Rise of The Fallen Son-in-law Vol. 2

Chapter 2: Old enemies

With a sudden burst of courage, he ran towards Nicklaus and leapt onto Valor's back.

"Valor, ascend!" Nicklaus called, and the griffin spread its wings and soared into the sky.

Celeste stood there, watching the scene unfold with a small smile on her face. She was glad to see that Markus wasn't letting her mother's demands get the best of him. But then she noticed something odd - Mr. Blackwood was smiling back at her, but there was a strange glint in his eye. It was almost as if he was planning something, something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. What was he up to? And why did it make her feel a little uneasy?

"Mother, our carriage is a little too slow."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Mr. Blackwood, his voice a little too cheerful for the situation. "Valor may be leading the way, but it's still a long journey ahead of us."

Markus nodded, his thoughts drifting back to Nicklaus's friend, Josef. He wondered what had happened between them, and why it had caused Nicklaus to leave Heliopolis. He had a feeling that there was more to the story than Nicklaus was letting on.

Valor suddenly let out a loud squawk, breaking Markus's train of thought. He looked over at Nicklaus who was clutching the reins, his knuckles white with tension. His face was pale, and he looked more nervous than Markus had ever seen him. What could have caused such a reaction?

Just then, Valor let out another squawk, this time sounding more like a cry of alarm. Something was wrong.

Markus looked around, trying to see what could have upset Valor so much. That's when he noticed it - a dark shape in the sky, rapidly approaching them. It was too small to be a dragon, but it was moving with a speed and agility that was unlike any bird he had ever.

As Nicklaus watched the magic carpet approach, the woman on board wore an unusual outfit. Her bra top and harem pants were unlike any clothing he had ever seen. Her eyes were full of mirth, and her smile was sly.

"Nicklaus!" she called out, her voice melodic and sweet. "I see you've made a new friend." She looked over at Markus, who was clearly taken aback by her appearance.

Nicklaus took a deep breath and tried to gather his thoughts. "Laureline, I...uh...didn't expect to see you here." He glanced at Markus, who was still gaping at the goddess. "This is Markus, a...um...very interesting fellow."

Laureline laughed, a tinkling sound that made the air around them feel lighter. "Oh, I'm sure he is," she said. "And I must say, Nicklaus, you look...different." Her eyes danced with amusement, and Nicklaus felt his face flush.

Markus looked from Nicklaus to Laureline, trying to piece together the puzzle of their relationship. "How do you two know each other?" he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

Nicklaus hesitated, his expression unreadable. "We've...crossed paths before," he said, his tone nonchalant. But Markus could sense there was more to the story than he was letting on.

Laureline let out a tinkling laugh, her eyes glittering with mischief. "We're like star-crossed lovers!" she said, a playful smile on her lips.

Nicklaus rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You're not my type," he said, a hint of exasperation in his voice. But his words didn't seem to faze Laureline in the slightest. She simply smiled and continued to follow him on her magic carpet.

Markus could feel the tension between them, and he wondered what had happened in the past to make them so at odds. Was it something romantic, or was it something else entirely?

"And take that mask off, your voice sounds too deep," Markus said.

Laureline smiled and slowly removed the mask from her face, letting it float off into the air. "Anything else, my love?" she asked, her voice now more natural.

"Just the mask, thank you."

Laureline's eyes sparkled as she leaned in closer to Nicklaus, her voice low and sultry. "My dear, is that a hint of jealousy I detect?" she teased.

Markus snorted, unable to contain his amusement. "Someone's feeling a bit possessive," he said, his tone light and teasing.

But Nicklaus's face was serious, and he fixed his gaze on Laureline. "I'm not jealous," he said, his voice firm. "I'm just...wary of your charms."

The group continued on their way, the tension between Nicklaus and Laureline slowly dissipating. But Markus couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about their new companion. There was something about her that didn't quite add up. And he couldn't help but wonder what it was.

Markus studied Laureline's face, seeing the conflicting emotions written there. On the one hand, she seemed determined to see this mission through. But on the other hand, there was something about it that clearly pained her. What was it about this mission that made her so conflicted?

"Laureline, I can see that something is bothering you," Markus said, his voice gentle. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

Laureline looked at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "It's just… I have a history with this place."

Laureline took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "Let's go," she said, her voice firm. "We have a job to do."

Markus and Nicklaus exchanged a glance, both of them feeling the weight of the task ahead of them. But they followed Laureline, determined to see this through to the end.

The palace was pristine white, with gilded statues and intricate carvings.

. The palace stood before them, its white stone shining brightly in the sunlight. It was adorned with statues and carvings, all in excellent condition. It looked majestic, but not so perfect that it seemed to belong in a fantasy world. It was simply a magnificent piece of architecture, but it felt real and solid.

"Where are you going?"

Nicklaus asked Laureline what she was going to do.

"I'm going to put on a show," she replied with a wink. Nicklaus smiled, intrigued by her response. But Markus felt a sense of unease. It wasn't that he didn't trust Laureline, but something about the situation felt off. He couldn't explain it, but he had a bad feeling about what was to come.

Markus' question caught Nicklaus off guard, and he lowered his voice so that only Markus could hear him. "I'm not worried about her, per se. It's just... I don't know. I have a bad feeling about this whole situation. It doesn't feel right." He looked over at Laureline, who was laughing and chatting with some of the other guests. She seemed completely oblivious to the concerns of the two men.

"You don't think she knows something we don't, do you?" Markus asked.

"I don't know," Nicklaus replied. "Laureline is definitely acting a bit strange, but I don't want to jump to any conclusions. We don't have any evidence that she's up to something nefarious." He paused, looking pensive. "But I can't shake the feeling that something is going to go wrong. I hope I'm just being paranoid."

"You've got a good head on your shoulders," Markus said, trying to reassure his friend. "But I get what you're saying. Maybe we're just reading too much into things."

The Blackwoods arrived in all their glory, with Celeste standing out like a shining star. Markus couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder as he gazed upon her. He was captivated by her beauty.

But Nicklaus looked upon her with indifference. He had once thought that Celeste was the most beautiful woman in the world, but now he knew that she was nothing compared to the one who had captured his heart. The one who had no idea of his true feelings.

Markus noticed Nicklaus' lack of interest, and wondered what it meant.

As the Blackwoods arrived, the monarch of Heliopolis, Aiden Nightingale, also made an entrance. He was clad in a dazzling white suit, and he glared at Nicklaus with disdain.

"What are you doing here, you rascal?" he barked.

"Nightingale," Nicklaus said, his voice cool and collected. "You're free to believe what you want about me, but I'm here for business, not to grovel at your feet."

Aiden's jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed. "Ironclad, tell me you're not siding with this scoundrel."

Markus could feel the animosity radiating from both Aiden and Nicklaus, and he began to worry that the fragile peace between them would not last. Celeste, meanwhile, was doing her best to appear cheerful and unaffected by the tension, but Markus could tell that she was putting on a front.

The Blackwoods were clearly not pleased with Nicklaus' presence, and they made their feelings known.