[Book 2] Gate Guardian - Song of the Frozen Soul

PHASE 91 - A BEST FRIEND'S IRON-WILL

PHASE 91 - A BEST FRIEND’S IRON-WILL

“Heushac.”

There’s no hostility when Rikkun muttered the name of his best friend. However, the same is not true with the blue-haired swordsman, as his cross-sigil on his iris is glowing gold.

“You’re not one of them,” Rikkun muttered. “You’re not cursed.”

“Yeah.” Heushac made a tired smile on his face. “It is because of my <Ironwill> which prevents any mental interruption.”

“That’s good,” Rikkun said. He was about to turn away and flee, but then Heushac grabbed his attention with a form of a shout.

“This is not good!” Heushac exploded. “Don’t you see what you have done!? You killed the townspeople who just wanted justice! You killed Mianette with cold blood! And you are still saving that witch!?”

Rikkun hesitated to pay attention to his best friend. He tried to make a step but was interrupted again.

“Tiara Hikari! You know what you have done, right!?” Heushac now shifted the conversation to me. “You’re the one who corrupted the townspeople’s minds! You’re the one who made Mianette act like that! Your existence just gives trouble to everyone around you, even for Ric! As long as you, the Brightmore Witch is alive, people will die! Can you accept that!?”

Heushac’s words struck my heart like an arrow filled with poison. It’s true that my curse corrupted the minds of the people. It’s true that it’s my fault why Mianette was cursed too. The sins of the Brightmore Witch is so excessive that it’s leaking out to all the people around me. I think it’s my fault that Rikkun has become Aeternos too.

“Don’t pay any attention to him, Tiara. Just keep on grabbing me tightly.” Rikkun said. He compressed his strength to his buttocks, charging white lightning around, ready for a powerful jump.

But then…

“<Lightning Joust>!!!” In a blink of an eye, a charging man with blue lightning dashed towards me. His buster sword’s edge is aimed at my face. In the nick of time, Rikkun managed to parry the sword with his icicle saber.

“What’s wrong with you, aiming at Tiara like that?” Rikkun hissed like a threatened cobra. 

“You don’t understand! Tiara needs to die! Right here, and right now!” Heushac cried as he withdrew his sword and spun his body for another heavy swing, aiming at my neck! “Hraaaaaaaaaaagh!!!”

Another blade clanged that echoed the surroundings. Rikkun blocked the attack for the second time using his armored wrist, and the excessive force of Heushac’s attack made a powerful gust of wind.

“I SAID STOP!!!” As a counter-attack, Rikkun’s horned helmet bashed through Heushac’s skull, splattering a lot of blood in the process.

“Gwach!!!” Heushac exclaimed as he was thrown down to the grassy lawn, his body etching a long shallow canal on the ground.

“I said this before. Anyone who hurts Tiara will be killed. By me.” Rikkun’s crimson eyes gave a chilly murderous aura around.

“Pweh!” Heushac spit out blood that has been clogging his esophagus. His warm blood started to paint his forehead all the way to his chin. That bash from earlier must have made a considerable amount of damage to Heushac’s head, but he seems to be keeping it up together. He still has the power to pick up his buster sword and make a centered stance.

“You are quite persistent,” Rikkun said.

“Listen to this, Ric… Only one shall die in this fight… It’s either me… or Tiara Hikari… You can never get away until it’s over…” Heushac muttered. He wiped the blood on his lips and then stood up straight, channeling anti-divine prana around him. “<Void Art: Anti-God Creation- Surtr>!!!”