Free Web NovelChapter 191: Musicians
Usually, when Victor went back in time, he had a good amount of time before the main events that led to his death took place. However, this time, every time he opened his eyes, there was the leader of the Night Guardians, standing on stage giving a speech.
Victor had tried to get out onto the balcony, he had tried to fight, he had tried to talk and he had tried to let everything happen as the man who could stop time wished. Nothing changed, one or more people always ended up dying, including him.
Besides, his strength and sword skills were no use against the disfigured man who was currently his greatest obstacle.
Victor looked around, trying to absorb every detail of his surroundings. He was once again in the banquet hall of the city council building, a large hall adorned with antique tapestries and glittering chandeliers. The large windows let in the dim moonlight, creating shadows that danced on the walls. The atmosphere was charged with tension, as if everyone present could sense the impending catastrophe.
The leader of the invaders, with his skull mask still intact, continued his speech. His voice reverberated through the hall, full of arrogance and disdain. Victor knew that any rash action would result in the same tragic fate he had experienced so many times before.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves and order his thoughts. The repetition of the event gave him an advantage: he knew the enemy’s movements. However, each previous attempt had failed, and that weighed heavily on his mind. He needed a new approach, something the enemy wouldn’t expect.
"I need to think outside the box," he muttered to himself, looking around. The hall was full of nobles and merchants, all oblivious to the fate that awaited them. "But how? What haven’t I tried?"
As the leader of the Guardians of the Night continued to speak, Victor noticed something he hadn’t noticed before. A small group of musicians stood in the corner of the hall, their trembling hands holding instruments. An idea began to form in his mind.
"The music," he thought. "Maybe I can use it to distract or confuse the enemy."
Victor knew that he needed a well thought-out plan and that it depended on the cooperation of the musicians. Without wasting any time, he began to move slowly around the room, trying not to attract the attention of the invaders. When he got close to the musicians, he whispered to the violinist, a wide-eyed young man who seemed to understand the gravity of the situation.
"Listen, I need your help. When I give the signal, I want you to start playing a specific melody. Something that’s the opposite of the tense atmosphere here. Can you do that?"
The young musician hesitated for a moment, but the determination in Victor’s eyes seemed to convince him. He nodded, indicating that he was willing to cooperate.
"Good," said Victor. "Just wait for my signal."
With his plan in mind, Victor turned his attention to the leader of the invaders. He knew that the music alone wouldn’t be enough. He needed an additional distraction to break the focus of the many enemies. He looked around, searching for something he could use.
His eyes landed on a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling, directly above the leader of the Night Guardians. A dangerous and daring idea began to form in his mind. If he managed to knock down the chandelier at the right moment, he could create the distraction needed for the music to take effect.
"But how can I get there without being noticed?" he thought, analyzing the room.
He noticed a series of columns leading up to the platform where the leader stood. If he was quick and quiet, he could use the shadows to move from pillar to pillar until he was directly below the chandelier.
Taking a deep breath, Victor sneaked up to the first column, using the racket from the start of the invader’s speech as cover. Every move was calculated, every step taken with the utmost caution. His heart was beating frantically, but he kept his focus. Finally, he reached the last column. He looked up, calculating the distance to the chandelier. He would need something to cut the rope holding up the massive piece. He quickly pulled a small dagger from his boot, ready to use it.
At the right moment, he gave the signal to the musicians, raising his hand discreetly. The violinist began to play a soft, cheerful melody, a song that sounded like it belonged at a summer party rather than in a hall about to be the scene of a massacre.
The leader of the Night Guardians hesitated for a moment, clearly confused by the change in atmosphere. His eyes swept the room, looking for the source of the music.
"Hey, what are you doing? I wouldn’t want to kill workers, but I’ll do it if I have to. Stop this immediately!" shouted the leader to the musicians.
"Now," thought Victor aloud, throwing the dagger with precision. It cut the rope, and the chandelier began to fall.
The sound of the chandelier smashing against the floor echoed through the hall, followed by cries of surprise and panic. The leader of the invaders was thrown backwards by the impact near him.
Victor wasted no time. He used the confusion to approach the leader, who was trying to get up. With one swift movement, he drew his sword and grabbed the leader from behind, placing the sword against his neck. freēwebnovel.com
"It’s over." said Victor, his voice firm. "You’re not going to hurt anyone anymore."
The leader of the Guardians, a robust and menacing-looking man, didn’t surrender easily. His eyes locked onto Victor’s, full of anger and disdain. "Do you think you can stop me like that?" he snarled, his voice a venomous whisper.
Victor didn’t answer. Instead, his firm hand remained pressing the sword against his enemy’s flesh, a silent warning that any sudden movement would be fatal. However, he hadn’t counted on the secret resource that the leader possessed.
Suddenly, Victor felt a strange sensation in the air around him. The environment seemed to distort, as if the very fabric of reality was being altered. Before he could react, everything around him stopped. The notes of the musicians’ melody hung in the air, the expressions of the nobles and merchants froze into masks of terror and surprise.
’This is...’ thought Victor, feeling the weight of time frozen around him. He looked at the leader of the Night Guardians, who now had a triumphant smile on his face.
The man was unaffected by the spell. On the contrary, he seemed to be in complete control of the situation.
"You didn’t know who you were dealing with, insurgent," said the leader, his voice echoing supernaturally in the paralyzed silence.
He tried to move, but soon realized the limitation of his own power. The blade of Victor’s sword was positioned in such a way that, at the slightest movement, the sharp blade would cut deep into his flesh.
"Damn," muttered the leader, his former confidence now tinged with frustration. He tried to move his eyes, looking for a way out of the situation without being beheaded. But Victor’s sword, sharp as a razor, prevented any attempt to escape.
Victor, on the other hand, was using every second of his paralysis to think about his next move. He didn’t know how long the leader of the Guardians could keep time stopped, but he knew he had to act quickly.
When time finally returned to normal, Victor said:
"You couldn’t move, could you?" Victor asked, keeping his voice low and controlled. "If you tried too hard, my sword would slit your throat. So what are you going to do now?"
The leader of the Guardians grunted, frustration clearly evident on his face. He was trapped, and he knew it. However, there was still a glint of defiance in his eyes. "You won’t get out of this alive," he growled. "My men... they..."
"Your magic works over a large area, but it only allows you to release those who are close to you from the prison of slowness, which means that no one can help you because you’ve decided to appear alone to everyone on stage." Victor explained and then raised his voice. "Attention! It’s over! Either you stop, or your leader dies!"
The hall filled with restless murmurs as the invaders looked around, clearly unsure of what to do next.
One of the invaders, a thin, nervous man, looked around desperately. His eyes fixed on a young noblewoman who was cowering in a corner of the hall, clearly terrified. Seeing an opportunity, he ran towards her, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her close to him. He held a dagger against the young woman’s throat, his hand trembling but determined.
"If you don’t let the boss go, I’ll kill you!" the man shouted, the desperation evident in his voice.
Victor’s eyes narrowed. He was about to react when an imposing figure moved among the guests. A large, bald, robust-looking man stepped forward with determined strides. His muscles were evident even under his clothes, and his face bore an expression of cold determination.
With a quick, precise movement, the man grabbed the intruder’s arm, twisting it until the dagger fell out of his hand. Before the intruder could react, the man knocked him out with a powerful punch to the chin, causing him to fall awkwardly to the ground. He then picked up the invader’s fallen sword and raised it, turning to the other invaders.
"You have all heard the orders," he said, his deep, authoritative voice echoing through the hall. "Lay down your weapons now and surrender peacefully."
