{At first it wasn't bad till I discovered it was hungry. Huger to create, to make and to build consumed it and me too.}
….
Sharen stumbled, falling to his knees on the rocky plains. The pieces of rocks scrapped his knees and the chains holding his wrists scratched against his flesh and he winced. He panted with his head still down. The horse didn't stop but continued its gallop, dragging him along on his knees.
Narene looked over and then pulled the chains on her wrists as hard as she could. She yelled, "He's tired!"
The horses came to a halt and the female Knight dismounted, walking towards Narene. She observed her for a while then turned her attention to Sharen who was still on his knees. "I thought he was the tough one."
"He needs to rest." Narene insisted, glancing at Sharen but he looked away.
Why rest? Sharen considered the present torture as punishment for abandoning his people. He knew what the Shattered Knights would do to him. They will torture him, break him and turn him. Worse, they will make him serve the Holy Emperor—the man he hated the most in all the lands.
The Knight chuckled, turning to Sharen. "Do you need rest, mage?"
Sharen shook his head. "Only water."
"You know," the Knight moved towards Sharen with a water skin she'd taken out of her robes. "We would have used the portal to bring you to the Holy Capital quicker but we want you to feel the pains of defiance."
She threw the skin to him and Sharen did his best to catch the skin with his tied up hands. He removed the cover and gulped down the water but didn't swallow it. He glanced at Narene and saw the worried look in her eyes.
The way she looked at him aroused his primal desires again but he shut his eyes and filled his mouth with more water. Sharen smiled. By giving him water, the Shattered Knight hadn't realised that she had just did exactly what he'd hoped for.
Sharen reached deep within in his mind, calling for the system. 'System, upgrade to green core!'
His eyes flared with green as the system acknowledged his demands and without asking for an exchange in magical points. Knowing that the Shattered Knights were at least at the blue core, he would've loved to upgrade to blue yet he could only go so far even with the system.
Sharen spat the water in his mouth out, using a water magic. The water shot out, forming icicles that whipped through the small space between him and the Knight. The icicles struck, piercing deep into her eyes with great force that made her to growl in pain, stumbling away.
Sharen spat the remaining water onto the chains and it melted, falling off his wrists. He sprang to his feet then rushed towards Narene. He grabbed the chains around her wrist and broke them apart then did the same to the ones holding her legs. Narene nodded with a smile then whipped out a small nugget from her pouch.
The nugget squirmed then expanded with a clink of metal then formed her magical sword. She held the sword with a stony expression, slightly bent as she readied for the attack. Sharen wasn't sure if his plan to fight the Knights was the right one yet he couldn't help but feel that he needed revenge.
Revenge for his honour that had been ripped off, for the death of the villagers, for the houses they burnt down and for the death of Khlen. He didn't care, at that moment, if he died in the process. He'd rather die than let the Knights present him to the Holy Emperor. He'd rather die than let them change him. He'd rather die than become a Shattered Knight!
'System, refill magical energy.'
**magical energy refilled for 100 magical points**
The other Knights had dismounted from their horses the moment they noticed that their companion had been injured. They rushed towards the two who stood ready to fight. Sharen weaved as many spell as fast as his mouth could chant the words. He slammed his hands together, sending forward a stream of green energy mass.
The Knights waved it aside with a flick of their hands. A sudden force slammed him to the ground then one of the Knights jumped on him, sending an enhanced fist into his face. Sharen felt the pain travel through his body and his hands weaken.
He forced himself to focus to cast another spell but the fist was followed by another and then another. Sharen chanted again and release an air spell that smashed the Knight off his body but the Knight landed nimbly.
Narene twisted her body sideways enough to avoid the barrage of projectiles the came at her from the Knight. Before the attack ended, another one followed. Narene ducked, throwing her sword. The sword whipped through the air, travelling like a bullet.
Sharen snatched at the sword as it flew past then, using his magic to propel it towards the Knight he was fighting, it severed his head from his neck. The Knight stumbled, his headless body falling to the side.
Narene held out her hand and her sword spun around, whipping towards her and she snatched it by the hilt. Sharen rushed for the next Knight. The female, though blinded, wasn't by far weakened. She weaved many silent spells and the ground shook.
The shaking ground formed a crater under Sharen and he had to use his air spell to jump out but at that point, it felt like gravity had increased on him a hundred fold. He came crashing down again. The pain of the fall made Sharen groan but he was still conscious enough to roll out of the way of the falling rock that was lunged at him.
The rock landed, throwing dust all over him. Sharen closed his eyes and focused. 'System, increase magical by ten times!'
**magical output increased for 1000 magical points**
'Refill magical energy.'
**magical energy refilled for 100 magical points**
The sudden burst of energy in Sharen made his head spin but not for long. He stood, crouching. He conjured a spell that combined earth and fire. The earth cracked as the fire raged, rushing towards the blinded Knight. The spell crashed on her, throwing her down. She rolled with a scream.
Her body was now tattered yet her tattoos glowed like bright torches in the night. Sharen spun, sending a powerful air spell that slammed the remaining Knight who was targeting Narene to the ground. The Knight fell but didn't waste time to jump up.
Rock spikes erupted from the ground, aiming for Narene. She jumped back then released her spell that produced bright green light that sliced through the rocks like a hot knife on a butter. The rocks fell but it provided a good chance for the Knight to jump in, punching her hard in the jaw.
Narene stumbled then fell backwards.