(Character stat cards: link in the description below the content.)

Though the night air was cold, it was filled with revelry as the people of Bricester raised their glasses in honor of the birth of the Crown’s firstborn and danced to the medley of festive tunes of fiddles and horns played not just by the municipal minstrels, but every piffari and busker in town who took to every street corner and tavern in the bustling town square.

But a different air permeated the silent skies where Vlad Lv. 20, a vulture of great size spread its massive wings and hovered high over the city in search of the Princess's abductors. Rather than feathers, he was covered in black pelt, exuding an air of intimidating strength. The creature’s powerful beak was big enough to snap a man in half while his sharp talons’ razor-sharp edges glistened with an almost metallic glint, poised to rend anything in their clutches. As Gerhard’s tier 4 guardian, Vlad was surveying the grand palace and its perimeters with his keen eyes.

“I have not detected any unusual activity. Except for a seminarian who appeared to be in a hurry to enter the palace, no one has exited nor entered the premises since Her Majesty gave birth,” reported Vlad.

“Hmm. Anything notable about the brother?” inquired Gerhard Kuhn, an archpriest of Lv. 21, from his vantage point atop the grand palace. Standing at five feet and eleven inches, he wore a priestly robe of white and burgundy that proudly bore the emblem of Ora, a golden serpent in the shape of a circle, its mouth chasing its tail. His deep-set obsidian eyes, along with the dark patches underneath, cast a shadow on his pale skin that gave off a sense of morbidity. But despite his intense gaze, the archpriest, still in his twenties, had a clean-shaven face marked by his vigor and zeal, and an overall impression of youthful handsomeness.

“No. Just a seminarain in his white robe, hood, and purge. Oh, and he called himself Trevor,” came the reply from Vlad.

“Trevor? Why does the name sound so familiar?" Gerhard mused aloud before quickly adding, "And have you scoured the Queen’s Garden?”

“I have, Gerhard. Yet, to be honest, anything could hide itself within that enormous maze,” replied Vlad from above.

“Continue to keep watch. I’ll call for you when I need you,” instructed Gerhard just as a tall, dark figure dropped from the top of a gabled dormer directly behind him.

"That's enough, Gerhard. Abort the mission. Report to His Excellency that our attempt to abduct the Queen's firstborn has failed," commanded Chief Priest Aithon in his low, solemn voice. "Whoever beat us to the child is still within palace walls, but they will attempt to make an escape soon. I will return to ground level and survey the palace's perimeter." Aithon loomed over Gerhard, who wasn’t small by any standards. But little else could be discerned about the man, as he was shrouded from head to toe in a hooded cloak and a metal mask that obscured his face.

“Yes, Sir,” Gerhard answered as he swiftly made his way across the rooftop of the palace, descending the ladder through a concealed trapdoor.

On the fourth floor of the grand palace’s west wing, lay the Queen’s chamber, across a corridor adorned with red carpets and lined with the portraits of the past kings and queens of Narea. Among those featured in the portraits was the founder of the Kingdom, Philip the Great, whose piercing green eyes overlooked the entire palace from the wall over the spiral staircase. As the only monarch who also served the God Almighty as Her High Priest, King Philip I had demanded against his council’s advice to be painted garbed in his white and red ceremonial robe of the High Priest over the crown and cape of a King, beseeching that he desired to be remembered as a man of God than a ruler of a nation. Although the State and the Temple had been separated ever since his passing, the enduring legacy of King Philip I as the Priest King was evident in the palace, inspiring all who set foot within its walls with the Great King’s strength and devotion. But none more so than Gerhard Kuhn, the archpriest who idolized the man and yearned for a return to the days when the power of the crown and the wisdom of the Temple were united under one leader. And for this ambitious monk, there was no one better suited to lead this return than High Priest Sandalius Messala. Even if it meant overthrowing the direct descendant of the Great King himself.

As Gerhard hurried past the portraits that lined the walls of the corridor, he paused before King Philip I. He took a moment to pay his respects by crossing his heart and reverently kissing the emblem of Ora on his robe, before taking slow, measured backsteps away from the King as if he were present before him in flesh.

Gerhard turned on his heel at the sight of the red carpet, and was instantly jarred by the absolute chaos that unfolded down the corridor barred by royal guards. Members of the royal family, the servants, and the minstrels were pacing the hallway in a state of panic. The royal guards, all above Lv. 25 and each accompanied by their tier 5 guardians, were clad in their famous gala uniforms, the striped satin trunk hose and tunic underneath their brilliant darnish cuirasses and crowned with red plumed morion helmet, holding their powerful halberds as their primary weapon while ornate shortswords hung at their waists, glistening with golden filigree.

Gerhard Lv. 21 knew that without his own guardian, Vlad, by his side, he stood no chance against the fully armed Lv. 25 Royal Guards with their guardians. However, time was of the essence, and it was imperative that he find a way past them to deliver Chief Priest Aithon’s message to His Excellency. With no other options, Gerhard decided to make a break for it and charged between the guards, but the guards were unimpressed by his sudden challenge.

“Humph!” With a loud grunt, the Royal Guards closed off the open space. Blue light flashed across their eyes as two halberds came crashing down on each other's heads with a loud clunk, creating a burst of electricity that crackled through the air, drawing the attention of everyone gathered on the floor.

Using Shield Wall Lv. 2 (90 m)

The Royal Guards gather and slam their halberds together, creating a powerful mana shield that can absorb up to 150 points of damage. The shield's effectiveness increases with the number of guards linking up together.

"One more move and we will not hesitate to terminate you, monk," the guard’s voice was cold and menacing as he threatened Gerhard while the electric currents continued to dance around the blade of his halberd, adding to the already grim undertone of the situation.

But Gerhard was undeterred by the threat, his voice ringing out clear and strong, "Let me through! I am Gerhard Kuhn of Inay, an archpriest. And I’ve come at the request of His Excellency, the High Priest Sandalius Messala!" Despite his bravado, Gerhard's heart raced and his hands shook as one of the guards menacingly took a step forward, turning the edge of his halberd's blade towards him.

“No one is to leave or to enter this corridor. Now, leave, monk,” the guard enunciated every word in his deep commanding voice.

‘Oh, the insolence of the crown,’ seethed Gerhard with anger. The King's contempt and disdain for the Temple were palpable. His arrogance had infected even the ranks of these lowly bottom-feeding guards. But Gerhard gritted his teeth and vowed in his heart that it would not be for long.

In the distance, the door to the Queen’s chamber opened and High Priest Sandalius emerged, clearly in a hurry. As he turned on his heel to leave, his eyes met with Gerhard’s. Despite the shock of seeing his archpriest there, Sandalius did not betray his emotions, but simply motioned to the guards to grant the priest passage. He then swiftly beckoned Gerhard to his side and implored, “What in God’s name are you doing here?! I thought my orders were clear. You were to return to the temple after abducting the child!”

"Forgive us, we have failed you, my lord! Chief Priest Althion was poised atop the rooftop preparing to infiltrate the Queen's chamber and abduct the infant when we heard her screaming and the alarm for help. Someone beat us to the child! We had no choice, but to withdraw," Gerhard explained with a heavy heart, the weight of failure clearly evident in his voice.

“By heavens… This cannot be…” Sandalius’s heart sank as he muttered in disbelief. “Who, then, could have abducted the child?” Suddenly, he remembered the fabric on the hearth. “The fireplace… Whose quarters lie below the Queen's chamber?" he asked.

"On which level, my lord?" inquired Gerhard, ever obedient.

"The first," replied Sandalius, his eyes sharp with purpose.

"Sir Richard, the captain of the royal guards, is quartered there," Gerhard informed him.

The High Priest's eyes gleamed with a flicker of recognition. "They must have used the fireplace as an exit.”

“Sir?” inquired Gerhard.

“Never mind. Take the rest of the priests and proceed to Sir Richard's quarters at once. There is a high likelihood that you will find the princess there,” Sandalius spoke with urgency but in a hushed tone. “And signal the chief priests for help. Waste no time."

"And if they run, my lord?" Gerhard asked, his tone betraying his eagerness for a fight.

"Follow, but do not engage. Wait for the chiefs. You are no match for Sir Richard," Sandalius replied solemnly.

"Yes, my lord!" After a quick bow, Gerhard wheeled around and raced down the corridor before turning at the grand marble staircase. Though it would be a lie to say that he wasn’t at all disappointed by the High Priest’s lack of faith in his combat skills, a direct order by the High Priest himself and the mere thought of potentially being the first to find the princess sent his heart racing with excitement. With adrenaline coursing through his veins, Gerhard impulsively launched himself over the staircase, narrowly avoiding a collision with the grand crystal chandelier that hung over the pristine white marble floor of the central lobby. And the landing was anything but graceful. With a loud crack, Gerhard's knee slammed into the unforgiving marble tiles, sending electric currents surging through his legs as his mana shield absorbed the impact.

Warning.

You have received a damage of 35 points.

An unnecessary loss which you could have avoided by using just 3 points of mana to cast Thrust.

“Sir!” Five young priests who waited in the lobby rushed over to Gerhard and asked with urgency, “What is going on inside the palace, Sir?”

All of them were seminarians garbed in their white robes, white hoods, and white masks.

“What is causing all this commotion, Sir?” inquired another.

“You two, check the stables for Sir Richard’s white cogmo. He never goes anywhere without his bird,” instructed Gerhard. “You three, come with me!” Gerhard issued his orders as he immediately sprang to his feet and led the young priests towards Sir Richard’s quarter in the West Wing of the palace. On his way, Gerhard wondered for a moment why the High Priest would suspect the Captain of the Royal Guards of abducting the child. Sir Richard was the most loyal servant of the crown and a pure Narean with his silky blond hair and green eyes. And his loyalty was particularly true for Queen Beatrice. In fact it was for her protection the Crown had Sir Richard stationed inside the palace. It didn’t make any sense that he would kidnap the child.

But it mattered not, for the priests never questioned His Excellency's judgment. They carried out his commands with unwavering trust in his words, and Gerhard knew this better than anyone else.