After the night Jack presented his “master plan” to me I put it to the back of my mind, praying something would come up. Days past and as they did my anxiety only grew deeper. The Emerald Palace was in essence a fortified castle of sorts, home of the Rich Countess Cordelia. Beyond that the  location of many government dealings, and so protected by the knights of the highest order. Gods sake it was the crowning achievement of the entire Avalon Province! 

Despite every instinct within my body screaming this mission was destined to fail, I had to clear my mind of doubts. Through years of training I knew that hesitation with a sword only meant death. Plus, I had no moves, Jack would have my head or sick the entire town of Orrinshire on me if I didn’t help. 

Before the fated hour of my task my heart pounded wildly in fear and exhilaration. I knew getting caught would in fact mean a punishment worse than death, but this only motivated me further. When dusk finally arrived everything was, eerily quiet, especially on a traditionally rowdy Saturday evening. Each house unlit, filled with a devouring silence sprinkled with the occasional chirp of crickets.

Sneakily making my way around the Palace in order to not get caught, I stumbled into someone,  causing a startled yelp out of me. 

 “Shut it fairy boy or you’ll get us all caught,” Jack hissed. 

Fairly well hidden, I could make out the silhouettes of both Jack, Franklin, and Henry. 

“I’m not a-,“ I tried to make out but was interrupted by Jack, as he usually does. His ignorance is unbelievable, has he ever even tried to move around low with a halbert before either? 

“Now this is how this is gonna work,” he continued, “This barred window here has been loosened over the past month. We’re gonna sneak in here, make it down the corridor to the right, and then back. Got that?” 

“Yes,” everyone mumbled in reply, me with far less enthusiasm than the rest. 

One by one we boosted each other in and over as quietly as someone with full armour could. My suspicions of this being a trap grew as just like the rest of the town, this corridor was totally desolate. A Palace stuffed with confidential information and valuables, yet no guards? 

Pattering down the hallway, Franklin appeared to have the same thought process as me. Going on to exclaim, “S-somethings not right Jack. I think we should go.” 

Snapping his neck around to face Franklin Jack replied angrily, “ Are you the leader of this group? No? I didn’t think so? Now shut up and get going.”

Henry seemed to be amused by this, snickering at Franklins misfortune. 

We reached the alleged valuable room according to Jack, which was then lock picked and broken into. I stood guard at the door keeping watch for anything peculiar, which ironically, was this entire situation. Not moments after we’d made it into the room lights lined along the hallway lit one after each other. The faint sound of a large number of footsteps coming in our direction could be heard. We’ve been stood up, wish I could say I didn’t call it. 

“We needa go our covers been blown!” I exclaimed panicked. 

“Yeah yeah bean stalk, that’s what you’re here for,” Jack snarkily replied. 

Did he not understand the gravity of this situation? Sighing aloud a tight sensation filled my chest as I took a fighting stance. Knights came pouring in like a river, luckily, this wasn’t my first run in with experienced fighters. 

A sword came barreling down from the right, another from the left, narrowly dodging It I rolled, hitting both at the stomach from my knees. One particular fierce looking knight came next charging at full force, with his momentum I pushed him face first into a wall. 

“Hey! I need some help over here!” I screamed in desperation on the verge if being overwhelmed. 

Jack then began laughing out loud, “Why do you think I brought you in the first place? You’re expendable?” 

A cold chill ran down my spine upon hearing that, if I wasn’t so held up right now I would’ve sliced his throat. 

Shattered glass echoed through the hallway as the three of them jumped through a window to make their escape. All I was offered was one last pitying glance from Franklin before disappearing from sight. 

“Well, shit.” 

More and more came, I don’t know if it was the heat of the moment but at a certain point, I lost count of how many knights I took down. 

“Is, that all you got?” I said cockily while panting. Sadly, my body had other plans, causing me to collapse on the cold marble floor in exhaustion.” 

Right when my vision began to fade to black I heard the clacking of heels directly behind me. 

“My, my,” a ever so sultry and feminine voice called out, “what do we have here?”