Chapter 51: Your Life

Thousands of ghoul and alghoul were approaching the expanding Gate. Seeing that the gate was too late to close, Sir Edwin, threw the last Grade Four Barrier Runes he had.

With a wave of his hands, two runes flew beside the Gate, making a bone-cracking sound before it expanded, and light of yellow and blue blinded the incoming army of mindless beasts. Seconds later, the runes successfully enveloped the Gate, temporarily halting its expand, and the army's forward. The ghouls tried to break the barrier, but their number and strength weren't enough to destroy the grade four barrier. A number of ghouls started to knot inside the Gate, inspiring them to break the barrier once more.

Now with the mage unconscious, Ned, and Master Will arrived to the point of retreating, since they knew, that the Barrier won't hold longer. An obvious representation of chaos appeared on the Barrier, cracking its way outside the island of O'rriadt.

But Sir Edwin remained static, with hand hanging on his sides, and the other gripping his unsheathed sword. He gazed at the Gate profoundly. He took the battle that occurred as a child's play. It was clear with his silver-plated armor, not a single scratch. Moonlight beamed into his armor, creating a reflection of light that scattered into the forest.

With the stop of heavy rain, the mage awakened from his slumber. Surprised that the Gate remained unscathed, he smirked, he let out a breath of comfort. Slowly stood, grabbed the staff that was thrown not far from him. And with his overwhelming Mana capacity, he conjured a spell. Intending to destroy the barrier.

An invisible force of energy traveled midair, instantly hitting the Barrier, upon contact, it made a crisp sound, that Sir Edwin noticed instantly, but too late to stop it. The barrier cracked more than a meter wide, slowly reaching his goal of releasing the army of ghoul.

Behind the tree he remained to hide, he invoked another spell, counting that it would destroy the barrier instantly. Halfway to his enchantment, the staff he was holding with his right hand fell, falling to the grass and made a scrubbing sound. Confused he tried to pick the staff, but unable to do so. Seconds, he felt a warm sensation in the upper part of his body. Looking down, half of the sword was pierced into his chest. Blood thickened his mage's robe. His vision blurred and darkened, then fell to the ground, hugging the staff he wanted to pick up. Blood flowed out his chest, slowly dying in the process.

Behind the grounded Mage, was Sir Edwin, with his sword unsheathed, piercing his subordinate right into his chest.

Ned wasn't sure how the knight traveled almost ten meters away from them. All he saw was just a blur, then he heard the mage thudded along the tree. On his bended knees, Ned was forced to straighten up. Gasping for air, and energy he could possess. "Master, how did he?" Ned asked with rapid breathing.

"I couldn't follow him," replied Master Will. Knitting his brows, he wondered, the skill the knight used seems to be, very familiar.

"I don't know the story between you two Sir Knight, but we need to live now," Ned said. Throwing a gaze at the knight. "Now that the mage is dead, reversing the command in the array he used in the Gate will be easy."

Still, the knight remained, silent. He waved his sword, processing to put it back in the scabbard.

Ned's childish voice seemed to be foolish when Sir Edwin heard his suggestion. He smirked. And gazed at the staff along with the bleeding mage.

"Knight, please do the honor, and reverse the command," instructed Master Will. "With it, O'rriadt will be at peace."

Sir Edwin scuffed, yanking the staff off the blooded mage, and analyzed the staff with his keen eyes. Putting his Mana into it, the staff emitted a bright light. With the light shining, the staff was now clear to be at least a meter long, vines rolled its body, impersonating a snake coiling the stick. At the top was a stone, bigger than the low-grade Mana stone, yet smooth, and powerful. With the light shining, the staff emitted much stronger energy, oozing out the stone. Then the light dimmed, then darkened, completely eliminating the light from the stone. The stone, that was almost a fist, shook. Then a cracked appeared. Breaking the stone to pieces.

With the staff that controlled the gate broken, Sir Edwin threw what remained of it across Ned and Master Will. "Now it won't," reprimanded Sir Edwin.

"Why did you!" yelled Ned. "What did you do Sir Knight!"

"Nothing much kid, just making sure my mission is accomplished," Sir Edwin said.

"Mission? From the kingdom? why?" asked Ned muddly. "Why would the kingdom do such thing!"

"No kid, it wasn't the kingdom," said Master Will.

"Then who."

"The Order," Master Will said. Walking in front of Ned, making himself a shield from the incoming intent the knight showing off. "Better, in the capital, they were called The Ancient—"

"Enough!" bellowed Sir Edwin. "You monster does not have the right to say its name!"

Blurring behind the tree, the muddy and rugged terrain wasn't enough to stop the knight from attacking Ned and Master Will. With his sword unsheathed, the knight leaped midair. Twisting his body, he rolled like that of a cyclone. His path made a trail of unforgiving strength.

For Ned, the Knight's movements were blurry, but for his Master, his eyes were catching up with the knight. He raised his sword to block the incoming attack. Sparks flew with the contact of both sword, but with only a common sword, cracked appeared on Master Will's weapon.

The knight smirked. He jumped backward to place another attack. "I've been waiting for this."

"Kid, who are you?" Ask Master Will.

"Soon, I'll tell you, but you need to suffer first. No matter where you hide old man, nightmare follows you," Said the Knight. He charged his gaze to Ned, he saw the kid clenching his sword, yet she smiled once more. "Kid, I'm telling you, leave or die, I'm giving you a chance. If you leave, at least only one dies."

"What do you want!" Ned shouted. Feeling something was off, Ned's memory terrorized him once more. A series of disconnected scenes ran through his mind. How Kamma died, how Ned saw her frozen to death. Leaving Calahir, within the reach of the Empire. He wasn't sure if till now, more than three hundred years had passed, Ned wasn't sure if Calahir survived or not. Scene of him, with his Master when he was a kid. It terrorizes Ned. His hands trembled, unknowingly, he tried stopping it, but it won't, the shaking kept ongoing. Eventually, he gripped the hilt of his sword. Reducing the shaking, which eased Ned. Gaining his focus once more.

"Kid! Kid!"

"Master?" Muttered Ned.

The moment he regained his focus. He saw Master Will and the Knight, clashing with each other. Ripples of energy waves shocked Ned. The Knight's sword against Master Will's common sword.

"Kid! Leave now!" Master Will ordered. Parrying the Knight's sword. It seemed that Master Will was losing the fight with only a hand. Contrary, the knight was having a hard time finding a blind spot.

Yet his face smiled. Every time the knight used a major attack. He sheathed his sword. But the moment he draws his sword. Ripples of invisible energy waved the entire surrounding. It's like a vacuum was formed when he slashed his sword.

Unnoticeable, the knight was getting stronger every time he unsheathed his sword.

Stepping backward. The knight gripped his sword once more. His feet remained stuck on the ground. He bent his waist, preparing for the next attack.

While Master Will conjured fire magic, surrounding himself with a barrier of fire. Three circles of energy kept on revolving around him.

"Kid! What are you doing? I'm not asking! I'm commanding you! Listen! Kid!" Master Will shouted. Look of worry freckled his eyes. His white and old linen clothes were now covered with mud. Yet his movements remained steady. If not, faster.

"You still had it Othor," said Sir Edwin. "Look at you -" charging his sword with wind magic -"old man." Bending his knees, he distributed his weight into his legs and waist. Moments later Sir Edwin disappeared.

The second the knight appeared, the tip of his sword was an inch away in the center of Ned's forehead. With his Master stopping the attack, Ned shriveled.

What's this? What's happening, I, I can't move, Master, I wanted to leave, but I can't move. Is this...fear? Ned's eyes widened, it was fear. For the second time. Fear crept Ned. Every part of him trembled in fear. Ned already lost people he loved. And now, imminent fear of losing his Master triggered his greatest fear. Fear of losing someone he cared. "Ma...Master, I...can't..." stuttered Ned. He then felt a needle sensation on his face.

In front of him was his Master, holding the blocked sword as strong as he could. "Kid, leave now, please, just leave."

"Too late," said Sir Edwin. He smiled and grinned, wider as his usual. "I already graze your kid's face, my sword was laced with poison

It was too late for him now, I alone have the antidote."

Master Will's eyes widened out of disbelief. Trembling his shoulder. He asked. "Knight, let's end this, for the sake of my kid, what do you want?"

"Your life, together with the Mark."