Meanwhile, the soldiers regrouped outside, having found no trace of the man in question.
Stephen, relieved that Arion was not found, took a deep breath.
"Aye."
A few moments later, another masked figure emerged, dressed in black like the others. It was Jay Merrick.
Seraphis whispered as Merrick reached his side,
"Young master, there is no trace of that guy in this house. I told you he couldn't have come here in the first place."
Merrick shrugged nonchalantly.
He whispered back while raising his view over Stephen, who kept a close eye on them too
"What are they up to, ehh? I thought they had searched all they wanted!" Stephen groaned.
His grip tightened on his sword, gritting his teeth, "I am constraining myself from fighting them...."
He noticed none of his belongings was scattered around even though the soldiers searched his house just now.
"God damn those nincompoop, bottom-tier rubbish!" Stephen swear inwardly.
Merrick hadn't said anything to Seraphis because he kept watch on Stephen all along.
Finally, Merrick responded, "I know. I just wanted to make sure, just in case he survived. But it's obvious now that he didn't; instead, he must have ended up on a transient path."
"Take care of that man, he is a living witness, irrespective of our faces covered."
Coincidentally, Stephen decided to question their intrusion.
"Giving them a quarry would make me feel less suspicious, i believe. Whatever anyways, I don't hope they get convinced. My sword is ready to accompany the assholes to death's door!"
"You have got to give me an explanation," he said and his voice was thundrous. He could have sworn he saw the masked man glare at him, but he pressed on, "Who are you guys, and why are you after someone else? And one can easily tell you are bunch of assassins! Tell me who you are...or I'll report you for this unacceptable intrusion and criminal activity!"
Some of the men surrounded him, drawing their swords and keeping him in the middle.
As Stephen rose his sword too, a sharp reflection danced at the sword's sharpened edge, adorning his furious countenance.
"Let me grant your wishes, blind attackers!"
He gave a holler as he charged towards those men before him.
He landed a blow on them in a second; changing his direction, he tossed three more men in air with his sword handle.
Finally, he struck the ground with his sword that was now enveloped with blazing blue flame.
"Karrgh!"
The men cried out on being thrown off the ground as a strong wave spread out when Stephen used the technique.
Merrick and Seraphis weren't shaken a little bit, as their individual energy level was enough to resist the wave.
Merrick made a tut-tut. He said, "Do it yourself then."
Seraphis lunged forward, delivering a swift chest blow to Stephen that sent him staggering backward.
Stephen grimaced.
In the blink of an eye, he countered, striking back with equal force.
But instead of letting Seraphis drift away, Stephen seized him, halting his retreat, and slammed his palm into Seraphis's abdomen, infused with crackling magic.
"Poof."
"I didn't expect him to be this powerful," Merrick thought.
Seraphis crashed beside Merrick.
"I only wanted you to have a peaceful death, but you will endure a painful one now!" Merrick declared as a fireball manifested in his palm.
Stephen's jaw shifted downward and his eyebrows rose.
"Considering my current level, I can't fight against a fireball; but I can create a magic barrier just to reduce injury..." Stephen thought.
He reactivated the magic of his sword and quickly formed the barrier as planned.
The barrier was like an ice having an oval shape.
"I'll turn invisible later."
The fireball struck him a moment later. However, the barrier shattered immediately and his body rolled through the air until he crashed on the floor, blood gushing from his mouth.
But before Merrick could release another fireball, Stephen vanished into thin air.
Merrick sighed, believing Stephen had perished, and he and his men left the old house. Merrick's heart was filled with delight about his father that would commend him for successfully exterminating Arion.
A few seconds later...
Arion and Liora went outside, but they couldn't find Stephen.
"Oh no, they couldn't have captured him! What do we do?! Mr. Stephen!" Liora fretted.
Just then, Stephen's voice emerged, saying, "I am here!"
The voice came from Arion's side, but there was no one to be seen.
"Huh, where is he? His voice came up--" Arion looked around.
Stephen appeared, his face bearing the marks of the attack. Arion and Liora rushed to his side, helping him back into the house.
"Are you okay?" Liora asked as they placed him on the bed.
Stephen nodded, indicating that he was alright.
Liora noticed Arion's seeming indifference toward Stephen's condition and asked, "Do you have to be uncaring at a time like this too?"
Arion smirked, almost as if he considered the question a joke. "There's nothing i can do to be of help, that's why. If only you can understand...."
Suddenly, he noticed the part of Stephen's cloth covering his leg getting dark. He examined for a few seconds, but the darkness got deeper with time.
He bent down and uncovered his keg quickly.
"What's happening?! Your leg is deteriorating and you don't know?"
Although Stephen's leg was aflame, he appeared to feel no pain.
It became clear that the magical fire that had struck him would gradually burn him to ashes.
"Let me try to stop the deterioration," Liora offered as she bent down beside Arion.
However, her attempt to use magic to heal the injury only accelerated it. She quickly ceased her efforts.
"Since no power can cure the injury from this fireball, there's only one way to stop it. The person who wielded the fireball possesses a unique characteristic of a phoenix, and the power of fire they control is far from ordinary..."
"The person possesses phoenix fire? People like that are rare but....i happen to know one." Liora mumbled, her words tinged with recognition.
It was as if she had an idea about the person behind the attack.
Stephen continued,
"The only remedy for an injury caused by phoenix fire is the powder made from a phoenix's ashes is called Phoenix Powder. Although these mystical birds come back alive from their ashes, their regeneration was stopped decades ago in order to hold their ashes as treasure."
"But making it function well requires a five-thousand-year cultivation with unwavering dedication, making it exceedingly rare. The cultivator might even lose their life in the process. So, it's impossible for me to..."
Arion cut in, "There's nothing that's ever impossible. Tell me where to find it. I'll make sure to bring back the Phoenix Powder for you."
"You also said it's the only remedy to cure this deterioration. You might lose your leg if we don't take this risk!"
Stephen sighed, "There is a place called Zeraphar. It's guarded by an immortal who sleeps eternally. Entering doesn't count as no one can ever leave once they've entered; they will forever remain trapped within its ethereal confines. This place is the only source of Phoenix Powder in the world, and it holds a magical treasure with the power to resurrect the dead. On top of everything, it's a cursed land."
The mention of resurrection sent shivers down Arion's spine. A treasure with the ability to bring back the dead?
"Did i hear that right?" He mumbled, astonished.
"Zeraphar is considered perilous, so no one should attempt to go there," warned Stephen.
However, Arion's determination to visit only grew stronger. There was a chance to uncover clues about his own reincarnation, and more importantly, to resurrect his family and his dragon.
"This is a chance to make my reincarnation worthwhile. I must not lose it!"
He believed in his himself and was willing to take the risk. He was resolved to obtain the resurrection treasure and the Phoenix Powder.
"Have you ever considered that the rumors about Zeraphar might not be true? Seeing is believing; I'll only believe it's dangerous if I witness it myself. Zeraphar might not be as treacherous as they say!" He stated.
Liora and Stephen exchanged surprised glances, but Arion was determined not to be idle and wait for a miracle. "Trust me, I'll retrieve that medicine for you. No boundary will trap me. Believe in me, even if it's just this one time."
Despite Liora's concerns, Arion convinced her with a reassuring smile and urged her to have faith in him.
He added, "We'll be the closest friends in the world once I return alive. Promise?"
"No! I am not letting you take that path...."
"I am not only going for the powder but because it's a chance for me to live like normal people too. Becoming that is just within my reach." he said, with a faint smile."
Later on, Stephen created a portal to teleport Arion to the front of the mystical forest, Zeraphar.
Armed with the map showing the location of the treasures, Arion entered the portal, and it closed behind him.
"Will he be alright on his own?" Liora asked Stephen.
"He's taken a great risk, especially since he's lost his power. I was able to sense the absence of a magical stone when he entered the portal now," Stephen replied, revealing Arion's power loss, which explained why he couldn't confront the assassins earlier. "You shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Despite his cold exterior, he's incredibly passionate inside. Don't worry; I've passed half of my stone to him. I'll be able to protect him in Zeraphar, even though he won't be able to wield the power on his own."
Arion emerged from the portal in front of Zeraphar.
The imposing entrance, formed by colossal rocks intertwined with thorny leaves, greeted him.
Arion's heart pounded as he remembered his purpose in this place: to resurrect his loved ones.
His eyes surveyed the eerily quiet surroundings and he felt the presence of death, as if he stood in a graveyard.
The door creaked open as he approached, and a chilling breeze enveloped him.
When he looked inside, the area was strewn with bones, and the stench of blood filled the air.
He even thought he saw trees with mouths dripping blood. His heart raced, urging him to proceed.
"It is what it is, whether dangerous or not," Arion mustered his courage and ventured further. The door slammed shut behind him, and he realized the vastness of the space, understanding why he needed the map.
This was his opportunity, a rare one, and he was determined to leave this place unscathed. He cared little about the slumbering immortal; he only wanted to obtain what he sought and escape with his life.
"Rowan, father, mother, wait for me. I will bring you back to life! I will restore everything to how it once was, even if I must return to who I was. Everything must return to normal!"
He contemplated the challenges ahead.
"Into the cursed land I go!"
He began to follow the map's directions.....