We got up early in the morning to prepare. Parkus and I had been anticipating something like this to happen, but never of the scale we were seeing now. The people of the village came and saw off the preparations with great anxiety as they too knew what was happening with the grove. However, they did not let fear consume them, so they placed every bit of their trust into the success of the mission.

Inside the village walls were Kayrusians also equipping and preparing themselves with arms and bags of provisions. There about twenty or so that I could count, excluding Carima and Carce, who had yet to arrive.

Everything had been explained before since the aforementioned leader of the entire mission briefed us and retreated back into his study to get some things ready for departure. A few seconds later the two of them came out along with the other few who were to lead about three to five men depending on each one of their tasks and capabilities. Naturally, we were made to be in a group consisting of Carima, Carce, Parkus and myself. The rest were subdivided accordingly with their own objectives, something that was kept from us.

We traveled on foot, taking roughly about fifteen minutes to arrive at the foot of the Grove, a place just a few ways away from where the greenery was divided by the blight; a sign that the land was being consumed by the demon further inside the Grove. It couldn't be called a Grove anymore by the way it looked. If anything, it looked haunted. You couldn't see far inside even though the sun was up, yet there was a thick purple smog blocking every sort of vision that dared pierce through it.

Looking at it, it was a magnificent sight despite its gray complexion. There was a wretched feeling in the air that simply drove me away from it. The place set off all kinds of warnings in my head of not going, but with the countless of times that I had ignored the warnings, I thought another hint of ignorance wouldn't make a difference. I always seemed to get drawn into these kinds of messes anyway.

Carce stopped everyone and confirmed everything that they had to do group by group. He made them position themselves in different places in front of the Grove until it was our turn.

"Listen closely to my instructions. This is a dangerous place not just because of the lethal miasma, but even the residents of the Grove have turned hostile. If we are truly unlucky, we may even encounter some of the impressive ones, but do not let that deter you. It'll be the four of us in this group, and in the case that every other group falls, one must be ensured to succeed, no matter what."

Carce then faced the Grove's entrance and nodded at Carima. The two of them stretched their hands out to the Grove and began speaking in a soft voice which created a gentle glowing light that veiled them. Words sprang from thin air and dissipated as they were spoken. Remembering what we had read, this was an ancient sort of ritual by the Kayrusians. But since we didn't know a lot about them at the time, we didn't tell what they were for until the thick miasma in front of us started thinning out, liberating the path that we are supposed to take inside.

"Come, it's time to start the mission," said Carce.

The four of us bolted into a run, following Carce who, while running, created an orb made of light to guide the way. Carima did the same thing, casting one behind us so that the roads would be cleared.

"Try not to lose sight of us, Johann, Parkus. It will take a while before we reach the very heart of the Grove, but keep in mind al that I have told you. There might even be something that I have no knowledge of, but I trust that you two can handle yourselves."

"Don't sweat it. This shouldn't be too much of a problem. Heck, if it gets worse, you can even depend on us to make things a bit lighter on your end of the load," boasted Parkus with a cheeky smile.

"I will keep the offer in mind," chuckled Carima.

It felt heavy. Not only did it make my head spin, it felt like I was carrying a heavy weight on my shoulders, yet there wasn't anything there. It was getting hard to move, and while moving, I noticed that the miasma that was made to stand aside was slowly creeping back to the road like tendrils from the ocean, returning to its former state.

"Don't let up. If you're feeling sluggish, it's because of the miasma. We need to make decent ground before we set up a place where the miasma can't reach us, for a while at least. If I remember, a checkpoint should be close by. We can start from there," commanded Carce, looking over the unpaved road.

As we ran, I felt the cold chill of eyes boring holes onto us. There were red gleams of light coming in from the deep darkness of the grove. A soft growling noise or a bloodcurdling roar, those were what we could hear but ignored

And within a few more seconds of running, there stood a wide space where the trees didn't grow. A stone pedestal wrapped in dead vines sat in the center glowing with a faint light.

"This is the place. Let me set up the barrier before we continue."

Carce stood in front of the pedestal and placed his hand on it, chanting softly. The glow on the pedestal started gaining life, and for a second I felt the weight on my shoulders lift ever so slightly, but it was still there, fluctuating.

Suddenly, deformed animals came from the shadows in the form of monsters. Those beings that were supposed to be pure were changed by the miasma, causing them to mutate and lose their minds. All they sought was blood and flesh.

"This is your chance to prove yourselves to Carce. He can't do anything to defend himself while he is erecting the barrier, and disrupting the chant resets the process, so it's up to the three of us to make sure that he succeeds. Fails, and that'll be it for the four of us. The miasma will slowly consume us, then the rest of the residents in this grove, understand?"

"Way to put it bluntly, not that I mind. It helps to be straightforward with things. It makes you cope with it faster than it would if you hold back things and tell someone gradually. But don't worry about anything. Just protect Carce. Johann and I have this under wraps, isn't that right?"

"More or less," I replied. "There's no skipping out of this one anymore. If I go down here, someone much more horrible than a demon might just bring me back to life only to kill me again. I'd rather avoid that."

"Oh, talking about her again, aren't you? She can be pretty terrifying if you get on her nerves," said Parkus in jest.

"You can say that again."

"You two must be quite confident to be talking so casually to each other. They're coming out in droves, so this might be quite challenging even with me in addition," said Carima, eyeing her surroundings casually.

I looked around us to feel the surroundings and the terrain, the number of enemies appearing and their profiles, taking each of their potential weaknesses into consideration with the split-second amount of time I have to process it in my head. In grave situations, you had only that much to think, even less when you're on the move. I've been molded to keep calm in these situations and assess them accordingly, same goes with Parkus, but I just don't know to what extent.

"Leave this side to me, Parkus. You take the ones behind us."

"Got it," he smirked. "I see you're feeling it again aren't you? With those eyes, I can tell you're in the zone." He moved back and faced the ones behind me.

"Carima, take care of the ones that pass by Parkus and me after two seconds... no, make that three. Don't bother confronting any of them until that time limit has passed, no matter how close they get."

"Hmm, I understand, but are you sure you won't need any help up front?" she asked.

"Don't worry, when Johann gets serious, he someone you can stake your life on. It's when things matter the most when he's at his best. Take my word for it," interrupted Parkus."

"Very well, I will heed your instructions."

"Alright, let's get started."

I exhaled, taking a step forward to rile the beasts in front of me to move. One was a four-legged abomination of an elk with overgrown antlers and an oversized body like that of a bull. It was heavier because of that, I thought, not as fast as when it was lighter. The thing charged, lowering its head to skewer me. I started to form a ball of fire the size of my hand and hurled it square at the head of the elk, forcing it to halt and flail around as the fire began engulfing its head. It would phase out soon, so I made my move, dashing at it and drawing my weapon and cutting at one of its grizzly front legs, forcing it on one side, finishing it off by the neck with a twist of my body and sword.

Next came a pack of rabid wolves that were far more ferocious than its predecessor. They coordinated and divided to try and get past me, but I met one group and leaped, causing one of the wolves to pursue me in the air. I used my weight and impaled the wolf with the tip of my blade, bringing it down quickly, allowing me to slice at its disgruntled brethren. Two stragglers dashed past me.

One...

Two...

I charged my hand with electricity and sent it rippling in between the two before the time was up, causing eh two of them to be caught by the shock. I made for them and struck the immobilized wolves with haste, readying myself for the others that were eager to attack us. I momentarily caught a glance of Carima, who looked composed as I struck down the wolves which were right in front of her. There wasn't a hint of anxiety from her and it felt like she was confident that I would keep my words.

I kept up with the relentless hordes of animals and monstrosities that came out from the dark until it started to get to me, the exhaustion. Exactly ten minutes had elapsed ever since I started. I didn't keep track of Parkus' progress since it would make me focus on too many things, and I'd lose focus by then, so I only kept to my side of the area.

But more came from the trees, more than the ones I'd already taken down. They looked as ferocious, and the tenacity from their eyes intensified. I took deep breaths and tried to remove the sluggish feeling. Fortunately, with the amount of effort I had poured, there hasn't been one that's gotten past me yet. But it seems that Carima will get her fair share of things. I was still too lacking to be able to fight a battle of attrition, but I could make ends meet with the amount of energy I had left.

However, those worries of mine were eased. The creatures backed away and ran back into the grove. The weight on my shoulders had been taken off, and I could breathe a fresh air of relief surprisingly.

"You two can stand down. I've created the barrier. Those with impurities should shy away from this area for now." Carce said, leaning on the pedestal, looking exhausted himself. "Good work with holding them off. You proved me wrong, at least for now."

"Tough crowd. I was sure that you'd be fully impressed," said Parkus, lying down on the ground, breathing hard.

"We've only just begun. It's going to be a bit more difficult, and that's not counting the real threat yet, but our objective's not to deal with it not unless it's a last resort."

"Stronger threats such as?"

"Those whom you are pursuing are also here, aren't they? Judging from what I saw, I only hope that what I've seen isn't the extent of your abilities. Additionally, there might even be our kin, those who've been corrupted themselves."

"Corrupted? So this miasma isn't going to kill them?" I asked.

"Yes. Since we have a great amount of mana and energy flowing through our veins, we can be corrupted by such anomalies. The miasma isn't enough to make us turn, but it is the demon's presence that made them that way. You will know when we get further in. For now, let us rest for a few seconds then continue on."

"You're not worried about killing them?" I asked.

"They've been turned. There's no hope for them. Their hearts are dark, and their intentions even darker. They will not hesitate to murder you for all they see is the darkness that made them like that. It drove them insane to the point where nothing you say or do can get past them, other than putting them down. The only way you can remedy their situation is to put them out of their misery and end their suffering."

Carce placed his bag down on the ground and started sorting his belongings. I sat on the ground and relaxed to regain what I had lost.

"Don't worry, Carce is as concerned about them as you are. But he knows that it is the only way to help them, even if he wants to or not. But, I will say I'm impressed," said Carima who sat beside me. "You didn't let one of them pass long enough for me to deal with them. It seems that you do have your merits."

"Thanks. But your partner doesn't seem convinced," I said.

"He's hard to please. But what I'm more surprised of is the fact that you can cast magic. I knew something was off about you. You have these strange points on your body where you're drawing on loose mana. It's not a natural thing a Kayrus sees. Usually, it'd be from the blood. You're not of that blood, aren't you? Care to share?"

I explained to her what I had done to be able to do improve my abilities however I could. There wasn't as much of a chance in her expression, nor did she seem too shocked by the story.

"Once more I'm amazed. You go to quite lengths to accomplish something as tedious as that? Quite peculiar, aren't you? Maybe you are destined for something grand."

"It's anything but grand so far."

"Well, I won't discourage you. They say that recklessness is sometimes a strong point that no one can ever predict. It's baffling at times. It seems like it's your perk." She stood and left to congratulate Parkus as well.

I thought of her words... "Something Grand... huh?" I muttered. "I wonder."

We kept moving, creating the so-called safeguard on every pedestal we come across. It was true what Carce and Carima said. All that was waiting for us further inside was much more than the one we’ve fought before. The stronger the concentration of miasma, the more likely they’re to be out of control and dangerous. The time it took to erect the barriers took longer as well due to the amount of concentration, but we managed to hold on, surprisingly.

"Alright, this is the last place we need to be before things start picking up. We’re close to the sanctuary. But before that we’ll be passing through the gate, so you’ll know when we’re there. The barrier that was supposed to be hiding it should have been taken down."

"Let’s lay out our objectives again. We are to head to the Helius in the inner sanctum, the main tree of life in the grove. That’s where lord Calicel is regenerating his lost strength whilst sealed. We need to bring him back first, then we will worry about the demon afterward."

As we discussed things among ourselves, the sound of footsteps alerted us to the presence of someone.

"Always here to disrupt us, aren’t you, revolutionaries?" A man with short, dark hair and sharp, deep purple eyes came forth, a clear face of anger was on his face. He wore a dark uniform and had the emblem of the Kaiser on his left shoulder cape tied together with a golden thread. He was orderly and prim, wearing white gloves and clean boots that aligned with his presence and his disposition of loyalty and dignity.

It was also someone who we recognized well.

"I knew I felt someone familiar close by. It was only the presence of some mere antagonists. I don't suppose you're here on a stroll, aren't you?"

"So they sent the dog with the loyalty disorder? I’m surprised. I thought you wouldn’t leave the Kaiser’s side no matter what. The world must be ending, isn’t it, Tyr?" said Parkus mockingly.

"Call me what you will, I will perform my duties no matter what. If I eliminate you two, the efforts of the revolution will be greatly reduced, especially you, Johannes Isles. Who would have thought that despite the past, you would keep rising from the dirt like a roach."

"And I’ll keep on standing up till the Kaiser is six feet under the ground. We both know where this is going. Why don’t we just start?" I stood and picked up my sword, facing Tyr, preparing everything I’ve learned.

The capabilities of a general siding with the Kaiser are unique and imposing. They can all handle themselves, and it would usually take a lot of manpower to take one down. But with mine and Parkus’ case, we trained for times like these.

He knew as well, so he stood beside me with a smile still on his face. “We’ve fought him before, but I don’t think he’ll be using the same tricks as last time. He’s not the type to be cocky over incomplete victories. How do you want to go about this, Johann?”

"Aren't you supposed to be the captain of this mission? Sigh, leave it to me. I remember last time. We barely made it. Just fight as you would normally. I’ll coordinate my movements with you. We'll corner him and catch him off guard. Take any chance you see," I whispered over to Parkus.

Tyr assumed a stalwart stance with his fists acting as the vanguard. A powerful amount of energy swirled around him as he tamed the elements around him. This wasn’t mana, it was raw energy and power. His sharp eyes were piercing, and the energy he exuded was heavy, more so were his blows.

"You’re not going to help them, Carce?" asked Carima.

"This is their enemy. It's up to them to handle this... but I will join I for I see it fit. I can’t have us losing people now. The one they’re fighting is formidable. I recognize him aside from the other two that entered, but I haven't seen how he fights."

"I see. I’ll do the same as well. This might make for a great fight, however... his body structure, it’s... amazing. It looks like he can sustain heavy blows and is able to outlast any opponent... is this what innate potential is?"

"I don’t know myself. I've only fought one of the three. And by the looks of it, this one is strong, or might even be stronger than the last one. No normal person can handle the miasma like that. He’s outside of the barrier even."

"He’s using his natural aura to negate the miasma. It’s almost as if it’s scared of him," she added. "Are you sure you’ll be able to take him on?" she asked Parkus.

"Don’t start having second thoughts now, Carima. I think with this, we’ll be able to at least impress Carce, so watch closely. With Johann and I, we’ll be able to handle anything."

"Don’t start getting too confident," interrupted Tyr. "In the name of the Kaiser himself, I will send a devastating blow to the revolutionaries in your death!"

Tyr was someone we had already fought before in another hard-fought battle, but it was only once, and it was enough to make him remembered.

Those chosen by the Kaiser, however odd they looked, or however mundane they acted, had a sort of special capability that set them apart from each other. There were even some rumors at one point where it was said that there was in their midst someone who even surpassed the Kaiser, but no one truly found out the truth to that rumor.

He moved quickly, using his pivot foot to step towards up. His palm was open, having amassed enough energy to blow his opponents away. He came for me, readying a punch from below.

I took a step back just in time and thrust forward with my sword, but he anticipated it and used his other hand to guide the tip away from his face. He then readied another blow, but Parkus interceded and forced Tyr to defend himself.

With both hands occupied, he used his legs to free himself, twisting his body with a force of a small tornado. He returned to his position and thrust his palm forward, creating a powerful amount of air barreling towards us.

Parkus dodged, and I did the same. I couldn't counter the blow as it tore through the trees behind us as it passed. My magic was far more inferior to Tyr's as it was now, and it was only for dire situations when I am able to use it to its fullest potential anyway. But, by then I would have worn myself out. I can't outlast him if this keeps up.

Tyr launched himself, and we began to fight once more. Parkus kept fighting while I kept my eyes closed in on him and Tyr, tracking their movements so that I could corner him as best as I could. But being one of the Kaiser's handpicked, that was difficult of a challenge in itself.

As Tyr continued a relentless barrage of which we were able to keep up with so far, he upped the ante and increased his speed. He kept dodging out attacks so far, but before he was able to adjust to us, I saw an opening on his side when Parkus forced him to take a step back.

I circled around him to his back and sliced at him. However, he wasn't one to take that easily. He anticipated it and glared me down. He pulled back with his weight and gathered a pulse of energy with his right arm, swinging it towards me.

I used my arm hurriedly and stopped his right arm by the joint and positioned my body away from him, pulling my sword back to stab him as I took hold of his arm. The energy that was gathered in the palm of his right hand blew through the ground just inches away from where I stood, and the power behind it shook the ground slightly.

But as I took a slight rest, he reached out and grabbed my left sword arm and pulled me away, hurling me towards Parkus who was charging at him. I tried to pry his hands off, but they wouldn't budge.

We tumbled on the ground but immediately got up knowing that Tyr would relent, and he did, pinning me down by my neck. I struggled as he drew back his palm again, gathering an even more terrifying amount of energy.

"You haven't grown at all since the last time we met. You two are called the pride of the rebellion, but there is nothing to show for it! Though you are all insignificant pests, you are pests that do not seem to die. Receive this punishment for wasting the Kaiser's time with your punitive uprisings," he motioned back, looking down at me like a father giving a stern lecture.

He realized it, but by then, he was already on the defensive as I took hold of him from below. Parkus slashed downwards, forcing Tyr to reveal his defense. He stopped Parkus' sharp blade with bracers on both of his wrists, strong enough to not be bent even with a powerful strike from Parkus, which I felt reverberate through Tyr's body to mine.

"That's some strong armor you have on. I think you're forgetting me," smirked Parkus. "I don't mind lending Johann the spotlight, but I got to get a chance at it." Parkus began enveloping himself in a veil of gold. "Cadence, inspire!" he yelled, echoing through the grove. His sword started glowing gold as well, the outlines of it feeling almost alive as it responded to the call of its master.

He drew back and slashed from below, quickly hitting Tyr on his bracer, launching him back with enough force to separate us. The glow on Parkus disappeared after that, and so did the glow on his sword. He extended his hand out to me, and I took it.

"No matter what I do, this sword's power still won't cooperate. There's no manual, so I have to figure everything by the books. What a thrill," he lamented, looking at the sword with confusion. "Are you alright, Johann? You looked like you were down for the count."

"Thanks. I guess it did look like that, didn't it," I asked. "I don't think it's time for us to be catching up yet, Parkus. He's far from done. We're going to have to do a little better than this. I bet he's not too thrilled about what you did to him though. Nice work."

"You sure about showing all our tricks? We'll be out of them by the time the main event arrives."

"The main event won't matter if we die here. He doesn't seem like the type to leave anything unfinished, so we're going to have to all in with this one."

Tyr got up and stretched his neck, emitted a cracking noise. The raw aura of power around him intensified even more, enough to make the pebbles around him levitate. "My fault was thinking that you would simply fall under that. Now I know my error and will make amends. The loyal retainer of the Kaiser shall know no defeat at its best. With this mission, I will stake a fraction of my power to defeat you."

He took a stance, positioning both hands by his waist, clenched. He closed his eyes and looked calm, taking a deep breath in, then exhaling. Suddenly we were able to hear a rhythmic beat in the air. It was that of a heart. "First Discipline: Questions of the Hermit! The first journey of my quest to find newfound power. It shall begin here. The path that branches from the end will determine our fates." He started mumbling in a voice that was loud enough to be a chant. He took a different stance, one that symbolized what seemed to be a defensive one.

"I don't like the looks of this, Johann. This guy's getting dangerous. I don't remember this from the last battle, or even from the intel. Think we still have this?" asked Parkus nervously. Whenever he was nervous, he would laugh wryly, as if cursing his luck. people would often think that it's just him being optimistic as usual.

"You're the captain, you're the one who's supposed to be figuring that one out. But either way, you're right. Think you can muster up enough strength from that sword to match his?" I asked Parkus.

"That'd be a nice miracle I'd love to see. But no. The best I can do is a fraction. Heck, I don't even know the full extent of this sword. That old man didn't tell me enough that it's irritating me. Go find out yourself what it does, he says. Why would you go through all that trouble if you already knew?!" he complained, the optimism on his face disappearing with irritation.

"Vent all your anger on this one instead. It might even help us. Just stick to what we've been doing before. I'll figure things out while we fight."

In truth, it was tricky to figure out how we're going to go through with this. The intense power spike I felt wasn't anything to shrug off, if anything, it was alarming how he simply grew that strong in the fraction of a second. There's a chance, still. But for that to work, things need to go right, and it doesn't seem like lady luck's going to be on our side today.

"Things are looking rather grim, aren't they?" asked Carima, stepping in. "Why don't we step in and offer a helping hand? You offered to help us, so we shall do the same."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," I said, taking a glance at Carce, who moved as well, not looking as opposed to the decision.

"Allies or not, I shall not be dissuaded," announced Tyr. He moved in and dashed past us, rushing at Carima, who was defenseless, save for a wooden staff on hand.

Parkus and I immediately rushed in to help her, but from where we were standing, it looked like it was too late.

"... False disciplines. You have been lured," she said softly. Suddenly, a field of purple light manifested itself on the ground with Carima and Tyr inside. It had stopped Tyr as he was about to deliver a powerful strike. "Stasis field, overcast, rivaling energy!" With the words meant to cast a spell, Tyr's immobilized body was wrapped in traces of what seemed to be markings.

"A Kayrus... I see. You are correct, it seems. I have been conceited, but it is the true motive of my discipline, to be naive. Yet my strength can surpass what you and your dying Race can pitch against me." He inhaled a breath of air then exhaled, creating a reverberating pulse of air that broke the bindings.

Carce moved, intercepting Tyr by striking his attacking arm with a chop, slashing with a strange, silent precision. But Tyr denied him the satisfaction of damage and fought him evenly. The two began exchanging attacks, each one dodging the other's attack, yet it was apparent that Carce was struggling.

Parkus and I rushed to his aide and started to attack him in unison. Every time he would back away, Carima would find the chance to attack him with spells, then one of us would serve as a guard so that she would be left alone.

He started wearing us down until we were on the defensive.

"I have an idea. It will require that the three of you follow precisely my orders. We have this chance only to deal him enough damage. Just try to get him to stop for a second, just a second is all that I need. One of you needs to defend me, so that means two will be the ones forcing and stalling him while I prepare."

"What sort are you planning, Carce?" asked Parkus.

"You will see. Now decide. We don't have the leisure," said Carce rather angrily, out of breath.

"Carima and I will attack him, Parkus, guard Carce," I said. They nodded, and so we put our last-ditch effort of offense in what Carce may be able to pull off.

"Don't worry about me too much, Johann," said Carima, her brows furrowed in focus. Her usual composed expression turned to one of light ferocity. "Just focus on trying to keep him on his toes! If he comes for me, then allow it. Though we Kayrusians might not have the strength that would be desired, we have the ability to work through such trials. I shall carry half the task's load."

"Alright, let's do this. I'll trust you with this."

I started off by running towards Tyr, who was maintaining his defensive stance. He met me with another palm strike, missing me only by a few inches as I dodged to the side. I started a flurry of attacks while Carima accompanied me with spells of fire and ice whenever it seemed that he had the edge against me. But doing that would draw attention to her, and soon enough it did. But her words rattled my head. she knew what she was doing.

Tyr tried blasting her with a force of air from his palms only to be met with resistance from a barrier she had build beforehand, and it would reflect back the attack twice over. He followed up with consecutive strikes, then a roundhouse kick that broke the barrier, making her defenseless.

Carima's eyes started glowing pure white, and with a single word, Tyr was sent back with a powerful pulse of wind, an attack which he blocked and was sent back with his feet still firmly planted on the ground.

"Impressive," spoke Tyr sincerely. "You recreated my attack and transformed it into a spell, improving it twice as much in power. I see the Kayrusian skill still exists. I will learn from this mistake."

"How about another one then?" asked Carce. I glanced back at him seeing him holding a bow that seemed to be made of glass. Light reflected and shone on it, and a bright arrowhead cackled and sparked as the notch was pulled back as far as it could be, stretching the white-silk bowstring to a point that it looked like it was about to snap.

Carce released the notch, hurling a powerful arrow at Tyr, who was unprepared for the attack and kept his defensive stance as the two collided.

A strong gust stirred up a smoke, enveloping Tyr and preventing us from knowing the results of Carce's efforts.

"That should be it, right?" asked Parkus, in doubt.

"It should be. If not, then we have to flee this battle. I don't think I can pull another one of those off for a while. And I'd like to save my energy for the fight to come," said Carce still standing up stoically despite the strain on his face.

He looked as composed as ever, but it was clear that Carce looked drained. Whatever he did, it took a lot out of him, and it was clear that he was hesitant at first.

"What was that anyway?" I asked, seeing something firsthand.

"It's a special technique passed down to us Kayrusians," said Carima. "To create a bow from the natural energies around you and to create an arrow from the same foundation."

"... I see, so that's why it's power is rather lacking. The nature around you seems to have dwindled down due to the threat haunting this grove. How disappointing. To think that this is the famed trick that the great Kayrus, Syllas Guidalle invented. Being of two Races meant half of the blood of the two. I see that the rumors are true then."

As the smoke cleared, Tyr still stood, but this time enveloped with another layer of energy. He looked unscathed for the most part, only having part of his clothing ripped and torn due to the impact. The scenery behind him although, had been destroyed by the blast, and so was the ground he stood on.

"Impossible... how we you able to withstand my attack? I knew that it was weak, but it should have been enough to even knock you out," said Carce is disbelief, his eyes narrowing down at Tyr.

"I would have been immobilized for a few seconds, but I had my own countermeasures as well. You forced me to activate my second discipline: The Inspiration of the Wanderer. I will commend you for being able to bring this discipline of mine out. It has been quite a while since then." He stretched his body as if nothing happened, then prepared another stance which was a balance of offense and defense. His imposing aura was one thing, but the energy emanating from him was another thing entirely. I was made to realize that this was one of the highest in rank under the Kaiser's command. Underestimating him was a mistake that we never learned from.

Even Carima was shocked to see the fruits of Carce's efforts go to waste as a genuine look of shock appeared on her otherwise nonchalant face. Parkus wasn't surprised as I thought, but he was ready to keep going as well, even with his legs quivering due to exhaustion.

If this continues, we'll only waste what energy we need for the worst. I need to stall him somehow, I thought. I still have enough secrets tucked away in case of emergencies like these. After all, options are the only things keeping from losing a fight. Once I'm out of options, I'll have to go through more desperate means.

"Can you three leave this to me?" I asked them. "You need to make sure that you revive Calicel, right? And our objective's to make sure that these guys don't get what they want. It's all been leading to this. I'll leave them to you, Parkus. If you see the other two, you handle them."

"Got it," said Parkus without hesitation, exhaling a breath of relief, sheathing his sword.

"Wait, are you not going to deny him that? You've seen that the four of us can't handle him alone. What makes you think fighting him alone will change anything?" argued Carima.

"Oh, you haven't known Johann as long as I have. Just trust him, alright? I'm sure you're not one to argue, Carce?" asked Parkus to Carce, who had composed himself after the failure.

"I have none. The protection of the Grove is my, no, it should be our priority, Carima. It will come first. These humans use trust as the basis of their bonds. I do not understand that as much, but I will take his word for it. Whatever happens afterward is his decision alone. Now come, we have a task to complete. Oh, and if you ever do get out of this mess, then try to find us if you can, if not, we'll come to you once we finish things," said Carce, walking off casually.

With Carce leading them, they left running. Parkus waved a smile while Carima looked back in concern. I met her eyes and nodded, not really thinking of what it should tell her.

I faced Tyr once more.

"I do not offer those who defy the Kaiser much, but are you sure that you will not regret your decisions, Johannes Isles?" he asked, relaxing his body for a short while. The intensity around him died down.

"If I start regretting things now, then it'll be just like undoing everything I've done in the past. Oh, and don't think that you're getting anything less than what you deserve. This is just perfect for the two of us. I'm not saying I can handle you outright, but I can probably do something against you that'll satisfy you."

"Well then," Tyr stretched his body and assumed a stance. "I'm not one for suspense. Let us begin. I will give you a favorable death, but my anger against you and your revolution still will burn fiercely. I shall not underestimate you for you are the most notorious one in the revolution. The one who stirs the heart of the people for your accomplishments. With you gone, the revolution will lose heart, and finally, the plan will come to fruition."

"Plan? What is the Kaiser planning this time, another mass genocide? You can't see it, but you're all blinded. It's plain to see, but you all refuse to look. All you're doing is following a man who will and has plunged the entire damned country into wars and death that it never needed. If it weren't for him, a lot of people wouldn't have had to suffer, and now look at how things are."

"... I understand your anger, Johannes. And I have heard the same from everyone else, but it is you who refuses to see the greater scope of things. If only you were to realize, then only will there be peace. You are all frowning on the one who will save us all, and he is the only one capable of the unity we all need. Through force, they will understand, unfortunately."

"You're all delusional, more than I thought. I'll use everything I've got to take you down!"

I tensed my entire body, gripping the handle of my sword tightly as I prepared for the greatest challenge for my current self. If I live here or not, that will determine my drive to defeat the one who caused everything in this place to go down.

All that I've learned so far, everything that I've experienced... my answer has to be there somewhere. It can't end here. I won't let it be.

I can already feel the tension behind his strength as he continues to gather up energy. It's almost terrifying to look at, but I'm not quivering as much.

Tyr began, blasting two pulses of air from his palms in quick succession.

I cast up a ball of fire and threw one at the pulses of air and another at the middle ground, creating a small dust cloud for cover.

My first fireball was demolished and wiped out without surprise, but I was able to rush towards my position, readying another spell of fire as I circled around Tyr.

But as I emerged from the dust cloud, he wasn't where he was. I looked around and felt eyes staring me down from atop.

He descended with a powerful axle kick and demolished the ground, but I rolled out of the way in the nick of time.

"Cast class-D spell, Hail!" I spoke, using the energy and mana I've gathered in my body, channeling them to my hand, casting a hail of icicles at the area where he landed.

He sent one spike of ice flying back at me, but I barely dodged it as the spike grazed my cheek where I felt a warm drop of blood make its way to the edge of my left chin.

He then emerged from the dust and started attacking, relenting with a series of punches and kicks in combination.

His movements were hard to stop because they were heavy, but when the situation called for it, I blocked his attacks by striking back at his bracers and absorbing the attack to try and find a spot where I could focus on. I was thrown off time and time again after receiving his attacks, however, some of them I countered using my own brand of melee, a combination of punches and kicks to match his pace with all that I can give.

"Capable of the arts of melee as well? I see you are somewhat of a jack-of-all-trades. I recognize this style of fighting, using your blade as a fifth limb and acting according to it while utilizing every other fighting sense you have. I never knew anyone would ever pick up such an odd skill of combat."

Again, I was thrown away by a strike to gut. I stood and faced him again, clashing my blade with his bracer in desperation of stopping him and thinking of something more.

"You know why you are flawed against me? Why you can't damage me no matter what you do? It's because I am the one who passed down that technique," Tyr said simply.

I knew it was more than just coincidence that he was able to see through my movements even before I made them. The stance just gave it all away. But that doesn't matter now. I need to get away from him for now and think of what to do next.

"Your eyes are lost, focusing on something that it won't find. Your consequence is leaving yourself wide open. The technique of the Wanderer: Solitude!" he yelled, stepping back then crossing his arms and slicing forward with them. A torrent of wind came ripping forth at me.

I ducked and used the opening on its four sides, seeing the attack pass through and feeling the wind tear away at itself, slicing the trees and the miasma away.

I used the chance to lunge at him and attack, but to my misfortune, he stopped the blade with his two hands. I then charged the blade with a surge of electricity and surprised him with it, removing his hands from my blade. I struck forward and met his right shoulder, lightly wounding it as he stopped the blade again before it could pass through.

I searched my mind and began to call someone. It's one of the few cards left up my sleeve, and each one of them is dependable enough to get me out of this situation.

"Summon, lightning spirit! Arda, to my side. Cast Virulent Turmoil!"

A circle of gold emerged from the ground behind me, where a golden ball of fur popped up from thin air, unfurling into a small fox whose fur surged with electricity, levitating. It began to snarl and growl at Tyr fearlessly, creating a field under and above Tyr. With a small howl befitting its size, the fields connected and surged violently with a torrent of lightning.

"Arda, follow me!" I commanded him.

I pulled my sword away from Tyr and ran away from the area, separating the two of us as much as possible.

The miasma is as heavy. I was fighting inside the barrier before, but if he chases me through here, I don't think I can fight him evenly.

"Who was that, master?" asked Arda, the fox who ran beside me. He was the result of my summoning and connecting with the plane of elements. He is one of the few allies I have at my disposal, but I don't use them that often since I don't want to be too dependent on them. They have saved me more than a few times, although, and their strength it something worth noting.

"Someone bad. We need to try and avoid him as much as possible. He's dangerous, too, so I don't think it's a good idea to fight him right now."

"Don't worry. Arda's going to protect you with everything Arda's got! You can depend on Arda. I won't let any bad people harm you."

Arda is still an infant sort of spirit, one of the only sociable ones so far. I got him only a few weeks back through a contract, but though he is an infant, his strength is strong but unstable. It'll take a lot of will and control from the contractor's end to be able to use it proficiently, aside from natural growth. But, even with that, I don't think it'll be strong enough to stop Tyr. He's holding back everything so far that it's fortunate for us.

"I know you will, Arda. Thanks for saving me back there. I'll continue to depend on you, but for now, rest. You used up a lot of your strength back there."

"No! Arda can still help!"

We stopped after retreating enough of a distance to separate us. "I know you can, so don't worry, I'll call on you again when something happens. For now, rest so that you have enough strength for next time, alright?" I said, patting him on the head, seeing his tail wag back and forth energetically.

"Alright, master! You can count on Arda! But... where are we?" he asked, looking around him. The tail of his that was wagging energetically started to hide behind his legs that were quivering.

"It's called the Grove of Calicel. I'm on a mission right now."

"I don't like this place... I'm scared," he said, climbing up on my shoulders and curling up.

"Don't worry, if anything comes, we've got each other's backs. But right now, you don't have to worry about that. I will. Now go, I will take care of things in the meantime." I patted him on the head again and reassured him.

He jumped into the air and created a circle beneath him and disappeared through that gate, leaving me by myself.

"I need to find Parkus and the others before this gets worse," I muttered, looking around me to survey my surroundings. Everything looks the same, so to find a path leading me to them might be up to pure luck.

I started to find my bearings, locating a road that I could follow, but before I could leave, I felt a terrifying amount of presence from behind me.

"Where do you think you're going? Our fight's not yet finished."

I turned around and found Tyr glaring at me with his deadly eyes. His neatly combed hair was slightly ruffled up, and his the sleeves of his uniform were torn. He emerged from the forest I came from, walking with the same composed and dignified pose that befits him of the title of a dog.

"Capable of summoning contracted spirits, are you? I underestimated that. You are full of many surprises, Johannes Isles. I commend your efforts. But is that everything that you have?"

Damn, just when I thought everything was alright for now. It'll take a while before I'm able to summon another spirit, but I'll have to bet on that. It's not common for any contractor to be able to have many contracted spirits, so he might be anticipating another attack similar to the one with Arda.

"Prepare yourself!" he yelled, not wasting any time.

Tyr launched himself with a single step, shooting like an arrow towards me with his palms drawn back and ready to strike.