As they prepared to leave, a warning echoed through the city, indicating that invaders were approaching the plains of Lisithea, on the Lottrengarth road. Soldiers from the city of Lisithea formed a vanguard near Lisithea, intending to delay the arrival of the Galèsian Barbarians in the city. The peaceful scene instantly turned to chaos, and the FIDELIUS knights would face yet another challenge on their journey.
"aahhhh—!" Rudra was in his quarters, taking care of his things, when he heard screams coming from the room above, so he decided to run as fast as possible.
"Screams…!"
"and that voice is from–"
In Arianna's chambers, there were three hooded individuals, who called themselves inquisitors, and who planned to execute the Lisithea family. The governess had had her left arm amputated by the advance of one of the inquisitors who was targeting Arianna.
"Eeee-Elianne!"
"Run away... Miss Arianna…"
Arianna was so scared and afraid that she could barely move her legs. The housekeeper Elianne's blood formed a giant puddle on the floor, covering Arianna's feet, leaving her deeply traumatized, not knowing what to do.
"P-back! Don't come near us!"
His words were not enough to stop the advance of the inquisitors who were preparing to complete their objectives.
"I said—don't come!"
Arianna found herself cornered in the corner of the room, with Elianne in her arms, almost lifeless due to the great loss of blood.
"..."
One of the inquisitors pulls her by the hair and pulls out a cleaver, pressing it against her neck. His sadistic and tormented expression leaves Arianna increasingly hopeless and terrified.
"Don't worry, maiden… it will be painless."
"THUD!" – The door opens with great intensity.
Rudra enters the room with his blade drawn and fights the inquisitors to save Arianna and her governess.
"Who are you!?"
Rudra quickly struck with his blade, killing one of the inquisitors. The second inquisitor charged at Rudra, who had his back exposed, but Rudra pulled his sword from the dead man's body and blocked the inquisitor's dagger strike.
"But wha–"
Then Rudra drops his sword, and knocks the inquisitor to the ground. The third, and the one holding Arianna felt overwhelmed by the actions of Rudra, who had finished off his companions.
"N-it can't be…"
"You, you are–"
"hurghh! I don't care who you are..!"
"Get lost!"
The inquisitor holding the cleaver drops Arianna to the ground, and decides to confront Rudra face to face in an irrational attack, the knight grabs his arm and knocks him to the ground, leaving him semi-unconscious.
Rudra coldly throws him to the ground and starts questioning him, threatening to break his fingers one by one.
"Who… are… you?"
The inquisitor remains silent, without saying a single word. Then, Rudra breaks his pinky finger, making him scream in pain incessantly.
"Arrgh–"
"What's wrong? Did the cat get your tongue?"
"Hmm…"
"I'll ask again… who are you? Who sent you here?"
"Hurgggh– I won't tell you anything–"
Rudra breaks another finger on his right hand. The inquisitor writhes in pain again, while Rudra continues to question him, until there are no healthy fingers left on his hand.
"hurghhh…. hurghhh…."
Arianna watched in astonishment, the method of torture the knight used, without moving.
"Shh–", the inquisitor had bitten his own tongue.
…
The Golden-Eyed Knight was frustrated that he couldn't extract a single piece of information from the Inquisitor. Looking at the Inquisitor's jaw, he noticed a greenish viscous substance dripping from his mouth.
"..."
"Ma'lahadd's herb… he poisoned himself."
"an excellent anti-betrayal mechanism. They are truly devoted to their causes."
Arianna had noticed on the dead inquisitor's cloak a coat of arms that she had recognized at a glance.
"that emblem…"
Then Rudra turned his gaze again to the maiden Arianna and her housekeeper.
"Miss Arianna, we have to go."
"But– Elianne… what will become of her?"
"The maid can barely breathe, and is on the verge of death. She will be a dead weight for us–"
"Don't say that!"
Arianna was irritated by Rudra's statement regarding her housekeeper's condition.
"Elianne is important to me, to us"
"We can't leave her here to rot–"
Suddenly, Arianna feels a slight tug on her dress. It was Elianne, her housekeeper.
"*huff*… miss… leave me here… and do as the knight tells you… *huff*…"
"Don't talk– You're too weak…"
Elianne's almost lifeless eyes filled Arianna's mind with sadness, completely changing her firm countenance.
"It was… *huff*… a great pleasure… to serve you while I was alive…"
"Look how it is… now…"
Elianne turned her gaze to Rudra.
"Knight… huf… take care of milady… make this mission… worth it…"
Rudra nodded silently at the housekeeper Elianne's words.
"Thank you very much… for everything… milady…"
"..."
And there Elianne had sighed for the last time. Arianna was filled with sadness, seeing the person who had taken care of her, leave in such a way. Silence had settled in the room due to Arianna's mourning for her governess.
"Miss Arianna, we have to leave."
"Everyone is waiting for us."
Arianna nods at Rudra's words, and stands up to face him. They both leave the blood-stained room and wander through the corridors, to the main Hall.
…
"fshhh–!" – sound of a loud stabbing.
"What– blehh–"
Dallbert spat blood uncontrollably as he stood motionless.
"Ferdinand… what does the mean–"
The dagger is pulled out of his back abruptly, leaving an exposed wound on his back.
"My brother… why?"
"..."
"You discovered… you discovered the secret."
"I swear..!"Not you..!"
"I DIDN'T WISH IT WAS YOU, BROTHER!!"
Ferdinand screamed hysterically, making absurd statements to Dallbert, who was sneaking towards the door.
"They would kill me if they knew the plans were discovered!"
"I didn't want you to get involved in this damn story!"
"You and our nephews, Edgar and Arianna, were supposed to be okay!!"
"But then this letter came–! THIS DAMNED LETTER FROM MAGNUSSON!!!"
Dallbert was perplexed by the great betrayal he had suffered, losing more and more blood on the ground.
"my brother…"
Dallbert had died in that room, stabbed in the back by his own brother, who betrayed him at every turn. Leaving his brother's body to rot in his office, he took the letters and burned them, along with the office, erasing all traces.
…
Rudra and Arianna had arrived at the stairs of the main hall of Dallbert's palace, meeting the knights and Leslie, already prepared to leave.
"Thank heavens… You're both okay…" Lloyd sighed, relieved at the arrival of Arianna and Rudra.
"Whatever happens–"
"We don't have time, this place has been invaded by inquisitors." Rudra replied quickly, interrupting Edgar's speech.
"Alright, Obelisk, take us to the hatches!"
"Affirmative, Hawk."
Leslie and her party were guided by the Obelisk to the hatches that led to the opposite side of the Lottrengarth road. On the way, Leslie questioned Rudra about what he had stated earlier.
"Rudra, you said there were inquisitors in the palace, is that true?"
"Yes, they came in through Arianna's bedroom window," Rudra answers Leslie's question.
"Where is Lord Dallbert?" asked Rudra.
"...unfortunately, Lord Dallbert, along with his brother Ferdinand, decided to stay and coordinate the vanguard."
"My father… no!" – Arianna was perplexed by the news.
The group descended and descended the stairs that formed the secret passage of Lisithea, the Tunnel of Rohd'nes. Obelisk had lit a torch to better illuminate the way.
"that coat of arms…" said Arianna.
"hum?"
"I remember that coat of arms somewhere… when I was younger."
"The coat of arms on the inquisitor's cloak?" asked Rudra.
"Yes… I've seen him before, on a solstice, when I was very young. My uncle was holding a leather book with him printed on the cover."
"If I'm not mistaken, the name was the coat of arms of Eras…"
"The symbol of the secret society of the Aleonia Union." Edgar replied.
"So they know where we're escaping. They've been watching us this whole time..!" said Obelisk, frustrated by the revelations.
"We have to pick up the pace as soon as possible!" said Leslie, worried about possible approaches.
The entire group began moving faster to reach the hatch that leads to the outside of the city of Lisithea. Halfway there, Arianna's feet began to throb from running so much.
"arghh– my heel..!"
"Cousin, are you okay?" asked Edgar, worried about his cousin Arianna.
"I am… but I don't know if I can walk like this–"
Then Rudra crouches down and asks Arianna to lean on his back so he can carry her.
"Come, I'll take you."
"No! I can– arghhh–"
Arianna struggled to show that she could continue the journey, but she was too weak to walk due to the previous events.
"R-right…"
" Spif'nnaer..! (Damn it…!)" – whispered Arianna.
And so, Arianna climbed onto Rudra's back, and everyone was able to resume their journey to the outer hatch.
"Edgar, what ' Coat of Arms' is this?" Bart asked, curious about this craftsman.
"... The coat of arms of Eras. The symbol of Aleonia's reconquest of its lands. A union of landowners, who had common ideals, was formed to reconquer the lands taken by the Rùbari, those who colonized Aleonia."
"However, this society was made private by the main court of the capital, and all the other regions of Aleonia became hostages of this society, making them swear with the blood of their families. Artas and Bonnofal left the society. Nostruvitch and Engüllehardt are the only ones who are still part of this society."
"Apparently, with our recent discovery of the goals of this society, we have become targets of the empire, and will possibly be judged as traitors to the homeland."
"All because of power…" Arianna said, frustrated with the situation.
Some time had passed since the long walk through the tunnel when they finally reached the hatch. Obelisk tried to turn the wheel that kept the hatch closed, but it was stuck.
"It's– stuck..!"
"each one holds one side" declared Augustus.
Then Augustus, Gael, Bart and Humbert forced the hatch wheel to give way and turn. At first they put in a lot of effort, but it started to turn.
"That– is.! spinning–!"
"More strength!"
Using all their effort, they managed to open the hatch, reaching the outside of the city. The sound of the war that had taken place there could be heard.
"Lisithea… my land…" Arianna looked up at the great walls that held up the city's protection.
"I'm sorry… we don't have time for regrets, Cousin. We have to go." Edgar replied.
"Where can we go?" Alyfir asked.
"...The only road that can guide us back to the bunker safely is through Nollander." Obelisk replied.
"Okay, then let's go with Nollander." Leslie declared.
Obelisk knew of a region where they could walk until they could get horses to cross the route. So they all set off along the Nollander road, which leads to the border between Livero and Hault, the safest way back to the bunker.