Rozzosea’s infantry found us. Their legs could only carry them as close to the Giraxes only to be flung off the road by their horns. Anything their horns missed, Carmyn’s bow was there to hamper their advance. Salith and Kridas would follow up with their destructive weapons. Lemi and I rode in the middle.
Since Lemi was limited to a number of magic she could cast, she volunteered to take the reins while I defended her. I was lucky enough to snatch a big shield and used it to block arrows coming towards us.
I’m beginning to worry about her health. The complexion on her face was growing worse.
“Salith, they’ve set up a checkpoint!” Carmyn growled.
She fanned out her arrows, hitting a group of archers stationed on the roofs.
“We won’t be able to ride through! Is there another path out of the city?” Shiba asked.
“We can’t afford to stay much longer. If we get caught in that Shadow Wizard’s magic storm, we’re done for!” Salith answered.
“Keep on going and don’t stop!” Kridas whipped the reins and brought himself to the front of the pack. “I’ll take down that checkpoint!”
Kridas cupped his Girax’s eyes and blindly rammed into the wall of stockade. It tripped and met its end with bundles of spears through its muscly packed body. Kridas used the momentum gained by being flung off its back and leapt into the enemy’s backline. He turned his body and decapitated the soldiers around him. In one fluid motion, his axe spun and split the stockades.
As he turned around, making sure the others galloping through, his stomach felt cold. He looked down, finding a hole cleanly through his body and a spear anchored in the ground behind him.
“GRANDFATHER!”
The spear retracted out of the ground the air and moved like it was possessed by a ghost. It twirled and shot itself at Kridas’ back.
“Nngh!”
Carmyn suddenly appeared, moving her sword to redirect the flying spear away, but it orientated itself mid-flight and chose Shiba as its next target.
“Woah!” Shiba managed to deflect it in time.
He watched as the spear soared into the watchtower crashed into the gates.
-That thing flies faster than I can see.
Lemi and I were the next target as I saw a glint coming out of the smoke. I quickly push Lemi off the Girax and watch our Girax get skewered and shredded.
“The Wizard is here…!” Lemi cried.
It floated down and stood between us and the exit. It playfully waved its fingers and recalled its flying spear.
Carmyn launched arrows in quick succession as she noticed it wasn’t aware of her presence.
The Shadow Wizard tapped the bottom of its spear, suspending the flying arrows. It was some sort of wind barrier.
“You monster!”
Salith howled in vengeance as she leapt off her mount, unleashing a devastating blow. Shiba followed suit with his sword.
While Salith, Carmyn and Shiba kept it busy, I carried Lemi towards Kridas.
“Hang in there, Kridas!”
“Kihet, get some healing ointments from my bag. I’ll cover up the wound.” Lemi instructed. “Oh no…”
-That doesn’t sound good.
“What is it?”
Lemi removed Kridas’ armor showing me a magic circle implanted around the hole in his stomach.
“What is that?”
“Kridas’ been stigmatized.” Lemi explained in our language. “A spell is put on him and it’s rapidly evolving to a volatile state.”
“Can you get rid of it?”
“I… can’t. I haven’t gone as in depth in researching magic like Elius. I can only treat the wound. The other option to dispel this is to defeat that Shadow. I don’t see us capable of doing that without our crests.”
“If you’re talking in your language, this is it, isn’t it? This is the end, for me.”
“Please don’t move, you’re still bleeding.”
“I know when to give up. I’m old.” Kridas smiled and tightly clenched his axe. “Good grief, it looks like I’ll be joining Alam soon. It’s better if I fight and try to get this magic thingyabob off, yeah?”
“Carmyn!”
Salith yelled in the distance, watching Carmyn get engulfed in an explosion. We couldn’t hear a response from her.
-Not another one!
“So it’s like this. At this rate, everyone’s not going to make it out. At least… you two…”
I can already see Kridas’ face turning tired.
“It hasn’t been long, but I’m glad I was given a chance to meet you two.” Kridas said. “Well, that’s enough of a break. Duty calls.”
“Kridas, I…”
“You put a lot of smiles on the people’s faces when you first arrived, Lemi. You did the best you could. Don’t blame yourself. This is something out of your expertise.” He reached for Lemi’s head and shook her hair a bit. “Get going you two. We only have two Giraxs left and take Xu’s Prince as well. And also, Kihet.”
“Yeah?”
“Treat Sorah well. She may be a feisty one, but she cares a lot about you. You two will make a good couple. Don’t die on her.”
“I will.” I answered, helping Lemi on one of the Giraxes.
I was hesitant about leaving, but Kridas reminded me of someone I must continue to stay alive for.
If I only could use those flames coming off the mysterious symbol that apparition gave me. I tried to imagine summoning grey flames, but to no avail, nothing came out.
“Shiba, Salith, we’re getting outta here!”
Shiba quickly got on, but Salith remained standing down against the Shadow Wizard.
“No thanks, Kihet. Grandfather alone can’t stop this Shadow.”
“You sure, Sal?”
“I’ve already informed the Queen I won’t be making it back.”
“You know, you’re as stubborn as your mother.”
“As long as they make it out, we’ll win. I’m sure of it.”
Blood gushed from Kridas’ stomach as the Shadow Wizard manipulated the earth to stop his advance with a wall of spikes. He was impaled in the shoulder, the ribs and the legs. Despite deep injuries, he managed to push his way through to get his axe in swinging range.
He cleaved down with all his might, splitting an infinite stone pillar that sprouted from the ground. His axe grinded against the splitting pillar until the load was too much and broke the handle.
While the Shadow Wizard focused everything to defend against Kridas’ superhuman strength, Salith bashed her mace and scored a direct hit. Unfortunately, she found herself stepping on a magic rune, electrifying her.
“Sal!”
“I’m, not going down, this easily!”
Salith unleashed a war cry, breaking free from the cage of lightning. Her hair was pointing in all directions and her skin was slightly burnt from lightning shock. All in all, she kept standing and it was enough for to continue fighting,
“As long as one of us is still alive, that Shadow won’t get to them!”
“Heh, well said! If I’m going to die, I’d rather go out with a bang!”
My view was obstructed by fallen towers and flames. We rode for the exit, trampling the last, dumbfounded guards.
There were also Devil archers on our right, so I moved the shield over to protect Lemi.
“Kihet, archers on our left!” Shiba yelled.
“Shit!”
“O’Light, embodiment of the living. Spirits, essence of souls. Guide brave ones the courage to march into the depths of abyss. Grant them the protection to withstand the reckoning force. Ank, Cirl, Ulos, Foram, Nalus, Maks, Ashent!”
Lemi was forced to cast [Barrier] to protect our right flank. This escape was taking a heavy toll on her. She began wheezing, and her body was overheating.
“Lemi, are you alright?”
“I’m” She huffed. “Hanging on… somehow…”
We’re almost out of the city. Once we get out, we should rest up at Xu and then go back to the village to warn the Elder.
A bloody howl came behind us.
Kridas used [Wars Blood] and plowed that portion of the city with his hands. The earthquake reached all the way to us, and a massive dust cloud brewed in the distance. Then, it was the end of him. The magic circle on his stomach grew and began covering him ice. Once he was fully encased, his body crumbled into irreparable fragments and was forever gone.
“Kridas, Salith…!” Lemi sobbed.
“We’ll get back at that Shadow. I promise.” I said.
I won’t let their sacrifices be in vain. We’re almost there. Just a bit more.
“Woah, hey!”
Our Griax suddenly stopped. No matter how hard we swing the reins, they refused to take another step forward. They were grunting and pointing their horns at the gate like they were afraid of something.
There was a group of soldiers standing directly below the gate. One of them walked forward and took off his helmet. He held an unforgettable disgusting grin. I never felt my anger rise this quickly in my life. How did he get here this quickly?
“I thought it was a bit too easy to run away from you.” Shiba growled.
“I’m flattered, Prince. Unfortunately, I must ask you to relinquish your life and the crown to me.”
“You know well of my answer, snake. You think I would listen to the words of a traitor? In truth, I deeply thought of you as a friend who will see to the ends of Xu’s reformation. I thought we shared a vision to see the Ogres and Devils live peacefully without conflict.”
“Those words are touching, truly.”
“What went wrong? If it’s about my father, I am doing everything in power to change so another instance will never happen again.”
“Sadly, I can’t forgive everything Devil folks did to my kind. Grudges will always remain and it’s already too late.”
“I see. It’s futile. Perhaps I may have a moment?”
“A moment won’t hurt. I have all the time.” Eizan snickered.
Shiba climbed down Girax and turned towards us.
“Kihet, I have something to confess. It seems I’ll be unable to escape after all.”
“What do you mean? We can breakthrough them together.”
He walked over, taking off his crown and pushed it at me. When I try asking, he pulled back his sleeve, showing me a purplish scar the same as Alam’s. But it spread all over the entire arm.
“Why didn’t you say so?!”
“I am familiar with this poison, hence why I kept it a secret to not worry you further when the brave Rozzalian Alam was affected. Lemi, you’ve must know what my condition is after a glance of it.”
“The infamous White Star Aven. A magical plant with no antidote that its poison can only be suppressed by magic until all the symptom fades. When your body is covered in purple, you die. Prince Shibata, is that why you did not ask for my treatment?”
“I cannot bring my selfishness to ask one of the Holy beings to strain themselves on my behalf. It would be a dishonor to Xu’s tradition ingrained in me.”
“No, not you too!” I shouted. “What about Lily? What about Miyabe? What about the child in Miyabe?!”
“Kihet, the appearance of my dead body would only upset them further. Would you be so kind as to tell them a heroic lie about me?” He smiled. “I’ll entrust you to safe keep my crown until the coming of my heir. Do not lose it no matter what.”
He turned around to face Eizan not before giving me a bump on the shoulder.
“I know my dearest sister has grown attached to you. For my last wish, please, watch over her in my stead as soon as possible.” Shiba drew his golden blade. “I’ll open a path. Do not let me down.”
“But-!”
“Are you blind? Do you not see my resolve? My fate can no longer be changed. Return to your village, report this matter to the Elder. If you die here, these bastards will succeed and damn the rest of the world.”
“Kihet, we have to go. Please.” Lemi begged.
“Stop the Enuis! Don’t let them take what’s rightfully mine!”
“You have no right to ignore the ruler of Xu!”
Shiba drew his sword in perfect form rushing head on into the enemy. He danced out, quickly dispatching two Devils and clashed against Eizan’s elite guards. His prowess was a force to be reckoned with though his left arm was numb from poisoning.
He swept his leg, bringing one guard down while it was preoccupied with blocking his sword. Twenty lines of light flashed around him, cutting down all the guards that were once under his command. While he successfully removed the guards from Kihet’s escape route, the biggest threat flew straight at him.
In terms of strength, Shiba had the advantage. Eizan had the cunningness.
“No matter. I will hunt them down later. How does it feel to kill your own soldiers?”
“You have no right to ask that! You brainwashed them!”
“How about another round then?”
Shadow tendrils wrap around and consume the bodies littered around them. It was wriggling disgustingly as it broke the corpses down and reconstructed them into hideous monsters with black miasma mimicking the Shadow Wizard.
“Undead?!”
“Not quite, but close enough. These are the Tower’s summon under my command.” Eizan cackled. “With this, my revenge is nearly complete. I shall wipe Wu’s family off the records just as your father nearly did to mine! How does it feel?”
“Shitty. I never expected myself to die in a foreign country. It’s a pity I’ll be unable to see the sacred tree bloom beautifully like the one I saw when I was a child.”
“Then you’ve resolved yourself. Haku, come out and kill him.”
Shiba kicked aside one of the shadows, leaping into the air and struck another one down with his sword. Unsurprisingly, they acted accordingly to his theory and regenerated. However, more, around hundreds emerged from ruins and stared at him.
There was a child standing behind him with vengeful looking eyes. The boy drew his dagger slathered in poison and rushed an assault following Eizan’s lead.
-Kihet, I’m counting on you.
