It was now time for my fight with Lycaon. Even though Lycaon is a wolf, he is a bipedal wolf. A werewolf in this case. He hunched over, his thick fur bristling, and his eyes red and fixed on me, as if he were determined to vanquish me. I returned his gaze, unwavering. Nevar glanced at us back and forth and carried on as usual.
"Oh~ I can feel the tension between these two! Let the battle… BEGIN!"
I should end this as quickly as possible. I'll hold off on using my magic. Gotta keep up that element of surprise…
"What is your wish?" Lycaon asked in a guttural voice. It surprised me that the werewolf could even speak, let alone ask me a question that came out of left field.
"Why do you want to know?" I answered cautiously. I made sure to never peel my eyes away from him, in case this was a trick.
"I hope to become free at last."
I narrowed my eyes at the talkative wolf. "…Free at last? Free of what?"
A flash of sorrow washed over his face, but it was only for a moment, and it was hastily replaced with determination once more. "Of my disposition. I will not allow myself to be defeated by those who are content with trivialities..."
With a piercing howl, he bounded toward me at the speed of a cheetah. My weapon was instantly in my hand as the werewolf's claws grazed the rapier, sparks flying. So far, Lycaon specializes in agility and wild movements akin to an animal. What I must do is to match his speed or be even faster than he is while avoiding getting slashed by his claws.
Noticing that I could keep up with his speed, Lycaon backed up and paced around the arena, snarling.
"You're quick, aren't you…"
"Yea? What about it?"
Still pointing my weapon at the circling wolf, I thought of the next course of action. Should I just take the initiative or keep playing defensive until an opening appears? Screw it. There's no use in thinking about it. I'll just go to him instead. I already decided before the match after all.
With quick steps, I dashed at Lycaon, who had been waiting for my next course of action. Since I knew the officials wouldn't let one of us die for sure, I didn't have to hold back my attacks. With that thought, I thrust my rapier at the werewolf, but he was so agile he danced around my every attack. A few moments later, the werewolf lunged and landed a hit on me, ripping a piece of my leggings to shreds. I felt a stinging pain in my leg.
I glared at the wound I had. "Those were one of my favorite pants to wear! I'll have to buy myself a new one."
"One shouldn't worry about fabrics that are easily replaceable," it scowled.
"You wouldn't understand even if I told you why it was special…"
I glanced away from the wolf and saw the sky had turned a burnished orange hue. It was getting late, and I wanted to take a fat nap. I guess I'll have to use my magic.
Lycaon tried to get the jump on me while I was distracted. He went for a flurry of swipes that were deflected. If it weren't for the rapier being crafted of Damastril, Lycaon's claws would've rendered it useless. A wide arc swing of his right arm gave me the opening I needed. Before he could recover his balance, I stabbed his right thigh with the rapier. Lycaon winced in pain, but I couldn't afford to feel sorry for him. With just a single thought, another rapier materialized, and I lunged it deep into his other thigh.
Now his speed should be reduced by half. What's next is to-
"Kekeke…"
Uh, what? Why is he laughing at himself?
Feeling unsafe, I pulled my weapon out of his thigh and backed away from Lycaon, yet I proved to be too slow. It seemed as if Lycaon had teleported from my sight, nowhere to be seen. I sensed a flicker of movement, and I narrowly evaded his claws by bending my body all the way to the ground. They cut the bangs of my curly hair into ribbons. Still leaning backward, I took that opportunity to retaliate and did some backflips, initially kicking Lycaon in his face. Once I was at a far enough distance, I studied the snarling werewolf. Lycaons' pearly-white canine teeth gleamed in the moonlight. And then, out of nowhere, the werewolf let out an ear-splitting screech that pierced the heavens.
"Why is he howling at the sky!" I shouted, covering my ears. That was when the realization hit me like a freight train. This planet shares a moon with the Earth. Not only that, but it's a full moon right about now…
I panicked internally, thinking about distinct possibilities. If werewolves are the same as those depicted in books and movies, then Lycaon will get even stronger during a full moon!
"Sorry, but I'm not taking any chances. If stabbing doesn't work, I'll have to inflict serious inju-"
"That will not be needed," a proud, booming voice interjected.
When I scanned around for the source, a shadow landed between me and Lycaon, his royal blue mantle fluttering from the flashy entrance. A figure who stood at five-foot-nine, wearing a black and gold, knee-length trench coat, and trousers. The person standing in front of me now was none other than Claude de Vusech.
"W-What are you doing here er… your majesty?" I nervously asked. I had no idea how to speak to royalty. Did I do it right? Should I bow?
My worries were for naught as the king chuckled and said, "Do not dwell on the formalities. Right now, it is my duty, as king, to subdue this monster before he can wreak havoc upon the people."
The king turned his attention back to the beast, whose eyes were now glowing red, the rationale he had previously now gone. His appearance changed drastically, as streaks of white fur contrasted against the deep black of his fur.
"I overheard your conversation from earlier up on my seat. I, Claude de Vusech, will set you free."
The king stood tall and resolute. Lycaon fell down on all fours and charged at Claude de Vusech, howling.
"Stand back, human from Earth."
Hm? Did he say human from Earth? Yea… he definitely said human from Earth.
"How much do you know about Eart-?"
Before I could finish the question, the king released a scary aura that frightened me to the very core. I instantly backed away from the two like a mouse skittering away from a prowling cat. Although it was faint, the aura of the king felt familiar, as if I have met him somewhere before…
"Woah… The majesty himself is interfering in this fight…"
"Is the situation that bad? What's going on?"
"Should we leave?"
"Are you stupid? What's there to worry about when the king is here? And besides, he hasn't told us to evacuate. He has it under control."
…It may look like it's under control, but is it really? There's still this nagging sensation that's been bothering me, but what could it be?
King Claude de Vusech removed his mantle, revealing a black sheathe at his hip. He opened the latch and carefully withdrew a golden sword, befitting a king. There was a single ruby jewel fixated on the hilt. Lycaons maw was wide open, intent on ripping the king's head off like a chew toy. The werewolf leaped into the air with a snarl, setting its sights on the king. His teeth were inches away from Claude de Vusech's face, saliva dripping, until the king release a swift strike. Lycaons' head dropped onto the ground like a slab of meat. His head rolled slowly to my location and stopped. No signs of life were visible in his eyes.
"You have been set free, cursed soul. May you be one with the mana, and be born anew…"
The king closed his eyes and prayed under his breath while wiping the blood off his sword. I recoiled away from the decapitated head.
"I-"
"Hold that thought, human from Earth. We have little time. I've been informed that an unwanted visitor is making their way here."
He sheathed his sword and picked up the mantle off the ground, donning it on his shoulders. The king cleared his voice and addressed the audience.
"Citizens of Silis! The tournament has been postponed indefinitely. I know you are confused about the situation as of now, but fret not! I, Claude de Vusech, will handle it accordingly. The guards will now begin the evacuation!"
Under his command, guards appeared from the stadium exits and gestured for each row to leave the premises.
"Now then..."
He turned his body and addressed those leftover from the tournament; me, Isaac, Myra, and Zelke.
Wait… why are there only four of us here? There's one of us missing.
"It seems he has moved," Claude de Vusech said under his breath.
Ah. It now dawned on me who he speaks of.
"Where did Airon go?" I yelled. The Apithien was nowhere to be seen. While I was fighting Lycaon, I caught a glimpse of him standing next to Zelke. Now, he just up and vanished.
"The man named Airon is now inside the king's palace," Zelke, out of the blue, whispered. Everyone was now eyeballing Zelke. The man rarely speaks after all.
"No shot you spoke more than three words. Is the world ending?" Isaac said in a mocking tone, but Zelke just ignored my brother.
"I placed a tracker on Airon without him noticing. He is searching every nook and cranny inside the palace, looking for something important."
"Okay, ill bite. Any idea what he's looking for?" I asked.
Zelke glanced at the king for confirmation. King Claude de Vusech nodded in return.
"He's looking to destroy The Oracle."
That sounds… ominous. There's divination in this world too?
Isaac pursed his lips and said, "Okay, what's The Or-"
"We will speak about it on the move," the king cut in. "I will answer questions you may have on the way. I need your help to stop the Pillar's subordinates."
Without waiting for a reply, the king was on the move. King Claude de Vusech crouched down and sprung up at the side of the stadium like a human-sized tree frog. Zelke and Myra followed along.
Isaac scratched his head and shrugged. "Well. I don't know what's happening. All I know is that Airon is up to something and that we have to stop him. We'll get our answers, eventually. Let's go after them, Laila."
With a quick nod, we both jumped up and spotted the three hopping along the rooftops of the brick homes, heading toward a massive palace in the middle of the city.
****
"You suspected Airon from the beginning?" I asked the king.
The king's voice blended in with the rushing wind as we pounced along the rooftops. "Yes. It is atypical for an Apithien to leave their homeland, North and South Osmen, which are located in the west of Ashia. Unless it is of the utmost importance. They are isolationists. Because of that, I had Zelke and Myra monitor Airon during his time here."
…Are Zelke and Myra like secret operatives or something?
"...I also received an oracle that those from another world would take part in this year's tournament-"
"Which is me and my brother," I finished for him.
"Correct."
I don't know whether or not I should believe oracles exist, but the king knew what we were. The only people who would know this information as of now are Solgen, Volken, and Morgac.
Down below, the streets were flooded as guards instructed the civilians to stay in their homes. Many of them had frightened looks on their faces, arguing with the guards about what will happen to them. As we passed by the inn we were staying at, I saw Clein ushering Mel and her family inside.
I noticed Isaac glancing at the king. "Er… your majes-"
"Claude is fine," the king chuckled.
Isaac breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay… Claude. What exactly is this oracle you keep mentioning?"
Claude's body flinched for a moment as if he received an electrical shock. "Apologies for that. I just erected a barrier around us so no one could hear or see us. As for The Oracle, it is a power that no one should wield. Decades ago, when I was but a young and rash man, I came across a mysterious figure wearing dark robes. This happened when I ventured into the Wyvern Zone. They hid their face behind an intricate mask, yet their eyes were weird. It kept on shifting, as if not able to settle on a form…"
A figure with dark robes and wearing a mask, plus shifting eyes? Only one person came to mind. When I came to that conclusion, it felt like pieces of a gigantic puzzle were slowly being put together.
"We came across someone of that description a month and a half ago, right, Laila?" Isaac said.
"Yea… Could that man be one of the Pillars? Or someone else entirely?"
"…Who that person was is not important at the moment," Claude continued. "The figure stopped me from proceeding any further and spoke with a chilling voice of someone who has lived many lifetimes and possessed unfathomable power…"
"…and touched the tip of my forehead. After that, I had no recollection of what happened in that small window. As I came to my senses, I found myself kneeling. A black crystal fixated on the ground. When I touched the crystal with my bare hands, I received a vision from the future, and in that vision were you two, side by side, facing the Pillars."
Isaac and I were silent at Claude's words. It was hard to believe that a prophetic crystal existed, and that it accounted for our arrival decades ago. A time when we weren't even born yet. It sounded impossible, but in our situation, which seemed like a fairytale, the impossible became possible.
"We have arrived." Zelke casually piped up.
We were awestruck as we stood in front of the black gate, and the magnificent white palace behind it came into view. I was astounded by the magnificent garden that was carefully manicured, with pristine green hedges gracing the gate. There was a tall fountain in the middle of the garden, with a statue of a naked man posing on top of it. A spout of water jutted out of its mouth like a super-soaker.
"Follow me," Claude directed. "Airon should be in the lower levels."
The king guided us through the front. Upon opening the large doors, we were greeted with a red carpet. Two stairways leading upwards were on opposite ends, conjoining into a single point. A large glass chandelier hung on the ceiling; its lights gone. As I scanned the area, I noticed a door was slightly ajar to our left.
"Do you guys smell that?" Isaac whispered. I took a sniff, curious about what he was talking about, and a scent I knew well made my skin crawl.
"I smell blood…" I muttered. And it was coming from that same door.
"Tsk. We might be too late," Claude frowned.
We all rushed over, and when we peeked inside, we witnessed a horrible sight. There were piles of bodies strewn about the corridor. Pools and splotches of blood were all over the walls, floors, paintings, and porcelain vases.
"It seems like Airon went to work already…" Myra stated, stepping over the corpses with disgust.
As we followed her, wrinkling our noses in disgust at the gruesome scene, we heard an explosion at the end of the hallway. The paintings that were stained with blood dropped, their wooden frames snapping. The walls of the palace trembled with the blast.
Claude lurched forward and said, "The explosion that triggered just now was one of the traps I set up if one were to breach the treasury. Let's go!"
We ran through the puddles of blood, leaving our footprints on the marble floors. We have gone through twists and turns, following Claude. Moments later, we stopped right in front of a metal door that was blown off its hinges. We stepped in and were dazzled by the sight of treasures displayed in glass cases. Other than that, at the far end of the room, was Airon. In his hand was the black crystal Claude has spoken of.
"Even with the power of The Oracle, you were still too late," Airon remarked. "I knew you were aware of my presence when I was put against Zelke in the tournament. You even put a tracker on me. Do you take me for a fool?"
Claude stepped forward, unsheathing his sword. "Airon, you are under arrest for murder and breaking into an unauthorized zone. The crime for that is…"
His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, and without even giving Airon a heads-up, manifested mana into his blade and cut into the air, aiming for his head. The space behind Airon instantly crumbled, and a long gash appeared on the wall. The smoke cleared, and Airon was no longer there.
"Don't tell me he got away," Claude spat. "Myra, Zelke, search the premises."
"Right!"
On his command, the two disappeared. Once they were gone, Claude's body convulsed. The king covered his mouth with one hand, succumbing to a fit of coughs and wheezes as he fell to his knees. When his hand retracted, there was blood on his palm.
"Damn it... Overexerted myself!"
We hurried over to the king's side, patting him on the back. He held his hand up for us to stop and slowly rose.
"I'm fine. It's just the side effects of using The Oracle."
"There's backlash when you use The Oracle?" I asked, horrified.
"If one were to use it many times, their health will deteriorate over time," he croaked. "I do not have much time to live… That is the cost of using this power. I am one of the few who can bear the consequences."
"How many times have you used it all together?" I said carefully. Even though I asked out of curiosity, I still dreaded the answer.
"...Thrice. If I were to use it once more, my life will be forfeit."
Hold on... the first time he used The Oracle was when he was young, and what he saw was Isaac and I fighting the Pillars. The second time he used it, it displayed us entering the tournament. What about the third one?
"What did you see the third time you used The Oracle?" I finally asked.
The king hesitated at the sudden question, his shoulders quivering. "What I saw in the third vision was Athiens engulfed in a light of crimson and wiped from the face of the universe."