"And this attack not only destroyed castle walls, but it can blow a hole on a mountain!" Cossack bragged about his spear attack. The blue light grew brighter as he continued to boast about his extraordinary accomplishments to Knight leaning against the wall. "An attack so strong that the petty kingdoms from the south live in eternal fear knowing that Cossack, the rider of war, the bringer of glory, and the creator of destruction, lived just a few miles away from them. And you will know this fear, for I am the fastest and strongest around!"

"I don't about being the fastest or strongest," Knight said. "Because I can tell, I am much faster than you."

"Such false statements will not comfort you once you're gone! Gatling Missles!" Cossack aimed his spear towards Knight and launched a barrage of magic missiles. The attack dug into the wall and into another hallway. But when the dust settled, the only thing left was Knight's wool jacket. "Now do you believe me! My ultimate attack is not to be made fun of, Knight! Cahahaha!"

Spat rolled his eyes, and by doing so, he noticed a shadow move over Cossack. He looked above and saw Knight crawling on the dome ceiling. His chainmail reflected the soft green light. "Cossack above you!"

"Huh?" Cossack looked up. Knight jumped off the ceiling with his orange dagger beneath his feet. He kicked the dagger towards Cossack.

Cossack dodged it and jumped away. The dagger stabbed the ground, and when Knight landed on its hilt, the ground split in two. He grabbed the dagger before it fell into the abyss. The orange blade began to grow in its battle for supremacy in the chamber against Cossack's blue spear.

Knight crouched like a predator, and then he bounced from wall to wall until he reached his maximum velocity and flew straight to Cossack. He sliced the air, sending an orange projectile towards Cossack. Spat to run to him and blacked the first attack with his shield. Knight landed on it and kicked with the explosive force of his speed, slamming the shield against Spat and Cossack and the two crashed against the wall behind them.

Spat got up and charged at Knight. Cossack grabbed his spear and charged its tip with his mana. "I'll cover you!" He yelled. He shot dozens of magic missiles, and they followed Knight bouncing around the chamber. The blue astral projectiles weaved around the green spotlights.

Knight spun as he flies across the room, launching multiple orange gusts that blocked the missiles. He protected himself from the attacks, but it slowed him down enough for Spat to catch up to him. He lunged at Knight flying in the air and smacked him in the face with his red shield. Knight crashed landed, but he did not stay on the ground for long.

He crawled on the floor with his dagger in his mouth. Cossack sprinted towards him and thrust his spear. Knight somersaulted over the attack and swung his blade. Cossack barely dodged the attack with the orange blade barely grazing his wet gambeson. The floor behind became the victim of the blade. The ground was sliced open like a piece of paper cut in half by a scissor. Cossack smacked him away with his spear then fired a magic missile, which Knight easily deflected with his blade. The magic missile bounced off the dagger and redirected its path towards Spat. "Look out!" Cossack warned him.

Spat had his shield raised and blocked the attack. "Come at me, Knight!" He shouted.

Knight ignored him, preferring to bully the so-called famous rider of Venusia. Knight ran to Cossack, who was firing multiple rounds of magic missiles. Knight had deflected bullets shot by the pawns for morning practices, so these astral projectiles were easier to follow. They were larger and slower but worth the same amount of mana to deflect back to Cossack and Spat. "Hararara!" He laughed, "Those puny astral attacks won't do you any good. My mana is far too strong!"

Knight cut his way through until his one spear length away from Cossack. He parried the spear and rushed in. Cossack quickly changed his hands, pulling the spear closer to his c.h.e.s.t, and blocked Knight's downward slash. The mana on the spear was barely enough against Knight's orange dagger. "F.u.c.k." Cossack grunted.

The orange mana infused onto the blade made it heavier. And the weight nearly destroyed the spear in half. But it did destroy the muscled on Cossack's t.h.i.g.hs, and the ground beneath him broke apart from the force. "You're legs, they're shaking" Spat gently whispered. "You know, there are two types of cowards, one that hides behind the strong and those that don't know they're cowards until they faced me."

Spat bashed against Knight away with his shield. "Are you ok?" Spat asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He said while tending to his aching legs.

Blood softly poured out of Cossack's nose."There's blood out of your nose." Spat gave him a towel.

"What?" Cossack wiped the towel across his face and checked the bloodstain. "I must have overextended myself. And where's Horder?"

Suddenly, Spat's body was flung across the room by Knight. "No time to rest!" He sliced his spear in half and kicked Cossack against the wall. Cossack used his broken spear to parry Knight's strikes. "You're getting slower! I thought you were the fastest in Venusia!" Knight yelled.

"Shut up!"

Orange mana circulated around Knight's abdomen and burst out as he flexed his c.h.e.s.t, knocking the broken spear away. Cossack fell on the floor right when Knight stabbed in front of him. The knife narrowly missed his neck. The wall behind him began to fall apart from Knight's attack, and cracks traveled up to the dome ceiling. And soon the section of the dome caved in and fell on top of them.

Spat came to the rescue, protecting Cossack from the falling debris. Then they dug themselves out the rocks, and in front of them was Knight leaning against the machine without a scratch on him. "What's wrong?" He asked them. "Out of breath? Or maybe you're just all talk like your Chief?"

"What did you say?" Spat's eyelids squinted, "Don't dare disrespect Sun!" Spat shouted.

"I'm sorry, you're right. I should show respect to the dead."

"You asshole!" Wrinkles appeared between his eyes and his nostrils flared outward.

Cossack grabbed Spat on the shoulder, "Calm down." He told him, "Horder is not here, but I think I know where I can find him. We're going to need his help to find him."

Spat took a deep breath, "You're right. He's not moving, which means he's as tired as we are. Go find Horder, and I'll stay here and fight him."

"Alright." Cossack ran to the exit they entered from. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=15079306606810405)/rising-stakes_%!d(string=51420899588501246) for visiting.

"You're eager to leave Mr. Cossack! I guess you're no use in this battle, or maybe you're just a coward, too scared to fight someone stronger than you." Knight taunted him.

"Ignore him and go!" Spat yelled.

"Yeah, go! I don't need to fight a lying coward. Go and find that other one that ran out with his tail between his legs." Knight charged his legs. "Now prepare yourself, mister shield boy, because I'm only getting started!"

"I'll make you eat those words," Spat ran to him and the two clashed besides the Baptista.

Cossack ran the hallway looking for the treasure room Horder had his eyes on. But his legs gave up, and he fell on his knees. But it wasn't the injuries he received in the battle that made him slow, but the guilt that weighed on his heart. Knight's words cut deep.

Cossack tried to rationalize his actions. He was not weak, they just need help. Horder was the true coward for leaving them to fight one goblin. A goblin that looked as strong as they were. A goblin that he looked down on. He came into that room with so much confidence, going into battle with his bravado only for his armor to be peeled away by Knight's words. But Spat can handle it. His strength is second only to Rock. He will surely win the fight before he even got there.

But then images of Spat dying by Knight's dagger filled his mind. Doubt began to push away his excuses until finally, his mind was clear of distractions. The only thing that remained was Artio being taken away by force and Cossack failing to save him. Artio was the reason he was willing to face his enemies, even if it killed him. And now, just because it's Spat and not Artio, he was willing to leave him behind to search for another goblin that has yet to prove himself. He and Spat are the only ones capable of beating Knight, and now he left Spat to fend for himself. The sound of Spat's struggle echoed in his mind and the tunnel's walls.

Cossack got back on his feet and took a deep breath, "Horder, you cowardly bastard!" He howled, "Come out of that room and fight, or we will lose everything!" Then he turned around and let the tunnel carry his words to Horder. He ran back to the chamber.

Knight stood in front of Spat, who was on his knee, clenching his c.h.e.s.t. "Cossack? What are you doing here?" He turned and faced Cossack.

"Don't worry, I'm coming!" Cossack ran to him, but a dagger suddenly flew and stabbed him on the shoulder. He stopped and pulled it out.

Knight ran to him and kicked him in the face, crushing his nose. The sound of bones shattering echoed in the tunnels, and his boots left a print on Cossack's face. "You shouldn't have come." Knight took his dagger off Cossack's hands. "Now, both of you are going to die." Spat's arms began to change colors. His veins popped through his skin and glowed orange. "My mana is special. Or, more accurately, my kas can make my mana act like a poison. The color was not just for show."

"You cheating bastard!" Spat yelled.

"I didn't cheat. That is merely my strength." Knight sat underneath a green spotlight. "That's just how the world works. The strong and the gifted will always win. That is why your Chief is dead. I saw it with my own eyes. His skinny body in the middle of a giant crater! If I were you, I would give up, and sleep the pain away."

"Never!" Cossack yelled. He stood up, healing his wound with a healing spell. "I saw it with my own eyes the miracle Sun achieved. And so did Spat. He did the impossible, beat monsters thought by others to be invincible!"

Knight's eyes widened. "How are you still standing?"

"Sun will rise, and he will bring the dawn with him." His nose was bent to the left, blocking his left eye, but it managed to twitch itself out of his vision. "Just like how I rose despite the disease you infected me with. So don't you ever look down on my king, because he will win!"

Spat glanced at Cossack, "The poison. He must be immune to it since he also used poison." Spat thought. Knight and Cossack collided in the middle of the room. Cossack unarmed Knight and threw away his dagger. Without any weapons, the two fought each other sluggishly with their fist. The poison in his blood was starting to spread and weaken him ever so slowly, for he was not entirely immune. The time was ticking.

Spat watched them fight, but he was not alone. Horder slowly entered the room carrying the treasure he coveted behind his back and watched Cossack fight. Cossack's knees were giving in, and his punches barely left an expression on Knight's face, but he Horder clung on to him. Cossack's struggle was kind of pathetic. And yet, it reminded Horder of Sun's effortless victory. The miracle Cossack spoke of might be true, and Horder was willing to take his chances. Bravery and pride began to swell his c.h.e.s.t.

Sun mentioned that the only way to start the machine was to give everything you had. And Horder was about to do just that.