Shin folded his arms, raising an eyebrow as he asked again to be sure.
"What do you mean you’ve been searching since you got here?"
Northern stood up and walked towards the window. He stayed there for a beat, silent and motionless, then narrowed his gaze and pointed to the cathedral building that plunged its spires into the sky, high above every other edifice and visible from every corner of the city.
"She’s there..."
Shin took a step closer, staring at the point Northern was indicating. Then he frowned and looked at his son.
"No. Northern, that can’t be. You don’t know what you’re talking about. That place is a religious body dedicated to the constellation of Davon. You might not know this, but the constellation churches are protected by the violence act of law. Every citadel, government, and nation has an imposed responsibility to consider them a protection priority when violence is involved. Turn against them, and we’re turning against the entire city."
Northern’s expression remained blank as Shin explained. Even after Shin had spoken, he was silent for a few seconds.
He glanced at Shin and then looked at the cathedral again.
"Hm, that’s quite troublesome, isn’t it..."
Shin had a stressed expression wearing thin on his face; he could feel his brow twitching.
"Yes... but what is that sinister smile for?"
Northern shrugged.
"I don’t know. The thought of going against the entire city is just kind of exhilarating."
Shin’s face crumpled, lines forming all over as he frowned in despair, trying to prehend what his son was saying. The most frustrating part was that he couldn’t even tell the point Northern was trying to make.
Northern lingered in silence for another moment and turned to Shin, sitting softly on the window frame.
"So, we give up and don’t rescue mother?"
"Of course not," Shin retorted with a determined expression.
"But we cannot be rash. First of all, how are you so sure she’s there? What informant told you this? And if this is the case, we should report it peacefully to them."
"Report it peacefully? Shin?"
Shin felt his heart drop as Northern coldly called his name.
’What is that look...’
Northern’s face gave away no emotion, but there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes.
It made Shin mixed up with different emotions, not even sure how to respond to the downgrading look his son was giving him.
"I’m telling you, messing with the Churches of Constellation is a serious felony against unified law. This is not just..."
Northern tilted his head, his eyes seeming to freeze everything beyond them with the level of coldness they emitted.
His gaze alone made Shin stop in the tracks of his world.
"It’s your wife, and felony is what you’re scared about?"
Shin shook his head for a beat.
"No, no, you don’t understand. Don’t make it sound like I don’t care about Eisha. There is a way to do things and how to do things. If you say that the people who kidnapped Eisha are there, how are they there? What made you say so? We can’t just barge into a body of devotion protected by the law because of your premonition, even if it’s my wife. And I’m very sure you know Eisha would be finding the best way to do this without causing any noise."
Northern grimaced.
"Fine. You want no noise. I’ll show you no noise. Sit here, I’ll bring mother to you."
Northern turned and stepped on the window.
"North, n—"
Immediately, Shin stretched his hand to stop him. But his son blurred and disappeared before he could plete his words.
He frowned for a moment, then clenched his fist.
"Damn it."
He stormed out of the room, running through the hallway.
Alystren was waiting at the base of the stairs. Seeing the hurried look on Shin’s face, he quickly asked, "What is wrong?"
"Damn that boy. Please take me to the cathedral, as fast as possible."
Alystren paled as he heard Shin.
"Cathedral? Why the cathedral?" The horror on his face intensified. "Please don’t tell me..."
"We need to be fast."
Alystren gulped and turned sharply, briskly walking out of the building with Shin.
They were walking towards the mount stable when Alystren suddenly stopped in his tracks and touched his cheek.
"What’s wrong?" Shin asked.
He rubbed the stain on his cheek and looked at his hand; there was a black powdery stain on both his hand and cheek.
Then he looked up.
The sky had already transitioned to darkness, however in its early stages.
The evening was just beginning to set deep, with night waiting to plunder in from the horizon.
Both moons were like carved arcs backing each other to form a very curvy ’X’.
However, those were not what made Alystren’s face contort with concerning horror.
Shadowing upon them, in the sky, was an enormous vessel, right above the governor’s mansion.
It was as if this vessel had just instantaneously appeared above their heads; Alystren did not remember seeing something ing their way, even a few seconds ago.
And there was no way such a colossal air vessel would e all the way to the governor’s mansion and security wouldn’t have been alerted.
What was going on?
Alystren’s eyes shook in tensed fear. Just as he was looking, Shin too was also looking, his face carrying a slight look of detest and displeasure.
"This cannot be good..." he muttered.
Ropes fell out of the vessel, from each side, three on the left, three on the right, and figures began to descend from them.
Alystren’s eyes narrowed even more as he saw this. He covered his face in shame, giggling strangely as the intruders slid down their ropes.
"Damn you, Thalon, and here I was thinking I just might have a peaceful journey."
Even though he thought there were low chances of any drama happening in Arcadia.
Arcadia was still Arcadia; it was a place of target for renowned thieves, criminals, heretical ideologists, hence it was a city also known as the House of motion.
But right now, what Alystren was seeing was nothing like those motions he had witnessed in all his past travels here.
This was a full-scale war. Arcadia was being invaded!
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