Round two of the Grand Dueling Tournament was set to kick off a week later to give all participating Gunners a chance to take a quick breather and hone their skills. Additionally, this long break would also allow the Gunners to choose a partner for the next round since it was going to be fought in pairs.For now, Ezra had no partners in mind since he barely knew the other participants. In order to keep his identity a secret, he had avoided lingering in the Arcadium for too long, and this distanced him from all the other Gunners.However, after today’s flawless victory against Felicia, the other participants had finally taken note of him, and some were even eager to get acquainted with him and learn a trick or two.Although the veterans considered it below them to mingle with a newcomer who had just qualified for the second round, the other participants were excited to meet the masked stranger who had taken the tournament by storm, upsetting all calculations.As Ezra entered the specia
Everything had been going perfectly so far. Ezra had exercised great caution and treaded with tremendous caution. He had done everything to cover his tracks and keep his identity a secret. Yet, now he found himself in a precarious situation.Staring at the note in his hand, Ezra trembled with rage, his frustration showing on his face. “How did this happen? Who the hell is it?” he grumbled, squeezing the paper inside his palm and turning it into a crumpled ball.Marlin opened his mouth, and his eyes focused on Ezra’s face. He had not been able to read the contents of the note, but judging by Ezra’s expression, it was easy to understand that it did not bring good news.“What did that note say?” he asked.“Someone knows my secret. They know who I am!” In a fit of unbridled rage, Ezra punched the wall, shattering the brickwork and cracking its painted surface. “How the hell did they find out?”“Well, you can be as cautious as you like, but in a big city like this, even the walls have ears
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