Not strong enough

a man in black cloak enters the room where Lucas is expecting him to show up.

"we are tailing him for the time being sir" the man spokes looking up through his bangs

Lucas didn't respond so he continued

"and it seems like he is taking rest for today"

Lucas stands up and pick up that bracelet from the drawer "and what about that bug of his"

"we found her running out from Haimon she is probably going to the general"

Lucas has his ways of getting information from here and there, so he has found out about the owner of this bracelet which belongs to guild of craftsmen from very old times. and there are only two people belonging to that guild who escaped the war alive and came to Haimon for shelter. in which one of them is dead not long ago. so probably has to be the one who is still alive. who is Irie.

"kill her first she should not meet the general even if they did then kill them both no one should know that it's me who plotted it against him" Lucas have black aura around him and evil in his eyes.

"you got it" that man said and left

Irie keeps moving towards west hoping to reach the kingdoms of swan to find Jack hardwood the author of the book 'dragons'. so that she could get all her answers which only he can give.

"ah...I can't believe he ditched us" Irie complains

~see I already told you he isn't trustworthy

"still he could at least have told me or simply took me with him" Irie kicks the stone but hurt her own foot

~we don't need him! we can survive on our own

"yah! don't worry I won't die yet, not until I complete what I started"

~thers the spirit!!

after few hours "ugh!! I am thirsty" Irie falls on the ground covered in dry leaves and role around kicking and punching in air in frustration because they have been walking for like morning and now it's going to be evening.

~lets take a break?

"hell yah but I am out of water" Irie is thinking of crying and drinking her own tears at the moment when suddenly she heard footsteps on the dry leaves that made her sit straight to see two men in black cloak face hidden with mask walking towards her.

Irie stands up neither of them spokes a word but Irie can sence the atmosphere pretty well, they are here for her but why?

Irie slowly reaches the handle of swords looking at both of them, in next second Irie drops her backpack and pulls out both swords and those men also took out their swords and charged towards her, well those men were not expecting this scenario where she will pull out weapons.

Irie is good with one buster swords at a time but handling two at once is bit hard for her and that was a big mistake. one of the man attacks her left hand her weak point because her left hand is not used to lift that much waight as of swords and he successfully wounded the back of her hand and her sword falls down on the ground.

Irie hiss in pain but she didn't let go of her right hand sword and bring both hands together.

on the other hand they are very skilled she has to admit.

"it's not fare you know two against one" Irie dodge back

they didn't respond to her at all

"how rude!" Irie shook her head

once again they run towards her with their swords, seems like they only speaks with their swords.

where as they are busey with there swords some another guest have been looking at them and having fun hiding behind the leaves for quite a while, and the battle down there seems to have no end to it.

those two men in black are quite amused by the little girls skills but that's taking them more time and energy needed to get their job done.

at this point they looked at each other and nod then one of them stepped back where as another one is keeping her busey, Irie also has her limits and she is getting tired. the sun is also about to set soon. and if it gets dark things might not be on her favour so she has to end this fast. they will not retreat no matter what unless she hurt them. but Irie just can't bring herself to do so. she has never hurt anyone with her sword up until now.

one man went on hiding preparing for a surprise attack, then when he saw the opportunity he jumped out from the bushes from behind her back.

Irie is taken by surprise and didn't have enough time to react. no! shit! I can't die yet! this can't be the end! I have promised Ryu to give him the life he want! all these thoughts ran through Irie's head at once. and the blade was only few metres away from her heart when an another sword flashed in like a gust of wind between them from the sky. it took everyones attention.

Irie has never been this happy to see general, "oh general! haha! fancy meeting you here like this"

"focus! you idiot" Arthur scolds as he picks up his sword and swings in towards the one. making space between them.

Irie took the one she was tackling up until now and general the other one.

Arthur took just one shot to cut the assassin didn't killed him but did hurt his arm pritty badly making him step back.

"what on earth are you doing" Arthur is having an mental breakdown after seeing Irie just dancing here and there with another assassin, she could just take him down in one shot she has way too many changes but by any chance she didn't wants to hurt him Arthur thought.

he had enough of it so he just get on the man's back and broke his neck making him faint and fall on the ground. he puck back his sword.

"you are not good enough to be my student" Arthur sounds pissed

"I can't help it! what if I killed them accidently" Irie sits down on her spot folding he arms and legs

Arthur didn't expected that answer he thought she didn't attack because she might hurt them but because she might kill them instead.

Arthur started to laugh

"what! why are you laughing" Irie looks confused

"ha..ha no...ha nothing" Arthur wipes his tears grabbing his stomach

Irie is really mesmerized by general's laugh that she heard for the first time.

Arthur realised that he just lose his composer for a sec so he cleared his throat and fixed his clothes

"anyways! your wound should be treated first" Arthur looks at Irie's hand in concern.

"oh! it's nothing don't worry about it" Irie shook her hands

"I am not worried! do as you like" Arthur turned on his heels and walks away

"huh? wait what about them?" Irie follows him

"how will I know?"

"were they after me?"

"is there anyone else other than you there?"

"but why?"

Arthur sigh and didn't replied back or she won't shut her mouth anytime soon

the moon shines above their heads and for another hour Irie follows every where Arthur goes, still thirsty but it's good that the wound on her hand was not deep and surprisingly it is Heald like there was nothing. Irie didn't brag about it though.

"umm? general how did you know I was there?" Irie asks out of curiosity

Arthur didn't answered so she asks again "general!! how did you know I was there?" again no reply.

Irie is pissed so she over takes general and stands on his way. asking him to answer.

"it's because of your pendent" Arthur sigh

"what about my pendant?" still not giving him the way

Arthur walks towards her closing up the distance

"I can sence the power that leaks out from it" Arthur shuts Irie mouth just in one sentence.

then Arthur decides to rest for the day, they didn't talked much after that, Arthur has seen a cave not far from here and there's small stream running down there too. and Irie follows him there too.

once they reached there Irie rushed towards the source of water and drank to her hearts content.

on the other hand Arthur goes inside the cave it's not much big but two people can accommodate it.

Arthur is sitting by the fire which also he set up when Irie comes back she didn't said anything just sit down by the rock.

"here clean you wound first" Arthur offers some cotton and gel in tube.

"no! it's fine, it's healed already" Irie shows her left hand and indeed her hand doesn't even have a scar

Arthur was really surprised but didn't shows it. as just he was about to say something...

"I didn't thought I would have to tell all this to you but..." Irie spoke up, then Irie babbled all about her past this and that and all of most important about 'Ryu'.

Arthur is a good person and aslo a lots of patience one so he just sit there and listened to everything she said.

Irie was conflicted if she should tell him all this or not but she remembered what her grandmother taught her if she want someone else to trust her then put your trust on them first. that's what she is doing.

after completing her story Arthur didn't said anything may be still trying to take everything in.

"so please take me as a student and teach me those swords because I am not strong enough yet" Irie got on her knees and bowed her head on the ground

"fine!" that's all what Arthur said and then went inside to sleep.

~it won't hurt to rely on him a little

for the first time Ryu spoke something in favour of Arthur

"I guess you are right"