Chapter 9

The Prime City was a small town on the border of Dalawa empire and Mukuro kingdom led by King Orinda. It had been the centre for all the war confrontations between the Emperor and the king. After the death of Medan and Malia, King Orinda accused the Emperor of conspiring with the Great Wizard to kill his only daughter and declared war on Dalawa empire. Most of the battles were fought here in the Prime City, ruining the once beautiful and glamorous town. Several years later, both Emperor Micaleaon and king Orinda reached an agreement to end the war. In the agreement, the Prime City was to remain a no-man's-land. No soldiers of either realms were allowed to access the city. As a result of that agreement, Prime City enjoyed peace again, regaining it's lost glory.

Unfortunately, prince Mamadu did not approve of the deal and as a result, plotted against the Emperor and the king and captured the Prime City, making it his headquarters. He had accused the Emperor of great weakness and cowardice for letting go of the Prime City. The Emperor was considering the fate of his decreasing population when he reached that decision and agreed to let go of the City for the sake of peace. But when Mamadu took over the city, king Orinda thought the Emperor had disregarded and disrespected the peace deal between them and almost declared war on Dalawa empire had Lord Parafon not intervened. Mamadu, however, did nothing to improve the city. Instead, he forced the populace to join his army and used them to try and take over power from his brother, Emperor Micaleaon.

Mamadu's villa was surrounded by planted woods, the gate made of a transparent arrow proof glass. The house was a three-floor-story building made of stones. To the left was a swimming pool made from hot natural springs from the ground. To the right was a wooden building with an underground floor built for holding prisoners and soldiers who had disobeyed prince Mamadu's orders. The underground floor had several small units of cells without any windows or any source of light making it impossible for the inmates to identify whether it was day or night.

The entire building was surrounded by steaming hot water except for a small gated area behind the villa where the Prince's confidants and spies used to gain entry into the villa. Because of the hot water that surrounded the villa, no one could enter the villa compound without the permission of Prince Mamadu. He owned a special key that would lift a bridge above the steam and allow for people to cross. The steam was also surrounded by dark magic that could detect an enemy from a distance, alerting the Prince in prior. He had used the dark magic to protect himself and his villa against several attacks launched against him by both the Emperor and King Orinda.

Outside the gate were five soldiers, armed with swords and arrows. They screened anybody who went in and out of the villa. They had been given a secret key that could also uplift the bridge above the steam but they had to confirm with the Prince first before allowing anybody access to the villa. No one was allowed into the villa when the Prince was not around, not even the Prince's most trusted allies.

Malin lay on the bush that faced the gate and studied the movements of people in and around the villa. He had seen people getting in and out of the villa which suggested that the Prince was around. But from where he sat, he couldn't see what was happening from within the villa's compound. There was a path that he had imagined to circle the villa but he had seen no one use the path so far. All the people who had come in and out were all using the main road that ended by the gate of the villa. All of them were also using carriages and horses with none walking on foot. A few of them had been dressed like royals from the court chambers of the palace but he couldn't remember seeing their faces earlier in the courtroom. Others, majority, were either soldiers of the royal army or of Dark Army that was led by Prince Mamadu.

He waited a few more moments after the last group of guests entered the villa and when it was clear no more people were coming in or out, he decided to advance to the villa. He had considered fighting his way through at first but he noticed that he wouldn't gain entry into the villa through violence and if he did, he could put Revina's life at more danger. Armed with a sword in his hand, he walked towards the gate, treading his movements with utmost caution.

"Stop. Who are you?" one of the soldiers guarding the gate asked harshly.

"I am a special guest of the Prince," Malin replied, trying to remain calm as he sized the soldiers in his mind. They were all tall and heavily built as if they had been made by the same size of a human making machine. The only difference they had, which Malin attributed to a possible malfunctioning of the machine, was in the structure of their noses. One had a long nose that touched his upper lip as if they were one. One's nose was flat as if it had been hammered flat to straighten his face, giving him enough area of view. Two of them had noses that stood straight and sharp on their faces like soldiers on a parade. The last one's nose had been cut and apparently replaced by a plastic resemblance. Their faces could scare the life out of anybody in five different ways, thanks to their noises. They all had a similar scar on their left cheeks, a deep cut that ran from under the ear up to the left jaw. On their left shoulders was a tattoo of black dragons and a sword. They wore tight army pants and black sleeveless shirts, revealing a very strong masculine.

"We are not aware of any special guests today, all the guests have come and gone and the list is over," the soldier with the long nose replied, looking at Malin suspiciously. "What would the Prince's special guest be doing with a sword in his hand?" he asked, looking at the sword in Malin's hand.

"Like I said, I am a special guest of the Prince. The sword is for a special assignment he wants me to carry out. It's unfortunate I can't divulge much details to you. I would really appreciate it if you were to let me through and stop wasting more of my time," Malin said as he advanced closer to them, tightening his muscles and preparing himself for a possible physical fight. Time was quickly running out and talking to them was accelerating the speed of the clocks hands.

"In that case, allow us confirm with the Prince first. If he confirms your visit, you'll go through. If he doesn't, we will feed you to the steam over there," the long-nosed soldier responded threateningly while pointing to the steam.

"I don't think that would be necessary," Malin responded as he returned his sword back to its sheath and tucked it to his belt. He stood in front of them, watching and studying them as they stood in a semicircle. He knew that informing the Prince of his arrival would complicate matters for him and make entering the villa more difficult if not impossible. It could also put Revina in more danger and that was a chance he wasn't willing to take. Their swords were tucked in their belts while their arrows hang from their backs.

He moved swiftly and pulled out a sword from the long-nosed soldier, cutting through his thigh and, in a speed of lightening, slashed the heads of the rest of the soldiers off their necks, their heads bouncing on the ground.

Throwing the sword down, "now you can lift the bridge and tell me where to find the girl the Prince captured today," he said to the long-nosed soldier as he plunged his right fingers into the wound he had just cut on the soldier's thigh.

Between groans and moans of pain, "I can't...do... that. AHH! Please. Stop!" Cried the soldier.

"You just saw what happened to your colleagues and it will be in your best interest to cooperate otherwise I'm going to have no choice but to let the same fate befall you."

"No please. Don't kill me. I..."

"If you don't want to die then do as I say. Where are they holding the girl?" Malin asked as he dug an arrow into the soldier's wounded thigh and twisted gently, sending a soaring pain through the soldier's nerves.

"Ok. Ok. Ok. I will tell... Just stop please," the soldier moaned painfully.

"Start talking," Malin ordered, not removing the sword, just pausing the twisting.

"She... She is currently being interrogated in the prison chambers, the wooden building on your right...."

"Good boy. How many soldiers are there?"

"In the prison chambers, not so many but in the villa, maybe a hundred or more. You are not going to even come closer to the prison chambers."

Pulling out the sword from the soldier's thigh abruptly, making the soldier twitch and turn in pain, holding on to his thigh as blood spurted out, Malin asked in a calm but cold voice, "what are the soldiers doing in the villa at this time? Is this the headquarters of the Dark Army?"

The soldier, fearing Malin would plunge the sword into his thigh again, answered without much persuasion. "The Prince is planning to take over the throne tonight. He is going to overthrow the Emperor. There are already some soldiers in different positions in the capital city and other major towns. The ones inside the villa are the ones who are going to lead the attack while the rest will be used as reinforcements."

"What? You mean tonight?" Malin asked, shocked by the information the soldier just gave him.

"Yes, tonight," he answered as he dragged himself to the wall and leaned backwards, still clutching on his thigh.

Malin knew that he had to stop the Prince from overthrowing the Emperor. He wanted to save Revina but if he saved her and let the Prince take over the empire, there could be nothing he could do to stop the rapture. He could not let Revina drown into that sea. He could not let her die. But he couldn't take on an entire army on his own. To stop Prince Mamadu, he needed help, he needed soldiers of his own. Unfortunately he knew no one here that could help him build an army.

" Listen soldier, I have a proposal for you. Will you take it?" Malin asked the hurting soldier.

"You are kidding, right?" The soldier answered curtly.

"No, I am not. If you agree to join me and help me stop the Prince from taking over the empire, I ..."

"Wait," the soldier interjected, "have you forgotten you just crippled me? And who do you think you are to challenge the prince? My friend, you may be fast but nobody challenges royalty here in Dalawa. You don't seem to know that, you are too young to be a Dalawan."

"Listen soldier, I need your help to prevent this from happening because it's results will be a monstrous disaster. I can cure your leg and return it to normal but only if you agree to help me," Malin said, trying to be calm but also sensing the danger of the time constraints. It would be dark in just under two hours.

The soldier grinned in pain before letting out a smirk. "What, are you a magician? How do you intend to cure me? And what makes you think you can turn me against the Prince and help you?"

Malin moved closer to him, put his right hand on his chest and then touched the soldier's forehead, before spitting into his left palm and using it to rub on the soldier's injured thigh. The soldier fell asleep as Malin concentrated on his thigh for about two minutes. Lord Parafon had taught him how to use the power that radiated from his chest to heal. In just under five minutes, the soldier's thigh healed to normal as if there had been no cut or injuries at all. He woke up moments later and was beautifully shocked and amazed to find his thigh completely healed and painless.

"Who are you?" The soldier asked Malin, his eyes glittering with curiosity. There were magicians that could heal people in Dalawa but no one could heal that fast. It could take not less than one week to completely heal such a wound but Malin managed to do it in just under ten minutes. "Where have you come from and what should I call you?"

"I presume that means you have agreed to help me. You can call me Malin," he answered as he lend the soldier a hand and pulled him up. "Now I would like you to..."

"Wait, Malin, you can call me Jonathan, and yes, I may be wrong about you but something more than your words are compelling me to agree to help. So yes, I'm going to help you. But you have to understand something, the soldiers are too many and we are just two people. It will take us a miracle to manage even the slightest of victories." Jonathan said. " But don't worry, you can perform miracles so I trust your judgement."

"I'm glad you are on board but no, I can not perform such a miracle. I believe you you know some good soldiers we can use and trust. Meanwhile, I want to rescue the girl that is being interrogated. She was hurt and..."

"That will be a problem. Nobody is allowed to access the prison chambers unless the prince himself summons you."

"But I don't intend to ask for permission, Jonathan."

"Yeah, I know, and that's what I feared you would say. I can see you are very fast but trust me, the dark magic will slow you down to a snail's speed."

"Let me worry about that Jonathan, just tell me how to enter the villa."

"Well, it seems to me like you don't mind dying. If you ask me, I would say you are a very intelligently insane boy. You know what they say, the line between bravery and stupidity is quite a thin one. I hope you you won't be stupid by the end of the evening."

"I appreciate your concern but I need..."

"I know, I know. Come with me," Jonathan interrupted, leading the way across the wall to the back of the villa. "Here is a door that can only be used by royalties and the trusted members of Prince Mamadu's secret spying agents. If you manage to go through unnoticed, you'll be able to reach the prison from behind where no soldiers or guards stand. From there don't ask me what to do because I don't know. This was your plan, not mine."

"Thank you Jonathan. How about you, what will you do in the meantime?"

"You killed some soldiers by the gate, do you still remember?" Jonathan asked, smiling wryly at Malin.

"Yes, I do remember," Malin answered. "You don't intend to report me, do you?" Malin asked, having read Jonathan's mind but trying to play games with him to make him feel important.

"You know, I'm starting to wonder whether this daredevilry is from your heart or your a... I'm not going to report you. I'm going to shout for help and pretend we were attacked, which is very true anyway. This may buy you sometime because the prince himself will come to the gate with most of the soldiers. You have to take that advantage and sneak out the girl at that time before the prince heads back to the prison chambers because if you don't, I'll be a roasted meat."

"And what will you tell them about the attacker when you have no signs of having fought or struggled?"

"Nice idea, you have to cut me."

"What?"

"Don't worry, you'll cure me after that, won't you?"

"What if I don't make it out alive?"

"Then we will both be on the stupid side of the thin line my friend. Are you having second thoughts?"

"No," Malin replied as he swung and cut through Jonathan's left shoulder, creating a deep wound. He then touched it and controlled the bleeding, preventing a massive loss of blood but at the same time, making him bleed believably enough.

"Damn!" Jonathan cursed. "I didn't mean you cut me this deep or this painfully you scoundrel," Jonathan moaned as he staggered toward the main gate. "If you don't come out in time and heal this wound, I will trace you in hell and strangle you to death."

Malin slithered through the door and tiptoed toward the back of the wooden prison unobtrusively. There were around seven soldiers manning the villa from the back while around six soldiers were standing next to the main entrance of the prison on either sides. He peeped through the wooden wall of the prison and saw Revina in the company of the prince and some two soldiers while a few feet from them, a group of soldiers stood, apparently waiting for some orders from the prince. Revina was seated on a metal chair connected to an electric wire that was socketed on the wall next to Malin. The arrow was still lodged in Revina's thigh and from the look on her face, she was feebling away due to over bleeding. She looked tired and pale, her beautiful and brown face looking bloodless. Her lips were parched and lined with different cracks of skin.

Malin could see the Prince's lips move but he couldn't hear anything they were saying. On a closer look, he realized the walls were made with a transparent soundproof mirror, something which explained why nobody had noticed him when he accidentally stepped on a plastic bottle. Revina, however, was either too tired to talk or she was not willing to talk at all for she just sat there, motionless and silent. Whatever information the prince wanted, he wasn't getting it for Malin could tell he was shouting and cursing to intimidate Revina into submission but she just remained still, not bothered by the prince. It looked like the pain had numbed her beyond caring for her own life.

As he stood here, sizing the soldiers and contemplating how he was going to attack the prince and rescue Revina, a commotion was heard by the gate. Jonathan was moving towards the villa, reeling like a drunkard, blood coating his chest and his sword blooded. He was shouting for help. A few rushed to him and brought him before the prince who then rushed with his soldiers towards the gate. It was then that Malin realized the villa was teeming with soldiers. They were not about one hundred as Jonathan had claimed. They were almost over five hundred, judging from his rough and hurried estimation. But they could be more, just in case his calculation had a margin of error. It seemed as though they were interrupted from a meeting for all of them came out with some papers in their hands. The prince may had been the commander in chief but from the way the soldiers behaved, they had their own commander. Unlike what Jonathan had thought, the soldiers surrounded the entire villa, both outside and inside, forcing Malin to climb to the roof of the prison for the soldiers were everywhere including where he had stood.

Unfortunately, some soldiers who were manning the roof of the villa spotted Malin on the roof of the prison chambers, shouting and shooting at him as they alerted the rest. Jonathan was by this time being attended to by some medical soldiers in the prison chambers where he had collapsed, hoping Malin would heal him as he rescued Revina. But even Jonathan hadn't expected the soldiers to be this many. "My calculations must have been three hundred and thirty percent wrong," he said inwardly.

"I want him alive!" Prince Mamadu shouted as soldiers surrounded Malin from all sides. He had no choice but to surrender. He was captured and led into the prison chambers after some thorough beating from the prince. He was made to sit on a metal chair next to Revina who showed no recognition of Malin's presence.

"Good work gentlemen," Mamadu told his soldiers. " Now you can return to what you were doing, I can handle this intruder myself." The soldiers returned into the villa, leaving only the ones who were out before while assigning some soldiers to the main gate to replace the slain ones.

The prince sat on a wooden stool in front of Malin, facing him directly as the two soldiers stood guard behind the prince. "Hello young man, what makes you think you can just walk into my own villa, kill my soldiers and get away with it, who? Who do you think you are?" Mamadu shouted commandingly at Malin who had all this while sympathized with Revina. She looked like a zombie. The soldiers were too many to fight off but every minute Revina spent in that state drew her closer to her death. He had to get her out before it was too late. "I am talking to you!" Mamadu shouted as he punched Malin on the face, throwing him to the floor with the chair. The soldiers raised him up again, holding his chair to stop him from falling as Mamadu unleashed a flurry of punches onto his stomach, chest and nose. "Are you ready to talk now, or do you want some more kid?" Mamadu asked as he raised Malin's head up using his hair.

Malin left out a soft sarcastic laugh and spat on the face of the prince who responded in kind by kicking him to the wall behind him. When the soldiers picked him up again, he had a wry smile on his face.

"Hello tough prince, how does it feel to hit a helpless boy tied to a chair like this? How?" Malin smirked. " I believe your soldiers are witnessing the true hero in their leader, isn't that right dogs?" He raised his head and eyed the soldiers who were standing behind him. They were tough looking soldiers but not as scary as the ones he had killed by the gate. They responded by glaring at him menacingly, as if ready to slap the life out him if given a chance.

Prince Mamadu walked a few steps back, feeling embarrassed by Malin's comments but trying not to show it. "Listen kid, I'm not here to play games with you. I..."

"Wait tough prince. You can't be seriously calling me a kid and still beat me up while tied to a chair, can you? And you claim you are not here to play games? You are pathetic Mamadu and don't even deserve to be called a Prince..." Mamadu lashed at him as if to give him another round of beating. "Stop. Did I hurt your ego prince? Don't tell me you felt offended old man, by the word of just a kid. That would be rediculous, don't you think?" Malin continued, still smiling wryly and his voice full of sarcasm.

"Ok. What do you want?" Mamadu asked, feeling challenged.

"Did I hear you right?"

"What do you want idiot? Why are you here, huh? Who are you and what schemes are you plotting with the high priest?"

"I don't know what you are talking about...'

"Yes you know you fool. Did you come to rescue her?" Mamadu retorted, his ego feeling pricked.

"Yes, I came for her and with her I must leave this place." Malin replied, wiping out the wry smile from his face.

Mamadu guffawed. "That's not gonna happen young man, none of you is leaving here alive fool, get that into your thick skull."

"Let me propose a deal that I trust will please you very much."

"And what would that be?"

"Give me your best soldier or guard to fight in an open area where all your women of soldiers can watch. If I defeat him, I'll walk away with the girl. If I lose, well, I lose. What do you say prince, do you accept my challenge or yield?"

"Do you think I have time to waste on such nonsense?"

"Your highness, with your permission, let me teach this kid a lesson," said one of the soldiers standing behind Malin.

"That's the spirit soldier," Malin replied sarcastically, looking at the soldier who had just spoken. "Unfortunately, I asked for the best. You are too thin to be the best." The soldier moved as if to punch him but prince Mamadu stopped him.

"Ok kid. You want a fight, well a fight you are going to get. Untie him and bring him to the fighting chambers." The prince ordered as he walked out angrily.

Malin looked at Revina ones again and noticed she hadn't moved at all and her breathing was slowing down. She needed help and urgently. Thinking of how long the fight might take, he decided against it and instead, bashed the two soldiers' heads together, killing them instantly. He bent down to Revina, pulled out the arrow and concentrated the light from his chest to her heart. In a matter of seconds, Revina was alive again. He touched her thigh with a ball of light, healing her wound completely without sending her into sleep.

"Are you ok princess?" Malin asked Revina who was obviously surprised to see him.

"Yes, thank you. When did you get in here Malin?" She asked, relieved to be around him again.

"Just now princess, just now."

Wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace, "thank you for coming for me. I was scared you were not going to come and that I was going to die without at least saying goodbye to you," she sobbed.

"Don't talk like that princess. I will never let you die, not if I can help. I will always come for you, always protect you and please, just know I will never let you die," Malin answered as his voice became emotional, feeling a tear crawl down his right cheek.

"I owe you my life Malin, I don't know what could have happened had you not defended and stood by me..."

"Shhh. Don't talk like that," Malin shushed her. Looking around through the transparent glass that separated the room they were in and the room Jonathan was, he saw Jonathan pointing at his wound while making signs that the Prince was coming back to the prison chambers. "Ok princess, you have to resume your position and pretend as if nothing has changed," he told Revina as he sat her back to her chair. He then hurried towards the door to meet the prince before he could enter the room.

"I'm sorry for the delay, your soldiers weren't so friendly," he told the prince as they met by the door.

"Where are they?" the prince asked sternly.

"I put them to sleep, they were becoming a nuisance. But don't worry, they are just having a nap. I hope they were not your best soldiers, were they?" Malin asked, trying to divert Mamadu's attention from entering the room. The soldiers' heads were broken.

"No. They are not," prince Mamadu replied. "Come with me," he motioned Malin to follow him.