Nightmare, Alex's sword unleashed a bright red glow that illuminated his armor.
Before Obed could react, Alex had closed the gap, cut down his men and was currently pulling out his sword from the last gold-ringed warrior.
Fear crept into his soul. It was like black tentacles drilled deep into his white soul, turning it black and filling it with so much fear that Obed's bones grew cold. He could feel it as if literal ice was inside his flesh!
Asher swung his sword over his shoulder and approached the village chief with his vanguards right behind him. Obed took two steps back as his instincts yelled at him to run but as he turned his head, he saw the triangular tip of the 7-foot-tall knight's broadsword before his neck!
All of a sudden, before Alex's eyes, the man burst into sand and began to move away. Asher couldn't believe his eyes but he still ran after the moving sand.
Some meters behind was Asher, whose brows were knit together. Upon seeing that Obed would eventually escape their grasp, he grabbed a flame torch on a wooden stand and threw it into the air.
When Alex saw the torch in the sky, he quickly understood what Asher wanted him to do. He caught the falling torch and launched it with greater force.
It made a beautiful curve and fell on the moving sand.
Instantly, it transformed back into a man. It was Obed.
He gritted his teeth at the burn mark on his shoulder. "Outlanders! Coming here was the worst mistake of your lives! I'll watch you all get slaughtered!!"
He yelled at the top of his lungs.
His response was the soft metal sounds made by the Alex and the vanguard's plate armour as they approached him in silence. In their midst was Asher, who wore no expression.
"I surrender. I surrender so I can watch Head Chief Bewoulf slaughter you all!"
Obed laughed sardonically.
"I never planned to keep any leader alive after all. A stubborn one like you nonetheless." He turned to Alex and gestured toward Obed.
Upon seeing that Alex was about to kill him, Obed's eyes widened. "What are you doing? I can plead on your behalf to the chief! Wait—"
Alex dragged him away while Asher walked straight to a dead gold-ringed warrior and removed the ring. After accessing it, his eyes widened.
"This is actual gold."
His men's eyes grew wide when they heard that.
No matter how rich their Lord was, he couldn't give every warrior gold rings, especially ones this big.
"The large clan must have a gold mine or they're filthy rich." Asher muttered to himself.
"Find their storehouse. We'll eat and ride to the next village at first light."
"As you wish, Your Lordship."
The vanguards lowered their heads.
Some time later, Asher stood in the village square looking at those who surrendered. The number of women was higher than the men, but to Asher, the women were of lesser use than the men who had been trained to be warriors.
He'll only need to send them to the mines to break their souls and then entice them with the favours of the stronghold and benefits of serving him.
The great and tasty life he would bring into the desolate lands would make them his loyalists. They were not as strong hearted as the men.
After examining them, Asher located the one with the weakest heart. A young girl who was already sobbing.
When he squatted before her, her breath hitched.
"Where did you come from?"
"It's a medium clan loyal to the large clan," Alex said.
"What about your family?" Asher lifted the girl's chin, causing her to stare into his golden eyes.
"T... T... They're still there."
"So you were taken from them?"
"Make sure she's well fed. We'll return her to her family."
Asher stood up and was about to leave when other girls began to rush toward him, only for the shura vanguards to hold them back.
"I can tell you more than her!"
"I've seen our chief's gift!"
Asher smirked but refused to look back.
"Get as much information as you can and also keep the end of our bargain. Feed them from the village's storehouse, but don't starve the villagers too."
Asher whispered to Alex and left.
Before he went to sleep, he got enough information. Head Chief Beowulf had a powerful commander named Buba. Apparently everyone feared the man who was rumoured to have one eye.
He also figured out through some warriors that chose to speak that Adam was betrayed. This village once supported Adam's clan, but now they were against him and that the large clan had a mage!
It was because of the mage that they could take everyone in the clan. Mages had the ability to open portals to any destination as long as their magi force was enough. But to transport thousands, there had to be a teleportation formation or platform.
The platform was probably burned alongside the town.
In the end, none of them had good information about Beowulf.
By the time Asher had slept for two hours, his eyes snapped open, and he got to his feet.
He picked up his sword and left the village to the outskirts. There he began to swing his sword while the cold night breeze caressed his face.
Each swing was slow yet memorable.
After a long time, he began to swing his sword aggressively. His slashes were swift, lethal, and ethereal. Each swing carried a beautiful ethereal light as the blade reflected the moonlight.
Asher remained there and continued training until his muscles were trembling before he fell to his knees, crossed his legs, and began to meditate.
His hurried heartbeat drummed in his ears. Patiently, he waited and finally flowed into a state where his mind seemed to have opened the door to a different realm.
All the strikes he had done replayed in his mind. His state of mind was so calm that his ears picked up the sound made by the grass!
A glimpse of the grass blades swaying flashed through his mind eye, and it was followed by a swift slash.
Finally, he opened his eyes.
The first thing his eyes met was bright white clouds and the sun hung high in the sky, casting its light down on the world.
'It's already morning!'
"His Lordship is awake."
Hearing that, he turned his head back.
A/N: I won't be able to post the second chapter until the later part of the day. At least before reset.