Cleo and Orion who were tightly following her entered the ballroom. The sight before them could be only described as pure chaos.
Unknown attackers in black people were hunting nobles while soldiers that were stationed inside the mansion were trying to fight them off, from the numbers it was obvious whose side was winning. Each second soldier fell under the dark spell cast by attackers in robes.
All nobles were trying to get to the door, people were screaming pushing each other, and falling to the ground, and nobles were trampling fallen people whether they were men, women, or children ignoring their pleas for help just in order for them to reach a safe place.
—Out of the way trash!! Do you know who I AM!!!
—Pleaseee I will give me my entire fortune so let me leave!!
—What are knights doing!!! Where is an army that stood in front of the mansion!!?
—M-Momyyy w-where are youu!!!
The people who finally reached the door only ended up with desperate looks. When they opened the door trying to leave the place black barrier cutting off the ballroom from the rest of the world welcomed them.
They were casting spells or even punching desperately barriers with their bare hands but everything was in vain.
Cleo couldn´t help but feel her head turn blank.
'How could this happen in the few minutes I was left? Who are these people?'
Her head couldn´t process the sudden shock and she stood paralyzed in the place.
The soft feeling touching her hand woke her up.
Orion was touching her hand. She could feel his soft warm hand trembling.
With her usual method, Cleo calmed down..it was not time to panic if she can´t find a way to leave this place they would both die.. so she scanned the whole room in the hope to find something or someone that could help.
Soon enough she found Antony and Butler whom she met the first day, they were both fighting attackers.
Antony ruthlessly sliced his enemies with his long sword and Butler that was protecting Antony´s back killing attackers with two silver daggers elegantly as if it was his daily chore.
She took her claymore from the ring on her finger and tore her beautiful new dress to move easier.
"Orion we need meet to reach the place where my knight is..do you think you can do it?"
Orion who was trembling closed his eyes.
She knew that unlike her Orion was powerless. A situation like this was probably like a nightmare to someone like him.
"Big sis promised that she will protect me...I believe in you" Orion said looking straight into her eyes trying to calm down his trembling body by clenching his small fist.
Cleo felt warmth fill her heart when she saw how sweet he is but there was no time for such things.
"Then follow me"
As she said that both started moving. The whole ballroom was so gigantic that even thousands of people could fit inside, and it was wide and long enough to hardly see another end because of that it was easier for knights and attackers to move.
They were moving stealthily evading all sorts of spells and rubble that was flying as a result of fights happening near.
They were only 10 meters from the place where Antony and Butler fought.
"We are already close be care-" Cleo was interrupted by a spell that flew and hit her straight into the face. She didn´t have time to react and was hit with the full force of the dark magic spell dark ball.
The force pushed her a few meters backward along with Orion that was firmly holding her hand. With a maniacal laugh, a bald man with a deep scar across with face stood before them.
"KEKEKEKE Did I ruin your makeup girlie?" the bald man laughed happily seeing the result of his attack
Cleo´s whole left side of their face was burned. Her skin was burned completely revealing flesh and muscles on her face making her look hideous almost like figurine students of biology often use.
Cleo stood up and let go of Orion's hand.
"There is some of the skin left on your face wanna make it a complete makeover once we already started?kekeke" bald man taunted
Cleo ignored his talk and let the emerald magic power envelope her whole body. When the emerald mana reached her face, the skin muscles, and everything that was damaged started restoring itself at a fast pace until her face looked exactly like before without a single scar left.
"Did you say something?" this time Cleo provoked the man.
Seeing Cleo´s healing ability left him frozen.
She used the moment and kicked off the ground. Increasing her speed with spells at the same time
"[Protection]+[ Body enhancment]+[ Immortal]+[Sharpen]" The moment she cast the last buff she was already in front of the man. Without giving him any chance to counter-attack with a slash of her claymore severed his hand that was holding a black wooden wand.
"Tsk.." She aimed at his head at the first but the bald man came to his senses a second before her sword hit him and used the lowest class dark magic spell [ Dark Barrier] to change the direction of her sword at the cost of his arm since dark barrier couldn't stop her sword completely
"YOU!!!!" The bald man screamed and cast a spell that shot a dark lance, hitting Cleo in the chest and piercing her.
She coughed up blood and fell on her knee.
"You almost got me their little girl....now di-"Bald man was about to cast another dark lance when the feeling of cold steel piercing his body stopped him from talking
Cleo that was kneeling before him was now holding a claymore than pierced his hearth, unharmed. There was a hole in the place where the lance struck her but no wound only small remains of blood.
"H-Howw.." The bald man uttered his last words and fell to the ground dying without even realizing how it happened
"Curse...I can´t die" Cleo whispered and swung her claymore to get rid of the blood on her blade, ignoring the dead body of her foe she walked toward Orion who was still laying on the ground.
She checked his body for any injuries and vital function, he was fortunately only unconscious breathing calmly.
With a sigh of relief, Cleo picked up Orion from the ground. For a moment surprised at how light his body actually is. Her sword was probably 3 times heavier.
This time running with her body enhanced by a spell for warriors Cleo was able to reach two old veterans in no time right at the moment when both of them simultaneously finished their opponents.
"My lady..thank a god you are save" Antony moved and hugged her the moment he saw her.
While Old Butler Eric gently took Orion from her and placed him on the table that was still intact using a tablecloth as a blanket.
"Thank you milady for saving young master, he is someone very important to my lord" Eric expressed his gratitude and bowed
Cleo only shook hand at this
"No it's an obvious thing to do..he is my fiance...his life is far more important to me than my own"Cleo said with a serious expression looking at his innocent sleeping face
At the scene that was like from the romantic books, Eric couldn't help but give small smile. He himself didn´t spend much time with Orion but every time he spoke to him Orion was polite and addressed him as grandpa Eric even though he explained to him many times that it's improper for someone with such a high position, he shouldn't address a mere butler so familiar.
Yet Orion didn´t give up..it deeply reminded him, of the deceased young lady, when she was small and did the same...
In fact, Eric found himself many times in situations where he saw lady Ellie while talking to Orion.
The way they talked and even the smallest gestures were so similar that it almost looked unnatural...
Eric understood very well why his master adored this boy so much...
"Antony, can you explain to me what happened? Do we know the identity of the enemies?"
"Yes young lady, they are people that belong to an organization called Dark Mist....they are demon worshipers"
"They are apparently led by marquess Dolion..." Eric added
Cleo´s eyes widened. Like everyone else, she knew about him and respected him for his feats as one of her role models. Saying such a person turned out to be an enemy of the kingdom is something she wouldn't believe no matter what but what is happening right now was proof itself and she couldn´t think of a reason why would Eric lie.
"Do you see the center of the ballroom? It's empty none is fighting there or even hiding..why do you think it's like that?"Eric pointed out at the center of the ballroom
Cleo was shocked when she looked at a place that was empty of people and fitting..in such a chaotic place where knights were fighting and even people are searching for a place to hide its impossible to have only one calm place, which everyone is avoiding.
"High-class Magic artifact?" Cleo asked as it was the only conclusion she could think of
"Yes, they are probably preparing for ritual there. They kidnaped people they wanted to use as sacrifices and masked that place with magic artifacts so none amid the chaos would interrupt them" Eric explained to them.
"But why would they choose a place that is heavenly protected like this? With these numbers, they could easily kidnap their victims and do rituals in a secluded place?" Antony asked, for him who was living as a knight his whole life, this didn´t make any sense.
There was no benefit from doing it here mainly because many knights came along with nobles and even Lord Theodore hired a small army to ensure the safety of guests. Not talking about the Sword of Zehpyr-sword master who is protecting Orion. It was information that was widely known and the source of many rumors.
"It's not only about sacrifices but also about the place...There exist special places that have weaker walls between dimensions, if the summoning is done in such a place, it's more likely that it will succeed..." Eric answered his question but reacting to his words Antony drew his sword and pointed it at Eric´s neck
"I didn´t pry into it too much since you helped me....but you are too suspicious for only butler"
"Your fighting skills are perhaps even better than mine and you know too much about demon worshipers and demons so answer...are one of them!?" Antony said coldly and pressed this razor-sharp sword to his neck, which made Eric bleed.
Cleo didn´t understand but did the same and raised her weapon.
Eric raised his hands as a sign that he has no desire to fight.
"I can understand your suspicions after all you are here only to protect your master....I would do the same in your position."
"Then talk" Antony said sternly
"I don´t know if you are aware of it but...wife of my master and his young daughter died in demon attack 30 years ago."
The expression hardened when they heard butler talk.
"For me at that time...No even now they are like family....source of my happiness was spending my day watching my master and madam pretending to argue when they were in fact only flirting. Watching young lady Ellie growing up was my dream...but demon took it from me...from us" Antony retreated his sword..with a sour expression
"So from that day...I gathered information...trained in martial arts and after 20 years managed to reach the rank of Acies. For only one goal....revenge" Eric clenched his fist tightly as the anger rose inside him.
Antony who was watching him stabbed his sword to the ground and bowed his head.
"It was incredibly disrespectful from me...please accept my apology"
Eric shook his head
"It was natural for you to put your master above anything else, I am only glad you believed me"
Two men shook hands with the newfound respect they got for each other.
"It's nice you finally found yourself a friend Antony but what are we gonna do about this situation?"
Cought!
Antony faked fought in embarrassment as his cheek heated up a bit. He completely forgot about Cleo.
"If may I suggest...I have a plan"
Returning to his usual calm collected look, Eric started explaining his plan to foil the plans of demon worshipers
[Trivia-8 Anthea consists of two supercontinents.
Alewndrina- a continent where only the human kingdoms reside.
Amadis- a continent where Magical Beings live, It is 1,5x bigger than Alewndrina.]
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