Chương 27

Rufus Downs held his sword slanted across his body. An hour before dawn, it hung in defense of the shadows around him. He closed his eyes; the faint silhouettes were his enemies, bearing the sneering and sniggering face of Kirkland Albion. Those laughed at him. They looked at Clara's butt when she wouldn't notice. When Rufus's eyes snapped open, he bounced forward, slashing left and right with his weapon. The imagined Albions all gaped in horror. Rufus cut, stabbed, advanced, an unstoppable force.

The Albions fled at first, but then when they realized Rufus was too quick and talented, they turned and desperately tried to defend themselves. Yet Rufus turned aside their weapons and skewered their vital points. At the end, Rufus cornered the last sniveling Albion and ran him through. The specter was pinned to the tree and Rufus got right up in his face. Through gritted teeth, he said.

"I will never let you harm Clara."

"Rufus? Did you call for me?" Rufus flinched. His imagined foes fell away. He was standing in a clearing, his sword stabbed into a nearby tree. He cursed and tugged on the blade several times before it came out.

"Uh, no, just- just singing." Rufus squeezed his eyes together; he famously hated singing. Yet the only response that he received from Clara was a yawn. Shaking his head and reflecting to not do stupid things while daydreaming, Rufus looked at his Information. Name: Rufus Downs Archetype: Squire (0) -Manifestations: Sword Knack [2/3] -Ascension: Honorable Duels (5/10) Feats: -Sword Wielder ✷✷ -Dutiful Guard ✷ -Obsession ✷✷ -Alien Moon ✷ Rufus felt a hint of frustration, looking at his current information.

A month ago, he had been ecstatic beyond belief to known he had a Manifestation with potential even as a Tier 0. All his dreams about becoming a hero seemed to be lining up. And everyone agreed, below potential 5, Manifestations were quite simple to improve. So why- It's been almost two weeks since I grew to Blade Knack 2. Why can't I get the last potential point? Then I Ascend. And then the fact Albion is a Tier I won't -"Rufus, here." Suddenly Clara was there at his side.

Rufus jumped, his hands swinging through the air. When he landed, he flushed; she was offering him a yeast roll slathered in butter and strawberry jelly.

"Ah. Thank you."

"Ready for patrol?" Clara asked. Rufus nodded and took a bite. Then Clara said something that turned the preserved fruit within to ashes.

"Kirk's already here. He brought that for you." Rufus waited for Clara to turn away before spitting out the bite into a bush. His face flushed. If that bastard poisoned it- His stomach rumbled a powerful counter-argument. If he became violently ill, wouldn't he be able to use that to show Clara Kirk's true nature? For several seconds, as they trooped through the trees toward the hold, Rufus wavered. But by the time they reached the front gates, Rufus had decided that eating was a win-win situation for him.

He licked the butter from his fingers. Damn, of course a noble buys the fancy rolls.

"Ready to go?" Albion said. Clara nodded and Rufus scowled. Specifically at the Larian Saber strapped across Albion's back. The weapon was massive, half as large as Albion himself. It seemed ludicrous to expect him to be able to wield the weapon. He probably just carried it to grab attention. And Rufus hated that it worked. Because it was a Larian weapon. The bastard took his glare as agreement. The trio marched down the path.

At this point they had found all the easy routes west, so they took the central game trail down through the hills. Rufus hated the whole situation. Even if the Imperial Sanctum's tents fluttered on a nearby hilltop, he didn't understand why they needed to wander around like this. Maybe it's about momentum, Rufus thought. That's why I can't improve Blade Knack. Because I take these stupid breaks. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"K-kirk." Clara still flushed when she said the bastard's name. Which tossed a cherry red coal down Rufus's throat, until it began to burn a hole through his stomach.

"Is it true you've been helping the healers these past few days?"

"Yea," Albion said.

"I've been donating energy."

"That's such a good idea! Maybe I should do the same." Clara said. Albion hesitated.

"Well, maybe. But the Healer will be mean, because you are still Tier 0. It takes a lot of energy to fuel a Heal. It's only because of a powerful Manifestation I have that the Healer bothers with me." This-! Rufus's eyes bulged. Do you ever stop bragging?!

"Ah. Okay well, I'll have to work harder to get to Tier I," Clara continued, still cheerful.

"But my Ascension is Cultivating an element. I think- I think I'm going to choose Nature. I've gathered a few cores, but I can't yet afford a method of Cultivation."

"I have one, if you want it," Albion offered.

"My Ascension was Cultivating Fire. I'm not sure if it will work, but we can investigate it a bit."

"Really? Thank you, Kirk." Clara flushed. Gritting his teeth, Rufus twisted around and opened his mouth to shout at the two of them. It was that movement that saved his life. An arrow flickered through the spot Rufus had twisted away from and thunked into the ground. Yet Rufus didn't notice the arrow quite yet, he just saw Albion's head snap sideways and his eyes narrow. Albion spat out a bunch of nonsense syllables. Around the same time, Rufus noticed the humming shaft sticking out of the dirt.

Clara raised her shield and marched forward. Albion pointed. A cherry ember shot toward a nearby tree canopy. Yet before it could land, two arrows slid out from between the leaves. Clara released a cry of pain; one arrow sliced into her boot, the other ripped through her calf. The tree exploded with fire. But Albion bounded forward, hands reaching up and whipping that saber around. Rufus's eyes widened. He knew he should pay attention to the enemy, but he watched Albion swing the saber. He really can swing it.

Albion stepped next to Rufus, positioning his weapon across his body. Another arrow arrived, glowing with the empowerment of a Rune. The projectile crashed against the Larian Saber and smashed Albion backward, like he had been knocked with a bat. Rufus finally snapped back to the present. He looked up. An arrow stared him down, even while others flickered out toward the collapsed Albion and Clara. He sucked in a breath. Following his instincts, he drew his sword and cut. The shaft snapped.

Yet Rufus's heart dropped as Clara released another cry of pain. But before any other arrows could arrive, the great shadow rushed over their path. Darkness spread and proliferated, like during an eclipse. Knives of shadow chopped through the trees. Rufus heard the twang of bowstrings and then a sharp cry in the tongue of the Imperial Sanctum. The shadows converged, ripping through branches and cutting through a tree trunk. The tree collapsed across the path. Leaves fluttered down.

But then the small game trail returned to silence. Broken, obviously, by Albion.

"This needs to stop happening." Rufus's heart pounded in his ears. His brace had vibrated. Did it… did that- He looked at his information. You have gained the Feat Sharp Cut ✷! What? The sharp cut was with a sword! So why didn't Sword Knack-"Are you alright?" Rufus spun around. Albion crouched next to Clara. She wheezed, smiled at the golden-haired Albion, and nodded.

"I-I think I'll be okay. What about you two?" Clara had the arrow in the foot, a torn-up calf, and also another arrow through her shoulder. Rufus felt a tide of guilt crash against him; how could he have thought about his stupid Manifestations when he knew she was in danger? Plus, it gave Albion the chance to look concerned- Rufus met Clara's eyes. It almost made him feel worse when she smiled at him.

"I saw, Rufus. You slashed that arrow out of the air, didn't you? Very cool."

"I have some bandages and can bind the calf, but I think we should return and report," Albion said.

"Get Clara to Healer Michaels."

Healer Michaels looked down at Kirk.

"Waste energy healing you? Why would I do that?"

"Because I'm giving you the energy." Kirk countered.

"But if I don't heal you, you are hobbled for a week," The Healer seemed almost gleeful.

"During that time… I can finally relax and sleep without feeling suffocated-" Kirk kicked his good leg at the Healer. To his annoyance, the older man danced sideways, as though he had expected it. But then the Healer frowned down at his other leg.

"How did you walk up here, anyway? With that leg."

"My Rune is called Tenacity I. Can let me ignore pain and exhaustion, and physical impediments, for a time," Kirk sighed.

"Still hurt, though." When the arrows had started raining down, even Kirks Bestial Senses I could barely keep up. The attacks were accurate and vicious. And his Ember had been easily dodged. He had bounded forward; closing the distance was the only strategy that made sense, but then that other kind of arrow had come. One empowered. Ancient Bladed Beast had given him an ultimatum. Block this or die. Kirk had blocked, as best he could.

And just like the brush with the geo-4, he had been battered like he didn't even matter. When he closed his eyes, he again felt powerless. But on the other hand, he had survived. He had improved. But there was one thing he didn't understand-- who had been the attacker? And who had wielded those shadows that had saved their lives? This still isn't enough. Kirk clenched his fist. I need more, to matter.

"Healer Michaels?" A healing aide trotted up to the two of them. The Healer flicked his fingers.

"Tell whoever is having an emergency that they've no choice but to die. I'm being bribed into healing this fool instead." Kirk glared at the Healer, but the Healer's Aide shook his head.

"It's not that. Administrator Ranya has requested your presence. A temporary council is being formed to judge the case of Margery Wryten." Kirk saw the expressions flicker rapidly across Healer Michael's face. Alarm, deep hatred, helplessness, and then cold resignation. The Healer sighed, serious for the first time that Kirk had witnessed.

"So then, they are here."

"Yes," The Healer's Aide nodded.

"The Maester has arrived."