[Melas] Chapter 128: Estia V - Imbecile (Patreon)

Estia stood in tense silence amongst the other Dark Crusaders. No— no these weren’t Dark Crusaders. They were traitors. They stood against her, even when she had ordered the execution of Melas.

And it was all because of Karna. That foolish Dark Acolyte had opposed her, all because she refused to impart knowledge to him that held more gravity than he could carry. It was ridiculous. She should’ve known that this would happen. In fact, she had told her mentor, Kores, that Karna would’ve only been detrimental to her.

She was right.

And she was in the right mind to kill him for his disobedience. The Half Demon raised a hand, directing her spell at the injured Goblin.

“You,” she said with a glare, “do you know what you just did?”

“I am aware.” He didn’t hold any apprehension when he turned to face her. Somehow, the Goblin was entirely calm. “I questioned your authority when you acted out of line. It is something I learned to do in the Free Lands.”

Estia’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve done more than that, damned fool. It is because of you that that traitor escaped.”

“I am not responsible for her fleeing.” Karna shrugged, almost uncaring. “Even if you had the aid of all of us here, that Demon you refuse to speak about would have saved her.”

That annoyed Estia because she knew it was true. Even after all these years, there was a gulf between the abilities of her and her mother. It frustrated her.

A spell formed on the tip of her finger as she aimed her hand at Karna. “Do you know what punishment awaits traitors like you?”

“I am not a traitor,” he said, defiant.

“Disciple Karna speaks the truth.” Mahir spoke up from behind him. There were murmurs of agreement coming from those gathered here.

“He is right.”

“If he’s a traitor, then we are all traitors too.”

Estia’s fury grew. How could they all defy her? She was tempted to execute all of them, but something else drew her attention. She heard shouts and screams coming from the distance. Explosions. Gunfire. And chaos.

Her eyes widened as she focused in the direction of the attack. Detect Magic. It relayed her of the spells being used. But it also showed a nebulous concept of mana being manipulated. Not by people, but by tools. It was occurring in great amounts that regular Golems and the guards of Jahar’taw couldn’t mobilize.

“The Holy Knights,” she whispered. She glanced around as everyone rushed out to the entrance, readying their weapons and their magic.

Karna paused right before he ran by her. “So, Apostle Estia, will you aid us tonight? Or do you plan on pursuing someone who’s harmless?”

She clicked her tongue and gathered the mana in the air, preparing for battle.

—--

I ran through the empty streets of Jahar’taw. My nose wrinkled as the wafts of sewer water rose up to encroach on me. It slowed my movement, just slightly. With all the pipes hanging off the side of the brick walls, it was no surprise everything here smelled like garbage. But still, I fought through it, headed straight to the explosions I saw in the distance.

The Holy Knights of Xan were assailing the Dark Crusaders. I understood that this was risky. It was almost stupid. I was absolutely an idiot. But just like with Victor, I couldn’t stand idly by.

It was no different from when I went alongside the Plague Doctor in Laxis, fighting for the sake of an orphanage full of children I had never met before.

I wasn’t a hero. Nor did I have any intentions of being one. I’d never seek out trouble. But if I saw wrongdoing before my eyes, and there was something I could do about it, I would act. As long as it wasn’t a hopeless, helpless situation.

Especially now that I knew I’d be protected by Elara. She vanished shortly after I leapt off the tower. But I knew she was following me, watching, always keeping an eye on my back. It was her job, after all. To keep me alive.

I didn’t like her. I didn’t like the fake god she served. But I was going to abuse whatever they have given me as much as I could.

Whether it was magic or it was their protection.

I reached the warehouse shortly after. The area was cordoned off by barricades and Golems— probably borrowed by the Holy Knights for this specific purpose. I leapt over them, uncaring that they tried to stop me. I saw flames rising up, smoke billowing a blanket above the entire area.

I saw figures lying prone on the ground, covered in blood. I pursed my lips. These had to be those keeping watch. They were slaughtered with what seemed like very little difficulty by the Holy Knights.

They weren’t just innocent bystanders. But they weren’t evil either. And Karna could’ve been one of them. I just hoped he was fine.

I was about to enter through the hole at the front of the warehouse when I spotted figures moving around the back. A few of the Holy Knights must have gone there to try and cut off any escape. Karna… he wouldn’t be one who’d try to flee. But I knew he’d try to help others escape.

So, I went around the back as I saw colorful explosions smear my vision. A dozen Holy Knights formed a semi circle around the back exit. They held off a hundred Goblins from fleeing into the mines ahead, cutting them down with ease.

I sent a Lightning Bolt down at one of them standing closest to me, instantly drawing the rest of their attention. That gave the Goblins the reprieve they needed to scatter around the Holy Knights barring their path.

The Holy Knight whom I struck drew back to her feet, removing her helmet. I recognized her from the night of a week ago. Her name was Aly. And she stared at me with rage in her eyes, a flicker of recognition at the sight of my mask.

“Cursed heretic!” She screamed as she drew a halberd, smashing it into the earth.

Spikes of ice rose from the ground at me, and I leapt out of the way, already conjuring a volley of Stone Spears by my side. They shot out rapidly, one after the other. She struck them out of the air as she edged forward, shouting.

“You nearly killed Captain Nero!” A Frost Javelin lanced around her, but she tapped the blade of her halberd and a sphere of flames exploded around her, melting the icy projectile. “He may not be here tonight, but I will kill you for him, and break your ugly, Goblin head wrapped in a ribbon for when he recovers.” There was spite— anger in her voice.

I stumbled back as I cast more spells— Fireballs, Explosive Orbs, and even Magic Missiles— sending them flying at her. She somehow managed to repel or dodge most of them. Only a few managed to sneak around her defenses and actually injure her. But her armor— the aura it exuded— protected her from most of the damage.

I found myself backing up against a wall, drawing my dagger as she loomed over me.

“Die, Goblin scum!” She swung hard, and I barely parried it.

It sent me flying back. I rolled on the ground as my dagger was knocked aside and my mask fell off from my face. The Holy Knight raised her halber, but paused as I lookedup.

“Y-you’re… a Hum—”

“Dispel Magic. Magic Bolt.” For only a second, there was a flash. The mana crystals adorning her armor lost their power. And there was nothing to protect her from the single Magic Bolt aimed at her throat.

She dropped her weapon, falling to her knees, grasping at her neck as she gasped for air. “Urk…”

Another Magic Bolt ended her suffering. I got up, no mask worn, a determined look on my face. The Holy Knights were now being overwhelmed. I saw Dark Acolytes attacking the remaining five as they were pushed back, with the bulk of those fleeing streaming for the entrance of a nearby mine. Would they find safety there? They thought so.

I didn’t escort them. Instead, I blasted another Holy Knight with a Fireball as he was locked in battle with a Disciple.

“Mahir!” I called out, and he blinked as he faced me.

“Aria? No— Melas?” He narrowed his eyes. But he didn’t attack me.

“Where’s Karna?” I asked, not bothering with pleasantries. I opened a deep pit underneath the Holy Knight before he could get back up. “Is he alive?”

“He is, the last I saw of him.” Mahir nodded, nocking another arrow onto his bow. “But he stayed behind. With the Apostle. There were too many of them for us to handle. I—” He hesitated as I bit my lower lip. “I’m not sure if he’s even alive anymore.”

“He has to be,” I said, making a break for it back to the warehouse. “Thanks. And don’t die.” I didn’t wave at Mahir, nor did I wait to hear what he’d say in return.

It was a battlefield out here. Arrows whizzed by me and explosions resounded all over. Fire rained from the sky, ice came from the earth. But I ignored it all. I already helped where I could.

I only had one goal: to save my friend.

—--

“What are you doing, fool?” Estia unleashed a flurry of gray flames at the three Holy Knights encroaching on her. They leapt back, protected by their armor and their equipment. A powerful shot rang out, and a beam of yellow energy nearly struck her. But she flipped out of the way.

An arrow came in return, loosed by a Goblin. One of the Holy Knights raised a shield, and a barrier covered the three as the arrow lodged itself on the metal surface. It didn’t pierce straight through, but the enchantment allowed it to do some damage.

“Get out of here with the others, you stupid Disciple!”

“I will stay,” Karna said firing arrow after arrow as he ran behind stacks of boxes. Mana energy gunfire came in return, but he barely managed to dodge most of them. “You’re the fool here for thinking you can deal with them all alone!”

They fought in the large storage room, with multiple hanging catwalks overhead, and boxes full of weapons and highly flammable materials that could explode at any moment. No one here had the sense or the mind to even consider the consequences of such a blast.

All except for Estia.

“Get out of here!” If Karna hadn’t stayed, she’d have been able to carry out her plan. Gather them all in this one area and blow them apart as she teleported away.

She didn’t know magic which could easily carry her as far as her mother did earlier. But she could fly off as she flickered in and out of existence every few feet. The Holy Knights wouldn’t have survived it. Not if they had some powerful mana tech tool to protect them.

And considering that even now, Estia was still killing them, she highly doubted that was the case.

She crushed the head of a Holy Knight without even touching him. His helmet dented under the pressure as she flew up, carrying his struggling form with her. Then she squeezed her hand, and the magical grip she had on him twisted. His neck snapped as he fell back to the ground.

A volley of black bolts struck down at a cluster of four of the Holy Knights wielding guns and bows. One of them, a poor girl who must’ve been too nervous, tripped and fell before multiple black bolts stuck out of her back and killed her in an instant.

“You Monster!” someone screamed, hurling a vial of green liquid at Estia.

It exploded in the air, almost catching her with a cloud of gas. A gust of air dispersed it before it could diffuse to Estia, and she landed back down.

Karna loosed another arrow, striking a Holy Knight true, injuring them as more came from the entrance with their weapons drawn. There had to be dozens of them here now. It was the opportune moment.

“Disciple Karna, I am your superior, you will do as I say or face the consequences.” Estia spoke with finality in her voice, but he shook his head.

“I will not leave. If you wish to kill me, then do so. But I am not so disloyal to abandon my ally, even when she points her blade at me.” He peeked out and hurled a Fireball, rather than firing another arrow.

Estia spoke exasperatedly. “That is not the issue. And nor do I wish to kill you.” She conjured a pair of black orbs and threw them out. They homed in on a pair of approaching Holy Knights before expanding rapidly and smashing the against the floor. “You are ruining my plan, you foolish Goblin. With you here, I cannot blast them all to Hell!”

“Blast them all to—” Karna blinked as a flaming arrow poked through the crate he was hiding behind. There were sparks. A lot of sparks. Then the first crate exploded. And another. And another. And…

“You imbecile!”

Estia shouted as she grabbed for the Goblin, the entire room bursting into a cascading set of blasts which culminated into one final, massive explosion that took half the warehouse with it.

Author's Note:

As mentioned in the Salvos chapter, sorry for the late chappie. I fell asleep during the day, so I could only write this now at night. 

Gib thoughts! Book 3 of Melas is wrapping up by next month, I think.