When Ezra had first laid his eyes upon that note on the window sill, he expected the blackmailer to ask him for money or use his influence to upset his chances in the dueling tournament. But Angelo’s offer came as a bolt from the blue.“The Nightshades are a bunch of murderers and thieves. I would not even think about rubbing shoulders with them,” Ezra replied without a second thought.But instead of being angered by Ezra’s response, Angelo maintained his calm. “My Lord, you call us murderers when we are actually just trying to do the devil’s work and get our hands dirty to protect this kingdom. That is really unfair.”“Just how are you protecting the kingdom by killing innocents?” Ezra retorted, staring daggers at Angelo. His twisted sense of right and wrong did not sit right with him. “I never order the killing of innocents. Perhaps you have misjudged my comrades,” Angelo replied in the politest manner possible. “What about those four men killed by your assassin inside that blind a
As Angelo disappeared like a shadow, Ezra was left standing alone under the Tower of Justice. Even though he was out to establish alliances in the capital, so far he had only managed to make new enemies.The two arrogant young nobles at the Arcadium had already marked Ezra as their rival, and now the leader of the Black Nightshades joined his list of enemies.“It looks like you are quite popular even among the cutthroats,” Marlin whispered to Ezra, his eye staring fixedly at the wilted nightshades scattered on the ground.Ezra bent down and was about to pick the flowers when they spontaneously burst into flames and burned a mark on the cobbled road that looked like a pair of daggers crossed at an angle with their tips pointing downward.“You tricky bastard.” Cursing the Nightshades, Ezra stood up as a chilly wind howled across the road, biting through his clothes and making his teeth chatter.A square piece of white paper drifted down the road, and Ezra instinctively put his hand out t
Led by the old necromancer, Vorus, the undead armies continued their march northward, ravaging every village in their path and laying waste to acres upon acres of fertile farmlands and green pastures.In just a few days, Vorus’ unstoppable forces surrounded Cekunia from all sides. While the sorcerers present inside the city tried to focus their spells on dealing with the ground troops, the Frost Wyverns launched an aerial assault upon the city.Fortunately, the Flame Towers were able to hold off the initial attack by launching fireballs at the undead fliers and unleashing ember bursts at regular intervals to keep the skies clear. However, things quickly took a horrific turn when the cunning necromancer chanted an eight-tier spell to summon a Legendary Undead from the adjoining sea.The Sea of Calansas was churned from its bowels as a deadly whirlpool opened at its center, swallowing the fishing boats and wrecking the larger war galleons.But this naval catastrophe was only the beginni
The threat of an undead invasion had hardly moved the king, but the men in power decided to follow his orders and bolster the city’s defenses.The Chief Court Mage, Servius Salazar, used his mastery over conjuration spells to enchant the antique armor sets worn by the paladins from the past and create an army of Steel Golems to defend the city.Although the golems created by enchanting empty sets of armor with magic weren’t capable of using skills or casting spells, they were great at following orders and reinforcing areas of interest. And since they could be created in large numbers, they could be used to build a disposable army.Servius fortified the Steel Golems with hardening magic and ordered them to guard the capital’s three main gates. To further enhance the defensive capabilities of the city, the old mage also conjured a magic dome to protect the capital from aerial attacks.Meanwhile, the king’s Chief Gunner, Sir Galahar Warrington oversaw the construction of the city’s large
Tanya leaned on Ezra’s shoulder as the motor wagon glided down the empty roads. Most of the traffic had been diverted to the sub streets, and the sidewalks were being patrolled by armed guards.The king’s advisors had made special arrangements to ensure the guests arriving for the evening ball would have a smooth ride to the palace and no anarchists could stir up trouble on the streets.Since tensions were on the rise after the recent fall of Cekunia at the hands of the undead forces, to appease the public and mitigate damage, the king’s ministers had ordered the officials to organize a small fair the following week and reduce the tax rate for all citizens of Valaria.All these carefully planned measures had assuaged the immediate fears of rebellion and restored normalcy to the city. However, the advisors knew that the anarchists and fear-mongers would strike back at the slightest opportunity.To avoid any unpleasant incidents, the security arrangements around the palace had been tight
Ezra’s heartbeat quickened as he recalled his last meeting with the enchantress. Glenn had helped him get away that time, but the Blood Mage wasn’t here anymore, and he could not afford to create another scene, especially among the nobles.Dressed in a ravishing red ball gown adorned with peacock feathers, Esmeralda continued staring at Ezra from across the room. Even though she was wearing a violet masquerade mask, her sharp facial features were unmistakable. “She’s here,” Ezra whispered to Tanya without taking his eyes off the enchantress.“Who’s here?” Tanya questioned, looking around casually.“Esmeralda Blaine.”Hearing that name, Tanya became alert, and her eyes darted in the direction of Ezra’s gaze. But she only caught a glimpse of a ball gown as the attendants passed by, blocking her line of sight.When the tray bearers finally cleared away, Esmeralda was nowhere to be seen. It was as if she had disappeared into thin air.“Are you sure you saw her?” Tanya asked as she continu
Fluorescent butterflies fluttered into the grand hall as the Chief Court Mage snapped his fingers and infused the air with magic. A thin layer of ice coated the floor, and icicles shaped like clusters of wildflowers sprouted from the ceiling.“We haven’t had a proper winter in decades, so this is my little gift to you, my dear ones,” the king proclaimed as Servius continued with his spell, gradually transforming the grand hall into a frozen world.Some of the guests marveled at the icy white flowers while others held on to their partners to avoid slipping on the frozen floor.When they had been invited to the ball, none of them were expecting to enjoy a snowy winter evening inside the palace. But what was most surprising was how Servius managed to keep the temperature from dropping too much, creating a pleasant indoor weather perfectly conducive for a night of revelry and merrymaking.King Reginald raised his arms above his head and clapped. His cue was immediately honored by the atten
Tanya and Ezra slipped past the guests and attendants to quietly make their way outside. The garden overlooking the eastern façade of the palace was where Marquis Sullivan and his supporters had gathered along with a handful of loyal butlers and personal guards.A white marble table shaped like a three-leafed clover had been set in a secluded part of the garden under the shade of a cherry blossom tree, and six chairs had been arranged around it for the Marquis and his confidants.Marquis Sullivan and Viscount Forell were joined by the wealthiest businessman in the city: the wine merchant, Griffith Herington, and the king’s former general: the old knight Sir Samson Deville.The two vacant chairs were swiftly occupied by two of the king’s distant cousins, a red-haired young man of mixed descent and a dark-skinned middle-aged man from the port city of Cekunia.“It was terribly suffocating in there. Thank God he decided to take a break,” the dark-skinned man muttered as he loosened his sti