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Volume 3

Chapter 35: Parting

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Tired and exhausted as he was, Siva fell back two steps before he went down to his back. He chased his air as his body trembled from the anger and the frustration of his fate.

But it wasn't for long as he heard footfalls and his name being called from his left side. He used the giant maul's handle as a cane and stood up to his feet. Then he took out his player window, summoning a tiny flask with a blue liquid inside.

He drank it all and felt Manna coming back to him. It was then that Volt's group had reached his side.

But his expression was sour, compared to the happy faces of the girls. And taking that as a prompt, he took a glance on the direction where his vision said it was the West Horizon.

"Well?" Samara prompted Siva.

"Guys, I have to be honest, this is as far as you'll go."

With that line, Volt stepped forth and without any kind of warning, punched Siva in the face.

Of course he was held back by the girls while Agatha went to pick up Siva. But before Siva could actually say something, Volt's expression changed to an angry visage.

"You fool! Have we not cleared it before? Have we not agreed that we will finish this mission together? Are you really going to abandon us in the dark again? Are we not trust worthy friends to you?!"

"That's enough!" Samara stepped forth between them as Siva tried to pick himself up.

He didn't say anything. 

He didn't resist being helped by Agatha.

The black mask lay on the ground, a trickle of blood was in the spot on his left eye where Volt's fist landed.

"Matt! Explain yourself!" Samara yelled again and her expression said that he wouldn't forgive this conduct if left unexplained.

"Why don't we hear what he's gonna say?"

When prompted, Siva went to pick up his mask. But he didn't wear it and instead had an understanding, guilty look on his face as he faced the four.

"I'll say it again. This is as far as..."

"Dex!" Siva was interrupted. Volt's expression, his clenched fist, his stance —all said that he will hit him again if he continue his words. 

"Why don't you tell us the real reason why! Start with your real name!"

Siva's eyes widened in surprise but it was only for a moment as the next expression of guilt was drawn all over his visage. Only this time, it was more absolved.

He closed his eyes and accepted it.

What he feared most happened, now, of all times.

"Matt, what are you talking about?" 

The girls' dumbfounded expression can't be hidden as they grouped on to question the words that came out of Volt's mouth. But when they turned to face Siva, they saw his expression biting his lower lip, to the point that it's about to bleed. 

His guilt transformed into shallow tears as it began to form on his eyes like caterpillars. He averted his gaze from theirs and lowered his eyes down.

With his trembling lips, he opened his mouth, bit the lower half, then spoke, squeezing his hands into fists.

"I'm sorry..."

Was all that came out but it had all the emotions he wanted to portray.

"H-Hey, Dex, that's just..."

"Hold it, Rio." At this point, Volt stood beside Siva after he pulled Samara's shoulder from behind. "Dex, before you begin, I want to know, no, I need to know, are we not your friends? Can't you trust us?"

"Hey Matt, this is..."

Agatha's words were stopped as she felt Siva moved.

"You're my friends! But I'm sorry, I..."

And Volt immediately understood where he was going so he interrupted him before he could say some excuse.

"Dex... is not your real name. Giving us a fake name has to have a reason. Tell us, Dex, tell us."

The look of surprise was now drawn on the faces of the girls. And they all waited for Siva to defend himself. Or maybe they waited for a proper reply.

But nothing was said. 

If there was something, he kind of looked more guilty than actually trying to be defensive.

"I'm sorry." He uttered again but Volt won't let go.

"Sorry won't cut it. Just tell us why!"

"I can't!"

And another blunt noise came from the sound of a fist meeting a face.

Samara was too late to react as Volt launched at Siva again. He punch him for the second time and Siva was knocked back, staggering on his weak legs.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"You can't? Are we just other people to you?! Are we really not trustworthy friends, huh? Are we?!"

"No!"

"Then why, Dex, why? Why lie to us?!"

"Because if you know who I am, then they might..."

Siva's pause made Volt quiet and as she was unable to stop her curiosity and worry from taking the best of her, Agatha stepped in to ask.

"They might... what?" 

Siva averted his gaze as he stood and firmed his stance. 

He cleaned himself and wore the mask he picked up and jumped off into the night sky, leaving them behind.

Siva escaped.

Agatha wanted to follow him but Samara took her hand and shook her head. What Agatha saw from her face is the look of understanding.

Their gazes came to Volt and he also cleaned himself and repaired his gear.

"Explain. Now. Fast."

Samara's voice and tone was commanding. She was on the verge of punching Volt. She wouldn't accept any kind of excuse, wouldn't accept any form of alibi.

What she want is to know why Volt hit Siva, and what are the things that he's been talking about. He looked around then put his eyes behind him, seeing splattered remains of Siva's last victim.

"This is not the place to talk." He just said and noticed a shadow moving from not far away.

The surviving member of Karim's team had managed to stay hidden form Siva's wrath but as he was in an upside position, and the fact that he was still alive, his body eventually moved and gave away his cover.

Luckily, the group of four doesn't have any intent to finish him as they just flew up to the direction where The Destroyer went.

Deep in his heart the lone survivor was thankful, and so he promised himself one thing.

The Destroyer is scary.

Never cross path with him again.

******************************

And there he sees the blood colored night, the large white orb shining down like a large beacon of hate. He raised a hand, clenched it into a fist, the army behind him stopping in the call.

"It's unusually silent."

With the clearing far up front, the shades of trees died with the wind.

There was only the oblivion night sky, the moon fully glaring at them, becoming ever redder with each passing time.

So he paused, drawing his sword, the men looking at him with wary eyes.

He could feel the danger lurking in the still dry air, he could sense the omen creeping all over his skin. His commander instincts were telling him something but he does not possess the right language to translate them in words.

But at least he turned to face his comrades, he steeled his resolve as to not let their morale down. Every commander of every army had that kind of duty to his infantry.

To show anxiety is a forbidden sin.

"Jack?"

"Ssshh. I have a bad feeling about this."

The clouds drifting ever so softly, dying the reddening scenery blue to blood. As the shadows cast upon the silent meadow, the silence that could kill a knight had began to die.

At first there was a gentle wind, caressing the leaves to where they were. The sound of the rattling greenery in the palms of their leaves danced in the soft breeze coming from the west.

He looked back, feeling something from the jazzing current then he sighed and faced his worried men.

"Another feeling?"

He had no answer to that question for all he had was a feeling that there was something cold.

Like a hand that touches you in the middle of your sleep, it felt like it could reach out to you from a place you less, and sorely expect.

"Nothing." He replied and glanced at the meadow. And there his eyes rested for a time. "The prairie seems..."

Jin's eyes followed his. On their upper right horizon, through the shadows of the forest where they are, the greenish red-blue meadow full of grass danced.

"...uneasy."

It looked like a still lake's surface, touched by the wind for the first time. Waves of dancing hay sway in the dry evening. It felt nostalgic, but Jin felt different as the meadow was dyed in the red of Luna.

"It's the blood moon." He said and Jack understood.

He nods to confirm and continued to walk on. Into the darker side, into the center, into the end where their destination lay, they walked under the trees at the edge of the forest, going through the middle path far away.

Beside him, Jin walked steadfast, touched his weapon's hilt resting coldly on his back.

"You seem a bit odd lately."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think so. Firstly, you felt that there were other people in Anazon and you were right. Then as it came to be The Destroyer, you deliberately wanted him gone from our plans. It's just not like you."

"Oh?"

"And that unfocused reply, are you worried if Karim would be unable to take him down?"

There was a pause before Jack changed his bearing, he made a smile as he held on to his sword's hilt. He summoned a window and took out the map, pressing icon after icon until he triangulated their location.

When the locator stopped, he paused and looked up.

Checking that the moon and date was right, he made a sign to stop and take a breather.

It was a few meters away until the middle entrance straight through the prairie. And passing through that is the entrance to the part of the forest where their target lay.

Night movements are hard, it's exhausting, and their movements are limited. They can't run if monsters attack them and all they could do is either scatter and flee or fight on and survive.

So he called a rest and measured their distance, with the background of the gentle wind becoming harsher with each passing minute.

The leaves fluttered, the branches shook, and not only him, the other members of the team had also realized.

"Defensive Circle!" He immediately called and those members with a shield formed a defensive dome. Their shield held close, their formation became a small solid foundation. Mages at the middle, rangers at their side.

The violent wind rested, the fluttering leaves came to a calm. From the low dome, Jack peeked out, looked on every direction, until finally he concluded that no one's around.

But their wariness hasn't died. And it was a few moments later that two black clad players appeared from the shadows, bowing their heads down, reporting to the main man.

"Sir, it has awaken. From the north, he remains standing and guarding the tomb."

As the report came, Jack's face became a grim. 

"Jin." He called to his side and the subject nodded and turned his back to face the men.

He took out his staff, his expression full of spirit with an undying resolve. Seeing their top commanders, the men also took out their weapons, intricate details of the colors they had flashed, Mages prepared their spells as others buffed their team mates.

Bursts of light came and their war preparations were complete. After they confirmed their readiness, the words from their raid leader was the last to be said.

Jack looked around and met their expectant eyes.

"We have come this far." He said, his voice resounding in the stillness. "It's either we live as warriors or die like heroes. For Helium, we battle the greatest foe we ever faced! Our goal is unchanged, to become the strongest in the The Union's realm!" 

So he faced behind him, in the meadows, in the dead wind that left the scene. He raised his armed hand, his silver colored sword fluttering its brilliance.

"At the ready!"

""Ooooohhh!!!""

With the unified scream, the wind blew hard again. 

But this time, the red blood moon parted the clouds and the sky became clear. The shadows of the drifting clouds were cast away, and there was only the meadow and them who waited on the arrival of their target.

In the last note, Jin tapped his right shoulder.

"It's time."

And Jack also tapped his and firmed a grip.

"I will leave this to you."

Jin nodded and Jack with the black clad assassins, with a few escorts of a balanced team escaped the front. He took out an item from his inventory, a flare gun, and fired it on the sky.

The blue colored signal flare flew up so high, it's like a star when it finally rested on its apex.

All monsters in the forest had evacuated, no one is left in there now. The evil had risen and the forest is his for the time being. 

Now, the entire Anazon Forest is a large stage where brave warriors dare enter and challenge the ancient evil's might.

It was a tradition, a contest of might and power.

Many had braved the challenge but none has yet to claim the prize. The first users to discover the legend heard of its story from NPCs. 

Then they explored, they chased, they researched, and they ventured. Finally, they found the lost treasure of the War of Camelot, the legendary weapon who grants power in an entire army!

But they met the ancient evil who guards the place and on that first time, they were wiped out.

Not only that, the place was full of high ranking monsters and only those whose capable and worthy enough are tested on its possession.

And so they challenged it again but failed to make it in time when the evil is asleep and lying in dormant.

Though they traveled the forest as fast they could, it'd seem that the entire journey, no matter how fast you are, from the forest entrance to the tomb, will always be in time for his awakening.

Thus, the greatest hurdle.

But with this plan, they now had a chance. All they had to do is buy the main force enough time.

The signal flare lit and the noise of the thundering roar of the Helium members invited their opponent.

It was an important job.

As such, the invitation was accepted, the wind blew so ever strong, and a shadow descended with an explosion in the meadows not far away.

Perfect.

Jin glanced back, Jack's team had long since gone.

"Now the fight begins." He murmured. 

And so it shall, as the battle starts, their sacrifice here won't be in vain for this plan to part ways is what they aimed for.

...for the sword is all that counts.

"CHARGE!"