48

  “The Saints’ convoy has just arrived in the city.”

  The words struck Constantia like a blow to the chest. Marcus stood in the entryway of their compromised safehouse, his breath shallow from the run, his expression grave. Their timing could not have been worse. She had planned to escape the city before the Saints set foot in Avignon, but now, they were here—mere streets away—while she and her ragged team crouched in hiding beside the corpses of two slain Inquisitor agents.

  The secret base had already been breached before their arrival, but with the outer city crawling with zealots now calling themselves “Reformists,” and with no information on the Prophet’s or Ipsilas’s whereabouts, they had no better refuge.

  Situation on middle of the city isn't that good either. Guards are aggressively patrolling the streets, looking for four outer city infiltrators. Every citizen here is issued a paper that they need to show the guards whenever they’re asked to and for foreigners, they’re told to leave the city as soon as possible. Constantia tries to get her hands on these citizen papers, but even the corrupt guards here become really tense and refuse the bribe because of the massive riot in the outer city.

  The situation is stacked against Constantia and her team. They also haven’t heard any response from Dragon Castle and Papal Palace, safe to assume that the rioter hunts every message bird they see flying in the air. Out of desperation, Constantia also sends one of her Inquisitor agents to bring the message directly to Dragon Castle, but she also hasn't heard any news regarding that.

  They’re trapped in this city. It’s impossible to get out before they finish their mission and impossible to kill Ipsilas who’re far stronger than all of them combined. Constantia asked herself what option that she has now that doesn’t require a complete annihilation and failure, but she found no answer. Many times she deluded herself that Ipsilas may respond well to her diplomatic approach, but then she remembered the fight they had in Isildus and what kind of person he is.

  “Any word of Ipsilas?” she asked, her voice ragged.

  “I managed to retrieve a copy of the paper nailed to the church door by the Prophet,” Marcus replied, placing it on the table. “Its contents are… troubling.”

  She seized it with a trembling hand, crumpling the paper without reading. “This heretical garbage tells us nothing. What of our messengers?”

  “No response. Not a bird. Not a whisper.”

  Constantia let out a sharp exhale before rubbing her face out of frustration. This whole suicide mission is really taking a toll on her mind. She hoped Cain was here to lead the group instead of her. She’s running out of options and the only person she thinks who could help her is the Saints. Especially Sebastian. But asking them for help is out of the question, not to mention Sebastian also really hates her because of the Isildus incident. Should they just start rampaging on the outer city until Ipsilas himself comes? That’s also an option, but doing that would be a fight of three people against an entire city.

  Constantia began to ponder on how three people could take down an entire city full of fanatics. There must be a way for them to lure Ipsilas out and finally try to assassinate him instead of engaging in a full frontal fight. Constantia stares at an oil lamp in front of her, it dances beautifully on her tired eyes. Marcus on the other hand looked at Constantia with a pitiful expression. He walked outside to guard the hideout with Antonius.

  The feeling of desperation gnawed on her mind. Feels like there’s not a way out from this mess. Every plan will end up with all three of them dead or get excommunicated by the order. Constantia racked her already chaotic mind for another solution, but she’s already far too tired. All she can do right now is beg God for a miracle and hope that she comes out alive from this nightmare.

  “Three people against the entire city.” Constantia mumbled as she tried to touch the flame with her finger. “God, please help me with this dilemma.”

  The fire stung her skin and it made her jolt in pain. Accidentally he hit the oil lamp and spilled it on the table. Not before long, the entire wooden table is engulfed in flame and it spreads towards other furniture. Constantia watched as the flame ate its way through everything in its path. She froze and just stared at the destruction. Slowly her mind becomes clear and the smoke hurts her lungs, bringing her back to reality. Suddenly an epiphany landed on her mind. She smiled as she watched the flame grow bigger and black smoke filled the entire room. She finally found the answer.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Constantia exited the room and black smoke followed behind her. Marcus and Antonius were shocked when they saw that their hideout began to burst into flames. However they’re more confused seeing Constantia smile as she walks towards them.

  “We need to make a hole in that wall.” Costantia said with a smile. “A big hole in that wall to let the fire from the outside burn everything here.”

  *

  Night came and the streets of the middle city were as busy as ever. Despite having a massive riot in the outer city, they’re very well insulated and protected by the giant wall separating the section. Guards patrol the street all time of the day and infiltrate and quickly get caught long before they even get a chance to cause any harm. However this peaceful time soon changed. Because right now Constantia along with Marcus and Antonius are approaching the barricaded gate.

  Constantia knew she can’t just cut down the gate and cause havoc. She needs to make it look like an accident. If the guards found out that inquisitor agents are the one responsible for destroying the gate and letting the reformist into the middle city. The fallout from that incident would definitely make the Grandmaster furious. They need to be discreet about this and she knows exactly what she needs to do.

  Marcus and Antonius managed to steal a belonging from a reformist corpse who got caught. They noticed that almost all of them wear a similar pendant. Now with this pendant in their hand, all they need to do is sneak into the gate opening mechanism and leave a few corpses with a pendant on them. A perfect plan to cause chaos and panic amongst the people.

  “Remember, we need to Assassinate Silas, not to engage him with direct flight.” Constantia said as the three of them arrived at the gate.

  “Understood.” Replied Marcus and Antonius.

  This massive gate is guarded by numerous soldiers around. The guards are practically everywhere, but this kind of infiltration and sabotage are the specialty of inquisitors. The three of them sneak past some guard and headed towards a tower where they gate opening mechanism at. Like a shadow they managed to stay hidden using the cover at night. Then they finally entered the tower by lock picking a door while no one's watching.

  “The mechanism is on the top of the tower.” Says Marcus.

  “Alright let's move.”

  Constantia dashed through the tower interior. This place is massive and filled with sleeping rooms for the guards. However despite the barrack and massive interior, there’s no one in this place .She wonders where everyone is. And then her question was answered. As they all ran through the hallway, suddenly every door burst out revealing guards who were already waiting for them. Constantia managed to dodge a blade that was inches away from stabbing her on the side of her face from behind a door. If she’s running a few meters to her right, that blade would’ve already caught her and sent her away to heaven.

  “Kill them all!” shout at one of the guards.

  “The same to you!” say Constantia

  She unsheathed her spear and thrust it towards one of the guards. The spear pierced through his steel shield and landed straight at the heart, but Constantia kept pushing and hit another guard behind who was unprepared. An attack came from the side and she kicked one of the approaching guards, sending him flying into the wall with tremendous force. She pulled out her spear and swung it into the many guards' feet around her, effectively crippling them all. Despite being surrounded, they’re still superior in terms of combat capability. Fighting a massive ambush like this is annoying, but it’s not the first time they have done this.

  “Don’t leave any witnesses. Slaughter them all,” command Constantia.

  Antonius slammed his massive body towards a small group of soldiers and pushed them all towards the wall. Then with a strong sweeping attack with his axe, he cut them in half with ease. Marcus on the other hand uses his agility to dodge and stab everyone around him, his rapier soaked in blood and his movement are like a typhoon of death.

  Every guard around began to notice that these three people were not their regular infiltrators. They’re far too powerful and skilled. They’re no match despite having overwhelmed them with numbers. This in turn makes some guards run away for their life. However Constantia wouldn’t let anyone escape with her spear. She stabbed a fleeing guard and many who’re begging for mercy. They all need to die here and none shall call for any reinforcement.

  The number of guards dwindle quickly as Constantia and her group massacre them all. They didn’t care for any pleas and cries. Their eyes are without mercy and their weapons cut through anything that was moving and even the dead. Rivers of blood form and soaked their clothes making it a deep black color. Then after they finished killing every single one of the guards, they looked around for any sign of life.

  Countless mangled and torn bodies are scattered across the hallway. Constantia, Marcus and Antonius began entering each room that these guards came from to check if anyone was hiding. A sound of cries can be heard again as they found some guards hiding under the bed or inside a wardrobe. This whole ambush is unaccounted for, Constantia didn’t realize that many Reformists are trying the same thing as they did considering how ready these guards are. However this situation is still under control. They managed to kill every single guard around and now the way is open for them.

  After killing the last hiding guards, Constantia and her group began their ascent towards the gate mechanism. They encountered some guards along the way, but disposing of them was not a problem at all. Then they finally reach the top floor where they’re greeted by other groups of guards.

  “INTRUDER! LET OUT A SIG-”

  Marcus Rapier pierced the guard's head before he finished his sentences. Constantia leaped forwards and cut every single guard's throat around her. Marcus also killed a couple of guards who’s trying to sneak their way out of this. But then suddenly a brazier was lit outside and Constantia noticed a frightened guard yelling for help.

  “IGNORE HIM AND OPEN THE GATE!”

  “COPY THAT!” Marcus said as he pushed open the gate mechanism to open it

  Slowly the gate began to open, but Constantia realized that this mechanism can only open half of the gate. They need to push this mechanism on the other tower at the same time. Not wanting to give up and acting out of desperation. Contantia burst out from the tower and used all of her feet muscles to propel herself forward towards the other tower.

  Many of the guards watch from below as Constantia flies through the air, but judging from her trajectory, she won't reach the other tower's top floor. Constantia thrust her spear into the tower wall and used it to leap herself up towards the top floor. Arriving at her destination, she began to fight every single guard with her bare hand and massacre them all quickly before help arrived.

  Then the gate began to move. Opening up the way for the reformist to immediately swarm the middle city. Fire spreads as the guards are overwhelmed by the sheer number of rioters who flooded the gate entrance. Constantia watches the whole thing with a smile on her face. If it meant sacrificing the whole city for her mission, she’ll do it. Even if there will be countless deaths as a result of this plan, she’ll still do it. This is not the first time she destroyed a city and this wouldn’t be the last either.