Uruk Versus Kael

Amidst the neverending screams and grinding of iron outside the northern gate of the capital of Kruule, the thunderous footfalls of Lyrica and Aran's horse resonated around them, making their presence known to the forces of Reilaea and Kruule alike.

"T-The Prinsepe and Lady Lyrica has arrived!"

"They're here!"

Roar!!

The Malayas' motivated war cry shook the forces of Kruule.

"We're going straight for the capital!"

Right as Aran said that, a group of five knights charged right at them. Aran tried to pull out his sword, only for Lyrica to lightly tap on his shoulder.

"Don't you dare stop!"

Right then, Lyrica left the back of the horse and sprinted at the soldiers of Kruule in front of them.

"She's...!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Lyrica's fist had a couple of the knight's teeth shot out of his mouth along with his blood. The other four charged furiously at her all at once. In response to their advance, the girl uttered:

"20dB..."

Lyrica created a fire sphere with a snap of her fingers, and then...

"...Willow Flame!"

The sphere released a raging fire that sent the Kruule knights flying as their exposed skin suffered burn marks. After that, Lyrica followed Aran and the horse who ran past her and jumped on its back.

The other enemy knights were dealt with by the Malayas who intercepted them with incredible coordination. Right as the two were closing in on the northern gate that was already opened, Lyrica and Aran heard a voice calling for Aran on their right.

"Prinsepe Aran!"

"Nina?"

Seeing Nina seemingly exhausted, especially when she was outside the capital made Aran feel worried. After all, Nina was supposed to be with Kael and the others as they push through the capital to the royale castle on top of the plateau.

"Kael... Where's Kael and the others? Why are you here?" Aran worriedly asked.

"I had to get Karen out of the battlefield after exhausting herself using Mana Burst," Nina answered calmly. "I already had Irelda and Onstad send more people in the capital to help them push further in. I'm also about to join them as well."

"No, you should stay here and help the others," Lyrica interjected after taking a glance from the Malayas who are in the process of taking the enemy soldiers they had captured somewhere. "Wherever it is they're taking them, I'm assuming it has to be a place where there's only one entry and exit."

Nina nodded in reply as she added that the knights of Kruule they captured are currently being detained in a cave Irelda and Onstad found not long ago.

"Smart," Lyrica remarked. "If this Irelda and Onstad guy has already sent people in the capital, then there's no need for you to go back in anymore."

"Right. Just help Onstad and Irelda take care of the captives, leave the rest to us."

The horse neighed before it started stomping its horse feet once more in haste. Watching, the two slowly disappeared into the distance inside the capital, Nina placed her right hand onto her left chest and shouted:

"Masusunod!"

...

"Hate Impulse."

"...!"

A surge of dark energy stopped Kael and his rapier from reaching Uruk.

"What are you doing, that's not how you start a conversation with someone, you know?"

The surge proved powerful enough to send Kael back from the Hari of Kruule.

"A child should take after their parents."

Ignoring Uruk's words and keeping his mind upon a single goal, Kael dashed and thrust his rapier forward.

"Just like you, your parents are both pure."

While the Malaya is seemingly trying his best to land even a single thrust at the Hari, Uruk was having a good time while easily avoiding each of his thrusts.

"They both loved each other and you, there was not even a speck of hatred etched in their hearts so I couldn't take over them."

The one time Kael's rapier missed its target like the rest, he found himself in the range of Uruk's fist.

"Well, not until I killed your mother in front of your stupid weak father at least."

Right as he said that, Uruk's fist struck Kael hard in the face.

"Urg...!"

Fortunately, he was able to lean his head back, thus Kael was able to minimize the damage dealt with him. Kael then used his left foot to stop himself from being dragged by the force of Uruk's punch. In that instant, the same left foot of his fell flat on the surface, and then...

Crackle-crackle... Zap!

Kael threw himself with a forward thrust. Still, despite that sudden and quick lunge, Uruk was able to see his attack and avoid it.

"Don't you feel your hatred boiling inside you now, just like your father back then?"

A wave of black fire blasted out of Uruk's right hand. Kael tumbled to the side before throwing his rapier straight at Uruk. The Hari of Kruule singlehandedly caught the tip of the rapier between his index finger and thumb, but the instant Uruk averted his attention from Kael, the Malaya appeared in front of the Hari, and to Uruk's surprise, Kael grasped the tail of the rapier.

"Chain Lightning!"

From within Kael's body, an electric current traveled toward the rapier's tip. In an immediate response, Uruk released the tip before letting an outburst of dark energy pushing the knight back.

"Hate Impulse."

"Urg...!"

Though his footing had faltered, Kael was able to grab a hold on the grassy surface and kept himself from being blown away until the pressure disappeared.

Kael helped himself get back on two feet.

"Now I see why you're not using that ability of yours until now..."

Uruk remained silent, albeit he knew what Kael was talking about. It was the black fire the Anino created that entered his father, a scene that traumatized Kael in his childhood.

"It appears that whatever it is that spark of dark flame was, whether it's a curse just like you inflicted on everyone in Kruule, or a way for you to possess someone, or both, you can only use it once you meet two conditions."

One of the two is the target's hatred. Though it was just Kael's guess, he believed that even just a speck of hatred buried within one's heart is enough to find one vulnerable with the Anino's ability. But that's not all. The second condition is that the Anino is required to be bounded to its target's hatred before it can do anything to the bounded target. And it can do that by putting that spark of dark flame into its target's heart, just like what it did to Kael's father thirteen years ago.

"The fact that you weren't using that ability means that you failed to meet those conditions on me. After all, just like what you said earlier, I am pure." Kael stated calmly. "And the fact that you tried to spark hatred in my heart by reminding me of my parents whom you killed solidifies my guess."

Uruk scoffed at Kael. "I guess congratulations on figuring out how my ability work is in order." He added, "You're right, my Spark is a curse that allows me to keep the people of Kruule wrapped under my fingers, while also allowing myself to possess them and even feed on their hatred. Now, what are you going to do, Kael? Not even the people I cursed knew about it, but I've been feeding on their hatred as we speak."

Right. His strength is increasing slowly by the second.

"I don't need to use my Spark to win against a single weak human like you!"

"I don't need to win this battle," Kael replied. "Lady Lyrica and Prinsepe Aran are making their way here as we speak."

Hearing the name of Lyrica wasn't much of a surprise to Uruk. But when Kael mentioned it...

"Similarly, the Blue Rose and her party, the adventurers that defeated you and reduced you to your current state, are also heading here."

"Blue Rose... You say...!"

Veins started popping off around the furious complexion on Uruk's face.

"Again, I don't need to win this battle, for my only purpose is to make way for Lady Lyrica and Prinsepe Aran atop this plateau."

While this is happening, Aran and Lyrica had already met up with Kalasag and the others who were slowly getting closer and closer to the foot of the plateau.

"But after realizing that your Spark cannot work on me, although it may seem unbecoming of me..."

From his pauldrons, breastplate, and everything else, Kael proceeded to release his armor. Right then, Kael began spreading his legs and pointed the tip of his rapier at Uruk with his right hand as he began releasing a strong electric current all around his body and his rapier.

"...I thought I should be greedy and defeat you myself."

"What? Defeat me yourself?"

Ever since Kael mentioned Blue Rose, Uruk had been on the edge of fury. But it did not matter to him. If anything, Kael found it as an opening to finally make his move.

"Lightning Flash..."

"...!"

Similar to the knight who confronted Kael alone, a flash of light blurred Uruk's vision. And before he realized it...

"Guhk!"

Blood began gushing violently from Uruk's lower left abdomen.

"...The First Strike!"