The midday sun blazed over the rooftops of Bordeaux.
Rick and Knight stood in a side alley, cloaked under their traveling cloaks.
Rick lifted his cloak slightly to ease the heat of the street, while Knight clutched the edge of his cloak, careful not to draw attention.
Knight whispered,
"It took us ten months… word of our approach must have reached Rajwak by now."
Rick looked up.
"We'll rest briefly. Send the spies and check the gates before evening."
Rick slipped into an abandoned district, rented a nameless inn, and slammed the door shut.
He sat in the middle of the room and pressed a hidden button inside his cloak.
A faint signal blinked…
"What's the update?"
Rick replied,
"I sent two spies to Rajwak. They'll be back before evening."
A brief silence followed.
"They won't get in."
"What do you mean?"
"Someone bought as a slave long ago, now he's the king's advisor. If my calculations are right, he's in charge of reinforcing the defenses. All gates are fortified… except the northern one."
Rick's eyes widened in shock.
"A slave… became an advisor?! Did you see it yourself?"
"No. My cameras don't reach that far. From this point… it's up to you."
----
Ten hours passed, and shadows crawled across the floor. A soft knock came at the door.
Knight entered, weary, dust covering his shoulders.
In a low voice, he said,
"I went myself with some men… the situation is worse than I expected."
Rick asked directly,
"All gates are fortified… except the northern one?"
Knight's eyes widened.
"How—?!"
"Sereene's insight."
Knight shivered.
"That… is terrifying. It's like she knows everything."
"Did you notice a difference between the gates?"
"Yes. The northern one is in a near-desert area. No traffic, no trade… no reason for extra guards."
Rick raised his device.
"We've confirmed it. Your prediction was right. The advisor… wants to lure us toward the northern gate."
A brief silence fell. Then Sereen said coldly,
"So… go ahead."
Rick stared at the darkened windows of Bordeaux, then turned to his companion.
"We move tomorrow… at night."
----
The iron door creaked open, and the captain of the guards shoved Cyrus inside.
"Enter… your place among the filth, traitor."
Cyrus hit the cold floor, blood dripping from his cheek. He remembered his last words to the king:
"You fat fool… you and Rajwak will die for your greed… and I'll die with you!"
Footsteps approached his cell.
"Cyrus?"
Cyrus lifted his head with effort.
"Who's there?"
"Valis… I owe you. You saved my son two years ago. I'm your guard tonight… and I won't let you die like this."
Cyrus narrowed his eyes, speaking in broken breaths,
"Valis… listen carefully. Warn everyone living near the four gates… get them to the capital immediately."
"A warning for everyone?! Cyrus… that's madness. If they catch me—it could cost my life."
A heavy silence fell. Cyrus's eyes were desperate and clear.
Valis hesitated, then took a deep breath.
"If that's what you want… I'll do what I can."
He closed the opening and vanished down the corridor.
----
After hours of night march, the group arrived. The area was empty, the gate standing silent in the desert.
Rick and Knight crouched behind sand dunes, a two thousand fighters behind them.
Knight raised his binoculars.
"Only four guards."
Rick stared into the darkness. In a low voice, he said,
"We won't know their plan until we move."
He raised his hand… and gave the attack signal.
A thousand fighters surged toward the gate. The guards raised their weapons—but Rick was faster. With sharp strikes, he took them down one by one.
"Open the gate!"
The soldiers took their first step toward the gate… then the ground shook violently. Hidden explosives under the sand erupted, sending bodies flying into the air with short screams that vanished before finishing.
Cannons appeared on the towers, hurling stone and fire. Ranks shattered, screams rose.
Rick shouted,
"Fall back, NOW!"
The soldiers retreated behind the dunes—the first attack was over before it even began.
----
King Victor was asleep when the war horn shattered the night's silence. He woke in terror.
Explosions at the northern gate shook the palace walls. He leapt from his bed, pale-faced.
"What's happening?! Who's attacking?!" he shouted.
The guard replied,
"It's Sereen, my lord! The army is coming from the north!"
The words hit his mind like lightning. Cyrus's warnings… the talk of the "monster"… it was all real.
"Don't let them in! Don't let them! Or we're finished!" the king screamed.
----
Cyrus heard the war horn. Moving despite his restraints, He pulled a small metal needle from his shoe—a hidden lock pick.
He pressed it into the lock, his hand shaking with pain… but he didn't stop.
"Move… move, you bastard…"
A soft click sounded—the lock gave way. He pushed the door open and slipped outside.
He crept through the corridors while the guards ran in chaos.
He reached the back courtyard of the stables and spotted a horse tied near the entrance. He swung onto its back despite the shackles on his wrists, dug his heels in, and the animal shot forward toward the southern gate.
As he approached, small houses crowded the road—doors open, dim lights flickering, families stepping outside after hearing the commotion.
Cyrus straightened his back and shouted, his voice tearing through the night:
"Stay away from the gate! Head to the capital—now!"
People froze for a heartbeat… then panic took over. They grabbed their children, their bags, whatever they could carry, and rushed down the road toward the capital.
----
Outside the outer wall, Rick stood frozen for a few heavy seconds, taking in the chaos—the bodies, the smoke, the screams.
There was no time to hesitate. He assessed the damage… then made his decision.
He turned to Knight. "Go with Dale. Start digging beside the wall."
Knight nodded and sprinted off.
Dale dropped to his knees and drove his hands into the ground like twin blades. Moments later he returned, breathless."
"I can't get under the kingdom… The entire bottom is filled with water!"
Knight's eyes widened.
"Impossible! The hollow is the size of a whole city—how?!"
They rushed back to Rick. Dale shook his head, voice tight.
"The bottom's flooded."
Rick froze for a heartbeat, teeth grinding.
"I underestimated that man… far too much."
He exhaled sharply.
"I didn't want to use Jordvian weapons… but he's forcing my hand."
Rick raised his hand—just a small gesture—yet five men stepped forward, massive launcher-tubes resting on their shoulders, heavy as portable cannons.
Knight grabbed Rick's shoulder, alarmed.
"Wait—why not just cut through the wall with your sword again?!"
Rick shook his head.
"I can't. That wall isn't normal… it's forged from rare metals—diamond included."
Knight's eyes widened.
"The whole wall?!"
From the top of the towers, a guard froze.
"W-what is that—?!"
He never finished.
A flash tore across the air—then a thunderous blast.
Five towers collapsed at once, guards flung like ragdolls as the shockwave ripped through the walls.
A second shot followed, slamming into the streets below.
Explosions tore through the streets, stones raining down, smoke twisting skyward while terrified voices echoed between the buildings.
Cyrus stopped in place for a heartbeat, mind stinging from the shock.
What was that? Gunpowder? No… impossible. From this range? How—
Cyrus yanked the reins hard and drove his horse toward the northern gate.
He reached the wall, breath ragged, grabbed the ladders and tried to climb—
—but the shackles on his wrists jerked him back.
His balance snapped. He crashed onto the stone, pain bursting across his temple.
He tried again.
Failed again.
The chains wouldn't let him get even a few steps up.
The third shot thundered.
This one hit above the civilians—right over the homes and narrow streets.
Fire roared up in sheets, screams tearing through the air as the city turned into a storm of chaos and burning debris.
Cyrus gritted his teeth and slammed his shackled hands against the stones.
Again.
And again.
Blood ran down his knuckles—but he didn't stop.
"Come on…"
He pressed harder, anger and panic twisting together.
"Move—damn you!"
The metal finally snapped.
He shot up the wall, scrambling to the top with his bow and arrows, fighting the brutal wind for balance.
One mercenary shouted, voice cracking:
"There's a shadow on the wall—didn't we kill them all?!"
Rick and Knight both snapped their heads toward him, stunned.
Cyrus lit his arrows.
Three blazing shots streaked into the sky—
and panels in the middle of the wall slid open.
One after another.
a hundred cannons aimed directly at them.
Rick's eyes went wide.
"The whole wall… it looks like a warship—its guns are all aiming at us!"