AUTHOR'S POV
Without any intentions of leaving Helena's side as he carress her cold slender fingers, Atrius recognized the knights in captive. At a distance, he notices Gallanthe have already loosened up the ropes binding his wrists. "Why do you have these knights? Get rid of all of them", he said.
"Right away", Talon lifted his mace, gnashing his teeth as the other sand soldiers snigger around.
Atrius felt his heart hammering against his ribs. He popped up on his feet before Talon could smash someone's head. "What are you doing? Set them all free' I'm sure Nether can take this as a misunderstanding. Besides, someone has to return and inform the palace of Princess Helena's condition. Let them walk out of here alive". Mago made a side eye glance at Atrius, realizing that things don't easily change. Atrius' soft heart wouldn't harden impulsively, he figured.
Talon's eyes flickered as his gaze shifted to Helena. All the wild thoughts came rushing in his head as he flash a smile. "Princess, you say".
Despite knowing that the aggression towards the knights is uneccessary but unavoidable, Mago still greatly opposed in simply setting them all free. Releasing the knights in such state and with the knowledge of Talon leading the intrusion would definitely fuel the great war between two kingdoms. "I do not think such is a very good idea… it is way better off that we don't leave anyone alive", Mago uttered, convincing Atrius that no witnesses should be left behind to avoid anymore jeopardies. "We'll find a new way to let them know that the princess is with us. Better that way".
"There will always be war, Mago. Isn't that what you all came for in the first place?", Atrius decided fiercely.
"It is... but we came for an assassination on the royals and paladins. Not a head-on war", Mago answered.
"But these knights, they will remember the mercy that they received today", Atrius assumed that no one should win against his arguments. "No one has to die from here on".
"Do I need to remind you of what you have just decided on your dear friend? I clearly remember how ardent you were", Mago continued to argue. Atrius' decision to kill the rest of the knights should be as easy as choosing to get rid of Jacomus.
"He was undeniably a threat on Princess Helena's life. I was just serving my purpose to keep her alive", Atrius replied tirelessly. He gave Mago a forbidding scowl for him to back down. "Are you defying my orders?".
Mago finally yielded, thinking that he'll be spending the rest of his days and nights in his sky quarters making stronger arcane and runes for the war that is yet to come. On the other side of the circle, Talon took a while to respond. He looked at Atrius and somehow, still saw the same young boy that he picked up in the streets of Haima. Decisive. Stern. It was hard to look at those eyes pouring with empathy for assassins like him who naturally finish off people without batting an eye or feeling any less. A part of him that is long gone. And now, Atrius still shows his affinity to the knights who won't think twice to kill all of them when they get the chance. "You all heard the Prince", Talon dropped his mace tilting his head in dismay. The ropes that were coiled around the knights' wrists were immediately cut. And the blindfold that have kept their eyes were untied.
Gallanthe squinted at the intense glare of the light, as he lose his profound sense of clarity at a brief moment. As he rapidly blink his eyes, he saw a woman in the arms of Atrius who's standing by the tunnel. There were no signs of Stellan anywhere. 'That must be her', he thought.
"Prince Atrius, we have to hurry. The waning of the sun is soon", Mago uttered. Atrius only nodded as he held Helena close to his chest. "Escort the Prince to the Alhambra. The rest of you, finish off here", he ordered as a new entourage of Atrius' personal security surrounded them. While Atrius go along, he subtly dropped the string of beads with a cross that he have treasured. He never looked back. He carried Helena closely… tightly with definite urgency at every stride.
Meanwhile, Gallanthe looked fixedly at Helena. He peered until they disappeared in the dark shadows of the tunnel. He couldn't resist the urge to chase Helena, that he plans to take all the risks to get her back. However Talon blocked his way wearing that smug on his face. "Go on, take your leave", Talon dared, while each of the other three of his assassins stand aside. Raman stayed on the ground, looking amused of what he sees. 'Death is the only way out with Talon', he believed.
Gallanthe refused to take the bait. Talon couldn't possibly let them go so easily. As hard as it can be, he couldn't exactly tell anything from their slow and deliberate gestures. They all looked so calm, with empty hanging hands, as if being released and walking away is a safe path to go into.
The knights looked at each other with eyes filled with doubts and questions. The whirs of the air and its ebbing warmth dried their eyes and throats. Gallanthe never moved an inch, and so did the others. Having no idea where this could be heading, no one plucked up the courage to take the first step.
"Go on", Talon repeated, crossing his arms. "You can all walk free".
One knight mustered his nerves and came forth. By the looks of it, Talon wouldn't just leave them behind without him seeing them off. With nothing on to protect him, he sauntered the path back to the forests of Nether. As he go off, he could feel eyes pinned on him behind his back. He licked his dry lips and trudged in a faster pace. Despite wary, he took every step with a thought of finally going home.
"Viktor!! Watch out!!", Gallanthe yelled.
As Gallanthe was about to jump on one of the assasins, who's aiming a dagger at Viktor, Talon grabbed Gallanthe's arm, twisted it on his back and pointed a knife on his eye. "Just watch", Talon whispered. The other knights chose to stay in position with a threat of the daggers pointed at them.
Viktor turned and froze at the dagger that went flying in the air, hitting him straight right into his neck. Blood splurged quickly out of his mouth, as his body drop like a log on the ground.
The knights reeled back. This isn't escape that's being offered, nor mercy that Atrius mentioned. These assassins are just finishing off the game that they started. Raman snickered, looking impressed at the assassin's clear shot. "Now that's what I'm talkin' about!", he cheered at the bloody sight. Poor Viktor gurgled blood out of his mouth until silence took place.
"Go on! Get your chance at life. If you make it, send our love to your palace… and that the princess of Nether is well taken care of at the sands", Talon continued, pointing the tip of his knife at Gallanthe.