Chapter 19: Needle in a haystack

Chrio was the next suspect for Lu and he was sure that it was who Autumn is currently thinking of as well. That leads to the question why.

What would Chrio gain by spreading out rumors of his identity? Lu certainly does not know, but he intends to find out, assuming that she is the one doing so.

Upon returning to the gates, Allan met them with a stern seriousness on his face as he opened a small portion of the gates for them to come in.

"Careful not to come back as late next time. There's an aurum on the loose" Allan tells them.

The pair paused briefly. However, they weren't so keen on sharing it with the guard as to why.

"Aren't you Autumn Cybel?" Allan shrank his eyes to slits as he looked at her features carefully. He then turned to Lu and continued "And you...Booboo was it? Hatu?"

"Lu" he corrected.

"Ah yes, right, sorry. Lu" the guard smiled. "A trillion people pass these gates everyday I don't remember anyone's name at all!" he said in a tone as if he was boasting.

"And you remember her?" Lu asked internally. He was then reminded of the ability of kingdomfolk that Chrio had told him about a few days prior to the present.

"Also," Allan continued. "Madam gaze told me that I would be the first person from Elle who will see an aurum, and tonight we would eliminate the threat. She said that the opportunity was tonight because it would not cause panic and destruction that way, as the aurum would be out of the city tonight. Madam told me that you were necessary for this mission so of course I kept on the lookout. We are to take you with us before we go outside. It's not hard to see why though. You two have a record for defeating five titans at once, don't you? That's a little reassuring" Allan explained and laughed.

Lu clenched his fist and forced a pained smile. He does not know what to expect of the situation. Lu felt threatened, like he was playing a game that was not his own. Gaze seemed to be setting something up against him and nobody can do a thing about it. It was only now that he thought of what he would do against someone who knows the future.

"I'm sorry, maybe not today. We have something else to do" Lu attempted to excuse himself and Autumn and started backing away.

Lu felt a leather wall halt him from behind. Four other people dressed the same way as Allan had appeared out of nowhere.

"Please. Even with this much, I am not very confident with defeating an aurum. I have never seen one before but I have heard stories. None of which anyone likes hearing. That is why you must come with us" Allan pleaded, but for Lu it was difficult to tell if he was pleading or Allan knew what the context was, and is threatening him to come along, with the other guards staring him down.

"If you all agree then it can't be helped" Lu acted as if he were an important guest. "But I believe we don't need her for this one. After all, she just got back and is probably tired from-"

"I assure you, you will need me here" Autumn held on the corner of Lu's shirt tightly, telling him that she knew that he only wanted to get her away from a fight that might break out, but she does not accept him playing hero for her because it was in fact Lu that needed a hero at that moment.

She stood close to Lu and declared, "We will come with you. Please lead the way"

"Thank you very much. Right this way please" the leatherclad guard walked out the very gates he was securing earlier.

"Normally, I would take these keys with me, when I get out, but madam Gaze told me not to and leave them here tonight" Allan did just what he said.

Lu was getting more anxious every step they take. The guards were following a map, and he and Autumn looked at each other trying to wordlessly ask each other "Should we run away?"

He wanted to, but without knowing the abilities of the other four guards, he was risking not only his life, but another's as well which he did not want to be responsible for, if anything wrong happens.

For half an hour they traveled and the winds got colder by the minute. Every inch of Lu's body was telling him to run away with Autumn. The thought of being caught and killed on the spot was something he could handle and even try to escape from. However, if he dragged another person into the pit with him, he knew it was something his sister would not be proud of.

Alas they have seen the familiar old woman with red hair, with a black cloth around her, supposedly keeping her warm from the cold winds.

"You can reveal yourself now, aurum" Gaze shouted without turning to them.

Lu's heart beat against his chest extremely fast and hard. His emotions got conflicted when there was a figure that emerged from behind the tree, bellowing a deep laugh.

The guards readied their stances and followed a formation at Allan's command.

The man with quite a large build emerged from behind a tree as if he fit his image perfectly behind it, though no matter how well he concealed himself Gaze was still able to see it.

"I told you, didn't I? And where did it lead you? Back to me" Gaze smirked..

"You sly cursed witch. I'm sure you have already foreseen as well that you I will collect what I am owed today" a voice grumbled from the dark, cloaked muscular man.

"Not if I have already given it to him" Gaze moved aside and turned to the group

"Leila's little brother really is alive" the man bellowed another slow and eerie laugh. "But I know you didn't give it to him yet. You can't fool me this time, witch"

"You will see soon enough" Gaze laughed.

"Whatever you're planning won't change anything" he finished, then clashed his fists together, and a transparent golden film spread from his hands to wrap him.

Silence took over as the group felt the danger in front of them. Lu felt conflicted by what he had witnessed. He was sure enough that he was no longer the aurum that they were talking about. However, there being an actual other aurum may just cause more trouble than good.

Looking into the man's deep holes in place of his eyes, Lu feared that even if he saw them he would see no soul behind it. He couldn't keep himself calm like one of his many sixth senses were tingling. The one that tells a person how threatening something was just by seeing its form, and it was a loud ring instead of a small itch.

In a flash, the scene shifted and what transpired was too fast for anyone to catch on and react to. In one swift motion, the man threw his gargantuan arm down at her. A black staff appeared in Gaze's grasp and defended it. Then the man continued to pummel her down as she reacted by defending it or stepping aside.

They all froze on the spot, thinking how they could help seeing as they might be the ones who needed help in the situation.

Allan took the initiative and landed a swift strike at the armor around the giant. The tip of his spear manablade merely scraped by the outside of the armor.

The other knights have joined the fray and it was evident that even though they had the advantage in numbers, it was clear that the aurum had no difficulties dealing with them.

Lu and Autumn could not find themselves an entry as their attacks may even get in the way. It was best to let the coordinated attackers handle the offense and support them when they need it

They attack did not end well and the man crushed two if the guards' heads with one hand, kocking them out in the spot, and one more incapacitated. Gaze was also knocked unconscious obut was left on the ground.

The tremendous aurum started absorbing their souls starting from one of Allan's colleagues.

Autumn joined the fight and gracefully chipped off a few parts on the aurum's armor with her scythe, finally damaging it.

"We really do need Autumn here" Lu thought.

In a fight, going in one by one when you have the strength in the first in numbers may appear ideally wrong.

However, if the team has not prepared to fight together ahead of time and is uncoordinated, chances are it would do more harm than good. That is why they chose to go in one by one to not get in each other's way. However, it appears that they are outgunned even if they wear him down little by little. Their manablades and feathers do not work on the armor that the aurum equipped save for Autumn. The armor appeared to be the man's manablade judging by its transparent gold hue.

They retreated after 3 of the guards are on the floor and only Allan and a guard named Jen are the only two guards left.

They have to use their advantage to their fullest if they were to even stand a chance. Lu no longer contemplated whether he would show his feathers to them or not, recognizing the dire situation they were placed in. He did not want to take chances. He refused to imagine a scene where they would lose another person or even the whole fight on the off chance he could not control his white feathers.

He spawned a gold feather and the two guards jumped back, complete with a readied battle stance.

"Please understand. Gaze herself had known, so at the very least trust Lu as you would trust gaze. He means no harm" Autumn explained.

Allan was obviously hesitant to team up with them after what he had just witnessed, however, since the situation calls for it, Allan decides otherwise.

"This will not be dealt lightly when this is over. However, if Lu was on the aurum's side, he would have not told us and attacked us from behind while they were distracted, or worse. Also, we are as good as dead anyway if they do not team up with you two, seeing what happened to the 3 guards"

Lu smiled. "That's all I need"

"What are your animuses?" Lu asked.

"Mine is lightning infusion" Jen said.

"Mine is a stone wall that I can roll forward and explode violently on command" Allan explained.

"Let's take the unconscious to a safe place first" Lu commanded and was about to jump out before Allan pulled him back down.

"Even if they were conscious, they would gladly lie down and wait in place to buy us time to think, if it means stopping the aurum from going to elle" Allan said without meeting his eyes.

With a heavy heart, Lu abandoned his former plan and discussed his next one as fast as he could.