34 COVERT EXTRACTION (1/2)
And with three final wails of painful anguish it was all over. Silence filled the halls. The crackling echoes of the torches tormented his weary heart as it skips a bit every once in a while. The door squeaked a silent creak to open just a slightly gap revealing a hooded young man in a black trench coat.
”You...” mumbled Sir Haaron pulling his claymore violently destroying its home from his side.
The hooded man slowly walked on that grand long hallway. He's taking his time, mumbling as if saying a prayer while caressing his blade soaked in blood, a black thin metal shaft without a hilt. There is no doubt, this is the legendary Yiv. But where is the other three? Surely this cannot truly be him. This is not the Yiv that has been reported all over Nagozul. The Yiv with the Night Hunters have put down his bloodlust and yet on this fateful night, he returns to murder again. The warnings of the servants have been treated with much ridicule since Hishma is the most fortified Palace next to the city center's Royal Palace. There must've been at least a hundred Sibara posted in Hishma since the warning and judging by his bloody face, they all fell victim to his blade.
”Who are you!?” he scowled rather confused.
Yiv stopped a hundred paces in front of him. He lifts his bloodied blade to point at him and exclaimed. ”You have been judged by my divine right as Bathala's Shadow Enforcer. I find you guilty of the crimes against mortals. Kneel and accept your punishment. Lift your weapon and you will never enter Langit.”
Haaron pulled his Claymore and spat on the ground. ”I do not comprehend your words but I'm afraid I may have to decline on your offer. I'll be damned if I just knelt and let you kill me without a fight.”
”In Bathala's name I'll send you to the veil.”
And with his last words, he vanished on the spot and managed to get in front of him in a split second. The trouble of being a titan is that he became so bulked up that he stretched almost seven feet tall. With Yiv's physique, he managed to get below him almost only a foot apart. He thrusts his blade to his gut piercing his armor and pushed him almost two steps back, a feat that was so impressive it made him smile a bit. He swung to counterattack but failed seeing the tremendous gap of speed between them.
Yiv dashed back to reposition, still with murderous bloody eyes that he assumed to be harboring embarrassment to that attack he called God's Judgment.
”Do you think you could kill me that easily?” Haaron now bragged realizing his advantage over him. ”I am a Titan! I am greater than you are! I am God-like! Maybe ever greater than your pathetic imaginary God.”
”Correction,” he whispered standing now with ease after gauging their speed difference. ”You are a mortal. A mortal whose vessel has been reconfigured by the blood and soul of men you call your brothers. You are not a titan but a murderer, a mortal shrouded in evil that pathetically pretends to be a titan. Only Bathala can create Titans. Any Titan born in this Earth in the hands of a mortal is not a Titan of the Earth but instead a Puppet of Dim'ion.” He flipped his daggers to his side and closed his eyes as if mumbling a prayer again for a couple of seconds before he continued. ”You will receive your just reward for that blasphemy.”
Yiv leaned forward and disappeared again. Haaron tried to defend below thinking he will repeat the same attack he once did but was surprised as he attacks from above. The quick slash from his head cracked open his horned helmet. Haaron flung his sword to strike him but he reappeared from behind now bashing him in a stinging slash that cracked his armor. Yiv continued this kind of attack repeatedly making as though Sir Haaron is fighting a fly.
The wide gap of speed between them is unimaginably great and yet Yiv is still not in advantage. Haaron's eye cannot follow his movements and Yiv's blade cannot penetrate him. It seems as though they are at an impasse as they fought for minutes.
Yiv made his final bash in Haaron's chest and dashed quickly back to rest for a while. He's been catching his breath as if he ran for ten straight miles non-stop. The sight of the legendary Yiv having a hard time amused him so that he didn't even lifted his sword anymore and just stood there staring at him.
”Is this the Judgment of your God?” he laughed loud. ”Maybe you should now pray to me since the might of your God is worthless. You should kneel and ask for my forgiveness now. Maybe I won't kill you after this is over and...”
”Oh, I'm sorry,” he interrupted. ”When did I ever say that this is over?”
He dashed forward and bashed the shin guard in his boots and then rolled to the sides with smiling eyes. Sir Haaron was astonished by this but immediately realized what happened as he turned to face him. His hard thick armor crumbled down, piece-by-piece, until all that remains is his undergarments which led for Yiv to chuckle in delight.
Yiv stood up shaking his hands relieving them from his torrent of attacks that managed to strip him of his armor. ”Just feel blessed I did not rob you of your dignity,” he mocked smiling. ”Then again I'm only being selfish since it's for my benefit. I do not want to fight a mortal with his dangling...”
”Shut your mouth you fiend!” He bellowed grabbing his claymore and charged which he parried in an instant.
Yiv sidestepped and slid his blade to his side. The force of the blade pushed dangerously deep that he almost felt the sharp blade embracing his skin. This troubled Haaron tremendously that he ran back against the wall to defend himself.
”Are you a least bit curious how and why I'm not killing you now when in fact I could?”
”What is that blade!?” he asked ignoring his question.
”Oh, so you are not paying attention to me now? Well then, since you have a cesspool of a mouth, an arrogant blasphemer, I will never grant you anything but a slow and painful death. I will scratch you slowly till it bleeds, and then I will scratch some more till you're mangled and shredded. You will feel the pain of those mortals you killed to grant you your modified form. You will beg me to kill you, but I will not. I will take my sweet time to torture you and then, after you take back what you said about Bathala, only then will I grant you your wish to your last breath.”
”You can't kill me. Nothing can penetrate my body.”
”Well the scratch on your belly tells otherwise.”
He slowly looked at his side and saw a thin laceration to where he hit him. The skin is lined in red in an almost itchy five-inch incision perfectly situated to slice him to his gut. His eyes widened as he looks him now, stunned and almost afraid.
”Well, m'lord?” Yiv mocked laughing. ”Please shower me with your God-like awesome powers. Because if you don't, then I might have to start cutting you now slightly but as painful as mortally possible...” Yiv was about to charge till an echo murmured in the halls. The sound is barely comprehensible, but it sounded as though someone is saying 'they're here'.
With his disappointed click of the tongue, he disappeared. Haaron shouted from the top of his lungs, cursing him, taunting him to reappear again, but he did not. He made him wait there for five full minutes until the door opened again, only this time it was violently smashed into smithereens in an explosion that eradicated any trace of the door ever existing there.
-------ooO0Ooo-------
”Hey, quit squirming Yosh!”
”Stop pushing me then, Kuya-Karus...”
”Shhh, quit your whining you two.”
”Hey, I'm not whining, K-Z! Are you taking his side?”
”Shut up you three, I can't fight those Sibaras so if they find us here, I'm going to transmit you all to the north and do this myself!”
”Sorry,” the three echoed with Karus grumbling still.
”We're here,” Yosh said tapping the floorboards, finding a weak wooden board to push.
”Finally,” Karus hurried squeezing through Yosh to help him push the floorboards to reveal a dark empty storeroom at the Palace kitchen.
”Hey, Iyom,” Kayzar smiled. ”In the near future, when you say you'll volunteer to transmit us, give a caveat that we're going to reappear on the ground, underground. I almost broke a bottle of my poisons. That will seriously impair us tonight.”
”But doing this still beats your three-day dash any day.”
”You're taking your Dwendell thing into its literal form,” said Karus angry about his soiled red Night Hunters uniform which actually is just random clothes he grabbed at the last moment. ”You could've sprouted a violet on these floorboards and teleport us on level ground but no, you really have to make us literally dig on hardened ground.”
”Hey, just be thankful I'm assisting you three.”
”Thank you, oh kind Dwendell,” mocked Yosh emulating the same irritation as Karus.
”Don't mind them,” Kayzar smiled tapping him. ”Thanks, but seriously though, warn us next time. Okay?”
One-by-one, they climbed up and after all has been accounted for, after much stretching of their limbs because of their tiresome crawl, they huddled together creeping slowly to the door. They peered into the keyholes and upon noticing no one's there they immediately jumped to the main kitchen silently stretching their map into one of the long kitchen tables available.
The smell of tonight's dinner still lingered in the air. The faint hints of those juicy steamed veal, fried flavorful prawns, and those excellent touches of herbs that Karus and Yosh thought to be parsley and basil, activated their palates that instead of finding a lamp, they managed to slip at the back, lifting the lids of cauldrons as if treasure hunting.
Kayzar managed to find a torch rushing to the group in a hurry only to find them eating merrily at the table across where they put on their map. He would've been livid but Karus extended him a bowl full of that delicious meaty stew in tomato paste, so he just smiled and joined them. They all ate at a tremendous rate almost finishing that half-full cauldron in less than thirty minutes. They haven't eaten their dinners because they've been too busy planning the rescue and since they're rather early for the rescue proper, they found themselves enjoying their breaks instead. Yosh was disappointed though considering Luna and Stella is absent on that heartful feast and that he can't bring them a taste since he didn't bring his leak-proof lunch pack.
”Do you hear that?” Iyom mumbled with his mouth full. ”It sounded like someone's shouting.”
”You and your weird ears,” teased Yosh finishing his fourth serving.
”Stop eating too much,” Karus said tapping Yosh's hands from dipping the ladle to scratch off the remaining soup. ”You're going to hurl that all over where we're going, and I want to avoid further damage on my clothes.”
”Alright, I promise I won't vomit on you,” smiled Yosh as he tried to pull the ladle from him.
”Stop,” Kayzar stood up readied. ”I'm hearing it too now, a faint yell.”
”Come on let's check it out,” Karus exclaimed after burping.
”Wait,” Yosh interrupted their early charge. ”the Palace has defenses, should we first practice dashing to be safe. We could be walking into a trap and if we can't dash, we'll be doomed.”
”Silly Yosh, Of course, dashing works,” Karus said shaking his head which annoyed him. ”Daomagarian skills cannot be muted. Only Nagozulian skills are affected by these so-called magical defenses. Daomagarians don't need to cast their skills. It's just muscle at work.”
”Well...” Iyom mumbled which took their attention. ”I've heard of some spells that can make the skills of the Holy Sentinels harder to perform, if not completely blocked. Even Yagisivian and Daomagarian skills are included.”
Kayzar disappeared and reappeared again getting in and out of the veil then shrugging off. ”I think we're safe. My Shadow Step is not affected, and I dashed there too just to be sure. Though I hear a lot of murmurs from dead people all around. I don't like what's happening here...”
”W-what?” Yosh shivered in fear.
”Quit playing around Kayzar,” Karus slapped him in the arm. ”We need Yosh to perform his best tonight.”
”B-but it's true. There's a lot of dead...”
”Say it!”
”Say what?” Kayzar angrily mumbled.
”Say you don't see a ghost!” Karus insisted pointing at Yosh's sad face.
Kayzar shrugged and smiled. ”Nah, I'm just teasing you. There are no ghosts here.”
”But there really is a lot of dead people around these parts here,” Kayzar whispered which garnered Karus's disappointed tongue clicks.
Kayzar was greatly disturbed to see that many ghosts in the veil which only gives him the assumption that many has been killed tonight but he just let it slide. For one thing, Yosh is practically afraid of ghosts and, frankly, Karus thinks he's just making things up since he's not convinced that ghosts stay at the veil. Kayzar would've liked to show him but he's not ready to reveal that he could take someone in the veil. He likes to show it to him by surprise some other time. Karus is the only one he could boast around his skills to after all, so he likes to save this moment for him to savor every sweet second of praise he could give.
”So, then we're off!” Yosh bellowed with fists flying in the skies.
”Sure! And I'll be waiting for you three here,” Iyom smiled. ”I can't fight y'know and I'll just be a liability.”
”You keep saying that to yourself and you'll forget that you're a coward,” Yosh laughed but before Iyom can reply on that insulting jest, they disappeared dashing.
They walked the two flights of stairs just as the map stated and walked some more. They tried dashing but reverted to just walking to be safe. Daomagarians have super hearing capabilities that could detect even the faintest of steps and dashing into a trap is practically unwise.
They never thought it would be that far. Yosh kept cursing Iyom's inefficient transmission making them vulnerable to further attacks from those dark shadows that lurks on every corner, on every empty door. Of course, they have taken the precautions and stopped on every end of the hallway or on every door but somehow, they found the Palace to be deserted - a curious thing to find in such a large royal mansion. At least one servant should be present in at least one of those halls that they have mazed through but there is none. It's as if they know they are coming and are graciously welcoming their midnight stroll.
The food at the kitchen is practically left there for them to find. Yosh might argue that the chef left it there to simmer for a while which meant only that it was left unfinished on purpose. Karus might disagree but Yosh insists that it lacks another one of those spoonfuls of salt to taste which meant that the Chef didn't even bother to sample the thing, but even with its almost stale flaw it's still quite delicious he concluded.
First the food that was left in a hurry, and then the missing attendants, what's next? Karus argued on Yosh's paranoia for a while which led Kayzar to spearhead in managing security for the three of them. Kayzar would've shouted at them for always fighting all the time, even in that critical situation but he didn't. For one thing, his full concentration is devoted in listening on those slight taps on the floor, those silent whispers of ambush, those rushing shadows in the corners that might signify a trap. If he's not doing that, he'll be slapping the two in the nape - an official mandate that he now carries whenever they are going overboard.
”The door...” Karus whispered. ”That's the door.”
”Yeah, genius. It's great that you figured that one out on your own, huh?”
”Hush now,” Kayzar said softly. ”That's the one who's yelling earlier. He's still yelling now.”
”Is he referring to us?” Karus said confused with the ranting man behind the door and his angry shouts stating for them to appear before him and not to hide cowardly. ”He's rather making me angry K-Z. What shall we do then?”
”Let's just wait it out, see if something develops.”
They all pushed their ears to that cold smooth door and heard the man shouting in random curses, curse words that won't go well in a sentence and curse words that has been repeated countless times it didn't even make sense anymore.
”Yit'ard, I thought I'm bad at cursing,” Yosh snickered listening to him bicker inside on the top of his lungs.
They would've listened further, but he now cursed Bathala. He's now insulting the very God that created the Holy Lands and the whole world and this made the last straw for Karus.
”Stand back!” Karus shouted.
He didn't even wait for them to stand aside. He just pushed the two on both sides and quickly drew his sword blasting the door in a massive explosion akin to one of the Talim Clan's Prime Cannons.
Dust engulfed the door and as it cleared Karus shouted an ear-splitting echo that would've awoken anyone from a mile away. He had his Kampilan Bolo directly pointing at the silhouette of the guard across the room.
”You shall pay for insulting Bathala you godless mortal! I shall take every word of insult from that filthy mouth and make you shout an apology three times!”
”Stupid Kuya.... I mean, Magnus!” Yosh angrily yelled standing up pushing Karus on his angry stance, making him step back losing his balance almost tripping. ”Do not do that again in my face! If didn't dodged it, I would've had splinters all over me!”
Kayzar stood up calmly, brushing his trench coat. He went near Karus and violently slapped his nape with much speed Karus didn't even anticipated the attack and was left vulnerable. He was then pushed forward for a couple of steps. ”Never do that again,” he mumbled with serious eyes.
”Stop it you two!” Karus reacted. ”I'm having a moment here!”
”Hey, wait,” ignored Yosh walking inside the grand hall. ”Is that the guard?”
”Yo! Red guy!” called Karus walking fast inside. ”I still mean what I said, I will beat you to a pulp and... and...”
”Why are you naked?” laughed Yosh screaming. ”Is that a thing now? Being naked in a cool dark night while watching a door? Is this a weird foreign thing?”
Haaron lifted his claymore and made his defensive stance, he looked and noticed a much younger man in a trench coat. ”You, in black, are you the real Yiv?”
”What has gotten into you?” said Yosh still can't get over snickering at the tall red man wearing his loincloth. ”Why don't you answer our question first, why the impierno are you naked?”
”That is of little import. You are the Night Hunters, yes?”
”Indeed,” replied Kayzar pulling his long dagger.
His dagger is a foot-long dripping in poison but not like the blade of the impostor Yiv earlier, Haaron thought.
”None shall pass this hall,” Haaron exclaimed. ”If you wish to pass you must forfeit your lives first.”
”Awwww... I'm going to be mauled by a red baby,” Yosh obnoxiously guffawed. ”Wait, wait, wait. I'll grab my pacifier first so that when we roll around and get tired, we'll be ready to sleep soundly.”
”Mocking one's enemy is unwise, child. I do not harm children, but you'll be an exception.”
”There's the door behind him,” Karus whispered. ”Yiv I want you to distract him while I go around and destroy the door. Aether, slip by him and climb the spire. Rescue Uncle Sayed and return here as soon as possible.”
”Affirmative,” Kayzar nodded raising his dagger.
In the sound of their count to three Karus and Yosh dashed forward to meet Sir Haaron. Haaron swung his claymore in a horizontal slash that would've cut them in half if not because of their nimble bodies dodging it on the last second.
”Now!” Karus yelled.
Kayzar disappeared from his spot and reappeared in front of Haaron, slashing him for multiple times. It did not pierced his body one bit, it didn't even give as much as a tickle, but his extraordinary attack rendered Haaron occupied for two seconds leaving him to slip his claymore from his grip as he defend himself from that torrent of attacks. But two seconds is enough for Karus, enough for him to sidestep and dash on behind blasting the door that's keeping them from Sayed. Yosh slipped through unscathed but the same didn't unfortunately apply to Karus. As he stood up after one of his explosive bashes, Haaron grabbed him from his back and slammed him on the floor.
The loud smash created a crater of cracks around the marble floors. Karus coughed up blood, a view that was very unpleasant for Kayzar. Karus should've used Deep Root but he didn't, and it is confusing Kayzar why. The smell of blood paralyzed him to a point that it led him vulnerable too. Haaron didn't even think twice in this opportunity and punched him directly in the chest. The impact was so great he was catapulted twenty feet in the air only to roll on the ground. He tried to get up as fast as he can, wheezing, breathing in difficulty, but he fumbled down kneeling instead. He has broken a rib and that takes time to heal.
Haaron lifted his foot and as he was about to crush Karus, he rolled over, almost in a dashing roll, distancing himself from him for twenty feet.
”This is the Night Hunters?” mocked Haaron. ”The ones that toppled eight fortresses and brought the Sibara to shame? You are all disappointing.” Haaron lifted his claymore, clicking his tongue. ”You are all a bunch of kids. Based on your slender weak bodies, you're not even past adolescence. I swear an oath to protect women and children but because you are so persistent in rushing to your deaths, I will grant this and treat you all as an exception.”
He was about to charge when Yosh suddenly appeared behind him, carrying Sayed hobbling in effort to lug him. Yosh's smiling face beamed directly at the angry Haaron. He thought it's all over now and his brothers have pacified the threat but now he regrets his early appearance before him and his over estimation on his brother's abilities. Haaron smiled too. But he's smiling on a different cause, one that is both deadly and funny at the same time.
Haaron rotated his blade and gave a vertical cut. Yosh couldn't move from his spot because he might risk killing Sayed. He would've been torn in two if Karus haven't dashed forth and blocked it with his Katana - this time applying Deep Root.
”Yiv!” Karus shouted. ”Be careful, this room is trapped in Magick. Iyom's theory is correct.”
Karus made a sword lock with Haaron and Yosh used this opportunity to slide through around them to escape. The sword lock prevented them both from moving. If someone did give up on that lock, the person will be sliced by the other's blade but Haaron is not worried from this. He takes pride on his tough skin. Haaron then ignored the lock as he saw Yosh to his side and quickly launched a kick to his direction but failed to hit him as Kayzar rushed to receive the damage in Yosh's stead. A thick loud crackle echoed in the room which terrified the brothers. Karus pushed his Katana but just slid through as anticipated, making him roll on the ground as if tripping.
”K-Z!” shouted Karus ignoring their codenames. ”Are you alright?!”
Kayzar managed to shakily stand up but before he could reply, Haaron dashed on forward to meet him giving him a barrage of sword slashes he could barely escape.
Karus rushed to help him, and in his angry fit, he managed to recreate a much more powerful version of the fist of Ana'giel to Haaron's back. His back then received an inch deep cut that is almost six inches long. This made him back down for a while as Karus ran to Kayzar to comfort him.
”Damn you pesky brats!” Haaron shouted in anger feeling the pain now swelling
”Kuya!” shouted Yosh concerned for their brothers standing now in the door as if waiting for them to get out.
”Run away now, Yosh,” Karus ordered. ”Leave us and deliver Sayed to safety!”
”B-but...”
Karus eyes glared at Yosh now angrier than before. ”Leave or I will beat you senselessly!”
With this Yosh limped on away leaving the two to fight the giant titan who is now checking the wound Karus gave him.
”Y-you managed to hurt him,” Kayzar smiled coughing more blood now than earlier. ”Great job, Dal'Gur eh?”
”We'll talk about his swords later, right now I have to ask the extent of your damage.”
Karus pulled a vial of White Angel from Kayzar's pocket and gave it to him. He could've opened the vial and help him drink it but the ever persisting Haaron charged at them with his freakishly long claymore. Karus was fed up with this big giant. Only one thing will keep him away, and that is if he takes away his toy. He has to destroy that claymore at all cost.
Karus jumped in front of Kayzar and created a bombardment of explosive sword bashes that exceeds even Haaron's own strength. The titan was taken by surprise as he backed down step by step, leaving him to figure a way to be released from Karus's trapping sword bashes that left him to the defensive side thinking one of those slices might garner him another wound if he's not careful.
”Magnus, tabi!” Kayzar shouted in code.
Karus heard this and quickly rolled thirty feet away from him. That quick second is not enough for Haaron to notice the flying needles coming his way. Evasion is not an option for him now. Kayzar managed to spring him into a trap!
A hundred needles connected by a string came in a salvo to him. That fast-flying sharp needles flew akin to fast flying arrows and, like snapping serpents, after hitting him and falling down, it quickly got back up again only to launch a swift attack once more. An impressive attack that made him cower a bit covering his eyes from being hit but overall, it was very ineffective. It didn't penetrate his skin one bit. The needles just cried a clinking melody of failure on the marbled tiles of the floor which made Haaron laugh.
”Is this the best you can do!?” he yelled enjoying their pitiful attempts.