Chapter 39: Enemies
Just moments before the disruption, Sollivan had been observing the fierce battle before him with amusement, calculating potential casualties. But his expression suddenly darkened when he sensed an intense killing intent emanating from Commander Roland. He didn’t know the reason, but he knew things were about to take a turn for the worse—his instincts, sharpened since the change in his blood, had never failed him. Gathering his courage, he decided to intervene in the fight before it ended too quickly, which could ruin his plans.
He silently signaled Noctis , who slipped through the shadows of the hall and the scattered soldiers. Within seconds, Noctis reached Roland’s shadow and merged with it, seeking to understand the source of this murderous intent.
He didn’t have to wait long before seeing Roland make a few clumsy moves, getting stabbed in the hand in the process. Before he could fully grasp what was happening, he watched as Roland raised his razor-sharp sword, aiming to slit the sworn ally Sergius’ throat.
’This madman!’ Sollivan sighed in resignation, extending his hand from the shadows to grab Roland’s leg and yank him backward with force. His strength wasn’t overwhelming, but it was enough to make Roland stumble. Without lingering, he quickly retreated and hid in the nearest corner.
...
Commander Roland’s eyes flew open in shock as he struggled to comprehend what had just happened. His mind swirled with vague thoughts, and he faintly recalled seeing a dark, misty hand on the ground out of the corner of his eye before he stumbled.
’Is there another formation here?’ He quickly dismissed the thought and steadied himself, refusing to give his enemies an opening. Tightening his grip on his sword, which now glowed with a faint white light, he swung it toward the ground beside his foot. A transparent blade of energy shot forth, accompanied by a gust of wind, striking his own shadow and leaving behind a meter-long gash twenty centimeters deep.
The move was so erratic that everyone around him—allies and enemies alike—paused to stare in bewilderment before resuming their fight. Sergius, the sworn ally, also took the momentary lull to tend to his wounds and catch his breath. With deep sarcasm, he remarked, "The noble and renowned Commander Roland Jennings has become a madman, afraid of his own shadow. Has your empire’s situation deteriorated so badly that you’ve lost your mind over it?"
Roland shot him an indifferent glance before carefully scanning his surroundings with his mental field. Yet, he found nothing unusual.
Sigh.
He exhaled heavily and, without warning, lunged at Sergius with insane speed. The latter, barely recovered, was slow to react—unlike Roland, a battle-hardened commander, Sergius was merely a government official. His movements were jerky, and despite their near-equal strength, he could barely keep himself alive.
He moved hastily, raising his sword in a clumsy block. The Auraxis-imbued blades collided with tremendous force, making the air howl around them. Their hair and clothes fluttered wildly as sparks flew from the clash. But the impact lasted only a moment before Sergius was sent skidding backward across the stone floor. Roland , however, didn’t lose momentum—he charged again.