Chapter 280 - Vol. 4 - 79

Ash

"How did you know we were coming here?" 

The first thing that came to Ash's mind was that Bin had ratted them out. If that was the case, one thing was for certain, that bar was about to see a storm show up on its doorstep in the near future. However, Zafir shook his head.

"I didn't," he replied. "No, rather, I went to check in on Arianna, and I couldn't find her in her room. That was, of course, seemed like rather strange timing to me, considering that, just a few hours ago, I received a tip from a reliable source that some civilians were going to attempt to leave. I hurried over here, with a speech prepared in my mind that I had wanted to give each of these proud Amber citizens," he gestured at the cart. "But, imagine my shock when I found that, not only was Arianna here, you were here as well. Imagine my shock and my disappointment." 

... Okay,  Ash looked behind the senator. His soldiers were dressed in brilliant white armor. Four knights, total. What are their levels? 

Level 36

MP: 200/200

Level 35

MP: 150/150

Level 40

MP: 250/250

Level 31

MP: 180/180

Noting that, she stepped in front of the Arcane's daughter.  I can definitely take them all out, that's for sure. The problem is, what happens at the Manor if I do?  Did he set anything up before coming here? He couldn't have if he didn't expect to see me here.

"Okay, so, you're disappointed," Ash shrugged. "What happens now?" 

"That depends, Savior," Zafir walked forward. His knights followed. "If you hand Arianna over to me, I will overlook this entire affair. I will return to the Manor, you, of course, will be free to do so as well, if you wish, and we will go back to the same working relationship we've had since you arrived at my city. However, if you do not... Things will certainly get more complicated." 

"Oh, yeah? How so?" Ash challenged. 

"My knights, over here," he gestured at them, "will unleash all manner of spells onto you. We will try to recover Arianna alive, but if she proves too hard to catch, we will settle for killing her here and now. You may be as high-level as you are," Zafir argued, "but, I wonder if four well-trained knights at a respectable level would be enough to overwhelm you. I doubt you want to test that, do you?" 

As he presented this question to the half-demon, it was time for her to make a choice. 

On one hand, she really wanted the rest of those spells. She wouldn't be able to use all of them herself, of course, but Keiko could. If Keiko was going to train up again, to fight alongside Ash on the battlefield, the Savior wanted her to be as strong as she could be. At the same time, even though Ash had just met this girl, she was painfully aware that leaving her now was a death sentence. 

And, although she couldn't explain it, it just felt wrong to let that happen. 

On the other hand, however, if she did try to defend Arianna here, that would be the end of her time in Amber. She and the others could live out in the land like they had been earlier, but they wouldn't have access to the city's resources. Of course, she had a lot of authority as a Savior, but the senate was still above her. Doing anything to Zafir here would, at best, leave her exiled. 

"..." Ash took a deep breath, never taking her eyes off of Zafir. 

"I urge you," Zafir said, smiling politely. "Make the rational choice. You said it yourself, right? You don't care about the state of Amber. You don't care how things end up here. That girl is merely a part of the process. If it's the Primordial Spells that you want," Zafir said, and Ash raised a brow, "I will gladly hand them to you after we get them out of her. She's resisted our methods so far, but, a fragile girl like her, I doubt she'd handle a few more days of pain. You'd get those spells. I am certain of it." 

He said that, and, although he was right in that this was what Ash wanted, as soon as she was reminded of what the girl's fate would be, it only made her hesitation grow. 

Arianna placed a hand on her wrist then, and Ash turned toward her. The girl's eyes looked up at her with such fear, that it made Ash's heart sting. 

And then, a thought came to her. 

Years of loneliness passed through her mind. Days where she would spend her time laying on the side of Jade's scalding-hot streets, starving and dirty, and no one would help her. Every cold night, where the only thing she had to cover herself with was her ruined clothes, flashed in front of her eyes, and she looked back at the girl. 

... All those years,  she thought. Only one person was ever there for me, Kairo. I didn't realize what that meant until later, but, yeah. Sometimes, one person who wants to help is all you need. 

She looked into Arianna's eyes. 

And, right now, that's what she needs. 

"Fuck me, I really have gotten soft," Ash muttered. "Can you give me those pages?" 

Arianna mouthed her name, then. 

"Ash?"

"Just do it," the half-demon replied. With tears in her eyes, she did that, reluctantly. 

Okay.  Ash put those pages away in her pockets. 

Then, she inhaled and said: 

"Sword." 

Transforming her  Lust,  she pushed Arianna away and charged forward. 

"No!" Zafir cried out, falling back and his knights instantly moved in front of him. 

Ash formed a basic strategy in the span of that quick lunge. And, she put it into practice when she lifted her right hand and grabbed one knight by his armor, moving far faster than the guy had expected her to. 

She lifted her right hand, felt her connection to Magia, and then manifested a beam of light that she sent flying straight at her opponent. 

And, his head exploded.

Ash ignored the EXP message because as soon as he fell, the other knights promptly began casting spells at her. Speaking several incantations at once, Ash saw rocks appear in the air, and they all began shooting out at her, rapidly. Spikes of ice and spheres of flame followed, and she dodged to the left, dragging her sword behind her as she avoided the incoming projectiles. 

Come on, give me an opening, she thought, gritting her teeth. Eventually, the spells ceased, and Ash sprinted forward. 

Swinging her sword from one side to another, the knights took out their own weapons, and their blades clashed. 

However, they may have been well-trained, but the difference in their stats showed through as soon as this occurred. One guy tried to block an overhead attack from Ash, but his sword was knocked out of his hands in the process and Ash stabbed him in the neck. 

Two down.

Then, she moved away from another knight who was swinging wildly at her. 

Like Keiko always said, remember the fundamentals,  Ash reminded herself. 

Deflecting a couple of incoming blows, the other knight muttered an incantation to himself, and the knight Ash was facing began to glow white. 

What? 

It felt like suddenly, her opponent had sped up. 

It gave her more trouble, but Ash still felt faster, and stronger. Something she was thankful for as the other knight joined the fight. Having to block both enemy's strikes at once, Ash was going through significantly more trouble now, backing up and feeling unsteady.

Shit, shit, shit,  she thought, before she went around one of them. 

Then, a second, time, she took one hand off her sword, raised it up, and manifested another beam of light. This one was sent at the knight closest to her, but the enemy managed to move out of the way. 

That didn't matter, though, as he left himself wide open. Ash, in a burst of speed, moved in and her sword found one of the guy's eyes. He cried out, in pain, as Ash pushed him down and focused on the last enemy. 

With the other three out of the way, this was easy. 

The knight created a mist of dirt, suddenly, but Ash just ran straight through it. When she reached the mage, she started swinging. One powerful blow after another, the knight managed to block five of them, before Ash disarmed him and promptly took his head off with one last slash. 

And, with that, they were all dead. 

Realizing this, Ash looked around.

Okay, done.  She continued, searching for Zafir and Arianna. The cart full of civilians had long since left, during the fight. She couldn't see anyone, for a while.

But... Where...? 

Eventually, though, her eyes widened.

Shit. 

In the distance, she could see two small figures, with magic erupting between them. One was spewing flame out at the other, while the other hid behind a white barrier. That barrier was broken, but soon, the mage cast the same spell again, and the barrier returned, protecting him. 

I need to get there, now. 

And so, Ash ran forward. Sprinting, she watched as Zafir was trying to get closer to Arianna, as the girl launched that same Fire spell from before at him. He would block it with a barrier, Arianna would break through it, and Zafir would move to the side, dodging the flames, before casting another one. 

Faster, faster!  Ash thought, willing her legs to be quicker. 

Before she could arrive, though, Zafir reached Arianna and grabbed her, moving behind her. 

Then, just as Ash arrived, he held a knife up to her neck and turned toward the half-demon. 

"Stop!" He called out, and Ash froze. "Stop, or I will end her right now." 

"..." Ash paused.  Fuck. Fuck, fuck, this is bad. 

Zafir dragged Arianna back, taking several steps, putting distance between them and Ash. 

"Very impressive, Savior," Zafir said. "You are clearly deserving of that title." 

Ash didn't move. 

That knife was pressed right up on Arianna's throat. 

Even as fast as she was, she doubted she could reach him in time to save the girl. 

Maybe, maybe she can use her spells,  Ash thought, but as she checked Arianna's mana, she saw that was clearly not possible. 

Level 23

MP: 60/560

What do I do?  Ash couldn't remember ever being in a situation like this. She had no clue how to proceed. I could turn my Lust into a bow and shoot him, but she'd definitely die before the arrow hits his head. I could activate my Champion ability, but even then, I don't know if his mind would be fully under my control the way a Lust Demon would be. So, what do I...?

"... Come on," Ash said. "Isn't it about time you give up?" 

"Give up?" Zafir asked, taking more steps away. The man held a desperate look in his eyes. "Why would I do that? What I'm fighting for means far too much. I am aiming to change the lives of Amber's citizens forever. Such a goal is too important not to work toward, even if it means my death." 

"That goal can still happen, right? Without her," Ash argued. "Your senators buy into it. I'm sure at least a few people in Amber would buy into it if you told them. You don't need her." 

"No, we do," Zafir replied. "When Amber attempts to become independent, the first thing that will happen is that Jade will quickly send an army to keep that from happening. Without those spells, we can't hope to fight them off. Ultimatums can be distasteful," he said, adjusting his knife. "But, ultimately, either I get these spells, here and now, or my dream isn't possible anyway. I have to try." 

... Nah,  Ash thought.  This guy's the stubborn type. There's no getting through to him.

Ash narrowed her eyes. 

All I can do is try to kill him before he kills her.  The question is, how? 

"Ah, that look on your face," he laughed. "You understand, then? We're at an impasse," he stated. "The chances we both leave here, alive, are very low. Unless, you let me go with her, right now." 

"..." 

I'm sorry,  she quickly apologized to Arianna in her mind. But, I can't think of another way to handle this. I'm going to have to gamble. 

Arianna's eyes looked back at her, pleading for help, but Ash was afraid she wouldn't be able to. Still, she had to try. 

So, Ash prepared herself. 

"..." Zafir raised a brow at her. "Are you-" 

As he started talking, Ash charged up to him. 

His words caught in his throat, and Ash saw him press the knife fully against Arianna's neck. 

Ash moved so quickly, she closed the gap in less than two seconds. However, that time was still enough for Zafir to slit the girl's throat. 

"Agh!" Ash cried out, tackling the man. Arianna fell to the side, as Ash landed on top of Zafir. 

No! 

She looked over at her. 

I need to-

From below, Zafir cast a Fire spell, right at Ash's eyes. 

"Aaaagh!" Ash screamed, reaching up to block the fire. Then, the senator's knife found her chest. 

It stabbed straight through, and Ash spat out violet blood. 

Just before she raised a hand, and, without a weapon, brought it down on Zafir's face. She heard a crack, and then lifted the same hand, bringing it down on him again, with the knife still in her chest. As the senator's teeth fell on the dirt, Ash ripped the knife out, hissing, and quickly mouthed:

"Desperation begets action, but kindness must not be forgotten." 

Her hands glowed white on her own body, and eyes, as she cast Burst Heal. 

Her wound was repaired, and Ash looked back down at the senator. His face was already a mess, after just two strikes. But, after that, now, Ash was angry. 

So, Ash smashed her hand onto his face again. Punching him with everything she had, once, twice, three times, his skull caved in as Ash kept going. 

"You f-..." Ash hissed, as she finally stopped when she saw that her hand was covered in red. 

Wait,  she froze, feeling chills go up her spine as she saw the Arcane's daughter out of the corner of her eye.  Arianna. 

As quickly as she could, she ran toward her, falling onto her knees by the girl's side.

"Desperation begets action, but kindness must not be forgotten," she quickly said, placing her hands on the gaping wound in Arianna's neck. 

But, her spell did nothing. 

"Arianna?" Ash asked. "What?  Desperation begets action, but kindness must not be forgotten,"  she cast the spell again.

Nothing changed.

Instead, Arianna's lifeless eyes looked back at her, and Ash slowly realized that, as confident as she'd been going into this, she'd failed.