Chapter 292: Struggle

"What are you talking about, you hag?! Just look around, my men have surrounded y-" The words stuck in him as soon as he turned to the side to glance at the obscure, shadowy corner to the left of the elder. 

His dagger-wielding lackey that should have been stationed there were nowhere to be found. Confusion and surprise morphed his expressive face still hidden under the cover of his hood, he nervously darted to the right side where the other one should be waiting for his command to ambush. 

However, just as before, there was no one stationed on the spot, the corner where he planted his second dagger holder was nowhere to be found.

"What the-" He cursed, as the surprise he had before began to transform into shock. Soon nervousness and fright began to surface, adding further to the complexity of emotions that began to trouble him. 

Already afraid to look back, he raised his right hand in the air and swiped forward, giving the attack signal to the archers that should be on the trees behind them.

"FIRE! KILL THE OLD HAG EVERYONE!"

He exclaimed, shouting the command. Upon his order, he and his four sword fighter compatriots that remained with him kicked at the small wooden fence around the already demolished gate and began their relentless charge against the old lady. 

Unfortunately, the expected rain of arrows from behind him never came, confirming his earlier suspicion. All of his stationed men have mysteriously vanished without as much as a yelp. He couldn't even sense anything, despite his honed senses. 

The leader gritted his teeth, and clenched his fist tighter, giving it his al,l to at the very least take revenge on this old woman for tricking them. 

He was the first to arrive with two of his nearest brethren. The two swords were thrust forward aiming at the elder's abdomen, while the leader twisted his torso slightly to the right, giving a wider arch to his fist as he launched a ferocious right hook at the lady's chin.

Despite being under such an assault, the friendly, welcoming smile never faded from Granny's face. She remained motionless not even bothering to put up any defense. A slight smirk surfaced on the leader's face seeing the lack of resistance, already thinking about how to discipline this hag for her actions without going against the Master's order, when suddenly he felt a change in the air.

The air suddenly turned thicker, colder. His fist that was only inches away from the wrinkled chin of the elder, suddenly slowed to a halt, unable to move any further. At the same time, both swords seemed to hit the same invisible wall, plunged, and stuck into something invisible.

As if already expecting the result, the elder looked at the leader of the assaulting group with the same gentle, kind smile on her face. She looked over at the awkward pose his body was frozen. A light chuckle escaped her aged lips as she spoke again, this time with a hint of mischievous tone. 

"What happened, Sir? Why are you like that?" 

Unable to push further, nor pulling his fist back, the leader struggled to break free from the mysterious hold. 

"L-let us go, you old hag!" He cursed, trying to turn his head behind him to glance at the remaining two swordsmen he had. He had a bad feeling, they were behind him, charging just as he and the other two did, but somehow, they never arrived. What happened? Did they got frozen just like him?

"Y-you two! What are you doing, we are stuck here, get us out!" Unable to shift his head he could only hope they were still close by, he yelled out to them. He was hoping that they were simply frozen due to the shock and fright of the turn of events and nothing worse had happened.

However, no matter how hard he yelled, how hard he cursed, no response came. He couldn't even sense anything behind, which further increased his worries.

"W-what did you do to my team?!" Unable to set himself free or ask for help, he could only helplessly yell at the seemingly harmless old lady.

"Me? What could I have done Mister Leader? I am just an old woman, fragile and weak. What could I have done? Surely you jest. Anyway… Why are you still standing like that?" The old woman spoke with an innocent, surprised look. 

"Don't play with me, you old witch! You better have not killed them! Do you have any idea who my master is? He will have your head!!! YOU HEAR ME! YOU ARE DEAD!" The turmoil of emotions that was raging inside him, the anger, the trepidation, the fear, the regret mixed together to an explosive mixture, erupting as a helpless curse-filled yelling. 

He was mad, not just at the old woman that somehow tricked them, but also at himself for ignoring the warning of his seasoned senses that were warning, no, screaming at him to get back. He was blinded by greed, he was certain that this assignment would be a no-brainer. They just had to whack and kidnap an elder and some kid living alone in the woods near town. He didn't even bother investigating the targets.

"Now, now, that's not how you should be addressing your elders, right? Where's the respect, what is this tone, young man?!" Leaning closer to his face, the old lady clicking her tongue dismissively. 

Then, as if she was finished, she turned around began to walk back into the house, ignoring the still frozen trio right at her doorway.

"H-hey, where are you going! Let us go!" One of the stuck swordsmen yelled out nervously.

"Let me go, lady! I promise I will not bother you again!" The other one added as well.

"GET BACK HERE YOU OLD HAG AND LET US GO RIGHT NOW!" The leader was the only one with some menial resistance left in him, he continued to squirm, trying to free himself from the mysterious spell's hold, albeit fruitlessly.

The Granny was already in the doorway when she stopped. Without bothering to turn back, she chuckled. 

"You guys can finish them now, but don't waste too much time, Breakfast should be ready soon!"

With that said, she walked back into the house, closing the door behind him, ignoring the trio still stuck in the air. 

"W-what are you saying?! G-GET BACK HERE! YOU HEAR ME?" The leader cursed, helplessly squirming, stuck in the air. 

"Now now, don't bother with her, she is busy making breakfast you know…" A chilling, feminine voice suddenly reached the trio's ears coming from behind. A dainty hand touched the leader's back, gently patting it.

It was a gentle, soothing sensation, the storming emotions began to calm down under the caress of these heavenly fingers. 

"M-master, w-what are you doing?!" A second, younger voice of a girl appeared from behind them. Her voice carried a tinge of confusion and a hint of curiosity. As she spoke, the trio could also hear low, barely audible growls that most likely came from a pair of animals.

"Oh, I'm just trying to calm down Mister Leader here Lily. Just look at him shivering in fright, unable to understand what is happening. Where did his lackey go? Why is he stuck in the air?" The mature voice chuckled at her own words, before continuing. "Don't you think it's funny?"

After a brief moment of silence, the younger voice responded.

"I don't know… They are bad guys, they came here to bother us. Brother wouldn't have played around with them like that!"

"Oh?" The mature voice behind them exclaimed with a surprised tone. She pulled her slim fingers away, turning to face the girl. "Tell me than Lily, what do you think Aiden would have done?" 

This time, without hesitation, the youngster happily exclaimed. "Brother would have punished them swiftly! He is strong, these weaklings wouldn't even survive one hit from him!" 

The mature voice giggled at the young girl's response.

"I see. That is probably right…" She added thoughtfully as she turned back to the leader. Her fingers once again caressing the back of the man, as it slowly traveled upwards.

"In that case, I suppose we should hurry up. After all, Granny is waiting for us." 

"H-hey you guys… What are you-" Before the Leader could finish his question, suddenly his body turned stiff as an unnatural coldness seeped into his body from the lady's fingers. The coldness rapidly spread throughout his body. His body, his organs, his mind shut down in mere moments without any pain, any resistance. The last thought before the void overcame the Leader's mind was confusion and regret. He should have listened to his senses, that way his life wouldn't have ended in such a puzzling manner…

With her job finished Number 3 let go of the now-deceased leader of the group. She turned to look at the blonde teenage girl who was still looking at the back of the last surviving swordsmen. The other one, just like the leader, died in a mysterious way.

She sighed at the girl, smiling wryly.

"Come on, Lily. We need to get back. Finish up! It seems we have to increase the training regimen, you were too slow!"