Chapter 53 Ch. 53: Rallying [1]
--Drrrrtt!!
The people in the Refugee Camp looked upward when shadows descended upon them. The earthquake that shook the soil violently didn't hinder them from witnessing the sight.
The ground outside the wooden fort emerged, creating a thick wall that surrounded half of the Refugee Camp. The fire arrows had now stopped raining because the barrier prevented them from entering.
--Boom!
A deafening sound marked the end of the soaring earth, and so did the earthquake. Dead silence was created and the only sound that could be heard was the crackling wood that was eaten by the fire.
"Cough, cough!"
Alexander instantly turned to the voice and ran after he saw Damian throwing up a handful of blood as he coughed.
"Ian--"
However, he shoved him away and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Protect me, dammit!"
Alexander yanked his shoulder and forced Damian to face him, he stared right into his azure eyes.
"Stop this in an instant!"
"I'm not done yet!"
Damian tried to remove the hand that clutched his left shoulder, yet it was futile.
"Who cares if you're done or not! You'll end up damaging your Mana Core!"
"Even if I die, I don't care!"
Alexander's eyes grew wild and violent like those of a ferocious beast, however, Damian stared back at them fearlessly. Damaging Mana Core was not a simple matter because it could cause Mana Poisoning.
Since the Core was damaged, it caused the compartment to continuously absorb Mana, and as the container that used to store Mana was broken, it would flood your body with Mana and result in excruciating pain.
Although both Elemental Poisoning and Mana Poisoning had no cure at all, people who injured their Mana Core still had a chance to continue living, albeit you couldn't use your Mana anymore.
Thanks to the Arcanist Tower, they created an item that could absorb the excess Mana in your body and reduce the pain. However, the patient must continue to be monitored, because this condition was very risky enough to cause instant death.
"Ian--!"
Damian hurriedly cut him.
"Isn't it worth it, if only one life is lost in exchange for saving thousands of lives?"
Alexander shut his mouth tightly; he couldn't refute it.
"Tell me, Alex, what's your reason for fighting in this battle?"
Even though he didn't know what Alexander had done or what he had been through during the past three days with the knights, Damian knew; he is trying his best to save the lives of the people here.
As his feral golden eyes began to soften, Damian continued.
"Don't you and I have the same goal?"
And eventually, the grip on his shoulder loosened and Alexander withdrew his hand.
"Alright."
Damian couldn't help but smirk.
"Then protect me, you bastard."
"But you better stop when it becomes unbearable or else--"
Alexander narrowed his eyes as he saw the boy before him.
"--I'll report you to Her Majesty."
Damian was bewildered and the smirk on his lips perished in an instant, he stared at Alexander in disbelief.
"What?! H-how dare you to drag my mother into this?!"
"Then you better know your limit, you bastard."
Damian's eyes followed Alexander's back when walked past him.
"Are you threatening me now?"
He spun around with his smile intact as he faced his little brother.
"Let's see if it's just a mere bluff or not."
Damian's expression crumbled and immediately gave his back to Alexander. He could feel a chill down his spine, he couldn't imagine what would happen to him once his mother found out what he was doing right now.
"Fine! Protect me with your life on the line!"
Alexander chuckled at the boy's rumbling.
"Fair enough."
With that, Damian decided to begin to recite his incantation, and Alexander enhanced his sensitivity.
"Whooa!!"
"Let's--talist!!"
"Stop--!!"
"Kill the--!!"
The sound of the clamoring soldiers and clashing weapons penetrated Alexander's ears. Looked like the halted battle had begun once again.
Alexander readied his weapon and stood on guard stance the moment he felt movements on the ground. However, he couldn't help but squirt his eyes when he saw a hoard of enemies coming in his direction.
"Kill the Elementalist!!"
'What the hell?'
Alexander's eyebrows frowned. At first, he thought that he heard it wrong, but after they came closer, they did intend to kill Damian!
It was not without reason, the enemy aimed to destroy this camp and killed as many refugees as possible.
Now that the fire arrows had stopped coming here and refugees were protected by Sir Ulrich, their chance to demolish this place was ruined, and now they were looking for someone to blame.
"Ian, I think we should get out of here."
Alexander sounded impatient, however, there was no response. He peeked over his shoulder and Damian was seen standing, motionless. It seemed he was chanting again.
'Dammit Damian, I don't think I can fight hundreds of them with my low mana.'
Now Alexander could feel how his head was spinning in pain. He racked his brain on how to kill them without using mana.
'As expected of a person loved by his ancestor, He even granted his ridiculous wish and now I have to wag my life to protect him.'
Alexander turned sideways and found Fedel, he hurriedly sent a plea through eye contact but the old man shook his head, he refused to reveal his identity.
Alexander returned his eyes to the enemies ahead and clucked his tongue in annoyance.
"Tsk. Good grief."
Although they were confronted by allies on the way here, some of them managed to come toward him, and since he didn't want them to get any closer to Damian, he decided to take a step forward and started running.
However...
Alexander startled midway and immediately hopped backward next to Damian when a shivering and dreadful atmosphere jabbed his backbones; the air made him anxious somehow.
'What a thick Killing Intent.'
Killing Intent was a murderous aura that radiates from a person/beings when they want to eliminate people/beings. People who have been through bloody battles have far greater Killing Intent than ordinary people.
Experts might be able to disguise their Killing Intent and deliberately release it as a form of mental attack. However, it only worked on those who were weaker than themselves, meaning that enemies stronger than the user were immune to its effects.
Soon, a shadow figure entered his vision in a flash, he landed between us, and a blindingly blue light in the shape of a crescent moon shone on the air as it cut through toward the enemies vertically in a blink of an eye.
"Aargh!!"
"Urgh!!"
The wailing of pain echoed in the space and blood rained on the ground. Alexander couldn't help but smirk at the familiar sight before him.
Although his body trembled due to the fear, his heart throbbed in excitement. It was one of many beautiful spectacles he missed from the past.
'Aura Blade.'