Tales of Berseria The X: Beyond Calamity

Chapter XII: Assassins in the Night

Twenty-Two Years Ago, The Second Anniversary of the Birth of the Hyland Prince, Hyland Castle

The Hyland King and his Shepherd marched through the halls with haste. The arrival of their unexpected guests made the king feel terribly uneasy. A man of his stature, Hyland's great ruler, had welcomed many guests from foreign lands.

Especially the unusual ones.

"They appeared near the gates?", the King asked.

The Shepherd nodded, "Yes, your majesty. They moved in with the rest of the malakhim."

"Is the guest hall secured?"

"Yes. The Prince and his entourage are safe. We halted all affairs at the banquet. Your squire praetors have everything under control."

The King groaned silently, "Good. The sooner I get there, the better."

They soon reached the enormous doors leading to the protected guest hall—the sound of soldiers slamming their chest plates in salutations resonated throughout the gallery. The doors opened, and the King strode inside.

His presence was announced by one of the soldiers. Every attendee turned their heads at the entrance, bowing while clearing the way and stepping back for the King of Hyland. He could hear the sounds of his small boy's laughter, and his concerns were put to rest, but not completely. He moved closer to his throne, and with the last person moving to the side, he finally saw the Prince and his two new guests.

The little Prince was playing with a flying rappig creature, and a very short, elderly man with white hair who was smiling favorably at the prince. The bodyguard squire slowly nodded to the King, ensuring him of the safety of the situation.

The King calmly breathed a sigh of relief. One of the entourages announced his presence once more. The old man slowly turned to him, smoking his pipe in indifference.

"This is an interesting place. A human castle with humans and malakhims living together. This is a scene that would make many people I knew long ago proud and happy.", said the old man.

"And you are some very interesting guests. This castle hasn't had such visitors for a long time.", the King answered, moving calmly to their side.

"It seems everyone here can see us without a problem.", the old man wondered.

"We have the means, artifacts, and knowledge to boost domains and resonance of our squires to ensure that no small detail escapes our attention—daemons and, in your case, malakhim.

The old man blew his pipe, staying silent. The King moved towards the Prince, interrupting his interaction with the flying malakhim. He smiled at the boy, and he beamed in joy. The king put his hand behind the prince's head and slowly guided him toward his throne. He sat there with the kid standing beside him.

"What brings you here, malakhim?", the King asked.

The old man heaved a breath, "The boy. We've come here to bring him home."

Then, there were muffled voices among the crowd, tones brimming with worry.

"We know who he truly is, and he must come with us to face his true destiny.", the female rapping said.

The King chuckled amusingly, and the other people's voices stopped, sinking the hall in utter silence.

"I think you are mistaken, malakhim. He is my son.", he waved his hand dismissively, "I suggest you resume your search elsewhere."