As the sunlight hit the mansion, the two finally decided to go back. But on their way, Kai asked Ray to keep the truth about his powers secret.
To this, Ray happily agreed to; as he said that he understands why Kai would want to keep his powers a secret, and that Kai must have already thought of what to do ahead.
Kai just chuckled to it, as the two kept walking back to the mansion. But just as they were about to step inside, a thought structed Ray as he quickly held Kai's hand and asked what if he's seen by Kris, since he's the one who wakes up early in the morning. But to this, Kai just smiled and walked inside the mansion, saying;
"No one shall wake up, until I want them to be awake."
Saying so, Kai walked ahead, with Ray confused what he meant by that. But as the two slowly reached to their rooms, Ray began to understand what Kai meant. It seemed that when Kai was playing the flute, he casted a spell in the melody which made everyone in the mansion fell into a deep sleep, except for Ray. He was both surprised, and a little scared of Kai. Surprised at how Kai can come up with crafty ideas like this, and scared that if Kai would use his powers for wrong doings.
As the two reached to Kai's room, Kai turned to Ray as he said that once he enters his room now, everyone will be awake. Ray just nodded to it, as he said that he too will go back to him room now.
"Ah- Wait,"
But Kai stopped him, saying that he can't go back and rest right now. Confused, Ray asked why; to which Kai said that Ray will be returning to the palace soon. Kai's word made Ray surprised and confused, as he asked what Kai meant by that. To this, Kai chuckled as he spoke up;
"You see, right before everyone went to sleep after those uninvited guests were taken care of… Dad decided to tell uncle Max what happened here, and the two discussed that it's best for you and Nino to return back to the palace."
Ray slowly nodded his head, understanding the gravity of the situation, sighing;
"I get it. Guess will be celebrating the festival back there this time, heh…"
Kai just patted Ray on the shoulder, smiling as he cheerfully said;
"Too bad! You will be travelling while I enjoy the festival here! And honestly, they don't really have to send you two back, since I'm here to take care such situations. But again, they don't know what I can do and still thinks that I'm just a disable guy."
Ray begins to laugh at this, saying it would be too much for them to take in; about Kai being able to walk and talk, and that it was him who transformed into Trickster and killed the assassins.
After the short conversation, the two parted ways. And just as Kai said; when he stepped inside his room, everyone slowly began to wake up, and by the time they all had breakfast, Hiro revealed that Ray and Nino will be going back to the palace and the commander of the imperial knight will personally come to escort them. To this, everyone was surprised; except for Kai, who took on his disabled look and Ray sitting across from him on the breakfast table; the two exchanged knowing glances.
And soon shortly after, the imperial knights commander arrived; Ornlarf. Hiro and Sakura greeted him, the he too asked about the situation about the night before. The royal knights as well joined in, saying it was their failure that led to this. But Ornlarf reassured them, saying it was unexpected for something like this to happen, but the knights argued back as they reveal that they already had a hint that something like this would happen.
Yesterday; during the afternoon, before the ritual for the moon festival began, and the assassins attacked: -
The time when Nino was running around in the central plaza; looking around the festival. The royal knights were following her, when they noticed a suspicious group of people; all dressed in a cloak walking around by the small alleys at the back. As the knights noticed them, two among the five knights went to investigate the group. And as it turns out, the suspicious group was none other than the assassins group.
It was thirty of them who attacked at the mansion, but originally were thirty-one; as one of them faced the two knights who confronted them first and got caught. Later the knights went ahead, as they informed Hiro and Sakura about it and the two went to look into the caught assassin; only to find that the assassin had a puppet spell casted on him, stating that he would die if he spilled anything out.
But as they looked into his belonging, Sakura found out that his daggers were cursed weapons; banned in the empire. This raised suspicions among them, but Hiro assured them that he will ask Ferio to look into it.
But none of them were prepared for it, and so the attack happened at night. And as the knights explained the event to Ornlarf, he just sighed saying that the knights must explain everything to Maximus once they are back.
As they were talking, Ray and Nino came outside, followed by the rest; except for Kai. They all came up, talking among themselves how it would be nicer if Ray and Nino would have been able to stay as well. Sakura slowly came up to Ray and Nino saying that they can enjoy the festival back in the capital city too, and soon Kai and the rest will as well go back as well. The two could only nod, understanding the gravity of the situation.
Hiro, along with Ornlarf and the royal knights smiled, until he noticed that Kai was missing among the group; asking where he was.
For his question, everyone wondered the same; looking around. But then Ray spoke up, saying that Kai was not feeling well, so he stayed back in his room and didn't come out. Thinking back to last night's assassins attack, everyone thought that Kai was still shocked from it and needed rest.
But back from Kai's room, Kai slowly came up to the window seeing Ray making excuse for him, careful not to be seen by anyone.
"Seems like I can rely on him to cover up for me from now, huh…"
Kai spoke in a low voice, talking to himself chuckling. But suddenly, as he was looking around, he stopped. His light laughter froze, eyes slowly widening; not in surprise, but in rage. He placed in hand on the window, as the weather outside slowly began to change; with sudden dark clouds forming around.
Outside, as everyone was talking, the weather suddenly shifted. From a warm, lightful atmosphere with the sun shining brightly; to a dark, cloudy sky. As if a storm was about to come, the wind began catching up speed. Everyone was surprised at the sudden weather shift, as Ornlarf asked that they should leave right now then, since it seemed as a storm will soon happen. But at that moment, Hiro, Sakura, Ornlarf and the royal knights, they all felt a strong bloodlust coming right towards them from the mansion; as all of them turned to look that way, only one thought running in their mind;
"Was any of those assassins were hiding in the mansion... All this time!?"
But just at the moment they all turned to look towards the mansion, a lightning from the sky fell upon the ground. Just the place Ornlarf stood, which he stepped back right at the moment before getting hit. The surface where the lightning fell had formed a small crater, small sparks forming over it as everyone froze up in their places.
Everyone looked at the ground, then slowly up to the sky; seeing the dark clouds formed around, with lightning around them. An eerie silence fell over them all until Hiro spoke up in a calm voice, saying that Ray and Nino should go for the capital now, since the storm might reach the duchy any time. Everyone agreed to this, as Ray and Nino quickly went on the carriage. Elysia, Ana with the rest were waving safe travels to them, as the knights and Ornlarf too got ready to head out for the palace.
But they all had a serious look on their faces, along with Hiro and Sakura, as only one thought ran in their mind;
"What was that bloodlust just now…"
As the carriage pulled up, Ray looked back towards the mansion, looking at the window of Kai's room; thinking back on what Kai requested from him to do when he returns to the palace. But as he was looking, Ray noticed that there was a crack appearing on glass of the window, as he wondered;
"Was there such a crack last night…?"
Inside the mansion, in Kai's room; Kai was sitting on the floor, by the wall to the window, his head lowered, right arm rubbing his temples, while the left hand had a smiley ball, which he held tight.
And the surrounding of his room; books scattered around, candles broken, and so on… As if a storm had just occurred.
-To be Continued