Ezra led the way, keeping a sharp eye out for any suspicious movement, but he relaxed slightly as he sensed no disturbances in the surrounding Aether. He knew some cultists could mask their presence, but he felt confident in his ability to counter any sneak attacks. After all, he'd dealt with ambushes before—often against opponents far stronger than those they were likely to encounter now.
Still, he kept his hand close to his blade, ready for anything. This mission had already proven to be far more complex than he'd anticipated, and he wasn't about to let his guard down now.
Ezra walked cautiously, scanning the foliage for any disturbances. The silence around the group was broken by Alfira's tentative voice.
"Mister Ezra, I did a bit of research on your mercenary group's history," she began, careful to choose her words. "I read that you once managed to slay a witch. From what I gathered, I assumed you must have found the source of her power and struck when she was unguarded to win." She hesitated before continuing, "But... I saw the corpse of that Chaos Paladin. His head was removed in one clean stroke."
She paused, her gaze lingering on Ezra as though weighing a mystery. "Just who are you? Even now, without masking your Aether, you're only at the adept level, though you're on the brink of a breakthrough. But even then, that level of power shouldn't be enough to kill a Chaos Paladin, let alone one with as few injuries as you had. Especially him—he was over two hundred years old, a direct servant of the demonic royal family."
Ezra glanced back at her, his expression unreadable. "I'm no one special," he replied coolly. "Just someone who's been through more fights than I'd care to count. And if you want my advice, you might want to focus more on surviving this journey than digging into my past."
Alfira regarded him in silence, unsure whether to press further. After a moment, she nodded, though it was clear she was left with more questions than answers.
Korr chimed in, "Speaking of which, I still haven't seen you fight seriously, boss. I've watched you train, but training and real combat are worlds apart."
Ezra glanced back at Korr, then returned his focus to the path ahead, his hand tightening around his sword's hilt. "Well, looks like you're in luck," he replied. "You're about to see me in action right now. Protect Alfira for me this time. I'll take over next round—I want to see how you handle yourself in a real fight, too."
Korr grinned, giving a nod of excitement as he took his place beside Alfira.
As Ezra drew his blade, a group of twelve figures in burgundy robes emerged from the shadows. Six held long pikes, forming a menacing front line, while the other six stood behind, each gripping a lantern-like object housing a rare, glowing gem.
Ezra let his Aether envelop his blade, smirking as he observed their setup. "Ah, mages too—looks like they've invested a lot into this bunch. Ruby catalysts, even? That's quite a price tag," he remarked with a glint of excitement. "But... judging by your Aether levels, none of you seem to be above rune level three. Pity."
"You dare mock the great cul—" The mage's words cut off as the top half of his head was sliced clean off, spraying blood across Ezra and the other cultists. Ezra now stood behind the group, his hybrid form active, shadows swirling around him.
"Sorry," he said with a smirk, "but I have to put on a show for my subordinate. Can't afford to look weak right now."
The mages turned silently, their eyes narrowed as they began to prepare their spells. Meanwhile, the pikemen at the front charged at Ezra, determined to break through his defenses.
Ezra sidestepped the charge, slipping past the front line and moving directly toward the mages. With swift, precise movements, he sliced through the runes they were weaving, canceling their spells before they could cast them.
From the sidelines, Alfira's eyes widened. "How is it that he can slice through runes? They're supposed to be incorporeal!"
Ezra flourished his sword, bisecting a mage with ease. "Simple," he replied, "Shadow-affinity Aether absorbs any Aether it touches—including the external Aether that mages use to cast. So I can stop spells before they activate."
He shrugged as he deflected another strike. "Not many people know this since shadow Aether's rare. Most people aren't compatible with it—personality wise, it's hard to wield. But for me, it just came naturally."
Ezra swiftly cut down the last of the mages, then turned his attention to the remaining pikemen. Korr's voice broke through the chaos, curiosity clear in his tone. "Uh, so… Alfira and I were wondering—isn't that a panther's head around you? I thought you were human. Were you a were-beast all along?"
Ezra dashed into the pikemen with ease, responding mid-strike, "It's an Aether technique. But from what that chaos paladin hinted, it's probably connected to my bloodline. Sorry, Korr, but I doubt it's something you'd be able to learn."
Ezra moved with relentless precision, each step calculated, his shadow-wreathed form a blur. The six pikemen barely had a moment to react before he was upon them, his blade dancing between their defenses.
With a single sweeping motion, he parried two pikes aimed at his chest, sidestepping just in time to avoid a third, and countered with a swift slash that left one pikeman crumpling to the ground. Pivoting on his heel, he flowed seamlessly into the next strike, his blade slicing through the wooden shafts of their pikes and rendering their weapons useless.
The remaining pikemen, now weaponless and visibly shaken, tried to fall back, but Ezra showed no mercy. He lunged forward, shadowy Aether trailing in his wake like smoke, and with a powerful downward swing, cleaved through two more.
The last of them, desperate and terrified, raised his broken pike in a last-ditch defense. Ezra's panther-shaped Aether roared to life around him as he swung his blade in a final arc, shattering the man's defenses and ending the fight with cold efficiency.
As the dust settled, Ezra lowered his weapon, the panther form dissipating as his Aether receded. He turned to Korr and Alfira with a steady gaze. "That's the last of them. Let's keep moving before any more of their friends show up."
Alfira looked at Ezra with a mix of fear and respect, her mouth slightly agape. "I know I said I'd drop it, but who are you, really? Some ancient bloodline that a two-century-old Chaos Paladin knows about, sword skills on par with royal guards, a strange Aether affinity, and even stranger techniques—and you barely look twenty! How is any of this possible?"
Ezra sighed, wiping blood from his face. "Since you're from the Abyss, I guess you wouldn't know about the rebellion. But, yeah, as strange as it sounds, I'm basically a war veteran. My skills were honed in real combat, and I spent some time as a gladiator too. I had to do things I'd rather forget, but they got me to where I am now. For a while, I was just wandering, letting my skills go to waste... then I did something stupid and realized I needed a purpose. So here I am, putting my sword skills to actual use."
Korr chuckled, wrapping an arm around Ezra's shoulder. "So, what was so stupid that it made you come to the capital and start working as a sellsword?"
Ezra didn't shrug off the large bear man's arm and sighed. "I… slept with a married woman. And not just that—she had a kid. It's not like I was a saint while wandering; I admit I was Whoring around, mostly with widows from the rebellion. But this time, I went way too far, even for me. Worse, I was friends with her husband. After he punched me in the face, I figured it was time to turn things around and stop wasting my life."
Alfira spoke up from the back, her voice laced with surprise. "Wow, didn't take you for the type, not with your skills. I guess I kinda assumed you were more in love with the blade than women. Guess you really can't judge a book by its cover."
Ezra shrugged, his tone casual. "Well, it just kind of happened. Had my first time a little after I turned sixteen, and I couldn't exactly say no in that situation. Ever since then, I get... a little uncontrollable when my blood starts pumping."
It was Korr's turn to speak, his voice light and teasing. "Jeez, boss. Why'd you have to make it all sad? Can't you read the room?"