Brigante Ark - Chapter 180

As Alastor walked back he saw a small hole on top of the door. He uses his transcendent wall flat in the air and leaps onto it. It was all there all along, the key.

“I know what you are,” The man’s voice rang across the hallway, “An aberration. The sorceress had allured you into this situation without knowing your worth. A worthless mana folder. You think so fully of yourself, you didn’t even bring some of her pawns to aid you. Regardless, don’t you think she’s being overconfident? Both of you?”

Finally, he replied, “Considering that you’ve been hiding all this time, I take that as an act of cowardice.”

“This is a charade,” Dimiscus explained yet again. “I don’t intend to kill you swiftly. Those who trespass my peace have no right to leave in the whole piece.”

“And you said that I’m full of myself.” Alastor sardonically smiled.

As he walked outside the hall, the entire place trembles. Soon after, the walls began to crack open, the ground split open. He made a huge leap and landed on a concrete floor. Behind him is a hole.

Alastor made another sprint. He saw how the pillars and the walls have cracked and fall on his head as he made his way.

“You jerk! Why won’t you come out and face me like a man?!”

“Oh, I’m not a man. I evolved. I’m way better than you are.”

Alastor had finally reached the gate. He opens the padlock and the rest falls to ash except for the chains. He picked it up and wrapped his upper body with it.

The stones rattle as he kicked the ground evaded the ground of floor above. He lunges on the walls, using it as his footing to climb up. He reached his chain, whipped it, and launch through the hole on top, the end of the chain had reached the window, helping him to climb.

Slowly, very slowly, the mercenary picked himself up. He bent his knees and dropped a heavy breath. Carefully, he reached the side of the window to support him.

He was cursing under his breath, but he stopped and his eyes reflected with joy. The incident was but a fortune in disguise. The ruckus had led him to the throne room.

He pushes the big door open. His sword is ready, sharp, and deadly.

He knew very well that he was in the presence of the man of the castle, but he couldn’t see him, nor ascertain what could be his next motives. The curtains on his left were slit open, allowing the light to come in as if it had done in purpose.

“Dreadful, isn’t it?” Dimiscus voice rang in the darkness. “This place was once a gathering place for royalties, to dance, meet, charade and all.”

“Not until you came and ruined the lives of these people.”

“True to that. I’m the one who’s responsible, but do not lecture me, boy. You don’t have a cleaner conscience than me.”

“Oh, I didn’t come here to lecture you. I came here to kill you.”

“Funny. You got convinced to fight in her stead, but unknowing of her true intentions and her nature.” Dimiscus chuckled. “What did she promise you of? Money? Power?”

“I wanted to go home.”

“Ah, yes. I’m familiar with the longing feelings.”

“You missed the part where I’m not as self-destructive as you.”

“For a young man, you have a foul mouth.”

“Well, everyone said the same thing about me. I guess I am a rude person, after all.”

“I guess, we can’t be friends then.”

“I won’t count on it.”

“Have you ever wondered how her monsters managed to overwhelm my army?”

“Probably she’s better than you.”

“You didn’t even doubt her words and action?” Dimiscus asked quietly.

Alastor announced himself with firmed voice, “You can’t goad me into thinking she’s not holding her words at the end of her bargain. Sorry pal, I’m not any other typical man.”

“No. But you already knew, deep in yourself that she’s not the person who you think she is. You have just fallen into her kind words.”

“What is the point of all of this bantering? You came here to throw me a glib, and all of this nonsense. Can we finish this?”

“I’m here to give you a benefit of a doubt, but it seems that you’re reluctant in believing her lies. I guess there’s no cure for foolishness.”

The man stepped forward out of the shadow.

The light had cast his long dark robe, in its shoulder was a pauldron, a dragon in silver carved. Dimiscus pulled down his hood at the back of his head. The color of the burning sun reflected in his red hair pulled back into a tight top knot. A pure white mask with slits for his eyes and mouth with the expression of a sinister guise. A red emblem depicting the face of a dragon adorns the center of the forehead, a line of red streaks ran down from the dragon through the eyes and crossed its chin. His body was slim in stature, his appearance broadened by his black robe he wore over the regal outfit, red tunic, and black trousers, nevertheless were in five-seven in height. His black gloves reached in the air. Gray ash gathered in his palm, then a thin handle glides down in his grasp, and the double-edged sword then appeared trailing with a spark of light at the tip of the sword.

He heard a sudden change in the sky. There was a clap of thunder, roaring as the storm, with bruised clouds weighed the air, gashing on the earth with cutting wind that had the trees and houses clustered in a whisker. There was a soft breeze for a moment, then a flash strike across the window.

The crackling lightning heralded the fury that has yet for Dimiscus to witness. Alastor’s eyes didn’t flinch for a moment as he slammed his sword against Dimiscus sword.

Through the spark, Alastor can’t seemingly see the skin in Dimiscus mask’s eyeholes. The darkness deeply penetrated with no seemingly no end. Even so, Alastor did not flinch.

He retreated, then he twirled, followed by a series of traditional sword attacks. Dimiscus arm took the recoils with ease, normally his sword needed to be wielded by two hands, but Dimiscus had single-handedly grasped it which meant that Dimiscus was stronger.

Alastor was holding his breath, but his face appeared to be in exhaustion. Dimiscus smiled at the small victory. This time, Dimiscus returned the favor.

Dimiscus attacked him. Each strike is heavy and pushes him back. Alastor’s hands are getting numb, tingling, and tired, from the constant whipping he and his sword enduring. Dimiscus charged forward, his sword slammed against Alastor’s sword, bouncing it off his hands. Dimiscus’s fist connected to Alastor’s chin, leaving him to stun.

He staggered back and grimaced in pain. Alastor reclaimed his sword and grabbed a pair of scrolls and potions from his sling bag. Relishing over drinking the potion, Alastor open the scroll, the marks in it shone and flew over his head, slowly fading in faint light completely blended on the environment. The mercenary’s breath is gradually slowing down, moving carefully around the enemy.

The spell made him feel different like he was stuck in limbo between limbo and reality. His vision became lighter as if the spell also lifted off the weariness in his body. Alastor had assimilated with the spell it seems.

Dimiscus remained imperturbable.

Alastor carefully moved behind him. He snarled with his sword arching downwards.. Almost quick as lightning, Dimiscus blade flashes behind, singing against the sword of Alastor.