Chapter 81. Come Back

"Can you tell his cultivation stage?" Everyone asked the ones close to them and all got the same answer, no. Everyone knew one thing about him though. He was an array expert.

Alaric stood besides Rey. Rey was all smiles and had received a hard glare from Alaric when he had wanted to rush and hug him. Rey had his nose high and one could not beleive he was the one who had almost been shamed.

The four guys on the stage were tensed up and only Claire did not know know more about Alaric. The guys never talked about him infront of her. But she could tell he was bad news if he had managed to save Rey without breaking a sweat.

The four guys clenched their fists seeing their plan going down in rumbles. They lost their cool and anger rose to the limit.

"Aren't you four going to say anything or are you scared to have your ass kicked once again," Alaric spoke.

The four took a step back. Those who had thought that he was arrogant found themselves taking in cold breaths once again. Did he just say kick their ass again?

Didn't that mean that the four had been trying to take revenge?

"Where did you pop up from? Are you not supposed to be in your deathbed?" James asked. His eyes showed disbelief and denial.

"Could you also let go of Aurora. Your filthy hands do not suit her at all," Karl said clenching his teeth.

Alaric's laugh caused them discomfort. He dared to laugh...

"As you can see, she is the one holding my hand," Alaric said. The four felt their lips twitch. Were they going to embarass themselves here?

"Aurora let go of his hand. Royal blood cannot blend with peasant blood," Matthew spoke. He was the one losing his cool at a fast rate. Instead of letting go, Aurora found herself holding his hand with both of hers. She aso tightened her hold on them.

Only Alaric's laugh could be heard. He rubbed her hair with his left hand and stared at the four.

"I guess as you can see, she is not going to listen to you. And how dare a mayor's son try to command someone of royalty?" Alaric asked with a threatening tone.

The four once again took another step back. They could not see any way out.

"I wonder where the courage you had when confronting my friend has gone to," Alaric spoke scratching his chin. "It can't be that you are all scared and are planning to run away after I appear, right?"

The four stopped after realizing they had taken another step back. Alaric took a step forward and the four stumbled backwards. Luckily they did not fall.

"I heard tit for tat is a fair game. How about you leave this hall naked? It surely would be fun," Alaric said.

The four were now sweating. They knew that Alaric was no joke. He could do exactly what he was saying.

"Or maybe I should give you an offer. If you can just undress and leave only your underwears, you can walk out of this stage unharmed."

At the moment, only Rey was laughing. He was loving how things were going. The rest only had one thought. "Cold." But he was not yet finished.

"If you want to fight back, remember that you will leave the stage naked," Alaric said.

The four felt their shoulder's drop. They knew that they could not defeat him. They sighed and stepped forward.

"You promise you will let us go?" Zeddy asked. The crowd was in an uproar. How was that possible? How had they given in?

"Yeah. You know that I am a man of my word," Alaric said. "I..." Alaric was caught off guard. James had started clapping and laughing and so had the rest. Their maniacal laughter shook many but Alaric still had a calm face and a smile.

"Did you think that you could scare us like the last time? You are but a drop in the ocean. You thought that hiding your cultivation would scare us? You have been unconcious for months and have not been cultivating. Did you think we were just passing time?" Zeddy asked.

"We have been cultivating getting ready for this day. The day we would exact our revenge on you. Blame your arrogance for coming here unprepared," Karl said laughing mid sentence. Both Rey and Aurora seemed tense.

The tables had overturned against them and their check mate had been a facade. Aurora knew that they could not lay hands on her but Rey and Alaric were going to have it rough. She had to do something to stop them.

Looking at Rey, he had a complicated look. She could not tell what he had in mind. It appeared that they both had forgotten that he had been unconcious and had not been cultivating.

Her eyes turned to Alaric. The smile she recognized was plastered on his lips. She thought that he was trying to keep her calm. This fueled her to act quick before things got worse.

"No reply? Does that mean that you are tensed up we found out your stage? Don't worry, your death will affect no one," Matthew said. He wanted more than everything to kill Alaric.

"Just say goodbye to her for you are not seeing her again," James spoke. He also wanted Alaric dead. Aurora could take it no more and let go of Alaric. She stood between them as a mediator.

"What is this? You are pleading for his life? Don't worry, we will make sure to put him through much pain that you wont forget the bloody him," Zeddy said smiling maniacally.

Hearing his words, the crowd started murmers.

"So he is just a pretender."

"Here I thought he was a talent."

"Better not show up at all than do so with borrowed strength."

"Only a fool would smile at such a situation."

"Wait, you mean he is still smiling?"

" He must have a loose screw."

" Peasants messing with nobles, thats a death wish."

"..."

Every word that was spoken was against him. Some calling him a hypocrite.

" Is it that you got all tensed up and froze? That smile on your face I should wipe it. Peasants should know their place in the society," Matthew said and the crowd nodded in agreement.

Seeing that things were getting serious, Rey also stood infront of Alaric.

" Its me you wanted. Just let him go. I will do anything you ask me to," Rey spoke. The four laughed when they saw his actions.

The plan they had thought was ruined was going back to the right track. Zeddy was the most excited. He had special qualms with Rey.

"What about this, you can undress and kowtow naked. After that, you should sever your little insect and swallow it," Zeddy said.

The crowd laughed at Rey. They really had forgotten that he was the one with an insect.

"Okay," Rey said and started unbuttoning his robe. "You promise not to kill him?" Rey asked. His words were not clear to the laughing crowd.

It was Aurora's turn to defend him.

"If you promise to spare them I will..."

"Aurora!..." A loud voice called her name. Her lips stopped involuntarily and her head turned back at him.

His eyes were furious but he appeared calm. She felt a strange feeling well up inside her. Instantly, she felt a meridian get filled. Looking at him, a wind appeared to be blowing his clothes.

"What did I tell you to do?" He asked her. His words appeared cold.

" I..." She wanted to protest but she was cut off.

" Come back," his words were so soft that she had no choice but to obey. She turned and took her position holding his hand.

"Rey stop your madness and take a step back. No one asked you to do so," Alaric said and took a step infront of Rey. He was only a step away from James.

" I really appreciate you hardwork. You must have spent alot of time making your men stalk me only to get wrong info," Alaric started.

He then pushed Aurora behind him and let go of her. He then closed the distance between them and his eyes shone with a strange light.

"You know the four of you deserve nothing but death for almost making Aurora beg," Alaric said with an angry smile.

" We are no longer scared of y..." James wanted to blurt out but he was silenced when he felt himself midair.

Everyone had their mouths open like they were sayin the word, "Heh." Did he just punch him? What shocked them most was the fact that the punch was not laced with any element. Even very few had seen him prepare the fist.