Chapter 76 - The Actor

"huaah!" Victor screamed, mustering his courage before telepathing his move to Aden. Although the technique was on point, his sword swings were predictable. Aden easily avoided his swords and kept his distance safe. Aden could tell that the former actor had never fought in a real battle before.In one single move, Aden was able to disarm Victor. He pointed his longsword at the actor."No, wait. I yield. Don't kill me." said the flamboyant actor on the wooden dock pleading for his life. The real Jinn was no match to the actor who used to portray the Jinn in the stage plays."Tsk, whimp." Marcus dissed at Victor in the distance while engaging Corporal Knightly.Aden knew Victor was inexperienced with the sword but he felt that the actor also seemed like he was half-assed in the fight. Victor sat on the wooden floor and tossed away his sword. Just as Aden expected from the beginning of clashing swords, Victor has no will to fight at all.Everyone looked at Marcus, he seemed like he couldn't grasp the reality. Marcus looked around. He was the only one who still opposed the retrieve party. Their plan has been foiled. The sailboat was still stuck on the dock. They couldn't get far."Surrender Marcus, it's over. you are outnumbered," said Ethan to his smuggler friend."Like hell I would," He resumed to attack the Corporal. They seemed like to be equal in prowess and skills. swords against dual blades, clanking between steels filled the shore among the crashing waves and breeze.In the midst of the confrontation, Marcus accidentally cut a rope, sending a torch tumbling onto the pole below. The flames eagerly consumed the rope, their greedy tendrils crawling upward, igniting the sail of the boat.In an instant, the vessel they had intended to commandeer for their escape was engulfed in fire, rendering it incapable of taking to the seas.Marcus's gaze snapped towards the harpy, strapped and bound to the main mast. Without hesitation, he clambered aboard the burning ship, his desperation palpable. Knightly gave chase, only to be halted by the fallen, smoldering remnants of the sail.Undeterred, Marcus darted to the opposite side of the vessel, his movements fueled by urgency. Aden pursued him relentlessly, his footsteps pounding against the wooden deck. In a flurry of movement, Marcus dropped the key to the harpy's shackles, and Aden swiftly scooped it up.Corporal Knightly rejoined the fray, confronting Marcus once more, his voice ringing out with authority. "Set her free, Aden!"Aden's brow furrowed in confusion. The captured harpy could serve as a valuable hostage against her kin, yet the Corporal demanded her release."Set her free?" Aden echoed, bewilderment etched across his features."Yes, you heard me the first time. Set her free!" Knightly's tone brooked no argument as he parried Marcus's attacks.Slowly, Aden advanced towards the captive harpy, the keys clutched in his hand. He raised them, a silent gesture conveying his intention to free her."Don't kick me, okay? I'm going to release you," Aden murmured as if the golden-winged creature could comprehend his words."Ruhimi, stop!" Marcus roared, his blade poised to strike Aden down. Knightly intervened, his blade deflecting the blow, but not before the edge grazed his left hand, the steel perilously close to Aden's neck.With steady hands, Aden unlocked the harpy's shackles, first the bindings on her wings, then the fetters around her ankles. Remarkably, the harpy remained still, as if sensing the benevolent intent behind Aden's actions.Aden's gaze met the harpy's, his voice tinged with urgency. "Now, go! What are you waiting for?"The golden-winged creature remained motionless, her strength sapped as if by some potent sedative. Realizing her vulnerability, Aden gently dragged her aside, ensuring her safety, if only for a fleeting moment.Corporal Knightly disengaged from his clash with Marcus, dashing backward as he assessed the rapidly unfolding situation. "Look! Your prize is no more. Give it up, Marcus."On the pier, Ser Percival and Victor worked feverishly, managing to unload the precious barrels of jerky beef from the doomed vessel before the flames could claim them.A piercing screech rent the air, a haunting cry that sent a chill down their spines. "Keeahh!""Harpies!" Oliver exclaimed, his voice laced with dread.Aden's gaze turned skyward, his eyes widening at the sight that greeted him – a vast flock of harpies descending from the amber-tinged heavens, their wings beating in a frenzied rhythm."Victor, grab your sword!" Aden shouted to the actor.The fire that consumed the boat's sail had served as a beacon, drawing the harpies' attention to the Monterei port. While a handful remained in their roost, posing a threat the villagers could contend with, the majority now swarmed towards the docks, their numbers overwhelming.Corporal Knightly leaped from the doomed vessel, leaving Marcus isolated on the burning deck. It was only a matter of moments before they would be engulfed by the harpy horde.⁕⁕⁕The golden hues of early dawn painted the sky, casting a warm glow over the scene unfolding at the docks. Aden, Ser Percival, and Maeda stood resolute, forming a defensive circle as they fought off the relentless onslaught of the harpies. Torches blazed in their hands, the flickering flames waved menacingly to deter the winged assailants.Even as the sunrise's radiant light bathed a portion of the dock where Oliver, Victor, and Ralph stood, their position was precarious – sitting ducks in the harpy's sights. The creatures had already taken note of their presence, their piercing cries echoing across the harbor."Victor, Oliver, get here!" Aden, Ser Percival, and Maeda called out in unison, their voices cutting through the chaos. Corporal Knightly swiftly joined their ranks, bolstering the defensive circle.The retrieval party fought with unwavering determination, fending off the relentless harpy onslaught. Yet, their efforts were not without cost, and the strain of their sustained defense was becoming increasingly evident."Knightly, we can't defend like this forever," Ser Percival grunted, his longsword flashing as he parried the incoming attacks, the torchlight casting flickering shadows across his face.The harpies were a bit off, they were as pesky as always yet less dangerous as if they couldn't see better. They were thrusting their claws blindly. Some of their claw attacks grabbed empty air even when the party was right in front of them.Corporal Knightly was busy looking for shelter. His eyes landed on a warehouse-like building near the labyrinth crates.They turned around the port where they found an unlocked front door of an abandoned building that seemed like a warehouse. the door was opened half they could see it from two stones throw distance."To the warehouse! hurry!" Corporal Knightly commanded over and over again. The warehouse was still under the shade of the mountain. The harpies couldn't see clearly. The party dashed to the warehouse. The harpies didn't chase after them.In the frantic dash, Aden noticed some stragglers trailing behind the group. Oliver and Victor were missing from the pack. Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted the former actor and the young boy sprinting for dear life, trailed by the treacherous Chedaim defector, Ralph. The harpies split off, zeroing in on the vulnerable trio lagging at the rear."Hurry! Move faster!" Aden bellowed, his voice strained with urgency.Ralph's eyes narrowed, a malicious glint flickering in their depths. With a callous shove, he sent Oliver tumbling towards the swooping harpies. Victor, fueled by instinct, leaped into harm's way, shielding Oliver from the savage assault. Razor-sharp talons ripped through flesh, and Victor's anguished cries pierced the air. Oliver scrambled behind a stack of crates, his face etched with horror."Victor!" Aden shouted.⁕⁕⁕Aden rushed back to Victor and Oliver, his blade whirling in a lethal arc while his other hand warded the harpies off with his torch. driving the harpies back long enough to scoop up Victor's battered form. But the damage was catastrophic – blood gushed from the grievous wounds, staining the ground with each feeble heartbeat. The vibrant light in Victor's eyes dimmed, his breaths growing shallow and labored.Aden handed over his torch to Oliver and wrapped Victor's arm around his shoulder. "Come on."on the corner of Aden's sight, Ralph was seen running away from the scene towards the beach where the road up to the mountain was.Corporal Knightly, Ser Percival, Ethan, and Maeda burst through. They formed a protective ring around Aden and the fading Victor, steel clashing against razor-sharp talons as the harpies descended upon them.Oliver, fueled by adrenaline and terror, broke free from the group and sprinted towards the looming silhouette of the warehouse. His feet pounded against the unforgiving ground, each stride propelling him closer to salvation. With trembling hands, he wrenched open the massive doors, ushering in a sliver of hope amidst the carnage.Aden's group fought their way towards Oliver's beckoning refuge, inching ever closer with each parry and thrust. Corporal Knightly's blade danced with lethal grace, carving a path through the relentless onslaught. Ser Percival deflected blow after blow with his shield. Maeda's Median katana whirled in a deadly dance, slicing through feathers and flesh with surgical precision."Come! Quick!" Oliver called from behind the half-opened double door. The boy was the first to get inside the warehouse.Inch by agonizing inch, they closed the distance, their boots leaving crimson footprints in their wake. Victor's life hung by a thread, his shallow breaths a haunting metronome counting down the precious seconds."Hang in there, Victor. We're not done yet..." Aden and Ethan carried Victor. Maeda was behind them unleashing arrows at the harpies, hitting some of them."Close the door!" Corporal Knightly yelled.Finally, with a last burst of strength, they hurled themselves through the open doors, Oliver slamming them shut just as the harpies converged. Talons scraped against the unyielding barrier, shrill cries of fury echoing in the confines of the warehouse. For now, they were safe, but the respite was fleeting.Aden cradled Victor's broken form, his eyes searching the former actor's pallid features for any sign of life. A faint flutter of eyelashes, a shallow rise and fall of the chest – these meager signs were all that remained. With a trembling hand, Aden brushed away the sweat-matted hair from Victor's brow, his voice a hoarse rasp.The cavernous warehouse enveloped them in eerie silence, the only sound of their ragged breaths echoing off the bare walls. Aden sank to the ground, cradling Victor's broken form, his own chest heaving from the desperate flight."Shit, that was close," he rasped, his words laced with a mixture of relief and grim realization. Maeda's grave nod mirrored the sentiment, the Japanese warrior's eyes still wide from the harrowing ordeal."Yabai ne," he murmured in a foreign phrase.With the harpies temporarily held at bay by the unyielding doors, they allowed themselves a fleeting moment of respite. Aden gently lowered Victor to the ground, his calloused hands applying pressure to the grievous wounds that continued to weep crimson."Hang on, my friend," he urged, his voice thick with a rare tenderness. "You're gonna be okay."Victor's lips moved, but only a faint murmur escaped, his grip tightening around Aden's hand as if clinging to the last remnants of life. Oliver fell to his knees beside them, his youthful features etched with horror and disbelief."How is he?" Knightly's gruff inquiry cut through the tension, his own battle-hardened gaze fixed on the grim scene before them.Aden shook his head, his jaw set in a tight line. "Shit, he's lost too much blood."Working in tandem, he and Oliver applied desperate pressure to the gaping wounds, but the crimson tide showed no signs of abating. Victor's body was a canvas of agony, his back a tapestry of lacerated flesh and exposed bone, as if a hundred blades had carved their cruel paths through his skin."Stay with me, damn it," Aden growled, his voice edged with a rare tremor of emotion. "Don't you dare leave us?"Victor's eyes fluttered open, his gaze finding Aden's and then drifting to Oliver's stricken features. "It's...okay...Aden," he rasped, each word a monumental effort. "Take care...my daughter...and Oliver.""No, no, no," Oliver pleaded, his tears mingling with the blood that stained his hands. "Don't leave us, Victor. What about my acting class? We still have so much to do."But Victor's grip grew slack, his eyes losing their faint spark as the final breath escaped his lips. Aden could only watch, helpless, as the light faded from his friend's gaze, the once-vibrant soul now a hollow vessel.Gently, reverently, Aden leaned forward and closed Victor's eyelids, sealing away the emptiness that remained. His voice was a hoarse whisper, laced with a sorrow that cut deeper than any blade."May the heart of the braves live forever."In those final moments, the former actor had embodied the role he was born to play – a Jinn warrior, fierce and unyielding until the bitter end. He had lived the life of a thespian but died a true hero, his legacy etched into the annals of valor.As Victor's lifeless form grew cold, the warehouse seemed to compress around them, the weight of their loss a suffocating shroud. Ralph's treachery had exacted a devastating toll, but whether the twisted defector had met his own fate at the talons of the harpies, Aden could not bring himself to care.All that mattered now was the stark reality before them – a comrade fallen, a life extinguished too soon.⁕⁕⁕