In the throne room of the Wisterian palace, a place that symbolizes the power of the king. Where great people of old ruled and uttered their words for the betterment of the kingdom, of the land blessed by the Lord and Lady. In this grand room were two men who didn’t belong here. Both royalties of the nearby empire.

The younger prince, Cilas, was standing in the center of the room. A sword hung on his waist. He wore light leather armor, just something to protect himself, just in case. Although, he would prefer not to fight anyone. He did not favor violence that much.

The older prince, Alistor, was standing by the throne, looking at it with interest. His men were fighting outside, doing their job. And all that both these princes had to do was wait for everything to finish. He was certain of their victory. Because, after all, the enemy, Wisteria, was not prepared. And without their king, it made it absolute. He was confident.

“I’m getting tired,” said Alistor. “I’m sure no one would mind if I sat down right here…” He sat down on the Wisterian throne. He placed his arms on the rests and leaned back, adjusting his posture, like he was practicing. He proudly smiled. “Very good.”

Cilas watched him with a frown and walked a bit closer. “Can’t pay a little respect, I see.”

“Respect? Why should I? These will be ours pretty soon either way.”

Cilas didn’t know what to say, so he just sighed. “About the matter with the Princess.”

“I told you, I have a plan in mind.”

“Tell me what exactly.”

“Hmm… I’m bringing her to the Empire.”

Cilas’s eyes widened. “Are you being serious? You can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“That’s not up to you.”

“Once this mission is a success, I’ll be declared as the heir of the imperial throne. With that, I will have authority… I must have authority.” He lowered his head with a stern gaze. “There is a lot to be done.”

Cilas narrowed his eyes. “The order is to kill her, you’ll be disobeying it. Father will not be pleased.”

“What’s the difference between bringing her there and killing her now? Nothing.”

That’s not all there was to it, Cilas thought of it. A princess in a foreign land? Dragged there against her will? Into a hostile nation? He could imagine what would happen to her, and how she could be treated. Not exactly good.

“How are you planning to treat her when we get there? She is a princess of an enemy nation.”

“Treat her nicely.”

“That isn’t sure. She could be thrown into a cell for all we know.”

“She is mine. She could be among my women if the time comes.”

“What…?” Cilas was dumbfounded. “Is that what you’re planning? She’ll resent you.”

“She’ll love me. I know how soft she is on the inside.”

You’re insane.

“If she does resent me,” Alistor continued. “I’ll change how she feels.”

“You can’t be sure of that.”

“Don’t you see, little brother? She is the greatest prize out there. Or are you just jealous?”

Cilas glared at him. “Shut up.”

Alistor smirked. “Too bad, she likes me more.”

Cilas grimaced in anger, but immediately gathered his composure. “So you plan on bringing her here before you?”

“She won’t be sharing her family’s fate.”

Her fate would be so much worse. Is that it?

“Is that so? Retrieving her has been taking a while.”

They have been here for some time now since the attack started. If it was as simple as retrieving that fragile princess, it wouldn’t be too hard.

“Let’s just wait, I’m sure she’s on her way.”

“... I see.”

Cilas turned towards the throne entrance and closed his eyes. He conjured the Princess’s face in his mind. That pure smile, that beautiful and kind face. The most beautiful in all existence indeed. Cilas has realized his feelings after a hard contemplation. And to imagine what her fate would be, he felt pain for her.

And thus, he came to a decision.

I’ll help her.

He could not save her family or anything. All he could do was save her, and her alone. He’ll bring her to safety, out of this palace. Somewhere, anywhere. Where she’ll be safe and alive. It was disobeying the orders of the Empire. However, what difference would it make if she just disappears? Not like she had any significant influence over this kingdom. And, not like she had the disposition to become a leader.

I hope I’m not too late.

“I’m going, brother.”

“Hm? Where?”

“To the Princess, it is taking a while.”

“You’re that impatient?”

“The men might get too reckless. I want to make sure she isn’t harmed.”

“Is that so? Then do what you want.”

Cilas began walking outside.

“Don’t take the main route,” said Alistor. “It’s safer that way.”

“I know.”

There were a few small entryways, stairs, that lead to the upper floor. Cilas was planning on using those. He was sure that the group that would retrieve the Princess would use those. If they get her, he’ll come across them. He intends to go to the Princess’s room and ask the men on the way if he needed to make sure.

He left the throne room and went through the grand corridor where members of the Shadow Order were hiding in the darkness. Protecting the way to the throne room. One appeared in front of him to offer him protection. But he rejected them.

***

Wow, everyone’s working hard. But amidst the chaos, I slipped away. The mage from the distance has been giving my buddies some trouble, so I grabbed an enemy knife on the way out and hid. Pouring mana into my muscles, I threw the dagger to the mage. She shoots, she scores! Right in the head! Bullseye—b-bullshead! Okay, yeah, that doesn’t work.

Now that I’ve helped them, I ran away, my cloak covering me entirely. As I was getting close to the palace, enemies were coming to join in attacking my allies out back. I drew out both my daggers and waited in the shadows. With a clean opportunity, I emerged and began cutting down my enemies.

“Who—”

“No!”

“Who are you—”

Such as their pathetic cries.

I have to at least take out as many enemies as I can to lessen the burden of my guys. As more enemies were coming in, I quickly returned to hide. They stopped, looking confused at the corpses on the way.

“What is this?”

“Shit, this is Bren, one of the elites.”

“What?!”

“What the hell? I just saw him go past us.”

Ooooh, Bren was one of the elite knights of theirs? Sorry Bren. Didn’t know that.

I mean, kinda embarrassing to die like that. So much for being elite, huh? Elite in properly dying, I guess.

I leaped out of the darkness again and slit the throat of one.

“What the?”

One turned around noticing me, so I quickly threw one dagger at his face. While the other was about to strike with his sword, I grabbed his hand and stabbed my blade into his throat, pushing him to the ground.

But then another pair of armored enemies arrived and saw me.

“Hey!”

“Kill that guy!”

I poured mana into my blade as I pulled it out of the guy’s throat.

“Hm?” But there was something weird about my weapon.

Blood was stuck on my blade. Not the normal stuck, but the blood was shifting. The enemy was coming close, so I cast a barrier between us.

Time out.

The enemy swung his sword the same time my barrier appeared. I waved my hand and a powerful force of wind blasted the enemy away, crashing into the one behind him. I turned my attention back to my weapon. I tilted it around. The blood shifted to the edge of the blade, and they formed like some sort of vein on the flat.

What the heck?

I can’t do that. I don’t do that. I don’t know any spell that controls blood like this. And, why was it sticking to my dagger? I was supposed to cast Armament Magic. Huh. That said, I was sensing something different about my weapon.

Let me try it.

The pair of enemies came charging again. I aimed at the enemy in front and threw my dagger. The blade pierced through the armored enemy with ease. But against my expectations, it went through the body, and also hit the one behind him.

Holy shit!

I didn’t expect that, even with my Physical Enhancement active.

There was another enemy way back, watching in shock. He didn’t have any weapons whatsoever and had light armor, so he must be some mage.

“W-What the hell?” He gathered his composure and grimaced at me, extending his hand.

I casually waved my hand and almost instantly, ice crawled from me to the enemy. It rose into several spikes and impaled the man in the vulnerable parts, killing him. I sighed and grabbed the dagger stuck to someone’s face. It was a plain dagger.

I touched the tip of the blade on the corpse’s open wound, touching blood. Thinking back on that moment, I replicated how I did it, not that too different from using my Armament Magic. It took a moment for me to realize the little difference in feeling, but blood began moving. I watched with widened eyes.

Just like the other one, the blood spread all over the blade, forming veins, and sticking to the edges.

Okay… I can use blood to enhance my weapon? Blood… isn’t this kind of, um, dark? Black magic or some shit.

But, strange, it almost felt natural. Whatever, guess I have to give it a try.

I went on to grab my other dagger from another corpse. This one was dug deeply into the flesh. Surprisingly, the magic voodoo blood was still there. I wonder how long before it disappears. But it isn’t time to test something like that.

By the way… I’m no witch, okay? Don’t know what’s up with this, okay? I’m innocent, okay? Maybe gotta do with my godliness or something. Being the Princess of Blood and all. Okay?

A moment later, I was back before the palace side entryway. Enemies came popping out, of course.

Alright, time to see what you blood upgraded blades can do!

Two armored enemies charged towards me. One swung down his blade at me, and I met it with my dagger. At the moment of contact, I felt my blade cutting through steel. I gave it a little more force and I successfully cut the sword in half. Dumbfounded by what happened, the enemy formed an opening. I took the chance to slice through his wrist, easily cutting through his gauntlet.

“Agh!” he cried.

Before I could finish with him, the other attacked to stop me. I stepped to the side aided by the wind on my feet, and quickly got behind him. I lacerated his back. He promptly backed away, looking at my weapons in shock.

Holy shit, my weapons got a hell of an upgrade.

I was cutting through their armor almost like butter, or a pile of paper…? There was still some resistance in the solid material, but it was definitely way easier and more possible than with just plain blades, or elementally coated blades.

I sensed an attack coming at me from nearby. I stepped sideways, evading the arc of light, but then another one came flying. In my annoyance, I threw a dagger at the culprit. My dagger and his slash of magic met in the air. But my attack cut through his magic and dissipated it. Surprised, he quickly cast a barrier, but it was futile. I threw that one with a lot of force, and it successfully pierced through his barrier, plunging into his skull.

The enemy from before continued attacking me, his weapon shining in red flames. I avoided a few of his swings, but he got the ups on me and he swept his weapon sideways. Raising my dagger to the side, I blocked his sword. I wanted for my enhanced dagger to cut through it, but all I could do was a nick. It's the resistance from his magic. More push should do it, but his flames were intensifying.

I quickly used my shielding magic, and pieces of protective barrier appeared on my hands and to my upper torso. I used my other hand to point at him, and pieces of my barrier extended, violently pushing him into the wall.

As he took a hit, I went for the killing blow, piercing him in the heart. But I wasn’t satisfied, I instantly pushed downward, rending through his armor and flesh all the way to his stomach. Certain he was dead, I pulled my weapon, and I noticed the other enemy crawling, trying to grab his sword using his still intact hand.

I went to retrieve my other dagger, and I waved my hand. A thin line of ice ran on the floor and grew into a sharp spike, piercing through his exposed throat. I pulled out my dagger as I dispelled both my ice magic and shielding.

I looked up at the palace roof, someone was watching, he saw. Using my wind magic, I propelled myself upward, reaching right before the gawking enemy. His eyes widened in shock through the gaps of his face cover.

“Got you.”

A fucking ninja.

I grabbed him on his shirt and threw him all the way to the ground, leaving a small crater. But he was alive, as I thought. I dropped down beside him as he groaned in pain, blood coming out of his mouth.

I crouched beside him. “Where are your royals?”

He merely looked at me. So I pushed the tip of my dagger into his arm. Frost coated the blade and slowly, the cold injected into his veins. He groaned and shouted in pain. He was trying to get up, but my newly conjured crimson barriers kept him pinned.

“Answer me.”

“As if!”

“Hm. I haven’t been able to experiment with a few torture methods with my magic. Would you like to be experimental subject number one?”

My frost in his arm spread out some more and he writhed in agony.

“Just tell me, that’s all. And I’ll let you live.”

“Never!”

“Hm. Let’s see.”

I waved my hand, and an arc shaped construct formed going over his head, a few inches above his eyes. Spikes grew out of the construct, slowly growing closer to his eyes and skin.

“Considering the skull, reaching the brain will be difficult. But I’m sure we’ll figure something out. Maybe through the eyes will do, but of course we’ll try on other sides of your head.”

He gasped as the thin spikes inched closer. The spikes first touched the skin beside the eyes, and my cold was injected into him, his eyes went wide in pain. A few of my spikes paused a couple of centimeters right before his eyes. A tiny bit more and it will touch the cornea.

“Aa—!”

I covered his mouth with ice, he was getting louder than I wanted.

“If you wish to finally answer, blink three times.”

And he blinked thrice. I retracted the spikes and removed the mouth cover. He gasped for breath.

“Answer me, now.”

“— The throne r-room! They’re there.”

“I see. I appreciate it.”

I stood up and my spikes started moving again.

“W-Wait! You said you’ll let me live!”

“I let you live a few more seconds, is that not enough?”

“No—” Ice covered his mouth.

And my spikes instantly pierced deep into his eyes.

Huh, guess the skull really did protect his brain.

He was no longer moving, but I stabbed his heart just to be sure before going inside the palace. There hadn’t been much activity from here compared to before, they must be assembling to fight my knights, while the others were trying to obtain full control of the palace.

The main lobby was still in chaos, though. A few of my knights were still holding it, but there were more enemies here as expected. The palace staff could truly be in trouble soon. Can’t do anything about this right now, have to take out the leaders first.

I stealthily went past everyone and made my way to the throne room. Was pretty easy when everyone was distracted. I walked through the grand hallway, and it was quiet out here, and dark, with only a couple of lamps to light up the place. No enemies around.

Halfway to the throne room, I stopped. My eyes darted to my front, in the dark hallway before me.

“You think you can hide in the shadows?” I said.

Yes, I know you’re there.

It was then that someone stepped onto the center floor. It was a fucking ninja. Screw these guys.

“You noticed we’re here?” he warily asked, standing confidently.

“Like little children trying their hardest.”

“What? Who are you?”

I lowered my hood, revealing my beautiful face.

His eyes widened in surprise. “You. The Wisterian Princess. You dare mock us?”

I smiled. I don’t like ninjas. Not hate, more like annoyed. Perhaps you’re saying something like ‘But Estelia ninjas and assassins are basically the same’ or something. Well, there is one crucial difference.

“I am merely being honest.”

“We are the Shadow Order, we have mastered the dark. I don’t want to be insulted by the likes of you.”

“By the likes of me…?”

“One who walks in the light and admired by all. Being given everything.”

“Oh?” They wanna be poetic? Fine. “You mastered the dark? Ludicrous. You merely walked into it.”

He frowned. “Better be quiet now, Princess. We are ordered to keep you alive. Don’t make us hurt you.”

“Hm? Really now? You think you can hurt me?” I resisted my urge to laugh. “Let me tell you something, kid.” I pulled out my blades. “Ever since my birth, I have known only the abyss.”

He glanced at my weapons. “Careful.”

“Let’s even the playground, shall we?”

There was one crucial difference between ninjas and assassins.

I pointed an index finger outward.

The difference is that: We assassins are just more badass.

Wind burst forth from my finger and went in their respective directions. To the lamps that remained alight. And they all snuffed out. The entire place was engulfed in utter darkness. As though we fell into the abyss.