"watch out!" Lydith shouted. "It is right behind us!" The three sprinted like crazy bull hiking down their horns except that their spirit was falling off at the moment as the huge and magnificent emerald bear chased after them, like a mad snake, shifting its path as if trying to ambush them from their left and right. What's more hrrorifying was that it was catching up to them fast.
"Shouldn't we climb a tree?" Lanse yelled.
"Idiot!" Marthx shouted. "By the time we stop for even a bit it will leap at us right away."
Lydith looked back at the magical creature's horrid face. Gulping a bit he clenched his teeth. "How about we attack it? After all we have trained for about a year or so. Let's test our skills on that monster."
'Are you crazy? Attack that thing? Fighting that monster is equal to accounting death. We do not stand a chance. Not with a leveled up emerald bear.' Was what the two wanted to say to him but before they could do so the latter had already taken off and was already leaping back with his sword unsheathed.
"Idiot!"The two exclaimed in silence but followed him immediately.
Like ants crawling up to an elephant the three of them encircled the beast. Although their swords were pointing at it their shine were somehow rusted with fear.
''Ggggrrrrrr'' It snapped its white fangs at them.
Just a roar and it was enough to intimidate them. And in their moment of unpreparedness the bear leaped at Lanse. The latter taken aback somehow managed to block its forelimbs that were pouncing with its long and lustrous claws pointing out of its paws. However while blocking away its claws his sword was thrown aloof with the momentum of its swing. At the same time the bear plunged his fangs forward ready to kill. Lydith immediately came to aid him. He twisted his sword with his right hand and slashed it at its face.
Slash!
The blade grazed pass its cheek lightly. Blue blood spilled out from the small cut. It retreated back by an inch and the small cut was healed within the blink of an eye. Then it glared intensely at Lydith before it began attacking again. Snapping fiercely at him while he kept swinging his sword to ward it off the emerald bear finally broke through. Biting into the iron of the blade it actually snapped the sword into two. Not stopping just there it approached him ready to bit off his neck. But before it could actually reach him another body came to shield him from its attack.
It was Marthx.
Its huge fangs were ready to bit into his supple skin. Lydith stared at the secene with horror in his eyes. Lanse had tears seeping out from the corner of his eyes. While Marthx closed his eyes shut waiting for the deed to be over in a flash. Surprisingly it never came.
In a flash a lean figure jumped from behind and above them. With barehands he clenched the jaws of the bear and lifted it up then threw it at some distance away on the ground.
Thump!
The bear actually stood up shaking its head vigorously. It winced in pain. Snapping at the person it began running towards him. He stood still and waited for it to reach him. Once it was within his proximity he jumped onto the back of it and shook its head taking a hold of its furred skin. The bear resisted but once he pressed onto a certain spot of it, it stopped struggling and kept still. Then he got down from it but the bear did not attack him. He signed it to leave and it did so silently and obediently. All its aggression and killing intent was gone.
All this happened in a flash that the three boys stood dumbstruck. They stared at him with weird eyes for a loongg time. So long that he was starting to retreat.
"W...wait!" Lydith suddenly shouted. "How....how did you do it?"
He raised his eyebrow at him. "Why does it matter?"
"That was very....that was amazing. Awesome." Lanse exclaimed.
"P...please teach us how to do that!" The three shouted at him in excitement. But to their horror he rejected them right away.
"Why should i? Sorry but i have no intention of teaching people who are merely after coolness."
"Why?" They broke.
"Because strength is not meant for showing off. It should be used to protect."
Lydith clenched his fist. He then suddenly bower his head. "I am sorry for being rude to you. However i want you to teach me. Everything that you can. Please!" The two immediately followed bowing down to him. "Please!"
He stared at the three round heads before him. Letting out a sigh after a few seconds of staring he said. "Lift your heads." But they did not obey. "Lift your heads. I was just teasing you earlier."
The three of them finally looked to him.
"Remember. If you want to learn from me never forget these three things.
"Never pick on the grass nor waste your energy onto the rusted ones. Power is not always the answer.
Never run after the sun. Be the halo of the sun, for strength exist to protect.
Never seek revenge. Never cultivate negative. Only when others fall to take down those around you should you wear the armor of an avenger."
"What's your names?"
"Lydith. Marthx and Lanse."
"What about you?"
"Hitomu."
"Master Hitomu!" They chanted in unison.
"Don't be too loud." He exclaimed. "Idiots!"
"Idiot!" His voice rang in his ears. He kneeled down on the ground. Tears streaming down his pale cheeks he sobbed in a low voice.
"Idiot!" He smacked his head. "You got hurt again."
"Take care of your body. Don't be so hasty. I promise to crave a good warrior out of you. So do not rush."
"Treat your wounds as if it were your sword. Your arms and your body are your natural blade. Without them a sword has no value."
"Act like a child sometimes. Idiot!"
"Why are you acting like some child trying to throw a tantrum? Grow up, Idiot."
He wiped off his tears.
"Never. Never ever break your promises to me. Remember them always. And be always someone whom i can be proud of. If you respect me as your teacher always walk in sunlight and light."
"So what? To have such an unfair death this student shall avenge. I shall not stop until i kill those men with my very own hands. I, Lydith hereby vows to kill all those accounted guilty for your death, including me." He got up.
"Master. I am sorry but i cannot help." He left the forest. Outside his two friends were relieved to see him walk out. Little did they knew of his vow.
And so did Hitomu. He had no idea that his little student had become an avenger for his sake.
While at the palace another fire was burning up. Between a council of ministers and a one person army.
"Lady Augreal. Do not cross the line. As a nob..."
She cut them off. "Hah? A noble? Really? A noble. Oh great. So all of you are nobles who drink at the death of a commoner who had actually surpassed you in terms of skills and knowledge!" She glared at a certain someone. "What disgraceful nobles!"
"Respects to the lady but are you not a noble as well?" A minister asked her.
She laughed at him. "Oh god. How i wish i was not born into the same class as you scavengers, who feed on the status of your birth."
"What? Execution? As punishment to slander a noble? Seriously? Then do you people realize you all should be to death as well?Don't you all slander the rulers of the empire when you gather together to drink? Hm..? Shall i call out each of your names one by one? Hmm?"
Minister Gale was about to move his mouth. But Miko stopped him. "Please! Please do not speak. Your breath stink of rotten flesh. Tsk. Too bad its not only your breath but your whole body that stinks." Pointing at them one by one she irked at them.
"You. You. You...you...you and you and oh you too. Oh and you. All of you have rotten bodies. Too bad they cannot be cured by any medicine except death."
"Staying here any longer will taint me."
Saying so she left through the door like a storm. Leaving the ministers dumb struck. While they all cursed her in open and silence they all hoped their king would give her a word or so.
However unconsciously they could not help but pray the king do not punish them on her word. While at the same time some sighed with sympathy over king satt who was going to witness Lady Augreal's harsh sermons.
The eccentric lady was even more savage with her words today, channeling her anger into thorny words.
Condolences to the king. They uttered.