Ishwar stared for a few seconds, still as tense as before. The newcomer stepped further inside the barrier, gradually coming out of the shadows cast by the forest. Ishwar didn't need to see her to recognize who she was. He could never mistake this presence. It's her - Raven Ward, Sylva's Aegis.
At that instant, Ishwar is once again brought to his memories of the failed alliance. It was already dusk and the sky was tinted in an orange hue. Ishwar was in the middle of fighting, defending himself from the attacks of Sylvan soldiers.
Everything had turned chaotic ever since the alarm bells sounded. Sylva's once cheerful streets were littered with corpses. Blood was splattered everywhere and the fire burned the stalls and houses. Screams and wails could be heard everywhere.
Haglendi had the upper hand but Ishwar's mind was in turmoil. He didn't know what happened during the alliance ceremony but with what a few haglendian soldiers told him, he'd already suspected this was his father's plan all along. The alliance was nothing more than a front to sneak into Sylva's majestic walls.
'But why?', he thought bitterly. Sylva had agreed to the alliance. They received Haglendi with open arms, even going as far as preparing a small festival-like banquet for them. Just moments ago, he interacted with the people of Sylva. They were kind. They were thoughtful. There were no signs of malicious intent in their actions. So why? Why must they attack them like this?
A shiver suddenly ran down Ishwar's spine, snapping him out of his thoughts. Before he could figure out why, a heavy pulse of power erupted out of nowhere. It sent the weaker haglendian soldiers tumbling on the stone floors, their armor clanging heavily and their weapons dropped. But to stronger people like Ishwar who withstood the force, they felt as if they were slowly being crushed, the pressure already too much for them to bear. Ishwar had never felt such overwhelming power in his life.
The sylvan soldiers they'd been fighting seemed to be unaffected by the mysterious power but for some reason, they looked equally fearful. They didn't dare make any other movements. Only one of them turned when he heard incoming footsteps, his expression looking quite relieved. "Raven. You're here."
Ishwar immediately stiffened at the mention of the newcomer's name but forced himself to look.
A young woman came into view. She stood at least ten meters from Ishwar so he could vaguely see her features. Much more so because of the layer of red mana that pulsated around her. It swirled calmly but at inconsistent intervals, it would spike and churn erratically, like a feral beast ready to rampage at any time. He knew she wasn't someone they could mess with.
Raven Ward was the only havoc in the whole world to retain her human form and her mind. Nobody knew how it happened but she'd been the talk of all four kingdoms when she killed her vulnerable and turned. A lot of people deemed her dangerous and the more greedy ones wanted to have her under their control. But with her newfound havoc abilities, no one could kill nor control her. She instead stayed in Sylva and became their strongest defender, gaining herself the title of Sylva's Aegis.
"Havoc!! Die!" One of Ishwar's men suddenly yelled, brandishing his saber and suddenly charging at Raven. Ishwar didn't know if he had a death wish but he tried to call out to stop him. It was too late.
The soldier didn't even reach two arm lengths away from Raven when her eyes glowed a bloody red and her mana lashed at him. In just a split second, the haglendian soldier was left with numerous gaping holes all over his body. Blood spurted everywhere and the man soon fell to the ground with a loud thud. Blood immediately pooled on the stone floor beneath him.
Nobody dared to move.
"Anyone else?" She questioned coldly, her gaze scanning her surroundings calmly. When nobody else dared to speak up, she nodded. "Good. Then you have until sundown to leave Sylva. Go before I change my mind."
She didn't need to tell them twice.
Ishwar instinctively tightened his hold on his saber but he didn't dare move. Instead, he wondered why someone as powerful as her would be here. Did she notice his presence and come to arrest him? Or perhaps she was here to get rid of him?
He tensed even further, almost to the point when his muscles ached and trembled slightly. But not a few seconds later, he loosened his grip and sighed.
Oh, who am I kidding? It's not like I can do anything if she tries to kill me anyway. He thought, and with a much clearer head, he decided to focus on observing Raven.
The first thing Ishwar noticed was the absence of that layer of ruthless mana that surrounded her. There was only a wisp of red that floated around her. It circled Raven with unhurried ease, like a misty serpent slithering protectively, ready to lash out whenever danger arises. It gave Raven an overbearing presence, greatly contrasting the cold yet serene demeanor she had.
With hands clasped behind her back, Raven walked leisurely, almost as if she were strolling in a garden of beautiful flowers.
She wore an elegant black robe with layers of overlapping clouds printed in different red tones. A red cloth belt hugged her thin waist and from it hung a piece of carved black jade and two black tassels. Black leather vambraces are strapped tightly around her forearms. As she walked, the hem of her robes would lift slightly and reveal a set of black leather boots.
She had a pale complexion but her black irises only added to her elegant beauty. Her long ebony hair was tied high into a ponytail by a long red ribbon, with two long strands left to fall on each side of her face.
"Milady!" Vyll quickly went to greet her, only stopping a respectful distance to give her a bow. "Welcome back."
Milady?!
Ishwar's breath hitched in his throat, eyes widened in shock. He'd always been curious about who saved him but he never thought it was her. Milady was Raven all along?!
Of course, she was! Ishwar mentally slapped himself. Now that he thought about it, only one person was mentioned every time they talked about who saved him that night. And no one person could have possibly defeated a havoc on their own.
Unless they're strong.
As strong as a havoc.
So who better than someone who's a havoc themselves?
"Hm." Raven only paused slightly to acknowledge Vyll's greeting with a nod and then continued her pace. "How are things?"
"Everything went just as Milady hoped." Vyll moved to the side to let her pass and immediately followed behind her. "This place is well-hidden and Milady's concealment barrier is quite strong so Squad 20-A has been unable to find this place until today. Without their constant pestering, I was able to focus on our guest's recovery all this time."
Raven nodded and her eyes trailed to the unconscious men sprawled on the ground. She flicked her left hand towards them and a wisp of red mana went over to pick them up and settle them on the grassy part of the area. With a snap of her fingers, the same mana materialized and bound both their arms and legs.
Vyll was surprised by her actions. Normally, she would let them wake up on their own or let their comrades take them away. But he didn't question her. He knew Raven wouldn't do anything pointless. Binding them like this could only mean she had something to do with them.
"Only three of them?" Raven asked as she dropped her hand and continued walking.
"Yes, Milady." Vyll immediately caught up to her. "Perhaps it has something to do with the rumors circulating in Sylva these past few days. It was said Captain Dain of Squad 20-A met an accident while training two days ago and is currently running.. a fever."
"A fever?" Raven turned to Vyll, the disbelief in her tone quite evident.
Dain Stone was the captain of Squad 20-A. He was of warrior class and he wielded a large claymore when in battle. He had a tall stature, an overly buff build, and a stubborn personality. All in all, he wasn't someone who would easily catch a fever. And even if he did, there was no way he would just lie in bed to recover. Something was amiss.
"They say his symptoms are quite severe and has been bedridden all this time.", Vyll answered with a frown, not at all bothering to hide his hostility towards the man. "I dare say he deserved it for trying to hurt Milady all this time."
Raven shook her head, her lips curling slightly into an amused smile. "Hm. Having him rest for a few days might prove productive on my part. Still... it's concerning to think someone like him could be bedridden all this time."
Vyll sighed, his expression softening as he nodded. "I thought Milady might say that so I already sent the twins to investigate." He said with resolution. "Milady can rest easy and leave this matter to us."
Raven nodded and stopped walking to face Ishwar who stood just a distance from her. She could feel his unease and felt amused at how his breath hitched in alarm when their eyes met.
"I see you have almost recovered from your injuries. That's good.", she said as casually as she could. She didn't want to scare him any more than he already is. Scared humans often do something stupid when they're desperate and it usually ends badly.
Ishwar quickly bowed his head, "I wasn't aware that the well-known Aegis of Sylva was the one who rescued me. I apologize for my overly cautious reception and I am grateful to you and Vyll for your welcoming hospitality. If I find an opportunity in the future, I will be sure to repay the both of you."
Ishwar, being a prince, thought he'd at least say it with confidence but he stuttered the whole time that he looked like a complete idiot. He wanted to smack himself. How the hell does a prince stutter this much, Ishwar, you idiot! Get a grip!
To make things worse for him, Vyll spoke up, "Don't fall for it, Milady. He wasn't this polite with me before."
"Y-you—", Ishwar's eyes widened in panic.
The golden-haired elf smirked, clearly enjoying watching his emotions flail around helplessly. Ishwar wanted nothing more than to pummel that smug face with his own hands.
Raven chuckled at their little exchange and addressed Ishwar, "There is no need to use such pleasantries, Your Highness. Your overly cautious reception is a normal reaction to my presence so it is unnecessary to apologize. Your reaction is actually quite mellow for someone who knows who I am. I'm glad I didn't have to tie you up."
"T-tie me up?", Ishwar gulped, an image of himself getting strung upside down and wiggling like a worm to try and break free. He frowned at the thought.
"Loosen up, Princeling.", Vyll shook his head. "Milady saved your life so you should at least stop looking like a dying dog in her presence. Just where did all your stubbornness an—"
Vyll's eyes widened mid-sentence and with a flick of his hand, a dagger went to intercept the weapon aimed at Ishwar's undefended back. With a loud clang, two weapons clashed. One was a sword that was flung backward, piercing into the ground harmlessly. While Vyll's dagger vanished into his hand at his command.
Ishwar, who had been targeted, immediately unsheathed his saber and prepared for a battle. His golden eyes are locked on the three persons that entered the barrier.
The one on the left was a woman dressed in leather clothes, her long brunette hair tied neatly into a braid with a long fringe covering one of her emerald eyes. She had a longbow strapped to her back along with a quiver full of arrows.
The one on the right was a young man dressed in a long bluish cloak that reached up to the ground, a wizard staff held in one of his hands. He had long blonde hair that fell on his back in neat waves, his blue eyes had a tinge of timidness to them.
Lastly, was the man in the middle. Amongst the three of them, he was the one with the most powerful presence. He raised his hand and the sword that pierced the ground flew back to him. He caught it with ease, brandishing it skillfully and then putting it back into its sheath.
His white robes and waist-length black hair fluttered softly, disturbed by his movements. His sharp hazel eyes stared at Ishwar for a few moments before landing on Raven.
He ignored both Vyll and Ishwar's presence and gave Raven a respectful bow. "Raven."
"Ah. I just barely arrived and you're already here. Vice-Captain Ulfur... Lady Aphrah... Lord Idel..." Raven said, giving a small bow to each person as she mentioned them. "Here I thought you came to collect your members but to suddenly attack my guest like that.. Do you have a death wish?"
All three newcomers felt a chill down their spine. Raven asked the question calmly but they could sense a tinge of hostility in it. Not only that.. Raven's eyes glowed in red and the wisp of mana that had been circling her grew in size, pulsating erratically. It gave Raven a murderous aura.
Ishwar, standing the nearest to Raven, could feel the most out of her killing intent. He wasn't on the receiving end of it but he still froze on the spot, both hands gripping his unsheathed saber tightly. Sweat fell from his face and he didn't even bother to look at Raven to know she was pissed.
Ishwar wondered if these three newcomers would even make it out alive after this.