Prince Khane and Phera rushed towards the source of the fight, and upon arrival, they saw a young lady battling a formidable foe on the rooftop. Phera instinctively wanted to intervene, but a hand on her shoulder restrained her.
"Who is that?!" Phera exclaimed, turning to face the person who had grabbed her shoulder.
"Don't go, she wants to fight alone," the person replied. "I wanted to help her, but she refused. This demon is a higher demon, though it's mortal. It's the mortal river demon responsible for killing men."
Phera's gaze narrowed, unsure who was speaking. "Who are you?" she asked, looking at the person.
Prince Khane filled in the gap, "That's Arnin."
Arnin smiled, seemingly pleased that Prince Khane remembered him. "You actually remembered my name!" he said, playfully slapping Prince Khane's arm. "We're buddies now. How about my offer? Do you want me to take you in as my disciple?"
Arnin's eyes sparkled with excitement as he turned to Prince Khane. "You want to be my disciple, don't you? I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" He chuckled, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "But first, tell me, what's your name? I asked you first, but you told Phera instead!"
Phera stepped forward, her voice calm and authoritative. "His name is Khailian, and I'm Phera. And before you consider taking him as your disciple, Arnin, you should help him with his damaged meridians."
Arnin's expression turned serious, his brow furrowed in concern. "Damaged meridians? How did that happen, Khailian? You're a prince, and yet...?"
Prince Khane's eyes dropped, his voice laced with uncertainty. "I don't know, Arnin. Phera said It looks like I did it myself, but I have no memory of it.
Arnin nodded thoughtfully, his eyes never leaving Prince Khane's face. "Don't worry, Khailian. I'll help you, and together, we'll find a way to restore your meridians. And then, who knows? Maybe you'll become my most powerful disciple yet!"
As Arnin spoke, his gaze drifted back to the rooftop, where the young woman continued her fierce battle against the mortal river demon. "She's got spirit, I'll give her that."
The lady on the roof wielded her lute-turned-sword with grace and precision, her movements harmonizing with the melodic hum of her instrument. Her spin, stride, and power usage were on another level, surpassing even Phera and Arnin's expertise. She was likely in a higher phase than both of them.
As she fought, the demon acknowledged her skill, "You are a worthy opponent!" The lady eradicated dark purple energy with ease, then transcended and escaped. The young woman swiftly followed, her determination evident.
"She's heading towards the sea, where she'll be even stronger," Phera observed, her eyes narrowing. "I'm joining the fight. Is she so powerful that she thinks she can take down the demon alone? Two heads are better than one!"
With that, Phera transcended and chased after them. Arnin followed suit, his voice calling out, "Three heads are better than one! Take care of yourself, Khailian!"
Prince Khane could not transcend, so he relied on his mortal legs to carry him towards the sea. He ran as fast as he could, but his legs were no match for the speed of the transcended trio. Exhaustion soon took its toll, and he slowed to a stop, panting heavily.
Just as he was about to give up, he spotted a horse in a nearby yard, unguarded and untethered. Without hesitation, Prince Khane walked in and began to untie the horse. A little girl at the window was watching him with curious eyes.
Prince Khane met her gaze and offered a faint smile. "I promise to bring it back. I'm not stealing, I'm borrowing it."
He mounted the horse,"I'm a Goodman, and I keep my promises."
With a loud "Yah!!" Prince Khane rode the horse towards the sea, his heart pounding in his chest. The wind whipped through his hair as he galloped along the shore, his eyes fixed on the ship in the distance.
Finally, he arrived at the shore, where he saw the young lady, Arnin, and Phera engaged in an epic battle with the demon on a ship. The clash of powers was awe-inspiring, with waves crashing and energy blasts illuminating the sky.
Prince Khane watched, mesmerized by the battle, feeling a mix of emotions: wonder, jealousy, and regret. He couldn't help but think about his own mistake, destroying his meridians and rendering himself unable to transcend and fight alongside.
The young lady, Phera, and Arnin formed a united front around the demon lady, who was summoning her powers. "Let's finish this in one go with our best moves!" Phera yelled.
"Tune of Death!" the young lady declared, transforming her sword back into a lute. She strummed the strings, unleashing a wave of white energy towards the demon lady.
Before the demon lady could react, Arnin launched his attack. "Daze-Formidable-Strike!" he exclaimed, striking his sword and releasing a burst of red energy.
Phera followed suit, her voice filled with determination. "Bone-Swift-Frost! You're dead this time. I want to see how your minions will disturb the peace of Tamil state after you're gone!" She struck her spear, unleashing a wave of white cold energy that engulfed the demon.
The triple attack proved too much for the demon lady, and she let out a defeated yell as she dissipated into nothingness.
"It is done," Arnin said, his feet landing on the shore.
"Finally," Phera added, her feet touching down beside Arnin's. Together, they watched as the demon's remains vanished into thin air.
The young lady walked towards them, her expression serene. "You all are skilled."
Prince Khane dismounted his horse and rushed to join them, a grin still plastered on his face. "That was satisfying! I wish I could've joined the fight."
Arnin chuckled confidently. "I'll do even more when I break through to the fifth phase, and then the eighth phase. Nameless and I will be at the same level then."
Phera raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with skepticism. "You really think Nameless will remain at the eighth phase forever? Who knows, he might already be in the Sovereign phase... or even Immortality."
The young lady's gaze turned to Phera, her interest piqued. "You know Nameless too? I'm going to Bacain State to meet him."
Phera smiled wistfully. "Who doesn't know Nameless? It's almost dawn; I need to get back home before they notice I'm gone. It was great meeting you other talented individuals."
"I also have to go," the young lady with long raven hair said, walking away.
"Young miss!" Arnin yelled, trying to get her attention.
She turned around, "What is it?"
"I am Arnin, this is Khailian, and this is Phera," Arnin said, gesturing to his companions. "What is your name?"
"Khilian," she replied, her voice carrying across the distance.
With that, she transcended away, leaving the trio staring after her in surprise.
"Khilian, huh?.sounds familiar and almost like my name" Prince Khane said his eyes still fixed on her.
Arnin nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I have a feeling we'll meet again."