章 13: He was called a coward
Jagan closed the distance between him and Siron while avoiding dark beams and defending against the summons. The attacks never ceased together with Siron's unending maniacal laugh that stirred the surrounding air. Every wave from the man's voice was putting pressure on Jagan but it did not stop him.
"Don't even think of stopping me from putting a whole on you." He sidestepped to avoid another blast then using the relic, he boosted his speed and appeared before Siron with his fists already angled for punch.
His punch bypassed the protective shield that the dark mana created around Siron and directly connected with his chest but because of this, the force he put into that attack was reduced as his enemy was just pushed back by a few feet. Even though he was pushed, the dark mana did not let go of Jagan's hand. The mana crawled on his skin like a slime and it has only one intention, to destroy Jagan. He could not allow it, once again activating the lightning band on his wrist, he forcefully pulled out his hand free then took several steps back.
The skin on his hand turned black like it was burnt and he could already start feeling numb from it. He raised his head and saw that there were not only those disgusting blobs, the enemy also summoned growling hyenas with their bodies made up of an unknown liquid and with every move they make, these black liquid falls on the ground and burns it.
Jagan cursed, "A worst case scenario." He stood up and took a deep breath, even for a Grand Mage like him, fighting a fully corrupted mage would be difficult and judging by the dark mana he was using, it seems that he had been using dark magic for a long time now.
It was not his dream nor his desire to be a hero but he can't let this monster continue on his rampage. He looked down at his palms and remembered the words he left to the butler before he left. It seems that he won't be able to keep that promise, he just hopes that Ezio can forgive him. He looked at the enemy again and the thought of running away crossed his mind because he can just run and let that monster go on a rampage. It was not his responsibility anymore to defeat these kinds of enemies, he was done forgot about it when he left the Magic Tower. All he wanted was to live a peaceful life with his nephew but the past would always come to haunt them and now it caught up.
Too many what ifs passed through his mind but it was already too late to have regrets. He clenched his fists and steeled his resolve, "I hope you grow up strong." He once again launched himself to fight the berserk Siron.
"How heroic, humans do really like to sacrifice themselves for the supposed to be greater good." Cygnus shook his head, disappointed that Jagan continued to fight instead of running away. There's nothing wrong with running away, it was not cowardice instead it was the preservation of one's life. It's not wrong to choose yourself first before others, that's not called selfishness, it's a way to survive.
"It is because of their sense of responsibility or accountability, especially in Jagan's case. He has the power so he should be the person to do it," the butler was also watching the fight with his master and only answered based on his observation of how humans lived.
Cygnus looked back gave his butler a look, "Are you taking their side, sense of responsibility? Accountability? I only knew a handful of people who had that but most I have encountered wants to be a hero because if satisfies their ego. Please do not generalize them, those people who really had that sense will be offended by you."
The butler bowed his head, "I apologize master, so where do you think Mr. Jagan will fit?" His master has this habit of categorizing people he met. Some of them were for disposal while some of them were interesting and there were rare ones who he could show a degree of appreciation.
Cygnus hummed while drumming the surface of the table with his fingers, "Let me see, he is not particularly annoying nor likable but I can say that he is different from those common folks I have met before."
This evaluation can be put on the category of rare ones he could show a degree of appreciation to which the butler agrees. "Then what shall we do?" he asked as he expected his master to do something about him.
"Let him be, he chose this himself and I wanted to see him fall. Should I go there personally?" Cygnus looked at the slightly ajar door and smirked. The butler noticed this and followed the direction of his gaze, there he saw Ezio as he stood there with a pale face. He must have heard their conversation thus the reaction.
The butler was about to talk to him but Ezio took a step back then turned around as he ran down the stairs and out of the bake shop.
"Did you know that he was there?" the butler turned to his master and asked.
He heard no answer from the man so he did not press about it. Cygnus stood up from his seat, "I'm going out. Are you coming with me?" He gave the man a quick look before he walked out of the room. The butler has no reason to stay and it was his duty to always stay beside his master.
Ezio ran through the streets that were packed with people who were leaving their houses because of the commotion. He was going to his uncle. He was the only family he had and he would not know what to do if he was gone. He can't let his uncle die. He can't let him die.
By this time, Jagan was already exhausted. He didn't feel good and his vision started to go blurry due to blood loss. His wounds were not helping him too. Even with his lightning bands he could do nothing to defeat Siron. His fists clenched with his lips set into a line at how powerless he was. He spat out blood but still managed to suddenly grin at his current situation. "What Grand Mage, I really don't deserve that title, not then and not now. Hah, how weak! I couldn't protect you and now I couldn't even protect him." He shook his head then his grin disappeared. "If I am going to die, then I will at least make sure that you get what you deserve."
As his last struggle, he poured out his remaining mana until the last drop into strengthening his body and squeezed out everything from his mana core to release another spell that he hoped could damage the enemy. For the nth time, he once again tried and approached the enemy using the fastest speed he could manage.
Three layers of magic circle appeared above Siron the moment Jagan started to run towards him. "Pierce through, my lightning dominion!" A loud rumbled shook the earth followed by a searing light from the sky that struck down at the location of Siron and his summons. It created a loud explosion that carved the ground and incinerated every dark mana creature that Siron called forth. Jagan did not let his guard down as he retracted the bands on his feet and hands. He then remolded the relic into a sword.
As the smoke from the explosion slowly subsided, he could see Siron and the dark mana surrounding him was partially destroyed giving him an opportunity to attack. The dark mana was still wriggling around Siron's body and were slowly enclosing him but Jagan was faster. He lunged at the enemy and pierced him through with the lightning sword then he exploded his mana that was he infused in the bands earlier.
Ear-piercing screams echoed through the darkness because the enemy was wounded. Jagan grinned at the thought that he was able to injure the enemy but it was short lived because he was pulled and slammed on the ground. Followed by a sharp spike from the dark mana that pierced through his body.
"No!" Ezio reached out his hand but he was pulled by someone. He struggled to get free from the person holding him but the other held him tighter. "No! Let me go!" He struggled and kicked around but the other person was not fazed.
"You can't go or your uncle's sacrifice will all become meaningless," Astrophos who was able to recover some of his strength tactically retreated from the battlefield because he knew that he would only become a liability and when he saw Ezio he pulled him back.
Ezio could only watched helplessly as another dark spike stabbed his uncle. It felt like he was being stabbed himself then there were already tears from his eyes. His knees felt weak as his body slowly knelt to the ground. There was nothing he could do. He could only watch as that monster killed his uncle.
The shrieks continued like the monster was in pain and Ezio thought that it deserved it. He was angry and mad, that thing killed his only family so how could he stand there without doing anything? He would kill that monster! It was the first time that he felt so much anger that there was something inside him that wanted to explode but before he could take a step forward a familiar voice broke the depressing silence in his mind.
"How pitiful," Cygnus was looking at the gruesome scene but he wasn't fazed by it. He was only shaking his head. "There's nothing much to see here. Let's return."
Ezio looked at the man then his uncle's words came back to him. "Aren't you going to destroy that thing?" he asked.
Cygnus stopped then turned around, "Do I have any reason to do that?" His voice was cold, his expression only showed disinterest in the matter.
"My uncle said that if something happened, I can go to you because he said that you are powerful," Ezio did not back down from the chilling gaze instead he stood his ground and clashed with his gaze.
"If I destroy that thing, how would it benefit me?" he was impressed that this child was able to contend with his gaze. Ezio did not have any answer to that because he felt that no matter what reason he would give, the man would still walk away. Since he had not answer, Cygnus and the butler turned around and started to walk away.
"Why?" Ezio whispered. "Why can't you help me? You brush me as someone insignificant and yet still allowed me to come to you," his voice started to get louder, "Cygnus Altair, you coward!"
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bluerabyss Hi! If you are reading this chapter, I would really appreciate it if you could support me by leaving me some comments or give my story a review or you can even give me some powerstones. Thank you so much in advance and I hope you are enjoying this story. :D
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