East
The hiding soldiers wanted to attack suddenly and disappear. It would save their guts from giving up. The team head stepped at his left and started walking.
This was random direction in his eyes however perhaps someone disliked it. A round blade fell in front digging in the ground.
Junan stepped back. Others got alert. Albert came with the shield. He spread his shield and looked around. They were looking for the second attack but it did not happen.
"Who threw this and from what direction?" Albert asked. Junan did not see. There were buildings in a row all of them silent and mysterious. It was sudden so he was clueless.
"Sashi and Jake keep your arrows and gun ready and watch the buildings." Junan ordered. Clearing each building was not part of their quest.
Also they would be leaving so the soldiers or whoever wanted to attack should follow them toward the palace. Team members were going to destroy the palace. They did not want to spend time in the normal buildings. The most pressing concern was the precious time.
Clearing normal buildings means they would run out of time by reaching near Palace. Sashi and Jake took position. They walked carefully keeping their eyes at the buildings. Others followed behind Albert.
The big garden was never ending or perhaps they were walking slowly. Various plants cut in shapes rustled unknowingly.
No one noticed because they were looking at the buildings.
Those plants started changing their positions too.
Team head and others were walking at the opposite so it was entirely out of question that they could guess what was going on.
One of the plants grabbed Orin from feet and dragged him inside. They halted their steps. Clark hurried to capture Orin however he was late by single moment.
The round shaped plant that seemed well served by the gardener appeared as cannibal. Clark was about to use his hammer at the puffy leaves of the plant when Ahram barely interrupted.
"Hold it young man." He almost shouted. He got frightened the way Clark was going to bang his hammer. "There could be Orin." Ahram spoke. Clark went silent for brief moments. "Heck I was going to ruin the team." Clark answered and looked at the puffy leaves.
The plant rustled like it was going to fell on ground. They saw the thorny mace coming to view then went back. The plant screamed, next moment Orin came out of it.
He killed the soldier that tried to capture him and injure with the round blade.
Clark gasped and took deep breath. He was really at fault. Thankfully Ahram acted on time. "Thanks bro, I should be careful next time." He patted on the shoulders of Ahram. Ahram was younger than Clark however he acted sober and silent.
They were looking at Orin now. "He was mere soldier wanted to act stronger than Orin." Orin raised his shoulders as it was nothing big. They nodded however they should look both sides now.
"That plant is constantly moving if I correctly remember." Junan noticed the plant. They looked at each other and decided the most troublesome job. They thought that this realistic looking garden should survive nonetheless it was meant to get destroyed.
The soldiers were hiding there. It could potentially bring damage to them. They could not neglect that the garden was spread at every side. In no time sooner they would leave it.
It was true. The east garden spread toward the east palace. This means they would keep this slow pace toward the palace and garden would also remain along the way.
Since they were solving this issue Jake did not distract his focus. A soldier appeared from a window and threw the weapon. It was aimed at the team head.
Jake immediately fired and the soldier fell from the third floor of the building.
They looked horrified. Seeing Jake doing his job perfectly brought satisfaction for them. "It was perfect hit young boy." Junan praised. Now they urgently needed to change their collaboration.
Both side enemies were hiding. They were looking chance for attack. "I will be ahead. Ahram and Orin should cover the back. Since the garden should be destroyed then make sure every plant should meet its end." team walked ahead and swayed his sword at the puffy plant.
A soldier screamed because the sword damaged his neck.
"See plants can scream. This is the reason why they should meet their end." Junan walked toward Jake after giving example.
They understood. Now they resumed their pace. Whichever plant they noticed rustling got destroyed eventually. It started changing the clean and beautiful garden ruined.
Sashi shot arrow and the soldier fell from the window of the building. The soldiers soon realized that it was not working. The runners were more active now.
The attacks stopped. Junan got curious. No more plants rustled. The soldiers seemed admitted that they could not stop the runners.
"Maybe they are in small numbers." Albert spoke. It was his opinion after noting down the difference of soldiers. These soldiers looked different from the empire soldiers.
"What made you think it is?" Clark asked. Albert shook his shoulders, "These soldiers are the security of the third king so naturally they will be in smaller number. The king cannot bring his army in the other empire if I am not wrong." He explained.
Clark wide opened his eyes. He was feeling himself thickhead. No one could blame him because he was made for battle not for the brain jobs. His battle combo always surpassed from others.
"Rest easy my friend. I recently felt this difference. It is also a gesture for us that we are nearing toward the palace. Get ready for battle. The rest of security might welcome us in front of palace." Albert pleasantly spoke.
They were in a team however rarely talked to each other. Their center of attention was the team head and his orders. "Now I understand how we were selected in a team." Clark nodded.
He never felt that he was above from team head because many things skipped from his eyes yet the team head pointed earlier.