1293 Invisible Hand
Prince Xoler, Sage Nevar rested in a spaceship on the outer reaches of the solar system, far away from civilization and the Pala fortresses.
It had been a while and the two recovered from their injuries. But they didn't make any further moves.
In hindsight, the whole incident felt like a sham from the start to finish.
Neither Xoler's strategic studies nor Nevar's military mind noticed the web they landed into from the start.
"Do you think Gor and Mor…"
"No." Sage Nevar gave a strong shake of his head. "They won't die. They're more capable than that."
That was the conclusion from his vast experience of battles and the intuition that grew out of it.
"But they haven't responded to our calls. Even the basic communication channel is cut off. Not unattended but cut off." Xoler's crossed his arms and gripped his elbows tight, as if it was the only anchor that could hold him tight.
"They might be in unexpected difficulties." Sage Nevar's voice was no longer as assured as it had always been.
The steel wall of his self-confidence, built on the basis of strength and experience, already started to have visible cracks.
It was right when he realized that he was played like a pawn from the beginning. Now, he began to doubt everything.
Why did Black Rose do this? How did they know they were coming? How did Prince Baldur escape?
These were questions that were ringing inside Prince Xoler's head as well.
But Nevar went a step further and asked a scarier question.
'Is it really the Black Rose in the first place?'
Certainly, Oleg and his team found 'evidence' to prove the 'letter' to be true. But all this rested on one assumption.
< The assassination is done by Black Rose >
What if it simply wasn't true? It's a possibility that Nevar regretted not considering earlier.
He couldn't really think of anyone with capabilities of such smooth assassination and escape. But he no longer wrote off that possibility.
However, if that was really true…
Sage Nevar's chest grew tight and he felt suffocated.
An invisible hand was controlling everything. They were thinking what they were doing was of their free voilition. But the path was already laid, what they were doing was merely follow it.
'What if even the pala princes…' Nevar shuddered to even have such thought.
If someone dared to use even the princes of a kingdom, then that person was someone Zions could not hope to face.
'We're just the casualties in the plan.'
"-ar!"
"-evar!"
"Sage Nevar!"
The loud noise jolted him out of his stupor and he nearly lashed out on instinct.
Prince Xoler looked at him with a worried gaze. "I know what you're thinking. But to find who trapped us, we should first find Oleg."
Fully aware that he'd be of no use to the 'assassination', Prince Oleg left them before the incident.
"Prince Oleg…" Nevar narrowed his eyes and a thought surfaced in his mind.
'Oleg could've been an unfortunate victim caught up in this struggle or…the collaborator who wanted to use this chance and bury the powerhouses to secure his claim on the throne.'
With messy trains of thoughs each going in a different direction, Sage Nevar decided to act fast.
— — — —
Prince Oleg paced back and forth in anxiety. It had been a few hours since the 'assassination' time but no message reached him.
The bots near the location were destroyed, as expected, and he had no source to learn about what actually happened.
The compact walls of the spaceship didn't help his mood. If at least a captain or two survived, he'd have vented his frustration on them.
But nothing.
Outside the spaceship, Varian stood with hands behind his back. Oob flapped its wings and circled around him, like a child running around an adult.
Varian poked it playfully and it started beating against his hand, followed by a fit of giggles.
"Good job finding him. It would've been hard if I tried doing it myself," He said with a grateful smile.
"Nhh, no problem. I kept a watch on their movements from the start or else, it'd have been hard for me as well." Oob replied humbly but its voice had a tinge of pride. "But I can't cut off his communication from the other zions here for much longer."
Xoler and Nevar were trying desperately to reach out to him. But the man didn't even know.
"Block them for one more hour and send these messages," Varian's lips curled up and he passed on a special stone to Oob.
A few seconds later, the spaceship shook.
Punching the wall again, Oleg looked at the video message that just arrived.
A military man in his combat uniform with dried blood said in a solemn tone. "Prince Oleg, there are outsiders trying to destroy the duchy. They have been trying to attack the cap—"
The message ended and another one began.
"Prince! Prince! There are traitors in the army! Someone is trying to help!"
Another. And another. They kept coming, like an open flood.
"Prince, you are our only hope!"
"Even rank 4 rebels have sided with the enemies and are planning an attack!"
"Prince, the Duke hasn't been seen in public since weeks!"
"Everything is in chaos, Prince!"
"Duke, rumors say that the enemy also attacked the delegation with you! Some cry that Prince Xoler and Sage Nevar have fallen!"
"Prince Xoler's fiancee announced the annulment of engagement!"
"Please take over the throne and bring peace!"
"Duke-to-be, please return and crush the internal enemies!"
A mix of emotions flooded Oleg's heart. Most of all was the emotion he craved all his life.
He's being recognized. He's being needed. He's being appreciated.
The first son of the duke.
The first prince to the throne.
The legitimate heir.
Oleg suddenly reasoned there had been no messages so far. They were dead. Only that could explain the situation.
And that meant…
A quivering smile crept on Oleg's face. He raised his tremblings hands and clenched them taking rapid breaths. His eyes were wide open and his shoulders were shaking.
"Ahahahaha!"
"Hahahaha!"
"Yes!"
"Mine! All mine!"
"Father, look at me! Look at me do this!"
Prince Oleg went mad with ecstacy. He didn't even consider the possibility of fraud calls.
Since he loved for so long in the duchy, he knew quite a lot of people in the army. He knew how the system worked.
Any message from soldier suspected to be caught would be marked. And this wasn't some normal troop, it's senior rank 4 warriors that called him!
The spaceship that should've remained in place began to move. Oleg, drunk on ecstacy didn't ask the questions that he should've sought for clarification.
He moved quickly and reached a distant space crack from which the Zion scouts exited.
"To the throne!"
With a war cry, the Prince entered the space crack which closed shortly there after. The space fluctuated violently for reasons unknown to Oleg and an energy wave shook the entire cabin. His communication crystal suffered and broke down.
But he paid it no heed and marched ahead faster, to avoid any more such dangers.
An hour later, Prince Xoler and Sage Nevar who went hunting for Prince Oleg regrouped with gloomy faces.
