One day after Sora returned to the academy, he hid Verus, cloaked up, and slipped out at dawn. His departing back was watched by Musketeers deputy captain Michelle.
Michelle recalled Aniyas's recent reveal.
"Leaving soon—musketeer training's yours."
Queen-only made Aniyas leave.
High Court President suspects Albion Prince Verus queen-hidden.
Queen private-Verus meets. Tolistine-Kelmania alliance shakes, Tolistine-Albion war sparks. War? Father-betrayer country finishes.
Michelle roomed, pigeons loosed. High Court President messaged.
Unseen: Aniyas corner-watched all.
Kingdom capital, High Court President residence.
President butler-letterbox took, opened uncertain-faced.
"Anrietta palace now?" President asked.
Butler checked-returned: "Queen dawn quiet-left; our eyeliner trails."
President cardinals-shared first-thought, hesitated.
Anrietta Verus-hides—catch? Threat power-grab Tolistine. Huge gains impulsive High Court President Richmond.
"Subordinates—follow." Richmond chief-robe donned, wand-grabbed.
~100 sword-soldiers mansion-massed.
Richmond privates-led Anrietta-pursued.
Magic Academy half-day out: nameless woods.
Cloak-shadowed Sora woods-slow neared.
Purple private-clad Anrietta tree-dazed waited, pitiful-melancholy looked.
Sora branch-cracked sound-made; Anrietta surprised-heard looked.
Sora quick-stepped.
Anrietta neared hug-ward. One-person gap: Anrietta hand-halted Sora, right-middle [Water Gem] raised blue-shone.
Sora stopped, right-middle [Wind Gem] raised bright-glowed.
Anrietta hand-outstretched; Sora right-greeted.
Hands clasped: [Water Gem] [Wind Gem] neared, beams air-shot merged. Wind-watered, mini-rainbow sky-bloomed.
Anrietta Sora hugged surprised-faced.
Sora Anrietta embraced, head-shoulder gentle-nested.
Quiet short-lived.
"Anrietta—Verus cheat, country-betrayed. Goods caught—surrender." Richmond loud-emerged, woods-crowd followed.
Anrietta surprised: "You—Richmond High Court President."
Richmond sinister-smiled: "Knew Verus unhidable—meet inevitable. Handle nabbed."
Anrietta Richmond-rear soldiers eyed: "Tolistine troops—dare me?"
Richmond soldiers stone-faced.
Richmond grinned: "Mine loyal—queen no sway. Seize adulterers dog-male-female!" Dozen-plus Sora-Anrietta ringed.
Woods-outer clamor: thirty horseback Musketeers neared. Lead Aniyas sword-gripped yelled: "Richmond queen-besieges—treason unpardonable. Rest—weapons drop, slate wiped. Kill!!!"
"Kill!!" "Kill!!" Musketeers unison thundered Richmond privates over.
Richmond Anrietta fury-eyed: "Your trap?"
"Richmond—power abused, country betrayed, loyal harmed. Judgment today," Anrietta stern.
"Hmph—yellow-haired chit. Trap yes—but queen first-snared, Musketeers mine? 10,000 gold Anrietta-catcher!" Richmond bellowed.
Privates morale-surged, swords-drawn Anrietta-charged.
"Ignoring me?" Sora sneered, cloak-flung, waist-Delphlink drew four wind blades front privates felled, wounds blood-sprayed.
"Ah—Griffin captain!" "All together—no fear!"
Richmond soldiers flinched forward-froze.
"You!?" Richmond full-grasped. No Verus—queen him-trapped.
"Yes—me." Sora sword-hoisted, tip crimson fireball air-burst.
"Striking where?" "On—one man. 50 queen-grab, 50 rear Musketeers hold." Richmond loud even-toned.
Soldiers split front-rear surged.
Sora Richmond mocking-smiled: "Solo? Meet mine. Griffin team—where?"
Sky: eagle-screeches near-far swelled.
"Griffin William reporting." "Griffin Grey." "Griffin Imoen." ...
Woods-long ambushed Griffin team Sora-signal-sighted, seven griffin-mounted top-down circled Richmond crew.
"Griffins arrived—catch?" Sora Richmond taunt-smiled.
"Damn brat—slay!" Richmond roared.
Private swords Sora-assailed.
Sora sword-parried, Anrietta circled guarded.
William-led Griffins air-dominant [Fireball] [Wind Blade] magics mass-slayed. Top-down dives sword-culled. Two sweeps 50 privates downed; dozen remnants weapon-clutched advance-shunned, Griffins terror-gazed.
Sora eight-assailants dispatched, Richmond ice-eyed.
"Damn brat." Richmond wand-raised, chant-magic swelled.
"Yah Faile Faile Albrook." [Big Fireball]
Man-sized crimson fireball Sora-straight rocketed.
Sora Delphlink swung cleaved: Delphlink maxed, sword-grazed flames sucked hilt-swallowed. Red-flashed, fireball air-vanished.
"Weak—not topped off," Delphlink.
Richmond wand dirt-dropped, ashen: "Magic—futile?"
Musketeers drilled-equipped, 50-line quick-breached. Aniyas horse-leapt, Richmond-sword-drawn strode.
"Richmond!" Aniyas barked.
Richmond head-jerked up.
"Recall 20-year [Deanlet Massacre]?!"
Richmond eyes-flicked: "Oh—those Protestants."
After the outburst, Aniyas blushed calm-returned, Sora shoved.
"Captain Sora—move."
"Enough? Chest more-borrow."
"No jest." Aniyas rose, sword-sheathed, armor-cloak squared—stern-heroic reformed.
Sora grinned, Aniyas woods-quit, Anrietta capital-bound.