The grand hall was shrouded in sombre silence, the heavy atmosphere reflecting the grief that hung in the air. Villagers, their faces etched with sorrow, gathered to mourn the tragic loss of four cherished members of their community. The grand platform at the front held four coffins, each bearing the weight of a life prematurely extinguished. Families encircled the caskets, tears streaming down their faces as they clung to one another for solace.
Amid the mourners sat Fray, a stoic figure amidst the sea of sorrow. His eyes, however, betrayed a simmering rage beneath the composed exterior. The bastards who orchestrated this tragedy had callously taken lives that were dear to these grieving families.
The four elderly individuals in the coffins had been Fray's pillars of support from his first day in the village. Though he didn't harbour any special emotions for them, a sense of responsibility weighed on him. They had followed him, believed in him, and now they lay lifeless due to the merciless actions of those who sought him.
Amidst the sobbing and mournful wails, Fray's attention wavered. A subtle noise outside the grand hall caught his ears. His head turned, eyes narrowing as he tried to discern the faint sound over the collective lamentation. The grief-stricken cries of the mourners enveloped him, yet Fray couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.
After close to an hour, the rituals of the funeral concluded, and the heavy-hearted villagers began to exit the grand hall, seeking solace in the shared grief. Fray, too, stepped out into the village streets, and as the mourners dispersed, a sudden disruption shattered the fragile peace.
Fray's keen eyes caught sight of energy attacks and the unmistakable sounds of battle echoing from the entrance of the village. His demeanour shifted in an instant, the coldness intensifying. Without a moment's hesitation, Fray leapt forward, fueled by rage.
. . .
The clash between Cecilia and Sina unfolded in a dance of blades and fiery whips. Cecilia wielded a sword infused with vibrant green energy, parrying and striking with precision. Sina, on the other hand, twirled two whips made of searing flames, attempting to entangle and burn her adversary.
As the battle reached its climax, Cecilia skillfully dodged Sina's fiery onslaught, gradually gaining the upper hand. With a swift maneuver, Cecilia disarmed Sina, leaving her vulnerable.
" Damn it !" Sensing her defeat, Sina attempted to rise, but Cecilia activated a latent skill.
*Exploding step*
Cecilia's green energy concentrated fiercely at the tip of her sword. With a burst of super-speed motion, she lunged towards Sina.
Sina, her eyes widening in alarm, swiftly stepped back, desperately trying to evade the reach of Cecilia's sword. However, in a sudden flash, the concentrated energy exploded, unleashing a powerful wave of green energy that struck Sina with force, propelling her backward through the air.
Wounded and struggling, Sina collapsed to the ground, her fiery whips dissipating.
(Damn it, I used more energy than anticipated before even meeting Fray. This **#@* is stronger than I thought,) Cecilia pondered, redirecting her attention to the three knights locked in a fierce battle against animated dark clay. Urgently, she commanded, "Let's move!" recognizing the urgent situation they faced.
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However, as Cecilia took a step forward, a fiery whip shot out, entwining around her leg. Startled, she turned to find Sina, weakened but defiant, grappling her with the whip. "I told you, you need to wait," Sina muttered, struggling to maintain her stance, a fiery determination still flickering in her eyes.
"Just who the hell are you!? How are you still standing!?" Cecilia's anger flared, and with a determined vow to end Sina, she declared, "But whoever you are, this is the last time you will stop me."
Unable to control her rage, Cecilia lunged forward. In the blink of an eye, she reached Sina, her arm covered in green energy delivering a punishing blow that sent Sina reeling.
"UGH!" Sina expelled a spit of blood, dropping to the ground, unable to stand.
Cecilia, her eyes cold, approached the fallen Sina, raising her sword for a final strike. "You brought this upon yourself," she declared, the green energy pulsating around her blade.
As Cecilia poised for the decisive blow, an abrupt surge of danger jolted her senses. Turning, she saw Fray hurtling towards her like a cannon in the sky. Her eyes widened in shock, and before she could utter a word, Fray's hand already gripped her head tightly.
Sneezing her head, Fray effortlessly raised Cecilia's entire body with one hand and forcefully slammed her to the ground.
Clash!!
The ground quaked, forming a deep hollow with the imprint of Cecilia's body. (What the hell, if I didn't use the energy to protect my organs at the last second...) Cecilia's thoughts raced as she attempted to move. Before she could finish her thought, her eyes met Fray's cold, burning rage eyes. She felt frozen as if facing a fierce, untamed monster.
Fray, on the other hand, raised his fist, ready to unleash another attack. Suddenly, one of the knights blurred into motion, dashing towards Fray. With a powerful kick, the knight sent Fray's body hurtling away like a launched missile.
Clash!!
Fray's body collided with a nearby house, causing it to crumble. The structure fell upon Fray, hidden by a cloud of dust. Cecilia, still trembling, stood with the help of the knight, her eyes fixed on the dust-shrouded wreckage.
Silent and with a subtle smile, Sina struggled to gaze at the crumbling structure. Slowly closing her eyes, her form returned to normal, while the Dark Clay vanished into thin air.
Cecilia, fixated on the cloud of dust, suddenly heard a voice emanating from within. "Were you the ones who killed the elders of the village?"
Fray's voice echoed with a commanding gesture. The three knights surrounding Cecilia pulled their swords, directed toward Fray.
Emerging from the dusty cloud with cold eyes, Fray repeated his question, "I don't like to ask twice. Were you the ones who killed the four elders?"
Cecilia, despite her trumbling hands, controlled her expression, returning to its fierce nature. With arrogance, she replied, "What if we were?" Simultaneously, red energy materialized behind her, forming a bear-like monster three meters tall with claws as big as daggers, letting out a deafening roar.
Fray's expression grew colder as he glanced at the enormous bear, then shifted his gaze to the thirty knights surrounding him. Infused with killing intent, he declared, "Then I will kill all of you." His body started to engulf, growing in size. Raising his hand to the sky, he prepared for the impending clash.
. . .
In the secluded training yard behind the Dalma mansion, Isha and the assassins' children were engrossed in their rigorous training. Suddenly, a metallic object pierced through the wall of the adjacent building, producing a thunderous crash as it soared through the air in a specific direction.
Isha, swift and decisive, locked her gaze on the projectile. Turning to one of her team members, she ordered, "Go, report this to Casper." With a nod, the designated individual darted off towards the mansion.
Facing the remaining members, Isha directed, "The rest of us, let's move." The training yard emptied as the team swiftly mobilized, ready to address the unexpected disturbance and uphold the security of the Dalma mansion.
. . .
The axe flew into Fray's hand, and without hesitation, he dashed towards Cecilia and the three knights closing in on him. As Fray reached them, he lowered his axe to the ground, the earth beneath him responding as a wall of lava surged upward. However, Cecilia swiftly countered, lowering both palms to the lava wall, causing it to shatter.
Simultaneously, a knight swung his sword towards Fray, but the unexpected happened. The cemetery army, comprised of hundreds of dark bees, materialized, halting the knight's sword in its tracks. Fray, seizing the opportunity, pushed himself back with lightning speed.
Cecilia, still trying to decipher why Fray had retreated, suddenly witnessed the bees around them explode in a massive eruption. The shockwave rippled through the area, leaving a chaotic aftermath.
Boom!!
"Ahhh!!!!"
Protected by her bear-like spirit from the explosive aftermath, Cecilia surveyed the remaining three knights, seeking the origin of the scream. Among them, two had successfully shielded themselves with energy barriers, while the third screamed at the top of his lungs, clutching his severed arm.
"Damn it, we've already lost one," Cecilia muttered through clenched teeth. Shifting her focus to the thirty regular knights, she barked, "Everyone, attack now! We're taking him down, no matter what's costs!" Her commanding directive echoed through the ranks.