Chapter 80: Sealing Runic Card (1/2)

The back Amelia was looking at was nothing like the one she followed yesterday. Even still, she felt they belonged to the same person. Shame burned on her face for not only following him but also getting captured in the process. She was not only a sneaky rat but a very dumb one that would bring plague with it.

”Ugh,” The man groaned and clutched his chest. Amelia looked at him worryingly and saw him wipe the blood off the corner of his mouth. It was then that Amelia realized he was getting slower.

”Are you okay?”

”Shut up.” The man snapped back at her, and Amelia flinched slightly. He seemed to realize his mistake as he apologized. ”Sorry, just be quiet lest they find us.”

As he asked, Amelia said no further words. She could also feel their pursuers getting closer to their position. The scenery around them was one of trees, groves, and more trees. They kept zigzagging through them hoping for their pursuers to lose their tail.

”This way,” The man whispered as quietly as the hissing trees around them.

She then saw him run toward the village he's been at earlier today. Without looking behind, the man opened one of the huts and darted inside. Amelia followed after him and the two closed the door.

”They'll find us here.” Amelia couldn't help but say. They only needed to look inside the village before they would find the two holed up like cornered rats in this house.

”No, they won't,” The man seemed to lose strength as his knees buckled and fell to the ground. It was then that Amelia saw his appearance change from the silver masked bulky stature to a thinner, iron-masked, Arthur. He was breathing heavily as if there was fire eating him inside, and he tried to breathe it out.

”Are you okay?”

”Come here.”

Amelia walked up to him as he asked, and the golden-eyes young man looked at her in the eyes before he took off his ring. He then extended his palm face upward in her direction.

”I- I- I- don't think this is the best timing for this.” Amelia stuttered with a reddened face unlike her usual face and Arthur felt like slapping this woman right here and then.

”I'm not proposing! Just give me your hand. Use this artifact to hide this house. Only hide this house. Okay?” Arthur pushed the ring into her finger. Amelia nodded her head as she sent her mana into the artifact and the whole house was enveloped by light for a brief moment.

”Why is the royal family here?” Amelia turned to face Arthur afterward and proceeded to ask. However, Arthur started vomiting blood before collapsing.

'Why so mad?'

***

When Arthur opened his eyes again, his body ached so much that he wished he didn't. It was better to sleep through this pain than to endure it, but the enemies wouldn't allow him. That's why as soon as his eyes saw the light, he already sprung up enduring the unbearable pain.

However, his body was more 'regenerative' than most awakeners. His high stamina ensured that he was able to heal faster than normal. There weren't many people with such a well-rounded stat, explaining the reason Arthur was able to come out from battles even if he was weaker.

His eyes showed nothing but a blur as if someone has cast a transparent, yet thick, vile on his view. When his eyes readjusted, he was still in the house that they hid in. Arthur needed a moment to find Amelia sleeping while leaning on the wall.

'Sleeping while enemies are trying to kill us? This girl got guts.' Arthur inwardly grumbled but he was no better. He stood up and walked over toward her. He stood a few steps away from her as he contemplated what an excellent opportunity this was.

His hand reached out to his dagger, that was sheathed in the sheath he bought and hanged in his belt, bespeaking of his intentions of killing her there and then. His thoughts swirled in his mind as logic clashed with morals, but there was no obvious winner.

'She's a threat…' A voice whispered in his mind.

'But does she deserve to die?' Another answered.

'It doesn't matter what she deserves, she needs to die.'

'Is there another way around it?'

As these voices wrestled each other, making entanglements upon entanglements, Arthur stood there torn between the two. It was a few minutes later that Amelia opened her eyes to see him standing in front of her holding his dagger.

Reflexively, she reached out to her sword but it wasn't there. It was then that she remembered it has been taken from her. She started using her mana as she looked at Arthur in the eyes.

”What are you trying to do?”

Her question intensified the dilemma Arthur felt. He sighed and placed away from his dagger as he extended his hand to pick her up.

”Sorry, I'm on the edge too, and didn't mean to scare you.” Amelia looked at him with doubt and nodded her head. She took Arthur's hand and stood up.

”I'll take this back.” Arthur placed his hand on the ring and injected with his mana and took it out. This way, the illusion around the house would still be there. Amelia's eyes followed the ring wistfully as she has also realized how practical it was.