Way of the Knights

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*Bzzt!* *Bzzt!* *Boom!*

Lightning and loud claps of thunder echoed throughout the wilderness. Wherever the streak of lightning passes, infected demonic beasts will turn into dust, scattering in the air. The claps of thunder was enough to paralyze their movement greatly, it's as if the sound was so loud that it's penetrating through the influence of the infection. It renders them immobile and confused, seemingly being awakened from their stupor before the infection takes control once more, however that moment of confusion gave enough time for them to die without even knowing how it happened. 

Vendrick isn't aware that his thunder has such an effect on the Demonic Beasts. He saw them freezing on their tracks but that just made him think that maybe its due to the suppression of his lightning. After all, these demonic beasts are mere puppets of the Vampiric Serpent. 

He mowed through their numbers like it was nothing. Each swing of his spear will disintegrate dozens of the serpent's minions. Couple with Vendrick perverted brute force, the destruction he caused was just too much. 

Even with the great number of enemies before him, it did nothing to stop him from advancing in a stable manner towards the Vampiric Serpent. Even with the serpent summoning more, it wouldn't really do much against Vendrick. 

The wilderness shook with Vendrick's strength. He eliminated all of the enemies in front of him without even breaking a sweat. After a few minutes, the Vampiric Serpent stopped summoning its minions. Its either because it knew that summoning more would just be useless or Vendrick eradicated all of them already. 

No matter which it is, it didn't concern Vendrick. No, only a short distance was keeping him away from the Vampiric Serpent, a distance that he could quickly pass with his speed but Vendrick didn't out of caution. 

He moved slow and steady, grasping his spear firmly onto his hands, he pointed it towards the serpent. This was a declaration, no words were needed since the serpent understood this already. 

All of a sudden, the scales on Vendrick's body became denser, it looked like he was wearing a set of armor which gleamed with a cold light. The animosity from his bloodline exploded, washing the whole wilderness with its majesty and fearful might. Vendrick's eyes turned into slits as the brutal suppression descended towards the serpent. 

The moment the serpent felt the aura, it was reminded of a few things. Memories that were sealed from the depths of its soul. Memories that happened relatively recent but felt like ages ago at the same time. 

Under the bloodline suppression, the primal instincts of the serpent screeched so loud that it caused the serpent a great deal of headache, followed by a moment of clarity. 

Memories rushed back like a tidal wave. It began remembering things that it has forgotten for quite sometime thanks to a certain even which changed the serpent. It remembered a faint figure from its memories. It recalled emotions and profound fondness towards a certain serpent like itself. 

The image of the serpent was blurred, it was also morphing into something indistinguishable. The serpent could recall names but it couldn't remember which name belong to who. 

It gave the serpent a huge headache and discomfort. It felt like it forgot something really important. So important that the sheer idea of forgetting it made the serpent feel a great deal of sadness, discomfort and despair. Just what is it? It wondered, unfortunately this isn't really the time to delve into its memories. 

Vendrick sensed the severe fluctuations on the serpents mood. It was conflicted. Which was fair since he probably helped with the acceleration of the serpents memories.

Don't forget that the serpent is still affected by Wendy's hex. Vendrick's act of infiltrating this place and declaring war against the serpent, as well as letting it feel the animosity of its bloodline probably became factors that made the serpent feel greatly threatened, as a result, its instincts flared and it unknowingly broke Wendy's influence over it. 

Alas, Vendrick truly doesn't care at this point. His goal was clear, and that is to kill the serpent and destroy the heart. Only in that way would he be able to avoid the impeding calamity he felt. 

Blue Lightning descended from the dark clouds above and struck Vendrick. It didn't hurt him, instead it bestowed him greater power. The power of Lightning and Thunder Tribulation, one of the most, if not the most destructive elements of the Heavenly Laws. 

Vendrick performed a thrust, which was accompanied by a clap of thunder. A streak of lightning with the thickness if a tree's trunk, shot towards the serpent, landing squarely onto its body, causing it to release a pained hiss. 

The camouflage was dispelled, it revealed the long and sturdy body of the serpent, now scorched black and smoking due to Vendrick's relentless strike. It's body wriggled around the heart, trying to shake away the residual lightning which is so destructive and painful to no avail. 

The serpent wanted to move away. It felt terrified now. The pain it experienced was literally eye-opening, it never felt such soul-searing pain even in its life. 

As the famous saying goes, 'Pain is the evidence of one's existence in reality'. Something that is true even for a demonic beast such as the serpent itself. Although the pain was so great that it made the serpent want to die, it also freed it from the remaining influence of the Hag it once met. 

The pain made the serpent open its eyes to reality. Clarity returned to the serpent, allowing it to remember all of its memories that was once sealed. It now remembered who it was. What was its purpose. Who was the lady that made it feel incredible fondness to. What was it that it has forgotten. Everything came rushing back. 

Alas, it's too late. All too late. 

*Bzzt!* *Boom!!*

The serpent shrieked due to the pain. It wanted to escape, it truly does, but it couldn't. Not when it and the heart are linked this way.

The serpent remembered. It knew that the moment it started the devouring the heart, it wouldn't be able to stop halfway through the process. It is for this very reason that it enslaved numerous demonic beast in the first place. The process cannot be interrupted. 

The infection was caused by the heart. The serpent knew that the heart was a unique thing. It contained mystical energy that isn't harmful to the serpent but has a great effect against other demonic beasts. 

The serpent's instincts at that time told it to devour the heart since by doing so, it could allow the serpent to shed its skin and transform into a true god, much like the one at the Central Continent that once visited this place. 

Did the serpent wanted to become a god? Well, if this was during the time before it was bewitched by Wendy, probably not. All the serpent wanted was to search for a way to cure the Forest Witch - its beloved. The witch can't produce offspring. Something that the two greatly dreamed of. All they wanted was a family, a huge one. But the Forest Witch can't, she's unable to since birth. 

That's when the couple heard a rumor from other demonic beasts, there is a cure that could only be found on the Western Continent, unfortunately only the strong demonic beasts could enter that place. It is for this very reason that they became deities. 

When the Vampiric Serpent arrived here, it found the cure. The only thing that's stopping it from entering that place its insufficient strength. So it stayed here. Time passed and during one of its attempts, the serpent was injured greatly that it lost consciousness. 

It woke up, all healed. Taken care of by a fair human lady. That's when everything started to go wrong. The lady was sweet and gentle. Her kindness touched the guarded heart of the serpent. She made him lower his guard which was fatal mistake. 

She did help him a lot of times. Healing him whenever he's injured, unbeknownst to him, the healing was accompanied by a string of hexes that poisoned its mind. It wasn't long until the serpent became unable to resist anymore. The long separation from his beloved, the sweet and gentle company of that fair lady who didn't leave his side even once. The poisonous effect of the hexes and one silly mistake was all it took for the serpent to forget everything. 

It became the slave of a Hag. A willing slave that followed everything she ordered him to do. Gone were his resolve as well as his memories. His thoughts became centered around the Hag and the Hag only. If the Hag asked him to lay down his own life, he will without any questions asked. 

The Hag wanted him to be more powerful. Hence it spurred the attempt of the serpent to devour that mysterious heart. An act which lead to the ultimate tragedy. 

*Bzzt!* *Boom!*

"I'm sorry..."

*Bzzt!* *Boom!*

"I've forgotten you..."

*Bzzt!* *Boom!*

"My beloved...I hope..." 

*Bzzt!* *Boom!*

"That in our next life..."

*Bzzt!* *Boom!*

"...I could make it up to you..."

*Bzzt!* *Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!*