Reynald tried to maintain his composure, his eyes narrowing as his declaration of execution was announced.
"You're all talk."
He tightened his grip on his sword, using the might left in him, he leapt and lunged towards the masked figure as he aimed for their head.
But the masked figure was faster, they parried his attack with barely any effort, Reynald was thrown back, he impaled his sword to the ground, dragging it as he skidded.
"Damn you bastard. You want to play rough? Let me show you how rough!"
He pulls out the sword from the ground and lifts it up high in the air, a brilliant light shimmers from the radiating iron as strong winds circling his surroundings.
"Come forth and stand by me, order of chivalry!"
As he announces the summon, particles start dancing around him, creating beings into life as they take on human form, clothed with silver armor and a cross symbol on their front, and most of all.. the unmistakable helmet — it's them.
The Knights Templar.
I backed away from them, trying to process what was happening. Where did they come from? How can they just.. appeared out of thin air? At first glance, they look like ordinary Templars, but this.. no, their presence is hollow, as if they're incomplete.
"Hearkens, this march of a hundred men! Onward!"
The Templars raised their shield and kept their sword at the ready as they charged forward towards the masked figure. Yet.. they stood still, unbothered by the sounds of incoming doom. Slowly, they raise their sword high, energy starts channeling through the sword like a vein. Then they spoke;
"Pro matre omnium rerum."
With a reality-breaking force, they smashed the sword to the ground as it crumbled open and consumed those who dared stand in its way.
"What the.."
I looked in terror as the templars were consumed one by one by the enormous ravine on the ground. Impossible.. a reality breaking force causing a subtle shift in the essence of the world.
I looked at Reynald, he was standing in the back of the line where the impact didn't reach. He stood still for a moment before sheathing his sword.
"How unfortunate, I know I'm no match for the Memorians, but I don't intend to end my story here."
He pointed his hand at the figure — in an instant, they fell to their knees, as if some kind of unseen force was pressing them down. The mask slowly cracked under its pressure.
Reynald slowly approaches the kneeling figure until he is in front of them, the mask begins to crumble under his influence, then it breaks into pieces, revealing the person behind it — a girl. A damned woman behind the mask.
"This is something I didn't expect.."
He crouched down and took her chin forcefully so she may not look away. The girl seems to show no signs of anger, sadness, yet devoid of any emotions.
"Pale like the dead, emotionless like a corpse, you're all like a puppet of your goddess."
After standing neutral for far too long, I gathered the courage to approach them. As I walked, I looked down to the ground — weren't there ravine here just now? But there doesn't seem to be even a slight bulge, perhaps this space is self-regenerating?
Reynald let go of the women's chin — unsheathing his sword once again. At that moment, I knew what was about to happen. I rushed towards him, hoping that the worse won't come.
From a distance, I saw his sword raised high, with no other choice, I threw myself at him, stopping his arm from delivering the final fatal blow. He looked at me with confusion as he pressed his sword against me.
"Let go Frienzi, she deserves to die." He said with a cold, threatening tone
"And let you take her life as you please? On what ground?"
I criticized him, daring him to stop this before it became a bloodbath.
"She tried to kill us, and you ask on what ground?" He responded, trying to shrug my hands off him.
"Then what's the difference between us and her? We should not be like her. So I beg, let go."
I tried to persuade him to let go of the woman, I know I owe him my life's safety, but taking another's does not satisfy bloodlust, it never will, not in the millions and billions of life living on the forsaken earth.
He seems to be quite unsure, yet I didn't let go. After a moment, he sighed, lowering his sword to his side.
"Fine, consider this woman lucky."
I sighed a breath of relief. With a flick of his finger, the woman was transported elsewhere, leaving the both of us standing before the Vortex of Time.
"You're a sympathetic person, a word of advice; always look behind your back. You'll never know who is a foe."
Without saying another word, he leapt into the vortex, disappeared into the air.
At that moment, I have to make a choice, follow him, and face what's ahead of me. Stay, and I'll be stranded in nowhere. The choice is obvious to me, with my final determination, I jumped into the vortex to begin this perilous journey.
—Penning a new chapter...