17

Most of the founding clans are separated from the Meritocracy’s urban area. All were located in their own territories and surrounded by vast forests and mountains.

Although their territories were vast they still lived on an island, so the distance between the clans could be closed within a day.

Clara, having nothing better to do than wait for the other clans to arrive, had spent the rest of the day going through her schematics…

There was something else she was worrying about… if any of the outside powers hear of the Meritocracy’s problems it’d cause here a lot of problems.

She really needed to take control before then. The only problem was, even with her intelligence, she had no idea how to do so.

“Terr, do we have people good with problem solving?”

“Depends on the problem.”

“Well what about our current situation, enemies on all sides… What am I supposed to do about that?”

“If you want my advice, go talk to your mom.”

“Mom? Hmmm, why didn’t I think of that?”

“You’ve been avoiding her, I spend more time with her than you do…It’s only natural. But your mom’s been through situations like these before, maybe you should ask her about them sometime?”

“True. I’ll go speak with her.”

The clans have gathered in front of the Harcourt clan’s headquarters.

“So that’s the Harcourt clan huh?” A sharp eyed man said.

A blue haired young man was lazily twirling a knife through his fingers, seemingly ignoring the man.

“You could at least try to be a bit more excited about this…”

“This is stupid, why are we even here?”

“You know why.”

“Cause some old fools are afraid of a little girl?”

The boy lifted a knife and blocked the slash aimed at his head. “Don’t let the others hear you talking like that, I spent too much time on you to watch you die here.”

The boy chuckled, “See if they dare, what are they going to do without me?”

“Hah, why are you so rebellious, its not like you even care about this clan right?”

“…Sure, but I don’t like being used either. Why not just send those things in?” He pointed a thumb towards the people standing in a line besides them, all of them had blank looks in their eyes and wore collars around their necks.

“You think it’s fine to waste their lives?”

“Better than wasting mine.”

“We need them, if we lose to many of them the other clans will be on our backs the whole time. Why else do you think we’re willing to let them have the spoils?”

“So I have to do the Maribara’s dirty work then?”

“If that’s how you see it Argus.”

“Haaa, nothing I can do about it, when do we begin?”

“As soon as everyone has gathered.”

“Ok,” Argus, the blue haired young boy stood up and walked away. “Come get me when we’re ready, I’m gonna take a nap.”

“You…” The sharp eyed man sighed and shrugged. He then went back to observing the Harcourt clan’s compound.

After Clara had finished talking with her mother Teresa called her. “They’re moving.”

Clara rushed to command center. She looked at the monitor. “How many are coming.”

“All of them.”

“They seem confident.”

“They must have found out about the majority of our forces being occupied.”

“…Nice work Terr. When do we start?”

“When everyone’s in place. Our spy has already started moving.”

“Okay, hmm, not much to do but wait is there?”

“Not really, this too is part of war.”

“Okay.” Clara sat in the main chair, “Inform me of the situation.”

“Okay,” Teresa toggled the screen and it focused on a large group of soldier dressed in various colours marching to the left and right flanks of the Harcourt compound. “As you can see here these are the vultures, their nothing more than backup, I’m guessing that they’ll be the main force. But make no mistake, they’re only going to act as meat shields for the real danger.” She toggled the screen, it focused on the Leashed, standing still and staring blankly in front of them. “As you know the Leashed are our main concern, but our spy has already started working on their handler.”

“So the next big threat is?”

Teresa toggled the screen, “The Leashed are never sent into a battle alone. A mage is much too valuable, if one was to die it would be a big loss for the clan.”

On the screen were a group of armoured soldiers, they held swords and what seemed to be firearms attached to their arms.

“So these are the guard dogs?”

“Exactly, but they might be even more dangerous than the Leashed, if they get within range that is.”

“What’s so special about them?”

“All of them are equipped with impetus drives. In addition they’re carrying mithril swords along with energy weapons attached to their wrists.”

“Isn’t that overkill?”

“They have to be able to defend against anything and everything. So not really. But they are expensive, plus their energy doesn’t last long either. So they can be taken out, it would just take a very large power to do so.”

“Or another guard dog?”

“That would work, but unfortunately there aren’t any we can control.”

“What’s our situation.”

“The usual, foot soldiers, elite, then we have the mercs standing by, but they won’t be able to cover the entire compound, not against that large a force.”

“Nothing else?”

“Then there’s me, your mother and father.”

“Dad can fight?”

“Sure, how do you think he attracted your mother to begin with.”

“He doesn’t seem the type.”

“He’s not, he just has a talent for it, but no interest in fighting at all. Sometimes I’m jealous of how easy your family has it.”

“Well there’s me, right? Not like I’ve got any talent in fighting though, just my smarts.”

“If only that was the case.”

“What?”

“Nothing.” Teresa said and smiled.

Argus stood over a figure, his blue hair rustled with the wind. His orange eyes glowed. In his palm he held a small crystal sphere, he held it against the unconscious figure’s head. From his mouth came ten words, each more dreadful than the last.

“Now, bind ye wondering souls.”

From the crystal black particles and a dusty smoke rose, it swirled around Argus then sank into the figure. The figure shook and opened its mouth, silently screaming in pain.

Argus tapped the device imbedded into his wrist. “It’s done.”

The clans arranged themselves around the Harcourt compound. Clara, accompanied by Teresa stepped out of the compound, when they walked to the gates. The guards seemed nervous when they saw her. She looked past them as she said, “Open the gates.”

They didn’t argue with her and immediately opened the gates. Clara and Teresa walked out. There was a fairly large clearing surrounding the compound, she walked out, then said, “Flare.”

Teresa raised a small pistol and fired, a bright flare shot into the air. The Meritocracy’s signal to parley.

The army’s in the surrounding stopped. A few minutes later a small group came to the front and walked to the center between Clara and Teresa.

“First phase is a success.” Clara muttered.

They approached the group.

The man was dressed in glaringly bright clothes, he laughed as he saw her. “Well, well, well. Clara Grey Harcourt, I wasn’t expecting you here.

“Shut it. You’ve got one chance, leave or you’ll regret it.”

“Regret it? I thought you were here to surrender, if you promise to be my pet I’ll consider keeping you alive.”

Clara couldn’t keep herself from laughing out loud. “You really don’t understand the situation do you? It isn’t me who is outnumbered, it’s you. Terr, start the operation.”

“As you will milady.” Teresa said then shook her wrist.

A moment later chaos erupted from the clans. From the distance came the sound of magic blasts and the flashing of coloured lights.

The man shouted at her, “You! What do you think your doing, do you know who I am?”

“I really don’t care, Terr.”

“Milady.” Teresa leaped forward, and pressed a palm towards the man, the guards behind him jumped forward. Teresa was expecting that however and immediately retracted her arm, jumped back and pulled out a small pistol.

The second guard activated a shield just in time to block the bullets from flying at him.

Teresa laughed then jumped forward slammed a palm into the man’s shield. The shield shattered, but the shards remained. The shards gathered around her and swirled around Teresa. She knelt, spun and kicked upward. The shard followed along with her attack and slammed into the soldier’s armour.

The soldier coughed out blood and his eyes went blank as he lifted into the air.

Teresa stepped passed the corpse then fired off a few more rounds at the next guard. He activated another shield. But as soon as she tried to break it like she did the last the man dispersed his shield. “Smart,” Teresa commented.

“But not smart enough!” She stepped up to the man and palmed his armour. A small explosion went off in between them and the man screamed in agony.

“I am the duke of the Songfield, don’t you dare!”

Teresa slowly walked to the brightly dressed man, “Don’t worry I won’t kill you, yet…” she teased.

She whipped around and kicked the man’s head. “He’s asleep milady.”

“Alright… now where is he?”

“He should be here any moment milady.”

“Very well, let us wait.”

Argus’ orange eyes blazed beside him stood a blank eyed man, behind him were the Leashed. The world around him was burning. Infront of Argus was the sharp eyed man. “Argus what’s the meaning of this?”

“What it’s always been old man. Thanks to you I’ve learned a lot. But I’ve also come to understand something else. The Maribara really are full of shit aren’t they?”

Argus drew a blade, “Now, its finally time to show you. What I can really do!”

Argus charged at the sharp eyed man, “Argus! No!”

“Ten thousand slayer, even she spoke highly of Thorn of the North!”

“You, I can’t believe this is happening! After everything I’ve taught you!?”

“Yes, me neither.” For a moment Argus’ eyes were clouded in regret, but the expression soon vanished. Argus raised a blade, a light shimmered over its edge.

[Rending slash!]

His blade came down and Thorn had no choice but to bring his own blade up if he didn’t want to die.

Argus recovered from the deflection then swung his blade in a certain form, the air spun and gathered around his blade and shot out, extending his reach by four meters.

Thorn shouted and dispered his magic, then from the years of experience he’d accumulated Thorn thrust out with his own blade. The wind was as if listening to a masters call, they sharpened and at the same time accelerated Thorn’s attack.

Argus was calm, though he’d always known that his mentor was someone much more powerful than he. This would be the last opportunity they would have to cross blades, and he would defeat him, for his sake, and for hers.

Suddenly Argus pulled his sword back, as if he was retracting a whip and the wind at the tip of Thorn’s blade followed along Argus’ blade. Argus’ eyes shone with an orange light and his blue hair whipped about from the ferocity of each and every attack.

Argus jumped back, pulling the wind along with him, then when as he landed he raised his blade and pointed it into the sky.

[Heaven’s fall!]

He brought his blade down. But there was absolutely no wind which came along with it. All of the wind had dispersed into the surroundings.

Thorn waved his blade and all of the wind gathered to surround Argus, “Give it up Argus. You’re good, but your way too young! You’ll never be able to defeat me!”

Argus laughed, “If I listened to shit like that you think I’d ever have the balls to fight you?”

“You’ve always been stubborn.”

Argus spit the glared at Thorn and growled, “I’ve always hated you.”

Thorn laughed, seeming amused, “Really, what have I ever done to you?”

“It isn’t what you’ve done to me. It’s who you are! You’re feared throughout the mainland, yet when you came here and were offered comfort you took to it like a man drowning. I despise you!”

Thorn chuckled, looking down at Argus as if speaking to a little child, causing Argus to growl once more. “What would you have me do instead then?”

“You used to believe in something, and that’s why I must kill you today.”

Argus shouted and charged towards Thorn again. His blade was blocked by Thorn who allowed him a small bit of leeway before pushing him off balance, completing the destabilisation with a small bit of magic which pulled Argus’ feet from under him.

“You’re really a child, you know that?”

“You’re really old you know?” Argus said as he quickly got to his feet, not allowing any moment for Thorn to close in.

For someone like you, I can’t allow you’re existence in this world any longer. Each moment you breath is a moment in which you deny my belief.

Argus stepped forward. His eyes glimmered as he thought of that girl once more.

For her then.

“Haaaa!” He slashed, and Thorn blocked. Again and again, each time careful not to get pulled in, each time aiming to kill.

“If you’ve always fought like this when we were training you might have gotten somewhere. But unfortunately, IT’S STILL TOO EARLY!” Thorn ignored the next attack and it passed right by his side, he clenched his fists and punched Argus in the stomach.

“You’re coming with me, we’ll talk this out when you’ve calmed down.” From his clenched fist, Thorn unleashed his magic and blasted it through Argus’ body.

“Ahhhh!” Argus screamed out, his eyes started bleeding as the magic sought to overwhelm him.

Suddenly in the sky a large phantasmal beast appeared in the distance. It reached down and scooped up a few of the clansman and threw them into its mouth. They screamed as their bodies were shredded inside the beasts stomach and the turned into wisps of energy.

“The Maribara sure have some scary tools.” Thorn muttered.

Suddenly, Thorn felt a stab in his back, looked back and saw Argus, breathing heavily but away.

Thorn fell to his knee. Argus breathed heavily, the blood in his eyes still flowing, but it didn’t seem to be a simple injury anymore. “Leave this place, never come back.” Argus breathed, “One day I will find you, and we’ll end this.”

Thorn felt the blood at his back, when he brought his hand back it was covered in black blood. “You actually used such despicable means?”

Argus stumbled away, “Don’t be surprised! I’ve got more important things to do than worry about myself. Slaves, fire at will!”

The blank eyed man shouted to the Leashed, who followed along and gathered their magic and shot it at Thorn.

Thorn wouldn’t be killed with something this simple though, with a few well placed blasts of aura he dispersed the magic shooting at him. Thorn turned and rushed away. “Very well Argus, I know you’ll always regret not defeating me today.”

Argus spit on the ground. He scowled and turned to the blank eyed man who used to be one of the Leashed handlers. “Go join the attack.”

The man turned and ordered the Leashed then left. By the time they were gone Argus had long since left.