(Mael's POV)
I walked out of the cave, having traversed a 20-meter tunnel from the chamber Cecilia and I were in. Once outside, I saw that there was a man standing several meters away, wearing black robes that were covered in feathers.
He had long black hair and red markings under his black eyes, which stared right at me. In his right hand, a long wooden staff that had a red gem at the top of it. There was a strange feeling coming out from him, as if he was oozing with some sort of power.
I was tying the sash of my kimono, having immediately put my clothes on, "And who are you?" I said as I immediately placed my hand on the handle of my katana, "What are you doing here?"
Suddenly, I heard the flapping of wings. I looked up to see several crows flying down from the sky, some landing on his shoulder while the others landed in front of them. They began to caw, all of f them glaring at me with their glowing green eyes.
The man tilted his head, "You are the one I killed."
Killed? So he's the one who attacked me using a bird. If it weren't for Ren, he probably would have found me at the bottom of the cliff.
"As you can see." I said as with a shrug, "I ain't dead."
The sniffed the air, "What is that scent?" He said, "The smell of a woman? A woman's sweat....."
I frowned, "The fuck?"
"You have a woman in there?" He pointed past me, "In the cave?"
"What's it to you?" I asked, "What the hell are you?"
"My name is Usarak." He said, "I am one of the Mages that serves under Kyoga."
"Okay." I said, "Don't know him."
"He is the Raider King." He said, "He who works with the Benihime. And you? You are a strange man. How did you survive the fall?"
"Don't worry about it." I told him, "Why do you ask?"
"Hm..." He said, "We are missing one of the Kitsune. Did she help you? Where is she? Perhaps I will let you live if you tell me."
"I don't know what you're talking about." I said seriously, "I suggest you turn around and walk away."
"Oh, you know exactly what I am talking about." He said with a glare, "Tell me where the Kitsune is and I will let you and the woman inside the cave live."
"What do you want with a Kitsune?" I asked, holding the handle of the katana firmly, getting ready to draw it, "And watch your tone."
"Your eyes." He said, "The eyes of a Corrupted. Perhaps Kyoga will want a word with you. You will join the other Kitsune at the Fort."
So they are at the Fort. That makes things a bit easier. And this guy wants to know where Ren is? He's gotta kill me first if he wants to get to her. Not just that, he wants Cecilia. She is the cave; I told her to stay in there no matter what.
"I'm not telling you shit." I said seriously
"If you don't tell me." He said as the crows began to flap their wings aggressively, cawing loudly, "I will send my beasts to go in there and retrieve her. For my Crow Magic will ravage her body enough for me to defile it."
Disgusting.
"Try it." I said
He waved his hand forward, "You did this to her."
Two of the crows shot forward, trying to fly past me.
"Drawing Slash"
I drew the Katana, swinging it forward and releasing a slash that cut through the birds. I watched as blood sprayed everywhere, their bodies collapsing to the ground as the man looked at me.
"You fool...." He said seriously as I assumed a stance, holding the katana in front of me, "You dare attack my crows? I, Usarak, will rip you apart!!!"
He pointed his staff at me, causing all of his crows to take into the air, flapping their wings and swirling around in front of them.
"Swirling Murder"
For some reason, it seemed like the birds multiplied as the swirl of black shot right at me. I felt an imposing shift in the air, watching as the glowing green eyes stared at me.
I swung my sword forwards multiple times, cutting through the avian flesh as most of them hit me hard on the body, pushing me back slightly. I felt their beaks and talons trying to rip through my kimono and skin, their overwhelming numbers only capable of pushing me back a few feet.
"Tch....." I said as I swung my sword forwards, trying to get as many of them as I could, "Crow Magic? What kind of magic is this?!"
"A very potent sub-tree of Nature Magic." I heard Usarak said, "You stand no chance against my magic-enhanced crows."
I pushed forward, swinging my sword and cutting through several of them.
"Is this all you got?" I said as I rushed at him, holding my sword to the side as I held the scabbard still, "You're pathetic, catching me off-guard earlier!"
"You fool." He said as he tapped the ground with the end of his staff, "Crow Magic is much more than controlling crows. It is also about manifesting crows, creating more crows out of the magic of Kazuha's enriched soil!!!"
Suddenly, I was hit by a swarm of crows which were flying right up into the air. The impact of the hits was enough to lift me up into the air.
"Rising Murder"
"Shit!" I said as I was flung into he air
Being flipped over, I saw as the massive group of black birds swirling above me, their caws getting louder and being synchronized.
"Murder-Fall"
The crows flew right at me, driving me straight to the ground. I felt the hard ground crack beneath me as all of the birds were diving into me, the impact of the blows enough to nearly knock the wind out of me.
"G-Gahh!!" I shouted as I felt a shockwave erupt from the impact, "Shit!"
The birds then swirled into a single spot above me, their wings flapping loudly and several feathers flying everywhere.
I immediately rolled to the side and got back up, holding my sword in my hand still, "You...." I said as I looked at the wizard, "What the fuck are you?!"
"I am a Crow Magic Master!" Usarak said with a serious expression, "You will tell me where the Kitsune is."
"Otherwise, I will Murder you."