Chapter 83 - Free The Soldiers Of Aeros

"What we want?" Vasco asked before grinning altogether.

Diana, who was firmly holding a sword against Christopher, wondered the same. It baffled her for a long time what the Oscorians wanted with him. Nevertheless, she did not care. Not anymore.

Still, her eyes remained curious that it never left Christopher.

Vasco looked at the struggling young master of Aeros and added, "We want the force that is inside of you!"

'Force? What force?' Diana asked herself with a frown.

Christopher was in utter shock. He wondered, 'What do they want with it?' He looked up with difficulty and said, "I - I don't even know how to get it out!"

"If you willingly hand it over to us, we will let you and your men go," Vasco lied in trying to convince Christopher they would live after getting what they want.

Vasco had no intention of letting Christopher leave. He meant to dispose of everyone as soon as he got what he wanted.

"What is this?! Set them free?" demanded Diana. "That is not what we agreed on! You said we would - "

"Shut up woman!" Warning Vasco, raising his blade against her. "I will give you the terms of our agreement in the way Oscoria wants!"

Vasco walked closer to Amanda and toned down his voice to say, "I need to get what I want first."

It became clear to Christopher that Plethora and Oscoria had a prior understanding. Whatever it was, they meant not to free his men, at least in his perspective. He determined, if he gave them what they wanted, he and his men would suffer death.

"Let my men go first! If - if all of them are set free, then I will give you what you want!" Announced Christopher.

"No! If you give us what we want, we will let your men go!" Vasco countered, shouting at the top of his lungs.

Meanwhile, seeing their adversaries distracted from listening to Vasco, Kyle stormed at a group, striking against an Oscorian with his blade and kicking at the Plethoran foe. He managed to free one more of his comrade, taking him up in the air.

Kyle's actions angered Vasco that he ordered one of his men, "Kill all remaining men of Aeros!"

"No! No! I will give you what you want! Please! Stop!" Demanded Christopher. He struggled so hard to get free, nearly getting himself hurt again with Diana's blade.

If not for Vasco's countering Diana's sword Christopher would have already been struck in the back.

Looking back at Christopher, Vasco demanded again, "Again, young master of Aeros. You are not at liberty to negotiate! Give me what we want first and we will set you and your men free!"

"Do you - do you really think I - I would believe that lie?! You will kill all my men when you get the chance - "

"Ahhhh!"

Christopher's words were cut off with groans of pain, coming from a red-skinned brute, furthest to the right of where they stood. Cries of anguish quickly followed from a Plethoran that stood next to the Oscorian.

From a distance, the Oscorians did not see who it was that struck their own but they saw how the Aeros' soldier slid down from the rock formation. It was because the puzzle wood forest had a maze-like rock formation that the attacker was not in their line of sight.

Above the skies, Kyle and the rest of the flying soldiers saw how Razul had pulled back their wounded colleague into safety while Amanda and Khalil hid beneath the rock formation, walking towards their next target.

They were strengthened by the arrival of Razul and Khalil. While seeing Amanda was not what they had hoped for, they were thankful for additional help, regardless.

The soldiers of Aeros, flying above, returned to charge again, hoping to free another one of their own.

Khalil and Amanda did the same, striking from below and securing another injured soldier. Simultaneously, Kyle tried to strike at Vasco, swinging his sword.

From across the puzzle wood forest, clashing sounds of swords could be evidently heard. More fighting, piercing against the flesh, and cries of pain, all from different camps, but most especially from Aeros and Plethora's side.

Vasco's troops were only cut down by four. They were stronger than ever now with the collaboration of Plethora. Regardless of Kyle and the efforts of Christopher's men, they were still greatly outnumbered. Worst, many of the soldiers of Aeros were cornered or being held up with a sword.

When Vasco's patience ran out, he screamed, "Men! Kill all of Aeros' soldiers! Now!"

With Vasco's threat, Kyle and the rest of the flying men pulled back, merely taking their wounded into safety.

"No! No! Stop! Stop!" It was Amanda who raised her hands. She hid her golden sword, climbing up to an elevated rock, panting. "Take me! Take me! He will give you whatever you want if it's me,"

"No! Amanda! What are you doing here?" Even if he could not see her, Christopher heard her voice. Panic struck him that he vigorously rolled his body, hoping to be free from the red-skinned creature, pinning him down to the ground.

"Go back, Amanda! Go back! Khalil! Take her!" Christopher directed his best friend.

It was because Amanda had earlier seen how many of Aeros' men were left immobilized that she offered herself. She could not bear to see another one of Christopher's men die.

She determined she would figure out another way to save herself and Christopher.

Base on Christopher's reaction, Vasco realized that his words were true. Moreover, Diana announced, "Yes! She is important to Christopher! Take her instead!"

Diana was eager to get close with Amanda, hoping to put an end to the woman who stole Christopher from her. She repeated herself to Vasco, "Take her! Christopher will give you anything you ask for!"

"Take her!" Ordered Vasco.

However, as Vasco's men approached Amanda, she took several steps back. She said, "I will fly away with the rest of them if you do not release the soldiers of Aeros! Release them now!"

Khalil and Razul suddenly appeared behind her, ready to take her elsewhere.

Meanwhile, while all of this was happening, Christopher gave a relentless order to take Amanda away. He kept committing to Vasco that he would give him what he wanted, but Vasco assumed - he concluded Christopher could easily fail on his promise.

Christopher would give up anything for Amanda, but while he was truly willing to give in to Oscorian's request, Vasco did not know this. He did not know that Christopher thought the force inside him was evil.

Against his will, Vasco opted to secure first what they have been seeking for a long time. He ordered his men and the Plethoran arms, "Free the soldiers of Aeros!"

"What?! No! Listen to me! You can't do this - Urrggghhhh! "

Diana's words were cut off by Vasco's hand on her throat. He said, "I do not heed to you! Oscoria never bows to any other nation!"

She was practically chocking against Vasco's hand, Diana's feet above the ground. With eyes widened and nose flared, Vasco reminded her, "You do not! Give me orders!"