CHAPTER V.

  “You’re awake,” said Alejandro, sitting against the wall of an abandoned building. He stared at Leonardo, who lay on his side. Leonardo’s arms and legs were not bound. Again, relatively useless to bind a magic user’s arms and legs, although he opted not to break them either. His sword and holster were on the floor across the room. Leonardo rubbed his forehead.

  “What happened?” Leonardo coughed, his throat raw. “Where ahm I?” Alejandro arose and stomped down his foot between his legs, causing him to yelp.

  “I knocked you out cold after you walked away from giving the shirt off your back. Good boy,” began Alejandro mockingly. Leonardo did not seem to react to being called that. “You’re still in the Grotto, but I’ll be asking the questions from now on. You better answer truthfully if you know what’s good for you.”

  “Y-yes, sir,” squeaked Leonardo, causing Alejandro’s eyes to soften momentarily. Alejandro cleared his throat.

  “So what are you doing with the sword of Leonardo, Prince of El Diablo and Second Prince of the Ironscar Kingdom?” asked Alejandro.

  “Oh, that’s 'cause it’s me!” answered Leonardo. Alejandro laughed.

  “Huh? You gotta be kidding me. I know you’re probably some noble because of the clothes you have—or had—but why would the Second Prince be here of all places? Alone too.” Leonardo scratched the back of his head.

  “Well, I kinda ran away 'cause I wanted ta see what the world outside the royal precincts was like. I plan on returnin before anyone notices.” Leonardo began telling him about how he escaped from the royal precincts.

  Earlier that night, Leonardo hunted with some noble friends in the royal forest and walked and talked with Carina, his personal attendant for the trip.

  “Your Royal Highness, are you sure you wouldn’t like to return to Larpour Castle? I’m sure your friends would understand if you’re unable to continue due to a cold.” Leonardo coughed a few times into the back of his arm.

  “Nah, I’m good. Thanks for worryin 'bout me though,” began Leonardo, flashing her a smile. She looked away, trying to hide the blush forming on her face. “I just needa sleep it off in the shed alone. Wouldn’t whan anyone ta catch what I have.” Leonardo told Alejandro all this and more. He listened attentively.

  “Well, I still have my doubts about you being the Second Prince, but I can see a noble sneaking out into the Grotto like you. Like a dumbass.”

  “Hey!” Leonardo crossed his arms.

  “Don’t ‘hey’ me. Do you know how dangerous it is for someone like you to be out here by yourself? There are people here who would kidnap you in an instant.” Alejandro looked at his face for awhile and clenched his jaw. “What exactly did you think you were gonna find when you came out here?”

  “Well, I knew the areas outside the royal precincts weren’t as prosperous, but I didn’t know it have all this . . .” Leonardo hugged his knees to his chest.

  “What? Poverty? Must be nice living in a gilded castle.” Leonardo looked at the floor dejectedly. Alejandro sighed, and his eyes softened. “But you can’t help where you were born either, and the fact that you made an effort to learn more about those less fortunate than you means something in my eyes. Now come on. Let’s get you back.” Alejandro extended his hand. Leonardo looked at it for a moment before shaking his head.

  “Sorry, but I wanna see more of the Grotto. I wanna learn more about how the people here live. It might be the only chance I get.” Alejandro rolled his eyes.

  “Did you hear what I just said? There are people here who wanna kidnap someone like you.” Leonardo stood. “And think about that attendant you tricked.” Leonardo clenched his fists. “You’re only thinking of yourself.” Leonardo began walking to his sword and holster before he placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “I can handle myself.” Leonardo smacked his hand off his shoulder. Alejandro narrowed his eyes and tried jamming his fingers into his mouth again to activate magical suppression. It worked earlier that day when he jumped down from a ceiling behind him, but this time he countered with a judo throw and positioned his arm into an armbar. He did not apply pressure. Yet.

  “Looks like I underestimated you.” Leonardo grinned.

  “Looks like you did.”

  “But looks like you underestimated me too.” Alejandro blocked the armbar and manoeuvred himself into a full guard. The two stared into each other’s faces as he held his arms above his head. Leonardo looked back defiantly, and Alejandro sighed. “You are such a child, but I guess . . . it makes sense.” Alejandro stood, and Leonardo sat. “Fine. I’ll accompany you tonight as you explore the Grotto.”

  “And who died and made ya king? Or are ya actualleh my dad?” asked Leonardo mockingly, crossing his arms now.

  “Yeah, well, I really will be dead if something happens to you while you’re out there. If you really are the Second Prince and all.” Leonardo looked down.

  “Oh.”

  “Well, technically, I’ll probably be in trouble for even interacting with you right now while you’re on your little escapade, though I guess I did knock you out. The best move I could make for my survival would be to leave you and run from this kingdom as far away as possible, but maybe I’m not as cold a bastard as you may think,” Alejandro swept his hand through his hair.

  “I mean,” began Leonardo, playfully rolling his eyes, “if a guy like you wants ta hang out with me, how could I say no, you know?” Leonardo shrugged.

  “Ugh, fuck you.” Alejandro rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at his lips. “Needless to say, the moment we step outside this shed, your name isn’t Leonardo. It’s fucking , , , Roman. Let’s go with that. You’re lucky you told that to me and not some crazy person, whether you’re telling the truth or not.”

  “Yeah, you just knocked me out from behind and kidnapped me. Totally not crazy at all.” Leonardo stood and leaned against a wall now.

  “I’m gonna conceal the inscription on your sword too. Don’t worry. I can reverse it. Most of all, you better do what I say. I’m sticking my neck out for you, figuratively and pretty much literally. If it gets too dangerous, we split, and you return to the royal precincts. Got it?” asked Alejandro.

  “Yes, sir,” answered Leonardo, sighing defeatedly.

  “Stay close to me, Your Majesty. Wouldn’t want anything happening to that pretty face of yours.”

  Alexander stirred on the floor of the Cave of the Macabre. He had recovered much of his mana. His movements suddenly became frantic. He scrambled onto his hands and knees, but he did not lift up his head. He closed his eyes. The last image he saw of his brother was his getting decapitated. What lay ahead would be his remains. Tears streamed down his face. He braced himself. He looked up.

  Nothing.

  His brother was not there. Well, the golem was at least. Obliterated into a thousand pieces. No mana emanated from it anymore.

  “What happened?” muttered Alexander under his breath. He closed his eyes and meditated. He felt someone else’s presence near him. It felt like his brother’s, but not completely. Something was off, but this was enough for Alexander. He stood and ran toward whatever was emanating that presence. It took a bit, but he found it. He found him. He found Firo.

  “You’re awake,” began Carina, who knelt beside Leonardo lying on a blanket on the cobblestone of the Grotto. He rubbed his eyes and looked around him. Other attendants of his were there too. The Grotto was filled with soldiers now, many tending to the injured. Many tending to the deceased. “You had me so worried, Your Royal Highness,” continued Carina, tears brimming.

  “H-how did you find out that I . . . I—”

  “Tricked me?” Some attendants audibly gasped. It was unusual for attendants to be so direct with their masters. Leonardo bit his bottom lip and nodded. “I happened to find some herbs in the royal forest that would alleviate your cold symptoms, so I returned to the shed to present them to you. That was when I found that you were nowhere to be found, along with your cold.”

  “Heh heh . . .” Leonardo rubbed the back of his head.

  “After that, I alerted the other attendants and the soldiers. We all searched in different areas, but I . . . had a feeling you would be outside the royal precincts. I searched the Grotto and could not find you until I found Judah.” Leonardo sat.

  “Judah! Is he arright?” Carina nodded.

  “Yes, Unicabeza members were severely battering him, but I found him in time. He told me what was happening and that a certain ‘Leonardo’ needed help. He is recuperating in a hospital and will be rewarded for his valour. But that is how I came to find you.” Leonardo took a better look at all the carnage around him, the evidence of his battle this night. “Truthfully, the battle was mostly over by the time I came by. That General Secretary was so desperate he even needed to necroharvest his victims. You really did a number on him in your first real fight.”

  “Well, I think you underestimate how strong ya are,” said Leonardo, smiling. Carina’s face felt hot, and she looked to the side. The other attendants threw knowing glances at each other. The personal attendants for royal-family members were charged with protecting them, so they were also trained into some of the strongest fighters of the Ironscar Kingdom.

  “The General Seretary and many Unicabeza members have now been detained. The Grand Justice, your brother, will be meeting them soon. But, my lord, I must inquire. Why did you do all this?”

  “Carina, you know it is not our place to question our lord like that,” said the Lady of the Bedchamber, but Leonardo shook his head.

  “No, no, she deserves to know. You deserve to know. Y’all deserve to know.” Leonardo looked intently at the attendants around him, who were all attention.

  Several officers, Unicabeza members, and the General Secretary were in a room under the city walls around the outer edges of the Grotto. The unmasked Unicabeza members sat in chairs, had their broken arms shackled, and had their feet bound. The General Secretary did not have arms or legs anymore. They were amputated. Medical officers stemmed the bleeding as much as possible, and he was a stump lying against a wall. Many of the Unicabeza members were relatively young, including Carlos, the one Vivian’s mother had smashed over the head with a rock multiple times. His head was bandaged, and he had brain damage.

  But he was alive. The room was silent but for occasional sounds like chains rustling, and half the people were startled when the door suddenly slammed open.

  “Silence for Giovanni, First Prince and Grand Justice of the Ironscar Kingdom,” announced an officer, looking at everyone before a smirk tugged at his lips and his eyes settled on the General Secretary. “You will stand, if you can.” Many people, though not all, stood as Giovanni entered the room.

  The General Secretary did not look at him. It took every fibre of Carlos’ body to stand. It looked like he could topple at any time. His body twitched involuntarily. One middle-aged Unicabeza member looked like he sat obstinately.

  “It seems he cannot stand. His legs must be useless,” said the Grand Justice as he stood in front of him. The member shook. He could have stood at that moment, but something drove him to continue sitting. “Allow me to verify.” The Grand Justice took a soldier’s sword and inserted it above his kneecap, causing him to scream in pure agony and fall off his chair. “Quiet in my courtroom.” The Grand Justice nodded to the soldier from whom he took the sword, and the soldier got on top of him and placed his hands around his neck until the screams stopped. Another soldier brought out a wooden chair for the Grand Justice to sit, and he sat. “Let what is said be recorded as the judgment and decree of the Crown and the people of the Ironscar Kingdom.” The soldiers took out their swords, pointed them to the floor, held their handles with both hands, stomped their feet, and bowed their heads slowly. Carlos face-planted onto the floor, and no one paid him any attention after a momentary look in his direction. “We shall begin with Santiago Rodriguez.” That was the General Secretary’s real name. The General Secretary spat in the direction of the Grand Justice and began speaking.

  “This ‘courtroom’ is a farce. This country is a farce. You hold this ‘trial’ away from the public eye after you’ve dismembered and tortured me. Are you ashamed of what the people of this country may think if they actually see this?” The Grand Justice rested his chin onto his palm.

  “Mr. Rodriguez, you misunderstand. There is no trial. You are charged with treason, among other things. It does not matter whether you plead guilty or not guilty. You will receive no mercy either way. The purpose of a trial is to find what the facts are. What facts must I find here? Dozens of your supporters witnessed your speech. Dozens of your supporters are still lying in the streets. You are guilty as charged, along with many of your co-conspirators.”

  “I can see the Crown Prince is a tyrant just like his father. You are convicting me without due process. The Empire of Liberty has it. Hell, even the United Empires has it to some extent. But this hellhole has none of it.” The Grand Justice smiled at him, baring his teeth.

  “I can understand why you speak so fondly of the Empire of Liberty. You and your family are originally from there, after all.” The General Secretary glared at him. “Oh, you underestimate the intelligence capabilities of the Ironscar Kingdom. And this, after you made such a big deal about the Ajibaban being an immigrant. I shall never understand you Fellsharists. You are walking contradictions. You talk about the team constantly. Do you even have any regrets for all the teammates you killed?” The General Secretary rolled his eyes.

  “Spare me. If you’re going to kill me, then kill me. I’d rather die than be lectured to by a coinlordist like you. I can see because of you glorious revolution will come about with or without me.” A devilish grin appeared on the Grand Justice’s face. It sent chills through everyone, including the General Secretary.

  “You may not care what I do to you at this point, but you may care what I do to this person. Bring her in.” A soldier brought in Vivian’s mother, whose cheekbone was crushed and whose jaw was broken, and the General Secretary reacted instantly. The stump fell face-first onto the floor and tried to crawl toward her, and the Grand Justice burst out laughing.

  “Don’t do anything to her! Mom!” She sneered at the General Secretary.

  “Necroharvested consciousness never completely leaves,” remarked the Grand Justice. The General Secretary continued wriggling his way toward her.

  “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” cried the General Secretary. Carlos breathed heavily as he lifted up his head to look at her, and she saw him. She reacted instantly.

  “Oh my Hebron, you’re alive! I don’t care what happens to me or that fucking asshole. Nothing will ever bring my dear Vivian back, but that boy still has a whole life left to live. I was consumed with rage. I—I forgive him, and I couldn’t forgive myself in this life or the afterlife if I had taken his life. Please, please, spare him!” Carlos’ eyes widened. The Grand Justice stood, placed his hands on her head, snapped her neck, and mocked her death glare.

  The General Secretary screamed.

  “Now you can rot in hell with your ‘dear Vivian.’ But you—” The Grand Justice looked at the General Secretary, who wanted to scoot away, but his arms and legs—or lack thereof—prevented him from doing so. “You will wish you were dead. Will one of the medical officers please bring me some scissors?” The Grand Justice flipped him onto his back and received the scissors in his hand.

  “Oh my Hebron! No! No!”

  “It just so happens I have a coinlordist friend in need of a new toilet.” At that, the Grand Justice began using his scissors to enlarge the mouth of that toilet.