CHAPTER 84 - THE ACT V
I stared at the masked man with hostile intent, both my hands holding down tightly the sword I was able to acquire just mere moments before.
Mana was injected into the weapon itself, reinforcing the sword in any case it would sustain strong force against the terrorist.
"Who are you!?" I asked.
The orange haired man took a while to answer, he turned his face to his surroundings multiple times before settling on an answer.
"I am the mighty Draneeve, your continent's savior." He bluntly answered, once more trying to portray himself as a deity. Both arms extended like he was about to give me a hug, though one of his arms now looked like it was made with a fire element.
Before I could answer him, another voice came through.
"You're nothing but a terrorist!"
That's when the professor from earlier came landing on the man. Liberating a huge dust cloud, I was only able to see how the man's arm glowed profusely, moving around like he was being attacked.
"RAHHHHHH!" The professor let out a roar, perhaps her method of letting out steam upon not being able to land a hit on the masked man. That's when I saw streaks of fire being directed towards this 'Draneeve' but again he dodged the attacks like they were nothing.
Below the professor grew a stone pillar that carried her up to the advantage of height. While she covered Draneeve's vision with more earthen spells made into the forms of many more walls.
"Run now! Get to safety!" The professor ordered, not giving me any further attention before deciding to rush once more trying to get Draneeve's full undivided attention.
She was keeping him busy while I was ordered to run for my own safety.
Lost and unable to move away like how the professor had wished for, a large inhuman arm was slammed down to my shoulder.
"AGHHH!" I let out a painful scream. The gnarl that I had ignored all this time took me by surprise and attacked me, digging its claws on my shoulder. Blood rushed out of my body like some customers ready to enter the merchant's store.
The weapon I had quickly dropped off my hand and let off a noise that startled the professor.
"NO!"
"Professor Glory!"
"Good! Take the boy to the healers!"
"No you won't."
A large amount of fire was set off towards me, I laid unable to move or even escape, I was just set on breathing in through my bloodied and clotted mouth.
[Water Barrier]
The barrier built up around me had protected me from Draneeve's attack. But it wasn't strong enough, the water was slowly deteriorating and some parts began to boil up. It was very clear that the barrier wasn't going to last long.
"Take this!" A man's voice came out. Hitting Draneeve square in the face before he could react, leaving an opening for Professor Glory to attack him once more without any hesitation. The masked man's spell came to a halt, that's when the students had carried me back to the healers in the middle of campus.
"Elijah! Stay with us!" A female voice said, "You got this."
This voice was very familiar to me but with the lost of blood I clearly wasn't in the mood to think deeply about it.
****
My eyes shot open, my body raising up from what felt like a bed.
Tons of voices instantly flooded my head, panicked voices and screams of pain and what seemed to be of sadness.
I quickly scanned my surroundings.
This was the middle of the campus.
Wait! My injury… it was healed?
Closely inspecting my injured shoulder, it was covered professionally with bandages which were for sure clean and not bloodied.
That's when I spotted a familiar face.
Waving my hand and walking towards her I said, "Kathyln!"
The Sapin princess turned immediately, giving me a sign of relief with her once cold eyes.
"Elijah, I am glad you are okay." Her voice was back to normal and so was her facial expression but after what she showed me, I was sure I mattered to her to some extent.
"Thank you." I blushed, scratching the back of my head. "How long was I out for?" I asked, unaware of my own thoughts.
"About an hour more or less." Kathyln answered as she gestured for me to follow her. "Things have escalated quite rapidly since you were unconscious after losing so much blood. But I will keep it simple. You are in the middle of the campus where student mages who have the affinity of healing are doing their best to keep injured students alive."
My eyes traced every single one of the students who laid down on the ground, perhaps hundreds and if not more than 75% of the student body was laid down, injured and some even dead because of this man.
"Some don't even have the luxury of being buried with the respect they deserve." Kathyln continued, a hint of displeasure and frustration upon passing the rows and columns of bodies covered in blankets to pronounce their deaths.
Silence between us grew but the surroundings seemed louder until we reached a multitude of people hovering over something or someone.
When we arrived at the back of the group, Kathyln requested for a path forward, leaving the students to open the path she had asked for.
"A barrier?"
The black haired princess nodded, "Yes, they have placed us on some type of barrier making us unable to make attempts to escape here and seek for military assistance."
"Where is everyone else?"
"My brother and the rest of the disciplinary committee are helping the students outside, only I was brought inside while the rest are putting their lives on the line."
Kathyln gripped her hands and I saw a glimpse of blood dripping down but it wasn't in my place to try and comfort her, not in this situation at least. We had bigger things at hand and most of it and importantly were the other students who were either injured or scared.
"I am just glad that Luke is not here."
"What are you talking about?"
Then, out of nowhere, a noise came through the intercoms.
"Ahem… Ahem… can you hear me? I hope you can."
"Draneeve!"
"Listen everyone, it is I, The Mighty Draneeve. Your continent's Savior."
Right in front of us, the man in question walked out holding a bag, his face still covered by that creepy mask.
"Now that I have everyone's undivided attention, I must now tell you my reason as to why I am here. First of all I come from a far far away place, a place where if you don't have anything of power you will be treated like trash. However, that's why I am here, to save you all from that treatment. To be someone higher than your filthy current selves. The High Sovereign is a merciful man if you beg for his forgiveness, that's if you pledge allegiance to him. Those that don't or won't, will be met with the cruel punishment of becoming slaves!"
When Draneeve stopped, our side got louder and began to criticize him and his words. Some said it was Bullshit and cursed him out while others tried to pledge their allegiance in that exact moment.
That's when Draneeve took out his mask, revealing red eyes decorated with black eyeliner that had long eyelashes. His face was pale in comparison to his orange hair.
"And now, here is an example of someone not pledging their allegiance to the High Sovereign!" Draneeve reached into the bag he held on his left hand, pulling out the object that was stored in there.
I saw how it rolled into the floor right in front of us and then came to a complete halt.
Multiple students let out cries while others barf where they stood. In the corner of my eye, I could see how Kathyln reacted, her black eyes widened and later narrowed in anger and sadness leaving tears from her eyes.
The object that Draneeve had thrown to us was nothing more than Claire Bladeheart's head. Her grey eyes once filled with life were now soulless, dark.
"How dare you do this to her! How dare you rob her of her own future!" Kathyln let out, in between her words sobbings were inevitable.
I on the other hand could only stare blankly at Claire, hoping that deep down all of this was a dream. A sick joke that maybe they all decided to play.
Draneeve only stared with satisfaction upon all of our reactions. "Luckily! We had someone pledge their allegiance to the High Sovereign! Why not let him through huh?"
Behind Draneeve were men with hoods and no way for me to recognize them, until they opened the way for someone else to pass through.
Footsteps could be heard from the darkness of the hallway until they emerged from the darkness and into the light I was able to distinguish the person that was being dragged.
"Why is she here? Why is Tessia here!?"
But that wasn't going to answer my question on who was the one to capture her or where was Arthur at? No.
Slowly my eyes diverged from Tessia to the man dragging her.
Slim, tall, ragged smile full of bloodlust and envy, possessing medium-length blonde hair that covered his ears and was trimmed to set just above those dull green eyes, his chin lifted up like he was some sort of Lance.
I knew who this was…
Deep down, I felt uncontrollable rage and hatred towards him that I subconsciously began to dig my fingers into the barrier in front of me. And with an out-of-control angered voice I said;
"LUCAS WYKES."