27 A Strong Resolve

The crescent moon hid behind Blue, silky moonrays showered over him, shadowing his features, his cold glare was curtained by his thin hairstrands, his calm sitting posture musters a vampirish and dominating presence upon Turner. Blue was composed but he oozed out a thick bloodlust, giving a presence he could kill Turner anytime he wanted.

Turner got taken aback, he skirted the vicinity around Blue, cautiously looking for an opening.

Blue grunted, scoffing his intents. "I'm not in the mood, you better leave while I'm being considerate." His voice deep and intimidating.

Turner sneered. "I don't trust her safety with someone like you, you don't even care about humanity. I assume you don't see any difference between a human and a worm." He said assertively.

Blue laughed menacingly. "Why don't you bring a worm with you, and see for yourself which one I'll strike down first." He said as he sent an authorative stare upon Turner.

Turner took one step back, his stance were even more firm. "As I thought, you're an evil person."

Blue nickered an enticing tone. "I'm evil? Why don't you ask yourself, if you're not the same way as I am." He said.

Turner gritted his teeth. "What do you mean? Don't bring me the same level as you, I treat humanity with respect."

"Really? Then, right now you're holding a sword, tell me to whom do you use it for? Is it really for humanity or the country you are serving? And as far as I remember, you people have been readily killing demons as well, they are in some way as intelligent as a human. Yet how do you treat them? Not as better as I do to everyone else I presume." Blue spat.

Turner's lips quivered, he was slightly perturbed. "That may have some truth in it, but the demons are evil and they need to be purged."

Blue laughed on his words. "Evil? You fools are too egocentric, the way I see it, these demons are no different than you, they kill humans, but yes, so do you to them, because they wanted to serve their King and their race, just like yourselves." He glared upon him. "Now naive knight, tell me straight in the face if you are still a goody two shoes."

Blue's words dropped some weight upon Turner's chest. Turner reflected for a moment, then he narrowed his eyes when he reached upon a conclusion. "Enough semantics, the demons have invaded our realm and it is our duty to protect it." He bursted proudly.

Blue snorted confidently. "You don't get my point do you? I'm challenging your idea of morality and how it is twisted, because I was once a naive knight like yourself."

Turner stomped his foot. "Don't call me naive!" He said, he braced himself and then charged fiercely like a bull towards him. "Zen technique, Tiger's wrath!" He pulled his blade away, posing to strike.

Blue stood up, cackling, he rose his sharp nails and readying his aim into Turner's direction. "Come, if you're prepared to die!" He said, enticingly.

When their gaps were closing in, Blue was about to jab his fingers through Turner's chest, however, Turner suddenly vanished, Blue hit nothing and was bewildered. He ended up looking around the place until he saw Turner and Don on the distance.

Blue relaxed himself and rested his buttocks unto the grasses. "It seems you have been spared."

Saved by Don's bolt swap. He panted nervously, he was crouching as he held Turner's shoulders. Don stood back up, he scowled, displeasure emanated upon his face. "Turner, what do you think you're doing?" He said with some weight on his tone.

Turner were on all fours, his face wrinkled in desperation. "Don, I misjudged you, just because he's powerful doesn't mean we can't beat him. I was expecting you would use that brain of yours so that we could slay him ourselves, but you let your fear take over you. At this point, we should protect Celina no matter what, our survival lies upon her welfare." He said to the brink of snapping in anger.

"Idiot, there's no way we can do that, I don't even have sufficient data on this guy, but if he, himself couldn't find a way to end his own life, then there's no way we can as well. Besides, he isn't violent and we have no reason to focus on him, for now at least." Don said.

Turner grunted, he clasped the grasses hard. "That guy has to have a weakness that doesn't require Celina, and Don believe me, this guy is better slained early."

Don swiveled his head to Blue, assessing him. "Unfortunately, he likely doesn't have any, since not even sunlight can affect him. And how do you slay an immortal being?"

Blue shuddered his shoulders as he snickered. "At least this guy gets it."

Don sweated a bit and pointed at Turner. "Anyway, can you forgive him, we won't stand in your way ever again."

"Whatever, just scram!" Blue spouted.

Don stared at Blue intently with a gulp, he came close to Turner and patted his back. "Turner, we're done here, we need to return."

While Turner was on the grasses, he sprang up with a feisty eyes. "Don as a man, I would never let this happen, Celina has to come with us, she needs to be protected even if I have to risk my life!" He blurted.

With his courage unwavered, he faced Blue and advanced slowly.

"You idiot, you will just throw your life, you won't stand a chance." Don spat behind him.

Turner grunted, he clasped his hilt tightly. "Don if you have no intention of stopping him, then I'll do it myself. Isn't it our duty as knights and mages of the capital to protect the light mage, who is also our fellow friend."

Don growled, he stomped his foot. "Turner! You moron." He hissed.

Just now, Celina emerged from the forest, she breathed fast as she halted to rest herself.

Turner noticed her. "Celina stand back, I'll deal with your tormentor myself."

Celina stomped her foot. "Turner! Stop!"

Turner didn't listen and continued charging, he gave her a reassuring smile. "Celina, you don't have to worry because I assure you, tomorrow, you will come with us."

Celina sneered, she trudged towards Turner, when she got close, she slapped his cheek heavily. A plopping noise echoed in the air, Turner's face became reddened and stunned.

Celina's forehead slightly wrinkled, her breath flared in anger and eyes were profused in rage. "Turner, how many times do I have to repeat myself, you don't have to treat me like a princess, and just now you could have bit the dust." Tears streamed down from her eyes, her lips jerked in disarray. "I can't afford to let anyone die again because of a useless girl like myself, that's why I wanna stand on my own, Sir Herdis, Anthony, Brigan, Lonsir, and even Denhum and several other men, they all died because of me. I can't forgive myself for it, which is why, I will take this venture by myself." She said with her voice chaotic, she sniffled and turned her face away, shyly rubbing the wet trails of her tears.

When her determined words reached Turner's ears, his eyes gave a hint of pity, he stooped infront of her foot and let his forehead touch the grass. "I'm truly sorry Celina, it just hurts my pride that I trained and endured all those years just to become strong, so I can protect my friends, but if I can't even protect you, all those years would feel like they were for nothing." He said with a whimpering voice.

Celina sighed and loosened up. She slowly approached Blue. "Blue, we'll leave tomorrow, is that okay with you." She said with an exhausted voice.

"Whatever." Blue said annoyed.

Don scratched his head seeing Turner's state, he approached and extended his arm upon Turner's fallen face.

Turner took his arm, he got lifted off the ground. "I got emotional, I'm sorry." His said with his words light.

Don snorted, displeased. "Yeah, you truly did, now go apologize to her."

Turner sighed, with his head low and eyes darting away, he neared Celina. "I'm really sorry." His words were coated with sincerity.

Celina looked away, there were still some speck of rage left on her eyes.

She paused for a bit, then opened her assertive mouth. "I will, if you promise to treat me as a comrade and not as a fragile woman."

Turner lifted a weak smile, then rose his hand infront of her. "Of course, you are the Light Wielder after all."

Celina sighed, she took his arm and they shook hands.

Seeing it got resolved, Don on the sides felt relieved. He went close to them and patted their shoulders. "Now then, we should get going." Don said.

Turner's dead serious eyes pierced through Blue. "Remember, if something happens to her, I'll hunt you to the ends of the world." He blurted.

Blue sat still like a statue, his face undettered as he ignored Turner's words.

The weight on their chests were lifted, their faces were relaxed and air around them became calm.

The three of them cutted through the forest, in a slow pace as though enjoying the scenery.

"Celina, just promise me you'll come back alive and well." Turner said as he took the lead.

"Of course, who do you think I am." Celina chuckled.

Don followed the group as he strutted behind them, he held a weak smile as they wallowed upon the crisp air of the night. While they were on the road, the three halted when they encountered Shiela. Shiela mustered a smile upon them, she strode quickly towards the group, when she came close she hugged Turner tightly. She stepped backwards then looked him in the eye, she was slightly upset. "Where the hell did you go Turner?" She said.

Turner chuckled, he scratched his head, playing clueless. "Well..."

Shiela gripped his arm tight, she ran away and dragged him with her. "Let's go back to the mansion, Sir Reston have something important to tell us." She said with urgency.

When they arrived on the mansion, the folks have became few and sparsed, most have already left, the tables were riddled with a pile of stained plates and the party was over. Reston sat still on the corner, he rubbed his forehead with his fingers, telling them his mind was probably groggy, or was it worry that ate him.

Celina and her team neared him.

Don stepped forward, restless. "Reston." He said, taking his attention.

Reston casted his sharp and serious eyes to the group, he stood up with a determined frown. "Listen carefully."

Reston spoke his story when he encountered Grim earlier, then he continued. "From now on we have to be careful because in the future not only we will fight againsts demons, but humans as well, our own countrymen to be precise."

The attention of the group became rapt, they got startled after hearing Reston's words.

"What do you mean by that?" Turner said.

Reston crossed his arms and leaned upon a wall. "The letter delivered by the mysterious man named Grim was from a noble of Yendin City, there he wrote, "King Dersim will offer anyone a citizenship and he promised he won't bring them harm in one condition"."

Celina gulped as he waited for Reston to finish.

""If one captures a mage and deliver them to the capital, then his highness will be kind to offer you a new life in peace. Specifically, capturing a common mage will grant one person a citizenship, capture a veteran mage and he will grant the entire town a citizenship, capture a pillar and the entire city will be given citizenship. If one person manages to capture a pillar and does not want to share the reward, he will be given a large plot of land and hefty sum of coins. So, Sir Reston, I urge you to cooperate, bring Celina and Radmun if you want a new life, and you will be offered nobility and title."" Reston spoke the verbatim words.

The group felt uneasy after the verbatim reached their ears, especially Celina, she sneered and had a hardtime swallowing it.

Don got irked, he looked around him, seeking for Radmun. "Tsk, in an important time like this, just where the hell is that buffoon?"

Shiela faced Don. "I'll go find him." She turned around and went away.

Turner besides Celina tightened his expression. "This will be quite problematic, because we will be forced to kill our own people." He gripped his fist tight, Blue's words from earlier struck his head.

Celina noticed that Don crossed his arms with a scowl, he sat down on the floor. "I can't believe our problems are piling one after another, but this was quite expected."

She gritted her teeth, she gripped the clothes on her chest. "I swore to myself that as much as possible, I only intend to kill a certain person, and beyond that I can't afford to kill anyone else. Especially, innocent people who were forced to act because of strife." She said, with her lips heavy.

Reston sighed. "We have been battling against the demons recently, but I need your resolve because when the time comes you have to kill, even our own countrymen."

Celina sunk her eyes to the floor, she stared at her palms, recalling her memories. As far as she remembered, she was recently promoted as a Pillar, most of her skills were honed from training and her actual combat experience was still lacking. She haven't took a single person's life just yet, because she intends to end the life of only a certain someone. A person who hunted her and even in her nightmares.

She could still remember him, every detail, shape and creases of his face, it was a face full of deceit.