CHAPTER 24: Beneath the Falling Blades - Part 2

  A long scream turned everyone's head around, friend and foe alike. An archer fell, rolling down the roof. His blood streaked a red line on the roof tiles, his neck gaping, fingers curled as if still pulling the bowstring.

  A figure cloaked in flames leaped from one roof to another, leaving blazing trails, eliminating archers and even two Mana Decimae with an iron staff. The enemy Prana Decimae climbed the roofs, chasing the figure.

  “Break through them!” Sherry preempted her own command by running towards the southern road. She jumped into the midst of the enemies, her fist dented an iron helmet.

  Close combat soon turned into a melee. Sherry faced four regulars at once, while Ryse and the others fought enemies from behind.

  Ryse took down two regulars, but his next opponent was a Decima. He could only defend, and not for long as he was driven back. The enemy Decima swung his iron baton with a force that could send his brain across the street.

  The swing was halted in mid-air. A rotating ring of fire penetrated his chest from behind, and he fell sideways like a chopped tree. Behind him stood a woman in blazing Prana Armor.

  “Sis!”

  “Ryse, come–”

  “THIS WAY!” Sherry's shout echoed from the end of the street.

  He glanced at Sherry. When he turned back, Elsja was gone, having to face a pair of Prana Decimae. She took a glimpse at him. Go.

  Without Prana, he would only a burden. He ran towards Sherry, and together they headed for the Thief Guild entrance.

  She opened the house door without knocking. Behind it, they found the grandmother with sharp eyes that belied her appearance.

  “If you're going to be this messy, you'll have to pay for the cleanup!”

  Without arguing, she paid a small bag of coins and entered the warehouse. From there, they navigated the corridor to the Thief Guild.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “Wait.” One of the Wingards grabbed Ryse's shoulder inside the corridor. “Did Isfan tell you to frame our Princess?”

  “I was set up myself. Now's not the time to talk.”

  “Are you diverting the conversation?” the second Wingard said.

  “Guys!” Sherry called from the end of the line. “Can't you gallant men I just saved put off your virile squabbles? And, yeah, thanks again for saving you.”

  “You're right. Sorry,” Ryse said. “And thank you.”

  “Humph, we're even,” Sherry replied.

  “Thank you for your help, Miss. We apologize for our inappropriate actions,” said one of the Wingards, cupping his hands to his chest.

  “That's better. Now follow me and be quiet.”

  After arriving at the Thief Guild, they proceeded to a building with four iron doors. The bespectacled woman rose from her seat to greet Ryse. The keys at her waist jingled.

  “Master Phantom, glad to see you! The last news I heard did not place you in a favorable position.”

  Sherry stood between him and the bespectacled woman. “Door number one. Now.” She pushed a bag of coins into the woman's ample chest.

  The first corridor led them out on the eastern side of Renfru. The sun hung low in the western sky as they emerged. From there, they followed Sherry through trails that often broke off before reconnecting, cutting through swamps and caves, until finally reaching a village in the midst of a forest. The location of the village was only an hour's walk from where they had once dueled.

  Her base was more aptly described as a small village. Or, upon further consideration, this small village was Sherry's base. The arrangement of trees kept the entire village dim all day and invisible from the air or ground unless one knew of it beforehand.

  The villagers greeted her with smiles. However, she could also make them follow orders without question. She had earned both their respect and trust.

  “We're safe here. Rest. I'll tell the blacksmith to remove your restraining bracelets,” Sherry said.

  Ryse and the Wingard brothers shared the same pavilion, though in different rooms. As he was about to lie down on the bed, there was a knock on his door.

  “Know that this didn't come cheap,” Sherry said as he opened the door. She stepped aside so Ryse could see more clearly. He was astounded. Three village women brought all his clothes, including Tempest and Artenox.

  “How did you get all this? I thought they were gone forever!”

  “The executioner auctioned your clothes at the Thief Guild. Sold for a high price as the set of the King's killer. I got a discount for buying the set, but it still wasn't cheap.”

  “Thank you, Miss Sherry.”

  “Just Sherry.”

  “Thank you for everything. And thank you again for saving me.”

  “To be honest, if the guard had been too tight, I would have given up on saving you. I have this village to protect,” Sherry brushed her hair.

  He had suspected since they first met that the bandits were just ordinary villagers forced into robbery due to poverty, and Sherry, who was the real one, helped them. Such stories were common even in time of peace.

  “But it wasn't as tight as I expected.”

  “Isfan. I think it's him. He loosened the guard, wanting me to escape but couldn't step in himself. Didn't we see how his own troops didn't bother chasing us?”

  “Maybe,” Sherry said. “What matters is we're safe.”