40 The Silent Viper

Several invaders have poured in through out the city, loud wails echoed the air, the mages were taken from their homes and the civilians were forced to fight and shed blood. The city guards couldn't keep up with their numbers, since the enemy soldiers seemed endless. They entered from the gateway like a gushing river, only to muster a cry from the city.

On one of the streets, they continued their battle, the blond soldier kept on staring at Celina, they were clashing blades. Around them the soldiers observed with a snicker, grinning lewdly at her.

The blond soldier kept on swinging at Celina, she parried all his strikes, but she was drove to move backwards, she noticed she couldn't push back against her enemy. She sneered, and gripped her blade tightly, she turned to offence and executed a swing. The blond soldier crouched, dodging her strike, the soldier then smirked since she was wide open. Celina gasped, the soldier lunged forth his blade, with a quick reaction she sidestepped away from the sword's direction.

She managed to dodge on time yet she moaned in anguish since it grazed her side, sending a sharp sting on her skin. She staggered sidewards, then tried to recover her unsteady posture. Without giving her time to take a break, the soldier charged again with a confident grin.

The soldier leaped upon her, he rose his blade abover his head, posing to strike. Celina fell on her back, then she rolled sideward to evade his heavy swing that clank the cobbled road.

Celina panted while she was on her all fours, she quickly erected up, and slowly moved away to create some gap between them.

The blond soldier brandished his sword, he gave a laugh as though playing with her. "If I win, can I ask you to marry me?" He said.

Celina spat on the ground as though mocking his words, she hoisted her sword up and turned her stance firm.

The blond soldier bursted a laugh. "You're quite indecent for a woman, what's more you're capable, I like that." He said.

Celina took a deepbreath, she tried to connect her mana wavelengths with the sword but it was no use since it was still early, she still needed time to assess its wavelengths. Without knowing its wavelengths, tapping mana from it would be impossible. Thus, she was left with no choice but to use her Zen or some other tricks, but right now she had no opening to utilize it.

The blond soldier came advancing, he pulled his blade, readying to strike another time.

Celina hardened her arm that held her sword, she braced herself. When the blond soldier performed a swing, Celina blocked it with her blade, the force swayed her slightly but she planted her foot on the road to steady her stance. The blond soldier kept on pushing his blade, as they pressed their weapons, they trembled, Celina tried to push back but her enemy's force were starting to overwhelm her.

Celina firmed her foothold, then ducked, she guided the sword to sweep above her head. The blond soldier's momentum forced him to swing excessively that he had no time to recover his stance. Celina sprang up, then struck his sword with all her might.

The sword slid from the soldier's grip, it fell on the cobbled road with a clinking noise. Celina pointed her blade upon the blond soldier's neck, he then rose his defenseless arms up, he laughed lightly infront of her. "What are you waiting for? Deliver the final blow." He said accepting his defeat.

Celina winced a bit, her eyes uncertain. "I can't do it." She said.

"If you can't kill me, then maybe we will meet next time." He winked.

Celina sneered. "Who are you people?"

"We are an army organized by General Zemur, the freedom seekers, we've seek to create a city ruled by his highness. A country who believes that mages are no longer necessary." The blond soldier said.

Celina narrowed her eyes. "And you believe that?"

The blond soldier chuckled, he placed his arm on his hip. "Of course, I saw some people were spared by the demons once they were given citizenship."

The blond soldier along with his comrades noticed something, they fell back warily , when they reached a certain distance they halted. They held their swords up staring at Celina's direction, but not at her.

Celina stared over her shoulder and noticed the city guards were coming, they stopped beside her and lined up with their swords up, facing the invaders.

"Let go of them now!" The guards spat, eyeing the poor civilians.

The invaders formed a line facing the guards, preparing themselves to defend against their attacks.

The city guard held rectangular shields on their shoulder level, they advanced forward with their shields positioned right beside each other, hiding their bodies and forming a barricade. Celina fell back and observed from behind. The invaders were taken aback, nonetheless they charged and battered the barricade. They swung their blades on the shields, but it didn't budge. After the invader's every strikes, the barricade opens up and the guards lunges their blades into their chests, it left a pile of bodies on the ground, bleeding. They repeated this tactic until the invaders were forced to retreat.

Some of the invaders went close to the citizens, they pointed their blades on their necks. Then from the rooves, archers sprang up, they fired their arrows upon the invaders who held their hostages. Their numbers dwindled, and the guards were constantly moving forward.

Celina sagged her posture and sighed in relief, she sheathed her blade, turned to Blue who was brooding on the alleyway. The name Zemur rung on her mind, she could feel it was familiar but she couldn't fully recall it. In one of Herdis conversation, she was confident he was spoken of, but who or what Zemur was, it was a fuzzy memory.

It seems the invaders on one side of the street was taken care of, since most of them were reduced to corpses now, while others who fleed were shot down by the archers. The citizens quickly returned inside their doors.

Then, by her surprise, on the otherside of the road, there were another swarm of invader coming to their path. The guards noticed them, they rotated, then returned close to Celina, forming a solid barricade.

They faced the incoming invaders with their barricades steady.

At some point the invaders horses' halted, they then dismounted from their saddles, however only one person stepped forward.

His companions laxly observed the scene, thinking one person was enough to do the job.

When the archers from above nocked their bows, the invaders suddenly drew their crossbows and fired upon the archers, they were faster to shoot, thus the archers fell one by one from roovetops.

Celina was hidden behind the barricade, there was a narrow gap, allowing her to peek through. The enemy soldier approaching had a long hair, he was a middle aged man who had a ruthess, shaded eyes and grumpy lips, whose body was burly and tough. At the same time he was also relaxed but fierce at the same time. His threatening presence gave an indication he wasn't an ordinary lacky, every stepped he made shook the souls of the town's guards. His name was Zemur, the leader of the Freedom Seekers.

Zemur unsheathed his blade with a grating noise as it rubbed against his scabbard, it was a long and heavy sword, staring at it already gave them an idea how heavy it was. Though, the way Zemur lifted it looked effortless.

"Tell your Lord to give up the city and surrender." Zemur declared with a rough and deep voice.

The townsguards braced their shields and continued holding their barricade. "Who does he think he is?" Spat one guard.

Zemur chuckled with a menacing cackle. "Who am I? Well then, not to boast but I'm Zemur, the great general, I was also known as the Silent Viper."

The townsguards became restless, some gasped frantically after hearing those words. "It can't be--

Before Celina could even blink and process what was going on, the shields lining up has been sliced like a butter, then blood came spurting out on her clothes. When Celina eyed the guards besides her, her eyes broadened, most of them became headless. Celina huffed some air, then clamped her mouth trying not to scream.

Zemur held out his blood stained sword as though he was done swinging. The swing happened in light speed that no one was able to tell how he did it.

Then the headless guards fell like bowling pins, the shields and swords clattered as they were dropped to the stony road. There were three guards who were left standing, trembling, they sneered and squealed after observing the aftermath.

They then dropped their weapons and started sprinting away as fast as possible.

Zemur held a wide grin, he dashed to one guard, he swung against the guard consecutively then a second later the guard was limbless, he fell as his arms and legs were mangled. His limbless body cried in pain as he lied flat on the ground to bleed, creating a blood puddle on the road. Then Zemur dashed like a comet towards the second guards, slicing him horizontally, his upper body got flung off then his entrails got showered across the road. The last guard dropped on his knees, his face distorted and about to break, he cowered in fear and bowed down like a dog. "Please forgive me." The guard said, his lips trembling.

As for this one, Zemur tread casually, he then turned his head to Celina. "Pillar Girl, I suggest you drop your weapons.'

Celina gritted her teeth, her eyes were hollow from the shocking scene, she was on the verge of bursting her tears out yet she mustered her every bit of strength to hold on. She hoisted her sword up, aiming to Zemur. Her lean limbs were shaking and her mind was empty as a void, only her heart beat thumped constantly as disgust and fear surged inside her system.

Zemur laughed scoffingly after she didn't comply, he then faced the frightened guard. "Hey, tell her who I am."

The guard nodded. "Yes sir, you were one of the best Generals, rumors say that you and Herdis were equal in strength. But you lost your fame several years later when you became a murderer and went to the dungeon."

"Murderer?" Zemur rose his eyebrow, he casted a contemptuous sneer, he eyed the guard below him.

"I'm sorry, please forgive me I---"

His chest was sliced into two, and his blood came bursting out like a popped water balloon. Zemur had already swung his blade, he was slightly irked from the guard's choice of words. He then gazed to Celina who was left alone on the background, standing.

"I wasn't a murderer, I was a judge, those corrupt nobles deserved to die with my blade. Those bastards have been keeping illegal substances and spurring corruption on the government without consequences. They need their shit handed to them." Zemur grinned.

Celina's teeth quivered, her breathing became irregular and the sword from her palms were starting to slide off. "But, why do you have to follow Dersim's plan? His goal was obviously to let us fight against ourselves?"

Zemur wiped his long sword with a piece of cloth. "Fight? Miss Pillar I think you are mistaken, this isn't a fight between demons versus humans, this is a fight for our survival."

Celina sneered. "Please don't be tempted, I'll be getting the legendary sword and slay the demons myself."

Zemur laughed coldly, his men on the distance snickered as well. "Tell me where is this sword?"

Celina's lips became burdened, she paused for a bit, thinking. "My friends are looking for it right now, but we will find it soon."

"That reminds me, this was supposed to be the responsibility of the Light Mages. But where the hell were you when we need you?" Zemur faced Celina, he slowly advanced to her position.

Zemur unsheathed a dagger from his pouch and when he got close, he gripped Celina's neck tightly. He lifted her up and her sword fell off from her hands. She gripped Zemur's rough forearm, her foot dangled and kept on kicking on the air.

Zemur clutched upon her neck tightly, she made a chocking noise as she struggled to breathe out a single air. Zemur cackled menacingly. "Just hold still, Miss Pillar."

A hand then gripped upon Zemur's shoulder. Behind him, Blue cackled, Blue's eyes were hidden by his hair, but his oozing bloodlust could be felt by Zemur's skin.

"Sorry Old man, but could you let go of her?" Blue said playfully but his tone was threatening.