Conqueror

"Damn it." How can we be so weak..? Is this the law of nature? I know I shouldn't be blaming myself about what happened to Zieglind but... Its still painful seeing him in that state and I'm completely unable to do anything. What was I doing in these past two years!?

I brought back the weapon in my hand and looked at the destroyed rock in front of me. "Not enough." I knew it myself. That what I'm doing is simply not enough. I'm his knight. I won't fail him. Never again. 

"Precia!" I heard someone calling for me.

"Rize. What's wrong?" I asked.

"They just left just now!"

"What? To the Serpent union's base? Who is he bring with him?"

"Zieglind? He brought Zeta, Greta and Afal with him."

"I see..." Relief? Since she's not there? I'm overthinking it. But there's also a sense of pain in my heart. Am I... not strong enough for you to bring me in your journey? Am I really that weak and useless next to you?

"We were told to hold the fort so I'm gathering everyone to go back near the people. They've been pretty scared with all the demons showing up and suddenly leaving."

"I'll be there." I took a final look at the damage I did on the rock and no matter how much I destroyed it, I'll never be enough. "Lead the way."

We were all there, gathered in the dining hall of the castle. Everyone was doing their own thing. 

"Where's Neco?" Rize asked of them.

"He's scouting the whole place. He doesn't want to stay in one place is what he said." Yefa replied.

"I see. I think I'll join Neco with the scouting. I'll report anything that seems suspicious."

"Wait, let me join too. I don't have anything to do." I insisted.

"Sure! Let's go."

"Everyone!" Neco's voice was suddenly heard but we couldn't see him. We looked around but we couldn't find him. "Here." He dispelled his invisibility skill and revealed himself to us. "We've got trouble. The manticore that Zieglind faced. Its here. It detected me so I'm pretty sure that he'll be coming here soon. What do we do? Do we contact them to come back? They just left like an hour ago."

"Let's call them!" Feran joined in. "We wouldn't be able to protect any of the people with just us here. It'll be difficult."

A roar then followed which gave us immense pressure and nervousness. "BRING. ME. THE. BOOK!" It was the manticore depending for the non-existent book that we don't even have. What do we even do at this situation. Neco told us about the conversations between them but the manticore won't yield to the truth.

He's still angry about chasing that damned book that we don't even have.

"I. Gave. You. Months. Of. Time. To. Give. Me. The. Book. I. KNOW. YOU'RE. SMART. ENOUGH. TO. KNOW. THAT. I'LL. BE. COMING. FOR. YOU. REMEMBER! YOU. BROUGHT. THIS. UPON. YOURSELF. YOU. HAVE. NO. RIGHT. TO. HATE. ME. FOR. THIS."

"Large amounts of mana incoming!" Helga suddenly warned us. "Neco! Bring me to where he is! NOW!"

"Y- yeah!" Neco carried Helga like a luggage bag with his arm. 

But Feran suddenly placed his hands on Neco's shoulder. "If I see you doing something weird I WILL KI-"

"Neco! NOW!" Helga suddenly shouted which caused Neco to jolt. He doesn't have a say so he just went out and rushed outside to go to the manticore.

I followed them outside but I underestimated Neco's speed. I lost him the moment he took a step. I followed him outside and saw that they're already there.

They're already in front of the manticore. Helga detached herself from Neco and called upon her, "Gazer Form! Come, Life's Blessing!" Her book weapon summoned in front and has been opened automatically. "Summon, Wisp!" Helga summoned her healing Wisp. But I don't understand why she would suppon her Wisp. 

The manticore is conjuring a lot of mana in his mouth. Is it going to be a blast? I don't know since I've never met this manticore. But I can tell... its a monster. I don't know how powerful it is but its going to be difficult to judge. 

"I won't let you blast this place with that skill!" Helga added another spell, "Heaven Defying Protection!"

"HELLFIRE BLAST!" The manticore casted. It was a giant beam of fire that melted everything that's near it or anything that it pierced through. But somehow when it hit Helga's Wisp... It won't budge.

The Wisp was taking all of the damage and completely destroying the spell. 

I know it just from seeing how much mana was accumulated in that blast of the manticore. It was enough to destroy the whole place. Feran, Rize and Yefa followed up to see what was happening.

In that single defense on what Helga just did, our morale went up. 

That was an attack that was near impossible to defend. And she did it in this time of need.

Her knees buckled up and caused her to fall on the ground. "I knew it... that cost too much mana. Heaven Defying Protection... A skill that allows a unit to become invulnerable once their health reaches 50% or less and ignores the next attack. And my Wisp is still alive... I won't let that monster do anything similar to Zieglind again!"

"Interesting. But. That's. Not. All. Hellfire's. Mantra! I. WON'T. LET. ANYONE. OF. YOU. LIVE."

Neco instantly covered his mouth and stopped from his tracks. Feran and Helga did the same. They then signalled us to not make any noise or even move.

But Rize had something in mind. "BARRIER!" She then stepped back barely avoiding the giant pillar that summoned out of nowhere. She also summoned a giant barrier which surrounded us and the manticore. Her hand were instantly charred. And even though Helga wanted to cast a spell, Feran stopped her.

I looked at the manticore and it didn't open its mouth. Wordless casting!? That's impossible! For a monster to have that...

"Law Breake-" Rize stepped back again but this time the fire caught up to her. But she stood forward. "LAW BREAKER! NUMBER ONE! Kyaa!" Rize's body lit up in a pillar of flame that was coming out of nowhere. We couldn't speak nor move since that's the trigger as Neco said one time. "FIRE SPELLS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN MY SPACE!" But as Rize said that, no more flame pillars came out. "I... will hold this place... That's what I said to Zi..nd..." She then collapsed on the ground. 

I don't care about anything anymore but Rize needs to have a first aid or she'll die. I rushed over to her side but no more pillar flames came out. "What's... happening? Was it Rize's Law Breaker that did that? Argh! No time! Helga! Come here! Heal Rize! She'll die at this rate!"

She was hesitant to move or speak. But Feran was the first to move, "Wait! I'll test it out first." Feran took a step forward and nothing happened. Even though in a crucial time, Feran is still willing to do anything for his sister.

Helga immediately rushed over to Rize, "Protection of the Chanter! Continous Healing!"

"What. The?" The manticore suddenly spoke. "I. Can't. Feel. The. Flames. Of. Hell. I. Don't. See. Hellfire's. Mantra. Working. This. Is. Impossible. All. Of. My. Flame. Skills. Are. Fully. Sealed..." With his anger, a roar followed up, "WHO. DID. IT!? WHO. SEALED. MY. FLAME. SKILLS!?" Followed by a stomp that send shockwaves everywhere and a small earthquake.

The people were scared. They all immediately rallied at the castle. Good thing that Afal's instruction were working even for them.

From the other side of the barrier, we could here marches. "Lord Feran, Lord Neco, Lady Precia, Lady Helga, Lady Yefa and... Lady Rize!?" The loud obnoxious soldier that leads everyone from the elite army that Afal formed. Gorgua. He cleared up his throat to remain his composure. "What can we do to help? We're trained by Lord Afal so I'm sure we could help in some way." To think this obnoxious guy is this disciplined in his duties... Afal trained him well.

"Just protect and calm the people. Don't come near us for now, we don't know the enemy. Protect also the backsides since we won't know if that monster brought some of his friends along. Got it!?" I replied to them.

"Yes!" Gorgua turned around, "You all heard that!?"

"YES! SIR!" All of his soldiers responded.

"Commence! Protect the people!" All of his soldiers dispersed and began to guard several people.

"For. All. Of. You. To. Go. To. This. Lengths. To. Prevent. Me. From. Getting. What. Is. Mine. HOW! ARROGANT! THE. BOOK! GIVE. IT. TO. ME!" The manticore suddenly leaped from where he was and was about to pounce on Helga and Rize.

"Gazer Form! Come, Baneful Sword and Dominion!" I instantly moved in front of the manticore and blocked his attack. "I won't let you!"