The strong metallic scent of blood, the grotesque scene of littered dismembered corpses, the dusty air, and the eerily darkening sky.
All these details did I behold upon reaching the mansion's compound. However, none of them were as captivating as the sight of the fighting unfolding before me.
The black-clothed figure whom I knew was Eiko, danced… or rather, her sword style seemed like a dance—one capable of leaving a man my stature mesmerized.
She flowed through the offensives those men executed with other-worldly grace, cutting them down swiftly and skillfully. It was obvious they stood no chance.
Her double-bladed offensive remained unstoppable even with the formidable barrage of five men at once. None survived, and blood continued to flow. So much so that I started feeling uncomfortable watching that fight.
She was merciless, and I saw her in a new light.
My legs remained planted in my position, as I dared not venture into that battlefield lest she mistook me for an enemy and slew me.
Still, a weighty pressure soon landed on my body and the hair on my neck stood—electrified by her blood-thirsty gaze.
I shivered, unable to stop doubts from seeping into my being.
She had no use for me now… her brother was safe after all.
Before I could finish my contemplation, her shadow appeared before me, and our eyes met.
Was this the same Eiko I had spent the last days interacting with?
She seemed nothing like she used to be. Every ounce of her figure exuded mind-boggling danger. I did not know when I held my breath.
"Did everything go as planned?" She asked, ignoring the men that formed an arc around us; swords drawn and approaching us slowly.
Did they not understand that only death awaited such an approach? Or were they blind to the death of their comrades?
I nodded at her question, mute from the pressure her very words emitted.
Her voice grated upon my ears with high-pitched intensity. She could see the discomfort in my black eyes. I was weary of her and for good reasons.
Her dark gaze lingered on my figure and I feared for the worse. However, her attention went to her brother whom I backed. Although his clothes were bloodied, his breathing assured her of his safety.
She voiced a soft sigh and I felt the danger she exuded reduce in intensity.
She indeed cared about her brother, since the knowledge of my approach had put pressure on her mind.
Those violently-killed men had suffered the consequences of her worries. Worries brought about by my idea.
I shuddered at the idea that they had died that way because of me.
"We don't have much time," I said at some point, noticing about fifteen men were gathered around us. The few that remained were doing something, and I wasn't keen on finding out what.
Eiko was strong, but she was still in a weakened state.
"I understand," she resolved, turning to shoot towards them. I witnessed what could only be considered a massacre, as those men stood no chance against a person nearing the peak of the Earth-Realm.
Notwithstanding, she was much calmer than before, and instead ended them in quick attacks, not allowing them to suffer any more than they should.
"War is terrible," I muttered, when he returned. It seemed she had cleared that camp.
Good lord!
"It is," she responded, understanding why I had said that. She kept the rest of her worries to herself though.
"You should go with him first," I suggested, allowing her to back him instead. Warmth appeared in her eyes for the second time that day, and conviction quickly followed.
"Please stay alive, I'll be back as soon as I can," she beckoned, bending her knees slightly to perform a leap that allowed her to land on the wall before the second one sent her out of sight.
The portion of the wall she had jumped from saw cracks as a result, and so did the ground.
The mere sounds from her movements were impressive. I missed having those capabilities.
Shaking my head in relief, I scanned the world around me.
Everything was silent now… thanks to the scores of dead men littered around.
It had been a bloodshed… but it was war.
Finding a sword that had not shattered from the fight with Eiko, I armed myself and looked up at the mansion.
It had to be empty of everyone but maids who dared not come out. I had encountered some on my way and they had merely shrunk into hiding.
As such, instead of idly waiting, I could search for anything worthy of value.
"Do you know if there's a treasury here?" I demanded from the female maids who took hiding in a certain living space. Their figures shivered from crippling fear. So I reckoned Eiko would not be too happy knowing I terrorized her people.
Still, I needed a guide.
I was not used to having to care about another person's opinion in a matter that could potentially benefit me.
I felt stuck.
The sound of footsteps approaching that room drew my attention, though. But when two armed men barged through the room, I was prepared to face them.
Ushan's soldiers were skilled, skilled enough that no half-baked swordsman could stand against them.
Unfortunately for them, I wasn't such.
My fight with them took more time than Eiko would have spent, but the result remained expected.
"This is ugly," I remarked—difficulty evident in my eyes at the dead men.
Panting, I tried to regain my strength, even if I already knew it would be futile.
Healing Seinaru had expended most of my energy.
Still, I heard more men marching through the hallways, and clicked my tongue; already making my way out of there.
Not even I could handle five men at once. At least not in my state.
"There he is!" One of the soldiers shouted when he discovered my figure sprinting away.
I made my way towards the entrance when I heard something that shook me to my core.
"We contacted Sir Vex, he's on his way already!"
My mind spun, and even though I had never seen the mentioned person, I got the idea of his identity.
Who else other than a stronger person could they have called?
My figure burst out into the open—an action I would later regret, since just as the soldier had said; I caught sight of a speeding object descending from the sky to land no more than ten-meters from my position.
The impact had been tremendous and I was nearly flung off my feet.
A thick cloud of swirling dust rose as that sudden arrival caused the winds to blow fiercely, spreading the cloud of dust, and limiting visibility.
Debris flew everywhere, raining into me, but I withstood them.
Still.
What in Sol's name had arrived?!
Surprisingly, my answer came sooner than expected.
Coughing as a result of the dust I had inhaled, I shielded my face and tried to back away from obvious danger, even if horror took hold of my being when I backed into something… or rather, someone solid enough to not budge.
"O-oh what do we have here?" To my terror, a man's voice rang out.