I looked down at my hands… my small, weak, childlike hands. I was no longer a king. I was no longer powerful. This wasn’t my old body simply my old memories and thoughts. I was no longer the orphan Alex, king of the human continent Aroa. I was Edward, a two year old infant with loving parents and no strength or power whatsoever. And that… that was the most terrifying feeling yet.  

I had been under the false notion that this world was safe and devoid of threat. That in this world, I didn’t need to be strong to live a good life. But maybe I was wrong. I didn’t need to be the strongest, no. I didn’t need to be king Alex again. But I did need to become stronger. Strong enough to protect me… and the ones that I care about. 

“This is the royal king's guards. Soldier and peacekeepers of the current king Von Astraea. This building is surrounded by over fifty royal guards. Come out with your hands up. If your resist, we’ll have to resort to violence. You have ten seconds to comply. Before our expellers and enhancers storm the building and stop you by force. I repeat. Come out with your hands up. If you resist, we’ll have to resort to violence. You have ten seconds to comply. Before our expellers and enhancers storm the building and stop you by force.” 

The loud, booming voice of a stern sounding woman commanded form an undisclosed location. At the command, the clowns all froze, clearly considering what the woman said. It looked as if for only a second, the clowns were about to surrender, and the attack would end just as easily as it started. 

However, things don’t always go as you expect them to. Clearly deciding that surrender wasn’t an option, yet clearly not willing to face the people who called themselves the “royal guards.” The man who used wind magic and the woman who used fire magic came together. 

It was hard to see exactly what the two were doing from the angle that I was at, but, a few seconds later, an almighty blast of fire energised and fuelled by wind magic erupted skywards. Blasting a hole in the roof of the theatre hall where the circus was taking place. The entire hall shaking, as dust, rubble and debris fell from the sky and crashed with a loud thud onto the stage below. Golden sunlight spilling out down into the stage and illuminating the entire area and bathing it was amber sunlight. 

“Hope you all enjoyed the show!”  

The clown with wind magic shouted with a voice full of joy, as he bowed deeply to the destroyed crowd before gathering wind at his feet, creating a swirling tornado and rising higher and higher into the air. The female clown who used fire magic using the flames at her feet to do the same thing. 

Meanwhile, the giant clown stomped down hard on the ground three times, before a giant Spade Mole like creature dug itself from beneath the earth and up through the wooden stage. 

From what it seemed like; the clowns were trying to escape. To flee the situation that they’d created, without taking accountability for their sick, sick deeds. And for a moment, I truly believed they would. However. This day was truly filled with the unexpected. 

There was a loud crack, boom and air vibrating thud, that hummed through the air, as what appeared to be a golden bolt of lightning erupted through the opening in the roof and struck down the two clowns that were trying to escape. Their bodies falling lifelessly to the ground. Their blood spilling. Their decapitated, face painted heads rolling across the dust and debris filled rubble floor. 

“A Britannic Empire royal guard… and a strong one at that too.” 

I heard my mother whisper, as she stared down at the stage in both amazement and fear. Why she looked that way was beyond me. Maybe she had a problem with authority or was in fact a wanted criminal… no, that didn’t seem to fit her image. Either way, it was clear to see that with the appearance of the royal guards, especially whoever was in control of that golden lightning, that everything was going to be okay. And that this unexpected situation was about to end. 

It was only then, as the dust cleared, that I finally saw the person behind the flash of lightning that had decapitated the two clowns. A woman, dressed in golden armour and a royal blue skirt and cape stood alone, a golden rapier in hand, the sun light gleaming off of her armour, making her shine bright and radiant like the sun. 

“You had your warning. Now, face retribution for your crimes. My name is Claire Merigold. Commander of the third division of the royal guards. And your executioner.” 

Her voice rang out throughout the open and destroyed theatre like a blessing. As if she were an angel itself, sent by the heavens themselves to save them.  

Her features were indistinguishable for me at this distance, however, what caught my eye even more than her glistening golden armour. Was her pure, Snow-White hair that blew and danced around her in the gentle breeze that the hole in the roof let through.  

“We only require one of you to stay alive for interrogation, so tell me. Which one of you will bow your heads and accept your death. And which of you will be interrogated, before being locked up in jail. Oh, of course, you're both welcome to surrender and spend the rest of you lives behind bars… though, I doubt you clowns are smart enough to take that opportunity.”