“Bid you farewell boy,” The noble said with elegance and annoyance.
He lunged his sword, the rapier slicing the air with a whistle but Edric dodged to the side narrowly avoiding yet. The noble clearly impressed said: “You got some skills boy, perhaps if you were born different. You could perhaps become my knight?”
Edric didn't pay much attention to his monologue, his eyes darted to the back where Xantha sat frozen not knowing what to do. He gets worried if she's taken as a hostage again.
The noble noticed his gaze. “Don’t worry boy, a noble doesn’t resort to such petty tricks.”
Good to know I guess,
“It’s been a while since I’ve shed some blood,” the noble muttered to himself as he looked deep into his rapier. He lifted it , in motion to do a slash and then he lunged.
Edric rolled backwards, started running to the back, to escape.
He took out his dagger, and threw it at the noble. The noble deflects the dagger towards Edric, the hilt hit his leg, he fell forward crashing onto multiple displays.
The broken glass caused multiple scars on his hands. Edric looked at his bloodied hand, wanting to scream in pain , but there was no time.
The noble slowly walked towards him, taking elegant steps without a care in the world. As he drew closer, he prepared his rapier for a stab.
NO,NO, there has to be something, He looked around frantically for anything ; broken display cases, pendant, artifacts, and ... ..the longsword of Veyra was scattered 50m away from Edric. He doesn’t know why but something about that worn out, battle scared sword grabbed his attention.
With no option remaining, he decides to follow his guts….
“Let’s end this,” the noble said— lunging forward , the rapier aimed at the torso.
At the same time, Edric with all his willpower , lunged, stretching his hand and grabbed the sword.
*CLANK*
Mana flowed from him to the sword the instant he touched it, he brought the sword towards his chest, and with the wide side facing that blocked the rapier stab. The force of the stab sent vibration flowing to his body, his muscles ached from the single stab, but nevertheless he wasn’t going to die without a fight.
“Oh, that sword. You're quite an interesting boy.”
*********
Blood dripped from her hands, her breaths short and sharp , each one laced with sweat and blood. She pivoted under the spearman's thrust, curved low with her saber cutting through the tendons, the guard died instantly.
The clank of metal meeting metal echoed from the backroom. Aeris flinched a glance to see Edric dealing with a noble man handling a rapier.
From a quick glance Aeris could tell the noble was skilled—very skilled. What’s more impressive was that Edric sword skills, the longsword and the mana peaked her interest more, but it was apparent, if the duel drags Edric would definitely lose.
Aeris wanted to help him, but the guards didn’t back down.
She slashed a swordsman arms, grabbed him by the torso, and used him as cover from the arrows. Another guard grabbed her arm, using her body weight she lifted him, threw him flat on the ground and smashed his head with her foot.
*WOOSH*
An arrow cut through her hood and she barely dodged it. Another arrow graced her shoulder, causing a tear on the leather.
As a last ditch effort. She created a firewall to block their vision.
But, that didn’t really help. The unit of archers stood afar, unleashing the stage with arrows tipped with poison , with no morale with hitting their own men. The guards in the front were even more annoying; this new reinforcement had better armor and weapons.
Aeris clicked her tongue as she parried the guards, clearly annoyed . She causes the floor to crack along with a wave of fire , stepped back, and drank a veil of mana potion. Her man was running thin, dragging the situation any longer would be dangerous.
She took a glance at Kael, him and Cain were still on each other’s neck. Kael dashes out all his spells he got at him, but Cain didn’t falter, he received his attacks with precision. The only limelight was that he started showing some signs of exhaustion.
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*Baam”
She turns, see's Edric getting kicked out of the backroom. He lands flat on the floor, groans in pain, and before she could react the noble attacked him with a stab. Her eyes widened, she hesitated , but to her surprise Edric managed to block it. His eyes didn’t waver nor tremble, the sword flowed with his instinct,
But it was apparent that he was on the losing side.
She needed to help him, but the arrows were not making it easy, the sound of more guards approaching was even more troublesome. Without any options, she digs for any item in her pouch.
She grabs a parchment paper with a strange red ruin written on it, puts the paper close to her mouth, and starts chanting. A moment later, the paper glowed, she splits the paper and places it on the blades of her sabers. The parchment paper get absorbed, seems into the blades, the blades glowed a faint red as strange writing formed on the blades.
She crosses her blades, shouts a spell as she slashes a wave of fire.
The fire burned blue hot, melting the cubicles and guards in her path. She slashes again to create a burning wall, blocking the door. The archers scream as their burnt alive, the guards melt along with their armor.
She kneels down, heavy breathing…..
—------
“CHU—”
Edric spat blood on the floor, his clothes have enough cut marks to make people wonder if it’s some latest fashion. Blood trickled down various wounds, his hands bloody making the sword hilt slippery. His breathing was slow, deep and ragged. In contrast the noble man, standing in front of him,was pristine and clean.
Some might wonder how on earth Edric is still alive. Honestly, even he didn’t know. The noble’s rapier was clean and fast, his attacks were precise and strong. All he managed to do was dodge and block, but he always gets cuts and wounds here and there. Almost like the noble was toying with him. He didn't know if he should feel insulted , or count himself lucky the noble isn’t taking the duel seriously.
“Argh,” Edric groned, his initial plan was to stall for time. Just long enough for either Aeris or Kael to drop in. But he didn’t even know if they were even alive. His ears were a blur, the echoes of people screaming, sword slashes rang into his ears. The extreme heat didn’t make his mood any better.
“Now, let me show you another movement , let’s see if you can dodge this.” The noble said, preparing for another sword formation.
He launched another set of quick stabs and slashes, Edric did his best to block with his sword, fresh wounds form on his arms and the sword doesn't look any better.
Am I just a practice dummy for this asshole! He complained inwardly. The nobles habit of monologuing made him even more annoyed.
His hands start to tremble, his sword shakes and he falls to his knees. Come on get up! He tries and tries again but it’s no use. The fatigue had gone to his body.
The noble walks towards him slowly, and stops. “That’s enough chit-chat, you aren't too bad with your sword kid.” He lifts his rapier. “As a reward for entertaining me, I’ll make sure your death is painless.”
Looks like this is it, I’ll probably be the only human to die twice in two worlds at that. Edric dropped his sword, gave up and simply sat on his knees. At Least it will be painless, he isn’t someone to lie, right? He closes his eyes.
The noble thrusts— with the sound of a whistle he aims for his head, but it stops just before the target—
Edric opens his eyes, the blade mere inches away from his head. Confused he looked up,
“ARGH, What is this?” The noble groined, Chains glowing a bright white light wrapped him up , disabling his movements.
“EDRIC, CATCH!,”
Before Edric could make sense of this situation , Xantha screamed, throwing his gun in the air. He snapped, rolled over, grabbed the gun and—
Ice bullet
*BANG*
The noble screamed cut off as he got encapsulated in ice..
it was over , for now at least.
Edric breathed a long— very long sigh of relief . Xantha ran over to him.
“Edric, My god .” her eyes widened as she examined the wounds. “How could he do this–” faint tears drop from her eyes.
Edric just smiled and said: “Tis but a scratch,”
“Shut up, You!”
“Don’t worry I have healing potion, you grabbed my pouch.”
She nodded, handed it over.
He gulped a veil of mana potion, then another , then some health potions. His cuts recede , closing up the wound.
He looks up to see Aeries kneeled down, heavy breathing she got up, looks in his direction. Takes a quick glance at Edric and then at the huge block at Ice. She lets out a small smirk, like a teacher impressed by her student.
A swordsman lunges towards her, without even looking. She steps forwards, using her sword pommel knocks him out.
Looks like she’s ok, but the hall—
He scanned the entire hall; several walls of fire blocked the door, the scent of burned wood and blood was thick in the air, and several guards in front of Aeris were either knocked out or dead. Edric surprisingly didn’t react to the burned flesh. The remaining guards cowered behind the cubicles and debris.
On the center stage, the duel between Kael, and Cain was in full swing. Kael throws his staff as a spear, a bird-like figure forms as the speed increases, Cain without any hesitation forms chains made of red aura , it forms a shield-like formation effectively blocking it. Two stray guards in the back throw spears.
“Oh no,” Edric got up, aimed his gun but–
Kael without looking tossed the spear back at the guards,impaling one and knocking out the other.
“Looks like we can escape,” Xantha said, her voice a bit more cheerful.
The situation was finally turning to their favor, Cain’s the only obstacle but if Edric deals with guards, Aeris can help Kael turn the odds in their favor. Edric, now optimistic, stood up, scanned the room - but then a strange sound was heard.
*HUMM*
It sounded like singing, or humming more in between, the voice was smooth, calm and elegant. The sound vibrated through the hall , and yet it felt nearby. Like someone is singing down the ear.
Aeris and Edric flinched, Cain smirked and Kael to preoccupied to care.
Aeris turned her head towards the ceiling, squinted trying to notice anything.
*BOOM*
A curved greatsword it sent flying from the ceiling, trajectory aiming at Aeris. She couldn’t dodge it, it was too fast. She crosses her saber to block it. *BOOM* She is sent flying to the right, rolls back against her feet, slams against a wall to the far left of the hall.
“Aeris!,” Edric screamed, but she was too far away.
He wanted to dart over to her immediately , but Xantha pulled his arm and pointed over to a direction. Edric turns to looks at–
A man wearing all white, reminiscent of ceremonial clothes stood in the center, Edric squinted his eyes. On his chest lies a gold crest, his white hair reached till his shoulders, his height at least 6 feet. His face was calm, peaceful and extremely beautiful, he almost looked at a painting from afar. The man slowly darted his beautiful white eyes, first looking at Aeris, then onto the stage and then finally to the far right where Edric and Xantha reside.
The man then lifted his right arm, and a moment later, the gigantic curved greatsword flowed to his hand. With a single hand he rested it on his shoulders. The blade towered over his slender stature, and the weight would be enormous. But he lifted it with a single hand.
He parted his lips, and with a quiet elegant voice that vibrates across the entire hall he said:
“In the name of Magnus, and as the captain of city guards you are all under arrest.”
Ruins Of Dara
by TiltedPanda
What To Expect:
- Deep world and lore steeped in mystery
- Atmospheric scenes with frequent action
- Powerful abilities
- Initially weak MC who must progress and grow beyond his limits
Upload Schedule:
- Daily chapter releases
- Advanced chapters and discord available through Patreon
