"I figured as much," after he had hit the ground Penedh's aura had shrunk once more. John did not take a step closer. He was only buying time for commander to make his preparations. "You are not your strongest self are you?" Seeing as how he was absorbing the crystal cores of the beasts John had guessed that there could only have been two possibilities, he was either powering up or healing himself. A person who could massacre entire villages until blood flowed like a river could not he held back by a few thousand dwarves.
"And here I though you knew nothing, You are better than the last one Borm'ea." he chuckled. He stood up straight and placed the flute in on his mouth and blew. The sound was very different but strangely familiar to the one he had played before. John knew that he couldn't be affected because he was a magician but if all the dwarves entered a stupor again then he it would only be him and Penedh in this fight. His magic was unpolished and that was not a chance he was willing to take.
"Commander! Where are those chains!?" he shouted.
"Hahaha! Neither his chains nor your weak barrier can stop me. My brothers and I cannot be stopped. See you around Borm'ea." John noticed that he was turning ethereal. He could not let him escape. Brothers, there was more than one Penedh, he had more and more questions by the second.
Bzzt he channeled his magic to his sword as the scabbard finally shattered. He was quite the distance away so he swung his sword and a red bolt of lightning shot from the tip of his sword in a crescent shape and moved towards the almost transparent Penedh. It was lightning and instantly it cleaved of his hand. The hand returned to its physical form and fell to the ground still gripping the flute but the owner had already disappeared. John made the lightning whip he used earlier and pulled the flute to his hand. It made a whistle sound as it reached his hand
A face appeared outside his barrier and snarled before streaking away to the horizon. The Penedh had managed to run. It wasn't a total loss since he had managed to retrieve the instrument of whispers. After a few minutes he dropped the barrier and a gust of wind blew out.
"For the master, " a cold chilling voice said. John looked around for the source but he saw nothing. He walked towards the commander at the end of the crater and placed the flute in his hand. A few dwarves in close proximity to the commander fell to the ground and started to convulse. Johns body was releasing the same strong killing intent that originated from his sword but he couldn't feel it. As he walked away his sword shook violently and flew towards the frost ape and stabbed its crystal core absorbing it instantly.
"I can't believe you didn't kill me anything to eat."Noira said in his head."And it would have helped you too." John was surprised at this but the red smokey blade returned to its usual matte black and the murderous aura stopped. The commander was still shocked. he had thought the strong magic came from an elf but it came from a human. A human magician was something he had never seen therefore could never expect.
He held up his hand and the sword returned to his hand. For an instant his black pupils turned white but it was too fast for anyone to notice(even the author). He turned his head back and looked at the commander.
"I need a scabbard for my sword, or do you still doubt my intentions."
A few minutes later a hundred kilometres away a wisp of smoke fel to the ground turning from ethereal to physical. It had white feathered wings and was kneeling on the ground. It was Penedh. He was holding his hand trying to regenerate it but it couldn't. Blood flowed endlessly.
His face which was filled with disinterest had now turned livid. His now permanently one hand.
"I can't believe you lost your hand to him." A cold chilling female voice said. A slight breeze was blowing. A ghostly skinny hand formed and touched Penedh's hand. No blood was left on her hand though. It looked like delicate glass that could break with the slightest contact.
" The master is definitely going to make me number one?" she said.
"Why did you even come? You could have warned me about the sword, I am sure you felt it too."
"Sword, what about it, I am sure it was just a normal sword." she said cheekily, "I have somewhere to be I wasn't supposed to follow you anyway. You should be glad for the company." she then disappeared.
Back at the first Garrison Minerva was sitting in the interrogation room. The good doctor was sitting on the chair Balfrod was sitting on earlier. She blew a stray strand of hair from her face. Barely a word had been uttered between them since John and the commander left. Minerva had placed her chained hands on the table and just slept. She figured that if she had to sit there and listen to a quick-to-judge bigot she would rather sleep.
But that was proving to be hard. She had underestimated the level of discomfort there was in being chained up. The hours droned on. Her arms were feeling heavier and heavier.
"I heard that dwarves are know for their technological insights? We're these the best chains you could come up with?" Minervas asked.
'We do but, we would rather not waste them on you humans." the doctor almost spat it out. It was like she had an answer ready for every single question that was directed at her.
"What is the point of you sitting here? If you were going to torture me then you'd have done it by now. Where did he take him it's been hours." she queried. Even as she had placed her head on the table she could feel a the piercing gazes that came from the good doctor. What had happened her to make her develop such hatred towards humans.
A few minutes later there was a bit of commotion outside. About fifty feet shuffled past the door. Minerva raised her head and looked at the door. Her eyes lit up with hope that her wait was over. Alone, chained up in a foreign land surrounded by people who hated her was enough to get anyone scared. She could not allow herself to give in to despair. The door opened and a young looking dwarf, probably in his late teens pushed the door open.
"I have been instructed the commander to escort the young miss and the guest to the pavilion." he was looking ahead at the wall and didn't make eye contact with either of them. His face was deeply flushed.
"The pavilion? Why?" the doctor asked without standing up. "Is my father planning a public humiliation, a flogging perhaps." Minerva winced. Being flogged in front of a crowd was something she had witnessed happening to petty offenders back home. It was enough to defame someone. To think she would be the subject of such negative attention. If she ever got out here she was planning on giving that old man back home a piece of her mind.
"I am sorry miss, I have also been instructed to undo her restraints." Revealing a key that was in his hand he walked to the side of the table where Minerva was sitting and proceeded remover chains. The good doctor was red with fury. After all she had said to her, her father was going to release her just like that.
" What exactly did the other one do?" her small hands were balled into fists and she spoke through clenched teeth. She Despite the dirt in her mouth she would definitely be called cute. Devil's do like to deceive.
'I don't know, but I heard that the other commanders are coming as well."