59 We’ll Meet Again

AUTHOR'S POV

Hiding his face in the shadow of his cloak, the man moved his head towards Haelan. "Agalea", he breathlessly whispered. Then, he slapped the life out of Lady Emilia who's frantically shouting on her knees. Next thing, the two other cloaked men stood up in unison.

"Why don't you step back for a while and let's take it easy", Atrius said as he place his hand on the hilt of his sword. Jacomus draw closer with caution.

In one quick move, one of the cloaked men lifted a chair and slammed it on Haelan. Before it could hit her, Haelan pushed the chair away with a strong gush of the wind and sprinted out. The lanterns flickered as the summoned wind swirl inside the tavern. Atrius drew his sword to fight with the other, while Jacomus brawled with other who's sizable like him.

Haelan dodged every furniture thrown at her, and shielded herself with broken pieces of wood that were scattered all over. The cloaked man's calculated moves seemed to know Haelan's way of fighting, for eventually, he landed several kicks on her torso and strong punches on arms which were all overbearing. Haelan tried to flip one oval table as the man attack her, she get beat with a plank of wood on the head as blood trickled down to her neck.

As the other cloaked man with a narrow and small blade took a chance to rush towards Haelan, Atrius drew his sword as he cover his friend. Striking his sword multiple times towards the unknown man that tipped his hood back, Atrius was completely in shock seeing how darkness completely and literally filled the man's eyes. The man disarmed Atrius while he was in awe, as he lunge at the young lad forcefully until he cut his jaw.

Seeing Atrius in great danger, Haelan took out her hilt and channeled her power. A blue beam of light blazed from the hilt, then she tossed it to Atrius who's swordless but won't retreat. "Atrius, catch!!", Haelan shouted as she threw her energy sword. Greatly, Atrius caught it as the beam shifted from bright blue to fiery red. Never backing down until he claim his victory, Atrius attacked the man aggressively. As soon as he plunged it straight to the man's chest, the man quickly turned into ashes.

Simultaneously, Jacomus opposed with the other cloaked man who's as big as him with his bare fists. The weight of the man's hits exactly match his. They threw each other effortlessly like a sack of potatoes, then both landed on each other's faces with so many blows.

The intense fight seemed unstoppable, until Haelan was pinned down by her rival choking her to death with her face starting to turn from pale to crimson. She pushed him hard with all her might, as she kick from side to side. The man didn't budge from Haelan's light punches, as the man reach for the damask arm cuff Haelan's wearing.

"Haelan!", Atrius shouted while he aid Jacomus with their single and stronger opponent. As Haelan gets breathing difficulties, the energy sword disappears making it useless for Atrius.

"What's going on here?!", Tobias shouted as he went down after hearing loud altercations and clanging of chairs in the mess hall. His eyes widened seeing men in brawl, blood everywhere and broken tables and chairs. Along with Freya who had an initiative after seeing Haelan being strangled on the floor, she rushed to help her dearest friend who might meet her immediate end.

"Freya! Come back here!!", Tobias said as Freya hurried out. Her niece bravely took a plank of wood and slammed it repetitively and readily towards the man strangling Haelan with a loud grunt. However, the man took the hit like he felt nothing, then he grabbed the plank that Freya was holding. He made a guttural sound that scared Freya, and beat her on the face as she was thrown out. "Freya, my niece!!", fearing for his life, Tobias just ran to Freya who was totally knocked out.

Strangling Haelan once again, the man tried to reach for the arm cuff as well. Quickly and surely before she ran out of breath, Haelan summoned the wind for help. However, what answered her call surprised her, as the vines hanging on the windows crawled in like a trusted follower. They creeped in quickly and wrapped tightly on the man's both arms, one at a time. Gasping deeply as she recover from getting strangled, Haelan had the vines tightened under her command as it spread the man's arms out, pulling him apart.

Trapped and unable to move, the man groaned as the vines pull. Wiping some blood dripping on her forehead, Haelan stood up and gathered the water from the pewter. Breathing heavily as she form an orb of water, Haelan stared intently at the hooded opponent. After calling the wind to pull down the man's hood, her blazing eyes softened as she drop her water ball.

"Fa.. father?", Haelan softly uttered as she sees Gaius with his eyes getting darker and darker. Gaius didn't seem to hear Haelan as he grunt in pain with vines pulling his arms apart. With her mouth open, she stared in disbelief seeing her father in Nether. Tears suddenly fall from her eyes without blinking as she look at the man who had no doubts killing her.

Then, some patrolling crusaders were heard from outside, that alarmed the other man fighting for his life against Atrius and Jacomus with all his might. "Gaius! Let's go!", the bigger man said as he threw Atrius to Jacomus.

Gaius grabbed the vines and counterpulled, then he stared at the Haelan who seemed kind of lost as he break loose. "We'll meet again!", Gaius said before they ran out of the tavern. Jacomus followed them out, together with the crusaders, while Atrius dragged himself up to Haelan who's now out of danger.

Haelan fell on her knees as her breathing became slower. Suddenly, she felt numb all over. All she could hear were echoes, and all she could see were doubles. "Haelan? Haelan?! Are you okay? Can you hear me?", Atrius asked as he slap Haelan's face gently. Then, he place the hilt back in her hands hoping it would snap out of her. Thereafter, he ripped a small fabric from his cloak and placed it on Haelan's bleeding forehead. He lifted Haelan and let her sit on a chair.

In the corner of the tavern, Tobias held Freya's hand until she regained consciousness. He sighed a great relief as he wipe his sweat on his forehead. Freya rise suddenly after remembering what just happened. She approached Haelan immediately, then checked her eyes that were still gray.

"Thank goodness", Freya said as she sat beside Haelan. "She'll be fine", she said. Atrius thought Freya just made a mistake noting Haelan as a woman.

"Please take care of him for a while, I'll follow my comrade", Atrius quickly led himself out as he gaze at Haelan who's lost in trance.

As Atrius step out, he picked up his sword along the way and caught a glimpse of the ashes of the man he just killed. Then he walked out as he met Jacomus and the two crusaders who came to their aid. "Did you get them?", he asked as he put his sword back in his sheath.

"No, they were so fast", Jacomus said as he catch his breath.

"Excellent work men! You're lucky none of you got mortally hurt. They are extremely dangerous", one crusader said.

"What are they?", Atrius asked.

"Healer soul travelers. However, seeing their eyes.. it seemed like they are in transition to become mystic healers", one replied.