Genesis Code: The Genetic Awakening-Chapter 83: Hard Choices (2)

"AH!"

The knight holding Celine at knight point suddenly felt a force slam into her side and the dagger in her hand snatched away.

Before she knew it, she was lying face-first in the dirt, both hands locked behind her back. Her joints screamed in agony but she could barely move.

"You better not try anything funny." The person holding her down stated coldly. "It will be so easy to snap you in two, don’t give me a reason."

A moment later, the commander knocked the knight unconscious, bringing an end to the madness.

The knight commanders were finally on the scene. They were late, but it was better than never. They weren’t sure how things escalated to that point, but they knew the princess was not supposed to be in that state.

Two commanders surrounded the useless knights while another two went towards the prince. The last commander, Daphne, approached the queen’s figure, lifting her off the ground before approaching the princess.

Commander Fred didn’t delay as he plunged his sword into the back of the assassin. He had no reason to keep the man alive. They knew more than enough to know he was just a hired knife.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" Commander Eric attended to the prince with the king in his arms. "Sorry we’re late, but we’re here now." He moved to take the king from the prince.

"No!" Osbourne jerked back, surprising the commanders. "I’ll carry him myself."

"O-okay." The commander stood up and backed away with both hands up. "We understand. But you can rest assured, we’re not taken over."

"Hah... I know..." Osbourne sighed. "Still, let me do this..." Out of everyone here, the king was the weakest.

"Of course." Both commanders replied, stepping aside for the prince to move.

Osbourne carried his father and slowly moved towards the others. His heart felt great relief knowing his sister was safe. But this experience was bound to be traumatic.

’Tsk! What a mess this is.’ The prince felt like venting his frustrations but had no channels to do so. ’Father is almost permanently crippled if not already. Those bastards are going to pay dearly.’ His heart boiled with so much rage that it manifested as a fiery aura around him.

"B-brother...?" Celine called out softly. "Where are you...? How is father and mother doing?"

Celine was assured she was fine by her new helpers but until she heard from someone she personally knew, she wasn’t settled.

"I’m here, sis." Osbourne replied as he arrived by the commander carrying his mother. "Mom is fine and Dad will be okay as well..." He closed his eyes when he said the last part.

"Are you sure...?" She still wanted to hear her father’s voice. "I haven’t heard anything from him for a while now."

"He and Mom are unconscious right now..." Osbourne replied with a heavy heart. "But they’ll wake up soon. For now, let’s return to the castle, okay?"

"Okay, brother." Celine nodded despite her reservations. And who besides family could she trust at this point? Her own knight placed a knife at her throat.

"Let’s go."

One of the commanders stepped forward to lead the way while the rest shielded the Royal family in the middle. As for the knights, one of the commanders led them from a distance.

’Hm...?’

Commander Fred covered the Royal family from behind. However, his senses picked up a soft creak from his back. It was barely noticeable if one wasn’t paying attention or had weaker senses.

Turning around, he noticed the commander in the back also looking behind him. The other commanders turned around a second later.

"What is it?" Osbourne asked, looking in the same direction. He couldn’t see, hear or sense anything. "Is someone approaching this location?"

"No, that’s not it." Fred replied with a gloomy expression. "It’s here...And it’s coming straight for us."

"What...?" Osbourne was confused. "What are you talking about?" The prince had no idea about the approaching demon from the front lines, so this was news to him.

"A demon general is on its way here." Commander Eric replied and turned to the others. "You two should guide them to a safe place. Now."

Daphne nodded and accompanied by another commander, they continued forward. But the prince was still confused, wondering why a demon general was heading for the capital.

"Just what the hell is happening?!" He demanded with a frightened expression. "Why is a demon general headed here?!"

"We’ll explain everything to you, Your Highness." Daphne replied. "Right now, we have to get out of here." The commander quickened her pace towards the tunnel system.

"Shit!"

Daphne cursed as she turned around to see a blazing aura head straight for them. It almost felt like the demon was targeting them instead of just landing in the area. The sinister aura finally hit them in full force, almost bringing Osbourne to his knees.

"Do something!" The prince yelled as he looked back with shaky eyes. It would be suicidal to get inside the tunnel if they couldn’t stop that fast-approaching projectile of a demon.

The four commanders who stayed back to fight the demon took out their weapons, channelling their mana into their spells. Commander Fred was the first to make a move as lightning crackled from his body.

With a loud boom that left a small crater behind, he took off into the skies, heading straight for the demon. The general was close enough for his power jump to reach it.

The commander brandished his crackling sword mid-air, thrusting it at the demon with a roar.

"HAHAHA..." The demon laughed mockingly. "Your friends couldn’t stop me, and you think you are any different?!" The demon general made a slapping gesture at the incoming commander.

"!"

Fred’s eyes widened in horror when he felt a powerful force slammed into him out of nowhere. It was brutal as hell, shocking the commander out of his senses.

BOOM....!

Commander Fred was sent flying to the side like he was nothing, sliding across the forest floor and crashing into the trees for several hundred meters. Everywhere his figure passed, destruction was left behind.

"Fred?!"

The other commanders called out in worry, but they couldn’t afford to be distracted. The demon general was already close to the tunnel and if they failed to stop him, it would be the end of the Royal bloodline.

BOOM...!!!