Ascension Of The Villain

Theodore and Spencer were riding, unaware that Vyan had been lost to the mist. They called out to him occasionally, assuming he was just behind or ahead in the fog. It wasn't until they emerged from the mist into a clearing that they finally realized.

"Where is My Lord?" Spencer asked, his voice tinged with panic as he looked around frantically.

Theodore's face paled a little, his usual stoic expression cracking. "He was right behind us. When did we lose him?"

"We even heard him just a minute ago— oh, no, was the fog a mirror mist and My Lord diverted his way?" Spencer let out.

Theodore sucked in a breath and shouted, "Vyan!"

"My Lord Vyan! Your Grace! Master!"

As their shouts echoed through the trees, Theodore shot Spencer a flat look. "Do you think addressing him differently each time will make him hear you better?"

"Maybe…?" Spencer smiled sheepishly.

Theodore shook his head in exasperation. "We should go back the route we came from and look for the boy in the surrounding area."

"Yes, Sir, we—" Spencer paused in the middle of his sentence as his eyes fell on something.

"What is it?" Theodore arched an eyebrow.

Spencer let out a small chuckle of disbelief. "Oh, gosh, if we knew earlier that loud noises attracted these creatures, we should have started shouting earlier."

"What…" Theodore's eyes narrowed as he finally noticed the creature, standing on the branch of a tree. He stepped down his horse and calmly took in the Crimson Hornfiend, a nightmare given form.

The beast's muscles bulged beneath its crimson skin, and its horns gleamed menacingly in the daylight.

"Stay sharp, Spencer," Theodore commanded, his voice steady.

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He kept eye contact with the glowing yellow eyes of the beast because he knew as soon as he averted his gaze, it would attack. So, without a word, he drew his sword, its blade glinting with a cold, lethal promise.

Spencer, who was usually so light-hearted, adopted a fierce, focused expression. "You got it, sir." He unsheathed his own sword as well, the blade thin but deadly. "Time to turn this red beast a little redder."

Spencer stood on top of his horse and jumped at the Hornfiend, but right then, it moved with blinding speed. It appeared like a red blur in the clearing.

Dodging Spencer, it lunged at Theodore, who parried the blow with practiced ease.

However, the force of the attack pushed him back a step, but he held his ground. His Aura flared to life, a shimmering blue energy that bolstered his strength and reflexes.

Spencer darted to the side, using the creature's momentum to his advantage. He struck at its flank, his sword slashing with deadly precision.

The Hornfiend roared in pain, its blood seeping from the wound. Enraged, it whirled to face Spencer, but the vice-commander was already gone.

The beast might take pride in its speed, but Spencer was no less. Even without Aura, he was a warrior known to be faster than the wind.

Theodore seized the opportunity, launching a powerful strike at the monster's exposed back. His sword cut deep, eliciting another howl from the beast. Before it could claw back, Theodore flash-stepped, thanks to his Aura lending him an almost ethereal speed.

"Keep moving! Don't let it pin you down!" he barked.

Spencer grinned. "I wouldn't dream of it, Sir!" He weaved in and out of the Hornfiend's reach by jumping from one place to another, his movements a blur.

Each slash and stab of his sword added to the monster's growing list of injuries.

"Sir, let's wrap this up soon! We have to find My Lord before he runs into something worse!" Spencer hollered.

"Alright. Let's end it then."

———

Little did the two of them know that Vyan was already facing off against what they feared.

A Talonraith.

Its massive wings blotted out the sky, casting an eerie shadow over Vyan. The creature's eyes that looked like burning coals were fixed on Vyan and his horse with a predatory intensity. Its razor-sharp talons glinted menacingly, as if it couldn't wait to tear apart Vyan's beloved horse limb by limb.

"As delightful as an abomination as you are, I am sorry but you can't have Adam," Vyan's voice dripped with sarcasm as he conjured a fireball in his palm, the flames licking eagerly at the air.

His eyes narrowed sharply as he spat out, "So, stop eyeing him, you ugly bat."

The Talonraith screeched in response.

"Oof, you are so loud." Vyan calmly jumped off Adam and covered him with an invisible veil.

At the horse's sudden disappearance, Talonraith retaliated with a stronger wave of scream that pierced through Vyan's eardrums and made his consciousness swim in and out.

"Oh, for Heaven's sake, shut up!" Vyan shouted in irritation. Already the dark energy emanating from the monster was making his chest throb, and now this!

Without warning, it lunged, its talons slicing through the air where Vyan had stood moments before. He rolled to the side, hurling the fireball at the beast's wing.

Flames erupted on its wing, but the Talonraith barely flinched. Since its scales were rock-hard, to make it more painful, Vyan increased the heat of his flames, this time making affecting its membrane.

"Didn't like that, did you?" Vyan taunted, summoning more blue flames. If he could scorch the entire thing at once, it would be over in a snap of finger.

But the dark energy radiating from the creature was oppressive suddenly made it harder for him to breathe, his chest tightening with each inhalation.

The Talonraith shot him with a powerful swipe of its wing, sending a gust of wind that knocked Vyan off his feet. He hit the ground hard, the fire in his hand flickering out.

Gritting his teeth, he struggled to his feet, the dark energy seeping into his mind, clouding his thoughts. Every breath a battle against the crushing darkness.

This should be easy… why can't I… argh!

Through his blurry vision, he saw the Talonraith fly towards with its sharp talons, but he had no strength. His body wouldn't move. The dark energy kept him pinned to the ground.

Move, Vyan, move!