However, just before her dumb knight’s suicidal duel could begin, a mighty voice boomed across the entire cavern. “The first round of the Phenom Trials have been concluded. Immediately cease any hostilities or you will be eliminated.”
“Thank the Goddess!” Selene sighed merrily as a great amount of pressure left her curvaceous chest.
Cedric froze mid-swing, as despite the heat of the battle still coursing through his veins, the authoritative command left him rooted to the spot. It was as if an invisible hand had seized his body and held him in place. Around him, the rest of his Heralds staggered to a stop due to the weight of the command snapping them out of their daze. Even the frantic array of spells and arrows in the air seemed to be suspended as if time itself had paused.
Devil’s party likewise halted. Their expressions were a mixture of annoyance and begrudging acceptance.
“Sigh… How unlucky. I can already tell that you two lovebirds will keep giving us trouble in the future. I really wanted to nip the trouble in the bud right here and now, but alas, we can’t have it all go according to plan it seems.” Devil mused coldly, no longer being the amicable person he once was back during their previous negotiations. He was finally bearing his fangs, showing his real thoughts.
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The transparent restraints suddenly ceased to exist, so he could begin walking towards Cedric and Selene.
Cedric’s breaths were ragged with his chest heaving as the adrenaline of his rage began to fade. He felt Selene’s weight shift on his back due to her arms tightening around his neck as she let out a long, shaky exhale. Relief washed over her like a wave, and she finally had enough strength in her body to get down and stand on her own.
“That was too damn close. Why didn’t you listen to me?!” she questioned in an extremely accusatory tone.
Cedric looked down at the ground ashamedly as he tried to come up with an explanation. The issue was that he himself didn’t know why he refused to obey. “I think… I think I just wanted to take revenge on Devil.”
“We’ll talk about this at length once we get out of here.” Selene coldly decreed, earning a defeated whimper from her fiance.
“Such a cruel mistress you are, Plump Fox. Ignoring not only me but your loyal hound too? Severe mistreatment leads to the mutts having enough and biting the hand that feeds them, you know?”
“Stop badmouthing my brave knight. Also… Plump Fox? That’s a nickname I didn’t expect to ever hear…” Selene muttered under her breath. She wasn’t a loose canon like Cedric, getting under her skin was a great undertaking. While the woman despised Devil for doing what he did, she couldn’t hold it against him on a personal level, for she would’ve done the same in his stead.
“I came up with it just now myself. How do you like it?”
“I couldn’t say that I appreciate it.” Her dry answer was more than telling at how she found it humiliating but was holding back due to not wanting to get on his bad side any further until the Trials were over. Once that happened, she could use his father’s authority to give him trouble. After all, Devil would only be a Phenom, which was equal to that of the Lunar Adept rank as far as hierarchy went. Lunar Adept was one step lower in rank than his father’s Eclipse Enforcer rank.
“I’m saddened to hear that. Anyhow, it was brief, but I had fun while working with you two.”
“Grr…! Traitorous bastard!” Cedric growled at Devil’s obvious mockery that even he picked up on upon hearing it.
“Calm down. We’ll take revenge when the time is right.” Selene whispered while putting her hand on his shoulder.
“Cease hostilities immediately!” Repeated the commanding voice, this time closer and colder, carrying a thread of undeniable menace. It belonged to a man who had appeared out of nowhere in the heart of the battlefield. The overseer was a tall, gaunt figure dressed in ceremonial robes, with an impassive face that bore the weight of unshakable authority and power.
“Where did this guy come from?” Cedric asked with surprise. Wasn’t Wrinkle the highest form of authority? Did he come during the massacre?
“That’s a Veil Walker’s symbol… Don’t you dare act out now.” Selene muttered.
Veil Walker… The highest form of power, only below the seven circle heads. This is the rank at which most of the greatest Vesper Phenoms end up after a couple of centuries of good service and growing in personal power. This rank was exclusively retained for those of immense might. No matter how good of a merchant/slaver/drug businessman etc one was, the Shadow Vanguard was their peak.
After all, in a cruel world like this, personal strength mattered more than anything else.
“Lady Selene! I need healing!” One of her Heralds begged, finally forcing the pair to examine their teams. Cedric lost two guys to Devil’s final ploy, while Selene lost one, with another one evidently injured.
She scoffed annoyedly then pulled a high-tier health potion out, and dropped it in the subordinate’s hand.
“It seems like you were the biggest winner of the first round, Devil.” Selene said while turning her attention back to the man she found the biggest threat to her continued existence.
“Me? You’re sorely mistaken. It was you, Plump Fox. You killed at least 200 people while I got only a fraction of that. You might just be the highest leveled Phenom candidate out of all of us. Good job, by the way. It’s a giant achievement.” Mockery was oozing through his tone of voice as he reminded her that she’d just killed nearly her entire alliance. “Unlucky for you that most were already wounded. You would’ve gotten even more tasty XP otherwise.”
Hearing this Selene’s gaze hardened. The realization of her actions finally dawned on her in full. She knew that the guards would report it to the higher-ups. The chances of them approving her decision were low but not non-existent. No, it was almost certainly wrong. She sacrificed her team not for the success of a mission or the ‘greater good’ but for her own personal sake.
“Bastard!” The shining knight came to his princess’ rescue immediately.
“Please stop barking, my head hurts. Let’s call you Dumb Hound. Plump Fox and her Dumb Hound. Has a nice ring to it. Anyhow, that’s it from me. Enjoy life, you two.” Devil said as he waved goodbye and walked back to his team, ignoring any further insults Cedric threw at him.