Chapter 95 Albaer's Grief

The barrier broke and the knights poured into the shrine. As the haze subsided, the moon illuminated the vicinity revealing a horrid scene.

The woods at the side were covered with snow and frost while some parts were scorched out by a fire that was long extinguished.

The decapitated body parts of the enemies littered the ground which was colored red and black by the shower of blood. Corpses could be seen wherever the sight fell as the hearts of the knights trembled with anxiety.

​ "Scatter and search! Quickly!" The head of the knight's squad yelled out as all the knights scattered across the shrine grounds in search of evidence and clues.

Scrimmaging through all the corpses, the knights began their investigation securing anything that they found on the corpses. Some knights went deep inside the forest where the frost could be seen the most.

The head of the Knight's squad was called Barnard. His gaze went through everything as he searched for Alier and Ethan. Abruptly, his sight froze on one spot as his eyes widened. He quickly darted forward.

Seeing the two figures collapse on the ground in front of him, Barnard feared the worst as he saw both Ethan and Alier in ghastly wounds. His throat became dry in a second as his mind spun. Other knights also arrived at the spot as Barnard extended his arm to check the twos' vitals.

He quickly checked for Ethan's vitals in trepidation and shortly after heaved a sigh of relief. "Quickly! Tend to his wounds!" He commanded.

Barnard gulped as his heart shuddered inwardly seeing the state Alier was in. A seemingly ordinary dagger was etched deep into his chest as the blood around it had already dried. His clothes were scorched to a few places, ragged and in tatters. He also had multiple deep cuts and wounds all over his body as if he was brutally attacked from all sides.

Barnard could feel deep in his heart even before checking that the unfortunate had happened. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath filled with remorse, shame, and embarrassment as he checked Alier's pulse.

A moment passed and he pulled his hand back as it fell dangling. Barnard gritted his teeth to the point that it looked like his teeth would fall into crumbles.

Seeing this, the knights surrounding him wore solemn expressions as their necks drooped down in rage and shame.

Everything became deathly silent as the tension mixed in the air making the entire atmosphere heavy.

Before anyone could speak up, the echoing sound of horses galloping was heard coming from the distance garnering everyone's attention.

Soon enough, the silhouettes of about a dozen men on horsebacks appeared in the distance. And in a blink of an eye, they reached the shrine.

Albaer and his personal knights arrived at the scene and they immediately jumped off their horses.

Albaer, who had been nervous due to an ill foreboding ever since he received the news, saw Ethan and Alier lying on the ground in wretched conditions and his heart sank. A dangerous aura manifested around his body as he ran to where Ethan and Alier were.

The knights gave way and Barnard stepped back. Albaer bent down, getting on his knees as he looked at Ethan and Alier.

He did not say anything, no one spoke and simply watched as Albaer slowly extended his trembling hand to touch Alier's face.

Albaer felt the remains of frigid energies in Alier's corpse that had infiltrated his body when Ethan sucked all his power from him. Albaer noticed that this energy was much purer and more potent. He realized that it did not belong to Alier, in fact. Alier's Elemental Essence which he should have felt was nowhere to be seen, this made Albaer frown in suspicion.

As Albaer checked on Alier's pulse in silence, a pained expression flashed on his face as his complexion grew ashen. He became pale as reality hit him as he vomited a mouthful of blood.

"Your Grace!"

The knights cried out in alarm but Albaer gestured for them to stay put as he wiped the blood off his mouth.

He then inspected Ethan's condition with a hint of fear in his heart and shortly after involuntarily heaved a sigh of relief realizing that his son was only injured and not killed.

Albaer looked like he had aged by several years as he turned his gaze to Alier's corpse. His expression was sorrowful as he lowered his head. While the dangerous aura around him grew extensively, making everyone's hair stand on end.

"Carry Ethan to the carriage. Act discreetly. Do not make a scene. Go to the mansion and begin his treatment immediately. Go now." Muttered Albaer softly. His voice was hoarse and filled with despair.

Barnard nodded silently and backed off as without wasting any more time, he instructed the knights under him to act accordingly.

The knights gently carried Ethan to the carriage after briefly tending to his wounds. Soon after, the carriage left with the knights.

Albaer gritted his teeth as countless questions swirled in his mind chaotically. He couldn't make heads or tails of the situation seeing the wounds on Alier's body.

His frigid gaze turned towards the corpses of the unknown enemies as he stood up. His blood boiled with rage as his eyes burned with fury looking at the corpses.

Inspecting the whole scene of the incident, Albaer immediately realized that the situation was quite unusual, and this only increased his doubts.

"Clean all this up. I want nothing to be missed." Albaer commanded placidly without any emotion. However, his tone was extremely despondent and detached.

Albaer then walked back to where Alier's corpse was lying peacefully, holding the pocket watch to his heart.

Seeing his brother like this, Albaer felt as if his heart was being torn apart into pieces. His vision blurred as his eyes became moist. Or perhaps it was because too much blood was going into his head due to rage, frustration, and sorrow.

Carrying the corpse of his brother, Albaer walked alone on the path going towards the building of the Ancestral Shrine. Although he had many questions and doubts about what had transpired, all that would come later. Firstly, his brother needed to rest properly.

***

Meanwhile, the knights quickly gathered all the corpses and secured all that they could find, including weapons and the dead body of the leader of the assassins. They were waiting for the corpses and the evidence to be transported to the castle for further investigation.

On the other hand, the carriage soon reached Adenberd City as it headed straight toward the White Family's mansion.

The knights escorting the carriage did not make any fuss, pretending that the carriage was only returning after the outing so the normal populous observing the streets from their windows did not suspect a thing.

However, it was practically impossible to hide the news from the elite guests. As the carriage darted through the streets of Adenberd, the spies in the shadows working for the various guests also hurried to report to their respective masters.

And so the news that something extremely serious had occurred began spreading like wildfire in the circle of the elite guests.

As the carriage and the knights passed by Phoenix Avenue, the royal physician who had been observing everything from the window of Adenberd's most luxurious inn, turned around and frowned, looking at Elder Aries with question marks written all over his face.

"Something feels odd, what's happening?" Asked the royal physician.

"An interesting and most significant event just took place." Elder Aries answered with a slight smile as he took out ink and paper and began writing.

"Is this related to what you 'saw' before?" The Royal Physician asked pensively, a bright glint flashing in his eyes remembering when they had just arrived in Adenberd.

Elder Aries did not speak. Only after he was done scribbling on the paper did he look at the royal physician and nodded affirmatively with a slight smile as he handed the letter and said, "Hand this letter to the King on my behalf." He said enigmatically.

The Royal Physician's gaze went over the letter and his eyes widened with shock. With a disbelieving expression on his face, he muttered, "Impossible! How could this be?"

Elder Aries smiled while stroking his whiskers. Pointing at the door he said, "Don't believe me? You will be summoned to the mansion soon enough."

And mysteriously so, a knock sounded just after he uttered those words. The Royal Physician opened the door and he sighted a knight bowing deeply with a solemn expression standing in front of him.

"Sir, please come with me. Your presence is requested immediately. It's urgent." The knight declared stoically.

The Royal Physician sighed and shot a glance at Elder Aries who was smiling just as before. The Royal Physician then nodded at the knight as he draped over his azure robe on his shoulders.

"Let us go, then." He said and left the room.