The flas brushing his skin were hot. No, scorching, searing the surface of his skin at every dodge, at every ti the blade passed his eyes. Then Ordan evaded his arrows, and his sword clashed against the body of his bow, scraping shards of it. Moulin feels the extraordinary weight and uses all his might to push the man off. It worked. However, Ordan cos again in monts, almost burning the youth's face.
The fight lasted longer than Moulin thought. There was never ant to be genuine pain brought into the battle. Both of them were aware of the limits.
Moulin believed in his strength—more than before. But facing a seasoned warrior who possessed more power, more pure strength, and flawless in every physical aspect, he felt the loss slowly engulfing him. And now it shattered the locked emotions he had kept safe inside. And no damn mantra was going to fix it.
Crack!
The flaming sword slashed and shattered the tiled ground when Moulin escaped its mark. The youth imdiately rained arrows during the brief mont the sword was stuck. Ordan's body was blurred in re seconds, successfully evading every arrow and abandoning his sword.
Moulin's eyes widened when a red gaze closed inches before his own. Their noses were almost touching. Ordan's eyes were calm as a storm, calm as his fists were flaming and a breath away from Moulin's stomach. He was a ferocious fire, vibrant and dangerous.
With gritted teeth, the youth maneuvered his bow to et the punch, redirecting the strength to his hands. Ordan's eyes widened slightly.
Crunch!
Crystal shattered, sending shards into the air. With no ti to think, Moulin swiftly slamd a palm to Ordan's chest. The hit connected, and the reserved mana burst, imdiately attacking the man's flesh. Moulin froze when he realized his actions.
"Agh!" Ordan groaned.
The sound imdiately snapped Moulin from his trance, but before he could pull away, Ordan's burning fingers wrapped around his wrists, scorching his skin. The pain made Moulin gasp. Searing pain struck his muscles.
Both pulled away, heaving. Their minds are filled with the damage they have caused to each other.
As though a bucket of cold water had doused him, Ordan was the first to speak. "Forgive , I did not an..."
He spoke as he approached hesitantly, not caring as the ice almost started to shatter his flesh. The youth imdiately gestured for him to stop moving.
While holding his burned wrist, Moulin spoke. "No, the fault was mine. I... I apologize..."
Ordan still did not look at ease.
Every sense of anger disintegrated instantly, replaced with guilt. He really didn't an to bring any sort of pain. Gods, why was he acting like a child? Moreover, he wondered about the guilty expression Ordan was wearing.
Weren't obtaining injuries typical in sparring? Why did he look as though soone had died?
"Have you finished?" Na'El approached with his hands behind his back as though he had finished strolling the entire garden. Noticing their regretful expressions, he smiled faintly before waving a hand.
Moulin and Ordan felt a soothing energy wash over their limbs, eliminating any pain and healing their injuries. Releasing a relieved sigh, Moulin massaged the skin around his wrist. Fire-wielding seed complicated, but it does do well in tornting opponents with direct, unimaginable pain.
For the second ti, Ordan asked how he was.
"I'm fine..." Moulin responded, showing his wrist. "It was nothing..."
Ordan remained concerned while Moulin cast him a curious glance. Realizing that the two had enough of causing trouble, Na'El gently chased off Ordan and began Moulin's mind forge training. The session turned out more smoothly than he thought, producing so ideas in the elf's mind. Moulin hurriedly escaped to his study before Na'El could suggest them, leaving the oracle shrugging.
"Ao?" Snow nuzzled his snout against Moulin's calves, craving his master's attention.
However, Moulin was preoccupied with modifying the frost shard's enchantnt. He mumbled with focused eyes, fingers waving magical runes. "Not now, Snow. I promise I'll take you for a walk once I'm finished."
Snow huffed before curling himself beside Moulin's bare feet. A few minutes passed, and the little beast's eyes sleepily began closing.
Poof!
Snow jumped at the sound. Ears up and nose sniffing, he narrowed his beady eyes towards Moulin, whose movents had stopped.
One could see a glowing crystal plate glistening within the reflection of the youth's silver eyes. The frost shard levitated between Moulin's hands, and the youth waited, stretching his aura to assess the new formation he wove within the relic. As minutes passed, there was no hint of wavering mana or staggering energy fluxes. Blood rushed excitedly in Moulin's veins.
"Ao?" Snow had jumped on Moulin's lap, tilting his head as he observed the strange floating thing on the desk.
Moulin snatched the relic in the air and carried Snow in one arm as he jumbled through his desk drawers until he found the relic chest. Snow watched confusingly as his master opened the chest and took out the other two relics. He laid them out on the desk before putting Snow on the cushion on top of a stack of books. The little beast's tail wagged innocently, trying to copy his master's enthusiasm.
Moulin didn't know how many would join the expedition to the north but would try to make as many relics as possible. He tried the cloning spell, but he refused the thod because it lessened the efficacy of the relic and modified the formation. Also, he wasn't powerful enough to clone the runic formation yet. Rolling up his sleeves, Moulin got to work with determined eyes.
.....
A few days passed, and Ordan silently made his way up to Moulin's bedroom, carrying the youth's lunch. While walking down the hallway, he wondered what the youth had been busying himself with these days. He rarely left his room except when he went out to train with the elven oracle and attend his sessions with Lady Celeste. His brows furrowed. Perhaps the pain he had caused relapsed?
When he arrived, he knocked on the door. He heard a faint shuffling noise before it stopped, replaced by the youth's voice. Slightly suspicious, Ordan opened the door and entered. "Is everything alright?"
Moulin had his back to the man while he was busy tying a string around a hefty bag. "Why wouldn't it be?"
"I heard..." Ordan glanced around the room while approaching the youth unhurriedly. He must've been hearing things. "Nothing. I brought you-"
Snap!
A bright magic circle activated beneath his feet, and a mana surge engulfed his body before he could think.
Moulin heard a heavy thud, which told him the trap had been successful. He finished stringing the bag, took a long cloak, and turned around.
Ordan's body was face-down on the floor. The man's nose was a bit red while cool energy floated from his body. The youth crouched, sighing. "Sorry."
With that, he searched through Ordan's clothes until he found a tiny button-sized port key on his inner breast pocket.
'This must be the way out.' Moulin thought with a bit of excitent. 'It's been so long since I've gone outside. But if anyone recognizes , I'm done for.'
He'll need to be more careful. Moulin checks his clothes, his things, and the fake aura he has left in the room so his ntors would think he's never left his bedroom.
Before activating the crystal, a faint, pitiful sound caught his attention.
"Ao?" Snow blinked his round eyes while he sat on Ordan's body.
"I'll be back before anyone notices." Snow didn't look convinced. "I'll bring so treats."
The fluffy tail began wagging, and Snow yipped excitedly, pawing on Ordan's back.
"Yes, watch him."
With a shift in the air, Moulin's body disappeared. Seconds passed, and the little beast's ears slowly fell; he whined before venting his anger on the 'pillow' beneath him.
Whoosh!
Wind t Moulin's face as he felt his surroundings warm up. He found himself in a silent hallway he didn't recognize.
"Where am I?"
With furrowed brows, he wrapped his cloak around himself closer. Realizing that he didn't have the chance to familiarize himself with Falowright's floorplan, he was stumped. However, the pace was once the Leonile Manor, so how difficult could it be?
Moulin was about to walk when he heard voices. Quickly hiding behind a thick column, he suppressed his aura while listening as two won passed him.
"Will you be joining the worship tonight? I heard so of the Silver Scepter would be attending." The maidservant giggled in a high-pitched tone.
"How could I not? I heard they would embark on their first expedition tomorrow morning. Let's pray the Child God bless them."
Moulin's heart pounded. Tomorrow? It's sooner than he thought.
"Oh, that's nothing to fear. The Lynari has guided the Mage Wing and has made wondrous progress. Their aura differs greatly from the Sentinel barracks."
"I agree. But with the recent news, it's quite understandable... but honestly, why do we have to go back there again?"
"The western courtyard requires cleaning, and Marie broke her leg while climbing the roof to chase off the rats."
While the two continued talking, Moulin silently enchanted himself with an invisibility spell before following them. The journey was long, and he was almost caught when a patrol mage paused, searching the air with his aura. Luckily, Moulin escaped and arrived with the maids at the barrack entrance.
They were right. The barracks seed quite depressed. He wondered what the news was to make the soldiers look this serious and gloomy.
Warily trading the path behind the won, Moulin shook his thoughts away. He must find Hadrian first and confront him.
"You ladies here again?" One of the sentinels welcod them, leading them inside the courtyard. Moulin followed.
"Aye, couldn't wait to be back." One of the won sighed.
Suddenly, soone exited the building, making the sentinels salute and the maids stiffen. Moulin's eyes widened as he watched Ghana, donned in sparring clothes, followed by a group of soldiers heading towards the exit of the building. She looked more serious than usual, possessing an intimidating aura. With her strong gait and posture, the soldiers looked dwarfed behind her.
Moulin decided to follow her. Perhaps she could lead her to where Hadrian was. Their bond was strangely silent, making him anxious and suspicious.
Unfortunately, Ghana did not lead her to where he was expecting. She dismissed the soldiers before going off on her own to a secluded sparring stage at the edge of the barracks. Moulin began sensing sothing was off.
Ghana suddenly turned, sword drawn and eyes nacing, lunging towards where Moulin stood. Shocked, Moulin found himself evading her attack, leaping several feet behind. His heart pounded.
How did she know I was here?!
"Show yourself..." Ghana straightened her back—her expression, unnervingly calm.
Moulin did not intend to reveal himself just yet. However, knowing Ghana's persistence and cautiousness, she'll likely hunt him down and report to the higher-ups. This would take too much ti, and his ntors would likely already notice his absence.
With a sigh, Moulin removed the enchantnt.
The mont Ghana sensed the shift of magic, she beca guarded, eyes squinting to see the person revealing themselves. Her eyes widened, when she caught the familiar head of silver and that lithe body.
"M-Moulin?!"
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