"So now that we have our distraction," Ezekiel took a glimpse at Xarth and then proceed to open his mouth, "Young Master Xarth I want you to heal Sir Zero while Lex continues to distract Amoth," he commanded Xarth while having a warm looking smile on his face.
This made Xarth's eyes widen at that moment as he was caught off guard with his statement. "W-what do you mean that I'll heal him?" he stuttered as he replied to Ezekiel.
Ezekiel just grinned and disregarded Xarth's question as time is running and the smoke will disperse at any moment. Resulting in Amoth successfully finding Zero's location.
'This bastard can see Soleis' He clearly assumes because of Ezekiel's behavior, Xarth took a glance at Harold. His older brother has an unfazed look on his daring face while his arms were cross. 'And Harold doesn't seem to react much I guess he already saw Soleis. Well not that it bothers me. On the contrary, It's really beneficial to me that I don't need to quietly reply to Soleis every time.' Xarth thought this and just stared at Ezekiel.
Someone chimed in at that moment...
"What do I need to do?" Duke Jidek asked his only son with a determined look on his scarred face.
Ezekiel took a look and started scanning his Father before speaking up. "Father, do you think you can still fight? And you aren't even allowed to fight even if you've wanted to." He asked worriedly as his Father is already at a certain age.
The Duke's mouth twisted up, "Don't look down on me boy, I'm also a Swordmaster who just got rusted over the years. And this is just a small price to pay for ensuring Clona's safety." He smiled at his son and signaled Lex with his hands in a wave motion, Lex noticed this and immediately took one spatial bag out of his robe. He quickly took the Duke's priced Sword.
The base of the sword was colored Purple that gives a sign of nobility and power. It was a Long Sword with various gems implanted in the very base of it, giving the sword a magnificent look than any ordinary Long Sword. Only a high-ranking noble has the right to carry such a sword of this color and one of that men is Duke Jidek Lancaster. Even though he's in his Fifties he certainly still has the characteristic of a Great Swordmaster.
"Father! No, I can't let you do this." Ezekiel wailed as he ran off in front of Lex stopping his Father from taking the sword.
'What's the matter? Why is Ezekiel stopping Duke Jidek?' Xarth started to wonder what is causing Ezekiel to act this way. He used his head and begins to recall any sort of information regarding this scenario. That's when it hit him.
In the novel, there is a rule that when a Swordmaster hits his age in the fifties he would be forbidden to hold a sword anymore as they need to pass their knowledge to their children. There is this saying on Earth that "The next generations will always surpass the previous one. It's one of the never-ending cycles in life" by Masashi Kishimoto. This is technically true as we know that countless talented individuals are currently lurking in the shadow waiting for the right time to showcase their progression from the previous one.
This rule is called "Martial descend" A rule that is purely known to the Nobility of the Messiah Kingdom. It is a rule that stops any Swordmaster in any Martial Household to carry a sword anymore when they hit the age of 50. And if they were to break this rule the long sword that was given by the King would create a signal for the 'Royal Knights' to move and immediately arresting the one who broke it to be discussed by the Messiah Kingdom's Council. Regarding on, Why did they break the rule of never holding a sword anymore at the age of 50. This can even lead to public execution or taking back the nobilities' authority on the Messiah Kingdom.
As he remembers this information a scowl slowly formed on Xarth's face.
Why?
Because this just means that all of the Martial Households are currently leashed to King Taylor Slyman as this rule is protecting him from any type of aggression from any Martial Household. Simply put they can't carelessly start a rebellion without enough evidence to show for he's wrongdoings. Though there is a slight miscalculation on his part as this rule simply only applies to any Noble Martial Household, so Zero is an exception as he didn't come from any Noble Household. He's just a commoner Swordmaster.
The Duke frown at his son's action. "It's Okay Ezekiel, His Highness will understand my intentions he'll let me off the hook, I am simply doing my duty of keeping the Messiah Kingdom in peace." Duke Jidek graciously patted his son's shoulder as Ezekiel stands in his place watching his father taking the Long sword out of Lex's hands.
Ezekiel sigh and averted his body from Duke Jidek, he started to grasp his hands tightly to form a fist. Evidently stating his disapproval of his Father's actions.
Duke Jidek just warmly smiled at his son as he holds onto the Long sword with a tight grip.
Xarth seeing this can clearly felt their close relationship, he approached Ezekiel "Young Master Ezekiel, I'm sure it'll be fine." Xarth casually patted Ezekiel's back. Ezekiel looks back at him with a smile and just nodded his head before walking to the sides.
'I guess, I have to do well on my part.' Xarth conceived as he witnessed Ezekiel's expression. He started to fix his clothes and called out to Soleis.
"Soleis!"
'Yes, Art?'
"I need you to help me heal Zero."
'Sure! Yay, a rescue mission!' Soleis happily replied as he spins in circles.
Xarth just looked at him spinning nonstop when a voice echoed inside the wide room.
*GNAARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!
"The smoke is already disappearing, Let's proceed with that plan." He implied as he hurried his way towards Xarth's Older Brother and quickly yank his arm. "Young Master Harold come with me." The three go on ahead to where Amoth was currently at.
"LET'S COMMENCE!" Ezekiel yelled at the top of his lungs to signal the others to proceed with the plan of destroying Amoth and helping Zero.
The plan was this. Lex will distract Amoth using wind magic as he hovers around in Amoth's vision and as for Xarth, he will go to where Zero is currently at to heal him. While the other 3 Harold, Ezekiel, and Duke Jidek will use their swords to deal damage to Amoth while his attention is elsewhere.
Lex started to cast the spell 'Flight' he quickly flew up in the air and hurriedly set out to Amoth's line of Vision to do his part. The four men saw this and immediately rushed to their position to initiate the slaying.
"Let's go Soleis!" Xarth yelled as he dashed his way to the stoned-wall corner where Zero is currently crouching down on the floor.
'Right behind ya!' Soleis happily flew side by side with Xarth.
All of them are all in their respective position and so the counter-attack begins. Xarth saw Zero's body.
"I don't think that's suppose to go that angle.' Xarth started to mumbled to himself as he sees Zero's arm in a bizarre direction.
He quickly supported Zero's body and leaned it against the stoned-wall for a more comfortable position.
Xarth hurriedly signaled Soleis with his hands to begin the healing process.
Soleis immediately understood his signal. he flew over and started the process, in the midst of that tension, a voice resonated inside Xarth's head.
'Tch! Pathetic Sh*t!' the Drunken blade started to grumble at Zero.
"Shut up, It's also your goddamn fault you can't even parry that attack. You useless blade!" Xarth retorted back.
'What the hell are you saying!?' The Drunken blade complained at Xarth's response.
Another voice started to resonate inside Xarth's head.
'Watch your mouth! You Bloodthirsty blade.' the 'Mirror of Adea' responded back to the Druken blade's beef.
'HA! Who do you think you are to say that to me!? HA!?' The Druken blade yelled as he replied back to the 'Mirror of Adea'
'You! I'm a Divine artifact, and you're just a lowly Unique one. Clearly, I'm much more superior to you.'
Xarth watches as the two artifacts started to bicker with one another
"Can we not right now!?" he advised the two artifacts to shut the f*ck up as he is slowly losing his patience.
"...Xarth-nim...?" Zero groaned as he weakly set his gaze upon the man in front of him with Bright Platinum hair shining brilliantly even in the midst of darkness.
Xarth quickly averts his gaze from the two artifacts to Zero "Yeah, I'm here to help you." Xarth replied back at the man currently in a powerless state.
Soleis was doing a great job healing Zero rapidly. And it doesn't seem like Zero's injuries were bad as what they saw from a high-grade barrier soaring above the ground. He just has one of his arm's dislocate in an unusual direction.
Slowly and surely Zero started to recover his strength, he stood up from the ground while tightly gripping onto the Drunken Blade and started to release his Red Aura.
"Are you fully recovered? And to be using your aura again as you've just recovered. Isn't that excessive?" Xarth simply asked as he sees Zero lightly stagger while walking.
Zero turns his gaze at his current employer and beamed "Yes, Xarth-nim you don't need to worry. and Thank you." he quickly turned his back and continued to saunter his way to where Amoth was.
Xarth still has an indifferent expression on his face as he follows behind Zero.
-------
Lex continues to maneuver around in the air as he evades Amoth's sharp fangs.
'This is really scary! We've never had this kind of training in the Academy.' Lex pondered this to himself as he excessively put effort into dodging Amoth's attack.
While the others were constantly inflicting damage to Amoth by rapidly slashing Amoth's claws.
*GNAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!
Amoth let out a roar and began to stomp his claws creating a vibration in the ground that the three men can clearly felt. He started to inhale a lot of air, he seems to be using the unique trait he got 'Dragon Breath' one devastating firepower that can destroy one village in five seemingly breaths.
He huff and huff as he's chest started to puff with air to generate his violent firepower. As the others saw this they immediately stayed calm and focused on Amoth's movements.
Three of Amoth's mouth started to open up he was preparing to turn this wide area into a sea of red flames.
Ezekiel immediately started chanting unknown words, his sword started to glow in brilliant white color. The light from the sword materialized into a circular mold producing a shield made out of pure unknown white material. He held it on one of his arms, It was a shield.
In the novel, Ezekiel was described to have a pretty smart way with his words and can be remarkably manipulative at times, But that doesn't mean that he was a bad person. Truthfully he was one of the great examples of what a nobleman should look like. He was the one manipulating Zero to do his feats for the greater good of their Kingdom's well-being. He doesn't care about what's beneficial for him, He only cared for the welfare of every Messiah citizen to live peacefully inside the Messiah Kingdom territory with plenty of support throughout their lives of the living. With Ezekiel's personality, No wonder he leads a pack of nobleman and Messiah citizen to build a rebellion, overthrowing the tyrant and wicked King 'Taylor Slyman' who was conducting inhumane experiments on his own citizens without any guilt or remorse.
Ezekiel unwaveringly held the white shield on his arms while a sword on his left. He then begins to chant one unknown word which made the shield glow, even more, brighter than the one from before.
"Everyone get behind me!" Ezekiel yelled as he commands everyone to hide behind his back. The three men hurriedly hurdled their way towards Ezekiel's back. Lex also started to cast one Blue High-grade barrier to make sure they avoid Amoth's breath.
To be continued...
(Decree_Woods)