Chapter 315: II Chapter 309: ll Allies

"Moulin..." Malyana whispered between her heavy breathing. She was leaning unto Harow's arm. Supporting herself to stand up and stare at the youth. He'd come sooner than she thought. Were they successful? Her eyes took a glimpse at the unfamiliar woman riding behind the young maeruthan. Where was Nhero?

The massive raven-furred beast was still writhing from the pain, and Moulin took no pity of it. He didn't expect that the first thing he'd see when he arrived would be a giant Black Lion spitting flames at his cold-face lover. He didn't stop to think as he immediately called forth his sacred weapon and fired one mighty arrow at the monster. Although he made his mark, Moulin wished the arrow had penetrated deeper and instantly sent it to hell. 

Moulin raised his head. Eyes sharp and breathing slow, he pulled his arm back, ignoring the sizzle and cracks of biting ice from the arrow that materialized within his grip. Without a thought, he released. 

Unfortunately, the beast was now prepared, reminded by the pain of the neck wound. Its center eye wiggled and rolled, eyeing the arrow's path. Within a second, a dark miasmic barrier rose from the ground, swallowing the arrow of ice, and nothing was left of it, not even the snowy trails it left.

Narrowing his eyes, Moulin veered Snow to change locations before the beast could rise and seek vengeance. Snow huffed, obediently leaping from the broken dais and landing swiftly on the empty area between Hadrian and Malyana. Moulin and Ghana dismounted, and the youth gripped his weapon as he hurried to Lord Hercullio's side. 

"Why the hell were you just standing there?" Moulin hissed. His eyes glaring daggers at the golden-eyed man. A step away from the man, Moulin continued, "You could have moved away, avoided it, and not just stand there like some dumb- ah!"

Before he could finish his words, the man abruptly pulled him close. Their chest touched, and Moulin felt the soft yet crushing kiss against his lips. The gears in his mind stopped, and within the second, when his mouth was forced to part from the invading tongue, he forgot his anger. 

Malyana blinked, "..."

When the two parted, Moulin grabbed Hadrian's hair and pulled him into another punishing kiss before releasing the man. The youth's heart pounded, and his eyes gleamed sharply like a brandished sword. "We are not finished." He declared. 

Hadrian chuckled in response. "I missed you."

Suddenly, Malyana interrupted the two of them. She staggered to hold herself upright. "As much as we love to watch your showcase of true love, it seems we aren't finished yet."

Moulin turned his gaze. The vibration of the threatening growl shook the earth. Moulin could feel the air shift. A chill climbed his spine, and the same feeling of loss he had experienced at the hallways returned. This giant beast managed to snap the arrow from his wound, and in a blink of an eye, the wound closed, regenerating rapidly. All of this occurred as the blood-red eye sitting on the middle of the monster's forehead was staring at them. Moulin sensed as if there was another peeking within the third vision, spying on them. The thought made his eyes narrow. Is this the work of Malefics?

The orcs had transformed, blinded by rage. The battle hadn't stopped. 

As if something clicked inside him, Moulin turned to Ghana, who accidentally met his gaze. Disappointment and fury filled his expression. It seems they were too late. Moulin yanked his gaze away, oblivious of the sudden guilt that rose within the female orc.

With a giant roar, the Black Lion stomped its claws, creating deep dents on the earth past the skin of shattered marble. It pulled back, jaws tight, before shooting rivers of smoldering red flames. It was larger, more destructive than before. The heat was beyond overwhelming. Moulin rushed forward with his weapon dissipating in the air. Body brimming with the force of restrained energy, his hands shot forward. And a silver light, engulfed by the freezing aura of his mana, beamed to meet the violence of the red flames.

Boom!!

The clash of energy bursts, incompatible auras colliding savagely. The hair-raising energy swept throughout the room, nearly overthrowing people from their places. The bright light of red and white glowed intensely. 

Faintly but surely, the Black Lion seemed to falter when it met the pure mana. Moulin knew he was the best distraction. Despite his identity as a purifier, his ability was the best to counter the fire aura of the malefic orcan beast. While the beast was distracted, Moulin levered himself by placing a foot back, pushing his all to the ray.

Hadrian was the first to act, gripping the hilt of his weapon and advancing. The crack of electricity around his body seemed like a barrier to keep out even the faintest bit of dust. The Lord swung his sword splitting the beams. Like a waterfall being split in half. The collision of mana dissipated in the air. A burst of light before fading away. Moulin and the beast were thrown back. 

"Hadrian!" Moulin snarled at him, staggered.

The Hercullian Lord flashed a smile at him before taking Moulin's place, raising his hand, engulfed with the murderous charge of golden mana. His eyes narrowed. 

Moulin paused before abruptly turning his head to Malyana. "Erect a barrier!"

Malyana felt sweat dripped down her forehead and moved to expelled more of her power. However, her body could no longer expel more than she already had. The strain was too much, and she coughed out blood. Harrow's cry struck Moulin's ears. 

Moulin shuddered and turned to do the task himself. He wasn't a master for conjuring barriers, but he could try. Unlike the others, his abilities and knowledge lay dormant, unable to grow throughout those eight years of slumber. His skills weren't quite neat and sharp, but it'll have to do. 

Moulin turned to face the battle, his hands rose, and significant mana brewed within him. There was the biting cold in his palms, spreading out rapidly, rising to the ceilings. An enormous whitish film of pure energy split the halls. 

Feeling ease in his heart, Hadrian turned to face the beast. The violence in his mana grew rampant as soon as its chains were released. The two faced each other, auras like poison in the air. They charged. The man, golden-eyed and brave, faced the beast with his sword and his power.

"Ghana," Moulin called to the female maeruthan not far from him. The clash of powers behind him sent dozens of needles on his skin. 

Ghana shook her head. Her eyes looked around as if she was searching for someone. 'Where...'

Suddenly, the ground shook ruthlessly.

"?..." Moulin struggled to keep himself standing. The barrier flickered briefly before returning to its normal impenetrable state. Confused, silver eyes looked around. His heart pounded erratically. What was happening?

In the next minute, the earth cracked. An explosion of rocks appeared here and there. The men and orcs paused, confused and panicked. When the dust settled, giant protrusions of earthly spikes were revealed to their eyes. The point was as sharp as a sharpened spear, arousing the fear within one's heart. Growing numerous, the spikes continued to shock the people within the halls. 

Moulin widened his silver eyes, sensing danger. And true to this, he dodged to the left and witnessed a giant spike abruptly rise from where he just stood. The thought of being impaled by the unexpected thing made him shudder in fright. 

Crash!

His barrier shattered the moment he shifted his attraction. Fortunately, Hadrian and the beast's battle had come to a temporary stop. The savage suras dispersed in the air as the spike took almost all the space within the halls. 

Harow embraced Malyana and took her away from the dangerous stake-like rocks. He then appeared right beside Moulin. 

"Look over there!" Someone yelled behind them. 

Moulin and several others turned their gaze to the broken dais, which was the only place that wasn't filled with giant earthly spikes. A dark figure stood a few meters away from the enormous Black Lion. It looked as if he wasn't affected by the miasmic air surrounding the beast. He looked as if he was relishing its power. 

Emerald eyes, a poison green color. The smirk that hung on his lips was mocking and devilish. 

Moulin felt his blood freeze. His hands at his side clenched into tight fists. 

"Quade..."