Clink! Clink!
The rhythmic tapping of metallic boots fell into Asher’s ears causing him to turn his head to the other direction.
From there emerged dozens of Gray knights, moving through the flames like beasts of metal. He could feel the weight of their armour, like a burden never to be put off, a burden tied to their duty.
Pish!
The first gray knight plunged his sword into the ground and fell on one knee. Others followed and their voices reverberated.
“We pledge allegiance to the one who cut down the pillar of Edom. Though broken, our will is yours to command!”
They bowed their heads.
Asher’s eyes narrowed. “Why should I accept men that turn to pay allegiance to the one that killed their general?”
The first gray knight lifted his head. “It is an oath that binds us. The one who spills the blood of the general is bound to lead us. We are but servants to the oath.”
The knight’s deep voice fell heavily.
Asher’s heart drummed. To think that these knights had been indoctrinated to their cause so strongly that their view toward him changed right after their general died.
If they had ill thought towards him, the flames would have consumed them.
But it did not…
Meaning, the Knight’s words were true.
After a nod of acceptance, Asher slit his hand began to take deep breaths as his eyes became white. At first it was odd to the onlookers, but soon they figured out the flames began to mimic his breathing.
When he inhaled, the flames would reduce and once he exhaled, it would flare up. After a couple of steps, Asher opened his mouth and exhaled.
It was as if he puffed out steam that swept outward, quenching the flames in seconds!
Steam left his mouth.
Nero’s eyes shook.
Asher glanced at him just then. “I never thought I’d see such monstrosity. Though through the eyes of another, I am marveled.”
Nero could hear Asher’s voice mixed with that of a stranger.
“A BloodBlade!” Asher sounded shocked as he stood before Nero.
“Kneel, boy.”
His tone deepened.
Nero, though hesitant, fell on one knee, his head lowered.
Asher touched his head. “I see you have the eye of a sand serpent. But that is a gift of my descendant…”
“… Here is mine.”
Nero felt a fiery surge course through his veins causing his eyes to widen as the pain made his head throb.
He clenched his teeth, trying to hold it in. His face became red, his veins glowing through his skin pulsed!
“Argh!”
A scream tore through his throat! Steam rose from his body causing the paladins who wanted to help to hesitate.
Asher’s eyes became normal in the midst of this. He also went on one knee and held Nero’s face.
“Don’t try to be strong. Let it out.”
“Argh!!!”
A louder scream tore through the air, filling the hearts of paladins and beastmen with phantom pain and pity.
Finally, a short while later, the pain stopped and Nero fell asleep right after.
Asher rose up.
“While we wait for him to awaken. Send word to paradise.”
“I shall do so, My Lord.” Simon bowed.
___
“Boy!!”
A yell made Nero sit up.
Everything was gray.
He looked around and found himself in a forest. The ground was barely covered in snow and the snow flakes descending from the sky had almost covered his body.
Turning his head, he saw a wolf prowling toward him. His eyes widened. His hands reached out for the swords at his waist but he didn’t see them.
What’s worse, he wasn’t in his armour!
Grr!
More wolves appeared from behind the trees, surrounding him! Seeing seven wolves a little taller than 4 feet, Nero had no choice but to prepare himself for the worst.
“Awoo!”
“Awoo!”
Two of them howled and a slight rustle fell into Nero’s eyes. His brows furrowed.
In the next moment, dozens of wolves emerged from the forest, rushing toward him. They came from all sides!
Nero punched the first one but others crowded him, biting into his flesh and clawing at any part of his body their claws touched.
The snow became crimson.
“Argh!”
He screamed. His pain like a switch caused his snake eye to glow with burning intensity.
A formless ripple spread out from his body like a blast and it incinerated the wolves and trees in a 100 radius!
Bloodied and panting, he looked at the scorched ground, void of snow or grass and the trees that had a little part of the heavily burnt stump left.
The wolves had no remains!
“!!”
His eyes widened.
Almost instantly, Nero woke up from his dream, panting softly.
“You’re up.” Asher’s voice fell into his ears.
Lifting his head, he gazed at his lord who leaned against the door with folded arms.
He had a gentle smile.
“Your Lordship…”
Nero started but lacked other words.
“Archduke Torah Ashbourne marked you because he was proud. Now, I don’t know what the mark does. Do you have any idea?”
Nero recalled his dream.
Could he really do that?!
He closed his eyes.
Asher raised an eyebrow. He stopped leaning against the door and approached Nero out of concern but two steps away from the bed, Nero’s eyes opened.
His snake eye had a fiery intensity and then…
Boom!
Everything, from the bed, Nero sat on to the rest of the tent and beyond was incinerated!
Asher untouched by the power of the heat looked around him. Everything was gone, and two paladins who stood just at the 100 radius mark gulped.
They looked at the scorched ground, and where they stood.
So close!
Asher smiled. “You’re another step closer to being the strongest knight in my domain. Rest up. We leave at dusk.”
Walking away from Nero, Asher shook his head.
“I’ll need another tent… again.”
____
Thud!
The floorboards creaked heavily under the pressure of the fellow that just entered a tavern in the outer city of paradise.
The eyes of everyone in the tarven veered toward him with acute scrutiny. The beastmen were stunned to see the white haired human with an absurd object wrapped in a cloth standing at the door.
No ordinary human would dare do such a thing as the tension between both races wasn’t dead yet.
“Two cups of ale. For me and the one over there.” Gerald pointed at a hooded figure sitting at a lonely corner.
He walked over to the table and sat on the round stool.
“I’ve heard a lot about you Mr. Crow.”
Gerald said softly.
“I see.” Mr. Crow, the hooded figure, responded after the ale was laid on the table. He stretched out his hairy hand from the cloak, wrapped his slender fingers around the handle and took a sip.
“20 gold for each information.”
Smiling, Gerald dropped a pouch which Mr. Crow took and began to count.
“It’s a hundred. First question. How is this island floating?”
“Hehehe. It’s a wondrous feat of the lord of the paradise, Asher Ashbourne or Achilles around these parts. He also made the lake below.”
Gerald grunted.
“Who is Sapphira?”
“Oh? You want to know about the woman who makes every man fight to possess her because of her beauty. All I know is that all who have seen her testifies of her beauty. Some say Lord Asher has already claimed her.”
Gerald grunted, even deeper. He clenched his teeth, holding in his rage.
‘The princess of Cyrenia, born with imperial blood. High above all other races is claimed by a mere human! Not even a king!”
Gerald’s eyes gained a deeper shade of blue.
“Got any other questions?”
“Is she a fairy?”
“If you want to know if she has four wings then yes. Don’t go after her though or his lordship will come for your head. A friendly piece of advice.”
Gerald snorted.
“Does the lord of this place have any relatives?”
“A sister I hear but she isn’t around these parts. Last I heard, she’s building something called an academy beyond the mountain range.”
Gerald rose to his feet.
“That will be all.”
He stepped out of the tarven and looked at the lord’s estate built on a high ground, making it tower over the entire city.
He had to admit. The lord of this city was an interesting human. After all, he had no heard of anyone with the ability to make an island float or create a lake so fast out of nowhere.
Naturally, someone with such capability shouldn’t be someone who the Cyrenia empire could trifle with but he had not sense any threatening force since he left Cyrenia.
Though there were powerful forces in his rader, none of them could threaten him.
“Princess. I shall reunite you with your family and these people shall be punished for tarnishing your honour.”
He growled.
Meanwhile, looking through one of the windows of the castle was Sapphira. She sat on a couch close to the window and rested her right arm on the window sill.
The window was large enough to fit a human through. This was done to accommodate enough air and light into a vast room.
‘Those flames looked like Sirius flames but Sirius is still here. Did anything happen?’
She batted her long lashes.
‘Asher… stay safe.’
…..
A/N: I went out so today’s chapter will be one but I promise three in the next upload!