At Annan's command, the ten men he had made Captains were eager for a fight, but none of the other City Guards charged.
"What are you waiting for?"
Annan felt embarrassed. He realized they weren't the loyal warriors of Free City.
"My lord, we can't beat them..." one of the Captains said quietly.
Whoosh—crack!
A knight swung his riding crop at Annan, but Maria leaped forward and caught its tip.
"You dare resist?"
Annan ignored the knight's hollow bluster and drew his Staff from his Magic Ring. "What about this?"
They already knew Young Miss Olmedo was a Spellcaster, but they still shook their heads. "We still can't beat them."
Annan took out the Spellbook he had "borrowed" from Tabareo. Staff in his left hand, Spellbook in his right, he asked, "What about this and this?"
"We're really fighting them? They're the Knights' Order..."
The City Guard was, after all, just a group of soldiers who kept order in the New Royal Capital. They were only one step above militia.
"The Knights' Order is exactly who we're fighting. Wipe them out, and everyone gets a promotion. Anyone who doesn't gets a Gold Narl bounty from me!"
If he hadn't wanted to tie the City Guard to his cause, Annan could have wiped the knights out himself.
"They're the Knights' Order..." the Captain repeated.
"They're not. They're the Blade of Freedom!" Annan stared in disappointment at the frightened City Guards. "Who scares you more, the Knights' Order or my uncle?"
"Captain, these City Guards are Blade of Freedom too!" The knight suddenly released his whip, drew his Longsword, and roared.
At first, the City Guards hadn't dared provoke either side. But now that the knight had declared them enemies, they had no choice but to stand with Annan.
"Young Miss Olmedo,