Chapter 15: Demon Pavilion

The moon had just begun to illuminate the sprawling expanse of the Elvenwood Forest when Ethan, Asher, and the three knight lieutenants arrived. An eerie tranquility hung over the forest, the quiet only disturbed by the rustling of leaves under their boots. 

Suddenly, a flash of steel cut through the silence like a thunderbolt, and before Ethan could react, Asher was in front of him, a sword barely missing his neck. Cold sweat broke out on Ethan's brow as he touched his neck, realizing how close he had come to death. 

"Ambush!" Asher's voice echoed through the forest, the sudden commotion prompting the rest of the team into action. They formed a protective circle around Ethan, their swords gleaming ominously under the moonlight. The attacker, seeing Asher, felt a shiver of fear. As their swords clashed, a grim realization dawned upon him - their employer's information was wrong. Asher was far stronger than they had anticipated. 

  "Retreat!" He bellowed, but it was too late. Asher and the lieutenants were already in hot pursuit, the forest echoing with the sounds of their fierce battle. 

Left behind, Ethan knew he was of little help in the fight with his current level of skill. So, he ventured deeper into the forest, towards the last known location of the traitors. As he advanced, he chanced upon a group of men huddled around a campfire, their laughter echoing through the woods. They were talking about his supposed demise, discussing the wealth they would plunder from his kingdom. 

"To think the demon tower is after Ethan, Haha. He is dead for sure" One man laughed out loud. "The fool will not even be able to protect himself and now he wants to rule a kingdom. Haha!!" another fat man with luxurious clothes commented. "How long do you think the useless king will last??" 

"He won't be seeing the morning light, and when he dies, we will collect all his possessions. Then who can stop us!" A short skinny man proclaimed. 

Listening in on their conversation, Ethan couldn't help but chuckle at their audacity. "Quite the ambitious lot, aren't you?" He called out, his voice filled with amusement. 

The laughter around the fire ceased instantly, replaced by stunned silence. They turned to face him, their faces a mix of shock and horror. 

"H-how a-are you here!" 

One thought flashed through every man's mind as they looked at the young man. 'Were found out'. 

"Why aren't you dead?" One of them managed to stammer out, his voice filled with fear. Yet, amidst the fear, one man stood out, his arrogant smirk never wavering as he declared, "The King is weak. Come on, let's fight I don't believe he can face all of us trainees at once." the assurgent man shouted. 

The kingdom, although weak, never restricted their people to cultivate and as such every minister had a bit of strength. Every man had the strength of a mid-stage trainee or late-stage trainee. 

Ethan simply laughed, his voice echoing through the silence of the forest. "Is that so?" he asked, a mischievous grin on his face. 

Ethan disappeared on the spot and in a blink of an eye he appeared in front of the man slicing his head off. The act of slicing of a man's head struck terror into the other men, their little courage they mustered up with the arrogant man's proclamation died just as fast as he did. 

One by one, he picked them off, their mocking laughter replaced by pleas of mercy. But mercy was a luxury he couldn't afford them. Their pleas fell on deaf ears as his sword met their flesh, their life ending in a gush of red. 

< Asher POV > 

Asher had entered the forest with a sense of unease, the eerie silence amplifying the crunch of fallen leaves beneath his boots. Shadows danced in his peripheral vision, the dense foliage hiding dangers unseen. 

"Ambush" I shouted, calling out to my men in their stupor. 'Thankfully they reacted swiftly'. Asher was relieved as he saw his men protect Ethan. 

After their first clash Asher heard the man shouting retreat, without hesitation he cahrged after the fleeing man. 

The leader of the attackers, dressed in black, was in shock. He found Asher's strength terrifying, his own blows paling in comparison. "Damn it, this wasn't in the report," he cursed under his breath, his mind racing for an escape plan. He shouted orders to his companions, but Asher's relentless pursuit made their retreat difficult. 

"Who sent you?" I demanded, parrying a particularly vicious blow. "Who wants us dead so desperately?" 

The man's laugh was hollow, echoing through the forest. "You will never know," he wheezed, a grim smile playing on his lips. "But rest assured they won't rest until they have your heads." He grimaced. 

"Release me and I will not kill Ethan Darkwood. Kill me and you will bear the consequences, my faction is not someone that the likes of you can afford to offend." He laughed manically. 

'' Hahaha... No one will know who killed you. And even if they suspect us, will they ever believe a 6th – Tier Kingdom killing an 8th –Stage knight." I shrugged him off and swung my sword giving him the fatal blow to end our fight. 

"T-the D-demon P-pavilion won't let you off..." 

The words hung heavy in the air, a chilling realization dawned upon me, we were in big trouble. It was then that Asher drove his sword into the man's heart, a fatal blow that silenced his threats forever. As the man crumpled, his last breath was a warning. "They... will avenge me..." 

They were not mere assassins; they were pawns of a greater force, a force that threatened the future of their kingdom. Asher dispatched the remaining men swiftly, the forest floor becoming a sea of black-clad bodies. 

His heart pounded in his chest as he ran towards Ethan, fearing the worst. 'Nothing must happen, hold on Ethan' he shouted in his heart. 

But when I arrived and found Ethan. I saw him standing tall among a pile of corpses, his silhouette illuminated by the moonlight. His face was solemn, but his eyes shone with fierce determination. "May you rest in peace," he murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper. 

The sight seared itself into Asher's memory, a haunting tableau of a young king asserting his dominance. In that moment, Asher saw not just the boy he had known, but the image of the formidable king he would become. It was a sight that sparked a sense of loyalty in Asher, a profound respect for the young king he had sworn to protect. 

"Ethan," I thought, his heart heavy with newfound resolve, "you're worth following. I will stand by you, no matter what comes our way."