414. Horizon II

414. Horizon II

Lucy cried out in pain as her entire body engulfed in flame, something which even her form couldn’t resist. The flames were great and powerful as they spread across her skin like a sea of fire.

“Lucy!” Adam shouted, in utter shock that the fire suddenly swallowed her.

“Run!” Okvar shouted, leaping forward to meet the old man in combat, with Rasam charging forward, her shield clutched tightly in one hand. He, nor Rasam, had seen the old man cast his spell, meaning he was a being which possessed magics innate to his blood. The stranger wasn’t a Blood Mage, so that meant their foe was a greater being. However, he and Rasam were quite powerful, and would at least be able to hold him off until they could flee some ways away.

The old man sighed as the pair charged towards him, but he didn’t seem taken aback in the slightest. “I cannot allow a Demon to roam this land freely, not after what your kind did all those years ago.”

Lucy had just managed to beat away the fire, her skin lightened by the flames. Vonda stared at Lucy in shock, frozen from the flames suddenly appearing, she felt a hand at her side, as Jonn managed to snap her out of her fear, before he stood behind Lucy. Since the old man was targeting her, he would stay near her so she basked in his aura, giving her a greater strength to fend off whatever the old man was doing to her.

‘There’s no way that’s the end of that,’ Adam thought, noting how the old man was still pointing at Lucy, and so he willed his Omen.

Omen: 8, 20 -> 8 plucked a Thread of Fate, causing the old man to raise his brows in momentary surprise, though the flames still managed to swallow Lucy whole again, though this time she had managed to brace herself.

The momentary shock had allowed both Okvar and Rasam to strike the old man, though their blades bounced against his skin, not even drawing blood. The pair were also surprised, but it lasted only an instant, as Okvar and Rasam spun their weapons and struck forward once more, this time catching the old man’s attention, causing him to use his fists and palms to gracefully guide their blades away from striking him.

‘He can bend Fate?’ the old man thought, feeling how Adam had managed to allow Lucy to resist his magics, which would have made the Demon Lord dust if he had managed to kill her with the flames.

“Young man, just what are you?” the old man asked, all the while he was struck by Okvar’s spear, and Rasam’s morning star, which flashed white with the divine magics to strike him more harshly. Yet, even with the Iyrmen’s blows, his focus was still on the group ahead of him, who were currently swarming around the Demon Lord to assist her.

“Who gave you permission to leave?” called the old man, his voice pressing down upon the entire group.

Wisdom Save

D20 + 4 = 5 (1)

Adam froze as he stared at the old man, and suddenly he found himself in darkness, and he was only able to see the old man, whose eyes were fixed on him. Those eyes were staring at him as though he were an ant, one which had sparked curiosity from something much greater.

“We cannot allow you to kill her,” Okvar said, clutching his spear tight in hand, ready to attack once more.

“You would defend the Demon Lord?” The old man wasn’t sure why they were going to so far to help the Demon Lord, who should have died the moment the Iyr had known of her existence. She had definitely stayed in the Iyr for some time.

“We Iyrmen always stick to our word,” Rasam said. “She, too, must arrive at the forest.”

“Then so be it,” the old man said, holding out his hand, before a blade appeared within it. It was a long blade, the handle made of gold and ruby which intertwined together, the blade of which was long, slightly thinner than one may have expected, though not quite a rapier, silver, though when it caught the sun, it was almost the colour of a raging fire. He placed his free arm behind his back.

Steel sang against steel as the trio met in combat. The old man, danced with the pair, allowing them to set the pace as his blade flowed through the air, causing sparks to fly as he easily deflected the morning star and spear as they tried to strike him.

Thunder rumbled as Rasam tried to strike him, and though she wanted to forgo using her shield, she understood it would have been a great folly for her to allow him any chance to strike her down. She was already struggling against his mighty strength, as though his blade seemed graceful, almost floating like a firefly, he managed to force her morning star away through sheer strength.

The old man finally brought his second hand out to stop her morning star, allowing Okvar a chance to strike through his side. Though the spear struck true, it was still unable to pierce through his flesh.

“Thank you,” the old man said, though he didn’t make it obvious what he thanked her for. He struck her magical plate mail, denting it with his sword, tearing through it at the shoulder, before the Iyrman finally fell.

He spun to catch Okvar’s spear. “You should tend to her wounds.” He had dealt with Rasam first since she was definitely the greatest threat to him in terms of her strength.

Okvar’s brow was full of sweat, having not fought someone so powerful in some time. He knew Rasam’s strength, which was the absolute peak of what one could achieve as a Guardian, and though there may have been some Rage Dancers within the Iyr who could surpass those limits, even they did not scoff at Rasam’s might.

Okvar remained silent, his weapon pinned by the mysterious stranger who had managed to fight two Mithril Rank Iyrmen without breaking a sweat. He could feel it from here, the great magic which emanated from the sword. It was one of the greatest swords he had ever come across. A thought almost crossed his mind, but he pushed it aside. He almost thought about who the stranger was, but that was irrelevant.

“We are Iyrmen,” Okvar said, leaping away from the stranger, before clutching his spear tightly once more. He had been told by the Iyr not to die a good death, but there was something else he had to take into consideration. “We Iyrmen always stick to our word,” Okvar said. “She, too, must arrive at the forest. Alive.”

“So be it,” the old man said, stepping forward. “You will have to blame Fate for being unable to complete your task.”

Click banner for Patreon!

I love these set of chapters.