Winds of Freedom

Chapter 18: The Exposition and Departures Chapter

{Pre A/N}

Welcome to the Act 2 finale! Yes, I will be calling them acts for now on.

---------

Chapter 18: The Exposition and Departures Chapter

Shang Tu Island – Royal Palace, Noon Hours

The Royal Palace of Shang Tu stood majestically against the vibrant sky, the golden sunlight bathing the city below. From the audience chamber's open windows, the Royal Magister gazed out at the tranquil landscape, watching the palace grounds stretched before him and the city of Shang Tu in the distance. His serene expression reflected the peace of the moment, but that calm was soon interrupted by the sounds of a struggle echoing through the hallways.

"Dude, at least release us from this ice! I can't feel my legs!" a voice complained, frustration clear in its tone.

"Legs? I can't feel anything!" another voice chimed in, equally irritated.

There was a knock at the door to the audience chamber, and the Royal Magister gestured for entry. The doors swung open, and to his surprise, General Gong stepped into the room, accompanied by two Shang Mu guards. The guards—a lion with piercing cobalt eyes and a boar with aquamarine ones—were both encased in ice from their feet to their necks, arguing and complaining.

"Ugh! Sorry, Magister, couldn't carry these guys any other way," General Gong explained, his tone a mix of apology and irritation as he set the two frozen guards down in front of the Royal Magister.

"Yes, you could, you fat panda! You could have, uh, I dunno, escorted us like normal prisoners?!" the lion growled, glaring at Gong.

"Yeah! And why you? I wanted the panda chick!" the boar added, scowling in equal irritation.

"Shut it, you two!" Gong snapped, delivering a bonk to each of their heads, the impact causing the two to reel back comically. Their muffled grumbles continued, but at a much quieter level.

The Royal Magister raised an eyebrow at the scene before him, taking in the absurdity of the situation before finally speaking. "I assume Neera apprehended these two near the ruins?"

Gong nodded, his expression shifting to one of seriousness. "Not only that, Your Excellency," he began, kneeling respectfully before the Magister. "These two were directly involved in a full-scale assault." His voice held a mixture of frustration and weariness as he continued. "They commandeered a bullet train they called the Egg-Bullet and breached the ancient temple near Relic Island. Their intent was clear: they were headed straight for the Kingdom Stone's resting place. It was only thanks to Neera, myself, and a group of unexpected youngsters that we managed to derail the train. Unfortunately, the effort caused the collapse of the cave's entrance." Gong bowed his head apologetically. "The damage was... extensive."

The Magister took a deep breath, absorbing the news in silence. He turned his gaze toward the window for a brief moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm and understanding. "It is fortunate that you managed to stop them in their tracks," he said, the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he congratulated Gong. "You and your team did well."

Gong blinked in surprise, not expecting the praise. He bowed his head lower with gratitude. "I... thank you, Your Excellency, I—"

Before he could continue, the boar prisoner snorted loudly, a smug tone in his voice. "Yeah, well, the other guy that the Robotnik guy hired totally stole the Kingdom Stone while we were on the train." The boar's voice dripped with pride. "He was already inside the cave and probably heading to Shang Mu right now, so... suck it, blues!" He paused for a moment, his face contorting slightly in confusion as he muttered, "Wait, that didn't feel right..."