Another Mage Steps In

"I've got no clue, but I think seeing the walls of her home triggered her true self to come out for a moment. And I saw some restraints on the Black Knight's neck so that FB might be controlling the poor Fallen Knight. But, whatever it is, I don't like it at all," I said, furrowing my eyebrows.

"It almost sounded like the Black Knight wanted to join our group but was forced not to because of Fabian," replied Tomoe.

"I'm willing to accept her help, but only if we've defeated Fabian. And she hinted that Merlin was the mastermind behind the rampage she went against King Arthur, a different recount from Mavislin's a few days ago. But, for now, let's focus on dealing with the Jörmungandr first."

"Lizzie! Are you alright?" yelled Bryan as we reached back to the group.

I instantly leaped from Tomoe's furry back into Bryan's open arms. Did I mention that Tomoe's fox form was more extensive than most docile animals? The Slayer quickly caught me and placed me down, earning a low growl from the Kitsune.

"You sure took your time in retrieving the girl, Tomoe. Does she not excite you anymore?" teased Raiyen, placing a hand on his hip.

"Shut up, Time Boy. We were up against one of the Five Ducklings, and we better get a move on before the rest comes. FB is on our tail, so we have to be on the move constantly from now on. We've barely got out of the situation alive after fighting the Black Knight."

"The exit shouldn't be far from here, and the Beast is heading to the Coast with increased speeds. Are you all ready to run again? Sorry, Duncan. We might be skipping breakfast," explained Tomoe, bending down.

"I could go for the next few days, but Bryan and Lizzie are other topics," replied Raiyen.

"Then how about Duncan? He's just a kid," I asked, looking at the boy.

It was only then that I realized Duncan wasn't looking like himself. The boy's hair had turned grey and grew out to be as long as his body. I swallowed a ball of saliva as he turned his neck to face me, revealing two bright green orbs and a crooked smile.

"Hello, you must be Lady Lizzie that fought against us. It's so nice to meet you. I am the Ankou, the spirit that dwells within Duncan's mind when his soul is taking a rest. But, for now, I am still your comrade, and I am slightly more powerful than little Duncan," introduced the boy.

My eyes widened as I took a step backward. The Ankou tilted his head to the side as I had a look of horror on my face. A flash of another image overlapped my vision as I looked into Ankou's bright eyes. Was it a part of my old memories?

"What's wrong? I did say that I'm your comrade, and I don't intend to hurt you... So why do you look at me as a monster?" asked the poor kid.

"Because I didn't expect you to surface when we were here. I'm looking at you because you reminded me of someone else I didn't expect to see in this world. I do apologize Ankou. But are you fine with using Duncan's body when he should be resting?" I asked.

The Ankou's shoulders went up and down as he giggled at my statement.

"There's no need to worry, Lady Lizzie. Duncan is still getting the sleep he needs, and his body is not the same as an average human. And because I have fully gained control, my skills as a Mage are amplified, and I don't need the Kitsune's help to travel," answered the Ankou.

"Well, if you say so..."

Before I could say anything else, the Beast's thunderous roar rang throughout the area. I nodded to everyone, and we continued running towards the exit. However, when we were nearing the opening, a Mage of a foreign entity stepped into our path from another way.

Crap... We don't have time to deal with another one... The Mage wore a substantial red cloak and a full-body armor suit of metal. As he turned to look at us, I was surprised he could move around in such an outfit since his whole stature seemed so small and frail.

His face was no older than 20 years old at best, and he sported long black hair with dark green eyes. With a look of an innocent boy and a friend's smile, Raiyen relaxed his shoulders and retracted his daggers before rushing up to the unfamiliar Mage.

"Out of all the Glorybringers... They sent you to help us?! Did you make Baldwin angry again? Or you failed the deadline again..." laughed Raiyen, ruffling the poor Knight's hair.