Don't Forget

#56 Invasion

Prince Adam runs through Azeal's gate with the rest of the soldiers. He's one of the first to push his way into the church. Every soldier already knows what they're doing. They've been going over the plan ever since Vikk and the Caelum left.
     Mitch and Lachlan are with the other Captains, preparing the final touches. Quinten healed Mitch's leg right after the Caelum left.
     "Are you ready?", Ty asks, walking up next to Adam. They have a special mission to attend to while the rest of the attack goes on.
     "I can't really back out now", Adam jokes, "Besides, I really hate the idea of a stinky squid sitting in my father's chair". The Prince is dressed entirely in assassin black, a scarf coving most of his face.
     "I don't know if I should be offended, or laughing", Quinten walks up to stand on Adam's other side. His magic is back up thanks to Valana and Tristle, but it's not very much. He's going with Ty and Adam since their group is so small. Quinten doesn't like fighting, but he'll do it to end the war. Maybe then he can go back for Seven in the facility.
     Adam felt a little uneasy around the half breed at first, but that's changed. Quinten's done nothing but help since he's been with the army. He protected the medical building and gave back Azeal's wings. Adam assumes that all Piscus wanted to kill and take GoldenEye, but Quinten wants nothing to do with that. Are there others like him?
     The three of them work their way around the soldiers, looking for Lord Dan. He's setting up the first part of their mission. They finally find him chatting with a girl in the corner.
"Oh, there you are", Dan sees them approaching over the girl's shoulder, "This is Falicia, a GoldenWing. She'll guide you three into the castle".
Adam knows that it's stupid not be focusing at the mission, but he's struck frozen. Falicia is breathtakingly beautiful to him. He scolds himself for thinking like that.
"Hey, nice to meet you. We're heading into the scorpions den now, right?", Ty speaks first, friendly and ominous at the same time. Adam gets the sudden urge to punch his friend.
"It seems like it", Falicia smiles back, "I work as a servant in the castle, so I can take you in through the tunnels. I have someone waiting to......". She trails off when she sees Quinten.
"U-Umm, something wrong?", Quinten nervously rubs his neck. He's wearing a soldier's jacket that covers up his Piscus features.
"Oh! No, nothing's wrong. You just look a bit like someone I know", Falicia is a little embarrassed. She does a small bow to her prince, who still doesn't have the courage to talk. "We should go while the squid soldiers are focused on your troops". Adam nods wordlessly.
     The four of them leave the church, speed walking but not yet running. There are distant shouts and yells all around the city as the squids start to notice their numerous guests. They weren't prepared for enemies inside the walls. Since the troops are split up everywhere, it'll be hard for them to place a number on the GoldenEye troops.
It feels very surreal for Adam to be walking down the capitol streets. He could never have wandered without trailing a bunch of guards, but he's watched the streets plenty from the castle's highest towers. This is where he was born. Things are finally coming full circle. The prince is strong enough to fight now.
     "So, Falicia, was it?", Adam finally breaks the silence. Their small party is relying on stealth to get up to the castle. The Piscus are distracted fighting the soldiers.
      "Uh, yes, that's me. And you're Prince Adam", Falicia looks like she might stop and bow, but Adam keeps talking.
      "So how long have you worked in the castle?", he tries to make small talk, but he's terrible at it.
    "Only for a few years. I actually never would have done it if Dan hadn't of talked me into it, but now I'm glad I did", Falicia smiles a little at Adam. That smile makes his heart jump into his throat.
     "Have you ever gone up to the highest tower at night? You can see the stars for miles", Adam does his best to be charming. He doesn't have a lot of practice. It's kinda of awkward right in the middle of the battle. 
     "Hey! Love birds! There are squids up ahead, come on!", Ty grabs them both by the wrist and pulls them down an alleyway as Quinten follows. Both of their faces are burning, but Ty is right. Adam should be more concerned about the mission.
     Falicia takes the lead again as they get closer to the castle. They end up circling until they come up on the west side of the keep. There's a servant's entrance there, and it was once used by Zemrlt royalty and his sibling.
     The castle looks like some sort of slumbering beast to Adam. It's just waiting to pounce and dig it's claws into him. Still, it's his responsibility to bare. He has to be the one to finish this, especially now that everyone is depending on him.
     Adam remembers running down the halls, laughing and chasing someone or being chased. The wars been going all his life, but it wasn't always terrible. The war didn't get bad until the later years. All Adam's father could really do was wait for the squids to send more troops out of the water.
"There shouldn't be anyone at the door in the kitchen today. It was short notice, but some other servants and I rearranged stuff to keep everyone away", Falicia peeks around the corner. The front of the castle has another gate, but there are smaller ones on each side for palace staff to use. The gate is open and there's nobody else in sight.
"This is almost too easy. Easy things always end up backfiring", Ty is uncomfortable while walking underneath the empty gate.
"It'll get harder when we get inside. The servant's passages don't actually make it to the throne room", Felicia bites her lip. Adam thinks it's kinda cute.
That's the plan: break into the castle, take out whoever's on the throne, and end the war. Simple, right? It sounds awfully like an assassination, but it's fitting, in a way. The Piscus are the ones who led Adam to become Sky and an assassin. Now the squid king will die because of it.
Thankfully, Adam doesn't see much of the courtyard before ducking into the servant's entrance. That square is where Preston gave him his first sword lessons.
Falicia leads them down a short hallway that opens up into a large kitchen. There's a fire going, and it looks like anyone could come in at any moment to tend to it. It gives Adam goosebumps.
"Whoa, this is kinda neat", Quinten looks around the room. He's never been in a place like this. The fire he's gotten used to back at camp, but the rest of it is very strange.
"I tried to break in here once. It was me and two other kids, but we were caught before we even got inside. I guess that I finally got in", Ty smirks a little to himself.
"Well I could break into here whenever I wanted. Most of the servants wouldn't even talk to me", Adam laughs a little, "I stole so much cake".
"After the rumors started spreading, a lot of the older servants started talking about you. It's so good to have you back, Prince Adam", Falicia says.
"Just call me Adam".
Falicia crosses the kitchen with the boys in toe, opening up a narrow door that leads into an even narrower passage way. Adam is a little amazed that these tunnels exit. He heard about them a little when he was younger, but as a prince, he's never used them. In the future, how far could an intruder get if they know their way around these tunnels? They're about to find out.
The party moves in single file with Falicia leading the way. Adam expected it to be pretty dark, but there are lanterns placed evenly enough so that it's never dark enough to hide his feet. It just comes close.
     The passage has stairs and forks leading off into different tunnels. Falicia doesn't hesitate when she picks the right ones. Adam feels pretty stupid after only a few turns. He feels disoriented already. If Falicia left him down here, he could be wandering for days.
     "So is there a map or something for these tunnels? It must take ages to memorize all of this", Adam looks down a passage and into the looming darkness.
     "The older servants always teach the new ones. If there is a map, I've never seen it", Falicia looks back at him for a moment.
     "I'd be a terrible maid. Not only would I get lost in this maze, but I'd probably snap at the lazy royals", Ty laughs, elbowing Adam. The sound echoes in the passage.
     "Imagine this, but underwater. Do you think the Piscus King has a castle like this?", Quinten thinks out loud. His orange eyes are shimmering with anxiety.
     "I don't really care. King Salaris is in my castle now", Adam feels a stroke of pride at admitting that, "Chances are that he's in that throne room. There's a reason I'm wearing black". Assassin black. Adam pulls up his scarf a little farther.
     Falicia takes them a little farther before stopping at a door. She knocks softly, and Adam is a little weary when someone knocks back in the same pattern.
     "Ok, no rash actions, alright?", she she gives the three boys a stern look, "I have a friend who's been keeping watch down this hall. He's here to help". The servant opens the door, and Adam sees someone step out of they way for them to come through.
     "You're late. The shift's about to change, so you need to hurry", the stranger is jittery and nervous. Adam can't see them until he's out of the passage; there's no cover in the hallway.
     Falicia's friend is a squid. Worse, he wears a soldier's uniform. They're taller and far older then Adam, and his skin is tinged blue, yet, there's something faintly familiar about him.
     The prince jumps back in surprise. Ty doesn't see the squid yet, but he sees Adam's reaction and unsheathes his sword while stepping out of the tunnel. Quinten stops just inside the passage when he sees the problem.
     "Hey! What did I just say? Friend, remember?", Falicia slaps Ty's sword arm away. He lets her do it, but he doesn't lower his sword completely.
     "I didn't mean to startle you, Prince Adam. There are always guards stationed outside the throne room, so I volunteered to cover you", the Piscus tries to speak for himself. He actually bows his head little in acknowledgment of Adam's rank.
     "So..... you're a traitor? Why would a squid help us?", Adam is suspicious, and rightly so. There were so many people that betrayed his father.
     "Well, my name is Oltin", the Piscus shuffles his feet, "My king took something very important from me, and ending this land battle might let me take them back".
     "You have no proof. There could be any army waiting for us just around the corner", Ty likes the situation even less then Adam.
     "That does sound like something he'd do", Quinten finally steps out of the servant's tunnels. He seems very shaken up. His steps are hesitant, and he holds his jacket folded up in his arms. "Hey, Dad. It's been a while".