Chapter 86: Strange Village (03)
Cassian gripped his sword tighter as Kallus charged at him. The blade swung without hesitation on him. Cassian blocked the blow just in time. The impact reverberated through his arm.
"What are you doing?" he shouted. But Kallus didn’t reply. His strikes came fast and without waiting for a minute. Each one was directly aimed to kill him.
The others turned at the clash of steel. Their glowing eyes locked on Cassian. They abandoned their fights and moved toward him. Their movements were jerky and unnatural. It was as if invisible strings pulled them forward.
Cassian stepped back, his jaw tightening. "Damn it." The circle around him grew smaller. He didn’t want to hurt them. But they attacked like monsters. He had no choice.
Llyris lunged first. His sword came in low. Cassian deflected the blow and sidestepped. Aerich attacked next, slashing from the side. Cassian ducked and blocked the strike.
The sound of steel filled the night. More trainees joined in. They fought without skill, but their numbers overwhelmed him.
Sweat dripped from Cassian’s brow as he fought back. Every swing of his sword aimed to disarm them, not to kill them. He hoped they would come out of this madness. But it didn’t matter. They didn’t flinch or falter. They didn’t seem to feel pain.
"Wake up!" he yelled. His voice cracked with desperation. But they didn’t stop. They couldn’t hear him at all.
Kallus charged again. His blade aimed for Cassian’s chest. Cassian stepped back, letting the strike glance off his armor. A dagger flew past his face. He spun and knocked the weapon from Aerich’s hand. Another trainee came at him with an axe.
Cassian dodged. The axe smashed into the ground. Dust and splinters flew. The trainees circled him and laughed eerily. Like they are enjoying this game very much, the game of death.
Cassian’s chest heaved as he blocked another strike. His arms ached from the constant attacks. He realized the truth.