Chương 13: Fifth Circle.

mana hue The blizzard began to settle as the shaved-headed bandit touched his injury, intrigued. There was a change in his demeanour. An aura exploded from every inch of his body, melting the snow beneath his feet. Both swords flared brilliantly, and he crouched down, focused eyes trained on me. He became a blur, disappearing in the quieting blizzard.

"Guard up, Captain!" I stretched with my sword to block a machete from lopping off Kurt's head while he protected his knee from a slice. Blisters formed on my palm as our swords made contact. Kurt and I skidded across the snow, almost losing our footing. In a blink, the scarfed bandit caught up and thrust forward with both of his blades. My greatsword aligned to guard both. Muscles in my forearm sprained against the fifth circle's power. Boots dug deeper into the snow while I groaned in pain against this monster.

A bandit's sword pushed mine down. Seeing an opening on my chest, the bandit pierced. Kurt sliced at the stranger's bowels, making the fifth circle retreat backwards. I felt a trickle of warm blood on my chest by my heart. One inch closer… My vision in the storm improved; in the fog, my men finished off the last of the bandits. We may live after all.

"ROUND UP ON ME, MY GUARD!" Snow crunched as they surrounded the man in the flowing scarf.

"Fifteen seconds! GIVE IT TO ME." After curious looks at each, they answered.

"Yes, your grace!" Twenty and some men shout in unison in the thick blizzard, a mixture of first, second and a few older thirds circles. They blitzed the lone warrior, striking with many swords, each missing their mark. But they have him preoccupied. Good enough. Kurt guarded my back while I tapped into the air. Thirty-five points into my body increased my stamina and healing factor. I grabbed the arrow. Imbueing it with my mana, I ripped it out.

My blood squirting on the floor, I gritted my teeth, ignoring the anguish I felt and focused my mana on my side. Five seconds passed, and the bandit played with my men, blowing them away with every swing of his swords. Bloody, covered in cuts, my men fought back. Charging into almost certain death. My injuries on my side, arm, cheek and chest scabbed over, and I tapped again, putting fifteen points into Intelligence and twenty into Mana capacity.

Sword of Osberg on my left in a tail stance, I revved up three circles around my heart. Veins pulsated, bursting with mana. My sword ignited, its light casting a shadow on everything within its reach. Fourteen seconds, and the bandit batted away my men with a wave of mana, heading for me. He took an earth-quaking step, and he vanished, hurling snow where he once stood. The atmosphere boomed. A cloud formed from the air smacking against his body. Two blazing swords came from both sides. Here we go... I stomped.

Snow and stone floated as if rejected by gravity. Flashing canines, I cried out a gutter roar. Summoning all my resolve. I felt the heat of the bandit's swords near my face, and I swung. A crescent light that reached the heavens flew off the tip of my great sword. The towering light sliced the ground and poked the grey clouds overhead. My mana slice melted snow. Lacerating the bandit's chest and destroying the elven bow, the mass of energy pushed the screaming fifth circle back.

Even with mana armour, my mana slice seared through his leather into his skin. The shaved man growled from the depths of his soul, cutting into the mana attack. It burst like a bubble of lava; mana essence sprinkled on the snow, and a bandit dropped to his knee in a terrible state. I joined him, kneeling on the snow, panting hard. The Fantano lookalike stared at me with wide brown eyes. Then somewhere else. I followed his eyeline as fury grew as he recognised a face.

"YOUR GRACE! Here...!" My captain handed and arm to rest. I continued to kneel. Could show that I could stand up yet. My men encircled the fifth circle bandit, itching to get a chance at him. The shaved man's fearful eyes darted around, then fell on me. I smiled.

"Want more?" I mouthed. The bandit straightened, looking over the battlefield.

"Do not be too eager, southerner. Your head will roll soon enough. I will make SURE of it!" Stolen novel; please report. A fist to the air, mana shot from his knuckles, and he yelled, "Failure!! RETREAT!!" The bandit dropped back, blood trailing. Remnants of the ambush raced after him, giving him a way out by blocking my men with shields and arrows.

"Coward!!" I yelled out. What I am saying... If he stayed, luck would no longer be on my side. I stood up and took a step after him but succumbed to a light-headedness.

"I have to…get him-Arghh" The world twisted and turned. I tried to summon mana.

"Fuck… me…" Running on empty, I tapped to put all my points into Body. Escorted by the last of his men, the bandit pressed on his wounds, running away into the forest by the road. Shit… My men rushed to their horses. They paused at my hand signal.

"You can't catch him. He knows the woods better than you. So stay." My men do as ordered. I stabbed my blade into the snow and took a well-deserved rest. A shaft of sunlight shone on me. The storm was but a gentle breeze. I closed my eyes to the cold wind blowing my long raven hair, letting my battle-high subside. Like a broken dam, I felt my exhaustion all at once, with my sword the only thing keeping me standing. It's over… finally. My mood brightened at the sight of the big man.

Charles trudged through the snow to stand beside me.

"Happy you're safe," I whispered. Charles stood straight with white-gloved hands behind his back, smiled wide. My first circles grouped up around me. A chorus of slaps to their chest, and they exclaimed.

"DUKE! DUKE! DUKE!" Seconds and thirds joined the chant. They examined me with appraising glares. I understood. I was a bedridden waste in their eyes only a month ago. So unworthy in their eyes, they accompanied my brother to be shown off to their new business partners. Perhaps they are struggling with the fact that they bet on the wrong horse. Doesn't matter. I am their Duke. They are my subjects. I don't need their acceptance. They are mine either way.

"Kneel." My eyes bore into the older officers. Dozens of the Osberg Guard drop to their knees.

"Well done and welcome back to Osberg." I glance at the bodies spread among the white snow. Some wear my household's navy blue uniform. Their young eyes stare into the sky. The same in every world. Too many sacrifices.

"Fighting valiantly, you have brought glory to your Guard. More than making it up to me, I am in your debt. To reward you, each of you will get a bonus pay of 20 gold." They brought their heads up. This will bring my family into further debt. But there is nothing wrong with investing in talent.

"Ensure the civilians are safe and ready to ride back to Osberg City. Then tend to the bodies of our fallen warriors for later pick up."

"YES, YOUR GRACE!" Off their knees, my men rush to the other carriages transporting servants and goods. The upper circles made a b-line to the Duchess, surely to tell her the news. I picked up my sword, sheathing it to my back.

"Kurt. Is she in there?" I watched the green carriage; shadows moved behind the curtain.

"Yes, with two others." I exhaled. It has finally come to this. I looked at my garments.

"Nice, not too bloody," I whispered sarcastically to myself. I walked to the carriage, noting the pulling horses still alive. Its cap-wearing driver saluted me. How he avoided a bandit's sword through the chest, I have no idea. Lucky bastard. I saw an eye peek through the curtains.

"It's alright, ladies. Your ambushers have been vanquished. It's safe." The curtain closed, and rummaging could be heard from inside. A door creaked open. First out is a lady with dirty blonde hair tied with red bows in pigtails. White fur on a red dress, neckline deep with thousands of ribbons. Harsh makeup on a face barely hiding disgust; she held a hand for Kurt to hold as she descended. Seeing the personification of the word 'Villainess' in real life is quite astonishing.

"Quite dirty out here. Maybe I should have stayed inside." Caroline Hodge mumbled with a frown. Bereft of any manners, she stood to the side, staring holes into Kurt's face. Should I assign him to her? Nah, that would be too cruel for the poor fella. Another woman stepped out into the cold without the need for a hand. Hair like fire, tied in a ponytail, Jen wore a grey Kleider. She bowed to me, emerald eyes studying me intensely. Smart. I always liked her. And last, her…

light blonde hair bounced, curling down to the back of her green kleider. She stepped on snow with autumn eyes staring into mine. Jesus... Was the artist shit at drawing? I tread closer. All the ladies but her flinched. I bent down to hold the hand calloused by hard work. I bent further to kiss her hand. I felt her hand grow warm and looked up at her and saw soft freckled cheeks turn rosy.

"Our meeting has long been awaited, Lady Vanessa." Letting her hand go, I bowed deep with my arm by my stomach.

"Duke Tarion Greystone, Governor of Osberg." Her eyes were dilated. Her mouth ajar. Vanessa's eyes scanned me up and down, and I heard a gasp from her annoying sister. Vanessa was about to curtsy before I brought her back up.

"Welcome to Osberg, your new home, Duchess." Plonk. Nice to meet you, MC. Big fan.

"Brother...?" I can recognise that raspy voice anywhere. I turned to my left, putting on my best customer service smile. Anger boiled inside at the sight of his face.

"Joshua. Long time..."