Chapter 1
Raziel and Hikaru left the courtyard, returning inside the castle with Crow. Firefighters had immediately arrived to extinguish the fires caused by Fire starter. News stories of the event went viral all over the internet and T.V.
“I can’t do this, Fire starter isn’t bluffing. He WILL send out whatever he’s got and he WILL burn Vailstone to the ground. I have to tell everyone the truth.” Raziel explained.
The grand duke began marching outside to confess, but Hikaru jumped in his way to stop him. Without any effort what-so-ever Raziel accidentally knocked Hikaru to the ground.
“Oh! I’m sorry Yotameshii.” Raziel apologized reaching out to assist the ambassador up from off the ground.
“You can’t NOW! It’s much too late for that. You want us to appear as murderers and liers? We’ll either have to call out Fire man’s bluff or stop him once he attacks.” Hikaru demanded.
“I agree with Hikaru.” Crow interrupted.
The grand duke and ambassador both slowly turned their sights on the man in the black dress simultaneously.
“And you. Who in the hell ARE you?” Hikaru addressed.
“My name is Crow, I’m new around here. I’m your new mystic advisor.” he responded with cold eyes, not even looking Hikaru’s direction.
“Why in the hell do you think YOU’RE our new mystic advisor?” Yotameshii questioned with attitude.
“Um, because I know you lied to those people. I know the spell on Raziel didn’t happen and you want to give me this cushiony mystic job to keep me quiet.” Crow threatened.
“URGH!!!! You think you can blackmail ME and just get away with it?!” Hikaru warned.
“What will you do about it?” Crow tested.
“Yes, Hikaru. What are you going do?” Raziel asked as well, except his tone of question was more of a warning to Hikaru, not to lose his head. “It only seems right, we can’t lie without expecting consequences in return.”
“Alright! Fine.” Hikaru caved and adjusted his coat and tie, “So? How are you so sure we misspoke anyways?”
“Please, spare me the political phrases, will you?” Crow answered, “Anyway you spin it, a lie is a lie.”
Hikaru was even more put off by their new mystic advisor, seeing through the ambassador’s political safety words.
“So how did you know we lied?” Raziel asked bluntly despite Hikaru’s concern.
“Let’s just say, a little birdie told me.” Crow explained as a small bird, which was in the chamber room Raziel was locked in, flew to him and into the darkness of his black cape.
“Well, that explains that then doesn’t it.” Hikaru snubbed. “It looks like we’ll need to figure out a story so we’re all in sync with each other.”
“We certainly wouldn’t want to misspeak incorrectly now.” Crow poked.
“Yotameshii, sir! A message from General Grechov, he says he has obtained one of the swordsmen and is close to catching the prince as well. The prince had escaped but is nearby, most likely confused and scared by recent events.” a solider ran up informing.
“Christian.” Raziel stated under his breath with sympathy.
“Excellent, Grechov already has one of them.” the ambassador stated pleased.
“One of them? ‘The seven chosen’? What’s the point in bringing them in? So our stories line up?” Raziel inquired.
“Partly, I’m just a little worried about those swords of theirs is all.”
“Why is that?” Raziel wondered Hikaru’s meaning, “You seriously think they’ll run wild with those swords of theirs?”
“As far as I’m concerned, they’re Vailstone property. They were found during our mission and with the use of our army. Secondly, those seven swords were with that armor for a reason, I’m sure of it. If we’re not careful, those seven swords might actually be able to counter act the power of that armor of yours.” Hikaru warned, “I don’t like loose ends, that’s why Lieutenant Brookes is on her way now to bring us another of those swords.” he smiled.
“Where have you sent her?” Raziel asked.
Outside Wade’s estate two Vailstone kingdom official jeeps pulled up to the gate. Lieutenant Brookes drove one while Chase and Lee sat in the back seat.
“No, no, no. I’m saying Fire starter probably has psychic powers and THAT’S how he controlled the grand duke.” Lee explained in serious conversation with Chase.
“Yeah, well I heard that Fire starter is actually the grand duke’s REAL father and that he carried out the hot head’s orders to please his dad.” Chase informed.
“No way.”
“Yep.”
“And just where did you hear that dumb story?”
“I’ll have you know it was reported by none other than Pip Gordan himself.” Chase stated.
“Oh wow, you really think it’s true? Now that I think about it, I’ve never recalled meeting his father before.” Lee realized.
“You wanna know something weird? Me neither.” Chase replied with a straight face.
“Would you two idiots keep quiet and stay focused. Ugh.” Miranda scorned, “That doesn’t prove anything, neither of you have ever met my dad either. Doesn’t mean Fire starter is my father too.”
Chase and Lee both sat in complete shock, mouths open, and eyes widened solely focused on her as they began wondering who was truly the lieutenant’s real father!
As soon as the Vailstone vehicles parked the lieutenant and her soldiers were at the mansion’s front doors. The Smith estate butler answered the door normally, but he was certainly surprised to have guests of the royal family’s army present. Without hesitation the butler acquiesced the lieutenant’s request and lead her and the soldiers to Wade.
“Master Smith, Lieutenant Brookes of Vailstone is here to see you sir.”
Wade stood from his couch quickly, “What!? Lieutenant Brookes from the castle?! What. Why? Um, ugh, just tell her that I’m a sleep. No, that’s dumb.”
“You’re out or something.” Amanda joined in.
“Yeah, that’s better.” he exclaimed snapping his fingers, “Tell her that I’m out or something like that.”
“I probably won’t believe that one as much.” Miranda answered back stepping from behind the butler.
“Of course not.” Wade chuckled embarrassingly. He walked over to greet Miranda with her troops behind her, “A true pleasure. Not the female company I was expecting, but a true pleasure none-the-less.” Wade announced holding the lieutenant’s hand and giving it a gentle kiss.
“Wade Smith, I am here on behalf of the authority of the kingdom of Vailstone. Your presence is requested at the castle immediately.” Brookes stated.
“Hold on, by who’s authority exactly? The king and queen are dead! Who’s calling these shots now? The..the duke?” Amanda questioned without hast.
“I’m sorry, but who are you?” Miranda asked.
“Amanda Jones, and if he goes, then I’m going as well.”
“I’m sorry Mr. Smith, but your girlfriend must remain here.”
Wade and Amanda both instantly began correcting the lieutenant’s error at the same time.
“Whoa, time out there. We’re not a couple.” Wade laughed.
“Oh, you misunderstood, I’m single.”
“I’ve just known her for a long time. Since I was a kid in fact.”
“Well there is this cute guy that works behind the counter at one of Wade’s clubs, but I don’t know. I mean, I’m the manager so don’t you think that would be a little taboo?”
“She’s not like my other female friends, we’ve never even slept together.”
“Besides, Wade is a really good friend and all, but he’s too much of a lech.”
“I’d only gotten as far as touching her boob, and she got all mad at me about it. Then again she was unconscious.”
“I have standards and too much self-respect to allow myself to be with somebody like him.”
“It’s not like I killed anybody. I just like boobs.”
Everyone stood silent and lost while hearing the rambles of the two friends. Chase and Lee’s eyes slowly glanced at each other before focusing back on Wade and Amanda.
Miranda closed her eyes and shook her head as if returning back to her cognitive senses. She extended her hand outward towards him, “Mr. Smith, if you would please?”
“Right now? In front of everyone?” Wade asked.
“Uh, yes.” Miranda answered a tad confused.
“Well, okay.” Wade began walking over to Miranda.
“Wade?! Hold up, how do you know you can trust th..e.....” Amanda stopped her reservations about Wade leaving with them once she noticed Wade walk over to Miranda and squeeze on her boob.
Wade smiled happily, “Thank you, you have no idea how badly I wanted to do this.”
“What are you doing?” Brookes questioned.
“Accepting your offer. Oh, or better yet, ‘following orders’.” he winked.
“I meant for you to come with us, not touch me.” she clarified.
“Oh!” he laughed, “I thought cause I said. Cause I like boobs. I totally misread you there.” he struggled explaining while laughing with embarrassment.
“Idiot.” Amanda said to herself.
“Amanda I’ll be back, just watch over everything for me while I’m gone will ya?”
“You can’t be serious? You’re leaving with them?”
Wade leaned in Amanda’s direction, “If anything is wrong I’ll get the hell outta there. Plus, you can be more helpful to me out here than in there if anything rotton happens. Besides, I can’t put you in any more danger.”
“Because of what happened at the ‘Golden Ticket’? That was just...”
“No, I can’t” he interrupted with empathy.
Amanda paused for a moment, being surprised by the rare occasion of Wade’s conscious rearing its head.
“Um, Mr. Smith...” Miranda butted in, “..you can let go of my boob now.”
“Oh!? Are you sure?”
“I’m about to break your wrist.” she warned.
Wade quickly removed his hand, “Well thank you, I appreciate the warning lieutenant.”
“Do you also have your sword with you?”
“Yes, should I leave it?”
“No, it’s probably best to bring it with you.” she hypothesized.
Wade walked out of his mansion with the Vailstone soldiers while Amanda watched through the other side of a window. She had a negative feeling in her gut about the entire situation. Amanda was distracted for a slight moment of Pip Gordan’s voice on the television mentioning a U.F.O. sighting over the Vailstone castle just before the king was murdered. She ignored the stupidity, turned off the T.V., and watched them drive away.
Elsewhere, deep inside the woods bordering the kingdom, Fire starter stood with Grunt beside him. The entire surrounding area was scorched, even the soil on which they stood was burned to ash cinders. Large flaming footsteps lead one direction, heavy indentations in the ruined ground pointed off a separate direction, leaving the fire wielding instigator in the center of many tracks. The fire elemental was determined to force the truth from Raziel and make good on his threat.
“The’ya, wanna announce ta tha world where I’m at? Then we gotta make an example of’em Grunt!” the elemental angrily stated.
“.............................,...........!” Grunt added.
“Pur’cisely.”
