Inside the resting room of Glenwood Cavern, following a night of the heated fight, John and Lyra sat inside the cave with the soft glow of the crystals around them.
Lyra reached inside a square spatial pocket in a rectangular shaped package that John had never seen before.
"Master, I want you to try something out. It’s guaranteed to be worth your time."
John glanced at the square package with open suspicion. "What is it?"
"It’s called instant noodles, something that came via the rift from what’s called Japan... the origin world of the Silent Blade."
John gave her a strange look. "Do I know who the Silent Blade is? Never heard of such a person."
"Don’t worry Master, I’m gonna to explain." Lyra’s voice was calm. "The Silent Blade is the legendary student of the second best swordmaster in all of Alderia."
The look on John’s face was enough for Lyra to suddenly kneel on the floor in front of him before asking worriedly,
"What’s the matter, Master? Are you all right?"
John was silent to her question before he finally said, "...I didn’t know she would be so well renowned. I remember the day Swordmaster Glenn ordered me to keep her safe... but I failed to honor that promise."
He looked up at the ceiling. "She ran off on her own saying something about avenging her master. So, I assume she’s still alive?"
Lyra paused for a few seconds before saying, "Well... enough about her, Master. Let’s just have some ramen for lunch and go."
John shook his head. "About that. We are not going anywhere until the one who’s already here comes out."
Suddenly a deep voice seemed to echo around the chamber.
"I never thought someone could detect me... but it is indeed the distinguished Necromancer and the traitor Lyra enjoying each other’s company."
A bald-headed man was raised up from the stone floor as if the floor itself had birthed him. His presence was so overpowering that Lyra’s eyes widened in alarm. He was not someone that she would have been able to sense normally. Against an average person she would have sensed him instantly, but this man was one of the Five Great Mages.
Hiden Cromwell.
"No need to enter a fighting stance," the old man said lazily as he raised a hand. "I’m not here to harm anyone. Truthfully, I could have done it the moment Lyra took out those noodles. I am here merely for the delivery of a certain piece of news.
It’s not exactly good news, but I don’t see how it could matter as you two will be dead the moment she arrives. The Hero is going to take her revenge and she’s targeting every member of the higher-ups."
John’s eyes turned dark. "So what does that have to do with us? You’re all scum. I’m not in cahoots with any of you anymore. If the Hero comes, she won’t kill me."
Hiden chuckled. "Young people these days are so full of energy. What can an old man like me do against amateurs who are so easily convinced that the higher-ups can be overthrown so easily?"
His voice became cold.
"If you two do not comply with the law and come with me... I’ll kill you myself."
He raised his hand again.
[Earth Spike]
Sharp pillars shot up from the floor. Without thinking, Lyra threw herself in front of John taking most of the blow. Several of the pillars pierced through her side. Blood spattered across the resting room floors as she staggered on, refusing to fall completely.
John’s voice was confused and angry. "Why did you do that?"
Lyra forced a weak smile as blood trickled down her chin. "Master... if you died, how could I ever keep living knowing that I let you die while I lived."
Her eyes fluttered closed before she collapsed, unconscious.
John caught her before she hit the ground and gently laid her down.
"Lyra, take a rest. I’ll win this fight... for you."
Hiden laughed loudly. "Oh, how sweet. A summoner falling for his old nemesis. Well, she’s your undead now. How does it feel knowing that you have a thing for dead pussy, huh?"
John’s eyes turned cold. "You’ll take that back."
John’s left hand manifested the Soulreaper Scythe. He swung it full force. Hiden raised a mass of stone.
[Rock Wall]
The scythe slammed into the wall cracking it, but not breaking through. In the next instant John who had swung the scythe vanished. Another one appeared behind Hiden.
Hiden turned around and formed his fist of hardened earth and drove it to John’s gut. His fist went through empty air.
Lyra’s illusion skill had activated even while she was barely conscious, creating a layered Phantom Execution which made a perfect decoy of John as it moved the real bodies.
Lyra suddenly stood beside the real John again as his twin daggers were already in her hands, pulled from the sheaths at her lower back. Blood still stained her armor, but her eyes were sharp.
Together, they attacked.
John’s scythe and Lyra’s daggers struck from both sides. Hiden hardened his entire body of earth magic and then swung his arm.
[Earth Slash]
A huge crescent of compressed stone and force tore through the chamber. This would have been enough to cut both of them in half.
A black blade intercepted it.
Steel met stone with a deafening sound. The earth slash shattered.
Aiko Kurogane stood between them and Hiden with her katana already drawn and her cold eyes focused on the old Mage.
Hiden’s expression twisted. "What do you know... the Hero herself has arrived. How did you catch up so fast, you monster?"
Aiko moved.
She blurred forward and brought her katana in a perfect arc. Two layers of hardened earth raised to stop the blade. The impact still sent Hiden reeling back several steps.
"I am one of the Five Great Mages — Hiden Cromwell," he growled. "You will taste despair, you disgusting Necromancer... and you too, Hero."
He slammed his palm into the floor.
[Molten Earth]
The stone under Aiko’s feet began to glow and melt into lava. This was a mistake of his.
Aiko’s eyes sharpened.
[Heavenly Sever]
A single devastating iaido strike tore through the air. Hiden sensing the attack, desperately summoned a giant earth golem in front of himself.
The slash cut through the golem as if it were paper, continuing on and slicing through both layers of hardened earth protecting Hiden’s body.
Blood sprayed. A deep diagonal wound opened across his chest.
Aiko stood there, katana lowered, voice cold. "This is the end, Hiden."
Hiden threw his head back and laughed even as blood ran down his torso.
I can’t believe you forced me to use ten percent of my strength. Do you know why we are called the Five Great Mages? You think it’s because we have an arsenal of powerful spells?"
He grinned, his teeth stained red.
"No. It’s because we are the greatest at controlling mana in the entire world of Alderia."
The dungeon shook with a deep, violent rumble. Rocks crumbled down from the ceiling. The walls groaned.
"Let’s get this over with, shall we?"
[Earth Avalanche]
The entire dungeon began to collapse. Massive pieces of the ceiling and walls tore themselves free and started to fall.
Hiden’s voice echoed as he stared at Aiko seeing that she had saved John and Lyra.
"So you saved them huh? Your speed is just as tremendous as the rumors said. Our battle will be legendary, dear Silent Blade."
Somewhere, far away from the collapsing dungeon, four figures surrounded a long table. These were the remaining members of the Five Great Mages. One of those seat were empty.
A man with green spiked hair and sharp calculating eyes, this man is known as Kael Veyne, the Wind Mage, one of the five great mages.
He placed three floating photos above the table.
"Let us commence the meeting regarding the elimination of our greatest current threats. If we allow these three to keep living, they will become a serious thorn in our side."
The images displayed Aiko, Lyra, and John.
"Aiko the Hero, also known as the Silent Blade. Lyra the Shadow Illusionist. And John... the Necromancer."
Kael’s voice grew cold. "The reason I say the Necromancer is our greatest threat is simple. He can summon the dead. Imagine what happens if Hiden dies. John could force him to do his bidding."
A soft chuckle came from the woman sitting to his right. She had long silver hair and cold violet eyes. Her presence was elegant, but venomous.
"Elise," Kael said in a mild warning.
"The great Hiden dying?" Elise replied with open amusement. "Don’t be ridiculous. We are not truly afraid of him dying. He is the weakest one among us."
Kael’s face remained serious. "I take my enemies seriously, Elise. It is not that I am weak. It is the threat they pose to our king... who has no powers of his own."
"Tch, you are all so weak I will kill them myself". With that she left the meeting leaving the other three behind.
A/N:
What do you all feel about this Chapter?
Hiden vs Aiko’s battle, Lyra and John being pushed back, the reveal of three of the Five Great Mages, and the biggest reveal of all — the king has no powers.
A/N: Let me know how you all feel in the comments.
Until the next Chapter and if you all like it just add it to your library an vote with your powerstones please.