You begin to read the winds that passed through the back alley-ways...
"I-I'm sorry!" A high-pitched and raspy voice screamed.
That's..!
"Who are you people!?" Another voice asked.
He seemed to be laying on the ground with... a seraph next to him. That's Sorey and Mikleo!
"The Scattered Bones." A voice answered.
That same person held a knife to the fox hellion's neck.
"Scattered Bones?" You mumbled.
Alisha moved your hand off her mouth.
"The Scattered Bones is a nationwide assassins guild." She spoke quietly and softly, so as not to alert the enemy. "We should confront them." Alisha began to turn the corner but you grappled her waist and held her tight.
"No. The fox hellion from Aroundight Forest is there. It seems that hellion is a member of the assassins guild." You whispered.
"A hellion in an assassins guild??" Alisha said in shock.
"It's no surprise. After all, assassins kill for money, that alone can create enough malevolence for hellionisation."
"The contract is still active Lunarre." The one with a knife held to the fox hellion's neck spoke. "Besides, we don't harm bystanders."
"You... contract... assassins guild..." Sorey said. "You intend to kill someone, don't you."
"Well aren't you a bright one." Another assassin wearing the same uniform and mask appeared behind Sorey.
"Although you assaulted one of our members, we'll let you off the hook." The assassins took away the fox hellion and fled.
You turned the corner.
"Don't let them get away!" Sorey tried standing.
"No, we have to stay here. If that fox hellion is that strong, who knows how strong his comrades are." Mikleo ordered.
"Ah, so it IS you two." You smiled. Alisha hugged your arm and hid behind it.
Sorey and Mikleo turned around.
"Y/N!" Sorey beamed.
"Yo." You laughed.
"Theres the runaway airhead." Mikleo said.
"Shut up moistball." You grinned.
"Shut up, that's not even a real insult!!"
"Well now it is."
"Alisha?" Sorey saw Alisha and walked up to her. "Is that you?"
"Sorey." Alisha sparkled.
"Alright let's get this romantic reunion out of the way, Alisha and I are late for the festival."
"O-Oh, yes, we must hurry." Alisha grabbed your hand.
"Cool, that's exactly where we're headed." Sorey said.
"Huh." You said blandly.
"It's the only reason we snuck out of Elysia." Mikleo said.
"Ah, so you guys did a disappearing act as well." You and Alisha began walking to the back entrance. Sorey and Mikleo followed.
"I'm not sure if we're gonna return in the near future, Mikleo and I are gonna go explore all the ruins!!" Sorey said with a light in his eyes.
"That's nice, I have a map of all the ruins I've found." Alisha said.
"Wow, so you're a knight AND a ruin explorer?" Mikleo said. "I must say, that's pretty impressive." He praised.
"She's also a princess." You said casually without looking back.
You heard Mikleo and Sorey stop dead in their tracks. Silence engulfed the alleyways. You and Alisha turned to look at them. They were frozen in time. Complete statues of flesh and blood.
3... 2... 1...
You tapped your foot on the ground.
"WOW YOU'RE A PRINCESS!?" Mikleo rushed up to Alisha.
"THAT'S SO COOL!! HEY, DOES THAT MEAN YOU HAVE A LOT OF THIS THING CALLED 'GALD'!?" Sorey did the same.
You blocked both of them with your foot.
"Hey if you want to talk to the princess you're gonna need to put down all your weapons, armor and senses of dignity." You demanded. "Also you have to bow deeply, a perfect 90 degree bow to signify your respect towards her highness." You said quickly.
They both ran around you and to Alisha.
"I've always wondered, do princesses always dance in ballrooms??" Mikleo asked.
"IF SHE ALWAYS DID THAT HOW THE HELL DO YOU THINK SHE WOUND UP IN ELYSIA!? DID SHE JUST BALLROOM DANCE HER WAY THERE OR DID SHE JUST BALLROOM DANCE HER WAY THERE!?!?" You turned angrily.
"Hey, hey! Do you eat a lot of food!?" Sorey asked.
"YOU IDIOT, IF SHE ATE A LOT OF FOOD SHE WOULDN'T BE AS SEXY AS SHE IS NOW!!"
"U-Um, well... Y/N just answered your questions." Alisha said nervously.
"C'mon, we have to go to the festival." You walked on ahead.
Alisha caught up to you.
"The back entrance is just up ahead."
As she said this, you saw a gate with two guards stationed there.
Alisha passed through due to her being the princess, and you passed because... well you were invisible. Sorey wasn't so lucky.
"Hey! Festival staff only!" The two guards crossed their spears, blocking the path.
You grinned and went on ahead with Alisha. Your hand reached for hers and your fingers intertwined. She blushed and you gave her a smile. You both walked through a hallway and ended up at the sanctuary foyer, where a blade embedded in an altar was sitting, and many people.
"Wow." You said in amazement.
Large pillars reached up all the way to the ceiling, and blue banners with the crest of Hyland draped from the ceiling.
Alisha giggled. "There's plenty of food, go on, there's nothing to be afraid of."
"Hell yeah!!" You charged towards the food.
"Just don't eat other people's food!" Alisha called out from behind you.
"Alright!" You grinned.
All of a sudden you felt a sharp pain in your stomach. You folded over and fell to the ground.
T-This is...
"Malevolence." You managed to say.
You stood back up. There's so much malevolence here, why would there be malevolence at a festival like this?
You looked around at all the citizens of Hyland.
This is supposed to be some grand celebration, why is there so much hatred in the air?
The atmosphere burned in your lungs, you could barely even breathe. You were safe with Alisha before, you should hurry back to her.
You walked slowly to Alisha, and found her speaking to Maltran.
"Well... I did find a new type of goat. It was the Elysarkan goat if I recall."
"Hm? That's all you've found?"
"I also found a ruin with a mural depicting the Shepherd."
"The Shepherd?" Maltran said in interest. "I see, if a mural exists then maybe there's a chance that the legend of the Shepherd is true."
"Hey, Alisha... there's a lot of malevolence here, I can't eat with all of this around me." You groaned.
"Ah, Y/N." Alisha turned.
"Damn it... that chicken looked really good."
"Alisha, I must tend to my duties." Maltran turned.
"Yes master, we will talk more once the festival has been concluded.
Maltran smiled and walked away.
"Hey hey, why is there so much malevolence here?" You complained.
"I don't know. This is a grand celebration, I'm surprised there's any malevolence at all."
You were finally able to stand upright and that fiery sensation in your chest faded slowly.
"It hurts when I'm not with you." You said while wincing.
"Just stay close to me." Alisha said softly as she neared up to your chest.
"A-Alisha..." Is all you managed to say.
"Alisha." Maltran called. "It's time."
Alisha turned and nodded in determination.
Great timing Maltramp. You said sarcastically in your head.
Maltran escorted Alisha to the altar and drew everyone's attention.
"Everyone, princess Alisha has an announcement to make, your attention please."
Alisha took a breath.
"Citizens of Hyland. For years we have delayed the celebration known as the Sacred Blade Festival, due to the war between ourselves and Rolance, however, we delay this grand event no more!"
"Yeah whatever!" Someone in the crowd shouted.
"This is just the council giving itself a pat on the back!!" Another exclaimed.
"This war is all the governments fault! Why don't you do something about the poverty instead of this useless garbage!!"
The entire crowd erupted into turmoil, constant shouting and screaming filled the halls of the sanctuary.
"Wait! Don't-" Alisha tried to speak.
"Enough! Stand down!" A guard held them back, his fellow guards behind him.
"Take this!" A citizen threw a rock at the guard, provoking him.
"Why you!" The guard lashed out and began to attack the citizens.
"Stop this at once!" Alisha ordered.
"That guard... he must've been bribed..." Maltran could only watch as the chaos unravelled itself.
"The chancellor?? No way, to involve the citizens in a power struggle like this..." Alisha clenched her fists. "Are we really that corrupt??"
"That doesn't matter right now, just stop this!" You felt the pain slowly return to your chest. "I can feel it... the malevolence... if this goes on then..."
"Harghhhh!!" One of the people screamed out.
"No... it's too late! The malevolence is manifesting!!"
That person was soon shrouded in a blanket in a dark and sinister aura, and he slowly morphed into a huge dragon of malevolence.
"What's going on in here!?" Sorey burst in through the back door, with Mikleo behind him.
The atmosphere turned a dark shade of blue, and all light was dimmed.
"No way... that hellion, it's huge!" Mikleo said, overwhelmed.
The dragon wreaked havoc on the sanctuary, flying from wall to wall and only worsening the atmosphere. It sent balls of flame outwards and lit the walls on fire.
"No! Stop it!" Alisha said desperately.
"I'll put out the flames!" Mikleo drew his staff.
"I'll try to hold back the hellion!" Sorey unsheathed his sword.
"I've got your back." You said as you took a fighting stance.
"That's... a hellion??" Alisha said, wide-eyed with fear.
"She can see it?" Sorey turned.
"Alisha! Run while you can!" You yelled.
"No! This is my country, these are my people. I won't run!" Alisha drew her spear.
You smiled a little at her determination.
"Alright then, bring it on!" You yelled with Sorey and Alisha behind you...