Chapter 142: Smashed

After using Overclock, added with all the running and battle, Ned's energy went from full to a meager twenty percent.

He ran, the soothing effect was gone, weathering the pain left by the Overclock.

Some of the wooden fences bent like someone forced its way outside the settlement, others snapped to half. This was where Ned made his way toward Sasani.

Against the dancing fire, the middle of the settlement was clear as broad as daylight.

Rickart to his left along with Keesha. Both in a defensive formation. Rickart stood with the dagger in front of him, defending himself against their party leader Sidric. While Keesha shied behind Rickart with her hands ready for a spell to conjure and eyes filled with unsettled issues.

Ned didn't stop for the two, especially not to Sidric who stood with a blank face. He went straight to Sasani, tramping his mudded boots against the dry ground as well as dry blood. Bodies with shining armor littered the settlement.

Heads cracked open, blood and brains and entrails spilled around them. Such butchery, such death. Who could have enjoyed this kind of scenery? Not human. Ned thought, skipping a tore limb adorned with silver rings. Around it flies scattered like wildfire. Not just the limb, the heads, the guts, and the soft lump of white meat. Flies buzzed like it was today's last feast.

The air was stale mixed with burned woods with an occasional smell of blood, human hair, and charcoaled meat. What has gotten to this place? Ned asked the only question he could ponder.

"Why!" It was Keesha. Crying at the top of her lungs.

The rest, Ned couldn't follow since he arrived at where his old adversary was. Lying still, blood smudged the top of her head. Pale and unconscious was Sasani's current predicament.

Ned bent in one knee and struck Boom against the ground, it stood quivering. With his right, he wiped the blood drying on Sasani's forehead. Ned was uncaring about the crimson liquid sticking between his fingers.

Ned blew an air of relief. It wasn't Sasani's blood. It was from the bald man pressing her against the ground.

Neck wide open, bubbles of red and black formed drying on his neck. The bald man died gasping for air. Along the muffled neck was a necklace. He was a hunter, wood ranked. He has a thick eyebrow, perhaps in his thirties, or older. Much older, Ned thought. Yanking the dead man by his leather strap—where a huge sword should have. But the bald hunter doesn't have a sword. He doesn't have a shirt either.

What he has was a hole, the same as Darwyn. A hole melted with liquid, more like acid, behind his back. Some strap broke free by melting. His spine was visible, and the hole was deeper. Too deep Ned could see some entrails, maybe liver, and guts encased with a bone rib, or what was left of the rib. The ribs snapped open from inside. Like something came out from the dead man's body.

Ned pulled Sasani under her arms and set her next to a dried grass—which Ned assumed a dwelling for the beasts. It stunk with sweat, and a reeking smell; perhaps feces. But it was the safest place Ned could set Sasani. Behind the dried grass was a huge rock with chains, and locks chiseled against the rock. Blood smudged on the rock. "Torture stone," Ned said under his breath after he laid Sasani with back flattened on the dried grass.

"Sasani," Ned said. More like a whisper. Her clothes weren't that of a noble but a tight-fitting leather laced with black ribbon, tying the clothes from her neck to her waist. Boots ran to his knee. The mechanical bow strapped to her left wrist.

Ned crumpled a handful of dried grass and wiped the drying blood that was sticking on her darkened hair. "Sasani," he said once more.

It was visible after Ned wiped clean the blood. Around her neck was a mark darkened with red like thick fingers. It was new. She was choked, luckily she was breathing. Ned sighed with relief.

"Detect," Ned muttered. The mana inside expanded. Ned could then sense different life forms. Humans and beasts alike. Aside from the dead hunter, there were none around him and Sasani.

But behind them was the lifeform his former party had. Rickart and Keesha, to their front Sidric, Malik, and the unknown guy. They started to move—the impassive ones.

Ned frowned, another life form was detected. ICE, are you reading this? Ned asked.

It was a small lifeform, etching and throbbing behind Sidric, Malik, and the other guy. Ned could sense nothing from it but life.

[Affirmative.]

ICE responded.

[It was a parasite. Parasitic beast.]

It was. Ned formed an imagination after he used the skill Detect. It was small, mana filled, and throbbing lump of meat. It leeches behind the three hunters.

"It wasn't them," Ned said. Hand leaning on his knee. While the other gripped the short-sword with his dominant hand. Ned spun around, leaving Sasani, and faced the other. "It wasn't them."

Rickart raised his dagger, blocking the long-sword Sidric have. Blades met and sparked flew. With a satisfying boom, Rickart was thrown mid-air. Hitting a pile of dried grass and sticks. He was unconscious for a moment.

Keesha gasped. "Sidric, stop!" She cried once more. Wind spell ready to throw. But, will she?

She didn't, she let Sidric approached her. His eyes were there but at the same time blank. He walked, letting the long-sword made a thin trail on the ground.

Sidric doesn't have any trace of emotion. He walked as if Keesha was a stranger not knowing. But recently, the two were clinging like lovers. Now, Sidric clung on Keesha's head. Hair curled against Sidric's grip.

His hand was massive, his fingers were long and satisfactory. But not anymore, veins popping on his wrist as he gripped tight Keesha's tiny head.

Voice was muffled under too much stress. Keesha couldn't let go of the spell, and couldn't let go of Sidric.

Sidric raised Keesha under his arm.

Keesha's foot was hanging loose. The spell materializing on her hand evaporated like a mist under the heat of the scorching sun. She was losing it: her strength, her consciousness, her magic, and her life. Her hands hung free on both sides. Her brown eyes dimmed white, her shoulder freed of any burden.

Sidric on the other hand couldn't recognize if his prey was alive or dead. His hand still gripping Keesha. All those muscles only to be used to crush the skull of his partner.

Saliva drooled off her lips.

Ned rushed, hand held Boom. While the other gestured to conjure a spell.

Along his rush was Malik confronting him head-on. The Runner held nothing but a fist, thought that he could take Ned with ease. Or was it even his thoughts?

Ned twisted his waist, evading the only fist coming his way. With the hilt of the sword, he struck Malik under the jaw. He stumbled half-conscious without a grunt. He dropped, head first, and rolled.

The unknown hunter dashed, wooden necklace hung his neck. Tall yet thin, short cut hair, beards trimmed to outline his clenching jaw, and eyes wore nothing as he made his way toward Ned.

The air swooshed and a darkened dagger went flying aiming at the lanky hunter. His eyes were blank, yet perceptive. He evaded the dagger with ease. He stopped his track leaned backward and let the dagger hit nothing.

"To Keesha!" It was Rickart. Fully awakened, and brimming with anger.

Ned nodded. He strode left, giving the lanky hunter a glance, and went straight to Keesha.

The lanky hunter attempted to stop Ned by grabbing his shoulder. He was stopped by Rickart with a forceful kick from behind. With a thud, the hunter was thrown.

Ned threw the Fireball he conjured toward Sidric.

The spell was blocked by the long-sword. Metal roared with fire, it went red as if burning. Along the smoke was Ned, cutting it with his short-sword.

He wouldn't let go of Keesha as he turned around to face Ned. Sidric was fast, together with his turn was his kick flying freely toward Ned.

Ned's attempt to cut Sidric's arm was cut short. Sidric's knee went flying toward Ned.

Cooper rank kick was different. A hot sensation traveled from Ned's arm ending to his shoulder. His left arm was burning of pain. Ned was thrown by the kick, rolling. He then struck the short-sword on the ground, making him stop before he ended up on the fire.

His left arm felt numb. Ned wondered if he wasn't fast enough to block the kick and went straight to his jaw. He might have a hanging jaw now. Ned stood, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Sidric remained. As if guarding the darkened forest behind them. Thick and filled with bush, the darkened forest seemed to be filled with creeping eyes. Speck of a red dot, yellow and white went blurring inside the forest.

Sidric raised the unconscious Keesha mid-air, hands filled with threaded muscles. He retracted the long-sword behind, the tip was intended on Keesha's chest. She twitched from time to time. While Sidric showed nothing on his face.

"Ned!" Bellowed Rickart. Blocking the lanky hunter's punch. He stumbled with his feet, stopping by twisting his body and throwing a kick in return. Hitting the lanky hunter in the gut.

He grunted and knelt on one. He felt the impact.

Ned dashed. Unable to conjure spell with his left hand feeling numb. He held Boom with force. All this while, his red display shows that Sidric's weak spots were his neck, shoulder, and legs. Yet, Ned couldn't match the copper hunter's speed. His body, couldn't.

Ned raised his short-sword, aiming at the warrior's gripping hand.

Sidric put a foot backward. Evading Ned's slash with lax. He then spun around, with long-sword acting as an extension of his body.

Ned couldn't force himself to reach Sidric. He bent backward, evading the longsword's whistling attack. He then jumps backward, evading another attack.

He was fast and crafty. Ned cursed. The left hand still numbing. His display shows a success percent on Sidric's neck. But he was fast. Ned scuffed throwing a gaze at his short-sword, his magical sword named Boom. Ned focused, letting free of the mana inside his body. Mana traveled from the tip of his finger down to short-sword. Boom lit regal blue, it was ready. Now, Ned needed to hit Sidric with the tip of his short-sword. Once again, Ned dashed—

Sidric lifted Keesha high up mid-air. Stretching his hand to the fullest. With the strength of the body of a Copper hunter rank. He smashed Keesha's head on the ground.