Kael stood still at the center of his square, his eyes narrowing as the flashes of light erupted in the sky beyond the blue walls. A familiar tension filled Kael, reminding him of the ceasefire. Kael could feel the presence of Terrance growing ever closer.

  That news was all but confirmed as Blue returned from the edge of the square, floating down from above.

  Terrance was outside, at the threshold of his square.

  The man, Terrance, was no stranger. Kael had dealt with him before and Kael expected this encounter to play out the same. With negotiation.

  Terrance’s army was large but Kael knew he had the advantage. Only bronze-level invaders could breach the blue walls and Kael had no fear of them. There was no Captain Titus that could invade and Kael was confident with his chances.

  Kael’s footsteps echoed in the forest as he walked from the shade of the trees. He was not hidden, nor did he need to be. His companions, however, were hidden, at the ready to be called upon.

  Kael reached the edge of his square, the blue walls separating him and Terrance’s army. He could see the soldiers standing at attention, their weapons ready. They were no Golden Legion and the battle, if it came, would be swift.

  Kael stood there, looking across the shimmering boundary, opposite Terrance. He stood like a rock, towering over his soldiers. He was a man of discipline and honor. This was not a man who would break the ceasefire without purpose.

  But the question remained: what did he want? To ask about the Wallbreaker? To start a war?

  Kael's gaze locked onto Terrance’s figure. A slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips as Blue floated beside him, tracing out the words in the air.

  "Terrance."

  Kael didn’t need to speak more than that.

  Terrance held a parchment in his hands, its edges crinkled as though it had been hastily scribbled upon. The message on the parchment was brief, yet laden with implications.

  “Your walls came down earlier tonight."

  Kael’s pulse barely quickened as he read the words aloud. He exhaled slowly, his thoughts precise and calculating. Should he lie? Should he weave the truth into something more advantageous?

  There was no point in deception, in petty falsehoods. The truth would suffice.

  “Indeed.”

  Blue floated beside him, its soft blue glow tracing out the phrase.

  What Terrance didn’t know or perhaps didn’t understand was how much Kael had learned in the short time he had been a Master. The world, as it turned out, was full of rules and systems, and Kael had understood how to play the system.

  Terrance watched, his expression a mixture of frustration and skepticism, but he said nothing. Instead, his quill scratched the parchment again, scribbling down another line of text.

  “And the walls are back up now.”

  Kael merely glanced at the parchment to know the message. It was a simple statement, one to test his response.

  Blue moved around in the air, marking words in the air for all to see.

  “Amazing observation skills.”

  Kael could see the faintest flicker of irritation in Terrance’s eyes. It was fleeting, but it was enough to let Kael know that the Grandmaster of Sword School didn’t appreciate the comment.

  His quill scratched the parchment with such intensity that Kael thought it might tear through. He held up the parchment. Kael read the words carefully, letting the weight of them sink in before his eyes narrowed.

  "What is the meaning of this? War? Invasion?"

  Kael’s first instinct was to laugh. But he didn’t. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, his gaze moving briefly to Blue, who floated just beside him, its light flickering in the dim atmosphere.

  He thought his answer, and Blue, obedient as ever, traced the words in the air.

  "No."

  The words glowed softly as they appeared in mid-air.

  The blue wall shimmered between them, Terrance glaring from the other side, his posture stiff. The silence stretched and Kael let it settle between them.

  There was something in Terrance’s expression, something Kael couldn’t place, but it wasn’t anger. More like uncertainty, a spark of doubt that Kael knew he could exploit.

  Blue, sensing his attention, moved again, tracing a new set of words.

  "I wanted to go on a picnic."

  There it was. The truth, or at least part of it. The words hovered in the air and the reaction was immediate.

  A look of confusion was plastered onto Terrance’s face but it passed quickly. Terrance’s jaw tightened and he scribbled even harder now. Kael didn’t flinch as he read the next message:

  "And you expect me to believe that."

  Kael shrugged, the motion casual, almost lazy. But Terrance was persistent. Even as the frustration and confusion painted his features, Kael could feel his determination.

  Blue moved again, the glowing lines dancing in the air, his thoughts becoming the words Blue traced.

  "You are unhurt, are you not? And Newvale is unblemished."

  Kael hoped that Terrance might see reason. When the walls were down and Newvale was not attacked, it may be enough to convince him that Kael had no intentions of escalating things into something far more dangerous.

  Despite that, Kael could feel the weight of Terrance’s suspicion growing. The gritting of his teeth, the frustration leaking through his stoic facade, told Kael everything he needed to know.

  "What about Golden City? Was that your doing?" Terrance’s handwriting was cursive but clear.

  Kael’s brow furrowed. What did he mean? Kael glanced up, his eyes quickly scanning Terrance’s face. It wasn’t about the battle earlier. Surely not.

  Or was it about Vor’s invasion? The poisoning?

  Terrance didn't need to know everything. He didn’t know what Kael had been involved in. Kael needed to twist this.

  Time for deception.

  Kael shook his head slowly, his expression one of innocence, the picture of someone who had nothing to do with whatever had transpired. As he did, Blue traced a large word in the air, the glowing letters clearly spelling out Kael’s denial.

  NO.

  Terrance wasn’t convinced. He never was, was he? The disbelief was palpable in the old knight’s eyes before he scribbled on the parchment again and held it up for Kael to read.

  "What about Highhaven?"

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  Kael’s eyes narrowed, shifting slightly as he looked back at Terrance. His response came swiftly, words traced in the air as Blue moved.

  "Yes, you killed Avaris, didn’t you? Good job."

  The brief flicker of surprise that crossed Terrance’s face did not escape Kael’s notice. The old knight’s gaze shifted, just slightly, before he quickly regained his composure.

  Terrance had expected a reply that was sharp, maybe laced with sarcastic compliments. Instead, the unexpected praise caught the man off guard.

  The brief lull in the conversation was quickly broken when Terrance scribbled a new message. Kael’s eyes moved to the parchment with a careful, measured gaze, his brow furrowing as he read the question

  "Can you use Message Birds?" Kael’s breath caught in his chest for a moment. The realization hit him like a sudden storm.

  Message Birds. The tool Kael had used to deceive King Kaden of Golden City, planting a false message to lure the reserve away from the city.

  Kael didn’t flinch. He didn’t even blink. Terrance had caught on, though not in the way Kael had anticipated. Yes, he had used Terrance’s name to trick King Kaden, weaving a lie that the king had believed until it was too late. But now, Terrance was here, asking the very question that threatened to expose that deception.

  He scrunched his face in exaggerated confusion, turning his expression into one of false puzzlement.

  Blue, ever the obedient messenger, glowed softly beside him, tracing out the words in the air with its pale, glowing light.

  "What’s that?"

  Terrance’s eyes narrowed as he absorbed the response, then he gestured, calling out to one of his men.

  Kael’s attention sharpened as he watched a young man in plate armor rush up to Terrance. There was an urgency in his steps, the kind that indicated something important was about to transpire.

  The whispered exchange between the two men was inaudible from Kael’s side of the blue wall, but he didn’t need to hear it. Kael knew something was unfolding.

  The young man, still breathless from his hurried approach, pulled out a bronze key. Instinctively, Kael’s fingers twitched towards his scimitar.

  The key was handed to Terrance, and as the knight took it, the young man began the slow, deliberate process of disarming himself. He first placed his sword and shield on the ground with care, as if they were sacred objects. Then, one by one, he removed the heavy plate armor, each piece falling to the ground.

  The final pieces came off, revealing simple cotton garb. He was now unarmed, vulnerable.

  The young man looked at Kael and held his hands up. It was a gesture of submission, but there was something more. It was a deliberate choice, as though to show that he posed no immediate threat.

  As Terrance handed the bronze key back to the young man, Kael’s gaze shifted to the key. The key was inserted into something Kael couldn’t yet see, and with a slow turn, the air around them seemed to shift.

  The blue walls of light, the barrier that kept him safe and imprisoned turned red. It was the unmistakable sign of an invasion.

  This was no mere visit. This wasn’t a simple diplomatic mission or a conversation. It was a challenge, a test, a declaration of intent. The red walls meant only one thing.

  War.

  His scimitar was drawn fully now, its flame igniting. The tip pointed at the man as he stepped into the square. In his other hand, a green swirl of energy pulsed with the Deathbolt spell.

  The man stood tall, hands raised slightly. Kael’s gaze flickered between the young man and Terrance, who still stood across the red threshold.

  "What are you doing?" Kael’s voice was sharp, his question more a demand than an inquiry.

  The young man swallowed hard, his throat working as if the words were too much to speak. He straightened, inhaling deeply before answering. “Kylo,” he began, his voice shaking slightly. “My name is Kylo. I am an emissary... I have come on behalf of Master Terrance.”

  “That is the truth?” Kael asked.

  Kylo nodded quickly, the motion sharp. But Kael could see the tremor in the young man’s shoulders, the fear still lingering in his eyes.

  Kael extended his hand, a golden light on his fingers forming the outline of a mouth.

  “You wouldn’t mind a spell?" Kael asked.

  The young man’s eyes flickered to Kael’s face, then back to the glowing shape of the mouth that had formed before him. The Truth spell.

  Kael’s hand reached forward, touching Kylo’s shoulder lightly. His voice was low, a whisper in the silence. "What is your true intention coming into my square?"

  The question hung in the air between them and Kael expected the truth from this young man. The spell made sure of it. A hint of lies and the ceasefire would crumple down.

  "I... I don’t really want to come in," he said. “I’m just here to pass messages, like what Master Terrance asked me to do."

  It was honest enough.

  Kael let go of his shoulder and his scimitar extinguished and sheathed at his side. The young emissary still had his hands raised high as though to ward off any sudden attack.

  "Speak now, Kylo the emissary," Kael said.

  Kylo swallowed, his breath shallow as he kept his hands aloft. "Master Terrance wants to know what you want."

  "I told him," Kael replied, "I want to know where a good spot for a picnic is."

  "Master Terrance said not to fall for your tricks," Kylo said. He held fake bravado as the fear remained in his eyes.

  Kael allowed a small chuckle to slip from his lips, the sound low. His gaze locked onto Kylo’s, and he took a step closer, his presence all but commanding.

  "There is no trick," Kael said, his voice calm, deliberate. "And put your hands down. You look ridiculous."

  Kylo froze for a moment, clearly caught off guard by the sudden bluntness. His hands slowly lowered to his sides, still trembling but less so than before.

  "Newvale is so beautiful, and you cannot tell me where a good place to have a picnic is?" Kael said.

  Kylo blinked, clearly taken aback by the line of questioning. His eyes flicked nervously between Kael and Terrance, still standing on the other side of the red wall. He seemed torn, unsure of how to proceed.

  "If picnic is a code for weakness, Newvale doesn’t have any—" Kylo began but Kael’s interruption cut him short.

  A chuckle rose in Kael’s throat. "No. I mean an actual picnic, with pie and sandwiches."

  For a moment, Kylo looked at him as though he had lost his mind. His expression was one of pure confusion, as though Kael had asked him to recite the stars in the sky rather than provide a simple answer.

  His eyes darted again to Terrance, who stood on the other side of the wall. The knight had no idea what was happening between them, and Kael saw that the emissary was desperately seeking some kind of guidance.

  But Terrance was no help. The barrier between them was not only physical but silent, and the knight had no way of hearing the exchange between his emissary and Kael.

  Kylo swallowed nervously. "Urm…" he muttered. He looked back at Kael, then quickly glanced to the distance, as though trying to find something, anything to say.

  "Do you know Farmer Mclough?" Kylo finally asked.

  "Mclough? I don’t think I’ve heard of him."

  Kylo’s face relaxed a little. His voice grew a bit more animated, more sure of itself as he continued. "Mclough family has been farmers for ages, you see. They have a huge field, filled with tulips."

  Tulips. The word of a simple flower felt like a strange thing to be spoken in a conversation with a Master of the Square.

  "Every year, when the time is just right," Kylo continued, "the tulips all bloom together. All the colors you can imagine. It’s beautiful."

  The soft vulnerability in Kylo’s voice caught him off guard. Kael could tell that this was not simply a random fact. This was a man, Kael realized, a man with dreams and wishes. Kael imagine life without the square, without the restrictions. How his life would be.

  He shook the thought off. Terrance was waiting outside the wall, and the game was afoot.

  "Sounds like a lovely place for a picnic," Kael said. “When do the flowers bloom?”

  "I’m not too sure," Kylo said. "Should be soon. Maybe in a week or two."

  "I would very much like a picnic there," Kael said. "When the flowers bloom, Kylo, I will bring these walls down and have a picnic there."

  Kylo looked uncertain, as if the words didn’t quite fit into the reality he understood. But Kael was being sincere.

  "You and Terrance are welcome to make sure there is no violence, no war, no invasion happening," Kael added.

  That idea of peace, this would be the first step. To show Kael had no bad intentions at the moment.

  Kylo hesitated, his eyes flickered nervously to Terrance, who remained behind the red wall of light. Kylo looked back at Kael, his mouth opening.

  "I have to ask—"

  "Of course," Kael interjected smoothly. "Let me know what Terrance decided."

  Kylo nodded and he turned, preparing to leave the square. As Kylo reached the edge of the square, Kael noticed Terrance scribbled something furiously on a piece of parchment. In the blink of an eye, it transformed. The parchment shifted, forming into an ethereal bird.

  The golden bird fluttered into the air as it flew towards Kylo, passing effortlessly through the red wall of light. A simple parchment was held in the bird’s talon and it was dropped gently at Kylo’s feet.

  Kylo held it up, his eyes catching Kael’s, his gaze filled with an unspoken question. Without saying a word, he showed Kael the message written hastily in Terrance’s hand. The words were short, clear, and precise.

  "I want to see if the Message Bird goes through the walls."

  Terrance was testing the claim, to see if it was possible. Kael still needed more for the knight to trust him.

  Kylo shifted awkwardly on his feet, holding up the parchment as if offering it for Kael’s inspection one more time.

  “I will ask Terrance about the picnic," he said, stepping out of the square.

  The walls flickered, a soft hum of energy passing through the air as the barrier began to dissolve back into the blue glow. Kael could see the conversation between Kylo and Terrance, an air of confusion between them.

  Turning, Kael disappeared into the shadows of the trees in his square, the darkness around him swallowing him whole.

  The picnic idea, absurd as it was, held something deeper. It was a ploy to deflect suspicion, to throw off those watching, to buy time. He had hoped that the picnic would seem harmless, even innocent, and that would be enough to keep them from striking immediately.

  And yet, for all his planning, Kael could not ignore the little part of him that genuinely wanted the picnic.

  What if?

  The game had always been about control, about surviving the systems and the battles that threatened to swallow him whole. What if he was able to sit among the flowers, surrounded by those who were not enemies, with no care for the world around him.

  That certainly did sound lovely.

  ******