A few hours had passed from when Arden began his training. The strenuous physical activity felt pleasant in the cool mountain air, but not as pleasant as the training itself.
It had been a while since Arden was able to train in peace. He didn't count the circulation technique Vera taught him to be strenuous, which meant the last place he underwent extensive training was the Mausoleum of the Maverick, it was safe for the most part. Certainly more than the area around the Stargates at that point.
As he swung his sword over the past few hours, Arden couldn't shake the feeling that the training felt off. It was only natural, though. Most swordsmen didn't train after they were reduced to one functional hand.
Arden didn't waver, though. This was only a temporary setback. Once he ascended into a protostar, and his body was restored through either the ascension process or legacy creation, his handicap would be removed.
He pat himself on the back for having the presence of mind to destroy his left hand, leaving his dominant right hand to pick up the slack.
The fire had finally died over the course of his training session, leaving Arden to swing his sword in complete darkness. Not even the starlight was able to pierce the oppressive darkness of the cave. And although Arden couldn't see that well, he was able to make out the walls of the cave so that he wouldn't bump into them.
That didn't stop him from occasionally misjudging the distance in the dark and accidentally striking the stone wall with end of the sword. It was only thanks to the strange composition of the sword that Arden was able to continue training, and not sit down with a broken sword.
‘How many swords are able to bounce off stone like that?’
The fire had faded, and so had Arden’s confidence in speaking aloud. Now that he wasn't shooting off orange light and was immersed in darkness, he meant to stay in darkness, hiding. Silence was crucial. Not even the beat of his heart could be heard, only the sound of his sword whipping through the air.
Arden had always found silence to be tranquil. Calm. Back in the slums, it let him know that no one was after him. It was the same with self-imposed solitude. He didn’t need meditation to understand what zen was. To him, peace was a quiet place just past midnight.
This cave offered what he hadn't had in over a week: freedom and solitude. Peace. A place to grow stronger.
Until he heard footsteps.
Arden immediately stopped swinging his sword and crouched down next to the wall. From the shadows, he saw two silhouettes with cloaks approach the center of the cave where he had set the fire.
One of them crouched and placed their hand on the ground. The other stood behind the first with folded arms.
“Magelight,” the first man said, standing up. “Someone came through here and destroyed a magelight, either for light, warmth, or both.”
“I can sympathize,” the second man said. “It's freaking cold out here. But using a magelight for that? Those things get real expensive. Why didn’t he just turn it on?”
“Who knows? Maybe we’re hunting a mundane who can’t use magic.”
The second man gave a fake laugh.
“Yeah, sure. A mundane was able to kill a crownsguard of Valtorin and the vice leader? I’d sooner believe he was from another world.”
Arden watched the exchange in total silence. His hand was still on the hilt of his sword, ready to strike at any moment. He just needed to wait for the most opportune moment.
“Regardless, we need to call it in. These tracks show that someone came through here. The sooner we relay the information, the sooner we can get the entire squad up here hunting him. Hand me the communication crystal.”
The second man pulled a small white crystal out of his robe and handed it to the other. Even in the total darkness, Arden was able to see it, thanks to the small amount of light it gave off. He was able to see the black outfits that covered them. He saw the authoritative one had no weapon on him, and saw a curved scabbard hanging from the waist of the second assassin.
Arden’s hand tightened on the sword. It was time. If he waited any longer, his location would be swarmed with other assassins. These two were able to find him. That meant that the remainder of the assassins wouldn't be far behind. He had to deal with these two now, and escape into the mountains again.
From Arden’s point of view, he saw only one silhouette, because assassin number two was standing in between Arden and assassin number one. Only a meter separated Arden from his target. That would be the best he could do.
Arden leapt forward with his right hand over his head to bring down the sword on assassin number two. It was hard to do with only one hand, but Arden managed. He only hoped that the strength behind it would be enough.
“Dodge!” Assassin number one said, but it was too late.
Arden’s sword bit into number two’s shoulder, before getting caught in the bone. Arden positioned himself behind number two and drew number two’s blade, leaving Bellum’s sword in his shoulder.
The new sword was shorter than Bellum’s. It was a curved sword with a single edge. The blade was around half a meter. Arden didn’t waste time admiring the wakizashi, and used it to stab into the man’s heart, killing him.
Arden was greeted by a new message from the Status as the corpse fell to the ground.
You have slain a mundane awakened human, Yui of the Setting Sun.
Arden held the wakizashi in his hand. It was a hell of a lot lighter than Bellum’s sword. Perfect for the one-handed gentleman such as himself.
Number one didn’t do nothing as his partner died, though. As soon as the body hit the floor, the assassin nimbly moved forward to attack Arden. His aura revealed itself and it looked like water. It trailed the assassin’s movements, and seemed to make him more nimble.
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Arden felt the danger this man posed, and chided himself as he desperately fought back against the oncoming martial attacks. He thought that the man with the weapon would be the most dangerous, but he didn’t take into account that the people in this world were more dangerous without weapons than with them, thanks to them being awakened.
Arden raised his arms to try and block the never-ending chain of open-hand strikes. Unfortunately, most of the assassin’s attacks punched right through Arden’s defenses. Arden could barely hold on as more attacks landed.
Arden was a novice. Number one was a trained martial artist and assassin. There was no way for Arden to beat him with conventional means.
Desperately, Arden swung his wakizashi in a frenzy. Trying to methodically aim for the best spot wasn't going to help against an enemy who moved like water, so Arden figured this was the best way for now.
“Pathetic,” the assassin taunted.
“Is that all you people can say?” Arden grunted back a response.
Liquid dripped from Arden’s body as he fought. He knew it wasn’t sweat or blood. It was too liquidy. Runny. Arden realized it was water.
‘Does that help me in any way?’
Arden continued his quick slashes with the light sword, waiting for the assassin to tire himself out. Arden’s body was immortal, so he could guarantee a victory if it turned into a battle of attrition. He didn’t want that, though.
Time was of the essence right now.
More slick attacks pounded Arden from all over. The assassin’s manner of attack focused entirely on quick, light attacks. He was a practitioner of the death by a thousand cuts school of murder.
One of the assassin’s hands came flying towards Arden’s face, but he managed to cut it with his weapon. More water spilled onto him as the hand returned to the assassin, and the attacks ceased.
The assassin clenched and unclenched his now bleeding hand.
“A lucky shot.”
Arden held the wakizashi in front of him and responded.
“If I was lucky, then we wouldn’t be fighting. Either you and your friend would've missed me, or both of you would be dead.”
“I suppose that makes sense.”
The assassin once again started attacking Arden. As more time passed, Arden started to notice a change in the assassin’s movements.
He was getting faster.
‘How?’
A palm strike to Arden’s wrist knocked the sword from his grip and it spun to the rocky floor where the water from each of the assassin's attacks had pooled together into a shallow puddle.
Another strike to the back of Arden’s knee caused him to fall to the ground, right next to his weapon.
As he collapsed, he saw the assassin move. Arden gasped in realization. He saw what the assassin was doing, how he was moving so fast.
When the assassin took a step, no ripples were made in the puddle. Almost like he never entered it.
The assassin was riding the water. He was practically surfing. Somehow, either through his awakening or magic, he created water with every attack, and the more water there was, the faster he moved.
It was like a tsunami, gathering more and more momentum, speed, and power the more distance it traveled.
A battle of attrition was out of the question. If Arden let the assassin gain more power, there would be no stopping him.
Rapid strikes pounded at Arden’s back, causing him to grunt in pain.
In theory, all Arden needed to do is steal the advantage. Dominate the moment. He needed to get rid of the water.
‘I've got it!’
Arden grabbed the sword with his broken hand and clumsily swung it behind him as his right hand fumbled around near his waist, trying to find what he was looking for.
The assassin dodged the blade but momentarily fell back, giving Arden the time he needed to make his move.
The warm aura of magic on his waist told him that he had found what he needed. The pouch.
He stuck his hand inside and felt around for a metal ring. When his fingers wrapped around it, he pulled it out of the bag and swung it around him in a wide arc.
Arden’s attack found its mark, as the magic lantern, or magelight shattered against the assassin's shoulder.
The sound of shattering glass gave way to screams immediately as the assassin went up in flames. The darkness of the cave was erased as orange flames danced In the air. Steam rose into the air as the water on the ground evaporated beside the victim.
Having been used to almost complete darkness, Arden was almost blinded by the sudden light. When he shook off the blindness, he watched the burning man with a dark expression.
This was messy. Painful. Arden wasn't above inflicting pain to those who deserved It, but the agonizing howls of his victim would stick with him for a while. The assassin looked horrifying as he burned to death. And the smell.
Arden shuddered. He doubted that he would ever forget this.
He tried to tune out assassin number one's pained cries and instead went to take Bellum’s sword out of number two's shoulder, along with the scabbard of the wakizashi. By the time he did that, a new message appeared, followed by the blessed ending of number one's screams.
You have slain a mundane awakened human, Marin of the Setting Sun.
‘I only meant to get rid of the water, not set him on fire.’
Ironically, the person who was actually the equivalent of a red-tier Starborn died the easiest. This Marin guy only had his awakened nature to rely on, but that was enough to put Arden on the ropes.
Arden was bummed that he wasn't awarded with a Satellite, but he quickly got over it. He had already gotten a few, and he wasn't even a Starborn yet. That kind of luck was unheard of.
Arden took off his blue tunic that looked like it had gone through hell and threw it to the ground as he stripped number two. After swapping clothes, Arden threw the body into the pyre.
He grabbed the communication crystal and headed out into the snow. With any luck, Arden's disguise would keep him alive for a little while longer.
There was one last thing to do before departing, though. One last body to cremate.
Arden worked fast and pulled out the body of Vera from his pouch of holding. He wondered if Vera would have wanted to be cremated rather than buried. After a moment of thought, he believed that she would have been fine with either, so long as it was one of her loved ones to do it.
His heart was in his throat as he spoke.
“I’m sorry, Vera. You’re not my Vera, and I’m not your Arden. I don’t know how long you were here waiting for him, but I’m sorry that it was me you found instead. You deserve so much better than this.”
Arden watched the fire consume the body of someone Arden knew he wouldn’t be able to live without.
“I promise, I’ll kill Nux. I don’t know if it's what you would have wanted for me, but it's what I want. I’ll make him pay for what he did to you. To us. I swear it.”
Arden cast one last look at the makeshift crematorium before leaving the cave. His expedition to the Starlight Grove continued.
