Chapter Fifteen

Edge of the Grand Wilderness

Kieran is genuinely shocked when the katana didn't pierce the enemy commander's head. The fact that the commander managed to retaliate in such circumstances made it even worse. The simple shockwave created by the commander nearly killed him.Good thing Kieran is precautious due to Skye's prior warning. He maybe hotheaded but he is not willing throw his life away that easily.

Even with this *little* failure he needs to carry out "THE PLAN". It was simple yet complicated. To summarize everything, the plan is to catch the enemy off guard and assasinate the commander, shift to dragon form and carry Selena out of this mess. But their underestimation prove to be a fatal one as both Kieran and Selena's life are now in great danger.

Kieran immediately shifted to his draconic form while the enemy was still distracted but is immediately interrupted by the battle roar of the enemy's commander. He was stunned for more than a second as the enemy's beastly roar almost devastated both Kieran and Selena's will to fight.

Kieran was a bit intimidated by the beastly roar. But his primal instinct as a dragon, as prideful as they are, screamed to roar back at the enemy. So he did. He let out a draconic roar so loud that Selena had to cover her ears with spiritual essence to withstand it's might. The beastly roar the commander had managed to intimidate Kieran with, paled in comparison with his own. It might be less intimidating in his human form but it doesn't matter anymore as all of those who heard the roar has to think twice on offending such a mighty dragon as himself.

Skye on the other hand is waiting for the perfect opportunity to aid Kieran and Selena's escape. He was about to shoot the commander when he was about to interruptKieran's transformation but to his own amusement Kieran decided to roar at the commander's face back. He knew the roar was enough to buy Kieran a bit of time to escape so he did nothing.

Kieran immediately lifted Selena up in his shoulder and began to run with all his might. He knew this act was a bit foolish but he has no option left. He was not good at thinking so he left to Skye to make a quick contingency plan to save their lives. He didn't know why he trusts the other boy's decision making so much but his instincts tells him to do so. His train of thoughts was immediately interrupted as a one-eyed man caught up to them with just one leap. The commander summoned one of his spiritual rings. Dozen of hands materialized in Kieran's shadow and rooted him in his place. Kieran was not quick enough to halt as he stumbled while Selena was fortunate enough to land in her feet. She immediately summoned a lighting to strike the commander. The commander received the impact but he remains unharmed.

The commander was surprised at the fight the elf girl has in her and licked his lips maniacally as she eyed her with even greater lust than before. Kieran quickly shifted to his ethereal form to escape the shadow's grasp and passed through the unamused Selena as his katana shifted to a spear. The spear then tried to penetrate the commander's skin. But as a Herald martial master. His resilience is the best of all the elements whilst his skin get tougher every time he ascends to another realm, simply speaking the martial master standing in front of him has a skin tougher than a behemoth.

The commander chuckled lightly with the combination the two has displayed. If he didn't ascended to the seventieth realm, he might be slightly injured but as he is right now he's nearly invincible to someone with a lower cultivation than him.

The enemy's commander move slowly towards Kieran as if mocking him to throw everything at him. But Kieran knew it was pointless. He was just buying time. Time that the commander was happily giving him.

When the commander was about half feet away from him. Kieran let one of his spiriitual ring to existence. As pointless as it is, his flames didn't damage the enemy but managed to buy a few more seconds. Seconds he badly needed.

As the commander was enjoying the fight that the duo was giving, he dropped his guard ever so slightly. "What's the point in getting serious" he thought to himself. The kids barely manage to scratch him. As he dropped his guard, an arrow came whistling towards his head. His pride told him to receive the blow directly but his instincts screamed to dodge the incoming arrow or he'll be injured at most.

* * *

Draven is one of the most well known commanders of The Organization. Not because of his strength, not because of his resilience but because of his major perversy. The commander was respected since he hold power but nothing more than that. If his troops didn't know better, they'll believe anyone who says their commander will fuck anything so long as it has a skirt. This is one of Draven's many fault but power is still power. No mattet how they despise the commander, The Organization values him so they had no choice but to comply.

As Draven sidestepped the arrow what followed was something he didn't have time to comprehend. Space rippled as a devastating force tried to suck everything to nothingness. He even doubted his defense can withstand the rampaging force. He didn't have time to rest though as a spatial rift appeared in front of his prey. He tried to cross the gap forcibly but even his mithril armor cannot withstand the unknown force and circling around it would take some time. Time he didn't have.

The moment he hesitated he know he already lost. Another arrow whistled but this time it was not aimed at him. A loud thud was heard as the elven girl tried to pick up the unconcious boy to the portal. A flurry of arrows came but it proved to be pointless. As soon as the girl entered the rift, the portal collapsed so was the unknown force.

As Draven sniffed the blood that was reccently spilled, he chuckled lightly. "Tracker!" he hollered. And soon enough a man with his leashed hound appeared. The hound sniffed the fresh blood and barked to north of their direction. "March towards North!" he commanded as a smile formed in his face. "I now have a better prey to hunt" he told himself.

* * *

Skye is carrying the unconcious Kieran at his back while mantaining the only healing water spell he knows to stabilize his comrade. Kieran received an arrow to his back and the impact was enough to knock him unconcious but to his delight Selena manage to escape with both of them still intact. "He will live" Skye thought to himself as he knows the regenerative capability of Kieran. "But everything will be for naught if we keep this pace" he said to himself grimly. Selena on the other hand was sniffling in the entire journey. They manage to gain a two mile distance against their pursuers thanks to his spatial rift but he knows that won't be for long. Besides that his spiritual essence is running dangerously low and creating spatial rifts is out of the question.

"They will eventually catch up" Skye muttered almost silently. "What?" Selena asked while rubbing her eyes. "They will catch up eventually" Skye stated plainly. "What can we do?" the panic-stricken Selena asked. "Let me think of a plan" Skye whispered.

Skye was deep in his thoughts by now and running countless possibilities to achieve their goal. Transforming to my draconic form to gain distance: not enough essence to do so, even if he has, Dejvra is currently weakened, he still needs his aid to shapeshift to his dragon form. Meditating to regain spiritual essence and using rifts to escape could be the solution but healing Kieran requires essence too so meditation will just prove pointless. He tried thinking for any more solutions but cannot come up with any. Till he found the correct solution.

"I have a plan" Skye said after deep contemplation. "What is it?" Selena asked hopefully. "You have to listen carefully now Selena. This will all depend on you" Skye replied, his voice as cold as ice. "Kieran shed blood and that blood is the main reason why they can keep tabs with us. Now, the first thing we will do would be resting here until I stabilize Kieran's condition" Skye instructed. Selena eyed him questionably but she didn't say anything. "I am currently soaked with Kieran's blood and trackers will be on me while you will need to carry Kieran till you reach the Crude Keep, that's ten miles from here. Find a healer to further stabilize Kieran's condition, if Kieran doesn't wake up after the healing, do not stay in there. Buy a horse and keep riding till you reach the Unnamed City. I will meet you there" Skye finished while Selena looked at him in shock. "Do you intend to remain here as a bait while we escape?" Selena asked. Her tone hinted frustration and worry. "Do not worry, i'm a Hunter. The forest is my domain. I will just lead them astray to buy you enough time. If things get awry I can escape with my spatial rift" he assured Selena.

Selena took a seat beside Skye who is currently focusing on healing Kieran. She feels helpless. She wants to contribute to Skye but there is nothing she can do. She wants to contradict Skye's plans but she cannot come up with any better plan on her own. "There must be another way" she said almost silently. Skye paused for a bit and smiled to Selena. "There is no other way" Skye said and went back to tending to Kieran's wounds. Selena contemplated, she was not going to stand by while her friend sacrifices his own life for them and just like that she began forming her own plan.

Meanwhile, Skye is concentrating on healing Kieran while contemplating on the recent series of events that transpired before him. It scared him. The fact that he felt invincible scared him so much, he knows Kieran felt it too. He felt so powerful when Dejvra came along and he felt that he could even win against spiritual masters of the fiftieth realm and higher so did Kieran. And here he was, unconcious with just one strike. One arrow was all it took in order for him to fall and he knows that it is the same case for him. He shuddered at the thought. He can be so much more, yet he can't abandon his friends. They were more important than his life. So he steeled his resolve and arranged his thoughts."I will survive.." he said to himself.

* * *

As Kieran sensed the incoming army by his echo-location, he immediately finished healing Kieran and signaled Selena to come near him. "They're upon us. Did you get the herb?" Skye asked. Selena just nodded. "I've stopped the bleeding for now, but it will re-open without proper treatment hopefully you'll be at the Crude Keep by then so they won't be able to track you. The smell of herb will cover your scent. Remember to thread lightly, use your spiritual essence so you won't leave any tracks in the snow, okay?" Skye instructed. "Be safe, and take care of Kieran" Skye parted with a smile. Selena suddenly leaned in and kissed Skye in the cheeks lightly. "Stay alive" she manage to say while blushing furiously. Skye was shocked by Selena's action but he gave her a genuine smile "I will... now go" he said. Selena picked the unconcious Kieran on her back and hurried along.

Skye watched as Selena disappeared in the distance, as her figure disappeared he mentally prepared himself for the upcoming fight he has to take. Then he concentrated on his echo-location and tracked the army's movement. He noticed that a man with a hound was leading the army. He then sniffed himself and noticed that Kieran's blood almost dried off and the scent almost fading, good thing he prepared for the occassion and stored Kieran's blood while he bled out. He then poured a bit and applied in his clothes as well to renew the scent the hound needs to follow.

He went west to the Grand Wilderness' direction to buy Selena some time. He made sure that the army is following the right track. When the army turned west he knew that his plan was successful. Like a hunter he is, he began creating traps. Simple ones to slow the army's advance. Now that he was not carrying Kieran his mobility increased and he had a bit of time to stop and lay down some traps before moving forwards. An hour later, he manage to create a two mile gap between the army when the enemy decided to send forth a few spiritual master to chase him with even greater speed than before.

Kieran immediately sensed five spiritual masters approaching in great speed. Though he knew for sure that these masters can't pinpoint his location without the hound with them, he assumed that they can do so and tried to finish the lethal traps that he spread out. He finished laying the last contraption trap, it was loaded by hundreds of arrow and will be triggered by any slight change of weight. He hope to atleast make the enemy wary of him and dissuade them from pursuing even further. He concealed himself the moment he finished and waited for an opportunity to strike the forward group that was sent.

As he was hiding in the shadows the trees provided, he noticed a lone martial master. He was standing still and by the sound of it, he was chanting something. "Son of a-" he whispered silently as he realized it was a wind martial master trying to locate him. He immediately materialized his bow and created an ice arrow. The visibility was not that great as the trees almost blocked everything but it doesn't matter with echo-location. Skye tried to find any possible course that is not either blocked by the trees or will give out his current location. As he plotted the course in his mind, he immediately but silently creeped in the forest. Skye nocked the ice arrow and as soon as the arrow left the bow, another martial master has fallen. Another headshot on Skye's list.

The chase went on for more than three hours now and he is sure that Selena has made it safely to the Crude Keep. His plan succedeed and the only thing he needs to do is recover his spiritual essence and spatial rift his way out of here. But first he needs to survive. Before dusk could settle he needs to find dullberry grass, an herb that excretes a pungent scent that messes a hound's sense of smell. It was his hope for survival, so was his echo-location but for now he has to seize anything that consumes his spiritual essence. The quicker he recovers the needed amount for spatial rift, the better.

Skye relied on his hunter's instinct while trying to locate a dullberry grass. Another quarter of an hour later, he finally manage to find one.

As he was about to discard his clothings and apply the dullberry grass, a blade was pointed on his throat. Slightly cutting him while blood slowly dripped from the wound. By instinct he looked at the assailant's face and found the commander grinning at him wickedly. He gave a smile of his own, while raising both of his arms.

"Quite the sly one aren't ya?" the commander asked "You purposely left the tracks to buy your friend time". "I'm not that sly, your commander is just too dumb, Oh wait!.. You're the commander aren't you?" Skye retorted. Draven just snickered and held his blade closer to Skye's neck. "You think you're so clever? Well clever boy, you will now cease to exist" Draven laughed maniacally as he made a slitting motion on Skye's throat. "Wait!" Skye shouted. "Afraid now, clever boy?" Draven mocked as he managed to stop his motion. "I want to negotiate" he exclaimed. "Hmmm.. Now i'm curious as well. What do you offer?" Draven asked while scratching his chin. "How much do they pay you?" Skye asked. "More than what you can offer" answered Draven. "A diamond coin for my life, your organization will still chase after me anyway. Sooner or later you will capture me" Skye tried to negotiate. The commander seemed to consider his offer for a while. "A diamond coin is a hefty amount but not worth the trouble for" Draven replied. "Most of them failed before, your master might consider that and you get to keep a diamond coin. Surely a big win for you" Skye insisted. "Hmmmm" once again the commander seemed to think about it. "Decide before your troops arrive" Skye told him. "Fine, a diamond coin it is" Draven smiled wickedly.

Skye knows that smile very well. He might be young but negotiations were a part of him. He excells at it and one of the main reason why is reading the other party's facial reaction. The face that the commander was making was nothing but a greedy merchant who knew he had won the bargaining session. And his face says it all, he doesn't intend to keep his end of the bargain.

Skye intentionaly dropped his interspatial ring and kneeled to pick it up escaping from the blade that was about to slit his throat a while ago. As he was about to reach the ring Draven started a slashing motion. Skye rolled over to dodge the strike as he picked up the ring and materialized his twin scimitar. The commander chuckled lightly as he mocked Skye's futile resistance.

Skye needed time. Just a few more points of spiritual essence and he could utilize a spatial rift. If he could somehow hold against the commander for a few more strikes he can certainly escape. As Skye planned ahead, the commander didn't dilly-dally either. He learned from earlier that the the kid was capable of spatial magics. The gate spell that he used earlier is proof enough that the kid can escape from his grasps. The commander didn't bother drawing his sword and charged with his dagger. Skye used one of his scimitars to parry the dagger, fortunately he was successful in the endeavor even though he failed many times before. He then used his other scimitar to counter-attack by an overhead swing. Draven was quick to withdraw and managed to avoid the swing. Skye immediately assumed his defensive stance once more as he prepared for another blow coming from the spiritual master. Draven didn't fail his expectation and charged once more.

Draven utilized his spiritual essence this time around, gaining a bit more strength to his attack. Skye sensed the sudden shift of power and used both his scimitar to block. The force of the blow however manage to break through his defenses leaving him undefended. Draven didn't let the go of the opportunity and quickly planted his feet to Skye's stomach. Skye anticipated this though and created a layer of ice armor to withstand the assault. To his disappointment, the ice shattered like it was never there in the first place. While his physique withstand the blow. He assumed that the kick nearly killed him as he vomitted his own blood, making him kneel in front of the comnander. Draven chuckled lightly as Skye's face didn't even show any hint of fear. His face brimmed with pride. Then Skye looked him in the eye with his smug little face. He was infuriated by the kid's act and slapped Skye's smirk off.

As Skye received the blow, he felt his neck crack a bit and accepted his fate. Death was upon him. He lay down in the blanket of snow reminiscing his short but happy twelve years of life. Before his conciousness faded, he saw the incoming dagger to his face. Then darkness.