Chapter 59 - Flute Of Harmonica

[Warning: This is an unedited chapter. Please forgive typos, grammatical errors, and everything and focus on the content of the story. Thank you for understanding and enjoy!]

Why does the Emperor of this faction know how to use the Flute of Harmonica?

Malileah's eyes twitched in disbelief. 'Could it be...?'

That was the only thing that came to her mind the moment she realized what was happening to her system – producing static sounds and being disrupted by some kind of unseen force.

The Flute of Harmonica was one of the nine legendary artifacts the Death Reaper must retrieve at all cost. Malileah and the rest of Death Reaper had a hard time looking for the legendary artifacts and now one of them was right in front of her eyes. She wouldn't let this golden opportunity slip from her hands.

The Emperor, Azaron Rahnggabat, could perceive the Flute of Harmonica sipping his life force as he played the instrument. It was too powerful for a mere human to possess. That was why it shouldn't fall into the wrong hands at all costs. A legendary tool that could halt even the humans who acquire a dragon's will in an astonishing way falling to the wrong hands was the perfect formula to conquer the world.

Malileah, Alistein, and Blaze's eyes stared at each other for a brief moment before all of them focused on the Emperor. Blaze was the first to make a move before a paralyzing pain spread through her body like deadly venom, immobilizing her completely as her eyes locked on Alistein closing the distance between him and his father, prompting the Warchiefs, Guardian Krul, Kingsley, Kaiser, and Colleen to guard and surround the Emperor.

'You're at your limit, Blaze. Your fighting will could only push you so much,' Azurion grunted.

Blaze forced her teeth to grit and let out a barbaric roar, releasing the frustrations about her petrified body. "Damn it all!"

A weird violent freezing gust in the middle of a sunny afternoon blew as if a hurricane had formed, preventing everyone from moving beside Alistein who withstood the unexpected chilling gust.

Blaze could see Alistein's hand reaching for his father's heart in the middle of the surrounding dragon-slayers before a black-haired man in a death-reaper uniform grabbed Alistein's wrist.

Blaze's incredulous eyes twitched for a moment before she grinned in relief from the burden she shouldered alone. "You always come late, you bastard!"

Winter Ashkin forcibly dragged Alistein's wrist upward with his dragon's will already activated at the second stage like Alistein as the untrusty warchiefs circling them pointed their weapons at both their necks.

"Forgive my intrusion, Warchiefs. I didn't mean to appear surprisingly but... you can put down your weapons. I won't let this fool hurt the Emperor," Winter said in an apathetic demeanor, eyes fixed at Alistein as if he's pitying him.

Alistein's muscles quivered in anger, his body tensing to remove his arm from Winter's grip but it won't budge.

"You shouldn't be here, Ashkin. You're lucky Jargus didn't kill you last time when you brought Blaze in the hideout. If I were to report this interference, what do you think will happen to you?" Alistein stood tall in front of the man he once saw as an older brother. His voice's tone deepened in rage.

"As much as I dislike to disagree with you, you're violating another rule we agreed upon joining the Death Reaper, Winter. Jargus wouldn't condone this kind of behavior."

Winter gave Malileah a look after she appeared behind them and confiscated the Flute of Harmonica from the Emperor with one sweep of her hand.

Wave felt so small the way everyone ignored them as if they were not there at all and began to move at his top speed, targeting Malileah's neck after she stole the flute.

Clang!

A short sword prevented Warchief Hastamvidé's dragon-slaying dagger from reaching Malileah's neck, held by a tall, muscular violet-haired man clad with a death-reaper uniform.

Malileah glanced at the man making a cheeky grin, his sharp teeth poking out from his annoying smile.

"I don't know who you are but you seem rich in this faction. You should pay me handsomely for saving your life. The woman you tried to attack would've killed you in a heartbeat if I didn't intervene," Jarak Lockster, the backstabber of Solargard, playfully said at Warchief Bolt Hastamvidé.

"Do my two seniors mind leaving here for a while? This newbie wants to handle this alone." Winter's unimpressed stare landed on Jarak and Maliah.

"Oyy! Don't give me that look, cocky newbie! I'll kill ya' if you kept looking at me like that," complained Jarak.

"Strange. Alistein is technically your senior in Death Reaper as well. But fine!" Malileah sighed in surrender and grabbed the whining Jarak by the collar and dragged him somewhere else.

"You came," Emperor Rahnggabat said in a low voice, coughing blood and on his knees.

"Yes, I have come, Emperor. I must apologize. By the look of it, you are forced to use the flute to save Blaze from your beloved son." Winter knelt on one knee in front of the Emperor to show his utmost propriety.

"It took me a while to persuade the leader. If I came sooner, this wouldn't happen," Winter continued with his face down.

"It already happened. There's no point stressing yourself about it now, don't you think?" The Emperor coughed blood once more, feeling his life taken out of him.

Blaze scooted over, dragging her feet as Kaiser and Colleen hurriedly assisted her to walk.

"The flute, Emperor. They stole it! We can't let them get what's ours. It's powerful, capable of disrupting the dragon's will," Blaze persuaded.

"Is it really ours? What do you say, Winter?"

"It is as you predicted, Oh brilliant Emperor of Lunargard. The Death Reaper is connected to the witch of transmutation."

"You! You're going to die for telling that!" Alistein hissed, grinding his teeth.

Winter stared at Alistein silently in response.