The wooden training sword, still vibrating faintly from its impossible flight, lay embedded in the ornate wall. A thin line of crimson welled from the shallow gash on his cheekbone, stark against the weathered tan. His eyes, moments ago filled with cruel amusement as he prepared to skewer Kaleb, were now wide with shock, fixed not on the sword, but on the frail figure who had thrown it.
Selim Leoch stood where he'd been moments before, seemingly asleep in the corner. Except he wasn't sleeping now. He was stretching, a long, languid motion that ended with a loud yawn. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, looking for all the world like someone rudely awakened from a deep nap – which, technically, he was.
"Do you really think," Selim repeated, his voice flat, devoid of its usual sleepiness but layered with a profound weariness that cut deeper than anger, "I'll let you kill my siblings?
The bandit, a mountain of muscle named Byon, slowly turned his head, tearing his gaze from the wooden sword to Selim. His initial shock curdled into furious disbelief. "You...? You threw that?" He barked a harsh laugh, though the tremor in it was unmistakable. "Impossible! That stick shouldn't even scratch steel, let alone fly like that!"
Selim sighed, the sound echoing strangely loud in the sudden silence of the Grand Hall, broken only by Amnest's ragged, wet breathing and Kaleb's groans as he stirred. "Wood is surprisingly aerodynamic when propelled correctly. Basic physics. Mostly." He tilted his head, his eyes – usually half-lidded and dull – now sharp, calculating, scanning Byon with unnerving focus. "Your stance is very familiar, almost like The Leoch Sword style. Isn't that right Byon Flitz? Former 13th Squad leader."
Byon looked at him, shocked that he was remembered. "What of it if you know my name? If I kill you, the secret dies."
"Your stance is unbalanced though, possible knee injury from a blunt force weapon. I noticed your cautious gazes to your knee as you fought Kaleb and your weight shifts during the fight. Your swings are rough, sloppy and lack technique," Selim said.
Byon's face paled beneath the grime and blood. How could this... this sickly boy know about my injury? This is our first meeting. Panic warred with rage. This kid is just frail. He is something else, something dangerous. He thought.
"Shut your mouth, worm!" Byon roared, abandoning Kaleb. He charged but skidded to a halt a few feets from Selim. They locked eyes and He instinctively knew that if he moves any closer, he dies. He steeled himself, unleash his blue aura and deployed a zone—a six metre circular space made of aura with the user at the centre, that expands the senses.
Selim chuckled, "A zone huh? Looks weak. I guess you did stop training after your exile."
He let out an tired exhale. "Alright, my sister is dying, so lets get this over with."
He picked up his sword and began walking towards Byon.
One step, two steps
WHOOSH
He disappeared from his sight.
Byon's eyes darted around franticly looking for Selim. Selim appeared at his blindspot, swinging. With the zone, Byon immediately turned as it increased his senses and stopped the sword with his.
"Good form, nice reaction," Selim said with a smirk.
He kicked Byon's injured leg, and it echoed with a sickening pop, causing him to lose balance. Before he could register the pain, Selim's knee connected with his face in a brutal crunch, breaking his nose and sent him stumbling back . Selim moved behind him, like a shadow and chopblocked the other knee. Byon fell to the ground, disoriented.
Selim slid in front, stood and raised a leg. He coated his foot with aura for more power and landed a thunderous axe kick. Byon's face broke through the floor with a devastating CRACK. He didnt even have the chance to cry out before the darkness took him.
Selim let out a weary breath as the aura around his foot dissipated. He tossed the sword aside with a clatter and walked over to where Amnest laid in a growing pool of her blood.
He knelt down in the pool of blood she laid in. "Stupidly brave sister," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. "Causing me all this effort."
He placed his hands on the wound and an intricate green magic circle appeared. From it, luminiscent rope-like tendrils entered the wound. "Hmm. A few blood vessels destroyed, internal bleeding confirmed, vital organs are not injured but are in bad shape. What the hell is she doing when she's not home?" He thought. "Well I don't want to pry, too much effort."
{Heal}, he muttered aloud. More tendrils entered Amnest's body, glowing emerald green, and began to heal her, knitting torn blood vessels and patching up wounds. Selim knew healing her fully would cause suspicion. "I guess I just have to heal her enough that the house Mage can easily take it from there."
A groan made him turn. Kaleb, pushing himself up on trembling arms, saw him, though not clearly, because he still had a concussion but he could make out who it was. "Selim... ?" He slurred. "What..... What are you doing?"
"Nope, can't deal with this right now." He said shaking his head and pointing a finger at Kaleb.
Selim shot him with a spell, a white tiny needle like spell and Kaleb fell back to the ground unconscious. After he had healed Amnest to a specific point, he stopped. He rose and turned to walk away when a soft mumble stopped him.
"Selim...?" she moaned weakly, her voice thick with pain. "Selim where are you? Are you... okay...?"
He smiled and walked back to the corner where it all began, jumping over bodies and rubble to get there. He stretched and yawned. "Gosh, I did too much, time to recover."
He laid on the cold floor, curled into a ball like the world wasnt in shambles around him and in minutes, was fast asleep.
After an about an hour and half, the Baron, Gareth, Ser Rodrik and the Mage Lucas entered the hall only to meet carnage. Rubbles, dead bodies and his kids scattered across the room. They noticed Amnest and her blood pool.
"Amnest!" Maxim yelled as they rushed over to her.
Lucas then cast {heal} on her. A green magic circle materialized under his hand.
"Please don't die, my Lady," he whispered as he healed her.
"Check on the others, "Baron Maxim ordered.
"Yes sir" answered Rodrik and Gareth.
They went around checking the bodies of their knights then Kaleb and Selim. Gareth returned to his father and said, "All of our knights are dead. Kaleb is unconscious and Selim...." He sighed weakly.
"What happened to the youngest Gareth?" Maxim asked.
"He is..... sound asleep" Gareth replied.
Maxim sighed with a tiny laugh. "He's asleep. That boy..... Take Kaleb and Selim to their rooms, we'll handle the rest here"
"Ok father".
Heeding Maxim's words, Gareth took his brothers away.
"Rodrik, are any of the bandits alive?" Maxim asked, his expression dark.
"Yes sire. The one with his face implanted on the floor and those caught by Commander Bech," Rodrik answered.
The answer didn't sit well with Maxim as his aura flared up a little and the walls shuddered. He reined it in and ordered, his voice dangerously calm. "Take Amnest to the medical bay and have her treated till she gains consciousness."
"Yes sire".
Both Lucas and Rodrik took Amnest and left the hall.
Alone in the ruins, Baron Maxim let out his rage. "How dare they? How.... Dare .... They.... Attack my children" Maxim raged, letting out his aura. The entire castle house shook. He calmed himself down and let out a sharp exhale. A groan pulled his attention. Byon pulled his head off the ground and sat, hand covering his broken, bloodied nose.
A seething Maxim stood behind him. Byon had no idea how much trouble he was in.