After the explosion, a hushed silence settled upon the wreckage, broken only by the crackling of dying embers and the moans of the wounded knights.
Crackk!
As the dust settled and the acrid smoke cleared, the battlefield's shattered remains slowly regained composure.
The battered knights struggled to their feet one by one, their armor mangled and scorched from the explosion that had rocked the area.
Some coughed, their sound echoing through the silence as they gasped for breath.
Cough! Gasp! Haaa!
Amidst the chaos, Sophia stood tall, seemingly unaffected by the surrounding devastation. Her once carefully styled hair now hung disheveled, entangled with dust and streaks of black smoke.
In contrast, her husband was covered in soot but remained standing, showing no signs of injury.
As the haze gradually lifted, the group's attention turned to where Wallace and Devin were last seen. Unease settled upon them as they scanned the area, wide-eyed with apprehension.
Suddenly, their blood ran cold. Wallace stood untouched and undamaged, while Devin, his adversary, was nowhere to be found.
With an intense gaze, Lord Emberon or Wallace, turned his head toward them.
His eyes bore a chilling intensity as he ignored their presence and focused ahead, his gaze directed downward.
Intrigued, Baron Willard, Sophia, and the remaining knights followed his line of sight, their hearts pounding.
As the last traces of smoke vanished, a shiver ran up their spines.
Lying before them were the charred remains of a pair of armored boots.
The lower portion, from the feet to the shins, remained intact but blackened and scarred by the flames.
However, the upper part of the armor had been consumed, leaving only a haunting memory of its former glory.
Silence hung in the air as they realized the truth.
Dread and curiosity filled their hearts.
What had happened in that fiery inferno?
How did their young lord produce those things?
Where was Devin?
How had Wallace emerged unscathed while Devin's armor lay in ruins?
Seeing their look of disbelief, as if they couldn't grasp the reality before them, Lord Emberon couldn't help but release a tired sigh, his breath carrying the weight of countless battles fought and won.
He didn't need to beat around the bush or sugarcoat the truth, for he was a straightforward and brutally honest man.
So, with a casual demeanor that downplayed the seriousness of his words, he spoke with pauses between that echoed like a death sentence.
"He's dead.
"Turned to ashes.
"And his feet were the only ones who were left.
"So don't bother thinking he's alive."
Lord Emberon's voice had a coldness to it, as if he were an indifferent observer, unaffected by the heaviness of life and death situations.
To him, this was just another ordinary event, just another Tuesday.
Looking at the injured knights, Lord Emberon stepped forward.
He moved slowly and deliberately, defying the laws of time. Each step he took carried a sense of authority and purpose.
The knights, their eyes fixed on his advancing figure, felt a strange tightness in their chests, as if his presence alone could let them forget the pain in their wounds from the earlier explosion.
They noticed that despite the devastation that had ravaged the training ground moments ago, Lord Emberon remained untouched.
His armor was shining brightly, his hair was slick, his skin was clean, and his expression was cold at the same time.
Addressing the knights with unwavering confidence, Lord Emberon declared, "Listen, all of you."
His words carried an undeniable authority that allowed no room for disagreement.
Then, singling out a particular knight with a pointed finger, he continued, "You, go over there," gesturing casually with his chin to the right side.
The knight who found himself under Lord Emberon's gaze was left speechless, unable to fully comprehend what was happening.
However, as he looked into Lord Emberon's eyes, a glimmer of fear sparked within his soul.
Memories of Lord Emberon's devastating power unleashed earlier flooded his mind, leaving him no choice but to silently agree.
"Yes, young lord," he replied respectfully.
With measured steps, the knight made his way toward the designated right side, as if walking through the remnants of a shattered reality.
But Lord Emberon didn't limit his instructions to just one knight. He repeated his commands to the others, each directive delivered with unwavering conviction. And as the knights dutifully followed their lord's orders, a sense of purpose and unity began to replace their initial confusion.
Once the task was complete, Lord Emberon turned his attention to the gathered knights, motioning for them to move further to the right.
"Not enough… Move farther…"
They moved farther and farther under his watchful gaze, their steps guided by an invisible force emanating from the resolute figure before them.
Finally, when he was satisfied, Lord Emberon gave a single approving nod.
"That's enough," he mumbled.
A solemn expression quickly appeared on Lord Emberon's face, replacing his usual composed features with seriousness.
Standing tall behind him were his mother and father, adding an air of authority to the scene.
"Wallace," Sophia said softly, barely above a whisper, but Lord Emberon didn't respond to her plea.
She wanted to talk to her son, she didn't mean to make him feel bad in the past, she wanted to prove to him that she loved him.
However, sensing them, Lord Emberon or Wallace turned his attention to Baron Willard and gave a short command.
"Take her with you, retreat for now," he ordered.
Baron Willard felt something was amiss, however, he sensed it to Devin earlier, and he concluded maybe that's why his son was secretive, so the Baron just nodded.
After his father left with his mother, Lord Emberon looked at the knights, who were still recovering from the destruction earlier, and spoke with certainty.
"He's gone.
"Are there others among you?"
His confident voice challenged the knights to reveal themselves.
Lord Emberon had an exceptional sense of smell, allowing him to detect subtle scents.
He recognized these knights by their scent, which had a striking similarity to the ones who had given a mysterious signal earlier to the now deceased Devin Holler to attack in his newly awakened Blazing Magic Knight form.
Despite their burned bodies, their distinct aroma remained, unmistakable and unchanged in his nose.
Also, the knights he had told to withdraw far away from here had a different fragrance, setting them apart from the rest of the people in front of him.
"Huh?"
Meanwhile, the remaining knights felt bewildered, struggling to understand what was happening. But their confusion didn't last long as they watched Lord Emberon prepare for another attack, reminiscent of the one he had unleashed on Devin.
"You-"
It seemed that Lord Emberon had no intention of giving them a chance to speak or plead their case.
"The Red Horse Faction will come after your head, you shitt-" one of them tried to say, their words hanging in the air for a moment before being consumed by Lord Emberon's furious outburst.
Once again, gray flames burst from Lord Emberon's mouth, like a flamethrower spewing its fiery blaze, engulfing the surroundings in scorching heat.
Another explosion shook the air, a destructive force that tore the fabric of reality apart, leaving only devastation behind.
Kaboom!