In the area filled with stones ,three man were standing in battle ready position.There was pin drop silence around them which further make atmosphere eerie.Raiken took lead and took out bone scalpel from his clothes.
He scraped a large wound with blood gushing out from his arm.He chanted some ancient hymns to use curse energy for luring some spirits for scouting area around them.
Soon three or four invisible spirits came and began drinking blood offered to them.After drinking few drops they were compelled to do according to order inlaid in blood.These spirits soon went away to scout area.Raiken 's arm miraculously got healed at speed visible to naked eye.
Seeing eerie scene of blood offering Sauren felt uncomfortable but he managed to stay focused.Zeph was not entirely creeped,he was slowly getting used to seeing weird situation with White haired boy.
After few minutes ,Raiken felt his connection to spirit to be broken.He yelled,
"This way"and ran in particular direction.
Sauren and Zeph also followed behind him .They after covering short distance saw a huge stone cave formed at base ofmountain.
"He is inside."informed Raiken.
"Let's go then"replied Sauren as he took lead by walking slowly towards cave entrance.
'step,
step ,
step ...'
slowly sound of someone coming inside from cave stopped trio at hold.
A man with bald head and bone ash covered all over his naked torso walked out of cave.He had terrifying scar on his waist.
"Oh I thought those old Sorcerers had come to take my spirit as punishment but here I see three brats.
Are you here for taking bite out of me when I'm injured ,you fools ?"
Bald man said in rough voice.
"Kisu ,you violated norms of our kingdom by indiscriminately sacrificing whole village,this alone huge act of sin deserve you death."
"Sin.... Haha...you are naive brat .Do you think that those old codgers wanted to kill me due to sin.
NO , they were attacking me to steal my now insanely powerful spirit.They care naught about humans,they are just greedy for my spirit.
They can't violate so called norms openly but lust for such powerful spirit made them 'punish' me by taking my spirit.
WHAT RIGHT THEY HAVE TO ?"in last words Kisu began furiously yelling.
Raiken was totally confused by words of Kisu.He thought elders want to kill him due to his huge act of sin but he was telli totally different story.
"No !,you are lying....."Raiken began to object but Kisu cutt him off in middle of sentence.
"'Lying' brat,they are lying to all of you .If this is not true then say why am I alive till now ?Do you think against those insanely powerful elders I measely stand a chance.I am alive because they know with my death spirit
Contract will also be abolished and to find again that same spirit is like finding needle in haystack."
Raiken was totally dumbstruck at his words .He always thought that not all Sorcerers are evil .Only few bad eggs out their were spoiling name of whole community.
But today he got to know that all his elders to whom he believed to be epitome of justice are such power lusting people.
"Raiken ,you need to understand what lure of great power can make humans do ,they can turn themselves into worst of demons for only sake of obtaining that power.
So to decide which path you have to chose ,time has come for decesion?"
A gentle voice was heard in his mind .
"You can be like your parents who died believing themselves to be doing service to human kind and their fellow sorcerers or you can chose to be like your elders which for sake of great power care naught for sacrificing lives of innocent and powerless humans.
Remember,whatever side you chose to join whether that of same path as Kisu or same path of two warriors standing behind you.I will be always with you .
so decide"
Raiken was struggling to make decesion as countless thoughts emerged in his mind .
'Do mother father also knew
real face of Black magic Sorcerers?
'Do all Sorcerers had to sacrifice fellow humans to obtain greater power'
'Do from birth , sorcerer can only walk on path of Evil?'
'There can be no good sorcerers in this world?'
As he was struggling with his thoughts,Zeph signaled Sauren to get ready for attack.Kisu seeing state of Young sorcerer was little satisfied in his mind .He was filled with hate towards those greedy elders ,he knew to protect himself is very tough and it is good to have similar minded persons with them Even they are only as good as to use like meat shield.
Suddenly, before kisu could react Zeph appeared in front of him and slashed with his katana to behead him.
His thought process was clear ,he didn't care for internal struggle of sorcerers.He was here to get rid of scourge so he attacked at exact oppurtunity to deal fatal strike because body of sorcerers are generally weak as they engage in combat using their spirits.
Seeing katana imbued with lightning slashing toward him ,Kisu was caught off guard.Zeph was beginning to hope for success but his katana after striking his neck failed to pierce his skin.There was thin layer of cursed energy protecting his whole body which reacted furiously with lightning.Kisu gaining his wits ,he punched straight at Zeph.
"Get lost you, pest "
Zeph immediately lowered his sword to defend himself from punch but due to huge force was thrown out to distance.
Kisu was enraged by sudden attack and decided to end these two warrior brats here and now.
He suddenly felt something and turned around to see , Sauren in his blue fire cloak striking towards him with his punch.Kisu also hurriedly channeled curse energy to his fist to strike him.
Both fists collided giving rise to shock wave ,Kisu's hand was burned due to very high temperature flames.
Sauren jumped back to avoid further attack , whereas Zeph again dashed towards stumbling Kisu .He channeled blaze and attacked toward his leg .Kisu tried to dodge from slash but still got picked by it on his thigh.White lightning pierced through wound to damage his internal tissue of thigh.After few second ,good chunk of his thigh was oblierated from inside ,Kisu yelled in pain.
"This is enough if I am not injured how could you even touch me ,brats.
Come on , Svieter"
He summoned his evil spirit to end these annoying warriors.A huge spider spirit appeared before both Sauren and Zeph.They were surprised with huge amount of cursed energy aura leaking through it.
"Heart level?" asked Sauren for confirmation.
Zeph also gripped his katana tighter and confirmed "Heart level spirit "
Both of them knew about huge watershed known as Heart level.It is not possible for lower level to even stand chance against Heart level.
Raiken who was losing his sense of faith in Black magic was suddenly thrown out off his thoughts by aura of heart level evil spirit.He looked toward huge spider and felt the grievous emotions around him.He seemed to hear thousands brutally slayed innocent villager's screams.
He can see innocent young babies sucked dry of their blood,happy families turned corpse in few seconds,Parents who themselves are dying trying to protect their suddenly he felt the new resolve in his mind .
All uncertainty,all doubts dissappeared from his mind.
If no Sorcerer is good in world then he will become first one.If not choosing sacrifices method means to be less powerful in future then he will chose to be less powerful.
If protecting innocent lives make him more vulnerable to death by evil beings than he will happily chose such death.To protect race in which he is born what can be more justified reason in world.
Spider immediately lifted his thin steel like front legs to stomp towards Zeph and Sauren.
Zeph became worried although he can dodge that fast blow if he tried his full but Sauren can't escape this blow easily.As he was rushing towards Sauren to help him dodge ,a huge shield appeared above them.Spiders leg striked barrier and was thrown backwards.Both of them looked toward Raiken who had requested lady to form barrier.
He turned toward them and said,
"I'm not at heart level so it is best we thought of solution ,lady can't make these shield stand any more attack of evil spirit."
Sauren and Zeph knew gravity of situation thus didn't bother to ask why he was standing doing nothing before.Zeph instantly moved Sauren with him towards Raiken as with another strike huge shield collapsed with bang.
"To end him we need to kill Kisu but spirit will be do it's best to stop us ."said Raiken.
"We need time to kill him he is too strong to be killed in one strike "replied Zeph.
Raiken sighed and said ,"It was my mistake of not acting earlier to end Kisu before summoning spirit .I will be distraction to spider ,you two go and end him as fast as you can ."
"I will fight with you "said Zeph."I can match his brute strength only by activating Blaze so Sauren you should go finish him"
Sauren wanted to interject but before he can say something Zeph took Raiken and disappeared from view.
He was left with no choice but to kill that Sorcerer as fast as he can.