Chapter 9: Ch. 9: Memories [1]
—Rustle —Rustle —Rustle
The leaves rustled as a black-robed man desperately sprinted through the wilderness, blood trailing behind him. Occasionally, he glanced behind to ensure that Nathaniel didn't pursue him.
"Haa… haa…" Gasping for breath, he finally found a refuge behind a towering tree. Leaning against the tree trunk, he tore open his robe, revealing a deep, diagonal gash across his chest and abdomen.
"Shit." A curse escaped his lips as he assessed the severity of his injury.
Retrieving a Super Potion from his Magical Sphere, he poured half of its contents into the gaping wound before consuming the rest.
'What troublesome teamwork they had,' As he caught his breath, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of training they underwent to become so skilled at such a young age.
—Rustle —Rustle —Rustle
When the faint rustle of leaves jolted him back to reality, he sprang to his feet and resumed his breakneck sprint. However, upon sensing a presence above him, the assassin instinctively looked upward and saw a knight hovering in the air with his sword poised to attack, prompting him to jump backward to evade.
Landing perfectly on the ground, the knight's sword jabbed his previous foothold. Immediately, the assassin changed his course of escape. But before he could make a move, another knight appeared in front of him, blocking his way with his blade pointed at him.
"You better give up, you're surrounded." Glancing toward the voice behind his shoulder, a knight with light green hair entered his view. However, what caught the assassin's attention was the coat of arms hanging on the knight's armor, 'The Emperor's Escort Knight.'
With a resigned sigh, the assassin dropped his dagger and raised his arms in surrender. The knights, on high alert, cautiously approached him, their weapons at the ready. However, the moment their distance diminished, a wry smirk played on the assassin's lips.
—Thud.
Suddenly, a falling object caught the knights' attention, causing them to glance in its direction. Upon noticing what it was, their eyes widened in surprise. "Watch out!" shouted the knight with light green hair as he leaped to the side, but it was too late.
—Boom!
A thunderous explosion erupted, engulfing the surroundings in a dense cloud of black smoke. Seizing the opportunity, the assassin swiftly made his escape. He knew better than to engage in a fight against all three knights, especially while injured.
However, his relief was short-lived. A white-masked man suddenly materialized in his path, brandishing his dagger. Panic surged through his veins as he desperately tried to evade the impending strike, but it was futile.
—Slash!
"Argh!" A guttural cry escaped his lips as he instinctively clutched his bleeding stumps. Landing on the ground, his eyes fixated on his severed arm lying before a mysterious figure's feet.
Before he could comprehend the situation, the three knights from before suddenly emerged behind the bushes and encircled him, depriving him of any means of escape. Wasting no more time, the four of them dashed toward the assassin with their weapon at the ready.
Clenching his teeth in frustration, the assassin retrieved a tiny ball from his Magical Sphere and swallowed it. Spotting the Mana Bomb, they abruptly halted and hastily conjured a shield around themselves.
—Boom!
The thunderous explosion reverberated through the air, followed by the assassin's body being shredded into pieces. The metallic stench permeated the air as a torrent of crimson rain cascaded down, drenching the area in a shower of blood. Chunks of torn flesh and shattered bones plummeted from above, scattering across the landscape.
Once the crimson rain stopped, the knights dismissed their shields and stood on guard, eyeing the masked man warily.
"Who are you?!" One of the knights exclaimed.
The masked man calmly sheathed his dagger and retrieved a badge carved with the Lancaster family crest. Subsequently, the knights lowered their weapons.
"I will look for any evidence left," the masked man declared, "The assassin left a blood trace. Follow it. I'm counting on you to search for Prince Adrian."
"I understand. Thank you." The Emperor's Escort Knight nodded in gratitude. Wasting no more time, the knights heeded his suggestion.
Once they distanced themselves from the masked man, one of the knights couldn't help but voice his thoughts, "Could that be the infamous 'Egberg's Flash'?"
His companion pondered for a moment before responding, "It's hard to say for certain, but judging by his incredible speed and agility, I wouldn't be surprised if it were him."
The man with light green hair listened intently to their conversation.
He recalled the moment when the white-masked man swiftly descended from the tree, extending his hand to intercept the assassin. In the blink of an eye, the assassin's arm was decapitated. Although the action happened so quickly, he managed to catch a glimpse of it.
A long time ago, in the Egberg Region, there existed a man who instilled fear in his enemies. It was rumored that he possessed the ability to eliminate them before they could even blink, unmatched in terms of speed.
There were whispers that the late Emperor admired him and desired to appoint him as his escort Knight. However, he declined the offer, choosing to remain loyal to his Lord, Duke Lancaster. Many praised his unwavering loyalty, and the late Emperor respected his decision.
Minutes passed and a strong current was heard. They got out of the forest and a river greeted them. Catching sight of stone walls that stood tall surrounding them, the Knights assumed that they were in a ravine.
However, their astonishment grew as they witnessed the scene across the river. The ground was littered with craters, stone spears piercing the soil, and earthen walls cut through. Corpses were scattered everywhere, evidence of a large-scale battle that had taken place.
"Let's hurry," the Emperor's escort Knight reminded them.
"Yes, sir!"
"גשר אדמה."
A magic circle appeared, and an earth bridge materialized above the water. They quickly crossed the river, and the man's light green eyes scanned the area intensely. He let out a sigh of relief when he didn't find any children's corpses; he had never felt such immense relief before.
Although they managed to kill the assassins, he believed that the Princes would not escape unscathed. Their enemies were well-trained assassins with extensive experience, unlike the Princes who had not yet tasted a real battle. With that in mind, he quickened his pace.
.
.
.
—Rustle —Rustle —Rustle
Nathaniel sprinted through the dense forest, his heart pounding in his chest. Adrenaline surged through his veins as he carried an unconscious Adrian on his back. He gasped for breath, his lungs burning with exertion, but he refused to slow down.
"I will… save you…" the boy's voice strained and breathless.
Tears streamed down Nathaniel's face, mingling with the sweat that dripped from his brow. As he ran, memories flashed before his eyes, squeezing his heart.
[ "I already knew…" ]
[ "Shut up!" ]
[ "It's useless…" ]
[ "I told you to SHUT UP!" ]
[ "..." ]
[ "Why…? Why are you doing this to me?!" ]
[ "..." ]
[ "Why… just… why…?" ]
[ "I'm… so sorry…" ]
The weight of the past bore down on him, threatening to suffocate him with its bitter truth. But amidst the anguish, a resolute determination emerged, driving him forward.
"Don't worry," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I will save you this time..."
"I will… save you…" Nathaniel continued to recite the vow over and over.
—Rustle!
Suddenly, a rustling sound snapped Nathaniel out of his thoughts. Instinctively, a sword materialized in his grip, and he swiftly turned around, assuming a defensive stance. However, his tension eased as he recognized the figures approaching him through the foliage.
"Your Highness?" one of the knights called out, concern etched on their faces.
Nathaniel lowered his weapon, relief flooding his senses like rain on a parched desert, but he struggled to compose himself.
"Please," he pleaded, his voice choked with desperation. "Please, save Ian."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone