Villagers resistece

The clash of energy created an explosion, everyone stopped fighting and took their distance from the two cultivators. Dale was unperturbed as he smiled at Cyl.

Cyl on other hand was feeling a little tired, to stop the red aura of the thrust he spent way too much energy. Cyl looked back and noticed that Jeffrey was winning against Monark, while they were at the same cultivation level of the 2nd Foundation Estableshiment Jeffrey was using three Middle-level artifacts.

Even Dale was jealous of the young noble wealth, His and Cyl weapon were Middle-grade too but they didn't have any other artifacts besides that. Dale was getting tenser, if Cyl stalled him enough he would be surrounded and Jeffrey would eventually join the fight too.

The emotions in Dale face didn't go unnoticed by Cyl, who prepared himself for another exchange. Dale jumped again and performed the same attack, but this time his aura was stronger. " Let me end what I started ten years ago Cyl." Cyl dodged to the left, he had way more maneuver space now that the troops retreated further back.

Cyl decided the best way to fight Dale was to stay on the defensive and stall him. Dale thrust his spear dozens of times but it never connected. Dale cursed, he didn't know that Cyl was at this level.

-" Little Cyl, sure grew strong, it makes me regret not finishing you that day." Dale looked around and sighed, most of the bandits in his group were wounded, he felt like time was running out so he decided to go all out. He threw his spear towards Cyl and said. " I didn't want to use this, the price I pay to use this artifact is way too much, but thanks to your army coming here i will have sufficient sacrifices to restore my blood essence." A ring in Dale hand flashed and a blood-red spear appeared in his hand.

Joffrey looked at the spear and frowned, the aura from the weapon was terrifying, he wanted to tell Cyl to be careful but seeing the look in his face he knew that he didn't need to.

Dale held the spear and slashed his palm with the tip, when his blood dripped in the spear blade its aura grew even more. Cyl knew instantly that Dale cultivated his blood with one of the Heigong Blood spells.

Dale dashed towards Cyl, his new spear was shining even brighter, as he thrust his spear the aura in the tip materialized in a feather that flew straight at Cyl chest. Cyl cut the feather and faced Dale.

-" Blood Tornado." Dale twisted his body and swiped his spear. Cyl retread a few steps and slashed towards the tornado. His aura instantly dispersed when it reached the blood tornado.

From inside the tornado Dale thrust, his spear, and more feather flew towards Cyl that dodge them. Jeffrey was watching the fight from the corner of his eyes, he knew that Cyl was reaching his limit so he turned more aggressive towards Monark.

His sword was shining with blue light, each time he swung his sword stars flickered inside his aura. Monark was exhausted, he couldn't pierce Jeffrey artifacts and could only dodge.

When Monark dodge one of his swings and got too close to the wall of the cave Jeffrey dashed towards him with his shield.

-" Stary Deer Charge." Jeffrey shield was engulfed in blue light and Monark could only take the hit head-on.

As soon as the blue light reached Monark he felt his body burn, Monark flew like a kite straight into the wall. Jeffrey dashed towards him again and swung his sword but before it reached him, Monark rolled and dashed to the depts of the cave.

This stunned Dale, he couldn't believe that Monark would run away and leave him there, and as he feared as soon as Jeffrey saw Monark running away he didn't chase him but came to help Cyl.

At the final room of the cave where Luckas and his group were imprisoned the two guards were alerted by the sudden explosion earlier. " Jean why dont you check how the battle is going? Nicko was anxious not mutch time passed since the start of the battle and they didnt get any news.

-" Why don't you go?" Nicko was close to the door, he too was curious about the explosion. " You know Dale if he finds you roaming around when you are supposed to guard the cell he will get mad."

Jean thought for a moment and walked to the door. " Tsk, Leader must be busy, there is no way he is close by." He still could hear the sounds of battle. " Just wait here that I'm going to check how things are going."

Luckas and Jothyr watched Jean leave with a glimmer in their eyes. Luckas just finished opening the lock and they were preparing for storming out of the cell. Byrth who was behind them looked a lot better now, but his injuries were still visible.

As soon as Jean exited the room, Byrth pushed the door open and rushed to Nicko. everyone was caught in surprise and the villagers at Luckas cell rushed out too. Nicko was pale he couldn't understand how they opened the door. He cursed Jean for leaving but even if he was here they still couldn't fight against so many people at once.

Byrth quickly dispatched Jean. while he was injured, Nicko was a normal person. Byrth looked around the room and looked at the door. -" Should we go out?" he asked Jothyr.

-" Luckas could you open the other locks?" Jothyr asked after thinking for a few seconds. He didn't know how the battle was progressing so having more help would be better.

Luckas nodded and started to open the other cells. The villagers trapped inside them were euphoric and screamed at Luckas for help, this affected his concentration but after lockpicking the first one he was away faster.

Luckas lockpicked the second cell and started to work on the third when someone arrived in the room. Nicko who was immobilized in the center of the room screamed. "Hey Jean go get help, the villagers escaped –" Before he could finish Monark entered the room, His body had signs of burns all around it, but what shocked Nicko was that Monark was carrying Jean body.

Jean body was thin and anyone that could feel that all his life force was sucked, Nicko was angry and shouted at Monark. -" Fuck! what did you do to Jean? Did he deserve to die just because he left his post?".

Monark barely paid attention to Nicko scream and observed the room, the runes for the rituals were engraved in the cells, and now, three of them were empty. He looked at Luckas and smiled. -" Oh so you are the rat that opened them?". Monark instantly sent a red feather towards Luckas.

-" Luckas dodge." Byrth was the first to react and dashed towards Monark to stall.

Luckas felt a cold chill in his back and ducked. The feather flew above him and pierced one of the villagers who were pleading Luckas for help inside the cave. Blood spilled all over him.