This is my advantage; my ambiguous identity!
With newfound determination, he cast his attention on the duel between the stranger and Brother Zarael, deciding to watch if play out. He didn’t know whether Brother Zarael stood a chance, but even if he were to lose, he knew interfering would only hold him back.
The glowing pendants approached the stranger at an extreme speed, closing the distance in-between nearly instantly. Just as the glowing pendants were about to reach him, the shawl which was still drifting in the air began to whirl around and condensed into a single spot, barely visible with the naked eye within the darkness of the night.
Although it was extremely tiny, the vortex it formed exerted a powerful suction force on its surroundings, immediately swallowing the pendants and extinguishing their light.
Only breaths later, its pull had nearly doubled, and the surrounding crops swayed in the wind. The crowd, which had previously been completely oblivious to the situation due to the mysterious mind-control ability, began picking up on this as well.
“Daddy, what’s happening?” asked Mariel, cowering at the feet of his father whose flat-cap was snatched from his head, disappearing in the vortex.
Monte was breathing heavily, but mustered his courage and kneeled down to pick her up. “I don’t know, but you’ll be safe. I’ll protect you.”
Meanwhile, Misses Pinker watched the situation with a grim expression. She glanced at Mariel, then turned towards Monte, “There’s something off about this. Stay close, and seek coverage behind the wagons. I’ll follow you.”
She then glanced at the Deus and the officer, “You, too.”
The officer nodded, while Deus remained expressionless as if in a daze.
Although they don’t seem to be able to perceive the fight between Brother Zarael and the blindfolded man, why would they react to the pull of the vortex? Is this the limit of his ability?
He turned towards the wagon of Sister Mary’s group.
Since Sister Mary and her group should have already passed the checkpoint, it’s possible he’s prioritizing keeping them in check so they don’t interfere. However, multitasking must severely strain his control.
His plan was foiled by an unknown variable — the Church of the Queen of Darkness’s caution towards me, an ‘evil’ spirit, and their subsequent armament.
When the officer tugged at him, Deus was shaken from his reverie. The officer gestured to the wagon, and he nodded in compliance.
While they trudged away, pushing back against the vortex’s pull, and they arrived behind the wagon, his gaze remained lingering on the fight.
The stranger stood in the middle of the street, holding a gas lamp in his left hand. He faced the darkness in which depths Brother Zarael hid, waiting for an opportunity to strike. While even the cobblestone beneath the vortex began quaking, he easily withstood its pull.
Was he able to direct it?
Just as this thought passed through Deus’s mind, a soft rustling resounded from the field to his right.
The stranger didn’t hesitate to extend his hand outwards, causing the crops to swing heavily into the vortex’s direction, while it directly uprooted the nearest ones, condensing them into the tiny spot.
However, the figure of Brother Zarael remained hidden. Slowly, the rustling resounded again coupled with a strange squeaking, growing louder with each passing breath.
This time, he wouldn’t miss! The stranger readjusted the direction of the pull, and the figure of something small flew into the vortex. Deus squinched as another three flew into it — they were mice!
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Was this a coincidence, or related to Brother Zarael’s ability? Did he plan to overwhelm him?
Another batch of mice flew into the vortex. However, the rustling of squeaking grew even louder instead, gradually resounding from all sides and surrounding him.
All of the sudden, shrill scream resounded from behind Deus, but was abruptly cut off. He instinctively turned around, his muscles tensing, preparing to strike.
It was Mariel, whose mouth was tightly sealed by Monte’s hand. Then, his gaze fell upon the first wagon, beneath which a flood of mice squirmed, surging in their direction.
As all swiftly scurried beneath their feet and the wagon’s wheels, Deus confirmed, We’re not the enemy. This must be Brother Zarael’s ability!
The horses drawing the wagons neighed, shying awkwardly, crushing a few mice beneath their hooves. Misses Pinker, whose reaction-speed had deteriorated because of her age, struggled to evade the right horse’s sudden jerk, but the policeman swiftly pulled her aside.
“Be careful, ma’am.”
Deus’s eyes remained on the front of the swarm of mice, watching as they stacked upon each other and swept — similarly to water, taking the path of least resistance — into the direction of the stranger.
In response to the swarm, the stranger scoffed and swung his arm around. Although the mice seemed endless, they were all mercilessly sucked into the vortex. Even the wagon was slightly pulled back from the pull, a few planks dislodging from the tension.
If that's all Brother Zarael was capable of, he’ll surely lose!
All of the sudden, the vortex began radiating a dazzling light. It rumbled, and the stranger seemed to have sensed danger as he backtracked into the direction of the wagon.
At once, the tiny dot expanded with an explosive strength, releasing all that was previously sucked into it. Thousands of mice carcasses interspersed with a few rocks were shot into all directions, even piercing the wagon’s tough canvas.
Deus, who was peeking from behind the wagon to watch the spectacle, withdrew his gaze, missing a flying mouse carcass by a hair’s breadth.
Although the stranger had anticipated this, he hadn’t managed to escape in time, merely reaching the rear of the wagon.
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
A barrage of mouse carcasses slammed against his body, knocking him against the side of the wooden wagon, which fiercely shook at impact.
Just a few seconds later, the explosion ended. The entire scene was littered in a blend of mice innards and blood. While most of them had only exerted physical trauma on the stranger, one of the mice’s spines had actually directly pierced his neck!
Faint footsteps clang from the distance. A figure stepped over the carcasses and into the light of the gas lamp which lay sprawled to the ground.
It was Brother Zarael, who was also in a miserable state, huffing heavily. Blood trickled from a wound on his forehead and onto his dark skin.
That's when the stranger gasped for air. He was actually alive!
He groaned in pain, and Deus considered for a second if he should step in and deliver the final blow. However, he soon determined that it was too risky regardless, and decided to remain on the sidelines.
As blood was drawn from where the spine pierced his neck, the man took hold of the wagon, pulling himself to his feet. He didn’t forcefully rip out the bone, as it would only advance his demise.
Deus scrutinized Brother Zarael, who took a quick glance at him back, but eventually returned to the stranger. He found his chain had reappeared, while slightly flaring up again.
That shawl had disappeared, while Brother Zarael’s chain resisted the mind-control. Most of all, the stranger was not under any condition to continue. What was he going to do?
As the lights grew more intense, he remained motionless.
A drop softly landed on Deus’s forehead. Then another one.
Soon, the rain pattered down them, washing away the blood and flowing into the fields, where it would nurture the crops which were in a disheveled state.
When the sky began growling, the chain had reached an overwhelming intensity.
Finally, the stranger muttered something silently, his voice slightly hoarse:
The Primeval Sage,
A Forsaken Prince,
Of forbidden truths.
Brother Zarael gritted his teeth while the moon-shaped pendants turned semi-translucent. Without sparing another second, he shot them forth.
Gaze upon my sacrifice,
And grant me passage beyond death,
To the Tomb of Seventy-Seven!
After muttering the last line, he tore the bloodied blindfold from his head, staring straight at Brother Zarael. Brother Zarael's eyes constricted, but then furrowed, determined to eliminate him.
Above the stranger’s line-of-sight, the pendants flew straight at him. When it collided with his head, it was lit in flames. He remained motionless as it spread all around his body.