Micah - Banquet Hall
Micah continued to hover nearby as the officers' voices became louder and louder with each passing moment. Apparently, there was a disagreement as to whether the Wardens should be called or not. However, as there was a loud
crash heard from a distance, everyone fell silent. The intruders had already made it into the palace. The General suddenly slammed his hands down on the table before beginning to stalk to the other end of the banquet hall, leaving the other officers behind. "Soldier," he said, beckoning Micah without so much as even turning his head, "Come with me."
Micah stood still for a confused moment before awkwardly dashing over to catch up with the General. "Sir?"
Once the General had reached the farthest corner of the virtually empty banquet hall, he turned to Micah, his expression grim. "I need you to inform the Wardens of what's happened here," he started.
"Yes sir," Micah replied breathlessly with a salute, already moving to follow the order.
"Stop." The General cut him off, raising his hand. "There's something else."
Micah stopped mid-step and turned to face his superior once more. His eyes were curious, but also hesitant, dreading what the General could possibly tell him. The man looked over at his fellow officers for a few seconds before shifting his somber gaze back to Micah. "Given how quickly the enemy has infiltrated our guard, it's unlikely that you'll be able to reach the Wardens in time."
"Sir, I'm very fast-"
"Soldier!" Micah fell silent at the General's reprimand, his eyes lowered in shame. "If you'd let me
finish," the General continued. Micah nodded.
"I don't expect you'll reach the Wardens before the palace has been taken, at which point myself, and all the officers in this room will be dead. In the event that happens, I need you to deliver something to the Wardens. A code to a safe located in a hidden room beneath the palace. The contents of this safe is crucial for the Wardens to retake the palace from these insurrectionists, but they do not have the code. Can you do this?"
Micah looked at the General's eyes; he saw the determination, the resolve, and the willingness to die for his cause. Micah took a deep breath. "Yes."
"Good," the General replied. Micah listened intently as the man relayed the code to him, making sure he committed it to his memory perfectly. When he was finished, Micah looked up at the General, his eyes round with worry. "Sir... What if I get caught?"
The General placed his hands on Micah's shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "Then this secret dies with you, Soldier. This information is necessary for the Wardens, but it would be better for it to be lost than to have it fall into enemy hands."
Micah nodded with understanding, his face determined. With that, the General turned to go back to the other officers, but not before the young guard spoke up one more time: "Sir. Why me?"
The General paused a moment before answering. "Because you were here."