Chapter 144: Black Amber

Chapter 144: Black Amber

Rhian, get Stryg and the Mora girl out of here. Maximus, youre with me, Loh shifted her feet and entered her battle stance.

Understood, Mistress, Maximus gripped his ax tight and glared at the two dozen valley warriors.

Master, wait, what are you doing?! Stryg asked in panic.

The two strange warriors had said they were high-master magi, the same rank as Loh. She was at a complete disadvantage. They all needed to run away. Stryg tried squirming out of Rhians embrace, but he could barely feel his limbs, let alone move them.

You heard Loh, we need to get you out here. Theres no time to waste, Rhian threw Stryg behind her and unto the saddle.

Rhian ignored his futile struggling and strapped his legs tightly on the saddle. She then kneeled next to Maeve and motioned her to hop on.

Maeve looked around, fear and confusion crawling all over her face. She hadnt dreamed of any of this. What was happening?

My siblings, theyre still here. They might be in danger, Maeve mumbled.

Sorry, Miss, but Im here for Stryg. We are leaving with or without you. Are you getting on or not? Rhian stared at her with hard steel-grey eyes.

I Maeve opened her mouth, but the words did not come out.

She nodded glumly and got behind Stryg on the saddle. The goblin was lurching to one side, she wrapped her arms around his chest and pulled him upright.

And where do you all think you might be going? The elf, Kyriil, stretched his arms.This chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com

Funny you should ask, Loh narrowed her eyes.

Kyriil thrusted his palms forward, white mana condensed in his hands, the bright spell flared to life, light bursted in a wave of magic. Lohs arms swiped to her sides, a dome of shadows wrapped around her group. The ardent light tore away at the dome, cutting the darkness into ribbons.

Kyriil smiled, his bright spell had overwhelmed the shadow spell. He frowned as his light spell faded away, the dark elf and her friends were unharmed.

Theres no doubt about it, the dark elf is a high-master mage, the axlean, Grim, muttered to his elf comrade.

I never did like dark elves. As if they were somehow related to elves, Were nothing alike, Kyriil sneered.

Well subdue her quickly, Grim stepped forward.

Rhian, this is the 1st floor. Jump, now. Loh kept her eyes on the enemy, yet she pointed to the large glass panels behind her.

Rhian nodded in understanding. She hurled her spear at the window, the steel-head shattered the glass and flew to the courtyard outside.

Maximus, you deal with the warriors, Ill deal with the magi, Loh said sharply.

Gladly! Maximus charged the valley raiders without hesitation.

Master, we need to run! Stryg yelled weakly.

Loh smiled sadly at her apprentice, Keep him safe, Rhian.

Loh ran at the two enemy magi.

Stryg watched Lohs back disappear into the fray as Rhian jumped through the window. He felt as if the world slowed down as Rhian vaulted, the stone window-sill came up past his vision and cut off his sight of the battle. Rhian landed on the courtyard with a crack of thunder. She pushed off the cobblestone and sprinted onwards.

Maximus dived at the valley raiders with a fury of a dozen men. He swung his large ax in a wide arc, slicing two raiders in half. The others ducked under the attack, one threw her spear at the centaur, grazing his chest, tearing the skin in a splatter of blood.

Maximus grimaced, his lack of armor had made this far more difficult. He roared in anger and kicked the raider in the face, smashing her head into a pulp.

Water appeared and condensed around Grims arm and froze into two feet long razor-sharp needles. With a flick of Grims wrist, the frost needles shot forth with a screech of wind. Loh snapped her hand out, a roaring vortex of flame blasted out and evaporated the frost needles before they reached the exposed Maximus.

Loh twisted her lips, the tall axlean mage was willing to attack his own men if it meant killing Maximus and her.

Kyriil cupped his hands together, a blazing orb of light grew in between his hands. A laser materialized from the orb and zipped out, burning a hole into the marble floor. Kyriil shifted his hands above the orb and angled the direction of the laser. The bright beam seared the floors and marble pillars and went straight at Loh.

6 years ago

Loh fell to her knees. She could barely feel her legs, her lungs burned, and her arms felt like stone. She could taste fresh blood on her tongue.

Get up, Elzri Noir said coldly.

I can hardly breathe, Loh gasped.

Do you think that changes anything? Do you think your enemy will wait for you to catch your breath? Elzri walked around her.

He flicked his finger, a gust of wind blasted her away. She bounced painfully on the stone floor several times before a tree painfully stopped her momentum.

She coughed up blood and lay still. Elzri walked up to her. She tried standing, she couldnt even manage to sit up.

Youre weak, Loh. I taught you better than this.

I dont understand. Why are you doing this? She looked up at him with one eye, the other had closed up from the swelling.

Because you need to learn.

Learn what? That you are stronger than me? That I cant beat you? Loh cried.

No, you already know that. The simple truth is you cant defeat a mage more powerful than you. Thats the way the world is. Elzri crouched down, The question is, what are you going to do when you find yourself in the same situation out there in the real world, not in a training courtyard.

Die?

Elzri slapped her, Dont you ever say that again. You are a Noir and my heir. Act like it.

Loh spat out a glob of blood and spit. She took a moment to try and think of his question. ...Fight harder?

No. Fight smarter. Survival is most important, Loh. You must survive, no matter how powerful your opponent may be. Your goal is to live. Thats how you win, not by defeating your opponent, but by surviving to fight another day. Do whatever it takes.

Loh bit her lip, But what if I cant? What if my opponent is so powerful that no matter what strategies I use, I cant defeat them or escape? I mean, look at you. Theres no way Id be able to get away from an archmage.

You would be surprised. There are ways to survive even against an archmage. Granted, most of them require great power and tenacity, but I believe you will be able to achieve such feats someday.

And what if I cant?

Elzri gripped her wrist and pointed at her silver bracelet, You see this? Its the same as the one I wear. It represents the sacred bond between master and apprentice. And that means I believe in you. You are my pride and legacy, Loh. So long as you have the desire to live another day and are willing to push yourself to the point of sacrifice, then no matter who you face, you will win.

~~~

You were wrong, grandfather, Loh thought as she watched the titanic water serpent crash down on her. I dont care to live another day

Loh felt orange mana flood through her arteries, filling her entire body with power. Her veins darkened to a pitch-black as the agility spell took hold. Her body disappeared from sight, the water serpent crashed down on an empty floor.

Kyriils head shot up. Loh hung high above them, her shadow formed tendrils that gripped onto the ceiling.

She had quickly multi-casted the shadow tendril spell to latch on to the ceiling after her jump. The familiar shadow spell had been easy enough. However, she could already feel the backlash of her other spell. Her muscles screamed in pain and her blood felt like it was boiling, her body was breaking down. The blood vessels in her eyes popped, tears of blood ran down her cheeks.

Loh took a deep shaky breath, so long as she could kill Marek and his damn magi, she didn't care what she sacrificed. Arch-mage agility spell, Black Amber.

Up there! Kyriil pointed at the ceiling.

Grim threw his hands upwards, the water serpent sprang at Loh. She kicked off the ceiling, her figure flashed.

Kyriils ear twitched, a soft breeze tickled his nape. From the corner of his eye he saw Lohs foot smash down on Grims spine.

The 10-foot axlean flew through the air, his body smacked into a pillar, spun, and crashed into the wall. The water serpent broke apart and rained down on the ballroom. Loh stumbled, her shadow tendrils pushed off the floor and kept her standing. She raised her head slowly and turned to the stunned elf, as if a spider watching her prey, shadowy limbs trembling with rage.

Lohs silhouette disappeared.