Chapter 21: Party Crashers

***Author's Note***

Changed speed of Kurt from traveling 10 meters for 2 seconds into 10 meters in just a second.

I just realized that 2 second for 10 meters is quite slow. So...

Enjoy!

***

We are in a dire situation. Not only are we outnumbered but we're surrounded from all sides. The strangers are all wearing black mage robes with what looks like a black sun symbol in the middle. During this dire situation I have no idea on what to do.

"So… Which one of you is the One?" The short guy in front asked. He examined us with eyes and continued. "Man, I can't sense any trace of void energy on either one of them. Are you sure it is one of them?"

"Are you doubting Judith?" The tall guy answered.

Visibly sweating, the short man stutter in reply. "N-n- of course not. I w-wouldn't d-dare." His eyes locked at the girl who appeared from behind us.

Thankfully they seem to busy themselves speaking with one another instead of outright attacking us, giving us some time to prepare.

"We're surrounded." I whispered at Mark Anthony.

"Yeah we are. I have eyes you know." He shifted his eyes shifts from person to person. Studying the strangers. "I hope you don't bail out on me. I believe they are talking about you and gods know what they will do you if you get captured."

"No problem here. The vibes I am getting from their aura is bad." I answered as I look for an opening. "So what is the plan?" I asked.

"Either we hold our ground here and wait for the others to come back, or we try to bust our way out of here." He answered underneath his breath.

"The girl on the right feels like the weakest. Should we try to break away on that direction?" He just nodded in agreement. "So what is our plan?"

"Distract them for moment so I can cast my spell. Attack the ones in front to make them believe we are going to break our way in that direction. I will also make it look like I was targeting them, but instead I will cast my spell at the girl on the right. Then we try to do a full retreat." He declared.

I am not quite sure about his plan. "Are you sure this will work?" I asked.

With a nervous smile pasted on his face, he whispered. "Don't worry. I have tricks on my sleeve."

After a few minutes of bickering, the girl from behind us spoke and there was silence. "Silence all of you." She said. Her voice is soft but her words were clear as if she was standing beside me. "There is no doubt that we have found the One. Even if it almost imperceptibly weak, I can feel Void energy coming from that scruffy looking fellow over there." She pointed at me. "Capture him and kill the other one." She ordered.

As if a gong was rung, I quickly took action. I rushed forward, grabbed the pot of stew and threw it towards the two guys in front. Taken by surprise by my sudden movement, it delayed their reaction that they were hit by the hot pot and stew. Shielding their face from the hot stew with their hand gave me enough time to deliver a drop kick on the short guy. Seeing his companion knocked down, the tall one raised his wand and pointed it towards me.

"Oh no you won't!" I hit him with a body blow which sent him curling in pain. I can't let them finish chanting and use their magic. If they as much as use that invisible barrier of mana like Kaizer used back in the Void, I would be useless as a screen door on a submarine.

Behind me, Mark and the two girl from the left and right began chanting and slinging spell at each other. Bolts of fire, ice and lightning are flung as Mark occupies two mages on his own. The tall girl in the right quickly dove to the side as the place she was standing on earlier erupted in a fiery explosion. The short girl on the left then answered with a bolt of ice which was blocked by a wall of flame followed by throwing a ball of flame size of a watermelon which the short girl stopped by conjuring a shield made of ice.

I saw the tall girl gathering her bearings and started to chant as Mark focuses on countering the short Ice chick. "Mark look out!" I shouted when the short guy grabbed me in the back and had me in a Full Nelson lock. The tall guy that I was beating earlier took advantage of my immobility and punched me in the eye.

"Got you now." He declared as he spit a glob of blood at my feet. "Our Mistress told us to capture you. But she didn't tell us to capture you unharmed." He grinned as he crack his knuckles. "I am going to enjoy pummeling you. Payment for hitting my face!"

He threw another punch which I met with a head butt. He cried in pain as I feel the bone in his hand break. I felt woozy due to the concussion but when I saw the tall guy attack me once more, I quickly raised both my feet and kicked him so hard he hit his back on a tree. I then continually stomped on the feet of the short guy head locking me. He screamed in pain and I felt his hold on me loosen. I quickly took advantage and broke loose, elbowing him in the stomach and with a straight punch in the face, he was knocked down once more.

I turned around to see what has happened with the magic battle and saw Mark pushing back against the two girls. His left hand was singed, probably by the tall girl who was throwing lightning at him. But even with his injury he is still holding his ground.

Wow. Mark is strong fighting against two mages all by himself. I wondered to myself as fire, ice and lightning decimate the camp and its' surrounding. But even as I watch Mark begin to gain advantage against the girls, there is a feeling of uneasiness that I can't explain.

My gaze turned towards the woman in the back. She is just standing there with a calm expression in her face. It was like she doesn't care that her companions are getting beaten up. What unnerves me more is the way she looks at me. It was as if she was waiting for something. I was then startled when I felt a sudden surge of energy coming from the men behind me.

"Magnus God of Magic. Hear my plea. With the power of the earth, capture my foe!" He chants with both his hand in the ground. I was alarmed when I felt a large amount of mana pool just beneath my feet. "Earth Prison!"

I quickly moved away just in time as the ground rise and formed a prison made from rock, dirt and tree roots.

"Damn you Corbin! You useless sack of shit! You missed!" He shouted at his companion. "Cover me and I will show you how it is done!" he declared as he start to chant a spell of his own.

Oh no! I must stop him! I charged towards the tall guy when Corbin tackled me to the ground. I kicked him off me before he could mount me and restrain my movement. We both got on our feet and we grappled each other. I felt large amount of mana concentrate in the direction of the tall guy.

I turned my eyes towards him as he finish his chant. "--- with ice, encase him! Freeze!"

"Marlon you dolt! I'm still here! You will also hit me!" Corbin shouted.

Before the blast of ice reach Corbin and me, I pivoted to break our balance and threw him towards the encroaching spell. When the spell hit him, it started to spread until his whole body was encased in ice. I was shook up by the thought that if I was slow by just a split second, it would be me who will be frozen in place.

I was stunned for a moment that I forgot that I have another opponent to defeat. I ran towards him but before I could reach him, he has already finished his chant. "Damn it! You stupid shorty! Could not even get out of the way! Spirits of Ice, head my command! Melt the ice that is holding my companion captive! Unfreeze!"

Shit! I lost the chance to decrease my opponents! I kicked myself mentally for my gaffe as I throw a rock at Marlon to stop him from chanting another spell. I then started beating Corbin's face as the ice that is encasing him thaws.

"Damn--- ouch--- you—ooff. Taking advantage--- argh! That I can't mo--- guh! Move!" I continued pounding his face until it was bloodied.

I felt another surge of mana and I leave the barely alive Corbin and started rushing towards Marlon once more. He was able to dodge my punch and pushed me away from him. He started chanting beneath his breath so I attacked him to stop whatever he is doing. But I was too late.

"Mana Shell!" He shouted the same time as my fist reached him. My fist hurt a bit as I felt like I just hit a concrete block. He was pushed a step back and growled at me. "To think that I must lower myself to using this." He then smugly declared. "Now your fist will not reach me. I will pay you back ten-fold for the humiliation you put us through!"

"Just because your body got a little bit harder from your spell you already think you have already won?" I told him.

With an arrogant grin he replied "Of course. Without mana to reinforce your body yourself, you couldn't possibly exert enough force to break my de—"His speech was cut short.

I threw a body punch at him. Although I wasn't able to put any damage, he was forced to take a few steps back to regain his balance. I see it now. I was afraid that his "Shell" is as strong as Kaizer's but his is much weaker. It must be because the spell's strength is approximate to the strength of the caster.

The smug look in his face doesn't wane as he saw that he received no damage from my attack. "See? What did I told you? Might as well surrender now." He said in a mocking tone.

"Why would I surrender against someone who is weaker than me?" I answered.

His face began to turn red in anger and he shouted. "You think I am weaker than you? You who doesn't even have a drop of mana in you? If only you're not important to our mission I would kill you where you stand!"

"Say that after you catch me weakling." I answered. That's it. Lose your temper. These mages are so up in their high horse that they can't take it that they are being beaten up by someone who doesn't have any mana.

Veins visibly bulging from anger he answered "You son of a bitch! You asked for this! Spirit of ice! Imbue my hand with the po---"

Using the technique I saw Kurt using earlier, I started falling forward to create forward momentum. Then I put all the strength I can muster in my step in. In a blink of an eye, I appeared in front of him and threw a full body punch to his arrogant face. My fist met a little resistance before I broke through that thin film of mana and landed on his naked face.

Spitting blood, he can't believe what is happening. "How could this be? How could my Shell be defeated by a mana less shit? Is this the power of the Void?" The look of fear started to appear in his face.

I delivered another full body punch and hit him in the stomach. He doubled over and lay crumpled on the ground in pain. "No. Not the void. Your shell is just weak as shit. You should've met Kaizer. Compared to him, your Shell is like wet tissue paper." I bluff as I feel the bones in my fist close to breaking. I can break his defense once or twice more.

"W-what! K-kaizer! You must be bluffing! You dare speak the name of that traitor in front of me! If only he didn't---" He was once more interrupted mid speech. But this time it's not because of me.

Marlon was sent flying from a kick of the lady that was standing at the back of the camp just earlier. I couldn't even sense her until she is in front of me.

"You watch your tongue Marlon. You are not to speak about these things in front of people outside the organization. Be thankful I am tolerant or else I would've killed you on the spot. Better be careful from now on. I won't give you another chance." The lady spoke with a cold tone. "Make yourself useful and attend to Corbin. Have him drink a health potion and then proceed to help May and April with their fight against the fire mage. This fight is dragging on longer than I can take."

Marlon struggles to push himself up. He was able to stand but his legs are visible shaking. He bowed at the lady and spoke in a tone filled with fear. "As you wish Lady Mariam. I apologize for my earlier mistake. I will not fail your expectations once again. I will accomplish your command with my outmost abilities." He declared.

"You best. If you know what is good for you." She answered as Marlon continues to lower his head. "What are you waiting for? Go!" After her shout, Marlon scurries to complete his assigned task.

"It's really hard to find good help now a-days." She sighed in exasperation.

What's this! Her energy. I can barely feel her mana but it does nothing to calm the feeling of trepidation I feel in my heart.

As if she suddenly remembered my existence. She smiled softly at me. "Sorry. I was just lost in my thoughts on how to punish my subordinates for their incompetence. Outclassing their opponent in strength and numbers. Still they fail to accomplish the simplest of task. How infuriating." His eyes shows a hint of the violence she might be imagining to carry out against her minions.

"Why are you doing this? What do you want from us?" I asked. Cold sweat run down my spine. My gut tells me she is more dangerous than anyone I have ever encountered. I must do something. I can see Mark Anthony getting pushed back now that he is facing two more opponents.

"Hmmm… You're not attacking me like you did the others?" She said with a curious look on her face. I flinched as her cold gaze examine me from head to toe. She then chuckled before answering "Smart. I would've been forced to show you your place if you did."

She then proceeded to walk around me as she speaks. "To answer your question on what I want. I want you. The One. The key to our future." She stopped right in front of me. "To why. Hmmm… I wonder why." She mused to herself. "We can capture you any time we want. Not even the fire mage would be able to stop me even if he uses all of his strength." She gazed at Mark Anthony. "That fire mage. He also piques my interest. Hiding his true skill and strength in hopes that he can launch a surprise attack and defeat me once he finds an opening."

The explosions of the fight between Mark, against 4 opponents reaches a new height as Mark seem to become a few times stronger. His explosion began to increase in power and speed as he does the impossible and holds back his 4 opponents.

She chuckled as if she found the plight of her companions funny. "Unfortunately for him, he does not stand a chance even if I only use a quarter of my power." She turn her attention to me once more. "To answer why. I want to see the fabled power of the void for myself." Her cheery mood soon became gloomy. "But you seem to refuse to use it. Was it because you deem it not necessary, or is it because you can't use it?"

"You make it sound so amazing. But from what I experienced, the power of the void does nothing but absorb the energy around me." If only I can use it, then I can assault her with void energy. Even if I don't believe I will defeat her with it, I can at least see her face become uneasy from being exposed by the sinister energy of the Void.

"Tut tut. It is because you don't know a thing on how to manipulate it." She wags her finger. "If the stories are true, then what you have can change the whole world as we know it. But put changing the world out of our mind for the moment. Right now I want to see if I can make you use the Void energy you hide inside your body shall we?"

I readied myself for an attack when I noticed that the sounds of explosion and magic being flung around has gone silent. What happened? Was the fight over? Did Mark win?

My hope that Mark overcame his four opponents was shattered when one of the short girl appeared and kneeled in behind Mariam. "Lady Mariam, the fire mage has been defeated."

"Finally. If you took a minute more before defeating him I would have killed you for being useless. But since you have defeated him, I would just have you lashed for being incompetent." She declared causing the short girl to shiver. It further cemented my belief that either she far eclipses them in power. "Is he still alive?" She inquired.

"We left him breathing for the moment. We await for your further orders." The short girl continues to kneel.

"Good. Don't kill him. I have plans for him yet." Mariam replied. "Go and inform the others. We are about to take our target and depart for our base." With a wave of her hand she dismissed her.

"As you wish Lady Mariam." The short girl quickly answered and started to run towards her companions.

"Now, where are we? Oh yes. Seeing you exhibit your Void energy. I doubt I will be able to witness it once I hand you over to the Elders so how about you show it to me right now?" She declared in a playful tone.

My heart beats faster as each of her steps draw her closer to me each second. "I would if I could." I replied.

Shit. Now what do I do? Even with Mark Anthony fighting off the other intruders, the chances are already slim. But right now, in front of this monster, escape now seem impossible.

Should I try my luck and run? Or should I go down fighting? Either way I'm screwed.