The dark, clouded sky above finally began to rain down upon the land below.
Every time their blades would connect, the rain around them would blow away, back towards the sky, and through the clouds.
The shockwaves emitted off each strike would even begin knocking the few soldiers behind Aurei, back by a couple feet, as the gusts of wind that followed were strong enough to throw rocks and pebbles, while moving crates and barrels.
Each blow was so powerful, the booming sound it created outclassed the clash of their metallic swords.
Powerful enough to where even Cassiel, who was standing over one hundred feet above inside the Foundry, could hear the strikes.
.....
"Why is the supposed hand of the 'rightful' king so damn weak?" Aurei mocks, smiling as his blade is interlocked with Albus'.
"That's some heavy talk for a general barely managing on his own." Albus bites back, a smirk rising on his face.
Immediately, the two strengthen their clash, cratering a hole into the ground.
"You sure you're of common blood?" Albus asks, blood beginning to drip from his mouth.
"Who knows, maybe my years in seclusion have left me estranged." Aurei responds, laughing.
"You'd be much better off under my king's leadership, y'know." Albus says, finally parrying Aurei's blade off to the side and backing up a couple feet.
Aurei stays silent, yet his smile slips and fades away.
Dashing forward, Aurei swings his sword straight towards Albus' neck, although moments before the slice, Albus ducks under his blade, shortening the distance between them.
This however, was anticipated by Aurei.
As his sword reaches his other side from the huge swing he had taken before, he curves his sword, swinging it once again yet this time straight down, forming a full acute angle as his sword slices into Albus' arm by a couple of inches before he's able to stop it with his own sword.
Pushing the blade out from his arm, Albus swiftly backspins into a kick, launching Aurei onto his back by a couple meters, allowing himself time to recover.
Quickly examining the cut, it's clear it won't prohibit him from doing too much, however he won't be able to strain it.
Cutting off a piece of his sleeve, he uses it to bandage himself as Aurei finally gets back up.
"You know, if this were a hundred years ago and we were still in preparation for the great siege on Seraphim, you would've made a fine soldier amongst the low class warriors." Aurei says, walking towards Albus.
"Take pride in that, boy, for you're only still so young."
Darting forward, Albus strikes Aurei across the face, palming him back into the ground at extraordinary speed.
"I appreciate it." Albus puts it simply.
Gritting his teeth, Aurei shoves Albus off of him, wiping the dust off his head, before noticing small spots of blood on his hand.
"Maybe not as low class as I thought." Aurei mumbles, smirking.
"Shall we put an end to this?" Albus asks, amused with their back and forth antics.
"If you believe you can, then try." Aurei mocks, testing Albus.
Leaping forward into the sky, Albus comes crashing down blade first towards Aurei, getting blocked by the flat part of Aurei's blade last second as he supports it with both arms.
Pushing Albus back again, as he lands on his feet, Albus immediately dashes back in, delivering a shallow cut to the side of Aurei's waist.
Slashing at Albus, Aurei barely misses as Albus manages to jump over his blade, kicking Aurei across the face as he does so.
Woozy, Aurei makes the mistake of taking a heavy overhead swing, cleaving towards Albus, however, at the last moment, Albus parries the blade off to the side, allowing it to crash into the ground as Albus drives his sword clean through Aurei's stomach.
"Listen close, I'll allow you to live for one reason only, I truthfully believe you would be of great service to Cassiel, the rightful king of this land. Don't do anything d-"
Before Albus is able to finish his sentence, Aurei's eyes glow a bright yellow, before a pulse of holy magic is sent outwards from him, launching Albus into the Foundry wall, leaving a dent in it.
All of the golden yellow magic that had been sent out moments before, collectively gathered towards Aurei's sword, surrounding the blade in its golden hue, transforming it into an extraordinary golden sword, engraved with scriptures of their god, and a hilt of pure black iron.
Walking over to Albus, Aurei bends down to him, picking him up by the back of the neck to look him in the eyes, only to find him unconscious.
"I'm aware the offer is in good spirit, but I must stay loyal to the king I'm serving now, for that is my duty as a warrior." Aurei exclaims, letting Albus down softly before opening the Foundry doors as a couple guards follow him in.
.....
.....
Atop the Foundry at the highest floor, Cassiel stands from his seat in shock, still trying to wrap his head around everything.
The same blacksmith that had forged his armor was the same blacksmith that stood at the peak of smithery across the realm.
"Hildric... you're certain that was his name, yes?" Cassiel questions, astonished by the situation.
"Y-Yes... my king, Hildric Esh was, and still is, the greatest blacksmith to ever live, and he is the one who's led our city for centuries."
Bending over, Cassiel sits back down in his chair, palming his face in thought.
After moments pass, Cassiel's hand slips as he looks up at the blacksmiths across from him.
"...What is that noise?" He asks.
"What?" The blacksmiths question collectively.
Staring at the council, Cassiel quickly stands up.
"If I were to return with Hildric, would you lot cancel your agreement with Nahka Aion?"
Discussing for a moment, the Blacksmiths finally get back to Cassiel after just a minute.
"Ahem, under Hildric Esh's guidance, we wouldn't have need for another to lead us... therefore we will cancel the agreement with Nahka Aion, as long as Hildric is returned of course." One of the smiths says, his voice stern.
Nodding his head in agreement, Cassiel swiftly turns towards the stairs to leave, before stopping.
Turning his head for a moment, Cassiel's red gladius forms in his hand.
"W-What is the meaning of-"
"Silence." Cassiel orders coldly, cutting the council member off.
Looking back towards the stairs, Cassiel watches as Aurei slowly stomps his way up, his body appearing slowly as his guards follow behind him.
Aurei's dark metal armor hinted in a deep red glimmers brightly as the torches on the top most layer of the foundry shine against him.
His sword glowing a golden hue along with his eyes strikes a drop of sweat coming down Cassiel's face.
"It's a pleasure to meet you here..." Cassiel says, his eyes dropping as he notices the huge hole through Aurei's stomach.
"It seems it's not so easy to meet a king, now is it Aurei?" Cassiel mocks, smirking as a sphere of magic forms in his other hand.
Without saying a word, Aurei stands across from Cassiel by just two meters away, towering over him by almost a foot and a half, the guards coming from behind him as they ready their weapons as well.
"You best hope you can win, Aurei."