I moved with her into an alleyway.
“No… No…”
“Are you alright?”
“I didn’t think my fathers betrayal would happen so soon…”
She looked up at me.
“I know what I’m asking, but… Rein, would you help me escape?”
I didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah.”
“Even if it puts your life at stake?”
“It’s nothing I haven’t done in the past.”
“That’s true, you’re an adventurer after all. Thank you. Thank you…”
She bowed as a figure jumped into the alleyway.
“What happened?”
It was Liz who had jumped in while Mel followed. Ayla jumped back.
“She’s also part of the party.”
“Oh. Well to summarize it… My own guards betrayed me. They are trying to kill me and put the blame on you both. I assume the demon lord made a deal with my father…”
“The demon lord?...”
Liz was silent at the mention of him.
“Yes… But they wouldn't of expected only 8 guards to be able to-”
“-I have to go.”
“Huh?”
Liz ran off while Mel just stood there.
“I still have no idea what’s going on.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“So, we have to get out of this city first, then we can make a plan from there, any ideas how?”
“Yeah. Just follow me.”
I lifted up a grate in the floor below.
“What are you-?”
“The sewers.”
“Well I guess there won’t be any guards down there…”
We both crawled down as I started jogging down one of the tunnels.
“It feels like this place would be full of monsters.”
“I already cleared this place, we should be fine.”
“You cleared out… the entire sewer system?”
“Yeah, this morning.”
“Huh…”
The smell here seemed to be better than it was, the slime might have had something to do with it. After multiple twists and turns I reached an exit. I climbed and Mel flew up while Ayla was panting behind. We climbed into an alleyway next to the same gate I came in from.
“Oh no…”
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
There were ten times the amount of guards stationed here than usual. If I counted there were more than 50.
“Appraisal!”
Mel looked on with an open mouth.
“Uh, yeah even you can’t beat that many…”
“True.”
“I’m not sure what we can do in this situation…”
I made a figure and blew into my hands, creating a green magic circle and a piercing whistling sound that could be heard from miles away.
“Uh, Rein?”
I ran towards a ladder on the wall as guards from the gate ran over.
“Start climbing.”
“UH, REIN?”
We were halfway up the ladder as the first guard started climbing beneath us. They were shouting something below us. Then as I reached the top, I grabbed Ayla and pulled her up.
“How are we going to get down from here? Mel, can you take us down?”
She looked over the edge and saw the drop.
“Haha! That's impossible.”
“Ayla, do you trust me?”
“After all I’ve seen… Yes. I do.”
I held out my hand to her, the guards almost reached the top of the ladder. She grasped it.
“What are you planning?”
Mel was the only one who didn’t see where this was going.
“AHHH!!”
She closed her eyes. I jumped with her over the edge. When she opened them, she was on the back of a certain bird, a purple honey hawk. She seemed to stare in wonder at the land as we got more and more distant from the city.
“How the hell did you do that again?”
“This is the same bird you know. I never ended our contract.”
“Huh…”
I rode off further and further from the city until it receded into the horizon. While Ayla was silently staring I grabbed an energy bun and stuffed it into my face. She finally spoke up.
“I’m so sorry you had to do this…”
“It’s fine. This was going to happen at some point anyway.”
“You’re right but… this isn’t your burden to bear.”
“Who’s is it?”
“I-…”
“I can’t sit and watch you die… I just… can’t…”
She couldn’t seem to form any words she wanted to say. I couldn’t say them. She changed topic.
“...Where are you headed?”
“Grimalde.”
“The demon capital…?”
“It always leads back here.”
“My power… How much do you know about it?”
“I know you have the power to stop the demon lord.”
“Yes… That’s also why I’m wearing these gloves. I have one of the few legendary skills, telepathy. At a touch I can read anyone’s mind and memories. That is why I am all alone, everyone is scared of me. Scared of having their deepest secrets and thoughts read…”
Mel was currently confirming this with her appraisal.
“Appraisal!”
Level 47 - Ayla: Human Female 18 years old
Titles: Princess, Human, Mage…
Skills: Legendary skill - Telepathy, High-Level Holy magic, Low-Level Spirit magic…
“Huh… if you're level 47, why do you even have guards?”
“I would rather not admit this… But I have little to no combat experience.”
“Haha, same!”
They seemed to be on the same page.
“How can you stop the demon lord by reading his memories though?”
“Well, the demon lord has another legendary skill, one that can read the future. He’s said to be unbeatable because of this. But it’s said the only way to kill someone with a legendary skill, is someone with one themselves.”
“But if he can literally read the future how can anyone stop him?”
“He may be able to read the future, but that doesn't mean he can stop it.”
Those words struck a chord with me.
“Rein, what are your plans when we get to Grimalde?”
“Drop you off somewhere safe, go convince an acquaintance, then go to the demon lord’s castle.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Sure.”
“You're not going to stop me?”
“I know you’ll try to come regardless, but first I have to meet this acquaintance alone.”
“Yes…”
“You might as well get some sleep, it’ll be morning by the time we get there.”
She lied back onto the hawk.
“I don’t know if I could even try to sleep like this.”
“It’s your choice.”
“What about you?”
“I’m used to not sleeping.”
“You can say that but I’m sure it still affects you.”
“...”
“Well, goodnight then.”
“Night.”
As she drifted off we drifted ever closer to the representation of the end, the demon lord. I was alone now with my thoughts, and with Mel…
“I used appraisal on you too… while you weren’t looking…”
“I know.”
“Rein, what is 'revival'?”
