Chaos and Order - A Multiverse Fanfic

C10: Traitor (2)

"He fears me," Desmond said, his eyes glaring at Arlen's back. "That's why he doesn't want me to be with him in the same carriage."

Kai mutely listened, his face flushed from the all the wine they had drunk. Arlen had divided them into two groups. Arlen, Shae, and Sonia would guard Mr. Beedle in one carriage. On the other, Desmond, Simon, and Kai would have all the brooms.

"Humph!" Desmond snorted. "We are doing it. Before taking the broomsticks to the air."

"What?!" Kai spat. "This wasn't the plan. We agreed to blackmail Arlen and get some Mission Credits and Items."

"That was then, this is now," Desmond said, his eyes blazing red.

"He is a wizard," Kai said sharply. "No kind of ambush guarantees our victory."

"Don't forget my Skill - Minor Soul Shaker," Desmond said. "It's a Charged Triggered Skill."

"But he is the Captain of Guard."

"Your Mission has nothing to do with what happens to Arlen. Or who the Captain of Guard is."

Kai's eyes narrowed at Desmond's reply.

"You want me to hold back Simon," Kai said, guessing as much. "I am not too sure about it."

"You are worthy enough," Desmond said, with an iron certainty. "If you can escape the full might of a 2nd floor's Contestant, then you can easily resist a weaker opponent for some time, can't you?"

He had Kai then.

If Kai were to say no, then Desmond would surely get to know Kai was lying about the shop's incident.

So Kai nodded. He had to.

*

*

Boom!

45 minutes into the journey, a sudden jerk jolted Kai, Desmond, and Simon. The horses seemed to have gone berserk. From afar, the sound of a boom came to their ears. But it was the ear-piercing voice that truly shook them up.

"SONIA!"

Desmond jumped out, kicking the carriage door open. Kai followed Desmond, with Simon behind him.

Some dozens of meters away, Arlen was clutching his head. Blood was running down through his hand, dripping over the ground like a faulty tap. Half of his face was bloody, and in his right hand was the wand. Its tip pointed at the figure standing against him.

Sonia was standing tall there. Her back was to the carriage, from which Shae's face could be seen, horrified beyond doubt. There were two black daggers in Sonia's hands, and a strip of paper was attached to their ends.

"Explosive Kunais!" Simon exclaimed. "Red, help me! Throw the water can at the captain."

Simon dashed towards Arlen, but Kai was upon him before that. He slid under him, tripping the one-eyed man, and before he knew what was happening, a knife was at Simon's throat. Of course, Kai never remained weaponless for long.

"What's the meaning of this?!" Simon asked, a terror on his face. "Desmond, what have you done?"

Arlen and Sonia didn't look away from each other. Sonia's hands lifted, and she was just about to throw the Kunais when a burst of Mana came out of Arlen.

"Expelliarmus!"

A brilliant flash of scarlet light came out of the wand, almost blinding Kai. In the next moment, the two Kunais were flying high in the air, and Sonia's hands got thrown outwards like dead branches.