A Hero With/Out Time

Chapter 14: Their luck. (Part 3)

"I've got you!" the light was flung aside and in its place Ardent stood. "Sorry I'm late." He looked queasy.

"It's the damn Wizard!" one of them men screamed.

"Like I thought, the Imperium," Ardent scowled towards them. "Bunch of crazed second rate magicians." He waved his hand and the two men were flung away crashing against the buildings with a sickening thud. "Can't even set up a proper barrier."

"Tch," the women spat. "Ardent Val Tour. You're not supposed to be here."

"Neither are you," Ardent stepped towards her and where the rest of the magicians had formed up.

"Move and we'll kill them all," she pointed her hand at the villagers.

"Well that's just playing dirty," Ardent frowned.

I managed to stand beside him and whispered, "Do you have a plan?"

"No... I just woke up and to be honest I'm not feeling too well," his eyes were drawn back and bloodshot. "I feel like throwing up."

"...." That's it. I was going to die because of his Goddess be damned hangover.

He clenched his jaw, "To be honest it took all I had to do what I just did." I looked back at the two masked men who had ploughed into the building behind us. They weren't going to get back up. Including the women leading them there were still five more and they had hostages. I couldn't be soft here. Even if we surrendered we'd just join them and die together. The sensible thing to do was try take them out with the least casualties. But still... these were the villagers who had accepted me into their home. The thought of them dying drove a dark pit into my conscience.

"What is it going to be Master Wizard?" the women asked loftily. "Just a word from me and they'll all die." A single villager walked forward and held a knife against his own throat.

"I see.... You're a puppet master," Ardent frowned. "It suits you."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," she laughed. "Now choose."

Ardent lowered his voice, "Rain you wouldn't have something up your sleeve would you?"

"Maybe," I grit my teeth. My arms and legs still felt like jelly but they would move if I forced them. I drew my sword. "Here I go." The distance was thirty metres. Like I was now it would take five seconds. A long time in a situation like this. My chest clenched and I coughed blood as the mana within me began to burn alive. I ran. It wasn't a fluid sprint but a harsh desperate run. My legs knocked against each other barely able to obey my commands. Their masked faces turned in confusion. Some stared at me but did nothing, others looked away. I jumped forward lunging with my sword held straight. My target their leader. If I could kill her then the villagers would be released. Something hard pressed up against the blade. A barrier. I screamed and pushed with all my might but as it began to crack, she smiled.

"Found you." Something hit me and I was thrown to the ground. My arm snapped backwards hanging loose against my side as I rolled in the dirt cringing in pain. Damn this women. Her senses were better than the others. She looked down at me, "What an interesting technique. You were there but at the same time I was convinced you were not. Hmm, indeed you have quite an intriguing body. It would be a shame to kill you. Perhaps we'll take you back home for experimentation." My eyes widened in a desperate fear.

"Just kill me," I groaned.

"Get away from him!" Ardent roared. "If you know my name, you know what I am capable of."

"Oh well and truly, Ardent Val Tour," she smirked, "but I also know the fragility of your heart. Move one step and I'll kill the villagers. The boy, I'll let him live."

The magicians around her began to fluctuate their mana and a swarm of projectiles appeared around them. Fire, ice, earth, darkness. Ardent stood still, his eyes loose. He was stuck. Even if he could get past his hangover the situation was desperate. The magic was released and like a torrent of colour they spread towards him.

A flash of white broke through them. Not even a cloud of dust was lifted. Her hair drifted behind her like a wave of light. Her sword held firm pointed forward. Her eyes pure yet filled with a determination that could only be said to be inspiring. Lara, Hero. She took one look at me and frowned. How the hell did she find us? Her eyes flicked towards Taylor, the collar on her neck glowed. The slave contract, of course she knew where to find us.

"Who are you?" the women asked annoyed.

Lara stepped forward, "Stop whatever it is you're doing and release everyone."

"This is a hostage situation," she clicked her fingers and suddenly I was lifted up and a familiar knife was at my neck. I internally sighed as Taylor's expressionless face hovered above mine. Lara flinched. "Oh? These are friends of yours aren't they? Can't have them getting hurt now." Sharp. She must have seen Lara look at us. This women couldn't be messed around with.

"Let them go," Lara's stare bore down at her.

"I refuse." The knife was pressed against my neck further drawing blood.

"I said let them go!" Lara yelled. An anger leaked into her voice.

The women smiled, "No." Something was beginning to happen. A darkness was flowing from Lara and the others around me. It was pooling together and began to seep into a large urn in the centre of the villagers. The black ooze marking the ground hissed. The circuit had been complete. The ritual had already began.

"You will let them go!" Lara was furious. Her desperation beginning to show between the cracks.

"Oh my aren't you perfect," the women laughed. "We could get all we need just from her. Kill him and make it painful." Wait what?

Taylor flipped me around. Face to face I could now fully see her. Her knife pulled back. A sharp plunge pierced straight into my heart. It surprisingly didn't hurt as much as I expected. Then the blade twisted and I couldn't but release a strangled howl. Even with my broken body and all I had felt before, Taylor really did know how to cause pain. Blood seeped down the knife and into her hands. Her eyes met mine. A single tear fell as a frantic panic tried to break free. Her lips trembled trying to say words that she wasn't allowed to.

"It's okay," I smiled and raised my unbroken hand to lightly touch her face. "It's going to be okay."

"Rain!" Lara screamed and suddenly a powerful gust of wind broke out. I couldn't see her however, or really what else was going on. I fell from the knife and hit the ground in a puddle of my own blood. My vision was blacking out.

"Rain!" Taylor's face was suddenly near mine. She had broken free from the spell. Was it because of Lara? Her hands desperately pressed against the wound in my chest. "Please, no, I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" Ha, she was crying. How different. I never thought she could make that kind of face. I really couldn't help not hold my smile. There was just one last thing I needed to do before leaving.

I titled my head to where the masked women stood gobsmacked at the power leaking from Lara. It seemed like it wasn't only Taylor who was breaking free and the entire village centre had erupted in chaos. Her eyes met mine. With the last of my strength I raised my middle finger towards her, "You fucked up." And with that, I died.