[Host seems distressed,] the System said.
The timeline is completely off the rails, Lucas thought back. None of this happened in the game. Not even close.
[Perhaps that is for the best? Host's knowledge was of a timeline where the Legion won, after all.]
Or maybe we're heading toward something worse.
King Darius was still speaking, discussing economic policies and agricultural initiatives that made Lucas's eyes glaze over.
He was about to zone out completely when something caught his attention.
A flicker of movement on one of the rooftops surrounding the square.
Lucas squinted, trying to get a better look. The figure was dressed in dark clothing, crouched low. Nothing too unusual. It could just be a guard or someone trying to get a better view.
Except something about them just didn't sit right with Lucas.
"System," Lucas thought, "use Analyze on that figure. The one on the eastern rooftop."
[Unable to comply. Target is too far away and Host's skill level is too low for detailed analysis at this distance.]
Useless, Lucas thought.
The figure shifted position, and something glinted in the sunlight. Metal? A weapon?
Could it be?
No. No way. This is a public festival with hundreds of guards. Nobody would be stupid enough to...
The figure stood up, and that's when Lucas saw it clearly.
The dark clothing wasn't just dark. It was marked with symbols.
A Symbol he recognized from countless hours of playing the game, from fighting the Legion's forces, from watching cutscenes of their attacks.
The skull with three eye sockets and long horns wrapped in broken chain symbolizing freedom from moral constraints.
Lucas would recognize that symbol anywhere.
It was the symbol of the Legion. No doubt about it.
"Oh shit," Lucas said.
This can't be happening. It can't...
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.
The figure raised their arm. Something flew through the air, moving too fast to be anything good.
Lucas opened his mouth to shout a warning, but the words couldn't come out of his mouth.
One of the royal guards on stage saw it first.
The man moved with impressive speed, throwing himself in front of the king just as the projectile, which was a throwing knife wreathed in sickly green energy, would have hit its target.
The knife buried itself in the guard's shoulder instead. He screamed, and the green energy spread across his body like wildfire.
Within seconds, his skin was turning gray, veins going black, eyes filled with blood, rolling back into his head.
Poison. Extremely lethal poison, from the looks of it.
Chaos erupted.
More guards rushed toward the stage. The crowd began screaming and pushing, trying to get away.
Crown Prince Hugo had drawn a sword from somewhere and was pulling his father behind him. Leyla was being hustled away by her own guards.
And on the rooftop, the assassin was already running, leaping between buildings with a speed and agility that showed he was at least Silver ranked.
"Everyone stay together!" Damion shouted.
But the crowd was a surging mass of panic. People were pushing and shoving in every direction. Lucas felt Celeste being torn away from his arm by the press of bodies.
"Lucas!" she called out.
"Stay close!" he yelled back, but he wasn't sure if she could hear him over the screaming.
Raymond had gone completely white. Charlotte looked like she was about to faint. Marie was trying to keep everyone together with limited success.
Zacard had drawn a dagger from somewhere, not that it would do him any good if the Silver ranked assassin decided to come their way.
And Lucas just stood there, trying to understand what just happened.
Legion. That was definitely the Legion. The symbol, the poison, the assassination attempt - it's all their style.
But that was impossible.
In the game, the Legion didn't make any major moves until almost two years from now. They operated in the shadows, building their forces, preparing for their grand invasion.
They certainly didn't attempt to assassinate kings at public festivals in broad daylight.
What the hell is going on? Lucas thought
How much has changed? How much of my knowledge is useless now? What the hell is changing things?
More guards were flooding into the square, trying to control the panicked crowd.
Magical shields were being raised around the stage. Healers were rushing to the fallen guard, though from the way his body had gone completely still, Lucas suspected it was already too late.
"We need to move!" Lydia's voice cut through his thoughts. "The guards are going to start checking everyone. We don't want to get caught up in their investigation."
She was right. Being noble students would protect them somewhat, but getting interrogated for hours and hours wouldn't be fun. Not by a long shot.
The group started moving with the crowd, being pushed toward the exits of the square. Lucas kept looking back at the rooftops, trying to spot the assassin again.
But they were gone. Disappeared into the city like smoke.
[Host's heart rate is elevated,] the System noted. [Is Host afraid?]
Afraid? I'm terrified, Lucas thought.
Everything I knew about this world, about the timeline, about when threats would appear.... It's wrong. Every thing I thought I knew is wrong. The Legion is active NOW. Which means...
He didn't want to finish that thought.
Because if the Legion was moving this early, if they were bold enough to attempt assassination in broad daylight, then they were far stronger than they should be at this point in the timeline.
In the game, their early years had been spent recruiting, gathering resources, building their army in secret.
"Lucas, move!" Celeste had somehow fought her way back to him, grabbing his arm and pulling him forward. "We need to get out of here before the barriers go up."
She was right.
Already, Lucas could see mages in guard uniforms taking positions around the square's perimeter.
Within minutes, they'd have the entire area locked down with magical barriers, trapping everyone inside for questioning.