Encounter

Back to when the team of Cali demonstrates Biel's power.

Jude: "They spotted me, huh? Nice. Now I've got another reason to have fun. But first of all its time to leave."

Jude fled to a further part of the forest and met with the other Sacrifices.

Jude: "They spotted me and they gave me suspicious stares. Oh I wonder what should we do." He said in sarcastic tone.

Delilah: "Jude, if you seriously gonna give me anymore hard time I swear to god."

Jude raises an eyebrow: "Swear to which god exactly?"

Delilah: "Look, Im not joking around. Im literally gonna kill you if you dont stop it."

Jude: "You're really gonna go that far and give me a divine treatment? Do you love me that much?"

Delilah: "I've had enough. Come here you little shit."

Delilah chased him while he is trying to run away.

Saul: "The plan is simply to wait for night time when theres a few people out. To make sure that by eliminating the witnesses, we dont make even more of them. A back up plan is: If they left early, we are going to follow them in stealth and then kill them using poison darts in areas with least number of people as possible."

"Brother Jude, you should stop giving us trouble, we might manage to anger someone that we cant overpower."

Eba: "You're worrying too much, theres literally no one who can stop us except the Lord."

Saul: "I just hope you are right."

Eba: "We also got sister Massa, who is currently the most powerful in our group. Right, Massa?"

Massa: "As long as you keep your promise."

Saul: "We will grant it to you after this project. What we should be minding currently is doing the duty given by our Lord."

Massa: "Who is this lord anyway?"

Saul: "Please mind what you speak when it comes to the Lord. Anyway, no one knows how he look like or what is he. All we know is he is someone we cannot disobey."

Massa: "Did any of you tried to look at him up close?"

Jude: "You mean the one in the throne? Thats was his statue. We have no idea about the actual Lord. The statue we carve was only referenced from the books that described his appearance."

Massa: "A lord that you have no idea whether he is still alive or not is still haunting your minds just from his stories alone. So that is the reason you follow him? Is he really that scary?"

Delilah: "You wouldnt want to find out."

Saul: "Lets move or we might lose sight of them."

Back in the public training grounds.

Cali: "Just wait here and I'll get dummies for each of us."

Biel: "Let me go with you. You might need some help."

Cali: "I think so too. Lets hurry a bit, its getting dark."

The two of them left.

Mica: "Take care, you two."

Zen: "Good thing we got a teacher for your blade arts, and an expert one too." she said to Ceed.

Ceed: "Yeah, but there is something weird about his sword style. It closely resembles our family's Thorn Blade Style but theres some inaccurate parts.

Zen: "Like what?"

Ceed: "His stance, his legs and feet position to be exact, theyre so simple. The only thing that makes me think its our style is because of how he holds the sword beside his hip."

Zen: "What does that mean exactly?"

Ceed: "I dont even know, since not being in a prepared feet position would make you a little slower to attack. But such small things could lead to huge mistakes in a battle. Its pretty ineffective honestly."

Zen: "There should be more reason why he does that."

Ceed: "I have no idea why is it."

The three of them goes silent after that.

Zen: "Anyway, why did you suddenly want to join the tournament, Mica?"

Mica: "I just want to earn the money."

Zen: "Knowing you, Im pretty sure theres a good reason why you need money. Do you mind if I ask?"

Mica: "Its just to help my father with the financial problems. He's been working hard ever since I was a child."

Zen: "Called it, you are the kindest person I know afterall."

Mica: "Its not that. My father is just too kind and stubborn to accept help so I have to forcefully help him."

Zen: "I like how your humble, keep it like that."

Mica: "Thank you. But thats too much compliment already. It will be your fault if my ego grew bigger."

Zen: "As if!"

The two of them laughed together while Ceed is out of place and just looking away, trying not to get awkward even further.

While watching the scenery of the woods, Ceed sensed a group of people although without an exact head count. They were heading towards them very quickly.

Ceed: "Duck!" He shouted.

They all ducked while wondering what is happening.

In just a few moments, they already arrived.

Saul: "Lets make this quick. while theres only 3 of them."

Jude: "Thats no fun but, I cant complain."

Ceed: "Who are you and what do you need from us?"

Saul: "We are here to silence you witnesses."

Ceed: "Run! I will stall them."

Mica: "We're not leaving."

Eba appeared at their back while Massa and Delilah are on the other two sides, surrounding them completely.

Eba: "Who says you have a choice to runaway?"

Delilah: "Dont hold it against us, you people are just knew too much."

Ceed: "What?! We dont even know what is happening!"

Eba: "There is no point in lying, you all are dying here right now!"

Eba flings a poisoned dart towards Zen.

Mica halted the force of the dart mid-air then it fell to the ground.

Eba: "Oh? So you are a defender as well?"

Zen: "He is telling the truth! We knew nothing!"

Saul: "Jude, were you lying?"

Jude: "No, I swear they saw me. I wouldnt go as far as hinder our duty."

Saul: "Is this true? You know that our duty is not to be fooled around, you are already going against the Lord."

Jude: "Im telling you, Im not that crazy! Oh, I know! The person who saw me is not here. We should just hold these three as hostages while we wait for them to come back!"

Saul: "Fine. Though I would no longer be shocked if you are lying."

Eba: "If you try to resist we will kill you in an instant."

Ceed whispers: "Lets just wait for the two before we make our move."

The two nodded in understanding.

"To protect the people I love and those who are close to me, is also to cherish those who loves me back. Even if its to sacrifice my life, I will save them." -Ceed Rosace