As I ran, I focused my power on sensing the presence of living beings, concentrating on the areas where Aisha might be or where the guards might have taken her.
I carefully navigated through the alleyways of the town, my senses on high alert Then, in a narrow alley ahead, I heard faint murmurs. My heart raced as I approached cautiously.
Peeking around the corner, I beheld a disheartening sight. There, in the dimly lit alley, a line of townpeople stood, their hands bound together by a thick rope. At the forefront of this somber procession was a towering soldier, flanked by two imposing guards. They were scrutinizing something on a piece of paper.
My anger surged at the sight of the townsfolk in distress. But amidst the crowd, my eyes locked onto Aisha, her tearful gaze mirroring the anxiety that gripped her. I knew I had to act, but I couldn't afford to draw attention to myself or put her in more danger.
With utmost caution, I called out to Aisha in a hushed tone, barely louder than a whisper. "Aisha," I said.
Aisha's eyes darted around, searching for the source of the voice. I caught her gaze and gave a subtle nod, hoping she could sense my presence and take comfort in knowing I was there for her.
As Aisha reached out for the small knife I had discreetly slipped her way, her eyes welled up with tears, and her trembling hand clasped the blade. She carefully began to work at the rope binding her wrists. However, our momentary relief was shattered by the piercing cries of another woman nearby.
"SAVE ME! SAVE ME TOO!" the woman wailed, her voice echoing through the alley, desperate and filled with terror.
The guards snapped to attention, their eyes scanning the captives. In the chaos, one of the guards noticed Aisha's attempt to free herself. With a swift and brutal motion, he seized her by the arm and yanked her forward, causing her to drop the knife. Aisha let out a cry of pain as she stumbled and fell to the ground, her cheek grazing the cobblestones.
The towering soldier, a formidable figure with a stern expression, stepped forward. He glared down at Aisha, his cold eyes filled with contempt. In one fluid motion, he grabbed her roughly by the collar of her tattered dress and hoisted her up, forcing her to stand before him.
As Aisha reached out for the small knife I had discreetly slipped her way, her eyes welled up with tears, and her trembling hand clasped the blade. She carefully began to work at the rope binding her wrists, hope flickering in her eyes. However, our momentary relief was shattered by the piercing cries of another woman nearby.
"SAVE ME! SAVE ME TOO!" the woman wailed, her voice echoing through the alley, desperate and filled with terror.
The guards snapped to attention, their eyes scanning the captives. In the chaos, one of the guards noticed Aisha's attempt to free herself. With a swift and brutal motion, he seized her by the arm and yanked her forward, causing her to drop the knife. Aisha let out a cry of pain as she stumbled and fell to the ground, her cheek grazing the cobblestones.
The towering soldier, a formidable figure with a stern expression, stepped forward. He glared down at Aisha, his cold eyes filled with contempt. In one fluid motion, he grabbed her roughly by the collar of her tattered dress and hoisted her up, forcing her to stand before him.
As Aisha reached out for the small knife I had discreetly slipped her way, her eyes welled up with tears, and her trembling hand clasped the blade. She carefully began to work at the rope binding her wrists, hope flickering in her eyes. However, our momentary relief was shattered by the piercing cries of another woman nearby.
"SAVE ME! SAVE ME TOO!" the woman wailed, her voice echoing through the alley, desperate and filled with terror.
The guards snapped to attention, their eyes scanning the captives. In the chaos, one of the guards noticed Aisha's attempt to free herself. With a swift and brutal motion, he seized her by the arm and yanked her forward, causing her to drop the knife. Aisha let out a cry of pain as she stumbled and fell to the ground, her cheek grazing the cobblestones.
The towering soldier stepped forward. He glared down at Aisha, his cold eyes filled with contempt. In one fluid motion, he grabbed her roughly by the collar of her tattered dress and hoisted her up, forcing her to stand before him.
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After taking a look at her face the soldier let out a contemptuous huff, his grip on Aisha's collar loosening. She fell to the ground in a heap, gasping for breath. The soldier sneered down at her.
"Huh," he mused aloud, "I thought we made a mistake in checking everyone."
With a dismissive wave of his hand, he released his hold on Aisha, allowing her to crumple onto the cobblestones. He leaned in closer, "It's bold of you to try to free yourself from our grasp, my dear. You see, the men in my regiment, they have a certain... appreciation for bold girls like you. You can join the other girls in there. At least you'll have a use, pleasuring my men."
The words sent a shiver down Aisha's spine, and she felt a deep sense of dread wash over her. She knew exactly what the soldier meant, and the thought terrified her. A malicious grin crept across the face of one of the nearby guards.
"If you say so, sir," the soldier leered, "should I examine her more thoroughly in front of all these spectators? Just to make sure she doesn't try anything funny again?"
The towering soldier nodded in agreement, "Do whatever you want."
As the soldier moved closer to Aisha, preparing to subject her to a degrading examination, a sudden, slicing sound pierced the air. The onlookers watched in shock as a gleaming blade pierced through the soldier's head, the tip emerging from his forehead.
The soldier's eyes went wide with horror and disbelief, and his body went limp, collapsing to the ground in a lifeless heap. A hushed silence fell over the alley as everyone stared in shock.
In the blink of an eye, I sprang into action. With a single fluid motion, I swung my sword, the blade slicing through the air, and struck the second guard squarely in the chest. The force of the blow sent the guard stumbling backward. Before the guard could even comprehend what had happened, I followed up with a quick and lethal maneuver.
Using my left hand, I drew a small knife from my belt, and swiftly thrust the knife into the guard's throat. The guard's eyes widened in sheer terror as he clutched at his throat, blood gushing between his fingers. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, his life rapidly slipping away.
The soldier was quick on his feet too, I staggered back, narrowly parrying the soldier's swift and brutal strike with my sword. The force behind his attack was formidable, and I felt my arms quiver under the impact. With a desperate effort, I managed to regain my footing, but it was clear that this opponent was no ordinary guard.
The soldier introduced himself as Julius Drakos, a sergeant of the 14th regiment under the command of Sir Jarvis of royal command. His name carried a weight that matched his imposing presence. I simply replied with my own name, "Aries."
We stood there for a moment, sizing each other up, the tension in the air palpable. I could sense the anticipation of the gathered onlookers, who had now formed a circle around us, eager to witness the outcome of this unexpected duel.
The soldier, his chest heaving from the brief skirmish, took a step back and raised his sword to his side. He locked eyes with me and spoke firmly, "Hold, Before we continue, it's a rule of the duel to properly introduce ourselves."
Keeping my sword at the ready, I nodded in acknowledgment. "Very well,"
He sheathed his sword and extended his right hand toward me. "I am Julius Drakos, sergeant of the 14th regiment under the command of Sir Jarvis of royal command," he said with a touch of formality.
Keeping my sword steady I answered simply, "Aries," offering a curt nod.
I stood firm, my grip on the hilt of my sword. As I locked eyes with Julius.
Without a second word, he lunged forward, his blade extending like a deadly arrowhead towards me. trajectory.
Panic across my face, I scrambled desperately to evade the impending strike. My feet pounded the ground as I darted left and right, narrowly avoiding the deadly path of Julius' sword.
As the duel continued, the tension in the air grew palpable, and the world around us seemed to fade into oblivion.
Julius had been toying with me, his movements fluid and graceful. Frustration welled up inside me, and I knew it was time to make my move.
I stepped forward, my dagger in my left hand and my sword in my right. I aimed to block his next strike and counter in unison. But Julius's block was lightning fast, parrying my attack with ease. My blade barely grazed his.
In a desperate bid to gain the upper hand, I swung my leg toward his shin with all the force I could muster. However, Julius seemed almost unfazed. My kick met his leg, but it was like kicking solid metal. I winced in pain as my leg throbbed from the impact.
Before I could recover, Julius seized the opportunity. In a split second, he delivered a powerful kick to my abdomen. The impact sent me flying through the air, coughing up blood as I crashed to the ground. Pain radiated through my body as I struggled to catch my breath, realizing that I had severely underestimated my opponent. He was not like these pathetic guards maybe he was more skilled then Jerich himself.
After sending me tumbling through the air with that powerful kick, Julius didn't rush in for the kill. Instead, he slowly walked toward me.
As he approached, he spoke with a low tone. "You see, Aries, I'm not like those wimpy guards who are guards in name only, barely putting in any effort to train. Just like my regiment members, I train relentlessly to serve the Imperial Legion and honor my master."
I struggled to my feet, my legs shaking, but my will unwavering. A quick glance towards Aisha, who watched with a worried expression, reminded me of why I had to keep going.
I clenched my, "I may not be part of your precious regiment, but I have my reasons to fight. I won't back down, dont let your guard down just yet."
"Sure Iwon't."