Arthur was amazed by the cyclone's ability to grow to the size of a pillar in such a small time. While wind magic may not be rare, it is much harder to control and master than the other elements. Lyon struggled as he ran back and forth catching those who were thrown in the air, while protecting the still unconscious Ursula. Knights had started to interfere by defending the audiences from chunks of the flooring that was thrown by the cyclone.
"Well isn't this a wonderful scenery" Arthur said as he stood above the stone wall glancing at everyone from above.
"If my citizens are harmed, you're be the one to take all the blame, Arthur"
"Of course your highness, if there is even a single death then I will surely place my head in the guillotine" Arthur said laughing hysterically.
The cyclone continued to grow larger but stood still right in the center of the elevated platform, it's pull had gotten stronger causing the crowd to disperse to the exits. Slowly the jam-packed stadium was deserted leaving only the participants and a few numbers of knights, above them watching from the highest seat inside the stadium sitting in their wooden chairs were the King and Jiniya.
Ursula's unconscious body was slowly being pulled to the center, Lyon was about to grab her when he heard the cry of a child. It was a little girl who was left inside the stadium. Her hands held tight on the bleachers despite her body being pulled by the cyclone. He paused for a second, even if he used magic to boost his speed he could only save one. The King smirked as he watched from above.
"Arthur, if you were in his place, whom would you choose?" the king asked.
"Hmm… since I have already mastered wind magic, I could save both of them with ease. So my answer is both"
"Of course, but then again… Lyon is different"
Lyon was raised to become the strongest knight in the kingdom of Avaritia, he was taught how to use a sword at the age of 5, magic at the age of 6, and was already capable in fighting against well-trained knights at the age of 9. He was a prodigy, but his decision making was not the best. Ever Since he was a child he grew up following orders, it was only lately that he had the courage to decide on things. He became dependent on those who have higher status than him to give an order, even if the situation was dire. Lyon glanced towards Arthur who looked back at him with a smile on his face. Arthur glued his palm in front of him and slowly moved it away from each other declaring that the show was Lyon's.
Lyon realized that he could only save one, he was about to run towards the child when suddenly Metoki came crashing down to the stadium. He pierced a long sword to the flooring and held the child in his arms. The cyclone all of a sudden grew stronger causing Lyon to lose his footing and fall to the ground. Ursula was also being sucked in at a much faster rate, her body still not flinching. On the parallel end, stood the person who caused the ruckus, she wore a uniform similar to Lyon that looked loose on her frail body. But despite her appearance she stood her ground.
Even with the cyclones' terrifying pull, she stood there with a displeased face, her hair moving towards her face as the cyclones grew stronger once more. Lyon pulled out a lengthy knife from a hidden pocket on the thigh part of his pants. He stabbed the ground and stood himself up, he allowed himself to be pulled towards the cyclone. He once again stabbed the ground when he got closer to Ursula and grabbed her by the waist.
"Insolence! Insolence! Insolence" She repeated.
"How dare you survive!? You're supposed to die! Die! Die! Die!!!" She screamed.
The cyclone was reaching a staggering power that limited nobles could possess. The pull was so strong that Lyon was losing his grip, Metoki started to use his feet to stop himself from being pulled. Pressing it against the bleacher in front of him. Chunks of debris were being pulled inside the cyclone and destroyed in a flash, the stadium was being slowly torn from bottom to top.
"Enough!"
Ursula had awoken, the blood on her face and body had immediately disappeared. Lyon was shocked and turned his face towards her. He was amazed to see her eyes turning deep blue and sparkling like the mana filled water Jiniya uses to practice mana control. She looked at him and smiled before taking away his hands from her waist. As Lyon had lost grip on her she was immediately pulled towards the cyclone disappearing as her body went inside.
"Foolish!!" The woman spoke, her voice started cracking.
"Who would've thought that someone of such high and privileged status would be foolish enough to jump to her death!" She said as she gave out a devilish laugh.
Lyon was speechless, he simply looked at the cyclone that continued to spin. To everyone's surprise it started to wobble leaning in every direction before blade marks started to appear outside that looked like it was coming from the inside. Right before their eyes the cyclone disappeared as a large humanoid creature made out of water came out of it. Wielding a sword and a shield, Ursula had just summoned a spirit.
"Undine…" The king said.
The spirit that once inhabited the Queen's body and supposedly was passed through royal blood lines appeared right in front of them. The Queen of the Sea "Undine" was summoned by a non-royal. Jiniya's eyes widened as Undine resembled most part of her mother's face. Arthur as well was shocked to see the spirit in the grasp of someone else.
"Well isn't this lovely…" Arthur said.
"Arthur, shut it" The king said in a monotone voice.
"A spirit can only be summoned by a single entity, may it be human, non-human or Gods… If one was to forcefully summon a spirit it means most of her life will be taken and given to the spirit…"
"Shut up!"
"But obviously if you're worthy you can summon a spirit… one who is about to meet their end can borrow life from a spirit, only if the spirit is not under the hands of someone else. In other words, if a person was deemed worthy by the spirit and its old summoner was already deceased then, that person can summon the spirit"
Jiniya suddenly turned her head towards Arthur who was staring at the elegance of Undine. Her eyes were about to cry, tears building at the side. He shifted her vision to her father who was gritting his teeth as he ferociously glared at Arthur.
"Jiniya. Return home right now!" Charles yelled.
Jiniya wanted answers but knew how terrifying her father could be once angered. She silently walked towards the back that had a door, outside were guards who were tasked in assisting her. Her legs were shaking with both her hands covering her hands. Droplets of tears were slowly dropping from the side of her eyes as she walked further away from the commotion that was occurring inside.
"What's your goal?" Charles asked.
"Goal? Your highness, I don't seem to understand your question…"
The King stomped his feet as he stood up, he pulled out a blade from beneath his thick coat and placed it against Arthur's bare neck.
"I don't like repeating myself, Arthur. But what was your goal in telling her something like that?"
Arthur looked at the King with a smug look in his eyes as he shrugged his arms. Charles was trembling as he slowly pushed the blade on his neck, slowly creating a cut. When blood started to drip out he pulled it away, turning his back and started walking towards the exit.
"Fix the mess you've created inside the stadium" Charles Said.
"Of Course your highness" Arthur replied, lowering his head with his arm on his abdomen and the other lifted up in the air.
Charles clicked his tongue before leaving Arthur alone. Smiling as he raised his body, Arthur looked at Undine who for some reason looked back at him which startled him. Metoki immediately left the stadium the exact moment Undine appeared, bringing the child along with him. Arthur stood on top of the wall and created wind stairs that allowed him to walk down to the platform. It looked as if he was walking in mid-air.
Throughout history no one was capable of using wind magic to make themselves fly as it takes up more mana and could not be done by using outer magic alone. There are some magic spells that are in need of both inner and outer mana usage. Which becomes problematic to those who can only use a single type of magic. But due to its large consumption in mana these types of magic spells are prohibited even to those who are capable, with the exception of a few people.
"Well, who would've thought that Undine would be summoned by Lady Beaufort" Arthur said as he took one last step before he reached the flooring.
"It was very much because of your beloved apprentice that I was able to summon her. But does that mean that the queen-"
"That is a matter to be talked about at a specified time. For now let us focus on the person who ruined the tournament for you youngsters" Arthur said.
Lyon was shocked to hear that he was the cause of Ursula summoning Undine that he simply stared at Undine and gave out an awkward smile as the massive creature looked back at him. Arthur calmly walked towards the frail lady who had clenched fist and muttered incomprehensible words. Her eyes were turning white and were starting to glow as if she was possessed.
"May I have a very definite reason for the actions that you have made today? If I am correct, your father must be Gregory Sprite, yes?" Arthur asked.
She clicked her tongue and ignored his question, she stood there in silence facing the dusty and cracked flooring. Her grinding of her teeth could easily be heard if you get closer to her. Arthur leaned towards her shoulder and whispered something to her ear, she raised her head with an enraged look and immediately stabbed Arthur in the abdomen. Arthur was sent to his knees… or so how everyone thought. The person that was stabbed suddenly vanished right in front of them, with Arthur appearing behind her with a blade placed on her name.
"Make the wrong move and it will cost you your life…"
"Who cares about this shitty life anyway!" she yelled as she pushed her nape deeper on to the bleed.
Her eyes were turning much brighter than before as cracks began to appear on her face. Markings that looked-like ancient scriptures appeared as well, and only in a matter of seconds that she was devoured by all of it. She screamed in pain before tumbling to the ground, her nape bleeding from the cut she gave herself. But the pain didn't exist there, moreover her hands were placed at the center of her chest between her heart and mana core.
Her body started to transform, turning into an inhuman monster that was described by rumors as the "Mist Creeper" a being that could not be defeated with just blade and magic. The Mist Creeper was notorious for devouring adventurers and removing their sanity. But it was supposedly only rumors told by adventurers to look better or to give themselves something to boast about, up until they saw the real thing. Lyon felt shiver down his spine as the events seemed like it had happened right in front of him before, it was as if he was seeing a deja vu.
"Interesting…" Arthur said with a sinister grin on his face.
Chapter End.