Upon seeing Canna lay down with his eyes closed, it was as if everyone present felt a slap in their face. How dare he act so casually in their presence! The tension was building, and the soldiers and operatives were about to attack when, all of a sudden, two figures stepped out of Canna's shadow.
When Kael saw Mortem and Vorgrim, he immediately knew that something bad was going to happen. He looked at the crowd and, as he expected, the king was also present. He hurriedly shouted, "Back off! Back off now! You have seen his power already! Are you all idiots?"
The king's men hesitated. Their anger had gotten the best of them; the tension had been building up for too long, and they had lost sight of their true goal. Their mission was to talk to Kael, not to engage with Canna. In fact, why would they even capture or threaten Canna, a man who had saved their kingdom in peril? Confused, the forces looked at the king.
The king nodded. "Kael! We have a lot to discuss. My apologies, Canna. We're going to back off."
With that, the king's soldiers backed off, clearly not wanting to be in the crossfire. However, the Veiled Order did not relent.
They started closing in when all of a sudden, they heard Canna speak. "Kill them. I'm going to take a quick nap," he yawned, and within seconds, actually fell asleep. Kael couldn't believe Canna's attitude but decided to trust him.
Mortem started releasing his aura, a palpable wave of dark energy, while Vorgrim brandished his greatsword, the blade glinting ominously in the rain.
The Veiled Order operatives thought it was a joke, facing only two mid-calamities. After all, they had seven great-transcendents with them and twelve mid-transcendents, all trained to their bones in the art of killing.
The battle began with a ferocity that caught the Veiled Order by surprise. Mortem, standing tall and imposing, began his assault by summoning a horde of undead warriors. Skeletons and specters rose from the ground, their eyes glowing with eerie light. The undead charged forward, clashing with the operatives in a cacophony of steel and bone.
The remaining operatives of the Veiled Order, seeing their leaders fallen, tried to retreat, but Mortem and Vorgrim gave them no quarter. Mortem's undead army, bolstered by the fallen operatives, surged forward, overwhelming the remaining enemies. Vorgrim's greatsword continued its deadly dance, cutting down any who dared to stand against him.
Within minutes, the battlefield was littered with the bodies of the Veiled Order operatives. The rain washed away the blood, but the marks of the fierce battle remained. Mortem and Vorgrim stood victorious, their expressions grim but resolute.
Kael, who had been watching the fight with a mix of awe and dread, approached Canna, who was still lying on the ground, seemingly oblivious to the chaos around him. "It's over," Kael said softly, his voice filled with relief.
Canna opened one eye, a lazy smile spreading across his face. "Good job, everyone," he said, sitting up and stretching. "Now, where were we?"
The king's soldiers, who had witnessed the brutal efficiency of Canna's companions, felt a newfound respect and fear for the white-haired man. They realized that any attempt to oppose him would be futile.
The king stepped forward, his expression a mix of awe and gratitude. "Kael, we need to talk. There is much to discuss, you can bring over your friend as well."
Kael nodded, his demeanor now serious. However, before he could speak, Mortem's voice came out first. "Well that saves our time, King of Avaloria. I believe we entrusted you with a task."
The king's men instantly flinched, their heartbeats pounding louder as they saw Mortem walking closer. Luckily, the king spoke up.
"I know of our deal. I would like to show my hospitality to the kingdom's saviors. How about we continue this in a more formal setting?" the king suggested.
Mortem halted in his tracks and looked at Canna, who nodded. After getting the confirmation, Mortem spoke again. "That would save us the trouble. My master would also want this to be cleared out as soon as possible."