章節 19: The Resistance
Not even in his wildest dreams would Ian imagine seeing such a scene unfold. The brief energy that shot out of his master's palm wasn't bright like Aether nor strong similar to a sword master's aura. It flowed like chilly water in the river and whirled like the breeze of late night. Neither cold nor warm, not holding an ounce of power within, the thing twinkling in his sight was nothing but a wandering clump of energy.
It was mana in its purest and original form. A substance not harmful nor helpful in essence, but capable of taking many forms under the restrictions of spells and thus having many uses.
"...Magic?"
Ian muttered in bewilderment, not understanding the exact situation.
"Yeah! I was told that it's mana, but I can't form any proper spells yet. I should study harder, I guess."
"...."
Alaric could use mana? His master? The man who'd been suffering from a malfunctioning of mana his whole life and even died due to that so many times was down trying to cast spells? This didn't make any sense!
'Alaric isn't capable of wielding mana! He shouldn't be!'
His heart began racing yet once again, an annoying reflex that had grown in him over time, and his wandering thoughts gathered together to form a question.
"How did this happen?"
Alaric, as if been waiting for that to be asked the whole time, grinned with a tinge of embarrassment and rubbed his neck.
"When you disappeared, I asked the knights to search for you all around. They couldn't find anything and came back empty-handed. That's also when Miss Eleen and her friend left us to pass the jungle. I suggested that we change our course and pass the jungle, thinking that we might come across you if we entered the woods."
Alaric peeked out the window as he explained. The rain had started pouring at some point and water droplets were hitting against the window, creating a comforting rhythm.
"But the jungle was too dangerous for us. Not even half a day had passed when a group of beasts surrounded us. They weren't normal animals, but monsters. I don't know the difference, that's what Liam said. They charged at us all at once. We had a lot of guards, but well... They got injured and hurt while fighting off those monsters..." Alaric's voice trembled slightly at this point. "I feel so guilty for requesting to go through the jungle...
"While we were being attacked, I thought I needed to do something, but there was nothing in my powers to do. I can't even wield a sword or am not fast enough to run away. Not just now and here, but I was never good at anything. It's frustrating to the point of driving me crazy. I was thinking of that kind of stuff when this happened," Alaric slightly waved his hand. "This thing appeared out of nowhere and blocked an attack. It was so sudden and fast that I couldn't understand what happened."
Alaric's descriptions pointed at his desperation and helplessness in the said situation, which was indeed a proper trigger to bring out one's innate potential.
However, the problem was that an innate potential shouldn't ever exist for Alaric.
"We had to retreat after that and use the safe route. The others said you were most probably dead, judging by the number and strength of the monsters, and if not, would die soon. I-I'm so sorry for not searching enough for you. I really am. I don't know what would I've done if you didn't come back alive. I'm so-"
"So you can use mana since then?" Ian cut off Alaric's words in the middle. He had no interest in listening to another round of apologies.
"Yeah, it's been like this since then. I've tried to cast that shield again but it was no avail. I read books borrowed from nearby villages and even from Barnett, but there has been no progress so far. I can bring out this light orange energy and nothing else." Alaric opened his palm once again, "Don't you think it's cool? It's pretty!"
"Cool and pretty, huh?"
Ian's nigh-colored eyes didn't move away from his master's hand, which didn't hold any mana within anymore.
"Um..." Alaric shifted uneasily on his smile. "Is something wrong? Are you mad?"
He, who was so excited to show his achievement to his friend was now thinking if he's done something wrong or said something he shouldn't have. Was Ian mad that he didn't search for him enough? Or did he get sad that he was assumed dead so easily? All kinds of thoughts whirled in Alaric's mind in the span of a few seconds, making him imagine random, horrible scenarios.
"No, nothing is wrong." A smile has found its way to Ian's face at some point. "I was just shocked."
-Master, how in the world can this happen?
-I don't know either, Lior.
-Even if his mana finds its way out of his mana veins, he should've died by the impact!
"By the way, young master, have you felt any discomfort after that incident?"
"Discomfort?"
Alaric gave a tilt to his neck, "What kind of discomfort?"
Ian parted his legs slightly, making space for the invisible wolf baby to curl in between them. His hand secretly stroked the child's head, making his racing heart calm down from the touch.
"I mean, since you had a disease related to your mana, it might be dangerous now that you can use it."
"Ah! Ranger said something like that as well, but then he said that there must've been some problem in the diagnosis of my problem. He said that as the doctor was a traitor, there was no guarantee that he'd treated me properly up till now or even understood the root of the disease."
"Hmm..."
Ian didn't say anything in response, only humming a thoughtful gasp.
'The root of the problem...'
He didn't believe that the whole thing was a made-up story created by the doctor or the count's daughter, but there was the possibility that the real reason behind the problem hadn't been understood well until now and Alaric's chaotic mana had another effect in his body.
'But then again, why didn't he show this power or use magic in any of my previous rounds?'
That question occupied Ian's mind for a long, long while. There was only one thing he was sure of and that was the fact that Alaric's ability to control mana was connected to his change of character and behavior, as well as the variable that caused the man to forget a part of his memories.
Aside from that, there was the question of what Ian wanted to do with this master of his. Did he have to nurture him with knowledge and help him grow as a mage, or did he have to stop him from taking that path? Alaric insisted on passing his position as a future patriarch to his sister so now there was nothing stopping him from spending all his time studying magic. Would he become a proper mage if he put effort into it? Ian was curious about the outcome.
The future changes that this would bring up were also worrisome. How would the events develop from this point on, with an Alaric that wasn't dead and could even do magic? Alaric was never an important factor in the future that would unfold, but it was way too clear for Ian, who has seen many futures and many lives, how such a little change could turn the whole round upside down.
But... was that really important?
Did he need to keep the future in check the whole time? Or make sure that nothing happened out of the ordinary? Wasn't Ian always in search of a change that could free him from this fate? Wasn't this what he always wanted to witness?
He'd struggled for a long while to find a way out of this endless loop of life and death. What he needed wasn't a victory in the fight he started or love from the person he insisted on saving, what Ian truly desired was death. A death with no return.
What was he now scared and worried about? A change to the future? But that's exactly what he needed. What could possibly go bad? What'd happen in the end? He'd die?
'Pfft! Well, that's exactly what I want!'
-Master, master!
A soft and warm, tiny front paw rubbed against his pants, dragging Ian out of his thoughts and back to the present.
-Don't you think that... that Alaric is looking my way?
-Huh?
Ian looked up once he heard the bizarre question. In front of him sat an Alaric with his eyes narrowed to two lines, staring at one spot beside Ian, deep in concentration.
-Master I'm scared!
The wolf baby hid his face on Ian's flank, curling and taking shelter behind his arm.
"...Young master, is something the matter?"
"Uh? No there is nothing." Alaric shook his head in a negative sign, yet his eyes kept peeking at the same spot.
Ian openly showed his curiosity, raising a brow and shifting his position to follow Alaric's gaze.
"But why does young master keep looking this way?" The attendant gave a tilt to his neck.
Amber eyes blinking, the nobleman rubbed his neck with confusion apparent on his face.
"I sensed something was there, but looking at it, it's empty. I must've hallucinated or something."
"Maybe you are just tired."
"Yeah, maybe."
Alaric ruffled his hair and leaned back, finally looking away from Loir. The child clutched Ian's clothes with his tiny baby nails and buried its body deeper into Ian's clothes.
-Does he sense me? How? Master, this Alaric is a freak! I'm scared! Meow!
-...Why are you meowing?
-I-I don't know how scared wolves sound!
Ian held back a chuckle and leaned against his seat, gazing out the window. Could Alaric sense Lior or did he hear the noises made by the child? Even if he was invisible, he had a weight that one could see if looked closely, and some ruffling sounds from his shifting around. Ian already had too many questions in his head and now another one was added up to them.
The rain had stopped at some point, but the sky was still gloomy. It was evening already and the sun was setting, so it was no surprise that the weather was dark.
Tak
The carriage that had been driving smoothly all the time suddenly halted. It wasn't something uncommon as they would stop sometimes, either for rest or other factors, such as animals passing the road, however, this time, there was a commotion out there. Ian could see knights running around and creating a wall against the carriage.
"What's going on?" Alaric asked while Ian got up to his feet, opened the door, and exited the carriage with no delay. He could understand the situation once he took a look around.
Behind and on top of the trees, at the two sides of the road, blocking the front and the back, people in gray and blue uniforms were lining up, holding weapons that were pointed at them. At their arms, a band was visible, consisting of a mixture of symbols that formed a bird flying in the sky.
"The Resistance?"
"Who?"
Alaric clung to Ian's arm, pulling him back slightly to hide near the carriage.
The aura these people were giving off was different from the bandits they faced before. One could say that the whole bandits combined weren't as mighty and dangerous as one single person in this group. They were blocking the path from all directions, taking away all of the escape routes for the travelers. Trapped inside the circle were three different households, two nobles and one merchant.
"What's your business?"
Barnett Blicra's question resounded in the area, reaching everyone's ears.
"Since when does The Resistance target the nobles of Loyatou?"
Tap
Someone within the masked individuals jumped down from a tree, landing smoothly on the flat ground. The only thing visible from his appearance was his brown hair tied in a ponytail and black eyes shining with an ominous glint.
"Why? What's stopping us?"
He who had a slightly different uniform compared to the others, responded to Barnett with another question.
"You should know the reason too well."
Barnett's fair forehead creased slightly, as well as Evelyn's, who was standing to his side. Alaric grabbed Ian's arm and shifted his worried gaze around, face full of questions.
Tap
Another person stepped forward with a sword in one hand. Raven, with his pitch-black hair and eyes as dark as shadows, stood between the two conversing men, pointing his sword at the unknown masked person. His face which wasn't covered with a mask revealed a youthful handsomeness, one blended with a murderous aura.
-Do they really want to attack us?
The Resistance
A group formed out of many forces combined from different countries and nations. They resided at the borders of The Empire most of the time and had fierce battles with their soldiers from time to time. The group was also known as The Revolutionaries, a name fitting for their activities and purpose of taking down the Empire and returning freedom to all the colonial countries in the continent. It was an army selected from many armies of various nations, a group of elites seeking freedom for their people.
'I'm not sure what's going on, but whatever it is, this won't be good if they attack us.'
The three convoys had enough forces to fight this small unit of The Resistance, but they would definitely have great losses. On top of that, a bad relationship with The Resistance wasn't something Ian desired to have, not when he was hoping to start everything he'd quit anew.
The Resistance was one of the reasons that the nobles didn't fear traveling these regions, as these people would subdue any nearby bandits and thieves, creating a safe area for the residents and the travelers except for the times of clash between them and the empire's border guards. However now, they were baring their weapons at the same nobles who supported them.
"Isn't The Resistance supposed to defend the colonial nations? Yet you are targeting us?" Although no one in this group openly supported this army, none of the nearby noble heads ever tried any act of fighting The Resistance or forcing them out of their territory. There was an unspoken agreement and cooperation between them that no one could prove or deny.
"You nobles are the reason these countries are in this state!" Shouted back the masked man, enraged. "Bowing to that emperor and heeding all his orders, even so much to attend his birthday banquet like some royal dogs, and you expect us to view you in a good light? Not just that, but bringing a merchant guild over too, huh, how thoughtful of your people!"
At his words, the nearby Resistance members held their weapons tighter, preparing for a possible fight. Raven raised his sword higher in the air in response, solidifying his posture.
'Aaah, Alex! You shithead Alex!'
Of course, Ian knew the leader of this small order of The Resistance. Alex has always been a hotheaded youth who bared deep hatred towards both The Empire and the nobles of the other nations.
'But most importantly, where is she?'
There was one person who could stop this situation from escalating and that person wasn't around. Ian could just hope for that woman to arrive faster.
"But fear not," the man continued. "I won't hurt you this time. You have a chance to turn back and leave, leave and never enter the empire nor participate in that banquet of theirs."
Alaric's excited gasp was heard from behind Ian's back.
"This is such a nice offer-"
"Shut up." Ian was quick to stop his master's blabbering.
"....Okay."
The standstill was long and the conversation was aggravating. No one could accept someone appearing out of nowhere and ordering them to return the way they've come so far, and The Resistance members didn't look willing to retreat either.
"Do you even understand your own words? Have you thought of the consequences of us not taking part in that party?"
"Haha, what will happen at worst? The enraged emperor will look unfavorably upon you? Or will he attack your territory? Then, no worries, as we are here to cut their necks clean if they think of taking over our land."
"Tsk!"
Ripples formed on Barnett's lake-colored eyes as his brows knitted to a frown. These people wanted to purposely create a conflict with the empire by forcing them to go back, making the three convoys the target of hatred and rage. The huge size of their group and the odd combination must've been what drove these guys' attention over to them, creating an opportunity for them to act up.
"This is the last time I'm-"
"SHUT THAT TRAP, SHITHEAD!"
A fierce yell came from the distance, not only cutting the man's words midway through but although bringing shivers to The Resistance members and even the noblemen's backs. Followed by the galloping of a horse, the figure of a woman appeared in the distance, rushing towards them at high speed.
"Shit!" The man who had been confidently threatening the nobles took a step back and uttered in panic.
"The boss is here!"
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