[59.3] A King Stands by His People
[Author's note: The remaining part of the chapter is from no one's perspective.]
Cyrus watched Reika get whacked over the head by a heavy sword in its sheath. He cried out as she fell to the side completely limp, "REIKA!"
"KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!" Vira pulled the sword from the scabbard and screamed out her orders.
The army attacked, clashing with the M.I.B and the Royal Guards. Soon, magic was exploding in the streets, swords were clashing, and citizens were running as they screamed.
The once serene and joyous parade turned into pure chaos.
Just as she swung her sword down at the collapsed body of Reika to take care of her once and for all, her sword was suddenly beaten back.
She looked in surprise at the black sword pulsing with evil energy, protected by a pure white aura inside.
Cyrus glared at her, standing over Reika's body in a protective stance, "You're going to regret hurting her!"
"Regret?" She burst into laughter while holding her cheek as if mocking him, "You're going to regret raising your sword to me, sinner. I had no qualms with you, despite the atrocity you are, but if you're going to be like that-"
Her body began to vibrate, producing two more identical copies of herself. The three Viras stared at him with vicious smiles, "Heh heh heh. You're going to die with the arriver."
The two copies charged toward him, easily overpowering him and pushing him away from the person he desperately tried to protect. However, he refused to budge, causing himself to be at a disadvantage. As their swords collided, wounds started littering his skin, causing a searing pain that no ordinary sword was capable of making.
Cyrus winced from the unbearable pain, his mind entirely trying to focus on saving Reika.
However, he still wasn't at the same level as the Swordmaster despite improving at a rapid pace. Against Vira who had thousands of years to practice, the ending would most likely not be in his favor, but against two Viras, his fate was sealed.
Captain Lou tried his best to get near Cyrus to help but was being held back by a group of her lackeys. Felix had completely disappeared, knowing that he himself would only be a burden if he stayed.
The two Viras managed to push Cyrus away from the unconscious body, where the original Vira was already prepared to take a life.
Cyrus's panicked gaze was drawn to Reika's body where Vira raised her sword once more to cut Reika in half. Her sword swung down and he could only cry out, "REIKA!"
Before the sword cut into her body, smoke billowed out, consuming Reika completely. The sword struck the stones on the ground where Reika's body once was. The real Vira shrieked as she yanked the sword out of the ground, "WHAT THE F*CK IS IT NOW?!"
Cyrus heaved from the stress as he looked around in a panic.
Smoke recondensed and took the shape of a tall man with orange eyes. In his arms was the limp body of Reika.
Vira shouted at him, "You! Give her to me now or else!"
He answered calmly, "I don't think I can do that."
She glared at him, grinding her teeth as she did, "Give her to me before I get angry!"
Moni spoke in a deep voice as he mocked her, "Aw, that would be such a shame. I wouldn't want you to get angry, but alas, I need her alive."
"Well I need her dead!!!" Vira used her other copy to attack Moni, which he evaded by fading into the shadows, jumping from each shadow to the next.
The Headmaster reappeared, this time with Zephyr in his hands. Zephyr cried out, "REIKA!"
Vira launched another attack herself, but was knocked back by two new intruders.
The Swordmaster and Atta stood side by side, both glaring her down.
Vira spat out, "Now you two are here?!"
The Swordmaster raised an eyebrow, "You should know me and Atta are always here when you try to start another war."
She mocked, "How noble."
Vira ignored the two and launched more Holy Light attacks at Moni, but had to avoid the Swordmaster and Atta who attacked her as she did. Moni carefully avoided while holding the unconscious Reika, his gaze never leaving Vira. Cyrus and the Headmaster teamed up to fight the two Viras, and soon even the copies started being driven back. Captain Lou continued to beat back the lackeys who were trying to help Vira, and soon, the tide of the battle began to change.
Vira clenched her fists as she saw the powerful team in front of her. Even with her two clones and an army, she didn't stand a chance against all of them.
She let out a low laugh, "Aren't you all ganging up on me? This isn't fair. I'm one person against several."
The Swordmaster spat out, "I hardly think you have the right to claim fairness. How many clueless, innocent people have died because of your so-called mission in life?! You only know how to stab people in the back when they aren't looking!!"
"Good point, but I still don't care." Vira checked to make sure her army was out of sight and charging at the retreating M.I.B officers and Royal guards before putting her sword away. She held out her arms and announced, "I must rid this world of the evil that wishes to destroy it… By. Any. Means. Necessary."
As her body started to rise up in the air, lifted by a golden plate made of light under her feet, the Swordmaster turned pale, "Allons hut. VIRA!"
Bright golden lights shot up into the sky, completely encircling the entire capital. Other than the Royal Palace, the Academy, and a few estates in the Noble district, everything was completely closed in by this circle.
The Swordmaster shouted up at her, "Vira! There are innocent people in this city!! You're just going to kill them?!"
"That's right~" She faced her with a smirk, "What good is a corrupted city with innocents when you can purify the world?"
She held her palms out and started chanting in a sweet sing-songy tone. Balls of light appeared in the sky, each one resembling a burning sun. While their accumulation wasn't quick, it was still frightening.
Zephyr cried out as his primal instincts were activated, "What the hell is that?!"
Moni gave the lights in the sky a glance and appeared in front of Zephyr and the Headmaster, handing Reika to Zephyr. He spoke in a firm voice, "Keep her safe."
Zephyr quickly held her, his knees buckling under her weight, but able to carry her regardless. Moni looked at the Headmaster, "She's activated the Holy light Retribution circle. Everything within this circle will be completely annihilated."
The Headmaster's face paled, "But the entire capital is in the circle."
Moni nodded, his expression not at all caring for the severity of the situation. He spoke nonchalantly, "It'll all be gone soon, but Vira can't gain access to three places. The Academy. The Vanishing Island. And the Royal Palace. Those three places should be enough to house the survivors."
One of the Viras charged at the group, but Cyrus appeared in front of them to parry the blow. Moni turned his vibrant orange eyes to stare at Cyrus, "Kid. You're the only one who can get them out of this circle now."
Cyrus looked back in surprise, "Huh? Me?"
Moni glanced at his sword, "More accurately, only your blade can make a hole in the barrier. Remember the demon trap we were stuck in? It's the same. Slash it down so people can escape."
"But-" Cyrus looked back at Atta and the Swordmaster who were fighting with the Viras, "What about them?"
"They'll be fine." He turned to face the real Vira, his burnt orange eyes turning vibrant, "My corruption can slow down her Holy Retribution, but it won't stop it. If you hesitate now, everyone inside will die."
The Headmaster spoke, "It's better to retreat and save the citizens. Staying here is suicide."
Cyrus bit down on his lip and gave a nod. The three of them understood now not to argue with the man they considered their enemy, and rushed to the barrier. Just as Moni said, only Cyrus and his sword could actually rip a hole in it.
Vira noticed the sudden destruction of her barrier and grinded her teeth. She sent out another wave of Holy Light to stop them, but it was bounced back by a sudden wave of evil energy.
She looked in surprise, her face turning dark when she saw the body of a man rising in the air, surrounded by black ominous smoke.
Her eyes narrowed viciously, while she continued to chant.
Moni's eyes brightened frightfully as he knocked back each wave of Holy Light she sent forward. However, with each one, his forehead started to collect sweat and more waves of energy managed to get past him to feed the growing spell.
Cyrus glanced back nervously and realized that what once was in their favor was now at their disadvantage. The ways things were now, everyone remaining in that barrier would soon perish. He quickly made the hole larger, exerting more energy to do so.
Soon, only Zephyr, who was holding Reika, was left.
Zephyr gave Cyrus a glance, "Follow us… If you don't, Reika will kill me when she wakes up."
"Sorry, but…" He looked behind to see the remaining people still fighting, "I can't leave them behind."
"BUT-"
Cyrus pushed Zephyr through the hole and pulled his sword back to allow it to close. Zephyr was stuck on the other side shouting obscenities until the Headmaster dragged him and the unconscious Reika away.
Cyrus had to force himself to turn around, "Don't worry. I won't die here."