Beta read by Shigiya, Fluffy Slayer and DOOMRAIDER.
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-Geofu Border-
From the landscape to the travelers along the path, crossing the border was visually captivating.
What previously was a barren road with dense forests spanning for miles -- was now becoming mountainous. Valleys now covered their vision. The landscapes cast a shadow along their rocky path which they continued to traverse through.
Maia mentioned Luu-Luu's Kingdom being solely focused on forging weapons and armor for the entirety of Eostia. They were the central hub, the core of all gear and weapon-related creations. Some of the mountains had tunnels leading to the iron mines located deep inside the earth.
The miners that Archer saw were definitely not human, standing only around half his size and being twice as wide, they certainly didn't look human. Unlike Ken where people would stop and bow toward the passing Maia and Knights, here no one seemed to care about them.
Archer soon learned that these people were none other than dwarves, with pickaxes and sacs filled with iron ores, they continued with their work, not sparing them a second glance. Although some did give Archer a confused look before ignoring him once again.
"Quite welcoming they are these savages." Kin mused, shaking his head at their ignorance Not showing their respect to a Princess Knight and a court mage like himself? Yeah, nothing but savages.
These Dwarves probably didn't even know who they were, to begin with.
"I just think they don't care," Archer commented, liking the mannerism of these people. "They mind their own business and continue with their work. Maia may be a Princess Knight but bowing down isn't feasible in their eyes." Judging from their hastiness, a tight schedule is probably the reason.
All around him, all he could hear was the sound of metal hitting rocks and shouts. No one talked much, no one laughed and no one messed around.
"Hmm, if you say so. Though this doesn't change them from being savages."
Arched believed they both had different definitions of the word.
"Knock it off," Maia interjected. "We are in Luu-Luu's territory now, this may only be the border but it's still wise to not cause trouble with the dwarves operating in these regions."
Archer was plagued by this uneasiness in the air, but couldn't put his finger on it. Almost like being stranded in the middle of a hurricane. It was like a silent buzz at the back of his mind, silent enough for him to miss it if he wasn't focused—nearly slipping through his fingers as he traveled down the charcoal-stained road.
There was this smell lingering in the air… it felt both unnatural and foreign. His hawkeye ability focused on every single detail in front of him. Every rock, every leaf, and every single person was inspected for any particular feature. Yet he couldn't find anything, everything looked normal.
It wasn't Hicks' plan that was giving him this feeling, it was something else.
"Dwarves are known for their work ethic." The redheaded woman said, catching his attention as he continued to hear her speak about the race working under Luu-Luu. "They are the toughest workers in Eostia, willing to carve a boulder with their bare hands if asked to. They are dedicated, passionate, and hardworking when it comes to their craft."
"Smithing and forging, I presume."
"Yup! These bastards are the best workforce you could ask for in all of Serenus. Always so serious and silent, often tight-lipped with any foreigner. They even got their own patron deity, a Dwarven God who rules over the aspect of war, smithing, and so on. Though I never heard of them having this god living amongst them like Celestine."
That was interesting, he never heard of other gods in any of the books he found. All of them proclaimed Celestine as the sole Goddess and ruler of all things. Of course, he knew to always read through those notes with heavy skepticism. So learning that there are others was exciting for him.
"Yet they obviously follow Celestine, like Luu-Luu." he said, mentioning how Maia once told him about the reasons why the halfling chose to become a Princess Knight in the first place—even though they were assumptions and not facts.
"I don't know the details, I barely paid attention to crap like these. All I know is that their god has a good opinion of Celestine thus making his followers indifferent to living on her territory. They view her as an ally more than anything. The same can be said for Kaguya, and I don't even know what God she worships in the first place."
So there were multiple gods in the world after all. It wasn't a surprising revelation for Archer, as he presumed it beforehand. The only thing that kept him from being completely sure about this was the foreign nature of this world. For all he knew, there could be a single Goddess or even thousands of different gods like in his own world. However, the only things he wished to not encounter were Beasts and Types, those were not something he could ever hope to handle.
'I wonder if this world has apostles as well…'
They continued their travel through mountain passes, ravines, and valleys. Honestly, if this was just a regular vacation, then Archer would have chosen to stay here for a bit. The breathtaking view of the landscape below while they trotted so high up the mountains gave him a sense of comfort. Rarely would he stop during his missions to gaze in awe at the natural beauty of these lands.
The air grew colder here, with snow and ice formations on the top. Even Maia had to put on a fur coat, covering her entire top half for the first time since he met her. He on the other hand didn't bother to shield himself from the element.
The temperature was still high enough for him to find the cold just a bit troublesome but not worrisome. Thankfully, their road started to head downwards again, leading to a gradual return of ambient temperatures.
In about two hours, when the Sun found itself just above their heads, they reached another area leading to a large waterfall. The water coming down from the top of the mountain where the peak was hidden away and pierced through a blanket of dark clouds—Archer saw Hicks approach him.
"Hey man!" shouted out the mercenary with a big grin on his face. "How's it going?"
Trying to have a casual conversation with a guy he had threatened to behead not that long ago? Bold for him to assume that many would even choose to talk to him let alone spare them another glance.
"I heard that the young girl, Brynn, left her room last night and that loud shout from Maia this morning already tells me all I need to know. Hehehe, you sly dog! Already making a move on your student? It seems you had a great night."
He wouldn't exactly call his stay at the village relaxing. Archer felt that he experienced more headaches there than anywhere else. Maia may have seemed friendly and casual, but he could see some stiffness in her general attitude and her avoiding meeting his gaze.
"I was trying to get that fucking sexy Dark Elf last night. Saw her serving the customers at the tavern. Damn does she have some big ass tits! I don't even think Celestine is as big and that's saying something. Too bad that buxom-rich elf, the mayor's wife, had to come in and ruin the fun." he said with dissatisfaction. "I guarantee you that I was this close to bringing her to my bed with a few extra coins! I can't wait to go back to that village soon."
No, Archer didn't think he was that close, to begin with. Grace gave him the impression of being a mature and collected person at first glance, she had that look on her face that suggested so. But their meeting clearly showed a shy and quiet woman who couldn't say no, even if she wanted to.
"Oh well, I can go have fun in the many brothels in Geofu, they aren't as good as Ken's girls, but they have that wild side to them."
Archer sighed, "Just tell me what do you want?" He had had enough of this conversation.
"..."
Hicks' face stilled for a bit before his smile dropped to a serious face. Showing that he was done messing around and having small talks.
"Listen, I want to apologize for what happened back there when we first met." he said, acting all sheepish and embarrassed. "I wasn't in my senses, got too lost in my anger, and lashed out on you. No hard feelings? It was a minor accident."
Right, just a small issue that led Hicks into a frenzy to slice Archer's neck. It certainly wasn't a good attempt at resolving any feud in the first place. Was the guy too stupid to realize such a thing? No, Archer thought he knew exactly what his reaction would be and was intentionally doing so.
"Out with it…." so he played along, frowning at the presence of this miscreant. Displeasure masking his tone.
"Ah, still angry I see, can't blame you for that." he said, acting helpless at his reaction.
At the corner of his eyes, Archer saw some of the Knights subtlety bringing their horses between him and Maia—creating a gap between them. Neither Brynn nor Maia seemed to notice their weird behavior and continued to move forward. Kin had left the group, to scout the path in front for any dangers, or so he said.
"You know, both Maia and I originated from the streets. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there where the weak don't survive for long. You had to be careful for every single moment and not make a single blunder. Get caught or offend someone you shouldn't then only death awaits you on the other end… or a beating that'll make you want to die. We lived inside a 'punch first and ask questions later' type of world, where hesitation was seen as a weakness most of the time."
Some of the Knights had also caught Brynn's attention, stirring her attention away from him as she was a bit apprehensive of Hicks being near him. Archer started questioning if all of these Knights were in on the coup. Were Kin and Hicks really capable of turning all of Maia's followers against her within a day? Surely there must have been some who wouldn't do so, unfortunately, he didn't have the luxury to pick them apart from the group.
At this moment, they might as well all be his potential enemies.
"Informative. But in what way is this story any more important right now? Are you trying to justify your previous actions with your upbringing?"
"Of course not!" Hicks exclaimed, with a large grin forming on his face. "But what I am getting at is that underlying issues and grudges between colleagues can be resolved through certain methods. We are both allies, and having such tension between us would be… unwise to say the least. In life and death situations, we need to have full confidence in each other to guard our backs."
From his words, Archer saw how Hicks was trying to lay the blame on him and portray him as the source for any issues in the future. The man was pushing him to feel bad about the whole thing so he could lure him into his trap.
"So, what are you proposing?"
"There is a saying that men resolve their problems with their fists, and you certainly look like a fighter to me." Hicks brought his horse to the front, blocking his route while the others continued.
"..."
They both stared at each other for the next few seconds. Arched continued to feel that sense of foreboding, growing stronger with each passing second. But his guts kept assuring him it wasn't coming from Hicks nor Kin, but something else. Spending eons on the battlefield, his instincts rarely failed him.
"You're in the way."
"I guess I am… just want to have some small talk with ya. Yet you aren't giving me the chance to prove my sincerity there, friend." he said, not even trying to hide the mocking tone in his words.
"There is nothing to talk about, if you feel unsatisfied, then I can throw you an 'I forgive you' answer so you can be satisfied until we reach our final destination and we never cross paths again."
"Haaaaaa?" Hicks answered. "Look man, I am trying to make amends with you but you're ignoring my attempts!"
"It hardly matters when your words are laced with lies." Archer responded drily. "You barely sound like you care to begin with."
"Ha!" The mercenary laughed. "You're a funny guy! What are you? A sort of mind reader now? Puh, like that matters."
Hicks contemplated something for the next few moments, probably waiting for the others to move away a longer distance.
"You know? Why don't we play a game?" Hicks said, that grin on his face growing to a sinister one.
He snapped his fingers.
Fwish!
In a blink of an eye, dozens of symbols and characters glowing in white light appeared all around him. They shone with a brilliant flash of light, looking like runes someone had forced into the surface of the rocks and trees. A large amount of Mana gathered around him, condensing into a semi-sphere around himself and the horse—trapping them inside a shield.
"Hahahaha!!!!"
Hicks laughed but Archer ignored him and continued to check this field he was trapped in.
His eyes narrowed, senses sharpening considerably. He jumped on the ground, preparing to deal with anything Hicks or the concealed Kin could throw at him from his hidden spot.
Both his heart and mind were calm, he walked to the front and touched the now green-colored construct separating both of them. He tried touching it, to get a feel of it, but as soon as his fingers came close to it… 'Buzz!' a large shock of electricity electrocuted his skin. The pain jerked him away from the barrier.
'It's here… most definitely one of Kin's spells. I don't recognize any of the symbols of magic from Earth. It's obviously based upon a different system, similar to Sealing Magic, perhaps. And the Mana in the air…'
"Feel stupid now don't ya?" Hicks mocked, "Can't use that fancy magic of yours now, can ya? This barrier apparently took a fucking lot to put in place, not even an Ogre could break such a thing—let alone a helpless mage like you."
The barrier did more than just 'trap' him inside. It was also sucking up all the Mana from the inside and emptying the space inside.
"Using such a complex spell against me? I should feel honored." Archer said, "Though it's clear to me why Kin hasn't appeared yet, you're obviously not capable enough to cast such a thing."
That comment irked Hicks, realizing that Archer wasn't even taking him seriously.
"Bastard! You think this is funny!?"
Archer wouldn't lie and say he didn't find the situation to be a bit comical.
"Just what kind of person do you think you are? Messing around my turf in Ken was not a good idea." Bianca was gone at this point, he already let go of any hope of finding her anytime soon. That bitch was probably halfway across the continent at this point, and could have traveled to Thorne or Ansur to stay hidden.
Too bad for her, Hicks didn't plan on letting her go so easily. He already prepared a bounty on anyone capable of providing him with any information about the girl's whereabouts.
Archer stopped moving around and sat down on the ground, gazing at Hicks calmly. The latter obviously found the lack of fear and panic in his eyes displeasing. Why wasn't he fearing for his life? Screaming for help, trying to futely break the barrier and go fucking insane with rage!?
"So, are you planning on killing me behind Maia's back? Quite bold of you to do so."
"Nothing personal," he pulled out his dual blades, licking the swords as if to intimidate him. "I'm gonna enjoy whipping off that look on your face."
Archer laughed, "I wonder just how Maia will react if she found out about this."
He enjoyed seeing the red filling Hick's face as he looked like he was just about done with him.
Bam!
The mercenary punched the barrier, "To hell with you and Maia! That bitch suddenly goes all soft because of you! Just for the mere fact that you can use some simple spell to kill a few Orcs, she falls head over heels for you for no reason! You're nothing but a fucking outsider who puts his nose in places he shouldn't be in!"
Unfortunately, wherever these people got involved needed his attention. Not like he could leave them alone in the first place.
"So what now?"
Maia should have realized by now his missing presence, yet she hasn't come back for some reason. Again, that unnatural sensation returned, stronger than ever. Even after being stuck inside and held captive, Archer's instincts continued to tell him to stay on guard against another threat.
"Are you planning on keeping me locked here until I die from starvation or thirst?"
He doubted the spell could last so long, even if he was truly trapped without a road to escape—then he could truly die from his own body's limitations. If he was a Servant, then he could have sustained himself from his master's Magical Energy. Whether Kin's barrier could block the connection as well was unknown and unlikely. But he was a human now, and he would need to drink and eat at some point.
"Ha! As if." Kin walked forward, the barrier opening itself with a small door to let him in. Probably by Kin making a passage for him while he hid somewhere nearby.
Hicks got into a battle-ready stance.
"I'm going to rip you to pieces before crushing you beneath these rocks from the waterfall. I can easily make everything look like an accident, hehe hehe hehe!" a sinister laugh escaping his mouth.
Like if Maia would ever believe that story in the beginning. The girl had her faults, but this was too much.
Anyways, Hicks was ready to start the fight, he looked confident, assured that he would easily win the fight against him. After all, he was without a weapon and couldn't 'use' his magic, at least according to his thoughts.
"Ha!"
Hicks pushed against the ground and screamed as he rushed toward Archer with frenzied joy as he expected his opponent to easily subdue his opponent.
"Say your prayers!"
The blade of the sword rushed for his neck, a move similar to when he tried to kill him during their first meeting. Though, unlike last time, Archer didn't just stand there while having both Maia and Brynn protect him, he made a move.
A loud sound of metal meeting metal echoed inside the barrier. Sparks flew in the air as Hicks stared in shock at his sword being blocked by a white Dao.
A blade which he saw being traced casually by Archer.
"H-How… How is this possible!" Hicks shouted, not being able to believe that Archer could still use his magic inside the barrier! "Hugh!" Hicks grunted as he pushed back, his feet wobbling a bit before steadying themselves to the ground.
"Surprised?" Archer said while smirking. "You honestly didn't expect me to stand around mindlessly while waiting for you to kill me? Come on now, I expected better from the Kuroinu's vice leader."
The mercenary turned around, "Oi, Kin! What the fuck is this!? Why can he use his magi—PA!"
His words died in his throat as he felt his midsection getting kicked by a powerful sweep attack. Nearly rupturing his internal organs, Hicks was sent flying till his face impacted the barrier.
It didn't stop there, feeling the lingering feeling of death over his head and the dangerous situation he found himself in, Hicks rolled away just in time to dodge the blade impaling the area where his head lay.
"Quite nimble as well, I shouldn't be surprised."
Sure both of the Kuroinu men expected him to become helpless without any Mana in the surroundings, but they couldn't have known that he still had access to his Od, thus still giving him the ability to use his magecraft like normal. The only downside was that he couldn't replenish his reserves while inside, but that was a minor issue.
"You!" Hicks clenched his teeth, feeling embarrassed that he was caught off guard by a fucking mage of all things in a speed fight! "How are you able to use magic!?!"
"Hm? Easy enough," Archer calmly walked towards Hicks, the sunlight reflecting the light Byakuya onto Hick's face—making the latter gulp unconsciously. "My magecraft works differently than what you might expect. I would give you the details, but I'm afraid that it would be just a waste of time. You won't even understand half of what I'm saying."
Those words blew a fuse in Hicks, enraging him to the point he loses all sense of rationality.
"Aarrgh! I'm going to kill you!"
Getting up, he brought forth his swords before engaging in another round against Archer. They fought fiercely while inside the cramped area. Hicks's hatred became very apparent during the fight, his movement becoming more wild and more crazy. He used his agility and speed to his advantage by striking Archer from every angle relentlessly. But to his despair, each of his attacks was getting easily blocked and redirected by a single sword.
'He isn't faster than me!' Hicks thought in confusion.
Why wasn't he hitting him?
Why were each of his strikes getting dodged so effortlessly!?
It was almost as if his opponent could see where he was going to hit him before he even moved. When he went for the head, the sword was already there to parry him, when he tried to kick his knees, Archer's sword nearly cut his stomach open—forcing Hicks to back away.
Was he losing?
Impossible!
Sparks continued to rain on the ground as Hicks was getting pushed further behind. His back was nearly against the barrier's walls. Each second was only bringing him closer to defeat—an outcome he couldn't accept.
He was a master swordsman! He shouldn't lose against a bookworm mage who didn't even carry a real sword with him!
That bastard even let Maia and that Knight bitch fight for him! He couldn't even defend himself last time!
Did Kin fucking lie about this spell?
"Fuuuuuck!!"
He cried in pain as he felt Archer use an unprecedented amount of strength, nearly breaking Hicks's wrist and breaking his sword. The mercenary found himself on his knees and tried tirelessly to block another onslaught of attacks that intensified vigorously until it turned into a blur.
He tried to push back, to gain the upper hand. But he couldn't find the slightest opening, it was like fighting against Maia all over again and the guy wasn't even dual wielding! No, how could he match Maia's power!?
Cough!
Spit and blood spraying from his mouth.
Byakuya's hilt impacted his chest, making him nearly bite off his tongue from the excruciating pain. He was sure that the bastard broke a rib! Even his breathing stopped for a second, as if someone had dropped a large boulder over his chest as he tried to breathe in air.
Clash!
Another impact made him slide behind, his feet digging the dirt—almost losing his footing at the end.
The barrage of attacks wasn't giving him time to relax, he couldn't get a single second to think and focus, and his vision was getting hazy… blurred.
Not having any idea on what to do anymore, Hicks brought his sword in front of him, using it as a shield against the monster in front of him. Hoping to gain enough time for Kin to see his desperate situation and launch an attack on this motherfucker's back!
Though nobody came to his rescue for the next few seconds.
Crack!
A sound which he never wished to hear reverberated into his ears. The sword in his left hand, for a split second, became light, as if he wasn't holding anything. But that feeling soon disappeared completely, now no longer even sensing his fingers holding the hilt.
He looked over, expecting to see a damaged sword, probably the blade having been broken off from the tang. He could still use his hidden dagger as a replacement, right?
"Eh?"
But that was not what he had found.
"My… "
He tried to move his fingers, wanting to let go of his weapon—but couldn't do it.
"My… h-ha—"
A splash of crimson liquid covered his face. A cool sensation settled in his wrist, before it intensified, bringing with it a stinging but burning sensation… as if he was touching one of Kin's fireballs.
"—!!?"
Hicks saw his broken sword fly by his face, with a hand still gripping the handle of the weapon firmly, almost as if it was still alive. A thin trail of blood connected the base of the hand to his wrist.
"...What?"
It took a while for his brain to catch up to reality. He didn't want to believe it, it had to be false, just a bad fucking nightmare! All those booze just fucked with his mind and made him see messed up shit!
Yes!
Of course!
'I'm still sleeping back in the village!' This was just a nightmare, a bad dream from a night of drinking. That bastard Kin didn't come to wake him up in time for the road.
Hahahaha!
'Everything is fine, this isn't real.'
The pain now traveled all across his arm, as if someone had dipped his hands into molten lava.
Everything… fine… not… real.
... Not ... Real...
Real...
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.
The sword hit the floor with a thud, hand still latched on it, motionless, lifeless…
Denial and horror soon reached his eyes.
"AAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"
Hicks screamed in agony, letting go of his other sword while clutching the now bleeding stump where his left hand used to be. Blood spurting everywhere, the warm liquid and the pain both shattering the illusion of it being just another dream…
… This was reality.
And he was going to die if nothing happened.
"KIIIINNN SAVE ME!!!"
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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, Harry Potter and my 2 Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword having 3 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post monthly commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise and Snafu.