AZEL
I didn't know what happened but I was by now frozen in shock, panting heavily as I gazed at my right hand. The enemy's body laid immobile, a few meters away from where I stood, his jaw completely broken.
Did I do that? What just happened? The memories slapped back at my mind.
I had been convulsing in extreme pain and agony when I suddenly felt a violent and uncontrollable surge of energy rushing through my body. My legs and hand had moved before I could understand what was happening and then there had been a blinding light on impact with my fist crashing on the enemy's face.
I held my hand frozen and looked at the damage I had caused on the enemy's face.
What….what was this?
There was a sudden still by now and the beasts had stopped moving and were crumbling to the ground like clods of dirt, everyone else had gotten a feel of their limbs by now and some persons charged to where Sir Caes laid.
I sighed in relief when I sighted Sir Caes, he looked like he was half conscious but he was breathing so he was still alive. His eyes pried open a little and I could tell he was gasping for breath.
I made to reach run to him but a figure suddenly threw itself over me squeezing me until it felt like my bones would break. The figure pulled back and Freya's face came into view. My heart palpitated all of a sudden. The look on her face….I couldn't tell what it was but she gave a gentle scoff.
"You okay? She asked and I nodded, pulling myself away from her arms.
"I'm fine, you don't have to baby me" I retorted.
"Xander! Caes! A shrill female voice came and I caught the sight of lady Adora rushing to where we stood along with the others. She had tears of relief and at same time grief streaming down her eyes.
I still couldn't understand what was happening but I had done something and that secured Sir Caes's safety. I didn't know whether to feel grateful or terrified.
"Azel, what happened? How….." Freya looked to the enemy and back to me.
"How did you do that? Her voice came and my mouth felt as dry as a desert. I didn't know what to say.
Just then, a gnawing feeling came at me like my bones were being pulled together and I felt my body go stiff. I couldn't move all of a sudden. Freya also froze. Lady Adora gave a violent grunt but it was futile. Someone was stopping our bodies from moving!
A figure emerged from the ground like a mist of smoke. The mist swirled, intertwining and unlocking till I could see the outline of a well defined feminine structure. Her gray hair ran down her shoulders like the clouds and her black rugged robe swept the floor. Her gray soul stone shone on her pale forehead.
"How unseem this is" She said with a bland indifferent sigh, her eyes resting lazily on Arne.
"How pitiful that you've been decapitated by a child. Well…for your sake, I may as well complete your mission despite your incompetence" Her voice vibrated like a gentle thunderstorm and I saw her look at me.
My heart stopped as she moved closer to where I was. She ran her finger along my face while all I could do was grunt and groan. I couldn't even speak!
"Aren't you quite the charming young man? You have such great power boy. Certainly My Lord would be delighted if I were to bring you as a trophy. It certainly would be pleasant in his eyes,no? Besides I wouldn't mind keeping you myself" She said with a sly and naughty smile as she ran her finger over my face. I felt bile rise up my throat.
"Le…leave….h….him alone"
Freya forced the words out and the lady cast her a lazy glare.
"If I don't? None of you can do anything in these circumstances. Now I must hurry and complete that buffoon's mission and be on my way. Wait for me, darling"
She intoned the last part at me with a gentle timbre. She lifted her left hand and I felt a sudden violent force pull my body a distance away from Freya to where Sir Xander's body laid.
Then I saw the sly lady walk up to Sir Caes and pry a knife from within her robe. I grunted in futility along with the others. Tears streamed down lady Adora's eyes. Frustration was smeared on all their faces including mine.
The strange lady gave a wild cackle. My heart crashed against my rib cage as the insane feeling of dread ran through my veins. Where was the power I had felt earlier? Where had it gone? I needed to do something. I needed to save Sir Caes.
No….Sir Caes…..
"Goodbye knight" She brought the knife down on his soul stone but then it stopped just at the point of impact. I gasped.
What just happened?
Then we saw it. A whip-like trail of dark shadows wrapped around her body, her neck and arms squeezing at her. She grunted and struggled but the whip gripped at her tighter. She let out a shrill cry as it sent her hand bending in the opposite direction till the knife fell off her hands. Slowly I felt feelings come back to my legs and hands. Everyone began regaining the feelings in their bodies, surprise etched on their faces.
Then I moved my head sideways and I couldn't be more stunned.
Sir Xander!
He stretched out his left hand on the floor, lifting his face in an agonizing struggle. He grimaced as I saw him struggle to his feet, blood trailing down his mouth. His eyes were pitch black and ice cold.
He coughed, staggering to his feet. With his other hand, he took hold of the spear which had been run through his chest and pulled it out with one pull and a slight grunt! I stood a few feets away from him, my legs quaking in terror and awe.
I could see Freya's face and for once I could read what I saw in her eyes cause it was the same as mine.
Pure awe.
Sir Xander threw the spear away and squeezed harder at the mist lady who was by now giving an agonizing and shrill cry. One by one, her joints were broken in near pieces till she went unconscious. How it didn't kill her was what I wondered but I could tell she was still alive because she was breathing.
Lady Adora gasped in teary relief at the sight of Sir Xander. Sir Philip released a sigh of relief also with a smile playing at the side of his lips.
"Man, how cool can you get? He dropped his arrows and dashed to where he stood.
Sir Xander staggered and Sir Philip supported his body before he fell.
"She passed out already. Just relax"
"I'm fine," Sir Xander snapped with a grunt. He panted heavily as Sir Philip pulled his hand over his shoulder and held his waist in support. I saw Sir Xander's eyes turn back to normal as he gazed at the misty lady and Sir Caes. He lazily glanced at the other figure whose jaw had been completely broken then his eyes rested on me. They were deep. Like they were searching the very corners of my soul. So deep but yet I couldn't read what he was probably thinking but at that moment I felt something. Like…like a spark.
"Was that your doing? I heard his voice come at me and I froze.
"Em…ye…..yes sir! I muttered unsure of what to say. I saw Sir Philip look at me completely stunned.
I would be stunned too. How did that insane power come from a body without a soul stone?
Sir Xander didn't say a word after that; instead he simply spat out a spittle of blood and released himself from Sir Philip's hold and began walking towards Sir Caes with staggering steps.
"Xander…you're wounded ... .you need to lay down…" Sir Philip followed behind him.
"Is he alright? Sir Xander asked Lady Adora who crouched by Caes's side.
"Yes, he's breathing but he's unconscious. We just need to take him to the physician..."
Adora let out a throaty gasp as she lifted her eyes to look at him.
"You too Xander, you're bleeding"
"I'm fine. Take care of Caes. Gaius confine the enemies. Philip you and the others make sure everyone else is okay"
He said and I saw him move away.
He was so much cooler in person than I had heard. I looked to Sir Caes at that point as Lady Adora and a few knights helped lift him up as they carried him to the physician's tent. Sir Gaius confined the enemies. Sir Philip and some others made sure those who were injured received treatment while the others who were uninjured like myself were asked to go home as the result of the recruitment exercise would be finalized and displayed after they had taken care of everything else.
As I moved home, I tried to avoid the others, those who had seen what happened, especially Hannes. I still couldn't tell what had happened and how it had happened. I couldn't understand. I didn't have a soul stone. Where did that power come from? And why had it suddenly disappeared?
I looked at my clenched fist.
What was I? Why did I feel such power at that point I'm fine? Who was this Kiya? That strange woman. Why did it feel like she was speaking to me? Why did it feel like she was talking about me? Why did it feel like I knew her?
Why did she call me her son?
I had to speak to my mother. Maybe she could probably tell me who this Kiya was.
SECOND PERSON POINT OF VIEW
Xander tightened the bandage wrapped around his chest and tied it in place with a slight grunt. The bleeding had subsided but he wouldn't be able to move as flexibly as he did for a while.
He pulled his long black hair back into a ponytail, tying it.
He had been lucky. If he had been born a normal being he would have died from having a spear run through the left side of his chest but he didn't.
He dropped his coat by a wooden chair and sat down, anchoring his elbows on his knees. His lazy eyes gazed at the nothingness for split seconds.
Then a thought hit him. The lad....The yellow haired one from earlier. He had seen him in action. Had seen the insane power he possessed. Had felt it too strangely enough. It had felt like a spark. A spark in his soul. He didn't know what it was but for some reason he could tell there was more to the lad that met the eye.