Chapter 10: City of ruins Pt. 3

Gabriela and ori just watched as oza went head to head with arthur in his rage filled state.

"He's keeping up with arthur like it's nothing.."

"Yes but i must not miss the chance he gives me."

They both watched in ah at oza's amazing skill as a fighter. Oza was keeping up the best he could but with each passing second arthur's hits were getting heavier and harder to predict. In the blink of an eye oza was hit so hard he flew towards a wall leaving a dent as he slid down. Blood coming down his head covering half his vision.

"Oza you only have 1,500 hp left you must now be more cautious."

"how.. long.. dd we have.." he said in between pants as arthur let out another roar..

"About three minute survive till the he'll be at his strongest but when his mana is depleted he'll be at his weakest."

"Roger that.. Gabriela get ready!"

she nodded and once again oza stood face to face against arthur, he snarled at oza who smirked in response. Both parties charged at each other once again, oza managed to block arthur downward swing but he was being kept there and arthur was over powering him when another claw was about to hit him a spear flew directly at arthur giving oza an opportunity to escape.

"Oza it's almost done!"

Oza nodded and he saw arthur grow weaker as he panted and clutching his chest. Oza dashed towards him and jump over his attacks which were now slower. Oza made his way towards arthur's neck and getting him into a choke hold not releasing even though arthur repeatedly jump trying to get him off. Arthur stood still for a second trying to pry oza off.

"Now gab! Fire it now!"

Arthur had pried oza off and threw him towards a wall, luckily ori had managed to break his fall. Arthur was about to go on a berserk again but a powerful beam of light similar to his purple beam shot towards him.

In that instant the beam faded and divine invader which was now destroyed leaving only it's hilt.. The smoke cleared and their stood arthur with a hole in his stomach and he was back to normal. He was about to collapse but gabriela caught him just in time.. Oza assisted by ori made their way to the two as they were both on the ground.

"Arthur it's me! Gabriela please you're going to be alright!" gabriela tried healing him

oza and ori stood near them as they saw arthur in gabriela's embrace..

"I knew.. you'd come back." he said weakly.. "And you ori.. thank you.. for helping gabriela."

"It was my pleasure my liege." He bowed his head.. "And this man beside me is the one who pulled divine invader out of it's stone."

"And.. what may your name be..?"

"My name is oza shizaki, My king.. I did not want this to be our first meeting.."

"No.. it is truly an honor to meet the man who successfully pulled divine invader from it's resting place.. And please.. i am no king.."

"With all due respect, you are still a king sire. You may not have been a king that ruled a nation but you were a king nonetheless."

"Haha.. What have you two been telling this man.. it's very embarrassing." he chuckled softly as gabriela and ori started to feel emotional..

"We.. we only told him you were a great king sire."

"Yes.. a king of thieves.. and i will die because i tried stealing that very sword.." oza looked at the remains of divine invader and he asked..

"My king.. If i may, what caused you to become such a foul beast?"

"Haha.. a witch had cursed me saying 'You who tries to steal thy sword, will die by the very same sword in the hands of the one you most care about' And that was the last thing i remembered.. all i could do was watch as i killed the people who swore to serve under me, and i was powerless to stop. If only i had contained my greed then none of this would have ever happened.." oza was left speechless as he saw arthur grow weaker. Finally after a moment of silence oza spoke up..

"Sire, It is with a heavy heart that i must admit that your actions were wrong and cruel you betrayed your people and there is no reversing that.. but as your time as the king of thieves and not as the berserker, you were beloved by all. Not only did you do it for your people but you did it so they didn't have to. You carried that heavy burden and that alone makes you a true king.. And this is the truth sire.. all of your people knew that as well.. and if i had the chance.. i would have loved to serve under you as well my king." he said bowing down to arthur which only made him tearful but he had a smile on his face.

"Oza was it? Thank you.. if only we met in better circumstances.. we might have.. actually.. been good.. friends.. " arthur then lost all his strength and fell more into gabriela's embrace..

Arthur then used his remaining strength to murmur a few words only audible for him and gabriela...

"Gabriela.." The king tried looking at the latter's face as he struggled to get up..

"No, my king.. please stay as you ar-" gabriela's word were interrupted when arthur suddenly put his forehead against hers "I thought i'd lost you forever.." tears fell from gabriela's eyes as she noticed the king's breathing turning heavier..

"Who knew you would shed tears for me.. you little mischief.."

The moonlight shown through the castle ruins as the clouds dispersed giving the moonlight a beautiful glow as it illuminated the lass' features. The king's heart tightened as his vision was becoming blurry.. with all his remaining strength he reached for her face cupping her cheek with his hand. Arthur spoke with his weak yet peaceful voice..

"Your beauty never fails to amaze me.." arthur tried his best to give her a proper smile but all he could muster was small genuine smile. "I would give anything to see your beautiful smile again, even if it cost me my own.."

"You may not have known, my king, but even the smallest of your gestures made my heart throb a thousand times.." Gabriela tried her very best to not let her voice crack. On the other hand the king relished his time with the maiden embracing him. Enjoying the warmth she gave he dug his face deeper into her shoulder. Gabriela could feel all her pain swallowing her up as she rested her chin on the king's head..

Devastation weigne down on gabriela as she get arthur get heavier in her arms. The tears she fought so hard to stop were bursting out, Agonized by the sudden circumstances she tried her very best to smile for the king

"Rest now my king, and forever hold your peace. Be it today or the remaining time i have left, my heart and soul will forever stand with you. Take my sorrows and offer them to the heavens for i, your dearest, shall grasp every memory of us with only serenity."

And with those final words spoken from gabriela arthur had died with a smile on his face as ori and gabriela cried their eyes out. A few tears escaped oza's eyes as he saw the final moments of the king of thieves.. as oza and ori got on their knees to respect the king.. a notification popped up but oza ignored it for now. After a few minutes he stood up and so did the other two with broken hearts oza asked them.

"We should give him a proper send off worthy of a king."

They both nodded and oza carried the king's body and led the other two to a nearby cliff that shows a beautiful ocean.. He laid the kings body as he directed his attention towards ori..

"Ori do you have ice magic or any ice potions..?"

"I can wield a bit of ice magic, why?"

"I want you to freeze his body.."

"Alright, i'll get started.."

"Gabriela.. mind coming with me? We.. we should look for anything the king might have left."

gabriela nodded as she was still a bit emotional.. she held onto oza's cloak as he led the way back.. They were back in the throne room as oza was trying to find anything arthur might have left so that he can take it with him. Oza was losing all hope when he pushed the throne to see a hatch under it. He opened the hatch to see a pretty deep room.. he called out to gabriela and told her to follow him. After walking a few steps down what they saw were mountains of treasure..

"A king of thieves indeed.."

"Oza i really don't think we should touch these.." she looked down as oza stood in front of her..

"Arthur stole for his people.. if we were to give these to those who need it wouldn't that be what he wanted? Better than some bandits stealing his treasures."

"..I.. i guess you're right."

"It's okay, You can say your final goodbyes to him i'll meet you both at the cliff." she nodded and turned before she could leave oza called out to her one last time. "Be careful." she turned her head and smiled at oza and soon left..

"So king arthur would you happen to have anything you would want to take with you?" as if arthur heard oza a box fell from the mountain of treasure as he walked over to it and picked it up. He opened the box to see a beautiful ring. "You sly little.." a tear escaped oza's eyes.. "Okay sire i'll bring this."

Upon exiting the basement he saw the hilt of divine invader and grabbed it. He made his way back towards the cliff to see ori done and gabriela leaning up against a tree.

"Ori, mind freezing this one too?" oza handed him the small box

"Yeah sure.."

He froze the small box as he put it on the frozen body of arthur. Oza handed gabriela the hilt of divine invader as she took it and embraced it. Oza walked over to the king and got on one knee as he put his hand on the king's chest.

"Ashes to ashes, Dust to dust, Let thy body finally rest in peace, may you wondering soul be guided to a better life. This is goodbye.. king of thieves."

as oza used his magic to send currents through the king's frozen body after awhile the kings body had turned into ice particles as the wind seemingly carried the particles away into the vast ocean.. Oza turned around and left the other two to grieve in silence.. He leaned up against a tree and opened up his menu.

~~~

Congratulations! You have completed hybrid quest! (The journey to the castle ruins!)

Rewards:

-Berserker's Wrath!

-Story key!

Ding~

You gained 4 more levels!

~~~

Oza closed the pop up as he looked at the moon that was visible in the see of trees that surrounded the city of ruins. Ali appeared and laid her head on his shoulder as oza couldn't hold back the tears that overflowed his eyes. Ali then wrapped him in a hug while he cried..

"It's alright, You gave him clarity and you cleared his mind and gave him peace. It's hard i know but you helped and saved him at the same time, so dry your tears because he probably wouldn't want the man who defeated him crying over his death." oza wiped his eyes as he returned the hug, they separated and oza smiled..

"You're right.. I'll have to face more hard battles like this in the future.. and i probably will have to kill again.. but i'll do my best to become ready"

"I know you'll do better, now let's check on the other two."

"Yeah."

They smiled at each other as they both waited for ori and gabriela..