by Ian Carter
His companions were incredible. Hayleigh had an unbelievable knack and instinct with her Blade. The only reason he and Mason were currently able to defend against her so well was their awareness of her tendencies. After training with her for months, they knew how she liked to attack, and what her mindset consisted of. For someone like Mason, that was enough to nullify her attacks. For Kai, it gave him enough of an advantage that he could block around half her strikes, maybe more if luck came into play. For anyone, even a Gold Blade, Hayleigh would pose a severe threat if they didn't have that advantage. Kai felt sorry for any criminals that had to face her in Erkau, as her strong personality reflected in her attacks and made her a genuinely worrisome opponent. More than that, she was fiercely interdependent and quick-witted, and he couldn't help but respect her.
But Mason was on a completely different level than even she was. Mason had been adopted at a young age by a family who owned a farm on the Capital's outskirts. He plowed fields and raised the animals among the odd jobs he worked and was well versed in most things in life. Mason was physically strong and morally kind, and an exemplary example of the hard work Orilia boasted that their citizens all held. After he obtained his Gold Blade, marriage proposals flooded in, which included many from noble families as well. He turned down each one, as the husband's lifestyle didn't suit him in his own words. He was more than happy to forward the majority of his wages to his adoptive siblings. Kai held him on a pedestal of what a man could and should aspire to be.
As Kai regaled himself in praise for his teachers, he halted when he saw a piece of paper nailed to a tree close to the road. Kai and his group had missed it when they initially stopped in the clearing, so he wandered straight over to investigate. Upon reaching the tree, he looked at what appeared to be a missing poster. The poster addressed to travellers who came and went from Erkau detailed the disappearances of several children between the ages of six and twelve. A dozen of them had vanished the past three weeks, and the City Guard offered rewards for information on the bottom of the poster. Kai ripped the missing poster from the tree and rushed himself off towards his companions by the river.
◆◆◆
The forest trail descended as the trees that lined the main path slowly became sparser until they eventually opened to reveal the beautiful city of Erkau. Nestled below Mount Black Tusk, Erkau jettisoned out away from the mountain's base. The architecture was very similar to what was seen in the Capital as Erkau's historic district was built shortly after the Capital was completed. The crystal-clear unnamed river circled the border of the city, with the majority of the city's farms placed on the opposite side of the river. Farms nestled in close enough to draw water into their fields, so a rudimentary stone and wood wall was needed to line the perimeter of the farms. It was built strong enough to rebuke familiar foes such as wild animals and to detour petty criminals. Even though Erkau was roughly ten percent of the area of the Capital and only two percent of the Capital's population, Erkau still invoked a very similar look and feel.
The sun rested just above the mountains as they finally arrived. Several children played fetch with a dog just outside the main gate under the watchful gaze of the City Guard. Upon the group's approach to the entrance, the City Guard immediately recognized Kai and, by extension, their old co-worker Hayleigh. The large and weathered wooden gate thundered to life. It swung open as the men lining the entrance stood at attention as Hayleigh playfully blew them kisses. Upon entry, a huge man walked up to the horses and kneeled close by. Even as he fell to his knee, he still came halfway up the horse.
"Your Highness, welcome to the city of Erkau. The City Guard, as well as the population, stand by ready to welcome and aid you. I believe this is your first-ever trip outside the Capital. Are you tired? We can immediately set up lodging and companionship for Your Highness if he wishes."
"No, no, that won't be necessary," Kai waved off the request a bit embarrassed. "Please prepare rooms for the three of us in the Garrison and inform the City Watchman of my arrival. I wish to speak to him about the missing children."
"I see you have been informed about the children. I am sorry that you have to encumber yourself with our problems, Your Highness," the guard replied a bit melancholy. "It's shameful that your first visit to our city is in the midst of an unfortunate situation. I assure you this is the exception, not the normal."
"I am sure your words are true," Kai confirmed. "A member of my party is an old comrade of yours, and she has told me enough over the last few months for me to know this city is a jewel of the kingdom." The guard looked up and scanned until his eyes fell upon Hayleigh.
"Ah, Hayleigh, welcome back," the guard said and flashed a smile. "We all miss you very much. I assume you have heard that Josiah has rotated into the position of City Watchman for the remainder of the year?"
"Thank you, Aleksander. Yes, I did," Hayleigh beamed. "That's my fiancé for you!"
"Oh ho, your fiancé is the City Watchman now?" Kai quizzed. He turned his attention to the guard. "Perfect, I can kill two birds with one stone. Take us to him immediately."
"As you command, Your Highness," Aleksander obediently answered. "I must see to the preparation of your rooms. Please allow the other guards to escort you to the City Post where Josiah is working."
The City Watchman was the highest position a Silver Blade could hold, barring extreme or exceptional circumstances. The job was responsible for an incredible array of decisions. They approved all patrol shifts, commanded the City Guard in the case of a hostile attack, and even controlled the regular maintenance schedules the guards followed. The responsibility fell to the City Watchman if a royal family representative was not present to make a decision. Only the most competent of Silver Blades was ever considered for the position, so Josiah obtaining the post meant he was considered an elite talent. Hayleigh had told Kai in one of their first meetings that the upcoming rotation was due to be hers before the king whisked her away to be Kai's teacher. Josiah, at the very least, was on a similar level to Hayleigh. Kai couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated.
The journey through Erkau was a pleasant one. Despite the recent disappearances, families still allowed their children to play outdoors. As a result, laughter and playing children were typical. The wooden buildings that made up the city were cleaned on a regular schedule. Hayleigh pointed out as much as she recounted some guidelines and local history to Kai as they made their way through the streets. Stalls that lined the pathways and carriage routes were full of bright and colorful dyes, textiles, and clothing made from local tailors and seamstresses. Each of the merchants made sure to keep garments with the kingdoms colors of ebony, violet, and crimson available for dedicated citizens.
As dusk approached, places of business and family homes began to light the lanterns that hang outside their homes, giving a steadily growing sense of warmth to the streets. Kai peered through many of the windows as he trotted by, saw merchants as they bagged up a customer's order, and families having just settled down for their evening meal. A sense of his citizen's everyday life filled Kai with conviction to protect it. He clenched his fist and stared up to the sky as his mission filled his mind's eye.
Before he knew it, the doors into the City Post had opened before him, and his eyes fell upon who he assumed was Josiah as he crossed through the door's threshold. Kai couldn't believe it. Josiah was the very definition of handsome. He looked to be in his late twenties and had brown hair and a long brown beard to match. Josiah stood well over six feet, and even though he was wearing his City Guard uniform, Kai could tell there was very little fat on him. He exuded confidence into the room as he gave some instructions before he rounded the table that had separated him from Kai and dropped to a knee.
"Your Highness, welcome to Erkau," Josiah said. His voice was smooth and deep. "How unfair," Kai thought, "that one man could hoard so many physical gifts." "I apologize for the state of affairs we find ourselves in upon your first visit."
"You are all very fru
strated by this situation I can see," Kai remarked. "Also, please stand. People kneeling in front of me isn't my thing."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Josiah answered as he rose to be several inches taller than Kai. It was incredible how much that managed to annoy him even though Josiah had done nothing wrong.
"You could say we're a little defeated. We have been combing the area around the city, and we can't find any real concrete evidence. We have eliminated nearly all of the possibilities around the city with our searches. The only place we have yet to explore fully is the labyrinth of tunnels that go deep into the mountain. It's a maze, so we have needed to take it slower than we like."
"As much as we need to save the children, there is no use in the rescuers being careless and needing rescue themselves," Kai conceded. "You've been doing an outstanding job so far by the looks of it, Josiah. You and the rest of Erkau's guards have my Father and I's sincere appreciation for your work to find the missing children."
"Your words honor us, Your Highness," Josiah answered, almost taken aback with the praise. "We are currently updating our maps with the intelligence we gained on our scouting mission last night. We will be going back into the mountain later tonight to resume our search, and you have our word we won't give up until we find something, Your Highness."
"How were the children taken, do you know?" Kai asked.
"The perpetrators took the original four children when they were playing outside of the perimeter wall," Josiah explained. He walked over to the map and made a full circle with his finger on the map. "After they went missing, we doubled our patrols both on and outside the wall. Even with our precautions, they took an additional two children here when they went outside the wall," Josiah said as he marked another area with a finger. "We then placed a curfew on children leaving the perimeter wall until we could put a stop to the abductions and find the missing kids. As if to taunt us, four more children went absent from their beds the first night after we implemented the restriction. We then removed the extra patrols from outside the perimeter and placed them around the town. That worked for a week, but then two more were taken.
"We then recommend that all children sleep with their parents in their rooms until the situation is resolved, and no other kids have been taken since. However, citizens are growing restless. We need some kind of result, and soon." Josiah finished as his eyes fell upon the table with the map as several guards worked on updating it.
"Josiah," Kai said while he placed his hand on Josiah's shoulder. "Mason, Hayleigh, and I will assist you in locating the children for the next three days. Though I have my current mission and orders from my Father to attend to, I cannot turn a blind eye to this situation. It will also allow you and Hayleigh some time together. I assume you will appreciate the help?"
"Your Highness, you are beyond kind to worry about us here when you have such important matters to attend to," Josiah exclaimed. He dropped to his knee again and lowered his head. "I enthusiastically accept the help you have offered, Your Highness. Erkau will forever be in your debt."
"Don't say stuff like that when I haven't even helped yet," Kai said as he again awkwardly waved off the praise. "I do have a request for you, however."
"Anything, Your Highness."
"It is obvious to me that you have been working extremely hard on this, but you must be careful not to burn yourself out," Kai reasoned. "Therefore, you will temporarily leave the authority of the City Watchman to Mason. I assume that will be fine, Mason?"
"Of course, Your Highness," Mason replied. "I'm familiar with the position as I have previously helped the Capital's City Watchman previously."
"Excellent," Kai remarked to Mason before he turned back to Josiah. "You are at this moment ordered to take the next four hours off from your role as City Watchman and cede it to Mason. You and Hayleigh can use these four hours to catch up and rest. We have had a long trip, and I am sure you both will appreciate the time together." Josiah looked from Kai's eyes to Hayleigh's exhibiting a shell-shocked look on his face.
"Upon the completion of the four hours," Kai continued. "You will resume your duties as City Watchman and take Hayleigh on as a special advisor to assist with the preparations for tonight's search party. Mason will then retire to his room and obtain his share of rest. We will gather together here half an hour before the search is to begin. These are everyone's orders."
"Will you be resting yourself, Your Highness?" Josiah asked.
"Yes, I need to relax. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to retire to my room to rest. I trust that you would provide me with sufficient guard detail while Mason and Hayleigh attend to their assigned tasks?"
"As you command Your Highness!"
"Good, now everyone, please get to work."
After Kai's words, the City Post burst into life as Mason took over the duties of the City Watchman. He requested the pertinent updates and began to instruct the guards. Josiah and Hayleigh almost immediately embraced and kissed, causing a little awkwardness to fall on Kai. Shortly after, Josiah told a nearby group of five City Guards, and they approached Kai to take him to his room.
Kai recounted the orders mentally as Josiah took Hayleigh by the hand and led her down a hallway out of sight. They seemed to be right for a spur of the moment decision, Kai thought, and it would be helpful for them to spend some time together. Kai and Mason nodded to each other, and the guards escorted Kai out of the City Post towards the Garrison.
"This is your room, Your Highness," a guard informed Kai as he gestured to a luxurious room filled with a comfortable looking bed and a table with refreshments. "We're stationed outside your room, and at each end of the hallway. Do not feel troubled to bother us, and feel free to ask for anything you may require. Would you also like to have someone in the room with you as well?"
"No, I would like some privacy right now. However, thank you for the escort. You may resume your guard duties," Kai replied.
"As you wish, Your Highness," the guard said as he bowed. He quickly turned and left the room as the wood door softly shut behind him as Kai sat down on his bed to go over the events that Josiah described.
"How did the four children get abducted all at once? That would have to indicate that multiple people were involved, or else the children would have had an opportunity to run away," Kai pondered out loud. "Then they would have had to switch up tactics. It would have been difficult to get past so many patrols on the perimeter wall. There's no way a large group of thieves or bandits would be able to accomplish such stealth. But then, how could they have gotten through those same patrols to steal the four children at night from under their noses? That would have required another group, let alone the issue of the kids making noise. This situation just doesn't ma—"
Sharp pain in his neck froze Kai's monologue. He touched the left side of his neck and felt something sticking out of his neck. He searched for motion in the room and looked to the window to see if someone was there. However, he failed to find a single indication. He removed the protruding object from his neck and glimpsed a view of the dart. Kai softly collapsed without a sound onto his bed a second later.
Chapter Six
...And Then There Were None
"What do you mean he's gone!?"
Mason barged into the room where Kai had retired to just a few hours prior. He gave the room a quick scan before he ran out of the room and grabbed the nearest guard he could find. He took hold of the guard's leather chest armor and lifted him a few feet into the air. The terrified guard kicked his feet through the air and found Mason's heated gaze laser-focused on his eyes.
"You were guarding him, were you not?"
"Yes sir, we were! His Highness said that—"
"I'm sorry, but I heard you say you were guarding him. Then how did this happen?" The anger was building in Mason's voice.
"We were stationed outside his door the entire time! There wasn't a single sound that came from his room."
"That didn't seem odd to you?"
"No, sir!
We assumed he was sleeping."
"He snores, you idiot!"
"We ... we didn't know! We're sorry, we'll do whatever we need to do to help find him! We promise!" The guard now had tears falling down his cheeks, inspired by his fear. His body became limp as he accepted his fate.
Mason turned his attention to the other City Guards who had been stationed around Kai's room that was looking on in despair. Each of them eagerly and enthusiastically nodded in agreement with their colleague's previous statement. Mason turned back to the man in his grasps and let out an intimidating yell and dropped the guard to his backside. The guard trembled on the floor as his mind attempted to process the past few seconds.
"Go get Josiah and Hayleigh!" Mason barked." We're going hunting."
◆◆◆
A dark figure poured cold liquid on Kai's face, and his startled reaction caused his cage to swing and eerily creek. His senses were overwhelmed by the scent of smoke from the lit torches that lined the walls. He shook the water from his eyes and wiped them clean before he surveyed the room. Rusted cages sat stacked against Kai's opposite wall, with a rug spotted with bloodstains on the floor between them. He noticed a lack of decor inside the room on the rough and jagged walls. Aside from two wicker chairs and a table placed on the floor in front of Kai's cage, no other furniture existed. A man walked around the woman sitting opposite him and threw his empty jug to the floor and smiled. Kai has never seen such an evil smile before.