Chapter 32

Powers of Enchantment

Below the thin strands of clouds and the blazing sun loomed glorious, yet terrifyingly massive figures of six golden beetles. They shone, like jewels adorning the blue sky. A silvery beetle led them, its wings shone different hues under the sunlight. While the others looked gigantic, it was even more so - perhaps, at least double the size of its companions.

Arthur's jaw was left hanging, his eyes lingering at their magnificence more than he should. “Just what are those?” he mumbled for the third time.

However, his question remained unanswered since Hula and Duliri left a while ago. And when Arthur thought that he couldn’t be any more surprised, the grasses at the edge of the clearing grew at tremendous speeds. He couldn’t blink as he stared at the thick vines extending upwards. Some managed to reach some of the intruders, coiling around their bodies to pull them to the ground.

His hands clasped the window rim in earnest while the beasts tore the thick vines with relative ease. However, every time the vines broke, they immediately grew back and recaptured the intruders.

A few more moments and the door bolstered open where the serpent staff emerged, together with Pirro, Garo, and Servo. The clanking of their metallic bodies pulled the boy’s consciousness back in his room.

“I told you, Arthur, stay away from the window,” Duliri scolded, his voice audibly distressed as he and the armors rushed to Arthur’s side. Garo then carried the boy while the other two immediately closed the window behind them.

Before he could respond, a deafening explosion resonated across the forest. It was so loud that Arthur unwittingly pulled away from Garo’s grasp and fell on the floor while covering his ears. With his body reacting faster than his head, he ran outside the door.

“My lord, where are you going?” Hula asked through telepathy as Duliri ran after the boy. The armors also followed. “Please, go back to your room. It’s dangerous outside.”

He didn’t answer, instead, he sped up his strides and exited the house. Behold, the whole clearing was covered in thick vines, working together as though a spherical aviary protecting the house. Arthur then noticed a large hole at the center, burning in red flames. The giant beetles were breathing massive fire that set the vines aflame. The boy thought that it would have been more spectacular though if they were dragons, instead of giant insect-looking creatures. Still, he couldn’t help himself but stare at the sight, mindless of the weight of the situation. The fear he felt a while ago had completely vanished.

“I knew it!” Duliri mumbled in disbelief as one of the beasts tried to enter through the hole, only to be pushed back by the vines that extended again once the fire subsided. “I knew it! He’s more amazed than afraid of those things!”

After a few seconds, Duliri called with a sharp tone, “Arthur…”

He sent him a glance before looking up again.

Duliri would have rolled his eyes if he had any. Instead, he nudged the boy harder than necessary. “Arthur… Listen to me!”

“Duliri… It’s fine. Those vines are protecting us… They’re stopping those giant insects. They won’t-”

“Listen to us, my lord,” Hula interrupted, his voice full of authority. “The green cage enchantment is merely buying us some time. In fact, it wouldn’t even be activated if the Arisens can deal with those beasts. Again, the blockade could only work for a few minutes to buy us some time,” he paused, letting out a sigh. “Look behind you, my lord…”

Arthur slowly spun his body and his jaw almost dropped once he saw the state of the three armors. His eyes sparkled. “Woah!”

Hula and Duliri already knew that such a reaction would come from the boy. After all, they were also surprised when they saw it the first time the other day. While Garo, Pirro, and Servo were originally created to help Katarina in her everyday chores, years on the island proved it necessary for them to have combat abilities to help her protect Arthur. She could have destroyed and recreated them for an upgrade, but knowing that the boy had become attached to them, she simply added another enchantment on top of another enchantment.

A plentiful quantity of silvery-white metallic fluids hovered in the air and below it, incomplete armor feet stood on the ground. The liquid flowed downward, solidifying gradually. Arthur gulped, his mouth almost dry from anticipation. Just looking at the sheer size of the lower leg that towered around two meters, it would be massive.

As he watched the armors combine themselves, another explosion resonated atop the clearing. Arthur immediately glanced above, the vines on fire again and an even bigger hole was situated at the center.

“Please, Arthur, come inside!” Duliri begged. “You’ve seen enough.”

The boy thought of his choices for a few seconds before he let out a deep sigh. “Fine, but…” He then looked at the staff with hopeful eyes. “Can we watch them fight through the win-”

“NO!”

Arthur pouted. “Fine! I’m gonna stay in my room, alright?” Not a second later, a smile marked his lips. “But after this, I’m gonna ride that,” he pointed at the incomplete armor, “and that,” then he pointed at the giant beetles still trying hard on getting rid of the enchanted vines. “And someday, I want to ride a dragon too!”

“Yeah… Yeah… Yeah…” Duliri said with a mocking tone, clicking his non-existent tongue. “But we might die before that. Because of your stubbornness,” he emphasized.

Arthur was about to say something when the armor moved. He looked up and stared at the towering Arisen, standing at over six meters. A black circle appeared out of nowhere beside its right hand where it pulled a large double-edged greatsword.

As much as the boy wanted to ask about such magic, he realized that he had no more time left. He noticed that the vines had begun to revert to its original form - vanishing as fast as they appeared. He immediately jumped on Duliri, clinging on it with both legs and arms.

“Duliri, inside!” he said, his heart beginning to race.

Duliri didn’t say anything. He simply flew towards the door. As soon as they got inside, all the doors and the windows automatically slammed close as though waiting for them to get in. They then proceeded to the boy’s room where they saw the only open window.

Arthur grimaced. “You closed the window here, right Duliri?”

An uncomfortable silence answered his question. Chills ran down his spine. Even Hula gasped while losing his usual composure.

“Run, Duliri!” Hula declared through telepathy, his voice high and sharp. “Run!”

“I won’t let you…” a low unfamiliar feminine voice suddenly echoed behind them.

Gulped.

“Who is that?” Duliri asked through telepathy.

“I don’t know!” Hula grabbed a fistful of his hair in frustration. “But I told you, RUN AWAY!”

“And I told you, I won’t let you…” the same voice said.

“Wait!” Duliri gasped, the staff’s body beginning to tremble. “Can she hear us?”

And then, there was laughter, a burst of amused laughter.

Duliri slowly rotated and there it was. They saw a red-headed woman.

“Who- who are you?” Arthur managed to ask, his voice barely audible. His sweating palms gripped the staff’s pole tighter.

She didn’t answer, instead, she grinned dreadfully, and the three of them could feel a feeling of foreboding.

Going in may have been their worst choice...