Chapter 31: Sorrow at its finest.

Lucian screamed Hestia's name at the top of his lungs as his rage burned at the sight of her empty cell.

Hornby had gotten up, ripping a piece of cloth from his clothing to place over his face as the smoke from the flames was growing thicker.

Quickly he ran over to the hole in the side of the building to try and get some fresh air, his eyes opening wide as he did.

"L-Lucian!" He shouted as he tried to clear the smoke from his lungs.

"He's getting away!"

Lucian turned his head to see Hornby pointing towards the main road leading back to the estate's main gate.

A horse and carriage were speeding towards the gate and with Lucian's enhanced vision he could see Gilly driving and Hestia, who was bound by shackles inside the carriage.

"You're not getting away..." Lucian said through clenched teeth as he ran to the hole in the side of the building.

Looking down at his feet and then back to the carriage as an idea suddenly popped into his mind.

"Not this time!" He shouted as he focused his magic into his feet, picturing them to be as light as the wind.

Lucian jumped into the air, soaring so high he looked as if he was flying.

Hornby watched in amazement as Lucian was flying through the air towards the carriage at incredible speed.

"Just who the hell is this guy?" Hornby said to himself as he noticed a way down from the castle back to the ground.

Lucian was fast approaching the carriage and raised his war hammer in his right hand.

"GILLLYYYYY!!!" He roared as he was a mere moment away from crashing into the carriage.

Hestia looked on in hope through the barred windows of the carriage trying to release her binds. However, the magical seal on them was too strong to break.

Gilly turned his head away from steering to see Lucian flying towards him like a demon, fearing for his life as he coward.

"Wind blade!" A voice shouted from the distance.

A slice of wind magic burst into Lucian, knocking him off course and into the ground with a huge thud as the impact uprooted the earth.

Gilly turned his head to Colin, who looked worse for wear as half of his body was covered in burn marks.

"Flee my lord," Colin said as the carriage passed by him.

"I will hold him as long as I can."

Gilly didnt waste any time as he whipped the horses harder.

"I won't forget your sacrifice!" Gilly shouted as his carriage reached the gates.

Lucian opened his eyes slowly. He felt as if his body was broken from his sudden impact into the soil he now led in. Colin's wind blade had hit him in the chest, and if not for his armour taking the brunt of the damage, the wound on his chest would be much worse.

Lucian was just about able to see the carriage leaving the estate, his last chance to save Hestia slipping through his fingers as he led in the mud.

"I won't let you lay a hand on Lord Gilbert," Colin said as he slowly limped towards Lucina, fighting his own battle as he was close to death's door.

"It's time for you to die." He said as he now stood in front of Lucian, who was still lying in the mud, covered in his own blood.

Suddenly Colin was hit in the chest by a blast of water that dropped him back before he fell to his knees.

"Water bullet!" Hornby shouted again as he fired three more shots of water from the palm of his hand.

Colin looked up, biting through the pain as he extended his hand to create a magical barrier that stopped the water bullets in their tracks.

The water bullets crashed against the magical barrier and exploded harmlessly as the water splashed onto Colin before he prepared his own attack.

"Arghh!" Hornby roared as he charged in with his sword raised high, ready to cut Colin in half with it.

"Begone!" Colin shouted in response as he extended his free hand and unleashed a burst of wind magic that knocked Hornby flying before he crashed into the ground.

"What a fool," Colin said as he walked over to Hornby, convinced that Lucian wasn't going anywhere with the state he was in.

"Did you really think that a pitiful magic attack like that would be enough to kill me?" He said as he stood above Hornby.

Hornby was led on his back trying to regain his breath.

"I knew it wouldn't be enough to kill you..." He said as he pushed himself up onto his elbows.

"It was meant to!"

Colin had already learnt his lesson's about letting his opponents talk too much and with a swipe of his hand he severed Hornby's head from his shoulders with one smooth swing of his arm.

"Idiot," Colin said as he watched Hornby's head roll across the ground before it stopped next to his foot.

Lucian watched the whole thing, still unable to move due to his injuries. His health bar was still low as his bones and flesh stitched themselves back together slowly. However, it wasn't fast enough, and he was forced to watch Colin kill Hornby before his eyes.

"You bastard... I'm going to make you pay for that!" He said, letting his magic explode, engulfing his entire body in flames as his rage boiled over.

Colin could feel the pressure increase in the very air around him as all of the magic in the surrounding atmosphere was pulled to Lucian.

"What is this?" He thought as he watched Lucian step out of the small creator he had been led in not a moment ago.

Lucian's body had healed its wounds and his muscles had grown larger as he tapped into the power of his wrath ability. Two black horns had also grown from his head as the ends of them ignited with flames.

"By the gods! What demonic magic is this!" Colin shouted as he quickly slashed two wind blades at him, in an attempt to wound him.

Both of the wind blades hit Lucian and broke, allowing the wind to scatter harmlessly, having no effect on him whatsoever.

"This cannot be!" Colin said as he took a step back in fear.

Lucian's eyes were burning red with an intensity that shattered Colin's fighting spirit, almost causing him to fall to his knees.

"ARRGHHHH!!!" Lucian roared at the top of his lungs as his magic exploded.

The intensity of it ignited everything within a ten-meter radius before he calmed down and locked onto Colin.

"You..." He said as he took a step forwards.

"No..." Colin said, feeling helpless.

"Stay back!" He yelled as he started waving his hand through the air like a mad man, shooting as many wind blades as he could muster at Lucian in a desperate attempt to strike him down.

The pressure that Lucian was amitting was too strong for Colin's wind blades to even get near him, as each one broke away into the distance.

"This can't be happening!" Colin said frozen in fear as Lucian grasped his wrist, stopping his assault in an instant.

"Where is he?" Lucian asked in a demonic voice.

Colin's eyes had started to water as Lucian's eyes burnt into his very soul.

"I-I can't..."

Lucian suddenly gripped Colin by the throat and lifted him into the air with one hand.

"Where are they!" He shouted, his magical energy flaring to life, causing Colin to feel as if it was crushing his lungs.

"Long live Lord Gilbert..." Colin said, knowing that those words would be the last he ever spoke.

Lucian growled as he understood.

"Then die." He said as he allowed his wrath to spread into Colin's body, setting it ablaze with the blue flames that covered him.

"A-A-ARGGHHH!!!!!" Colin screamed as the pain he felt was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

Lucian watched as his body turned into ash, blowing away in the gentle breeze, finally escaping his grasp.

Lucian took a breath as he calmed down, letting his magic fade away as the power of his wrath ability dispersed harmlessly into the air.

Lucian felt exhausted and could see that his magic had been drained to about half. Slowly he walked over to Hornby's body and lowered his head a little as he looked at what had become of him.

"I'm sorry." He said, feeling a little guilty as he mourned his death taking a moment of silence.

Lucian's ears suddenly picked up a large number of footsteps coming from the main gate, turning his head he could see a small army of actual town guards rushing towards him.

"There he is men! Surround him!" One of them shouted as the others started to circle him, pointing their spears at him with intent to kill.

Lucian could see that most of them had the number four or five above their head, meaning they weren't all that strong. However, what they lacked in strength they made up for in numbers.

"By order of the duke! You are to surrender at once!" The captain said as he stepped forwards.

Lucian could see a seven above his head as he looked closer, seeing that he was indeed much stronger than his men.

Lucian slowly raised his hands into the air as he took a breath.

"I'm sorry Hestia... Please forgive me."