Chapter 13

    Cassandra 1.3

    A group of youths were crowding around her asking dumb, stupid questions. Like how are you? Is your family health good? How's life in the capital? How's staying here in the north? They were all stupid and with no reason. Cassandra has been tire of these nobles for years now, none have a personality of their own, all of them are the same even in the far up north. Since she started to go onto arrange meetings that her father forced her since her naming day, she has seen all types of noble youths. Some are gentlemen with fake smiles, others are arrogant with no power of their own, the rest spew lies through their mouths of righteousness but at the end of the day are a bunch of hypocrites. 

    Cassandra was about to excuse herself out of the table just like that lady Belia. She has to admit that this girl really didn't care about the feelings of others, they were the only young ladies on the table but she just retreated and left her alone with all these nobles, there's one thing Cassandra can admit and that is, she's straight and honest. She didn't even stay for ten minutes and stood up with the excuse to stretch her legs. Cassandra thought at that moment that it was a rude move for a high noble lady to display such discourtesy but now she couldn't help but sigh at her witty actions.

    When she was about to speak up, she caught a blurry shadow passing to one table to another. She blinks a couple of times to make sure her eyes didn't play tricks, when she concentrates her Force Energy into her eyes she saw a youth running around the hall with a plate in his hand. She managed to catch his back as he stood in front of a table filled with Spiritual Fruits. His long hair reach lower than his waist and was smoother than a waterfall, lighter than air but blacker than a starless night.

    He picked up a fruit and tilted his head to the side as if contemplating if he should take it. He shook his head and put it back on the table. Cassandra realized something, the nobles that were around those tables seems that they didn't notice his presence but when he stood in front of those tables the maids eyes that were marveling the hall full of laughter and music rapidly shine when that youth appear in front of them.

    Cyrus Ventermir? She of course figure out who that was. Just as he took a step to visit another table, he stopped, he turned and looked at were she was. A prickling feeling hit her eyes as she stares at him. Her eyes water up and she couldn't help but close them and blink hard to prevent herself for dropping a tear. When she lifted her head up again she saw him on the door of the hall, he had it half open and he was stepping out.

    He turned back one last time and show her a mischievous grin at the corner of his mouth. Cassandra eyebrows rose and while staring at the door she said, "Can you excuse me. I will go outside to take a breath of fresh air." One of the nobles from House Freeckel spoke, "your highness if you could give me the honor of showing you around, it will be this one pleasure to do so." Another butt in but before he could speak Cassandra stood up and said with a charming smile, " no need to trouble yourself. I only want to take a breath of fresh air and would come back soon, I promise." Saying so she stood up and left the table in a hurry.

    Cassandra waited no more and left the hall with another big armor man at her heels. After leaving the hall Cassandra didn't find him anywhere. She saw some maids peeking outside the window and went towards them and ask, "have any of you seen the youth name Cyrus." The maids got a scare and rapidly started to wave their broom and mob as if they were cleaning and not watching what was going on outside.

    They shiver slightly as they stare at the huge metal man behind her, one of them said. "Little Lord just pass right now. He must be going to the Martial stage outside on the side lawn." Cassandra nodded and went to the window, she pushed aside the long, silky blue curtains and stare outside. There were already people surrounding a stage made of stone tiles. It stood in the middle of the spacious lawn.

    Some nobles that didn't enter the hall were already crowding the stage with some of the royal guards,  knights, castle guards and bold servants who left their posts to follow the commotion.

    Cassandra also left the first hall and made a turn to the right after going down the steps. Clayton was right behind her, he was still adorn in his heavy armor and follow silently behind. Reaching the Martial stage Cassandra stood at the back and hide in the shade of the castle. She pulls in all her Aura and close off her Aura Nodes to prevent her presence from leaking out.

    Isn't that Ser Johan? She saw him on top the stage with his robe flapping in the cold breeze of the north and standing in front of him was a man in his twenties with wavy, unkempt dark hair. He was shirtless and had a scar, one made from a beast claw coming down from his left shoulder to his lower ribs. He was built with hard muscles and long limbs. 

    Their Auras fluctuate like a fast flood and both of them stood still as their Auras clash in between them. The colorless hue around their bodies was now turning a deep shade of blue and the air around their bodies turn murky and blurry. 

    Ser Johan took a Stance with his lifted up palm aim at Lanier. The sole of his feet burst in a bright Aura glow as the rippling sound of air exploded with a *BANG!* His body appear in front of Lanier with his palm chopping at his neck. The skin of his palm now glow with a brighter sheen of light than the rest of his body. Lanier bushy eyebrows rose and his mouth left a wild shout. He used his left forearm and block the blow of Ser Johan *BANG!* The air ripple was partially visible to the naked eye as both of their bodies slide to the back.

    "Come on! Is that what a Knight all about?" Lanier shouted and his muscles tremble slightly. His big figure cross the distance between them in a breath and his big fleshy fist burst fort with incredible power. The way the air scream at his fast punch seem as if the Force behind it was weighting in the thousands of pounds. Cassandra knew that Ser Johan couldn't possibly take this head on if he didn't take out his Soul Weapon, but that Lanier hasn't even use a Battle Skill so using his Soul Weapon this early on would show his inferiority.

 

    The pride of a knight didn't let him show weakness so he went forward with half a step and bend his knees. The fast punch cross the top of his head as his pull back glossy hair was like a raging wave on a storming sea, all messed up. Ser Johan took this opportunity and step forward as he was already inside Lanier chest. With his palm still open and flat like a blade he made a horizontal chop to Lanier ribs. *BANG!*  With a clear resounding hit Lanier was pushed back a couple of steps. Ser Johan didn't stop at that, he changed his Stance and close his hand to form a fist. The Aura around the fist was fluctuating and changing to turn long and sharp, with a pointed tip on top. 

    He taps the tiles of the stage and his speed rose again. With the sound of an explosion behind him he close in to deliver a heavy punch. Lanier clenched his teeth but that grin from the corner of his mouth didn't go down. His Aura turn heavier and expanded more around his body. He threw a heavy punch and their fist clashes in the air between them.

    *BOOOM!*

    This time the stage tiles rose outside of their places and fell back in place. Dust and air spread out from the stage in a spiral as the residual energy surge in waves, everyone around stood quiet and held their breath anticipating the results of the match. Looking at the stage now it was covered with spider web like cracks spreading out from the point of impact. Cassandra nodded at these two power and said to the side, "could you beat Lanier in less than ten moves?" Clayton didn't say anything but Cassandra knew him the best. It's hard to find someone with physical strength that can match him in power.

    In the stage, Lanier step back two or three steps but Ser Johan was already pushed back to the stage edge. The guards and servants applaud at the fight and roar for more. Lanier stretch his hurting wrist and stare at Ser Johan. Right at that moment Ser Johan fist was dripping blood and his little finger was broken, twisted out of place. His eyes show his pain but he swallows his scream and clench his teeth hard. 

    He touch the center of his body, below his chest and above his abdomen and a glowing light not form of Aura illuminated forth. As if taking a sharp sword out of his scabbard the *Swish!* Sound spread around the stage. The guards who have never seen a Knight’s Ability to give birth to a weapon inside their bodies open their eyes wide and the royal guards who already had seen this feat a couple of times in the capital roar in excitement.

    "Who are you rooting for?" Right at that moment Cassandra almost got a heart attack. The sweet, youthful but grow up voice of Cyrus sounded at her side. Clayton that was a step behind her threw a heavy, crazy punch at Cyrus back head. It was his instinct to respond like that, all to protect Cassandra. The punch that was covered in a big metal gauntlet burst forth without so much of a fluctuation of Force around his body. It was all physical might and that powerful might was aim straight at Cyrus back head. 

    Cyrus didn't even turn his head and throw his hand back to catch that big punch with his smaller palm. The punch was clearly even bigger than his own head and heavier than half of his body. Cassandra stare with her eyebrows rose and lips partial open. Is one thing to hear of him from her father, is another to feel that he is special somehow but is totally different from seeing him in action with her own eyes. The visual was too stimulating. Cyrus turned his head back as he made the motion of looking up and down at Clayton and didn't say anything. All the while his smaller hand still grabbing Clayton fist.

    Cassandra could see that Clayton already tried to take back his fist but he couldn't because of Cyrus grip. Soon after, Cyrus let him go and turn back to spectate the fight. She put her hand on Clayton shoulder pads and calm him down. That Savage Intent was overflowing from the small gabs of his armor suit that cover every speck of skin in his body. "Who do you think will win?" Remembering his prior question, Cassandra ask him back. "Of course is going to be Big Lan. Isn't that obvious." Cassandra look for a moment to the stage and ask again, "what makes you so sure? Have you ever truly seen a Knight's Power?" She looks at him and stare at his side profile. The more she looks, the more she realized that there was an instinctual attraction that she couldn't understand. At first it was a lustful feeling that gave her a heat wave that spread from her crotch up to her body. Later it was a caring emotion that wanted to protect him from harm. Finally it was something Unknown. Something she couldn't understand but something that her body craves.

    Cyrus shook his head and said, "Lanier can resist a hit from me but that knight couldn't even hold his ground against my Aura." Talking to him now she saw him different from the first time she meets him last night. Last night he was like the little boy next door that would grab your attention from his mischievous pranks, a boy that would beg older women a motherly love. A naive, innocent boy, that was Cassandra first impression before the talk with her father. Coming back from her thoughts, Cassandra shook her head at what he says, "that may be true on your own logic but that doesn't mean he will not be able to win against Lanier." Cyrus look at her this time. She couldn't understand why he has that blindfold if he wasn't blind. The way he looks, move his head around is just like a person with perfect functioning vision.

    Cassandra knew that he wanted her to explain but she aims at the stage with her beautiful plump lips and he stares at the stage again. 

    After taking out his Soul Weapon the Aura that coated his skin expanded further out of his body. The weapon was a normal looking sword, it even shone with the sunlight that pierce sometimes from the dusky clouds above and Glow in a shimmering light that was different from the light that the Aura gives. Beside the Glow of the weapon the only difference will be the symbols running up and down the sword body, symbols that shone in the same blue light of his Aura. The light wasn't coagulated around the sword body but instead came from within the sword as if it were charged up from the inside by some energy.

    Ser Johan move his blade and a trail of blue mist follow behind it. Lanier look curious at the mystical weapon that just came out of a human body and beckons Stan to throw him his favorite axe. Stan comply and threw him his heavy axe, with a catch he sweep the air around him creating an air blast towards Ser Johan.

    He also sweep with his sword but it didn't produce any air blast as if there was no physical force behind it but instead a burst of blue energy came out of the sword and travel almost instantaneously to Lanier chest. Cassandra could see that he was completely taken by surprise with that move. He didn't know that Knights could actually produce energy, real Spiritual Energy outside of their bodies without a use of Battle Skills.

    The air blast was split open and Lanier could only defend with his weapon raised up in front of his chest. He coated the axe with Force and took a defensive stance with his weapon stretch out. *PLAAAH!!* Like the sound of a hard object hitting metal, the clash almost left the unprepared for the loud ear piercing noise, deaf. Most servants could only step back because of the loud noise and the guards of the castle were scratching the inside of their ears.

    This time Lanier was the one pushed back a couple of more steps and he was closer to the edge. Ser Johan didn't give him any time to respite and follow with three stab to the air in front of him. Three rays of light follow through the air like falling stars, bright and fast. This time Lanier didn't wait for the lights of the weapon to reach him, he roared and his muscles tremble with his veins wiggling like worms under the earth.

    His axe was coated with a heavier Aura than his body and he rose it high into the air. Howls of Wolves reverberate all over the lawn outside as the sound of howling wolves came from the stables on the other side of the castle. He cleave down and a slash spread forth, it morph and churn before jumping out of the axe blade in the form of three semi formed wolves. 

    Fall Of The Howling Wolves.

    The sound waves of the wolves made the air in front tremble, with ripple like waves spreading out towards the three fast approaching light all in the form of gnawing wolves. *BOOOOOOM!* This time the stage was pulverized to pieces as some castle guards took the closest servants and jump away from the shock wave, the others just erected their Aura to defend their bodies while letting the shockwave push them away...

    There was a cloud of dust and the debris of the broken, crunch up stone tiles still falling from the sky. When the winds blowing up the cloud of dust in the now broken stage Lanier stood with three slashes on his bare skin. They weren't deep but neither were they light. Ser Johan, on the other hand was pushed all the way out of the stage and down on the grass were he was using his sword to support his weight. His robes were torn here and there and in his chest, were his armor plate was on, was with a dent. His face was flushed red and he was panting for air. 

    Lanier stare at the three slashes and furrowed his brows in pain. He stepped down from what remains of the stage and said to Ser Johan, "This was a good fight, has been long since I ever use my full strength. I hope our next match will be more excited and longer than this one." After, he went to his little brother Stan and took the heavy coat and put it on his body. Cassandra looked at him and realized that beside the painful face he made earlier he didn't seem injured or tire. She figured out that he could fight some more. 

    Ser Johan on the other hand was out of breath and was having trouble standing up. Even though he seemed uninjured he look like a spent arrow. "Well I really want to put the victory hat on Big Lan but he got himself hurt so I can't declared him a winner." Cassandra furrowed her brows and said, "why so? He clearly won didn't he? Even though it was a close match, it was still his win with the clear state they both are in right now." Cyrus shrugged his shoulder at that.

    He turned to her and said, "true but he got careless there. He let himself be wounded when he could use Hypersight. If so, he could accurately hit the three rays of light coming at him. But instead he chose to use brute force to disperse the overall attacks but didn't think to realize that the three rays of lights were stronger than his Battle Skill." He turned and walked out of the shade they were hiding and back towards the hall but he didn't take the steps. People were already coming out from there because of the commotion. 

    Cassandra see him moving his head, left and right. Just like a thief looking for a way to burgle a house, he walked towards a window and peek inside as he was about to enter through there. Cassandra thought of something and said, "Clayton why don't you stay here and see if you can catch a match of your own." Without even thinking much she already knew his answer, he shook his head and said in a broken language, "all we-ak, no, strong." Well at least he is improving Cassandra thought. Before he couldn't even say yes or no. Now he can talk some more, Cassandra felt proud for him. 

    She nodded and said, "well sit down and rest. Practice that Breathing Exercises that I taught you so you can continue calming your mind. Look now, you can speak to me at least, this is a major improvement from last time." He nodded at that and sat down on the spot, staring at the people who started to surround the broken down stage.

    Cassandra went towards Cyrus who was about to sneak into the castle through a window and grabbed him by the hem of his coat and pull him outside. He fell in her arm and she smelled his sweet fragrance, her heart almost skipped a beat and she had an urge to lick his neck but she took a deep breath and push him away quickly. "What are you doing?" He argues as he turned to look at her. She gave him a charming smile that could hook on any man that laid their eyes on her and said, "didn't you want to meet Sunsun? I brought him today. Why don't we go and see him now? Is been more than an hour since I left him in the cliff, he must be lonely by now." 

    For a moment she saw him surprised by her proposal but he later nodded his head rapidly like a little kid who would go out to buy candy with his mother. She said, "Follow me." It was at that time that her Aura cover the whole castle like a vast ocean. It was as if didn't have any limit to how much it was expanding. She stood on air and went over the tall walls. 

    From behind her Cyrus let a laugh and his Aura also escape his body, it was in perfect control and was colorless like hers but the stifling pressure stop all winds around the castle. For a moment the whole castle had no breeze going through.

    No one saw the two of them that shot up towards the air like reverse meteors. If someone could pay attention to their bodies, they will see two bodies cover with a surge of twisting blurry air as if they were bodies made of fire but without the heat and light that fire release.