"Open your eyes, you fool." A voice said, causing Ky to slowly open his eyes. He looked around to see he was outside of the underground temple. Amara was kneeling beside him with a look of relief on her face. "You didn't think I was just going to leave you to die, did you?" Amara questioned which made Ky smile with relief.
"Ha, I suppose you wouldn't have been able to go very far without me." He raised his hand to show the bracelet he wore that matched hers.
Amara rolled her eyes as she gently shoved Ky before standing up.
It was then he noticed the others were missing. "Where is everyone?" Ky asked as he staggered to his feet but stumbled. The fatigue was finally setting in on him.
"Solara is taking the sword to Syndra. Ava and Thalia took both Kirin to get a head start on vacating the area. Let's hurry up and leave as well before the Vae come hunting us down."Amara replied as she looked over her shoulder nervously. Ky nodded in agreement as he stumbled after her. He winced in pain as he felt a strange sensation in his fingertips.
Ky hunched over as he fingers began to ache unbearably as they trembled. What was happening to him? Amara noticed and knelt beside him as she saw his fingertips burning. He cried out in pain as she tried to get him up.
"Agh! I'm sorry I'm slowing you down." Ky howled as he tried to ignore the pain and keep moving.
"Shut up, Ky. I would still be imprisoned if it wasn't for you asking me to come." She said as she held onto him as they continued through the forest. "You damaged your mana veins a while back, didn't you? It's no surprise this is happening since you used a great deal of magic fighting two powerful demons." Amara sighed as she continued to pull Ky so he could keep walking.
"I got...carried away, I guess." Ky winced as he started breathing heavily again.
"We felt the ground shaking above ground...that wasn't ice magic so what the bloody hell was that?" Amara curiously asked as Ky groaned in pain as he looked over his shoulder.
"Gravity magic." Ky replied which caused Amara to look at him confused.
"I've never heard of anyone using that type of magic besides maybe a god!" Amara's mouth dropped in disbelief.
"I can't control it but it's strong during the full moon." Ky replied as Amara shook her head in amazement. She became silent as she continued to pull him along trying to get as far away from Cruuxford as possible.
After two hours of traveling in silence they arrived at a town. There Amara took Ky to the medical center to be treated. Entering the building they were greeted with stares of worry and disdain.
It was clear the look of worry was for Ky, but the disdainful gazes were for her.
Vespers were one of the few races hated throughout all of Innethus. They hardly ever made contact with races outside of Alfheim but because of Esper's influence they were frowned upon.
A Terran rushed over and wrapped his arm around Ky. His gentle green eyes stared at Ky worriedly. "I'll take him from here." He said in a melancholy voice. Amara stood silently until a light flickered in her head.
"Wait! He and I can't be too far apart!" Amara raised her hand to show the bracelet. The Terran looked at her with a suspicious look on his face before shrugging and continued down the hall. Amara walked behind them as she withdrew the sphere-shaped artifact from her inventory pouch.
It was the one she used to call princess Syndra. The artifacts official name was called the oracle. She pressed her finger on the sphere causing a ripple effect. It began to dial for a moment as she continued to follow Ky and the Terran.
"I was beginning to worry about you since I hadn't heard anything in the last few days." A voice immediately said on the other end of the oracle.
"I was enjoying the journey to honest with you, so I don't think to contact you until now. Solara is on the way back with the sword. Ava is with Thalia who is the only one that survived. Your special knights are dead." Amara responded in a grim tone as she followed Ky and the Terran up the stairs. Astren and Terran seemed to avoid Amara as if she had a plague.
"Do you know how many soldiers the enemy has?" Syndra questioned as Amara rolled her eyes at a woman staring at her.
"Another demon leader showed up so I'm not sure if he brought more with him. I do know they have quite a few half demons. That means they don't have to wait until nightfall to attack." Amara replied as she was considering something.
"This is bothersome especially after you told me about what's happening overseas with your people. My mother arrested the Esper messenger before he set off back to Alfheim." Syndra started with a worried tone in her voice.
"That could lead to more conflict, Syndra. If the Esper come here, then you will certainly have trouble protecting your home." Amara warned as Syndra cursed in frustration.
"We're sending Vesryn away to the Spire and I was recently informed that Vesryn's father took a few of his sell swords out of the kingdom. They're apparently headed south, and they have a large port of magic rifles and other magic tools." Syndra spoke hesitantly as Amara began to have a look of worry.
"If you can release Ky and I from these bracelets I could find this man for you and gain intel as to what he's doing." Amara suggested as she followed Ky and the Terran into a room. Ky was placed on the bed and the Terran immediately began to look at his hands. The Terran clicked his tongue and shook his head as if he was disappointed.
"I unfortunately have to remove the spell in person. Are you tired of being around Ky already?" Syndra teased as Amara was silent as she watched Ky listen to what the Terran had to say about his injuries.
"He's hurt unfortunately, and I gave you my word I'd keep him safe." Amara responded causing Ky to glance at her with a look of surprise on his face. She stared at him with a sad look on her face. They didn't know each other well but she was finding herself strangely drawn to him. She thought about her brother as she looked at Ky. In her mind this was a second chance to help someone in order to make up for her failure to save her brother.
"Saria has been heartbroken ever since they were separated. Ky needs to make sure he comes back alive, or he'll have to answer to me." Syndra's voice was stern but filled with care which made Amara smile.
"I'll contact you again in a little bit after he's been taken care of." Amara said as she hung up the line. The Terran was still examining Ky's hands when he finally looked at him with a serious look on his face.
"I take it you used the technique mana blaze recently?" He had a disappointed look on his face as Ky nodded his head with a guilty expression. "When you do that, you must enter a recovery period and not expel mana for at least a month. The reason for that is to prevent the damage of your mana veins but also do not to develop mana burn." The Terran said worriedly as Ky nodded his head understandingly.
"I've only ever used mana blaze once and developed the burns immediately afterward." Ky said sounding slightly upset.
"There are steps to perform mana blaze which you probably don't know. Anyway, mana burn is a side effect that harms the pores on the body that lets mana flow through you. Pushing yourself instead of recovering can lead to the burns causing a blockage that can eventually destroy your mana core and lead to heart failure." The Terran emphasized a great deal of what his said as Ky was silent. His eyes wide and his mouth trembling as he wanted to speak but couldn't.
A hand rested on his shoulder causing him to look to see Amara. "As long as you're with me, you don't have to use magic. I'll handle that, okay?" Amara held eye contact with Ky for a long while before he turned his head and nodded.
The Terran seemed pleased as he did some healing on Ky's hands before wrapping them up in clean bandages. Ky clenched his fist as a frosty breath came from his lips.
Amara jabbed him in the arm with an annoyed look on her face. He stood up and now looked down at her. Her expression changed as she tensed up while taking a step back.
"We'll get these bracelets off soon and then you won't have to worry about me anymore. Until then I remain grateful." He moved around her and headed for the exit. He opened the door to see the Terran with a blade to their neck.
Ky watched in horror as the blade split open the Terran's throat. The hooded figure pushed the Terran forward causing Ky to step back. He was frozen as he stared at the Terran bleeding out on the floor. Their eyes locked on each other as he reached open pleading for help.
The figure stepped over the Terran's body and approached Ky. Before he could do anything, Amara emerged from a shadow on the ground. The hooded figure collapsed into another shadow.
Amara was taken aback but she went into a shadow to go after the person. Ky was unable to move as the room became dim and the shadows in the room expanded.He had no idea as to what was currently happening or even how to help Amara.
Not only that, but who was this other shadow magic user? It was too many questions he had in his mind in the moment.Eventually, the hooded figure emerged with Amara who was struggling to get away from them.
The hooded figure had their blade at her throat. In this moment Ky realized how helpless he was.
His sword would be useless as well as his magic for it would hurt him even more. If he wounded himself, he'd just be a liability again.
"Don't hurt her, just tell me what you want?" Ky finally managed to blurt out. The hooded figure stabbed her in the side and pushed her toward Ky. She fell into his arms, but he never took his eye off of the person before him.
They pulled their hood back to reveal that they were an Edahs. When Amara looked back to see who they were her eyes widened in horror.
It was Tazrak from the first meeting three years ago. As she held her said Ky gently moved her arm. He placed his hand on her side and she began to feel a freezing sensation. Ky winced in pain briefly and then stepped in front of her.
"Did you really think Naeghi would let you get away so easily? He allowed you to leave Cruuxford which didn't benefit the people of this town." He pointed at the Terran who lay lifeless at their feet.
"What happened to wanting peace?" Amara turned to face him. He scoffed at her question as he waved his blade at her.
"Well, we were prepared to get rid of Anon and his family then return to Alfheim where the demons, Espers and Edahs could live in peace. Unfortunately, you're here which means it's possible you told the queen the truth." Tazrak responded with a disappointed look on his face.
The truth he was referring to was about how the demons got into Innethus. Not only that but she told Syndra who truly helped the demons. King Asha which meant the queen would soon see him as an enemy.
"How can you so willingly let your people be ruled by demons? They're horrible beings that only seek destruction of others." Amara shouted as withdrew her daggers preparing to fight. Ky gently placed his hand in front of her.
"The Edahs worship devils so we have not been forsaken. The Vespers worshiped the night goddess but allowed themselves to be corrupted by my people. Can you blame the goddess for forsaking you?" Tazrak grinned as he played with the dagger in his hand.
"I don't really care much of what the gods or devils think. All I know is you're nothing more than someone's puppet." Ky withdrew his sword and stepped in between Amara and Tazrak.
"You lose your brother to Naeghi and choose to replace him with someone other protective ingrate. Ha!" Tazrak sunk into the shadows and disappeared. Ky turned aimed his sword in the direction Tazrak emerged.
This surprised him as the tip of the sword pricked his cheek. He trembled as his stared at Ky who had a fierce gaze in his eyes.
"Who are you?" Tazrak squinted as he gritted his teeth.
"Just a peasant from the streets of Eshelon." Ky replied as Tazrak lunged forward. This caused Ky to move back and adjust his sword position in his hand.
Before Tazrak could reach his neck Ky managed to get the sword in between them.
They were now frozen in a stalemate which looked to have Frustrated Tazrak. "You have no real swordsmanship, but your reaction time is annoying!" Tazrak gritted his teeth as he stepped back to give himself space.
"If you want peace this isn't the way to do it." Ky ignored Tazrak prior comment. "Also, what kind of peace are the demons looking for? One where they're in control of everything or one where they live amongst us?" Ky now appearing to be curious about this need for peace. Amara grabbed his arm with a trembling hand.
"Anon already screwed up any peaceful resolution. Plus, I hear the queen here doesn't take kindly to foreigners." Tazrak sheathed his blade and turned away. "Which is why she has to be dealt with." He continued as he disappeared in the shadows. Amara tried to go after him but winced in pain from her wound.
"I've got to call Syndra and warn her of Edahs being here. They'll be able to get into the kingdom with little effort." Amara said as she pulled her oracle out of the inventory pouch.
"After you inform her of that we should try to track down Ava and Thalia. There's no telling whether they're safe or not." Ky said in a soft tone as helped Amara to the medical chair. They succeeded in getting the sword finally but ended up making matters worse.