"Can you still depower the rune diagrams in the palace?" Jack asked.
"The room with the palace's power crystal is the room I'm hiding in," Horatio replied. "Once I shut it down, whatever guards left in this palace will come here. With no ally left in this palace, I need to stay in this room to prevent someone from repowering the crystal."
"Meaning I've got to assassinate Marcus by myself," Jack said.
"Yes," Horatio answered.
"You won't be alone," Arlcard said. "I've something I want to settle with Marcus as well."
"What's the matter? You should have never met Marcus before," Jack asked, which was answered by Arlcard's silence.
"Is that your vampire companion?" Horatio's voice sounded from the communication device.
"Yes," Jack answered.
"You will need all the help you can get," Horatio said. "Go to the palace. Once you are outside, contact me using this device. I will then shut down the rune diagrams. When all the remaining guards come for me, you should be free to go for Marcus. As I mentioned before, he should be in the palace's basement. If you found a squad of blood army barring your way, then you know you have come to the right place."
"All right, I will head to the palace immediately," Jack said.
"Wait… There is something else I need to tell you," Horatio said.
"Tell me," Jack said.
There was a pause before Jack heard Horatio's voice again. "The humans and the outworlder you came with, two native humans and one outworlder were captured. The others were killed during the battle. My father put these captives up for public execution three days ago. He announced that if you don't show yourself, he will execute one of these captives every day. The two native humans had been executed. Today will be the day the outworlder is executed."
"Haon…," Jack muttered. "But this is a safe zone. He should only lose a level."
"A siege is going outside. This capital is considered a war zone now," Peniel reminded.
"Additionally, there is an enchantment to the execution device. He will come back to life at the same place he is executed," Horatio added.
'Which means he will still be in captivity after being executed. The resurrection chapel's effect won't be of much help,' Jack thought.
"Outworlders don't die for real. Leave him. We will go to Marcus. Once Marcus is defeated, he can be freed," Arlcard said.
Jack thought for a moment. He then asked Horatio, "Where is the execution taking place?"
"At the public square in the business district…," Horatio answered. "Are you thinking about rescuing him?"
"That is pointless and a waste of time," Arlcard objected.
"If we can save Haon, he will be a great aid when we get to Marcus," Jack said. "He is a strong combatant. We originally planned to have Horatio and his two siblings with us, but they are unavailable now. If we have Haon, our success chance is better."
Arlcard snickered but otherwise said nothing.
"I wish you luck," Horatio said. "I will wait for your signal before I act. Let me know when you arrive."
"Got it," Jack said. "And, Horatio…"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for letting me know about my friend."
"… Try your best to come here as soon as possible."
Jack stored the communication device back into his inventory.
"Will you help me to go save my friend?" Jack asked Arlcard.
"… I am your companion, aren't I? Even if I don't go, I am bound to come to your aid if you call me when you are there."
"Thank you!" Jack clasped Arlcard's shoulder, which made the vampire give Jack a weird glance.
Arlcard knew the capital better, so he led the way. Jack was again using his ethereal disguise. The streets were mostly deserted. The capital was in the middle of a siege. The inhabitants probably didn't have the mood to conduct their usual businesses.
City patrols were also fewer than usual. Most of the soldiers were at the wall dealing with the siege. Jack hoped this meant the guards at the execution place would also be minimal.
Arlcard took Jack to the roof of a high building that overlooked the public square. From there, they saw the execution platform that had been set up at the center of the square.
The execution device was a guillotine. A squad of twenty vampire soldiers surrounded the platform. Leavemealone was at the platform. He was bounded by both the runic rope and also the guillotine machine. Standing beside Leavemealone was someone in a black mask and black robe that covered the entire body, the classic attire of an executioner.
Next to the platform, a vampire in a dazzling uniform was sitting leisurely on an ornate chair. Beside him was a small table with a goblet. He was sipping from this goblet as he looked around lazily.
Jack's eyes couldn't help but stay on the vampire. This was because aside from his dazzling uniform, this vampire's skin also sparkled. It was as if he was using a glittering make-up or something like that.
"F*ck me, a sparkling vampire. Now, I have seen everything," Jack muttered.
Jack surmised that the sparkling vampire was the supervisor. That supervisor looked bored.
They were all too far away for Jack to use Inspect. He couldn't tell how strong those soldiers and the executioner were.
Jack also noticed above the platform were two people hanging by the neck. He recognized one of them as Dave, the minister who accompanied him to the palace to meet Marcus. The other was a human soldier, one of Dave's two bodyguards. Both of them were no longer alive.
Jack gritted his teeth. Damn that Marcus. He swore he would make that vampire emperor pay.
"Okay. We have to move fast. Firstly…"
"Agreed!" Arlcard said and then flew forward.
"F*ck…!" Jack cursed. Arlcard had rushed to the execution platform when he was just about to lay out the plan.
"He was even more rash than usual," Peniel remarked.
"Yeah. Like he is in a hurry or something," Jack said. His gold dragon wings spread as he flew at high speed chasing Arlcard.
The two were quickly spotted.
The soldiers arranged themselves in a formation facing the two. The mages among the soldiers started casting spells. The sparkling vampire stood from his chair. He was laughing with glee, "Hahaha. Finally, someone came. I've been bored almost to death."
Arlcard stopped above them. He then uttered an inhuman roar. Something that sounded not of this world. Red smoke poured out of him. This red smoke flooded over all the ones below except for Leavemealone.
Jack couldn't see what was inside the smoke. He could hear screams, though.
When he was still wondering what was going on. The red smoke receded and went back into Arlcard. Everyone that was covered by the smoke lay dead on the ground.
