PARALLEL STORY NEW BEGINNING CHAPTER 10: WAS SHE AN ARTIST?
Laughter sounded from the camp in the distance.
Tents spread everywhere, military vehicles parked around the area, and militiamen enjoying the night.
Drink, food and women... At this moment, the Great Khan was throwing a party and security was very low.
Aurora could see them from afar as she remained hidden in the darkness.
Then, she looked into the bushes where Abdellah El Ouazzani appeared, distorting the space as he hid.
On the other side, Nicholas and Makeba arrived at the same time.
“As expected, they have many people trapped. Some are civilians and some are ability users. It’s hard to tell if they are mercenaries or another class, but they are all very well detained,” Abdellah reported, in a serious tone and, giving a look, he detailed. “Perhaps they have been forced into service.”
There were many ways to force someone to serve in a ‘loyal’ manner.
From magical contracts which were the most common, mind magic or psionics that affected the mind and even modes of enslavement, such as collars.
All of these forms were illegal, but knowing how to differentiate the two was a big problem.
Those who were forced acted in such a way that they could not control their body, even if they put up resistance, but other people gave themselves completely and enjoyed it.
Of course, the effectiveness of whether or not to enslave was very evident because some individuals unconsciously restrained themselves and resisted following orders.
As for mind-washing, it was not something a warlord like this could do, for if he had, he would not be trying to travel to this area where he had no rivals.
“On my side, we found many slaves and most of them are women. But I could notice that some are missing. I guess they are at the party,” Makeba revealed with a cold expression.
The Great Khan acted in a medieval manner and although it seemed odd, many liked that and for that reason, he had a following.
While he forced people to serve as he tried to do with Makeba using loved ones or acquaintances and was also likely to use magical methods such as a contract and rewards, it was what ultimately drew people to the abyss.
Money, women, and authority... Most were seduced that way.
The current problem was that, if someone used innocents as hostages and that individual turned out to be someone strong, then Aurora would have trouble getting it all to work out.
“The leaders are in the main tent, away from the common troops, and are having a more private party. I haven’t gotten very close, but their numbers seem to be high,” Nicholas reported earnestly.
Then they looked at her.
Alice had put away her chips and had spread a dome of darkness around to cover them.
Now they awaited her decision.
What to do?
As Aurora pondered that question, the atrocities the Great Khan did when he gave his warning came to mind... The cruel massacre was on her mind, and that alone was enough to define what she would do.
“Can you take charge of saving the people?” Aurora asked, looking at Makeba and Nicholas and seeing their hesitation, she ordered. “I want Abdellah to get the attention of the soldiers by pressuring them. For our part, we will go after the bosses and eliminate them. The attention will be focused on just us.”
Nicholas and Makeba’s expressions turned serious.
She was letting them have the easy job while the two of them took all the risks.
It was a straightforward and simple plan.
They were going to go after the bosses and eliminate them.
Abdellah, who was an S-Rank space mage and could be in charge of pressuring all the other militiamen and making sure they didn’t cause trouble.
His goal was to make them surrender or pressure them enough so they would not try anything crazy or take hostages... Against that, an S-Rank who was a space mage, even the bravest ones, would think twice before acting.
That way, it decreased the deaths because while sometimes those in the lower hierarchy liked to perform atrocities, there were others who were forced by different circumstances.
For Aurora, the line was a fine one and the way she had to move was in accordance with the freedom she had and if she could not, then the only answer left was to be decisive.
“I understand. I will take care of them,” Abdellah replied as he gave a serious expression.
Makeba and Nicholas were equal nodding with the same solemnity.
Without complaining, without rejecting her or questioning her orders, the three of them agreed.
“As soon as they feel the scandal, that will be the signal,” Aurora revealed and watched them leave.
When they were both left alone, silence arose and Aurora picked up her sword with a slight tremble.
Staring at her sword, her hand trembled as thoughts, and memories of the past surfaced.
She killed many for revenge, but the reason that led her down that path was the loss of people dear to her.
Now it might seem different, but it was not, she was just trying to avoid that end... Although she did not want to relate to the people she saved so as not to suffer again, it was inevitable to make connections.
That small town was in danger and in that town there were hundreds of families struggling to survive and now they had hope.
She did not wish for that light, that hope, to be crushed.
Aurora tightened her grip firmly, and her eyes grew cold.
Even if she drowned in the darkness, she would not leave them and if she had to get blood on her hands, it didn’t matter.
They both flew in the direction of where the main party of high command was located.
She could feel the presences, some presences were strong, indicating that they were powerful individuals and others were weaker, letting her see that they were simple, civilians.
From afar, she could see that some militiamen and mercenaries were drinking and kissing women whose only chance of survival was to serve them.
“Aurora...”
“Alice, I need you to take care of moving all those who can hinder the battle,” Aurora asked with a serious tone.
She was flying slow and without hiding, so the people below had seen her and were now waiting for both of them.
Alice’s expression turned serious, hearing those words, but she didn’t nod.
Aurora watched her.
She knew Alice wanted to bear all her burdens and all her actions along with the consequences.
Feeling Alice’s dark gaze, Aurora understood that her sister was telling her that she could take it upon herself to kill everyone below.
But Aurora did not want her sister, who was only in Africa because of her, to do these things.
The reason they were in this place and were at this point was not Alice, who didn’t care about the death of strangers was for herself... And Aurora would not let others take responsibility for her own actions.
“However, when I’m done, I’ll help you,” Alice announced with an expression that would not accept refusals.
She wasn’t going to back down, and she was going to help, if she didn’t want others to take responsibility for her actions, then she should let herself be helped... That was Alice’s limit.
Her sister would not stand in her way and would not force her to give up all the burden she was carrying, but she would be at her side to support her.
Aurora gave a half-smile at Alice’s look and, giving a sigh, her expression turned cold as she descended.
The three main tents were in the vicinity and in the center was a bonfire surrounded by a few men who had already risen at the sight of them.
Seated on the final chair as if it were some throne, was the Great Khan, while around him were women with pale expressions serving those present.
—Seven A-Ranks and one S-Rank. Two swordsmen, two knights, and one spearman. One psionic and one fighter, the latter two looking forced.
Aurora read the message from her system in her mind and surveyed those present.
“You have come, I did not expect you to do so at this hour!” said the Great Khan, rising from his seat, leaning on his spear.
He called himself Temuyin and was a self-proclaimed descendant of the Khan of Khanes, but he had no Asian features; he was a Latin American.
A man with tanned skin and black hair who was taller than average and had a trained physique.
No other features stood out.
“I had heard of you guys, but I didn’t think that some girls would actually be the ones helping so many people. I don’t understand the reason for the Apicius Company’s arrival, but you guys coming here... It was a bad decision,” said the Great Khan, giving an order to his group.
The seven A-ranks drew their weapons and readied themselves.
Did they believe that the two of them had come alone or were they just confident to catch them?
Aurora realized it was the latter... Their teenage appearance made them think they were inexperienced and easy to catch.
Surely they believed they were both those kind of teenagers who were driven by their emotions and goals, but in the end, lacked the strength to accomplish them.
“Are they afraid?” the Great Khan asked and with a smile, continued. “Did you realize your mistake? Did you realize that playing heroines is wrong? Or do you think you can stop us?”
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Some made derisive expressions at those words and let out their laughter as if they thought it was funny.
A teenager at fifteen was in Africa at the front of a warlord who had taken countless of life... Yes, it seemed like a game.
Aurora noticed that the psionic, and the fighter were silent, but with their gazes, both were signaling her to flee.
Contract or slave collar?
—They have a slave collar on their wrist.
Her system answered that question, and that was enough for Aurora.
“Begin,” Aurora ordered Alice.
Alice nodded and then plunged at great speed into her shadow until she disappeared.
“Tch... How disrespectful not to listen to me. What are you waiting for, go and stop her!” ordered the Great Kan.
At his orders, the two closest swordsmen moved and Aurora, with her sword in hand, deflected the two blades.
They were fast but lacked strength and she only retreated several steps, dodging the spear of the other A rank.
She then counterattacked to cut her opponent, but the knights used their shields to protect the spearman.
Aurora kicked the shield and using that force, performed a backward leap into the air, dodging the spear of the A-rank spearman.
Then, when she reached the ground, she felt a sense of danger and took a few steps to the side to dodge, feeling burning on her cheek.
Blood dripped from her cheek as the Great Khan, who had secretly moved swiftly, used the ‘aura’ on his spear, to give it more penetrating power and speed in the thrust.
It was silent and fast, so much so that Aurora only dodged thanks to her instincts.
“Oh, I thought the rumored Zerzura was a crappy town, but now I understand that its Protector has some skill,” said the Great Khan with a smile and with curiosity, he asked. “Where is your friend?”
The Great Khan was relaxed as his subordinates surrounded her and he didn’t take her out of his sight.
The answer came immediately.
From the rear area, darkness arose and black arms shot out, catching the women and swallowing them in an instant.
As the group was far away, they could do nothing to avoid it.
For Aurora, the battle had not yet begun and the previous moves were only warm-up exchanges, but now...
“Ready,” Alice said, appearing at the group’s back.
Aurora took her sword, and her aura began to appear.
Red, light blue, and green surrounded her sword, and this time it was the red aura that dominated.
Her master told her that she was an artist who captured her emotions in reality and red was a particular color for her.
It was the color of blood, an aura focused on murder... Able to cut through barriers and shields with ease and capable of piercing flesh quickly, it was an aura dedicated to slaying all her enemies.
It was red from the blood of those it slaughtered.
Now that aura surrounded her sword and, seeing Alice’s black arms at the ready, Aurora moved at great speed, charging the spearman.
Before, it was just a game and now it showed all her power and speed, which was such that it surprised the Great Khan and not to mention that A-Rank spearman.
“Ughh...”
Aurora dodged the spear with agility and instead of retreating she advanced, reducing the space between the two and then with her sword she pierced the man’s stomach, penetrating the barrier as if it was a thin layer of paper.
“UGHhh...”
She twisted the sword as the man spat blood and pushed him away, using the spearman’s body as a shield, then drew her sword and kicked the body towards the squires.
The squires were completely stunned and received the body of their companion, a grave mistake.
“GAggg!”
“Ughh!”
Two thick black spears pierced through them from behind their backs, exiting through their chests as Alice moved silently and then lifted both bodies into the air, as the blood dropped and the knights’ movements stopped.
In the midst of that daze, Aurora moved with a flicker to the swordsman, slashing hard.
“Ugh...”
This time a psionic barrier protected the swordsman, but it wasn’t tough enough to stop her sword surrounded by a red aura that managed to cut through.
Slicing the man’s stomach, and despite the cut being superficial, it was enough.
“STOP THAT BITCH!” shouted the Great Khan, performing with his spear a powerful thrust.
*BOOM*
Twisting in the air, Aurora managed to dodge that attack and noticed that the ground was devastated by that movement.
In midair, she was caught by a large black hand that threw her against the same swordsman.
Alice had given her the push she needed and Aurora instantly took advantage of it, infusing her sword with her red aura and plummeting into the swordsman, whose reflexes could not follow her.
The swordsman’s armor barrier was cut clean off, as was the body.
The red aura grew stronger and Aurora received the Great Khan’s spear, dodging his quick thrusts as she backed away.
She could watch as Alice trapped the fighter and the psionic with dozens of black arms, choking them with sheer force... She had realized who was forced and who was not.
Giving Alice time to incapacitate them, Aurora dodged the cuts using her speed to her advantage and even though she was fast, the cuts were piling up in the face of her opponent’s spear movement.
The cheek, the arm, and the legs... Aurora dodged, activating her barrier at the right moment to avoid lethal cuts and twisting her body to avoid the thrusts of the spear.
The adrenaline reduced the pain and even though some cuts were still burning, her expression did not change at any moment.
She had fought for years with her master... In that boundless white world, where an hour, in reality, could be tens of hours inside, and in that place, she had faced her master for days on end.
To become what she was today so that her parents could allow her to act like a heroine, she had to become an S-rank... And she did it at a very young age.
Training, retraining, taking a beating and then another, fighting against her powerful master using different forms and against different weapons, for tens of hours in the end she became strong.
“Die!” The last swordsman let out a scream as he slashed with his sword.
On the other side, the spear came closer, but Aurora only twisted her body to dodge the spear and then parried the swordsman’s cut with her sword.
The spear created a shallow cut on her leg after passing through the barrier, and Aurora parried the sword and kicked the swordsman.
She wasn’t a fighter and didn’t have that much strength, but she was still an S-Rank swordsman, and her opponent was unstable.
That was why he flew into the air in the direction of Alice, who pierced him with a black spear.
“...”
That swordsman didn’t let out a sound and Alice, with a cold expression, threw the body to the ground, splitting it in half without caring about the guts and blood that had emerged.
The Great Khan was left in the center surrounded by both of them, while in the distance could be heard shouts of the militiamen under his command... It was noticeable that the others had already felt their battle and had started to move.
“You are not heroines, you are assassins,” spat the Great Khan looking to see them tremble or seek time for an opportunity.
Aurora moved without speaking.
With her sword in hand, she charged and made a great red slash that spread, opening the ground and splitting an entire tent in half.
The Great Khan had rolled on the ground, but Aurora, unbothered, steadied her position at a great speed and launched another slash, this time with her green aura.
“Shit...”
Dozens of quick slashes were sent at the Great Khan and while they didn’t have as much force, they chased their target until they reached it, causing small cuts.
“UGhh...”
Then it was Alice’s turn, whose arms reached out around the area and one of them moved fast enough to cut the man’s back.
Being able to escape with only a shallow cut, the Great Khan had to resist the barrage of black spears that pushed him all the way back.
The force was such that the black spears that were deflected were buried in the ground by the force behind the movement.
Seeing her opponent’s concentration focused on Alice, Aurora acted immediately and, employing the red aura, cut the man’s ankle.
The barrier that was supposed to cover it was cut excellently and, because of the sudden increase in speed, the Great Khan had no chance to escape the slash that went deep into the flesh.
“Uga...”
However, Aurora, without finishing her attack, performed a half turn, sending another powerful red slash to the man’s back.
Because of the number of arms pressing down on him, the Great Khan could only receive the cut by using his body to protect himself and falling to his knees in pain.
Seeing her moment of opportunity, Alice caused spikes of different sizes to emerge from all the black arms impaling everything around.
“Ghaa...”
The Great Khan had used ‘blink’ to escape the fate of being impaled, and Aurora, who was already moving to stop him and performed a slash, which the man could only dodge by rolling on the ground.
Still, that was enough.
“UGhhh!”
Alice, who had not used the blink ability, moved to the Great Khan’s back and, covering her hand with black claws, slashed the man’s back, causing thick and deep wounds.
The Great Khan could only wave his spear in fury to ward off Alice, who was about to finish him off.
Then, he was left in the middle, breathing heavily while his body was bleeding profusely.
Aurora watched that man surrounded by the corpses of his subordinates, who were cut by her sword.
She then looked at her sword, which was surrounded by a very red aura that had only become even more potent after killing those people.
Upon her promotion to S-Rank, she managed to transform all her experience into a ‘concept’ and her master called her an ‘artist’ because of the way she rendered her emotions into reality with her sword.
Was she an artist?
Was his sword a brush with which he painted over reality?
It sounded great in theory, but it was just a joke to her ears.
She was an assassin... No matter what her target was, that was it.
Her sword wasn’t a paintbrush, it was a weapon dedicated to killing, and she was the one swinging it.
Looking at the corpses she had cut up herself, feeling the stickiness of the blood on her hands and the distinct smell, she knew.
There was no heroine here, just a killer with too many corpses on her back and despite that, it was okay.
Killing was unavoidable, as she did not have the strength to do everything to her liking and sometimes she had to do things she did not like and disliked.
Sometimes she had to do what she had to do... Like now.
Gripping her sword tightly, her red aura lost color until it became colorless and translucent, yet something was still surrounding her sword.
It was giving birth to a new aura very different from the others.
Her emotions were swallowed by her sword and Aurora tightened her grip tightly and then swung it without any emotion to finish off her enemy.
Her vision was cut in half like a painting cut by a sword and in the middle of that was the Great Khan with his distorted figure.
Then the vision recovered and everything kept moving, at the same time as the corpse of the Great Khan fell to the ground split in half.
That unstable and destructive aura had cut him in half, like everything else in her vision.
“...”
Silence came and Aurora simply watched the corpses that had died by her hands with a cold stare.
The pains of her wounds suddenly surfaced as the adrenaline subsided and Aurora tightened her grip on the sword.
“Come on.” She ordered her sister.
She still had a lot of work ahead of her... And it was possible the work would be just like this.
******
A militiaman under the orders of the Great Khan ran hard as his breath hitched.
He had seen two teenagers assassinate the Grand Khan along with A-rank members who were highly respected... They were all mercilessly killed by two teenagers.
The militiaman ran harder, wanting to escape.
He had seen other individuals also moving around, causing chaos, and that was why he was running away.
A few days ago, the Great Khan had joked about those two teenage girls going from village to village, taking people to the small place known as Zerzura.
He had teased that village had two girls as their protectors and in a contemptuous tone had called them the Protectors of Zerzura, but now they are all dead because of those ‘girls’.
Moving into a small nearby forest, the militiaman advanced quickly until he noticed a figure in the middle of an open area.
The moonlight was descending as the figure looked up at the sky and the militiaman stopped frowning, thinking it was an enemy.
Then, hidden, he could notice it.
It was a B-ranked mercenary that the Great Khan had trapped and imprisoned to later serve him, and it was possible that he had been released.
Thinking about eliminating him or continuing to advance, he could see that the mercenary touched his face and suddenly took off a mask.
The man’s body changed from a thin individual to a more sculpted physique, his features also changed and if he could be considered ‘ugly’ before, he was now average.
However, the eyes were what changed the most, along with his physique.
With a deep gaze and a mature expression, the man let out a chuckle that turned into a laugh.
“You got here just in time.” Said the man with a smile.
The militiaman thought he was talking to him, but that man was looking elsewhere and the militiaman didn’t have to move to see the person he was talking to.
A female figure descended from the sky.
White hair, white eyes, and almost pale white skin with long elven ears... She was an elven beauty.
The militiaman was stunned.
He pondered whether with the demonic portals came elves, but he could find no answer and realized that this beauty was a pure elf, not a demon.
How was that possible?
“Sorry for being late,” said the woman with a sorrowful tone, looking at the man.
“Don’t worry about it. It was only fifteen years since we met in Terra nova, wasn’t it?” the man asked with a smile, and coming closer, he kissed her hand like a gentleman and commented. “I’m grateful you came, my dear.”
His gentlemanly way of bowing so chivalrously managed to make the woman smile in amusement.
“When I saw you locked up in that camp, I was worried, but I was glad when you sensed my presence and escaped on your own... I had thought you had had a very hard time since we parted.” Said the woman with a sigh.
The man looked down at his clothes, all torn, then laughed in amusement at the look on the elven beauty’s face.
“I’m just hiding. Hiding my strength... The truth is, there are too many lunatics on earth. Last year, a lunatic tried to conquer the world,” He said in a serious tone, as if he couldn’t believe such a thing happened and, giving a smile, he commented. “Now you came just in time. This year it will be my turn.”
Seeing the look on the elf’s face, the man laughed and continued.
“Believe it or not, you are looking at the future Emperor of South America,” announced the man in a raised tone, opening his arms.
The elven beauty gave a smile at seeing him animated and bowing subtly, asked. “So, does His Majesty Victor need a secretary to serve him?”
A serious and honest question, with perfect manners, but her tone was very special, as if asking if it was possible to be at his side.
“Of course,” replied the man with a soft smile and looking directly at the militiaman, he pointed. “First, let’s eliminate the bystanders.”
At those words, the elven beauty waved her hand, and the militiaman was bound by his neck by light chains.
“A simple militiaman at the Great Khan’s... I guess those Protectors of Zerzura, which that lunatic was mocking, ended up murdering him,” murmured the man with a simple tone and, looking at the elf, he asked. “Ersin, I suppose you came by way of the Church of Time and Space, right?”
“Yes, soon they will be moving in with reinforcements from Terra nova to bring the war to an end. As long as I finish off some demons, I will have paid my pass to come to this world,” replied the elf in a simple tone.
The militiaman watched in terror, unable to move or scream before those two individuals who showed terrifying strength.
“Well, then let me finish the job. I’d hate to have your ‘passport’ taken away for committing murder,” said the man with a teasing smile and looking at the militiaman, he muttered. “At least, not so soon.”
The last thing the militiaman saw was the man’s hand on his neck and then he heard his bones being broken... Then he died.