There was a great commotion around the Eisensargburg mansion. Both front and backyards were brimming with activity as the mansion was reeling in from the damage of the massive riot. Slaves were being shuffled into carriages being destined for other slave mansions, while the gravely wounded were being killed. Their captors weren't any better than them as soldiers were flogged for their failures to contain the situation while the dead were thrown into a large bonfire, regardless of status.

Tents were erected to facilitate the wounded and inside one such, "Damn it all!" The duke of the region, Caleb von Azerbeck, screamed at the top of his lungs in pain as a surgeon accidentally pricked him with the surgical needle whilst patching up his forehead, "Be careful with that thing or I will have your balls sewed into your chin,"

"Yes... My lord," The surgeon replied nervously as he returned to his duties, doubly careful this time.

In front of Caleb was Kilo who was unable to meet his master's eyes,

"You... You stupid, stupid..."

"Forgive me, my lord..."

"How exactly will I forgive you!?!?"

"Forgive me my lord..." Was all he could say.

"You let Nicole of all people escape, alongside that mage?" Caleb's voice cracked as he raged on, "The misfortunes you had brought me! Even if you were to lick the ground and bark like a dog, I would never forgive you!"

"Forgive me my lord..."

"You stupid, stupid bastard!"

"But... But my lord! We weren't prepared for the battle!"

"YOU HAD TITAN WITH YOU!" His whole body shook as he replied, "That damn bastard cost me 250 golden coins and you tell me you aren't ready? A simple mage managed to outclass and escape a diamond class?"

"My lord... Please calm down," Kilo nervously replied, "Everything will be fine..."

"Fine you motherless pig," His cheeks rumbled about as he gritted his teeth, he relaxed first before continuing, "Her father is Alto von Bismarck of Swadia, a duke mind you, a duke! If she returns back home to her father my lands would soon be beset by the armies of Swadia because of your idiocracy! Even worse, the church might do something... Ahhh, you stupid, stupid imbecile."

Kilo gritted his teeth in anger, he wanted to say the same thing to this landwhale who dare call himself a man. 'This whole thing could've been avoided if you kept your penis to yourself... You really had to take a duke's daughter, didn't you?' but he kept his tongue.

Caleb sighed and turned around, "And where is this failure of a diamond class? Where is that bastard?"

"He left..."

"What!" The man spat out, "Such coward, he ran away with his tails tucked behind his legs!"

"That... That is so."

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!" Caleb's body shook with rage, but he managed to calm himself down, he beat his chest in anger "The misfortunes falling before me, what have I done wrong? What have I done wrong?"

Both the surgeon and Kilo wanted to laugh, they knew that he was the ultimate cause of this current situation but none dared to say otherwise.

"I shall make sure that she is returned,"

"Well, you should! It's your fault." Caleb's face became more peaceable as he flicked his fingers and shooed the surgeon away, "I bore of this..." He took a swig of the wine glass to his side, "My blood is rising to my head, and I need rest... By the time I am awake, I want her all tied, in my bed is that understood!?"

"Jawohl!"

Caleb finished the last of the wine and slowly got up from his seat, his massive bulk making it somewhat difficult for him to move out. He glared at Kilo one more time before he made his way outside the tent, grumbling under his breath. Kilo sighed in relief after seeing that his head would not be severed for now, although he wasn't exactly wrong as he was caught unawares by Isaiah's incredible magic, it was still his duty to ensure the mansion's safety, a duty he obviously failed.

'500 slaves revolted, 150 died, 300 were captured back and only fifty escaped... Sixty guards died, hundreds more wounded... Sigh... I wonder just how much money will it take.'

Kilo was determined not to fail again. He had worked hard for this position, kissing whoever's ass that needed kissing just to finally get himself a nice comfortable job that paid extremely well with great benefits. He was not going to lose this position just because of some slave revolt. Although his boss was rather unkind, he was afforded many options to call on in these kinds of situations.

"You there!" He called to a soldier,

"Ja Herr Kilo?"

"Gather the men... No, summon Shadowstalker now!"

*

The forest was thick with vegetation. The ground was uneven and sometimes wet, swallowing both of Nicole's shoes as they ran as fast as they could deeper into the forest. They had just managed to escape Titan but they knew they couldn't just rest yet, the night was still young and the people inside the mansion would surely come looking for them...

Isaiah was completely out of breath, his heart pounding even widely while his sight began to blur down, it didn't even help that warm sweat now covered him from head to toe, but fueled by nothing but what remained of his adrenalin, he continued on.

In front, Nicole was in the same situation as Isaiah was, but her condition was slightly better.

As they reached the deeper parts of the forest, the darkness began to fill them in. Tall trees from above had blocked out the moonlight covering much of the forest in a dark shadow, Isaiah followed after Nicole to the best of his abilities, but soon his body gave up.

Adrenalin had run out, and his legs suddenly became weak. This brought him to his knees as he crashed into the ground below. Nicole looked back and stopped herself,

"Are you alright?" She asked,

"Y..." Isaiah couldn't complete his sentence as he lifted himself out of the ground, but his legs no longer had any strength left.

Nicole cupped both her hands on his legs, "Let me help you..."

White light enveloped his legs and Isaiah's face was washed with relief. Strenght gradually began to return but it still hurt.

"That..."

"I am sorry, I can only do this much now, I've used too much of my own magic."

"It's alright, thank you." Isaiah fell to his back and took calmer breaths, "You're... You're really good with healing magic huh?"

"Huh? Err, I..."

"You even healed me when I got sandwiched by those heavy things, I thought I would die back then,"

"You too did great against Titan. I must say I am very impressed, I had thought that I myself would never live to see another day... Though I must insist that you must never speak of what happened back at that room."

"Aah, that." Isaiah sat up and looked at Nicole, bowing his head, "I had overstepped my boundaries, forgive me for that..." He suddenly forgot the words he was supposed to say. He felt even more embarrassed as he realized that he was using high-sounding words,

"It... It was alright, we were hardpressed... Err, there was nothing we could do."

"Yes."

"That said, I've yet to know your name."

"Ah, I-... Peter. My name is Peter." Isaiah replied, that he was adamant about giving her his real first name and thus opted to use his second one.

"Herr Peter..." She then stood up, slightly lifted her skirt, and gave a curt bow like a noblewoman about to take a man's hand for a dance, "Then I would like to formally give you my heartfelt gratitude for rescuing me. For your valiant efforts, I sware upon my name Nicole Shaya von Bismarck, daughter of Alto von Bismarck, Duke of Swadia. Once we return I shall personally grant you a reward, separate from what was promised to you,"

"I see... But what was promised to me?"

Nicole tilted her head, "Pardon? Did brother not send you then?"

"Yep. You actually have a brother?"

"Huh?" She fell into despair, "Wait... You were just a slave there?"

"Err, yeah, is that a problem?"

"No, no, I would never insult the man who saved me... It's just that I had thought my brother had by now had figured out where I am being kept."

"And this brother of yours? He may have hated you and ordered for this to happen you know?"

"I can assure you that is not the case," She looked at Isaiah with a pair of confident eyes, "My brother and I are close in the first place. Plus I was the one who insisted that I join him in this travel of his, we were separated for a while and this is where I am now."

"I see... If you say so."

"Once we see him, I shall petition for him to have you rewarded," Nicole nodded vigorously at Isaiah, it looked like she was asking him to accept this supposed reward.

"No, no... There is no need for that..."

"But I insist... My brother is a very generous man, and so is my father. They will reward you greatly for this, I swear!"

Nicole was strangely insistent on this matter, but that was for her own protection. She had naively believed that Isaiah was someone her brother had hired to go and get her back, but upon realizing that Isaiah was just a rando who happened to save her, she began to fear for her own safety. After all, this man might suddenly go lusting after her and she would be powerless to resist, just as what happened back at the mansion.

Thus, she was insistent on being able to buy his loyalty and her own safety. Only once her brother had arrived could she truly relax.

"Money and land are not a problem. No, wait, if you are looking for employment as well, my brother would be more than happy to take you in, we can help change your identity and safeguard you from lord Caleb, I will also help you negotiate some wonderful benefits, you may even achieve knighthood. I swear."

Isaiah found her persevering and innocent look a bit unnerving. He waved his hand around, "It's alright, it's alright... There is nothing to worry about,"

"Is... Is that so?"

"Yes... That said, what now?"

Nicole stood up and turned her eyes upwards, "If my brother is unaware of where I am, then the only way we can move forward is east, towards the city of Koln. My father has an associate living in Koln who could provide us shelter momentarily."

"And where exactly is east, I am not too sure of this place you see."

"Hmm," She looked back, "Koln is located a few day's walk from the mansion," She then pointed to the left of Isaiah, "If I am correct, that is where we should be heading."

"If..."

"Koln is east of the mansion, if directly behind me is the mansion, then that way is east."

"I see... But if it's a few days away from the mansion, we should get going then?"

"And where exactly should you two be heading?" A man suddenly appeared from behind a tree and both became cautious, the man lowered his head "Greetings, lady Nicole, I shall be taking you back." The man was tall and thin, his head was rather sharp and he had the makings of a strange 'gentlemen'.

Seeing that bow, Isaiah relaxed, "It seems your brother's escort arrived,"

"No..." She shook her head, "I..."

"Ah... So you are the mage that I was told to be warry of..." The man took out a knife from his pocket, "Sadly I am under orders not to kill you, but to bring you back alive at all cost."

Isaiah lowered his body and prepared to fight, "Can't take a break now, can I?"

"Hmhm, indeed so." The man then lowered his stance and prepared to strike, "Now then, may I ask that you stand still, it would make my job a lot easier," Like a coiled snake, the man struck at incredible speed, so quick he was that Isaiah thought that the man had disappeared. Though Isaiah managed to push his body out of harm's path, the knife still made a deep cut at his left shoulder, producing a thin and long line where blood was swept out.

"Ooh, lucky, that said the blade is coated with a paralyzing agent," The man licked the blood of his knife as his body tensed up as if it was sour, "The blue jellyfish really has a good omph to its sting, aah, very addicting."

The man once more struck with his knife, his blinding speed cutting through Isaiah's body multiple times despite his best efforts to dodge.

"Ghhk." Isaiah retreated constantly, his hand raised up to protect his face. Nicole quickly went to help Isaiah, administering her healing magic, but as quickly as his wounds disappeared, so too was the number of strikes on Isaiah's body.

Though the paralyzing agent's effects were disappearing, the pain his body felt still made it difficult for Isaiah to launch a counterattack. Meanwhile, the assassin picked up his pace, striking quicker whilst targetting his vitals in this strange battle of endurance.

As the two continued to walk back, they then found themselves backed up a tree, Nicole tried to push Isaiah forward but no matter how hard they tried, the speed at which the assassin struck simply pushed them back more and more.

"I... I am running out of mana." Nicole gasped as she once more applied healing magic,

Isaiah knowing that his time was running out then pushed his whole body as hard as hhe could, ignoring the pain his shoulders were experiencing in an effort to tackle the assassin. The assassin stepped out of the way Isaiah was charging as the latter fell to the ground, with his back now exposed, the assassin leapt to deal a fatal blow but his attack was stopped when Isaiah's back was covered by the ground,

Flustered, he leaped out of the way just in time as the earth below crumbled into a thousand pieces, Isaiah stood up, his whole body wrapped in a furious storm of electricity. He swept his hand towards where the assassin was and unleashed a long line of electricity, to which the assassin barely dodged.

Both then created some distance, with Isaiah covering Nicole as she went to recover her mana,

"Let... Let me recover..." Nicole leaned on the tree, "I am out of mana, just hold out."

Isaiah prepared himself for a defensive battle, covering his hands with gravel.

The assassin took a deep sigh and played with a new knife "Now then... I was told you are a lightning type, but it seems you can use other types as well. That said, your mastery seems to be subpar, you are wasting mana like no tomorrow. You are a weak man."

"You aren't too accurate either... Your fast, but weak."

"Oho, have you ever heard of the word testing the waters? I've heard you managed to fight back against Titan, I was only trying to measure myself against someone who could stand against that beast" The grin on his face grew wider, as he suddenly leaped, spun his body, and kicked Isaiah at a speed much faster than the last one.

Isaiah found himself suddenly blown away from where he was standing. He already had difficulty trying to dodge his previous attacks, and he couldn't even react to this one.

"Let us begin the fight, mage..."