Under the Oak Tree

Chapter 75 – The Lord’s Return (1)

Faced with a paralyzing fear, her body unconsciously froze. And soon, Max broke out into faint shudders. His mocking glare was a haunting, familiar sight for her – enough to crumble her defenses and render her mind blank.

Seeing their mistress shell-shocked, at a loss of what to do, something impatient and fuming surged inside Ruth for the man below them. Simply put, he wasn’t able to stand it anymore and came up to support her.

“Stop crossing the line! Why the hell are you blaming her when you’re the one who lost your own identification card? How can we trust thirty armed men to come in and not cause any problems?! Are you daft?!”

Yet his outburst was only taken with a pinch of salt, “Pff!” Rob Midahas glanced around his men in jest, “So you’re locking the gates because Anatol’s security isn’t strong enough to deal with thirty men? I guess this place is full of cowards without their lord!” he then spat viciously.

“What did you say?!”

All this time, the knight, Ovaron had been trying to contain his temper behind the flanks when he heard this ridicule. He immediately moved forward, his blades almost singing for bloodlust in their sheath after the brazen words from the incorrigible man.

“Ruth! Open the gates immediately!” He gestured for the wizard in anger, his words magnifying the extent of his fury, “I’m going to bloody slit these arrogant bastards’ throats myself!”

“Sir Ovaron!”

Despite their difference in rank and age, Ruth fiercely glared at the older knight, who had already had his sword out, as a signal for him to be careful of his brash actions. Seeing the other party halt with some grievances, he then quickly whipped his head around and raised his hand high up in the air.

However, before he was able to do anything, a flame, along with a powerful growl, flew towards him without preamble. The scorching flames licked the walls without mercy, causing the stones to tremble violently at the heavy impact. And a scream tore out from Max as the world swayed before her eyes, and her hands frantically clung for life on to the battlement. At this open display of aggression, the guards stood back in confusion.

“Let’s see you try!”

Rob Midahas instantly let out a resonating roar as he took out his sword. This was enough to plummet the situation into chaos. Max was only able to crumble down to her knees, astonished at the turn of events. Meanwhile, Ruth quickly snapped out from his shock seeing the bedlam unfurl before him. He swiftly made his way towards the defenseless Max and grabbed her up by the arm.

Max numbly followed after him as they ran down from the confines of the wall to safer grounds… the terror freezing her nerves being the only thing stopping her from screaming. From the earlier rancorous attack of the flames, the tall gates had been shattered to cinders and the knights openly marched in with sounds of guttural victory.

“Shield!” Ruth yelled with his hand up. And upon his order, it was as if nature bent to his will as a bluish barrier of wind appeared, halting the knights’ advance. But this resistance was only momentary as an opposing knight swung his sword down and ripped the wind barrier apart with ease.

Ruth looked back in alarm. “He’s a high-ranked knight. Sir Ovaron!” he yelled to the older knight.

“Leave it to me!”

Despite a towering display of a wall, Sir Ovaron scaled down the stone walls, landing with an audible sound on the earth. On his descent, he cried and swung his heavy sword towards the battlefield. At the deafening noise of two blades clashing together with immense power, the wind ripped and split into half. Max tried to quickly flee the incoming man, but she felt so terrorized by fear that she tripped on a rock and fell to the ground.

“Madam!”

Ruth, whose hands were tied with making barriers and unable to support her, could only look back and yell. Only a few steps from Max, was Sir Ovaron and the intruder in the middle of a ferocious battle.

The wizard and the guards were occupied with blocking the intrusion of the black-clothed knights while simultaneously protecting the civilians. The curious onlookers who had only come to see what was going on, all screamed and ran away at the unexpected battle that came before them.

Unable to muster any strength in her legs, Max barely stood up with the help from a nearby guard.

Ruth then yelled, “Madam! Please take refuge and go to a safe place!”

“Bu-but–” She started. Despite her dread, she knew she had to do something, anything! She was the mistress of this home – a home now being ruthlessly invaded by strangers!

Ruth seemed to see the determination in her eyes, but he could only root her back to reality, “Go, right now! You’re no help even if you stay…” his words suddenly faded at the end. The wizard’s eyes then shifted back towards the battlefield; his vigor seemed to fuel more energy into his spells.

Max trembled all over, feeling out her wits. But then she felt a weird, tingling sensation – a gut feeling – beckoning her to glance into the blue skies. It was right then, a guard shot an arrow into the sky and yelled,

“Re-remdragon Knights! They’re here! The Lord, the Lord has returned!”