Parvir stepped back and looked at Ash.
The veins on his forehead bulged and his teeth were clenched. His grip on the axe hardened making the veins on his arm visible to my eyes.
"I think even I had enough."
His mana surged and a magic circle was formed behind him. I know what that is. The signature technique of the Paras family. A family of Magic Knights, but unlike other magic knights, they didn't use the magic to thrive in the fields of magic.
Instead, it was just to gain knowledge and enhance their knightly abilities to the extreme.
And the signature of the Paras family that made them one of the strongest warriors for centuries.
'Wrath of Sage'
The magic circle transformed into an image of the human who was sitting in a cross-legged position, in a meditative state. That silhouette condensed of pure pale blue light had the aura of ancient wisdom that made me feel a bit inferior in its presence.
Not just inferior in strength and power or even knowledge, it made me feel myself as an inferior existence,
The image dissolved into the back of the Duke. Blue lines appeared on his body highlighting his veins. His muscles seemed to have become more dense.
*CRACK*
The floor under his foot cracked as he stepped forward and launched himself at Ash.
Ash flicked the cigar in his hands to the side and swung the scimitar covered in black mana at the incoming Duke.
As both blades clashed, an explosion of blue colored mana and black colored mana created a miniature turbulent storm. Both energies fought each other off and the shockwave blinded everyone.
The Duke Kurma who seemed to have regained his senses used his mana to create a barrier around his family members.
By design or not, it covered me, Dhana and Dharma as well.
I tried to look through the barrier intently. But all I saw was the bright mana moving around turbulently. Around five minutes passed. The fight was way too advanced for us to even follow it with our eyes. The pillars of the room collapsed and soon we felt the ground underneath us cave in.
"The building is collapsing. Ardra, guide our family to evacuate, run to the rear entrance."
Duke Kurma yelled as he blocked the shockwaves with all his strength.
I never believed that I will see a scene like that. The high and mighty monstrosity of a Duke being reduced to become turtle in a battle. I could see it in the Duke's eyes, even he held mortal fear when he felt those shockwaves.
He knew that he wouldn't be able to participate in the battle.
That just made me wonder. If the ninth circle power houses that were supposed to be the best in the kingdom are reduced to this by one man, what of us? What is our situation?
"I said, nobody is leaving."
To bring me out of my dazed state, those cold words poured into my ears. And the next moment, I saw black flames surging out from the middle of that energy storm.
And that next thing I knew, Parvir was no longer fighting, instead he leaped towards us. To be precise, towards Dharma, his son.
Then only I realized the barrier has been broken and Duke Kurma was shot back into the wall from the backlash.
The silhouette of the sage emerged from the back of Duke Paras as it covered a small area around Dharma and us.
Only four of us, Parvir, Dharma, Dhana and I, were inside that small zone as the building collapsed completely.
*BOOM*
*CRASH*
And within that explosive collapse, all I could see was unending darkness as I lost consciousness.
…
*COUGH*
*COUGH*
I heard some coughing sound as I woke up. My body felt like lead was in my veins. I was aching all over. The final crash did quite a number on me. I looked around to find Dhana trying to find her foot as she rose out of some rubble.
The coughing sound was hers.
To my left, Dharma was also just standing up.
I didn't know how long it has been since I lost it, but it seemed like it wasn't too long.
*BOOM*
A fiery explosion attracted our attention. We exchanged a glance and tacitly agreed to see what was happening.
We moved in that direction to find a large pit. Within that pit stood four people.
Parvir Paras, Ash, Duke Kurma and Ardra.
Duke Kurma lost an arm and his leg was fractured. Ardra had all of his limbs intact, but he seemed to be in a much worse state, barely able to stand with his father's help.
Ash's gaze was locked at both father and son duo. In between them stood Parvir Paras.
His whole body bloody and a bit weak. He still had that imposing aura, but it was overshadowed by the menace projected by Ash.
"The battle is over. Get out of my way." He spoke to Parvir. Ash was panting a bit, clearly showing his slight exhaustion, but compared to the rest of the people in the pit, he was as good as new. His condition should be considered pristine.
"No, not while I am still alive."
Parvir persisted, at least in his words.
"Father… SAVE ME… ARGGH…"
From the opposite side of the pit we saw a woman running towards Duke Kurma. But the black horse from the top of the pit spat the black flames as she ran down.
The horse didn't even give her a second glance as she ran away.
"MONA…." Duke Kurma yelled at the top of his lungs as he dashed toward his burning daughter. Ardra ran after him as he sobbed uncontrollably.
"Don't touch her. Those flames are dangerous."
Parvir spoke making them stop in their tracks.
"You are out of your mind Ash. This is not you."
Ash didn't reply to that instead, he sheathed his scimitar and said.
"I didn't want to use this, but you leave me no choice."
He lunged forward seemingly moving toward the Father and Son Duo and Duke Paras blocked his movement as he swung his axe, not expecting what came next.