"I agree. The longer we wait, the more disheartening it becomes to watch," another member of the group responded. This individual was Neal Gemheart, the leader of the Gemheart Clan's third division known as the Gem Shroud Legion.
With their leader concurring, the group collectively sighed in relief. They knew that their mission was already difficult, involving assassinating the royal family, abducting the foreigner from outside the mountain, and framing the group currently in front of them for the act. They hadn't expected an easy task, but the quick defeat of their allies had been demoralizing.
Eager to proceed with their mission, Neal covered his mouth with his scarf and signalled decisively, "Let's go."
"SWOOSSSHHH!!!"
"SWISSSSSHHH!!"
"SSWWOOOSSSHHH!!"
Immediately after those words were uttered, each member of the group surged forward, their magical energy pouring from their bodies and forming a vibrant, dark green aura that surrounded them. The leader's aura shone the brightest, radiating an indescribable magical pressure that spread like a wave.
This magical pressure was so intense that it alerted some of the descendants of the forgotten clans, making their hair stand on end and sending them scrambling out of the way in fear. Others were simply thrown aside as the Gem Shroud Legion charged forward.
"Only at the Crystal Radiant Rank," Neal muttered, noting the dark cyan auras enveloping each of the thirteen royal guards ahead of him.
These guards were relentlessly cutting down the descendants of the forgotten clans. Neal drew his dagger from beneath his black robe's sleeve, and his comrades did the same, each focusing on a different guard ahead of them.
"Gemheart Surge!"
Neal activated one of the Gemheart Clan's initial specialties, temporarily enhancing his physical strength to deliver brief but intense bursts of power. Using this ability might have seemed like overkill against Crystal Radiant Rank opponents, but with thirteen royal guards facing them and only ten of his group, he needed to incapacitate each guard in a single strike before their presence was detected.
So, before the nearest royal guard could sense the impending magical assault...
"BANNGG!!!"
His dagger slammed into the head of the royal guard in front of him, tearing through skull and flesh with gruesome ease. In a seamless motion, he drove his elbow through the royal guard's gut, launching him backwards with a resounding "thud."
Simultaneously, before the next guard could react, he harnessed the force of the collision to twist his body in the air. Instantly, he sliced open the necks of the two other royal guards beside him before they could even register his presence.
"Three down," Neal muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible. He surveyed the scene around him and realized that the other thirteen royal guards were now lifeless bodies.
Glancing at the guard who had slammed into the royal carriage, Neal muttered almost inaudibly, "Fall back!"
The rest of the Gem Shroud Legion heard his whispered command and quickly retreated into the crowd. They knew that the royal carriage served as a protective artefact, and they were unaware of its triggering ability. So, as a precaution, they concealed themselves and waited to see what would happen next.
While doing so, they remained vigilant in case the royal family had been prepared for this, and had protection hidden in the shadows. The plan was, after all, quite straightforward. Even if they couldn't eliminate the entire royal family, killing the Queen alone would still achieve their desired outcome.
Meanwhile, those who had witnessed this scene were momentarily stunned before their eyes widened in surprise.
"The royal guards are dead!"
A voice murmured from deep within the crowd, and although it was unclear who had uttered those words first, they quickly triggered a ripple effect that surged through the assembled masses.
"THE ROYAL GUARDS ARE DEAD!!"
Every descendant of the forgotten clans, each one a Crystal Initiate Rank, with the eldest among them reaching the Crystal Adept Rank, surged forward, their voices united in a furious chant.
"KILL THE ROYAL FAMILY!!"
"KILL THE QUEEN!!!"
…....…
Hearing the resounding 'Baannngg!' followed by the abrupt silence that blanketed the atmosphere within seconds, Orion couldn't help but mutter with a furrowed brow, "It's quiet," he remarked.
Based on the earlier sounds of battle and the glimpse he'd caught outside the carriage when Queen Selene drew back the curtain, he knew that this confrontation would take some time to conclude, unlike the earlier clash. So, the sudden cessation surprised him.
Just as he was about to ponder the overall strength of the royal family, the carriage shook once more.
"BOOOOM!!"
Gradually, it began to sway from side to side, and only then could they hear the commotion from outside the carriage.
Their eyes widened in realization as the truth of what had just occurred settled in.
"They've lost," King Brylon muttered aloud, voicing the words that echoed through everyone's thoughts.
"'Impossible!'" Queen Selene exclaimed loudly, snapping out of her shock-induced daze.
Although some of the royal guards who had accompanied them had returned to the castle to detain the attackers from earlier in the day, thereby reducing the strength of the royal convoy, it was still negligible.
The remaining royal guards were all in the high-tier Crystal Radiant Rank, nurtured with invaluable resources, and had undergone special training as protectors of the royal family.
Given their resilience and skill, the idea that they could be defeated by a group she was almost certain consisted of low-tier Crystal Initiates, at best, and Crystal Adepts was utterly inconceivable to Queen Selene.
However, as the constant force around the carriage grew stronger, causing it to tilt precariously from side to side, Queen Selene's expression turned cold. She realized that they had, indeed, been defeated.
Witnessing the transformation in his wife's eyes and sensing her anger, King Brylon's body stiffened. She muttered, "Open the door."
Taking a deep breath, Queen Selene composed herself, her anger receding. She refocused her eyes on her husband, sighed, and then turned her attention to Orion.
"Stay here for now," she instructed him before she took matters into her own hands and pulled the door open, stepping out of the carriage.
