The Chronicles Of Rhaxtyx

The {Firestorm} was conjured so close to the assassins so it was a really close call for them. The two watching Rhaxtyx were nearly engulfed by it. They were worried that it would enlarge and they would be caught by it even after they dodged the spell. After all, {Firestorm} was, in their knowledge, was a high tier spell and was very powerful. No one would be left alive after being engulfed by it.

So their terror was apparent in their eyes when Rhaxtyx came out of it without as much as a burn mark, and b.u.t.t n.a.k.e.d at that too! He was smiling and was holding his sword, which was red hot, in his right hand.

"Okay then. Now that I've ordered, you have to serve!"

Rhaxtyx charged at the two without any pause. His form was better compared to before, showing his training Damian. The two assassins quickly moved in order to defend and brandished their swords and daggers.

Rhaxtyx enhanced himself just to be sure with the spell he learned from Kalim in Vulca, so he was as fast as the assassins right now, which were enhanced with speed items. His moves were more refined than before so he didn't do any unnecessary movements when attacking and dodging. Him being n.a.k.e.d was also a kind of distraction as these assassins were trying so hard to not lower their heads that they sometimes lost focus and got close to being hit.

"Mind where you're looking now!"

Sparks flew everywhere whenever their weapons collided and the swords in the assassins' hands were starting to get hotter as well. Their swords were enchanted but not with a particularly strong magic, so they were prone to get damaged more easily than other magic swords. Their real trump cards were their daggers, which they couldn't find much opportunities to wield effectively.

The same was also true for Rhaxtyx. Even though his sword was a magically enhanced sword he got from one of the Vulca's special units, it was still a relatively weak enchantment. With every hit, his sword would gain another chip.

'Looks like I'll need a new sword after this. The Kingdom better pay me for this!'

He was sure that the assassins they were fighting were sent by the Dynasties so by killing them, he was making the Kingdom a service. As they were fighting, he started figuring out something. Even though they were fighting for a while now, he was not getting beaten, as it was practically impossible to win in a contest of pure sword fighting with these assassins who were way more experienced than him. Rather, they were in a constant stalemate; neither they could, or wouldn't, hit him and he couldn't hit them properly as well.

'Something is wrong.'

He took a step back to chant a Tier 1 {Firebolt} but the assassins immediately followed after him, not giving him any chance. He then tried to push them back a little and was easily able to, making them back off by a couple of steps.

'What the hell?'

"Master!"

Rhaxtyx looked towards where Miriam was and his eyes opened wide when he saw their current situation and the reason Miriam called for him.

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Antaler immediately cast a defensive spell to create an armor of magic around his body to hinder the incoming physical attacks. And like that, one of the assassins charged at him. Thankfully he was fast enough to cast the spell in time to block the incoming dagger attack. After blocking the dagger strike, he locked gazes with the assassin.

"I greet you." (Antaler)

"…"

The answer he got for that was another swing of the dagger and a strike with the short sword. He immediately tried to distance himself from the assassin and cast a spell. But it wouldn't be that easy as the assassin was persistent with their pursuit. They kept pace with him; a step with a step and a dodge with every attack.

'In times like these that I wish I studied how to wield and swing a sword, even a little.'

He was a wizard yes but he was the researching and studying type, not a combat mage. He could not chant efficiently whilst in combat. But he could still try.

'I need to be faster!'

{Heavens…}

As soon as he spoke the first word of the chant, lightning appeared within his eyes. He wanted to cast the {Lightning Body} which would make him quicker and make him able to create a window of opportunity to chant a proper attacking spell hopefully.

{…engulf me with…}

He was using a technique that was created not too long ago by his teacher, Delayed Casting, which made him able to chant single words of a chant while keeping its energy connected whilst in combat like Antaler was or whilst the mage had to concentrate on another action and couldn't chant a spell in one go.

{…your holy smite…}

Antaler was one of the first people to learn this technique. He was also the most proficient in it after his master. It was hard for a mage to chant and make sudden movements while making a conscious effort of both. It was like splitting your brain in four; moving each arm, hand, leg and feet differently from each other.

{…And grant me…}

As he chanted, the attacks became fiercer and faster. The assassin was trying to kill him for real now, if their attacks from before were just to make sure he was busy with them. He was already having a hard time trying to dodge the various attacks but now that the assassin got faster, he couldn't keep up, thus making him lose his rhythm. But he still gnashed his teeth and chanted the last line of the spell.

{…your heavenly speed.}

As soon as the last line was finished, lightning crackled in his head and the assassin seemed like they slowed down a bit. Not by a huge margin but Antaler could tell that he was faster than before. The spell he cast, {Lightning God's Blessing} was an enhancement spell that made people think and act quicker.

Immediately after he cast the that spell, he took a couple of steps back and started thinking the best spell to chant in that time frame. After a second, he thought of a spell that would work perfectly but at that time Miriam's voice was heard.

"Master!"

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As soon as Antaler and Rhaxtyx released their spells, Miriam charged at the remaining assassin. This was the one that attacked her before she met up with Rhaxtyx. She knew it because the look this assassin gave her was one of anger and frustration. That and their next words proved it.

"If only you had died while I was chasing you! You are really stubborn to live, traitor!"

Miriam didn't answer and attacked directly. Her aim was to take her fight to somewhere a little far away from the mayhem Rhaxtyx may cause when he gets serious. She was sure he would go a bit serious as she saw her jump into the spell Antaler cast to learn it.

That is why, she brandished her swords and took lead of the battle tempo. The opposing assassin was also willing for this as they kept up with Miriam whilst speaking.

"Aren't you going to say something? You betrayed your home! Your country which took care of you, fed you! Housed you when you needed."

"That place only gave me pain and misery. Master freed me from those clutches and gave me an opportunity to think for myself."

"Master? Ha! What is different from then and now if you are still serving and calling someone master!?"

"I am willing to serve him, unlike how you are."

Their tempo became faster and faster. Their swords leaving after images around them as they swung them. They were both using their attributes to their fullest. Miriam enhancing herself and her weapon while her opponent was using enchanted weapons.

The assassins they fought were different from Miriam or #48. Miriam and #48 were the results of the experiment while these assassins were conscripted from the common folk while they were little and trained with special duty in mind. They had common attributes.

That's why Miriam got the upper hand after a while of fighting. She knew she would win eventually so she stopped dragging her opponent away and used the nearby buildings and other structures to her advantage.

She would jump and kick using a wall or would use a poorly maintained lamp post as a shield and attacked around it. She was close to winning and her opponent knew that as well. That was why they tried to provoke Miriam with her words. But it was for naught, as expected from someone who survived the experiments.

"You know… we admired you people. We still do. Do you know how we felt like when we heard one of you defected?!"

"…"

"Nothing? Well let me tell you, we were devastated! We were let down! If you defected then what were we supposed to do?"

"I don't care."

"Well let me tell you this. After you defected, do you know who paid for it? All of us! We were whipped, beaten… Even some of us died! And this was all you!"

Miriam started attacking faster at this point. She felt something was wrong. Her opponent was trying to provoke her but they also knew she wouldn't fall for that. And her every strike was either dodged or blocked but there was no counter attack. She even deliberately created a gap in her pattern but she didn't get attacked. Either her opponent gave up and tried to ease their mind by talking, or they were trying to buy time for something.

'I don't like this.'

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While this fight was happening, some where really close to where Miriam was, a five men group entered the slum area on horseback. The man leading in the front had the imperial emblem adorned in his c.h.e.s.t.

"Are you sure you want to reveal yourself? I heard there was a mage that was affiliated with the Kingdom directly."

Asked one of the knights in the back. The man leading answered with an uncaring attitude.

"Even the famous Dire Wolf escaped from us don't you remember? So I'm sure that I can handle some mage that stands in my way."

He then turned around to look at the group and talked in a solemn voice.

"I also want to finish this before something happens to expose us. When I heard the Dire Wolf was alive, I panicked a little. I even had a potion to make me return to my previous condition when I returned from killing the envoys."

He then looked in front of him. They could see the big {Firestorm} from the castle so it became a beacon to them and they were able to hear the swords clashing and people yelling.

"And now something like this happens. I don't want any complications. We have to do this cleanly, understand?"

"Yes, Sir Terry."

They then turned a corner and saw one of the assassins from the Dynasties and the traitor fighting each other. Sir Terry smiled viciously and drew his blade while charging at her. She evaded pretty skillfully and landed a few meters away from him.

But he didn't stop there and kept charging at her while smiling. His knights also joined the fray and swung their swords at her from atop their horses. Miriam started having a hard time right about then.

'I have to tell master!'

She swung her sword and deflected the attacks before turning around and rushing towards where Rhaxtyx was. She saw that he and Antaler was fighting with their targets. She was amazed that Rhaxtyx could keep up with the assassin in a sword fight but before she could praise him in her mind she had to let him know of the current situation.

"Master!"

As soon as she yelled, Sir Terry made his horse kick her and made her fly inside a building. When Rhaxtyx and Antaler saw this, their eyes opened wide and Rhaxtyx's gaze turned serious, killing intent radiating from him.

"MIRIAM!!!"