Entrances of the powerful
No matter what I choose now things will go to shit, Crystal is strong enough to survive but she's surrounded by children without much power while Blade has the might of mercenaries by his side but should a powerful spell be unleashed, he won't survive it with his sword magic alone. Its not just a matter of who I should either since I also have to account for who will cause more damage and I should stop that but from Crystal's magic alone she's worth the magic of 20 men but then again these are mercenaries we are talking about, people who put their lives on the line for every job and survived so long, they are sure to be strong.
Alright I am going to do a crazy move that has more chances of completely destroying me but even if there's a slight chance of saving both of them and not damaging the palace then I'll take it. Mikhail Tal, one of the greatest chess players has a strategy in games where he was at a disadvantage, when there are threats to two important pieces, instead of saving one, just add another piece of yours in that threat. It seems counter intuitive yes but a study called the Jam Experiment concluded that the more choices you give to a person, the less likely they will be able to make that choice and now all I need, to stall Rexcarius and get the chance to talk Crystal and Blade out of their insane plans.
I needed to get everyone's attention so I bravely walked towards the palace, with no protection whatsoever I walked nonchalantly to the center and in exchange for my courage managed to get the attention of Rexcarius. He was at he top most center tower of the palace defended in all sides, I knocked on the tightly closed gates and there was none that answered.
Both Blade's and Crystal's army are just waiting for the signal of either leaders and Blade's is him while for Crystal she left it to Ria which is a good decision as she has no bearing of such battles. Perhaps one is waiting for the other and any second now they could attack which is why I should move quickly if I want to stop them both.
"Open up idiots" I scream to get Rexcarius' attention. They had no reaction which is to be expected but I need to hope that Rexcarius just once trusts me in this.
"I won't harm you" I then raised up my bracelet showing that it didn't suddenly activate, its
an insider expression that only he would understand. The soldiers show up with their crossbows and magic spells just aiming at me. If Rexcarius doesn't let me in and let me deal with this then there is really nothing I can do.
Now the opportunity of talking one of the armies are out the window and should Rexcarius ignore my call then those arrows and fireballs pointed at me would most likely be released and I will die martyr style, trying to save someone but killed defenselessly.
Rexcarius from his tower told a command to Sabre who was with him and for a second I had hoped he would be open to reasoning and I would be able to talk both of my allies out of it but then Sabre took his sword from his scabbard and then pointed it forward as if to signal "Charge!" and with that the arrows above me were released and Blade and Ria started rushing the castle.
As these arrows came forward me in bullet speed, I was reminded of my first death where I was faced with a similar circumstance, defenseless and alone as projectiles come toward my organs and even after all I did, I still couldn't dodge or defend myself. I suppose I end the same way huh?
I accepted my death because although cut short it was a hell of a ride, I went from being an abandoned orphan to the lead anti-rebellion, I had people who trusted me and those who betrayed me. I shall cherish this short but eventful life.
By the time the arrows should have hit my chest I came to wonder because it didn't. I had closed my eyes from the impact, I have always wondered why people close their eyes when they are in pain and in pleasure. One passage I read said that we close our eyes in such moments because it is never for the mind to understand, but for the heart to feel. It is not felt with the eyes but with the soul huh. Well then I have harmed the soul of many and I deserve this but I didn't get hit by the hundreds of arrows, and although slowed time still went on.
I opened my eyes and yet it was still only darkness that I could see, in some ways this darkness felt fitting for the fate I expected but no, from this darkness came a light and from the dead arose my hero. Alofaron Troy Valhalien, he lit up the darkness of which he himself caused and as he walked everyone paused in awe even Ria and Blade had to make their attack pause. I loved to make dramatic entrances but this one is the very pinnacle of it and the most smug looking son of a bitch walked gallantly destroying the 9 foot gate along his way.
"Did you miss me everybody?", He spoke calmly but with the magic he emmited chills came down from our spine, they say when someone comes back from the dead he comes back much stronger well I can attest to that as Alfron didn't just come back with new found confidence but also with greater magic emitting all over him.
The knights surrendering to their prince put down their weapons and even the brave knight Sabre stood stupefied. Alfron immence mana felt like the sudden burst that I have first felt the day that the stars came alive to save Filgras, yes Sabre was astonished not because of how powerful Alfron suddenly became but because his mana was so similar of the man whom he truly feared, Lacquer Tidelode, if he could see his student now I could only imagine how proud he would be that for reasons that even I could not understand, Alfron defeated his darkness and tamed his demons.
The same boy who relied on his earth powers because he feared the night, now reveals himself as one with the darkness and to think he would be the one to save me.
I was wrong, things are not the same as before because this time I am not alone. I have people who would wage war for me, people who would put me over their own, and one scary motherfucker who came and showed off at the most perfect time.
Not everyone was happy with Alfron's sudden revival however, Rexcarius saw this and decided that he had enough. His last child now betrayed him as well and sided with me and that was simply unfathomable for someone who relied on predicting and reading people all his life. Rexcarius for the very first time since the war revealed his power and only then could I understand why Lacquer feared leaving Rexcarius alone, why he claimed to be the only one that could handle Rexcarius.
As if the earth shook, the ground grumbled as Rexcarius left his tower and landed in the ground. Now Alfron, even with his new found power seemed ordinary in contrast with his father and then suddenly all those stories of two mages destroying a powerful empire started to make sense to me. I was a fool to think that I could defeat Rexcarius or even Lacquer at that, in this world of magic people like me are not the ones that triumph, it is people like them that control the world.
With one flick of Rexcarius' finger a current that could cut even the wind came towards me and even with Alfron in front of me guarding, he was easily pushed away and the current although weakened hit me and I came flying back to where I came from. Had it not been for Alfron's magic in the way then that spell would have killed me.
It seems that my death today was inevitable and twice already I was saved, I don't suppose there will be a third time, miracles do not happen like that after all and I was lucky that I lived this long even. But with Rexcarius and Lacquer as my enemy then I truly do not stand a chance and I should just give up now. Once more Rexcarius flicked his fingers and the air cutter spell came towards me once more, I tried to run but it was too fast for me however, there was a creature that can out speed even that spell and it is my trusty magic beast Stallion. With Crystal riding the steed I was saved again and the armies that were supposed to fight Rexcarius ran away in fear and only those loyal to me stayed, which happened to be Blade and Ria who were unfazed and came running towards me, there is another man behind Blade however, either he is suicidal or he is simply a fool but either way I do not mind another ally especially against Rexcarius.
Rexcarius became annoyed and something tells me that the spell he just used was his weakest as now he came walking towards me again but now all of my allies felt a heavy weight in our shoulders and as if he was controlling gravity, the closer Rexcarius became the more powerful the crushing weight. I cannot let these people die because of me was my first thought and I gathered all my magic power to give Rexcarius my memories of my past life because that should at least give me a minute, I do not fucking care if my identity is revealed because I must stall just enough that Stallion can take away Crystal and the rest, I will not have the luxury of escape but I against Rexcarius but at least this way it can only be me that gets massacred by this unbelievable power.
At the closest Rexcarius can get before we are completely crushed I release my strongest Mirror World but just as I did so a powerful force interrupted. Lacquer finally revealed himself after all this time but in the worst possible time and he became distracted by my spell and from out of nowhere was a poison arrow that strikes Lacquer in the shoulder and now even he was at the mercy of Rexcarius who took a second to think about what he shall do. Had he wanted it he could destroy us all now but he looked from the direction the arrow was from and as he gazed the trees were blown away and the shooter was revealed.
Perseus goddamn Bloodeon finally showed up in the worst possible time once more. Perseus held his bow and arrow and from beside him was the poison from which he coated the arrow and then suddenly all was clear.
Someone who could enter the palace unnoticed, have knowledge of the local poison, someone who can clear out his tracks, that someone could only have been a hunter, one with a good position with the royal family, and one that could set a trap for me. Perseus is X and if miracles existed it is this because now not only has Lacquer been caught but also X the mysterious attacker. All that is left now is to leave this to Rexcarius, should he act now then all shall be wrapped up and as much as I hate that his only counter has now been caught, my bracelet keeps me from doing anything and with luck my name shall be cleared and I can go back to Crystal and Blade and show them my gratitude by improving their life and freeing Blade from his oath.