pit-pat pit-pat

  "Faster sire. We must inform the king before this gets any more out of hand."

  "I'm- huff I'm right behind you." royals shouldn't have to run around their own castle.

  ----------------

  After a few more minutes of running.

  Who decided to make this place so big!?

  Finally, the throne room was in sight. Grandpa loved sitting around in there, doing whatever it was that he does all by himself in a giant room with only a throne to keep him company.

  "Alright, wait!" Jennifer was about to open the doors, but I thankfully stopped her.

  "I thought this was urgent sire. Why not meet the king right now?"

  "No, huff we cannot possibly go in there all exhausted. It wouldn't huff look good for us."

  "But shouldn't we inform his highness of the traitors before they have time to find us?"

  "I wouldn't expect you to understand huff. But know that a man of high-blood cannot be seen struggling for breath."

  The maid then gave me a conflicted look, like she was deciding whether to listen to me or not. Thankfully she waited for me to regain my energy. Grandpa would've definitely been scolding me if I hadn't.

  "Alright, let's go."

  And so we pushed open the doors, though I usually have the guards do it for me. So (embarrassingly), it was neither the smoothest nor fastest opening of the royal chamber's doors. I would've been ashamed of my actions, if what I saw inside the room didn't already fill me with dread.

  "Ah, young Jahn, fancy seeing you here." said Khallar from upon the royal throne.

  And at his feet, kneeling in submission, was grandpa. The King of all six districts, ruler of mankind, showing submission and deference to a commoner.

  "Grandpa! What are you doing!?" I couldn't contain my shock.

  "He's doing what all of you filthy flesh bags should be doing."

  "No! Grandpa, you gotta kill that traitor. Get up and fight!" I screamed, like I've never screamed before. This was wrong on so many levels. This couldn't be happening, no, this couldn't.

  A soft yet sturdy hand grabbed me. I looked over my shoulder to see Jennifer, who seemed to be even more terrified than me somehow.

  "We must run sire. We must."

  "Run? What, no.. no I couldn't. I can't-"

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  "He's a Sun mage Jahn."

  "A sun mage? But he's just a commoner. In fact, how would you even know his rank?"

  Khallar got off the majestic throne that he no had no right to even touch . "Alright kids. You tell me what you did with Dorn, and I'll consider not ripping your flesh out."

  "Sire, you must come." Jennifer kept insisting. I thought it all to be pointless, but as Khallar made his way towards me, my feet started moving on their own.

  Slowly at first, then faster and faster, I bolted out of there. I wasn't sure where I was running towards, my thoughts too consumed with the prospect of getting away from what I've witnessed.

  Eventually I made it outside the castle, and into the royal capital. I was alone in the dim moonlight. Jennifer must've stayed behind to do something, if I remembered correctly.

  drip drop

  I was lacrimating. What a devastating world I found myself in, where the common man had the power to do such things. Where my grandpa kneeled in front of him, no doubt due to the magical powers that made me do the same earlier today.

  Now I was all alone. On some dark alleyway, between two rundown hovels.

  And look at that, a mysterious shadow-silhouette is now looming over me. Ah, what a day this has been.

  "Heyyyy... hellooooo. You deaf or something?"

  "Leave." I huffed quietly between my saliva glued lips.

  "Kid, get out of the way. And go home while you still can."

  This time I said nothing.

  "Alright tough guy, who got you to block my fucking path? Was it Beaurg? Was it!?"

  I decided to turn around, though I'm not sure why. This guy standing in front of me, well he doesn't sound very happy. Though I couldn't make much else out due to his get up.

  "Damn sonny, you look like a pile of shit smeared in neck sweat."

  "That's a very specific description, Mystery Man."

  "I ain't no Mystery around these parts no more. So move your smelly ass out of my way."

  "Huh, and why should I make way for you?" I felt my energy coming back to me, though ever so slightly.

  "Alright kid, you making me waste my time here. This is either some genius level trap, or you don't know shit about squat."

  "I don't think you know who you're talking to, peasant."

  "Oh, realllllly? Do enlighten this old man on why a brat like you is so daring this late in the hour, in this dark alleyway, with the guts to block my path."

  "I am Jahn III, your prince and soon-to-be ruler of all the Districts. And I-"

  "Yeah yeah, I don't give a fuck. If you were the prince, you would be educated enough to know that nobody will find your corpse if I decided it to be so."

  pit-pat pit-pat

  "Goddess be damned, grab the box."

  "Box? What are you-" before I could finish my sentence, a small wooden crate was thrown onto my hands.

  "Leg it kid!"

  I turned around and started running. Not because I was scared of the man or anything. But because I knew that sound very well; it was the distinctive sound of guards running. And I would not be letting them grab me, not after how they treated me in the palace.

  They will surely hand me over to that stinky Khallar. I won't be caught so easily, not after Jenni-

  "LEFT! Take a LEFT!" shouted the man from behind, following behind me through some very narrow alleyways.