating the night as if it was the middle of the day. The carriage engulfed in fire seemed to be unaffected as the flames surrounding it quickly withered away.

With heart beating heavy, and blood filling my face, I spoke with a booming echo, seemingly amplified, "People of Sarconia, your King has left you to die. He pretended to be honorable, but we have both fallen victim to his deceit."

Taking a deep breath, I continued, "Feel free to tell him how you feel!"

It must have given courage to the cowering crowd as they reappeared from the shadows, then someone yelled, "Down with the King!"

I searched in the direction of the voice, only to see Harry chanting in the midst of the forming crowd.

As the flames subsided from the earlier explosions, the crowd started banging on the golden carriage. A man attempted to open the door, but it was locked tight. The crowd grew larger surrounding the carriage, pushing and knocking on the walls, as it started rocking back and forward. Slowly tipping to one side, as it passed the point of no return and slammed into the ground, forcing the crowd to expand and flee out of the way.

To the side, there were two soldiers knocked to their backs, swarmed by the people kicking and stomping their faces, as the soldiers tried their best to shield themselves.

I continued onwards to the flipped carriage.

The people stood shocked with eyes wide, as I walked between them, one gasping, "Soul Eater!", before his head faced down, averting my eyes.

I raised my arms to calm them, and gazed towards the carriage lying on its side.

I took a deep breath, and raised my voice to its limit, "People of Sarconia, we are the lost ancients returning in good faith. We wish only to survive in peace and in harmony with the people. Your King attacked us, and this is his retribution!"

Glancing around at the scared faces who grew quiet, and hearing my voice echo against the city walls, I continued, "You decide if he lives or dies!"

"Off with his head!" I heard the distinct voice of Harry once again. The crowd easily swayed in the heat of the moment, repeating his chant, "Off with his head!" "Off with his head!"

Seething for vengeance, I aimed my rage at the king's carriage. I raised my right hand into the air, spreading my fingers out and slowly closing into a tight fist.

The carriage groaned and twisted, growing louder as the crowd backed away in unison. The carriage walls were slowly giving way, crackling and resisting, until a snap of a corner gave way and the rest of the carriage imploded inward in an instant.

All eyes were fixated on the crumpled golden carriage that was now shrunken to the size of a man, as blood squirted and oozed out of the cracks.

I snapped back to reality, realizing what I had done. Looking around at the crowd now staring at me, I took a few steps backwards and scanned the area for Dean. Finding him by the city wall, he was already attempting to open the city gate with others joining in.

I faced the crowd still staring at me with frightened faces. My head went blank, what have I done?

Seeing fear on their faces with their legs shaking uncontrollably, I shook my head and took a deep breath.

"People of Sarconia!" I forced out my voice and raised my hands into the air.

The world around me faded into darkness.

Ding!

—

[Survival Rank has leveled up]

Survival Rank: 3

Conversion Points: 72

Would you like to receive your reward?

(Yes) (No)

—

"Motherfucker!" I cried out, as my shoulders slumped and I blew out the air prepared in my lungs.