34 COVERT EXTRACTION

And with three final wails of painful anguish it was all over. Silence filled the halls. The crackling echoes of the torches tormented his weary heart as it skips a bit every once in a while. The door squeaked a silent creak to open just a slightly gap revealing a hooded young man in a black trench coat.

"You..." mumbled Sir Haaron pulling his claymore violently destroying its home from his side.

The hooded man slowly walked on that grand long hallway. He's taking his time, mumbling as if saying a prayer while caressing his blade soaked in blood, a black thin metal shaft without a hilt. There is no doubt, this is the legendary Yiv. But where is the other three? Surely this cannot truly be him. This is not the Yiv that has been reported all over Nagozul. The Yiv with the Night Hunters have put down his bloodlust and yet on this fateful night, he returns to murder again. The warnings of the servants have been treated with much ridicule since Hishma is the most fortified Palace next to the city center's Royal Palace. There must've been at least a hundred Sibara posted in Hishma since the warning and judging by his bloody face, they all fell victim to his blade.

"Who are you!?" he scowled rather confused.

Yiv stopped a hundred paces in front of him. He lifts his bloodied blade to point at him and exclaimed. "You have been judged by my divine right as Bathala's Shadow Enforcer. I find you guilty of the crimes against mortals. Kneel and accept your punishment. Lift your weapon and you will never enter Langit."

Haaron pulled his Claymore and spat on the ground. "I do not comprehend your words but I'm afraid I may have to decline on your offer. I'll be damned if I just knelt and let you kill me without a fight."

"In Bathala's name I'll send you to the veil."

And with his last words, he vanished on the spot and managed to get in front of him in a split second. The trouble of being a titan is that he became so bulked up that he stretched almost seven feet tall. With Yiv's physique, he managed to get below him almost only a foot apart. He thrusts his blade to his gut piercing his armor and pushed him almost two steps back, a feat that was so impressive it made him smile a bit. He swung to counterattack but failed seeing the tremendous gap of speed between them.

Yiv dashed back to reposition, still with murderous bloody eyes that he assumed to be harboring embarrassment to that attack he called God's Judgment.

"Do you think you could kill me that easily?" Haaron now bragged realizing his advantage over him. "I am a Titan! I am greater than you are! I am God-like! Maybe ever greater than your pathetic imaginary God."

"Correction," he whispered standing now with ease after gauging their speed difference. "You are a mortal. A mortal whose vessel has been reconfigured by the blood and soul of men you call your brothers. You are not a titan but a murderer, a mortal shrouded in evil that pathetically pretends to be a titan. Only Bathala can create Titans. Any Titan born in this Earth in the hands of a mortal is not a Titan of the Earth but instead a Puppet of Dim'ion." He flipped his daggers to his side and closed his eyes as if mumbling a prayer again for a couple of seconds before he continued. "You will receive your just reward for that blasphemy."

Yiv leaned forward and disappeared again. Haaron tried to defend below thinking he will repeat the same attack he once did but was surprised as he attacks from above. The quick slash from his head cracked open his horned helmet. Haaron flung his sword to strike him but he reappeared from behind now bashing him in a stinging slash that cracked his armor. Yiv continued this kind of attack repeatedly making as though Sir Haaron is fighting a fly.

The wide gap of speed between them is unimaginably great and yet Yiv is still not in advantage. Haaron's eye cannot follow his movements and Yiv's blade cannot penetrate him. It seems as though they are at an impasse as they fought for minutes.

Yiv made his final bash in Haaron's chest and dashed quickly back to rest for a while. He's been catching his breath as if he ran for ten straight miles non-stop. The sight of the legendary Yiv having a hard time amused him so that he didn't even lifted his sword anymore and just stood there staring at him.

"Is this the Judgment of your God?" he laughed loud. "Maybe you should now pray to me since the might of your God is worthless. You should kneel and ask for my forgiveness now. Maybe I won't kill you after this is over and..."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he interrupted. "When did I ever say that this is over?"

He dashed forward and bashed the shin guard in his boots and then rolled to the sides with smiling eyes. Sir Haaron was astonished by this but immediately realized what happened as he turned to face him. His hard thick armor crumbled down, piece-by-piece, until all that remains is his undergarments which led for Yiv to chuckle in delight.

Yiv stood up shaking his hands relieving them from his torrent of attacks that managed to strip him of his armor. "Just feel blessed I did not rob you of your dignity," he mocked smiling. "Then again I'm only being selfish since it's for my benefit. I do not want to fight a mortal with his dangling..."

"Shut your mouth you fiend!" He bellowed grabbing his claymore and charged which he parried in an instant.

Yiv sidestepped and slid his blade to his side. The force of the blade pushed dangerously deep that he almost felt the sharp blade embracing his skin. This troubled Haaron tremendously that he ran back against the wall to defend himself.

"Are you a least bit curious how and why I'm not killing you now when in fact I could?"

"What is that blade!?" he asked ignoring his question.

"Oh, so you are not paying attention to me now? Well then, since you have a cesspool of a mouth, an arrogant blasphemer, I will never grant you anything but a slow and painful death. I will scratch you slowly till it bleeds, and then I will scratch some more till you're mangled and shredded. You will feel the pain of those mortals you killed to grant you your modified form. You will beg me to kill you, but I will not. I will take my sweet time to torture you and then, after you take back what you said about Bathala, only then will I grant you your wish to your last breath."

"You can't kill me. Nothing can penetrate my body."

"Well the scratch on your belly tells otherwise."

He slowly looked at his side and saw a thin laceration to where he hit him. The skin is lined in red in an almost itchy five-inch incision perfectly situated to slice him to his gut. His eyes widened as he looks him now, stunned and almost afraid.

"Well, m'lord?" Yiv mocked laughing. "Please shower me with your God-like awesome powers. Because if you don't, then I might have to start cutting you now slightly but as painful as mortally possible..." Yiv was about to charge till an echo murmured in the halls. The sound is barely comprehensible, but it sounded as though someone is saying 'they're here'.

With his disappointed click of the tongue, he disappeared. Haaron shouted from the top of his lungs, cursing him, taunting him to reappear again, but he did not. He made him wait there for five full minutes until the door opened again, only this time it was violently smashed into smithereens in an explosion that eradicated any trace of the door ever existing there.

-------ooO0Ooo-------

"Hey, quit squirming Yosh!"

"Stop pushing me then, Kuya-Karus..."

"Shhh, quit your whining you two."

"Hey, I'm not whining, K-Z! Are you taking his side?"

"Shut up you three, I can't fight those Sibaras so if they find us here, I'm going to transmit you all to the north and do this myself!"

"Sorry," the three echoed with Karus grumbling still.

"We're here," Yosh said tapping the floorboards, finding a weak wooden board to push.

"Finally," Karus hurried squeezing through Yosh to help him push the floorboards to reveal a dark empty storeroom at the Palace kitchen.

"Hey, Iyom," Kayzar smiled. "In the near future, when you say you'll volunteer to transmit us, give a caveat that we're going to reappear on the ground, underground. I almost broke a bottle of my poisons. That will seriously impair us tonight."

"But doing this still beats your three-day dash any day."

"You're taking your Dwendell thing into its literal form," said Karus angry about his soiled red Night Hunters uniform which actually is just random clothes he grabbed at the last moment. "You could've sprouted a violet on these floorboards and teleport us on level ground but no, you really have to make us literally dig on hardened ground."

"Hey, just be thankful I'm assisting you three."

"Thank you, oh kind Dwendell," mocked Yosh emulating the same irritation as Karus.

"Don't mind them," Kayzar smiled tapping him. "Thanks, but seriously though, warn us next time. Okay?"

One-by-one, they climbed up and after all has been accounted for, after much stretching of their limbs because of their tiresome crawl, they huddled together creeping slowly to the door. They peered into the keyholes and upon noticing no one's there they immediately jumped to the main kitchen silently stretching their map into one of the long kitchen tables available.

The smell of tonight's dinner still lingered in the air. The faint hints of those juicy steamed veal, fried flavorful prawns, and those excellent touches of herbs that Karus and Yosh thought to be parsley and basil, activated their palates that instead of finding a lamp, they managed to slip at the back, lifting the lids of cauldrons as if treasure hunting.

Kayzar managed to find a torch rushing to the group in a hurry only to find them eating merrily at the table across where they put on their map. He would've been livid but Karus extended him a bowl full of that delicious meaty stew in tomato paste, so he just smiled and joined them. They all ate at a tremendous rate almost finishing that half-full cauldron in less than thirty minutes. They haven't eaten their dinners because they've been too busy planning the rescue and since they're rather early for the rescue proper, they found themselves enjoying their breaks instead. Yosh was disappointed though considering Luna and Stella is absent on that heartful feast and that he can't bring them a taste since he didn't bring his leak-proof lunch pack.

"Do you hear that?" Iyom mumbled with his mouth full. "It sounded like someone's shouting."

"You and your weird ears," teased Yosh finishing his fourth serving.

"Stop eating too much," Karus said tapping Yosh's hands from dipping the ladle to scratch off the remaining soup. "You're going to hurl that all over where we're going, and I want to avoid further damage on my clothes."

"Alright, I promise I won't vomit on you," smiled Yosh as he tried to pull the ladle from him.

"Stop," Kayzar stood up readied. "I'm hearing it too now, a faint yell."

"Come on let's check it out," Karus exclaimed after burping.

"Wait," Yosh interrupted their early charge. "the Palace has defenses, should we first practice dashing to be safe. We could be walking into a trap and if we can't dash, we'll be doomed."

"Silly Yosh, Of course, dashing works," Karus said shaking his head which annoyed him. "Daomagarian skills cannot be muted. Only Nagozulian skills are affected by these so-called magical defenses. Daomagarians don't need to cast their skills. It's just muscle at work."

"Well..." Iyom mumbled which took their attention. "I've heard of some spells that can make the skills of the Holy Sentinels harder to perform, if not completely blocked. Even Yagisivian and Daomagarian skills are included."

Kayzar disappeared and reappeared again getting in and out of the veil then shrugging off. "I think we're safe. My Shadow Step is not affected, and I dashed there too just to be sure. Though I hear a lot of murmurs from dead people all around. I don't like what's happening here..."

"W-what?" Yosh shivered in fear.

"Quit playing around Kayzar," Karus slapped him in the arm. "We need Yosh to perform his best tonight."

"B-but it's true. There's a lot of dead..."

"Say it!"

"Say what?" Kayzar angrily mumbled.

"Say you don't see a ghost!" Karus insisted pointing at Yosh's sad face.

Kayzar shrugged and smiled. "Nah, I'm just teasing you. There are no ghosts here."

"But there really is a lot of dead people around these parts here," Kayzar whispered which garnered Karus's disappointed tongue clicks.

Kayzar was greatly disturbed to see that many ghosts in the veil which only gives him the assumption that many has been killed tonight but he just let it slide. For one thing, Yosh is practically afraid of ghosts and, frankly, Karus thinks he's just making things up since he's not convinced that ghosts stay at the veil. Kayzar would've liked to show him but he's not ready to reveal that he could take someone in the veil. He likes to show it to him by surprise some other time. Karus is the only one he could boast around his skills to after all, so he likes to save this moment for him to savor every sweet second of praise he could give.

"So, then we're off!" Yosh bellowed with fists flying in the skies.

"Sure! And I'll be waiting for you three here," Iyom smiled. "I can't fight y'know and I'll just be a liability."

"You keep saying that to yourself and you'll forget that you're a coward," Yosh laughed but before Iyom can reply on that insulting jest, they disappeared dashing.

They walked the two flights of stairs just as the map stated and walked some more. They tried dashing but reverted to just walking to be safe. Daomagarians have super hearing capabilities that could detect even the faintest of steps and dashing into a trap is practically unwise.

They never thought it would be that far. Yosh kept cursing Iyom's inefficient transmission making them vulnerable to further attacks from those dark shadows that lurks on every corner, on every empty door. Of course, they have taken the precautions and stopped on every end of the hallway or on every door but somehow, they found the Palace to be deserted - a curious thing to find in such a large royal mansion. At least one servant should be present in at least one of those halls that they have mazed through but there is none. It's as if they know they are coming and are graciously welcoming their midnight stroll.

The food at the kitchen is practically left there for them to find. Yosh might argue that the chef left it there to simmer for a while which meant only that it was left unfinished on purpose. Karus might disagree but Yosh insists that it lacks another one of those spoonfuls of salt to taste which meant that the Chef didn't even bother to sample the thing, but even with its almost stale flaw it's still quite delicious he concluded.

First the food that was left in a hurry, and then the missing attendants, what's next? Karus argued on Yosh's paranoia for a while which led Kayzar to spearhead in managing security for the three of them. Kayzar would've shouted at them for always fighting all the time, even in that critical situation but he didn't. For one thing, his full concentration is devoted in listening on those slight taps on the floor, those silent whispers of ambush, those rushing shadows in the corners that might signify a trap. If he's not doing that, he'll be slapping the two in the nape - an official mandate that he now carries whenever they are going overboard.

"The door..." Karus whispered. "That's the door."

"Yeah, genius. It's great that you figured that one out on your own, huh?"

"Hush now," Kayzar said softly. "That's the one who's yelling earlier. He's still yelling now."

"Is he referring to us?" Karus said confused with the ranting man behind the door and his angry shouts stating for them to appear before him and not to hide cowardly. "He's rather making me angry K-Z. What shall we do then?"

"Let's just wait it out, see if something develops."

They all pushed their ears to that cold smooth door and heard the man shouting in random curses, curse words that won't go well in a sentence and curse words that has been repeated countless times it didn't even make sense anymore.

"Yit'ard, I thought I'm bad at cursing," Yosh snickered listening to him bicker inside on the top of his lungs.

They would've listened further, but he now cursed Bathala. He's now insulting the very God that created the Holy Lands and the whole world and this made the last straw for Karus.

"Stand back!" Karus shouted.

He didn't even wait for them to stand aside. He just pushed the two on both sides and quickly drew his sword blasting the door in a massive explosion akin to one of the Talim Clan's Prime Cannons.

Dust engulfed the door and as it cleared Karus shouted an ear-splitting echo that would've awoken anyone from a mile away. He had his Kampilan Bolo directly pointing at the silhouette of the guard across the room.

"You shall pay for insulting Bathala you godless mortal! I shall take every word of insult from that filthy mouth and make you shout an apology three times!"

"Stupid Kuya.... I mean, Magnus!" Yosh angrily yelled standing up pushing Karus on his angry stance, making him step back losing his balance almost tripping. "Do not do that again in my face! If didn't dodged it, I would've had splinters all over me!"

Kayzar stood up calmly, brushing his trench coat. He went near Karus and violently slapped his nape with much speed Karus didn't even anticipated the attack and was left vulnerable. He was then pushed forward for a couple of steps. "Never do that again," he mumbled with serious eyes.

"Stop it you two!" Karus reacted. "I'm having a moment here!"

"Hey, wait," ignored Yosh walking inside the grand hall. "Is that the guard?"

"Yo! Red guy!" called Karus walking fast inside. "I still mean what I said, I will beat you to a pulp and... and..."

"Why are you naked?" laughed Yosh screaming. "Is that a thing now? Being naked in a cool dark night while watching a door? Is this a weird foreign thing?"

Haaron lifted his claymore and made his defensive stance, he looked and noticed a much younger man in a trench coat. "You, in black, are you the real Yiv?"

"What has gotten into you?" said Yosh still can't get over snickering at the tall red man wearing his loincloth. "Why don't you answer our question first, why the impierno are you naked?"

"That is of little import. You are the Night Hunters, yes?"

"Indeed," replied Kayzar pulling his long dagger.

His dagger is a foot-long dripping in poison but not like the blade of the impostor Yiv earlier, Haaron thought.

"None shall pass this hall," Haaron exclaimed. "If you wish to pass you must forfeit your lives first."

"Awwww... I'm going to be mauled by a red baby," Yosh obnoxiously guffawed. "Wait, wait, wait. I'll grab my pacifier first so that when we roll around and get tired, we'll be ready to sleep soundly."

"Mocking one's enemy is unwise, child. I do not harm children, but you'll be an exception."

"There's the door behind him," Karus whispered. "Yiv I want you to distract him while I go around and destroy the door. Aether, slip by him and climb the spire. Rescue Uncle Sayed and return here as soon as possible."

"Affirmative," Kayzar nodded raising his dagger.

In the sound of their count to three Karus and Yosh dashed forward to meet Sir Haaron. Haaron swung his claymore in a horizontal slash that would've cut them in half if not because of their nimble bodies dodging it on the last second.

"Now!" Karus yelled.

Kayzar disappeared from his spot and reappeared in front of Haaron, slashing him for multiple times. It did not pierced his body one bit, it didn't even give as much as a tickle, but his extraordinary attack rendered Haaron occupied for two seconds leaving him to slip his claymore from his grip as he defend himself from that torrent of attacks. But two seconds is enough for Karus, enough for him to sidestep and dash on behind blasting the door that's keeping them from Sayed. Yosh slipped through unscathed but the same didn't unfortunately apply to Karus. As he stood up after one of his explosive bashes, Haaron grabbed him from his back and slammed him on the floor.

The loud smash created a crater of cracks around the marble floors. Karus coughed up blood, a view that was very unpleasant for Kayzar. Karus should've used Deep Root but he didn't, and it is confusing Kayzar why. The smell of blood paralyzed him to a point that it led him vulnerable too. Haaron didn't even think twice in this opportunity and punched him directly in the chest. The impact was so great he was catapulted twenty feet in the air only to roll on the ground. He tried to get up as fast as he can, wheezing, breathing in difficulty, but he fumbled down kneeling instead. He has broken a rib and that takes time to heal.

Haaron lifted his foot and as he was about to crush Karus, he rolled over, almost in a dashing roll, distancing himself from him for twenty feet.

"This is the Night Hunters?" mocked Haaron. "The ones that toppled eight fortresses and brought the Sibara to shame? You are all disappointing." Haaron lifted his claymore, clicking his tongue. "You are all a bunch of kids. Based on your slender weak bodies, you're not even past adolescence. I swear an oath to protect women and children but because you are so persistent in rushing to your deaths, I will grant this and treat you all as an exception."

He was about to charge when Yosh suddenly appeared behind him, carrying Sayed hobbling in effort to lug him. Yosh's smiling face beamed directly at the angry Haaron. He thought it's all over now and his brothers have pacified the threat but now he regrets his early appearance before him and his over estimation on his brother's abilities. Haaron smiled too. But he's smiling on a different cause, one that is both deadly and funny at the same time.

Haaron rotated his blade and gave a vertical cut. Yosh couldn't move from his spot because he might risk killing Sayed. He would've been torn in two if Karus haven't dashed forth and blocked it with his Katana - this time applying Deep Root.

"Yiv!" Karus shouted. "Be careful, this room is trapped in Magick. Iyom's theory is correct."

Karus made a sword lock with Haaron and Yosh used this opportunity to slide through around them to escape. The sword lock prevented them both from moving. If someone did give up on that lock, the person will be sliced by the other's blade but Haaron is not worried from this. He takes pride on his tough skin. Haaron then ignored the lock as he saw Yosh to his side and quickly launched a kick to his direction but failed to hit him as Kayzar rushed to receive the damage in Yosh's stead. A thick loud crackle echoed in the room which terrified the brothers. Karus pushed his Katana but just slid through as anticipated, making him roll on the ground as if tripping.

"K-Z!" shouted Karus ignoring their codenames. "Are you alright?!"

Kayzar managed to shakily stand up but before he could reply, Haaron dashed on forward to meet him giving him a barrage of sword slashes he could barely escape.

Karus rushed to help him, and in his angry fit, he managed to recreate a much more powerful version of the fist of Ana'giel to Haaron's back. His back then received an inch deep cut that is almost six inches long. This made him back down for a while as Karus ran to Kayzar to comfort him.

"Damn you pesky brats!" Haaron shouted in anger feeling the pain now swelling

"Kuya!" shouted Yosh concerned for their brothers standing now in the door as if waiting for them to get out.

"Run away now, Yosh," Karus ordered. "Leave us and deliver Sayed to safety!"

"B-but..."

Karus eyes glared at Yosh now angrier than before. "Leave or I will beat you senselessly!"

With this Yosh limped on away leaving the two to fight the giant titan who is now checking the wound Karus gave him.

"Y-you managed to hurt him," Kayzar smiled coughing more blood now than earlier. "Great job, Dal'Gur eh?"

"We'll talk about his swords later, right now I have to ask the extent of your damage."

Karus pulled a vial of White Angel from Kayzar's pocket and gave it to him. He could've opened the vial and help him drink it but the ever persisting Haaron charged at them with his freakishly long claymore. Karus was fed up with this big giant. Only one thing will keep him away, and that is if he takes away his toy. He has to destroy that claymore at all cost.

Karus jumped in front of Kayzar and created a bombardment of explosive sword bashes that exceeds even Haaron's own strength. The titan was taken by surprise as he backed down step by step, leaving him to figure a way to be released from Karus's trapping sword bashes that left him to the defensive side thinking one of those slices might garner him another wound if he's not careful.

"Magnus, tabi!" Kayzar shouted in code.

Karus heard this and quickly rolled thirty feet away from him. That quick second is not enough for Haaron to notice the flying needles coming his way. Evasion is not an option for him now. Kayzar managed to spring him into a trap!

A hundred needles connected by a string came in a salvo to him. That fast-flying sharp needles flew akin to fast flying arrows and, like snapping serpents, after hitting him and falling down, it quickly got back up again only to launch a swift attack once more. An impressive attack that made him cower a bit covering his eyes from being hit but overall, it was very ineffective. It didn't penetrate his skin one bit. The needles just cried a clinking melody of failure on the marbled tiles of the floor which made Haaron laugh.

"Is this the best you can do!?" he yelled enjoying their pitiful attempts.

"Needles?" Karus shouted in disappointment. "Needles, K-Z? Really?"

Kayzar just smiled and dashed forward to him. He was surprised he didn't enter the veil as he hoped he would. It is as if the veil changed frequency at that exact time preventing him to enter. The Dark Magicks in that hall is disrupting the flow of the Veil. It's as if souls are not welcome to enter there. He would've dwelled thinking about this dreadful thought, but he had more pressing matters at hand. For one thing, he's now running head-on to the giant titan, practically vulnerable to his attacks. Haaron would've reacted with a swing of his claymore but as he raised it high, the blade smashed into tiny bits like confetti - a sharp shiny metal confetti. Kayzar lucked out this time. He went to his sides and grabbed his daggers drenched in poison. He pushed his twin blades behind his knees and managed to get a scratch from him making him smile in success.

Now if Kayzar just dodged and rolled away, like a normal individual would have if faced with a frightening indestructible titan, he would've prevented the upcoming attack Haaron now has in store for him.

Kayzar saw a smile on Haaron's smug face as he threw the hilt of his claymore to him. The hit managed to stun him in the head but that didn't stop him from countering. He grabbed a vial of black thick poison and jumped to him like a snake slithering a tall tree. He splashed all of its contents to his right eye which made him yell in complete agony. One thing Kayzar knows is that if someone has a tough skin, going near the eyes is the most logical bet to gamble on. The poison would course through the blood vessels inside the eye and it will be over in a second.

But it didn't. Five seconds of wailing later, and the titan stood still there while Kayzar slammed down on the ground from Haaron's violent slap from the head. Karus jumped and helped him but to no avail. The titan is too big and has too long a reach that when he swiped his long arms, Karus was thrown back almost ten feet. Haaron then smiled to his sweet revenge on Kayzar, who is now below him looking helpless. He grabbed him by the face and started punching his gut relentlessly.

Karus yelled an angry growl and took a lunge at him to give a continuous barrage of sword slashes that would've impressed anyone except Haaron who finds it somewhat amusing. Haaron now made the shaking Kayzar as his human shield still holding him on his face. Everytime Karus takes a shot at him, he holds Kayzar in front and punches him on his every failure to land a blow, reminding him to try harder on every attempt as Haaron tried harder punches with Kayzar. It is much like a game in Haaron's twisted perspective which sickened Karus, bringing him to unknowingly acquire the skill of harboring tremendous hate to the demented freak.

Karus's green emerald began glowing behind his bandana. A sight that baffled the titan thinking only royalties have embedded gems in their foreheads - as he learned from Prodea's Nagozulian history lecture. Karus waved his hands and with this, a gust of wind blew hard leaving Haaron to be open to an attack which Karus anticipated. He rushed on forward and created a firespell enveloping his hands. He grabbed his neck and tried to choke him with all his might. He was aiming to burn his head off just to free Kayzar but just scorched his neck plentifully because of his tough skin. That thousand-degree firespell would've burned the skin right off to the bone but it didn't. The fire and his excellent grip managed only to burn his throat. That's when Haaron threw Kayzar's head like a ball to the ground to free up his hands to remove the dangling Karus from his tight grip. He rescued Kayzar but he's now the captive prisoner that took his brother's place.

Kayzar swore he bounced three times on the ground before reaching the corner of the room. The first bump managed to elucidate sparkling stars from his vision, creating an uproar of pain around his head that managed to make the second and third bumps feel unrecognizable at all. Good thing he trained with Karus using Deep Root this last month. He knew it will come in handy in future situations as it just revealed it did. He would've died on that spot if he didn't reduce the damage - but Of course, he's no Karus so he still sustained substantial, possibly fatal, amount of injuries from Haaron's revenge. Eight cracked ribs, a broken arm, a dangerous concussion, a dislocated shoulder and a protruding bone in his right leg. That's just the things he could count as he tried to stay awake for Karus's sake. All of his body is aching so there's some internal injuries somewhere inside that he hasn't accounted for yet. He moved his head, shaking, slithering slightly, to get a better vantage point of Karus who is now getting mauled by the titan.

Haaron grabbed Karus in the neck and slammed him into the ground. Of course, he did his Deep Root but to a lesser extent seeing as he coughed blood again squirming in pain. Haaron pulled his mask and his bandana revealing his face to the smiling titan.

"Oh, so you are not Daomagar! You are Nagozulian! A royal prince, eh?"

"Shut your Yit'ard filthy mouth! Your breath stinks," he joked almost laughing.

The titan took offense to this and punched him three times in the face. He managed to use Deep Root, so it didn't make any significant damage whatsoever, so he tried it again, and again, and again until his nose, his eyes, his ears, starts to bleed.

"Laughing still?" he mocked breathing close to him.

Tears fell from his eyes in pain, but he still is smiling, inviting further havoc taunting the titan. He spat blood in his face to get back at him. It is a humiliating spit since he actually coughed it instead of his intended spit which entertained Haaron even further.

"Oh, look, the little prince is crying? Are you going to tell on me to your mommy now?"

"Shut it, Yit'Vit! I'm not crying, my eyes are just irritated with your girly dainty hands." Karus almost took offense of his own insult seeing that they respect women in the Holy Lands but as he learned from Lime, those foreign mortal is easily offended when they, and their manly parts, are referred to as woman-like so he continued his verbal abuse. "You know, I expected more from a woman like you, you're so like a woman that you tie your long hair in a crescent bow."

Haaron stopped for a minute, trying to figure what he said and then punched him again, only this time harder than ever before. "You're not funny, little kid! That doesn't even make sense!"

"I'm sorry but a girl like you wouldn't understand," he smiled nodding.

"Ohhh!" He punched again ten times, drowning his head in a deep collection of pulverized marble-tile. "That insult I understand."

Karus pulled his head from the pile of rocks and shook it all off. He grabbed his hands and tried burning it, but he received another punch in the face. He tried to get away from this lock but every time he does, he manages to punch him again and again that he can't devote any energy left to free himself anymore. He can only try and absorb his great punches now using the Deep Root which is getting harder and harder to focus.

Using the Deep Root is the easiest thing for him to do and yet it is as if it is turning harder and harder each time he tries. It's like using the Deep Root now requires a ton of concentration in that Magick infused room but It's either that or risk a futile escape. One of which is a one-time thing, for if he does so, he may risk receiving the full force of that deadly punches and that will surely put a great big bloody hole in his face. He really doesn't like that happening, he really likes his face all fixed there, even on death.

Suddenly, a miracle! Haaron shouted on the top of his lungs arching his body forward as if someone just stabbed him in the back. Karus used this chance to roll forward and kick his chin to escape. He then jumped back acrobatically distancing himself for fifty feet. Kneeling, resting from those painful beating he has to endure.

"Reveal yourself coward and face me like a man!" Haaron yelled turning all around shouting.

"I am here! I'm here the whole time, you stupid freak!" Karus yelled, bewildered by the paranoid titan.

"If you don't come out, I'll kill these two!"

"Are you insane! We're all alone out here and you keep shouting still!"

Kayzar mumbled incoherently taking his attention. "the... the p-poison... the poison Karus..."

"Right, Hallucinations is one of the symptoms!" Karus groggily stood up, faking strength when indeed he's about to fall down. "Alright! This is the moment. I'm going to beat you now! So, get ready! I'm just warming up earlier, this is the real deal!"

Haaron tried to rush venting all of his frustrations on Karus which didn't fare well. Anybody knows rushing without thinking, blinded by pure rage, is never a good strategy. Karus just rolled around, jumping up and down as if playing with a playful dog - a rabid malevolent gnarly giant dog full of hate to the brim. He must not get him now, if he does, he might not survive another batch of those sweet sweet punches he so lovingly gives.

He rolled far left to the corner where he flung his Katana earlier. He shouldn't have thrown it in his rage. He now knows the wisdom of rushing angrily to the enemy and that will never happen ever again. He grabbed his Katana and dashed forward to a thrust. The blade pushed through and made a two-inch puncture in his abdomen. Both of them are surprised in this feat. Karus tried to push further but his long arms tried to reach for him. He now has a fear of those hands, a phobia he now put up giving alarming jolts to his body. Those long hands frightened him that he backed down jumping faster than ever, sliding on that smooth floor just shy of twenty feet far in a mere second.

Haaron tried to move but was compelled to shake uncontrollably. It's as if he's paralyzed, convulsing but paralyzed, nonetheless. The poison worked!

"Finally!" Kayzar shouted pushing his body to sit upright.

"What have you done with me you bratty little monkeys!"

"Remember the pins earlier?" Kayzar tried explaining still wheezing. "The poison you absorbed in your skin? It reacted to the poison I put in your eyes and on the back of your knees. That whole batch should've made a hundred men to be put in a deep state of the Sleep of Death, but it seems as though you still have some sort of immunity. It seems that it wasn't enough."

"Wow Kayzar! That's great!"

"Fools!" he grunted heaving the heavy limbs to face them forward. "I… can still... move... I'll kill... all of you..."

"Magnus, you have to destroy all of the tendons in his joints, now! It's the only way to prevent him from moving!"

"I don't want to use this," Karus said breathing deep. "But I'm afraid I've no choice."

He stood up straight and pulled his Kampilan Bolo from his sides. He then took a stance, his dash stance. Kayzar's eyes widened as he saw him raise his hands both equipped with his sharp swords. It is the precursor to the Thousand Blade Dash.

"I need you to say you are sorry," Karus continued. "I need you to take back what you said about Bathala, and I will not use my ultimate technique on you."

"Why would I say sorry to the God of a helpless kid like you?" Haaron then continued a series of abhorrent curses to Karus and God that he angered him so much, he did not even try to listen to him anymore.

Karus bend low and as he closed his eyes, he smiled and dashed on forward.

His sword shone bright across the room. The white light stayed for just a blink of a second outlining where it travelled that even as Kayzar saw Karus just appearing behind Haaron in that very short while, the white light managed to sketch where his sword went. It rushed forth in a horizontal motion only to make an incredible circular art of a flower with a thousand petals around the titan. Haaron was violently hurled rightward slamming on the wall and the white image of a flower gently disappeared, slowly dissolving into the night.

Granted it is not perfect yet, with his flower a bit askew and the throw is not direct and instant, but given his age and his state of being, a tired and beaten Nagozulian boy, Kayzar believes it's rather commendable. A Nagozulian performing the Thousand Blade Dash revealing the Flower of the Great Daomagar is a feat too impossible to see. It's just plain marvelous and miraculous at the same time.

In that short while, Kayzar had successfully returned the protruding bone from his leg. All that's left is those couple of broken ribs, his dislocated shoulder and some lacerations all around. He tried standing up, limping in pain and went to the kneeling Karus.

Kayzar tapped him smiling, not wanting to speak with the pain still radiating around his chest. He tapped again but he did not give any response. He bent low and saw him bleeding all over. Karus finally exhaled fumbling down vomiting blood. Kayzar grew concern as he pushed him to his side while grabbing his first aid kit.

"S-ssorry Kayzar. I must've... wrong... turn... inter... bleedin'... lungs..."

"What's that skill!?" screamed Kayzar concerned. "Is that your Thousand Blade Dash?"

Karus nodded finally letting go of his swords. "I... I did... good... right?"

As he held him close, he felt his clothes soaked in his blood, he's in worse condition than he looks. There must've been hundreds of fractures all around him that he had to apply White Angel on him hurriedly.

Haaron laughed coughing his blood too, screaming at them. "Ha! You've stopped me now you stupid royal fools! After this, I'm going to hunt you all down, and I'm going to kill you. But before that, I'm going to kill your parents first, just to see those sad little eyes of fear and anger once more."

"Shut your mouth, you stupid grunt!" Kayzar yelled sounding as if crying. He ran on the far corner and broke the legs of the table. He fashioned a rope and tied it on the corners and pulled it to where Karus is.

"He's not going to survive! There's Sibara coming to us in the morning. He's going to die. If you drag him..."

"I said shut up!" Kayzar growled dashing to him, pushing a dagger filled with poison in one of the openings in his shoulder. The poison is filled with an acid base that spread an insanely hot, itchy, burning feeling that made the titan scream. "Yes, talk. Talk, you stupid fool!" Kayzar continued with angry eyes smiling devilishly as if enjoying his torture. "Let's see that tongue roll once again. Come on, I dare you! I dare you to talk!"

"You're going to regret ever..."

Before Haaron could ever finish, Kayzar opened a bottle full and poured it all into his body. The poison rushed through every opening, every wound in his body that made a continuous bubbling reaction resulting to a smell of burning flesh to spread all around. The titan yelled screeching in pain further shaking and twitching which gave Kayzar such delight. He was about to open another bottle to push it through his mouth till Karus interrupted still coughing in a weak voice.

"I'm fine Kayzar. Let's get out of here while we can."

Kayzar just leaned forward and whispered ever so lightly into Haaron's ear. "If you ever, ever reveal our identities and track us, I swear, I will hunt you down and kill you myself. I now know your weakness and you will never, ever win from me again. Never." He then punched him and pushed him further to the wall slamming his hard head and went to Karus to fix him up.

"Kill me now then? If you're so tough why not kill me now!"

Karus tried his best to stand up. He doesn't want to be seen as weak and as helpless in the eyes of his enemy. "We don't kill people to achieve our goals. Our goal is the unification of the Holy Lands." Karus smiled with kind eyes towards him that surprised the Titan. "If you change your ways, you're more than welcome to join us. If not then we'll just beat you again, and again, until you learn to change your mind."

He dragged his feet walking with his brother to the exit but Kayzar is still looking at him with his murderous red eyes. It is as if he does not share his brother's conviction. It is as if his threat is still very real and is still in effect.

A hundred paces went on by till Karus fumbled down. His legs are shivering, still bleeding internally, now turning blue. "Oops, sorry, I'm not well after all. I need to take a rest for a while first. D'ya have some White Angel left?"

"No, Karus. We need to get out of here."

"Yes, I think it's nice of him to warn us about the impending doom we're about to face later on if we stay here but see, I can't get up, I have to cut my thighs to reduce the swelling and apply the White Angel inside."

Kayzar frowned and gave him three ampoules of White Angel. "He's not warning us, he's threatening us! Learn to see the difference."

"Well, if you say so. But I still believe he's a good guy deep inside. He's just serving another master with different beliefs."

"War doesn't discriminate."

"Come again?"

"I-I just remembered what Gramps told us in battle training. War doesn't discriminate. All is fair in war. Whether you kill a child or an old man, it doesn't make any difference. Every life is important, every life is sacred and what is sacred to the enemy is abhorrent to the other. Each faction believes they are the right and the enemy is at the wrong but in the end, the spectators, the children of the next generation, are the only ones who can truthfully decide who is just and who is righteous."

"But killing is wrong. We know that. Killing him will not prove anything."

"But killing him will be right if he tries to kill us in the near future! That's why I understand the wisdom of Gramp's words. I think I understand the need for people to kill in order to protect others. I think it's stupid then, but I understand it now."

"But K-Z, Gramps is against war too. He believes killing is inevitable in that dire situation, but he taught us to be strong and resist that urge too. Is that why you're acting all weird there?"

"Yes... I just don't want anyone of you to get hurt. The thought of the possibility that he might come back again to finally exact his revenge on us is practically nagging me right now. I just hope your decision doesn't come to haunt us tomorrow."

"Well we're different people than they are. We don't kill. That makes us unique, as Iyom stated. It is righteous to defend, and it is wicked to strike. Defending is what we do best so why lift the first hand to strike, let them do that first. And besides, we must really discuss what you did back there. I think you're quite enjoying hurting him and that's kind of disturbing."

"Well, he's threatening you, isn't he?"

"Well, that's just words now. I can't be hurt by words."

"So, this is what I get for defending you?"

Karus laughed grabbing his shoulders limping, trying to get up. "Just try to ease up on things next time. It's not like I'm going to die now. I mean my time isn't up yet. I'm the first to die, so say the prophecy, and I'm not even worried one bit."

"Don't joke about that," he frowned remembering he still keeps his early demise a secret - the very first of the four brothers to die. "Talking about your death is not fun. It's not fun at all."

"Okay, but only if you promise to eradicate that disturbing thing you did there."

"That's a deal," he smiled pulling him to his sides as they try to walk. "Oh, and also, that's only if you promise not to tell what you saw to anyone ever. Especially Yosh, he's going to have a field day with me."

"Sure. I wouldn't dream of it."

Kayzar was taken back with surprise as he peered close to Karus's Amplifyers. "Oh look, there's some sliver of blood dancing inside your emerald."

"Oh?" Karus reacted tracing his fingers to check up on his embedded gem. "Must be the defective jump in my essence I felt as I activated it earlier. I must let Juni see this right away."

"I told you not to activate your Amplifyer. More importantly, I specifically forbade you not to use firespells!"

"You're getting killed out there, what would you like me do."

"Hey! I'm doing fine, I can take care of myself. What I can't stand is you squirming again in pain, ranting about your emerald. Besides, I can use Deep Root too, so you need not worry about me in the future."

Karus just chuckled in disbelief, abandoning the topic as they walked quietly towards the stairs.

-------ooO0Ooo-------

"Now, where were we?" Yiv reappeared on the hapless Titan, sitting in thoughts. "Oh yes, your apology."

"I'm sorry if I offended you," Haaron said with clear thoughts. "I'm sorry if I offended your God. I take back what I said."

"Oh? So soon? What's the fun in that? What changed your mind then?"

The titan looked down, still in deep thoughts till Yiv interrupted his pondering by piercing the wound on his shoulders with his very sharp blade making him moan puffing short shallow breaths to swallow the screams that are wanting to come out.

"I am talking to you, infidel, why are you now changing your mind."

"Isn't it enough that you've cut my joints to immobilize me and now you have to torture me?"

"Oh," she smiled pulling his dagger. "I thought you'd never notice that."

"It's not hard to notice you there, especially when you hold me from behind as that Magnus attack me in front while you slice me up everywhere."

"Yes, I performed a little surgery I learned from Dal'Gur. Tendons form part of the Bone System's basic mechanical movement. Tear a little slice off and you can't move a part. Isn't it wonderful? My favorite part is in the heel specifically. Then my enemy will have to grovel for my mercy. Literally grovel, on the ground, kissing my feet."

Haaron scoffed. Yiv just smiled and pushed his blade again, only this time it's deeper by three inches. "You're still not answering me why!"

"I do not know!" he screamed almost crying. "There's something about those Night Hunters I am curious about!"

Yiv pulled out his dagger making him sigh in relief. "Hmm... Such as?"

"I gave them hell. I must've broken more bones in them than my entire life in Leonus. And yet, after all of this, after I insulted them, their beliefs, their very being, they still looked me in the end with kind eyes. The look of someone who understands other people's worth especially that Magnus kid. He looked as though he respected me, and I appreciate that as a Knight."

"So, let me get this straight? My brother just looked you in the eye and you thought he respects you? And you're okay with that?"

"H-he's your brother?"

"Oh, do shut up." He pulled his mask and revealed his true form to him.

"You're a woman!?"

"Surprise, dum dum. Auric quick, grab his head perfectly. I want to do this right."

Without a second's notice, A silvery figure appeared protruding the wall. Auric's warm smile, as he crinkled his nose, mortified Haaron. Two silvery Hands came extending from the wall and fixed his head firmly in place.

"What are you!? W-who are you? Demons!?"

"Oh no, dear. We're not demons." Yiv crouched down to level his eyes, showing him his purple eyes. "Though, I will permit you to say that we came from the very depths of darkness, from your nightmares. That I can accept. But demons? Eh..."

"Are you going to claim my soul?"

Yiv slapped him sighing in great disappointment. That stinging slap is so strong the very wall that keep's Haaron's head in place vibrated. "Are you completely mental? I just told you earlier that I'm Bathala's Shadow Enforcer, and you're telling me I'm a demon out to collect your soul? Are you really that thick?! Have you truly ignored my presence from the start?"

Yiv nodded and the silvery fingers walked in his cheeks to his teeth pulling them wide open revealing his mouth. Haaron tried to wiggle, to squirm, fighting with every bit of his energy to escape the silvery hands that has now made his whole mouth open.

"HHhhhaaa---- aaarrrr---- ouuu--- dhuieeeennn…"

"What?"

"ww-wha--- arrr---ouuu- ddhu-dhuooooieeeennn???"

"Oh, what am I doing?! I am doing you a favor. Your body is strong. It's going to take time hacking it to pieces and since you said sorry and taken back that blasphemous words against Bathala, there's no point in torturing you. This will be much faster. See, while your body is strong, your insides are a little bit soft and..."

"Noooo--- hihtttaaahh, Aynggg hhooooorrry.... Ayngg HHooorEEE."

"Yes, I know you said you're sorry but see I can't risk you killing them. They are my brothers after all. You know what I mean. Right?" She beamed her kind face to him which did not bring any solace to his dilemma at all.

"Nooo--- I hooouunntt kill henng... I'll lleeeeaahhh heennngg aalllounnn. I'll keeeeeeh iet ah hhhheeekrehhh."

"But you can't promise that now, can you? I know you're Prodea's little pet, and where she goes, you follow. If she orders you to reveal their identities, you can't do anything but to obey. That's the worst thing about Dark Magicks. It's as if you can't do your own free will, now, can you? So you can't leave them alone, you won't keep it a secret, and you cannot possibly say that you won't kill them, especially after your little threats to them a little while ago, I take threats seriously. Look around you and see. I give a threat, I follow through. You give a threat. You will follow through. It's the natural order of things."

Haaron is now perspiring squirming in his place with his body jiggling, flopping like a fish out of the water. "NNooo--- Hleeaaashh... I heeegg Yuuu. I donnnkkh huwaana die."

"But I'm freeing you," she said with genuine concern which frightened him further. She then caressed him smiling wide. "You will now enter the kingdom of Bathala, free from any burden because I have cleansed you. Bathala forgives you now. You are in peace."

"Noooooooo----"

"Hush now.... Now open wide."

And with a final scream that echoed throughout the Palace halls, the Holy Hills of Hishma turned deathly quiet once again with only the crackling torches keeping the ear-splitting sound of silence at bay.