[Melas] Chapter 119. Chaos and Destruction (Patreon)

“Holy Knights, raise your swords, your shields, and prepare for battle! The heretics are wreaking havoc in the city— protect its citizens and slay these fiends!”

The Holy Knights bellowed. There were only three of them. You’d think they were hardly a threat, but they wore heavy plate armor, adorned with mana crystals of all colors and sizes from their chest to their boots. I could sense the power emanating from it. They weren’t as well armed or protected as an Inquisitor. But it was close.

And that meant a lot. Because Inquisitors were the peak of Humankind. The very precipice of what a Human could become without any magic or miracles. Holy Knights were right behind them, but they still used some of the greatest and most technologically advanced equipment in the world.

Dwarfkind would dispute that, of course. But if there were Dwarfs who could stand against a Holy Knight— Gennady would be one of them. However, he was not displaying much on that front. Sure, he was ill-equipped to fight them, but he was knocked away by the forefront Holy Knight.

I narrowed my eyes as I spotted a flash of black underneath the man’s helmet. Was that his hair? I shook my head, forcing myself back up. Our pursuers— Karna, Mahir, and the other Dark Acolytes— came to a stop. They drew their bows and prepared their spells as the Holy Knights faced them down.

“Disciples, Captain Nero. Should we fall back and wait for the Saintess?” one of them, a young woman’s voice, asked.

“Do not falter, Aly. We can’t let these heretics ruin the good city of Jahar’taw.” He drew his sword, slashing it down. A blade of renergy shot out into the alleyway, filling it with its bright light. Karna, Mahir, and most of the Dark Acolytes managed to avoid the attack. However, a single one of them were caught by the attack.

They were sliced in half, screaming, dead in an instant.

Don’t get hit by that, I told myself as I conjured a pair of Frost Javelins. Elara isn’t here. You’ll actually die. As if a reminder to what the Demon was doing, I heard a blast in the background. Estia pursued my protector through the air, her magic was raging like a wildfire. She no longer saw anything but Elara. I didn’t know what got her so mad, and I’d be glad that she wasn’t directing her fury towards me if not for these Holy Knights standing before us.

The one leading them was preoccupied by Karna and Mahir. The two Goblins flanked him from both sides. Karna loosed arrow after arrow, the projectiles swerving and twirling through the air, exploding as each struck the ground. The Holy Knight, Nero, backed away from the blasts, the shockwave from each should’ve sent him tumbling through the air, but the enchantments on his armor kept him steady.

Mahir hurled purple, glowing orbs at him from behind, but he struck them down, yelling, “Where are the others? Blow the horn, Jaime!”

The other Holy Knight kicked back a Goblin, fumbling for something in his pockets. He pulled out a horn and blew it. An ear-piercing, high-pitched sound came out, forcing me to cover my ears. It sounded like a police whistle, except ten times louder.

I watched as Aly struck Gennady across the face before the Dwarf could draw his own rifle. I grimaced, forcing myself forward, running at the Holy Knight and shouting. “Fireball!”

The Holy Knight spun around in a panic. But a Fireball didn’t shoot out. Instead, I pointed at the ground beneath her.

“Quick Pitfall.”

She leapt to the side as the ground beneath her sank. It nearly swallowed up Gennady too, but he managed to crawl away from it.

“Get up, get up!” I hurriedly pulled the Dwarf to his feet. He tried to dust himself off, but I yanked him to my side and conjured a wall of stone. An explosive arrow blasted it apart as I staggered back into Gennady’s arms.

I groaned as I tried to focus. The dust settled, and I saw a Goblin, a Dark Acolyte, conjuring a volley of Stone Spears. I pointed, dispelling his spell before it shot out towards me. The Goblin blinked, but I was already moving.

“We need to get out of here—”

I saw a glint. A halberd came crashing down at me. I barely raised my dagger in time to parry the swing. But Aly knocked it away with ease. The dagger went sliding on the brick floor, only for Nero to step over it as he charged Karna.

There was fighting all around us. I threw myself to the side as Aly reeled back for another swing. Gennady swung the butt of his rifle at the Holy Knight’s chest. She stumbled back, and I pointed at her.

The ground below her shone. A Stone Spire jutted out, tossing her straight up into the air. She screamed as she flipped and turned. Before I even had time to take a breath, I spun around and cast another Dispel Magic.

“How…?” A Goblin was mid-cast. His spell circle vanished, and I conjured Explosive Orb after Explosive Orb above me.

“Run,” I said simply, unleashing the spell in all directions. “Now, Gennady!”

The Dwarff and I both made a break for it. There were screams. Shouts. Sounds of explosions which echoed from afar and closeby. I spotted Holy Knights streaming out of nearby alleys. They engaged the Dark Acolytes, pushing them back.

Nero aimed his sword at us. “Apprehend them! Don’t let them escape!” he bellowed.

Just as the words left his mouth, a shadow overcame the Holy Knights. Only a dozen of them stood on the road. But a hail of arrows, dozens of them, came from the heavens. Reinforcements for Karna and Mahir.

I just barely turned the street corner when I saw a group of Dwarf guards and Golems come barreling down our way. I clicked my tongue, about to cast a spell, but Gennady grabbed me and pulled me into a nearby alleyway.

“Don’t attack them— they don’t know who we are. Follow me.”

I blinked. And sure enough, the city guards ran past our alley, almost ignoring us. One of them turned to stare at Gennady and I, but the sounds of fighting in the distance drew them away.

I heaved a sigh of relief. “Where now?”

“The entire city will be on lockdown soon. We’ll be caught if we’re still up and running around by then.” He shook his head, stepping deeper into the alleyway as an explosion boomed from afar. “We escape into the sewers.”

I followed after him. I have never been into the sewers of Jahar’taw. It probably reeked of garbage and excrement. I wondered how big the rats here got.

However, I was not averse to these little— or large— rodents anymore. Maybe if I hadn’t been through the Free Lands, seeing the dead bodies of those afflicted by the Noxeus, escaping from monsters far worse than a pest, I’d still be afraid of them. But I wasn’t who I was before I died.

Gennady pulled a manhole open, and without any hesitation, I leapt in.

I didn’t fall all the way down, of course. I grabbed the ladder, using its side to slow my descent. Then I pushed it off at the last second as Gennady landed with a thud past me.

The echoes of the battle up above were muffled now. We drew further and further away from it as the stench of the sewers overwhelmed my nostrils. I ran alongside the rushing water— its color a murky green.

Then I heard the manhole being pushed open. I spun around as a figure landed right behind us. I expected to see Karna standing there, the one who pursued us. But no. It was someone else. A man dressed in ornate armor. A Holy Knight.

The one they called Nero.

He pointed his blade at us.

“Halt, heretics! In the name of the Goddess of Light, the Holy Xan Empire will be taking you into custody.”

I exchanged glances with Gennady. He shrugged, and I shook my head.

“No.”

I pointed at the Holy Knight, and a Fireball launched from my fingertips. Nero gritted his teeth as he rushed forward. I expected him to try to dodge the spell, but he simply sliced it in half like it was nothing.

He approached us rapidly, dodging the Stone Spears I launched his way. Gennady tossed a handful of Cluster Orbs. They rolled at Nero’s feet, glowing as they alerted him of their detonation. With a single tap of his boots, the Holy Knight launched up into the air, flipping as he landed across from us, barring out path from fleeing.

“Don’t make me do this,” he said, voice warning.

I clicked a tongue. “If you don’t want to fight so badly, just let us leave. We’ve done no wrong.”

“You are heretics, working in accord with the Dark Crusaders. I cannot let you escape.”

“Working with the Dark Crusaders?” I blinked, then pointed an accusing finger at him. “Did you not pay attention to what was going on at all? They were trying to kill us!”

“It’s fine.” Gennady placed a hand on my shoulder. “Holy Knights are not known for their keen perception. That’s why they’ve been responsible for thousands of dead innocents, eh, isn’t that right lad?” He grinned as he faced Nero.

The Holy Knight narrowed his eyes. “Do not spread lies, heretic. This is your last chance.” His sword was overcome by a red glow. “Surrender, or die.”

I eyed Nero. The sewer was nothing more than a narrow corridor. Behind us, we could flee back to the fighting by climbing up the ladder to above. However, I’d rather not be a part of that utter chaos and destruction. Especially if Lilith planned on joining the foray.

The only way out was through this man. And I had very little aversion to killing members of the Church. Not after they killed my mother and tried to kill me without a thought.

Without an answer, I snapped my fingers. Burst Cyclone. The ground beneath Nero exploded with air and blades of wind. It knocked the Holy Knight back as he braced himself. He fought through the powerful zephyr.

I created a pair of Frost Javelins and they lanced out, twisting around the man. He cut them down mid-air, spinning, dodging my attacks as he ran up to me. His boots shone, boosting him as pushed himself off a wall, blade shining brilliantly as he swung at me.

He was a Holy Knight. He was the elite of the Holy Xan Empire. He wore the best enchantments, trained in combat by the most wide tutors in the continent of Soli. It was undoubtedly clear he was strong. Above a Disciple. Maybe equal to an Apostle.

But I was born to be the greatest spellcaster in this world’s history.

Nero’s eyes grew wide as my finger glowed. A red beam shot out, striking him mid-air. It tore apart all of his protections, a laser that would’ve killed any other man in an instant. His mana crystals cracked, all at the same time. His helmet went flying off as he fell on the ground, coughing out blood.

I blinked as I finally got a good look at the man, and as I noticed before, his hair was indeed black. I just stared at him as he picked himself back up to his feet.

“I…” he grunted, heaving his broken sword up. “...am Nero… Ash… Corinna…”

My eyes flickered. Gennady looked at me, his face knowing. Corinna. That was my mom’s family, wasn’t it? The very same one which forsook her. Who abandoned her, even when she did no wrong.

“And I—”

“Quick Pitfall,” I said, voice cool with anger.

Nero tumbled through the earth as the hole swallowed him up. It wasn’t the longest fall. He probably survived  it, but without his boots’ enchantments, he’d have difficulties getting back up.

“Come on.” I gestured for Gennady to follow after me.

“You’re not going to finish him off?” the Dwarf asked as we resumed our run.

I glanced back at him. There was a brief pause as I remained quiet. Then I sighed. “I want to. But there’s no point. We just want to escape, don’t we? He’d have put up a fight, his allies would come searching for him, and we’d get caught.”

Revenge— I couldn’t deny I sought it. I wanted to make those who hurt my mom suffer. And while the Corinna family was one of them, it couldn’t have possibly been Nero since he was far too young. He did nothing. To her, at least.

To me, he did a lot of wrong. And if he continued trying to apprehend or kill me? I wouldn’t be afraid to kill him if I had to.

We escaped into the sewers as the battle above raged on. I didn’t know what the results were. I just had to focus on getting out of this alive.

Author's Note:

Gib thoughts