Six years earlier

Moonlight shone through the wooden shutters as Myrrinna glanced around; there was no sign of guards. That was a good or a bad sign, either the guards were elsewhere or something deadlier protected the king. She reflexively felt for her portal glasses, her pouches heavy with them. Her breath lay heavy in the air, only then did she realise that she was holding it in. She loosened the sabres, her skin tingled, and something awaited her. She was going to give her master a piece of her mind when she saw him next.

Assassinating a King was one thing but facing a creature of Selenemancy was another. Shuffling to the door, her fabric shoes muffled her every step as she glanced around the corner warily. There was something ominous about Loc Morred, Myrrinna could feel it. Fully drawing her sabres she vaulted into the room, preparing her stance, ready to sheathe a sabre and draw a portal glass. But there was nothing there, the sound of steel being sheathed behind her, thrusting her sabre towards a throat dappled by stubble.

“Myrrinna, could you lower your blade, my throat is feeling rather uncomfortable.” Jung wore his haori proudly, with his glasses obscuring his velvet brown eyes. On his haori embroidered into the dense silk was the mirror shield with the green haze. His bow of Titan oak, slender, beautiful yet deadly was graced with goose feathers.

“You’re missing an arrow, why?” Jung shrugged.

“There were a few burned men that I had to deal with.”

“Just because they’re there, does not mean that you have to fight them.” The edge of his mouth twitched.

“Your worry is heart-warming but I never was in any danger.” Myrrinna’s felt her cheeks burning as she flushed, her fists clenching her sabres ever tighter.

“You bloody fool, what if they had been armed with barbed weapons, you would be dead!”

“Then you would grieve, followed by you wreaking bloody vengeance on those who had killed me. It’s sweet that you have such concern for me but I can take care of myself.” Myrrinna sheathed her sabres walking away from Jung. "We have a problem, that Flash Core you intercepted, how many men were there?”

“Three guards, why?"

"Well I have not encountered any guards; you fought less than five men. It’s not exactly adequate protection for a king, which means only one thing." Jung’s eyes met hers. Myrrinna’s mouth formed the words. "Selenemancy." A shiver tore through Jung; she felt that same shiver course through her.

"We cannot turn back now; this may be the only opportunity for a while." Myrrinna said. "Something still puzzles me though, have you heard of Helion guarding the king?" Jung shook his head. "Not that I know of, although The Cardinal Jorrin is a known Heliomancer."

“Well we had best hope that there is not a Selenemantic creature here, Jung.” Myrrinna said. Jung nodded, and then he darted around the corner. There was still no sign of guards, no sign of the enemy. This was very ominous. After several moments of searching, they found ornate doors a roaring sea wyvern, encircling itself. “This must be the place.”

Myrrinna whistled, a few moments later, their companions Gan Ning and Jiao Hua appeared carrying sacks. There was a slight clanging as they unburdened themselves. Rifling through the sacks she found her mirror pauldrons, gauntlets and chest plate. Gan Ning strapped her in, Jiao Hua helping Jung. Myrrinna did a few practice strikes; she found that she could move easily. Gan, Jiao had strapped themselves in semi mirror plate, with the wind crest helmets. Jung had opted for the same armour as Myrrinna.

“Myrrinna, whatever happens in there, can you say goodbye…” Myrrinna gripped his shoulder. “I will tell her.” Sheathing one sabre and drawing a portal glass, she motioned for Gan and Jiao to open the door. In the little ornate room, a woman with fiery red hair sat on a smaller version of the throne. Myrrinna put the portal glass back and drew her other sabre.

“Who are you?” Myrrinna asked.

“I am the Queen, and you have come to the wrong place.” “I am not here for you; I am here for the king.” The woman stood up and began to stroll towards her. She raised her hand. Myrrinna looked around dazedly as something thrummed. There was a shattering sound as Gan collapsed, his mirror plate shattered by several barbed bolts. From the corners of the room, four figures approached. They wore grey plate, thick barbs protruded from every inch of the plate. In their hands they carried barbed mauls, mauls of dark grey. Myrrinna looked into Jung’s eyes. She only hoped the same fear did not show in her own.

“Shatterers...Myrrinna… remember your promise.” Jung whispered.

“Jung!” Jung charged the first man, his scimitar slashing again and again. The Barbed man’s armour made it nigh on impossible for him to land a hit. The maul struck at Jung; narrowly he beat off the attack. Quickly twisting he caught his opponent on the back of his knee guard. Slicing upwards, the man fell. Jung grabbed the fallen man’s maul, used it crack the barbed helm like a shell, ending the man beneath it.

Jiao used his guandao, effortlessly swinging it with deadly grace; he had managed to break his opponent’s breastplate. Swinging at his opponent’s legs, he tripped him, and then thrust down. Jiao looked back for a second, only a second before his body spasmed. In his back, a barbed bolt had shattered the plate, bleeding the blood of men.

Two remained, for her and Jung. They struck out together. Myrrinna blocked the first blow, slipping a dagger into the eye slit. Jung held off the shatterer but only just. She had to end this and end it now. Myrrinna looked for her, but she was gone, the Queen was gone.

“Damn it.” Myrrinna found one of the fallen crossbows, it was of Jhin design. Myrrinna spat, then loaded a bolt, taking aim. The Barbed man had knocked Jung to the ground and raised his maul. The man jolted as the bolt pierced his chest, Jung took the man through the heart.

Myrrinna held Jung’s head in her hands; her eyes looked into her own. “See I won’t have to say anything to Xiao.” Jung nodded, and then he got up, leaning on Myrrinna for support. “What of Gan and Jiao?”

“Their essences are gone; there is nothing we can do.” Myrrinna halted as she saw what awaited them. Five men in the Flash Core, ornamented by the Grey of Bellach.

“No please.” But they fired, they fired nevertheless. Jung jerked as he was shot by multiple musket balls. “Jung...no...no...no.” Myrrinna drew a portal glass, stabbing the mirror with her dagger, the mirror did not shatter but merely absorbed the blade. She flung it so that it fell behind one of the soldiers she pulled as though invisible strings attached them. The dagger erupted from the mirror, taking one of the men in the back. Picking up Jung’s scimitar she descended on them, cutting down the first man in seconds, she slashed the smaller one on the arm. The third she slashed at viciously, the fourth she took his head. Her blade dripping blood onto the tiles as she held Jung, cradling his head she told him. “I promise, I promise to tell her you loved her.”

Next Chapter: Mercy