Chapter 41: A Still Lake

No matter how Lucia tried, she could not still her mind. The Sword Saint had maintained that her erratic mana was the problem. 

"You're too ungrounded. Do it again!" Valentus barked. 

Lucia tried to clear her mind. Every time she needed for her mind to be quiet, it seemed to grow even more wild and chaotic. She couldn't escape this feeling that maybe it was beyond her ability. Valentine's holy magic was incredible. He could, without hesitation, draw out the most immense and steadfast mana Lucia had ever felt. She doubted she could do the same. 

Lucia wanted to be stronger. She needed to be but self-doubt and anger kept clouding her vision. After several failed attempts, Valentus let out a sigh.

"What is that you want to be strong for?" He asked with his usual candour.

Lucia lowered her sword and reflected on the situation. 

"I want to be able to save the Prince...." She began.

Valentus' eyes narrowed.

Lucia considered her answer again. She did want to save Keitel. However, Valentus was right. It was more than just that. The anger boiled up whenever she thought about her death. The utter and inescapable helplessness. She never wanted to feel that way again. 

"To get revenge?" Lucia asked hesitantly.

"Are you asking or telling me?" Valentus growled. "You don't have to be honest with me. But, at the very least,  be honest with yourself. Why do you want to be strong?" He asked again.

Lucia bit down on her lip. She tightened her grip around the sword. What answer did he want? She glanced towards Valentus. His greatsword glinted in the pale light. One word came to mind. Power.

What would it be like to have that kind of power? To finally be in control of her destiny? Lucia had been perpetually disappointed with her own actions so far. The truth was she didn't know what to do. She just kept moving forward, hoping the answer would come. She wanted the remedy to her situation. If she was truly honest, she wanted to have the strength to save herself. 

"It seems you've reached a conclusion," Valentus said observing her. He waved his hand dismissively as he returned to the camp. Lucia stood alone in the clearing. She held the sword over the sun and looked at her own reflection. For the first time in a long time, she felt a quiet peace.

However, upon her return,  the camp was anything but peaceful. A lead had been found. Scouts had caught sight of the demon Soir. This time, she had been spotted with one of the Empire's knights in tow. They had tracked her down to a mansion belonging to a court member. It was a race against time to get there before they changed location.

The Sword Saint assembled everyone. After her last failed mission, Lucia didn't expect to be leading the next expedition. They didn't need her.

It came as a surprise to Lucia when the Sword Saint called her name. Moreover, this time Valentus himself would be accompanying. Michael and Clover were left in charge. Meanwhile, sister Lucy was assigned to the part as a healer. 

The mansion was located just outside of the Capital. It made sense. Laurence wouldn't want to hide the court members too far away. The group departed with Valentus at the helm. It was over a day's ride back towards the capital. However, this time the knights rode through the night to get there in time. With Lucy and another sister in tow, the horses were restored with healing magic so they could get there faster.

The mansion was a dark and leering monstrosity. It glared at the party with imposing arched windows and ornate buttresses. It was far more gothic than the extravagant manors in the capital. At twilight eve, it emanated as a sinister spectre.

As the knights piled into the courtyard and began to dismount, everyone observed the strange quiet over the mansion. Not even a bird could be heard in the trees. A search began over the sprawling labyrinth-like mansion. 

Lucia walked down the hallways with a sword in hand. As she turned the corner, she was hit by a foul odour. She waved the two knights who were following to her side. They opened up the door where the smell was the strongest. Lucia swallowed hard.

The mangled bodies of the court members were assembled in a pile. The odour was nauseating. They had been there for days. The carpets were stained. It was like being back on the battlefield again. There wasn't an inch of the room not covered in blood. Lucia clenched her fist. Her eyes scanned over the afflicted faces of the dead. 

Albaric was not among the dead. Lucia instructed the knights to search the area. Lucia proceeded down the hall under the glow of her magic. There were red blemishes leading down the staircase. Lucia followed them into a dank and enclosed corridor.

There were chains lining the ceilings. Splintered, wooden racks with shackles were set up. The whole room was dark and foul. Lucia's eyes set on a figure hunched over behind one of the cells. 

Lucia held up the face. It was Albaric. He was badly beaten but still breathing. Lucia laced him over her shoulder and tried to make her way out of the room. The instant Lucia turned, her fire lit up the grotesquely smiling face of Soir. Lucia staved her off with a wave of her sword. She lay Albaric down and searched the room. 

Soir had disappeared again into the shadows. Lucia considered her options. The other knights weren't far off. She could make a run for it; get help and come back. Lucia turned to the door. Soir immediately barred her way.

"Don't bother," Soir smiled. "By now, your friends will be quite busy with the others I imagine."

"The others?" Lucia interrogated.

"It's not a party without any guests," Soir dismissed.

Lucia raised her sword. At least the Sword Saint was upstairs. She needed to focus on Soir. After their last encounter, Lucia didn't know whether she would be able to fend off Soir on her own. However, it wasn't just her life she had to worry about. Albaric and the rest of the men were in danger. Soir had already killed the court members. They could all just as easily end up as fodder for Soir apathy.

Lucia needed to remain calm; Assess the situation clearly. Demons are better in close range combat. Within the confines of the dungeon, Soir had the advantage. It was just like before. However, this time it wouldn't be so easy to escape. Not with Albaric to look out for.

If Lucia was going to meet Soir in close combat, the sword would only get in the way. Lucia seethed the sword. She surrounded her body with mana to absorb some of the damage. Her fists sparked with amber flames. She gestured to Soir.

Soir grinned a wide, smug smile. She dashed towards Lucia with enough speed to slice the air. Her fists fell hard and fast. Lucia parried her blows. She had noticed that the demons couldn't simultaneously drain mana at the same time as defending against it. This meant Lucia could keep up her guard.

The room flashed each blow. Lucia gave all her focus to the battle. There was no time to think about clearing her mind before the next blow came down. The rhythmic pattern of close hand combat was all-consuming. 

Soir seemed to become aware of Lucia's strategy. She dealt a swift but deadly kick that sent Lucia flying back. Soir cracked her knuckles. She inhaled spuriously.

"Is that all, little knight?" Soir chuckled. "And here, I was so hoping we'd meet again! I felt our time together was cut short, wouldn't you say? I've made do with what toys I could find but once I've laid eyes on something I want, everything else feels so bland." Soir gestured to Albaric. He was still unconscious.

Lucia pulled herself up. She had managed to guard just in time. She looked down at Albaric. She could feel the anger building. She exhaled unsteadily. She couldn't think about that now. Soir zoomed past Lucia so quickly, she didn't have time to block this time. 

Lucia crashed against the wall. The wall caved around the impact of the blow. Lucia let out a gasp. She coughed back the taste of metal in her mouth. The pain broke her concentration. Soir grabbed Lucia by the throat. She pushed her against the wall. Lucia's feet came off the ground.

Soir licked her lips and grinned. " We'll have lots of fun together, don't worry." She hissed.

Lucia kicked back, breaking from Soir's grip. She fell to the ground. Soir eyed her coldly. Before Lucia could stand, Soir kicked her down. Lucia breathed out unsteadily. Everything was spinning. Her vision was becoming dark. Was this it?

For some reason at that moment, Lucia recalled the day she first became a knight. The first time Ramelle's army had come to take her away. She had been pushed into a cart with the rest of Ramelle's youths. She remembered the sinking feeling. As her house faded from view, she had left all her hopes and expectations behind. 

She saw the scene like a voyeur in her own memories. She wasn't a young woman. Instead, she was the same as she had been before she died. The way she still thought of herself inside.

Lucia peered out from the knight's cart. How different her life might've been if she could have escaped that day. If only there had been someone to save her. Why couldn't she be saved from the brutality of life and the disillusionment of growing up? 

Lucia suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to run. She didn't want to go. She threw herself from the cart. The moment her feet touched the ground, she felt an overwhelming sense of relief. As the cart kept rolling away off into the distance, Lucia looked back. That day would never come in this life. She was free.

Soir pulled Lucia up once more. Her head was still draped over in a daze. Lucia gripped Soir's hand. Soir ignored her and began to tighten her grip. 

Soir let out a scream. She jerked back unsteadily. The place where Lucia had gripped was burnt raw. Soir stared down at her own wound baffled. Lucia came to her feet. Her eyes appeared as if she were still in a trance-like state. Lucia lunged towards Soir.

Soir parried the blows. However, Lucia ducked under her defence and struck her with an open palm. Soir fell back gripping her ribs.  The corner of lips flickered.  Her face contorted in rage. This time as Lucia came at her, Soir met the blow. 

The confrontation became a struggle between Lucia's mana and Soir's demonic energy. 

Lucia broke through Soir's defence. Her fist landed in Soir's chest. Soir was pushed back. She began to make a break for the door. Before she could reach, Lucia caught up to her. She unleashed a barrage of hits. Soir fell to the floor in a heap, gurgling for breath.

Lucia unsheathed her sword. Soir's eyes widened. She shook her head. Soir held up a hand.

"Mercy!" She cried. "It's not fair. I didn't ask for this!"

Lucia stared down at Soir coldly. Soir's body trembled.

"They made me do it," Soir's face twisted into a pleading smile. "I couldn't defy the lord. He would've killed me!"

Lucia's blade came down like lightning. It was decisive and fatal. 

Lucia took a deep breath in. She glanced over the room. Whatever reason Soir had, her pleasure in other people's pain was evident. Lucia had no remorse. She pulled Albaric over her shoulder and made her way back up. She was still in pain from where Soir had hit her. She staggered unsteadily back towards the courtyard. 

A red-eyed man suddenly appeared in front of her. Lucia managed to block the hit just in time. Lucia's sword came down resolutely on the demon. She prepared for the next attack. However, to her surprise, the demon fell down dead on the floor. Lucia hadn't used much mana. She scanned over the body suspiciously. He was a lot weaker than Soir. 

Lucia didn't have time to dwell. She continued towards the courtyard. The hall was lined with slain demons. By the time she reached the courtyard, the Sword Saint was putting down the last. Valentus cut the demon down in one blow. 

"Low-level scum!" Valentus spat. 

The mansion was still in chaos. Knights were running to and fro. Half the mansion was already picking up flames. Lucia brought Albaric to the healers before getting herself seen. Lucy came running towards Lucia. She glanced up at Lucia. Her eyes were watery. 

Lucy's voice trembled. "Thank you!"