Chapter 265: Controlled (2/2)

”Can you hear me?” Arthur tried but Ori didn't answer. Rae was silently standing beside him, as confused as he was.

'How did this happen?' He asked himself. Ori was never the type of person that would fall for the Enders' promises, he was a good person.

With his heightened senses, Arthur could sense that Ori wasn't a fallen being, but was being controlled by the powers of the Ender.

”Do you know him?” Rae asked. Arthur wanted to deny it since it would link him to his old persona, but the ship has sailed.

”Not personally.”

”Either way, he seems to be preparing to attack.” Rae turned to Ori, who was walking toward them with the Enders' energy covering his left side. ”Do you want me to kill him?”

”Don't dare.” Arthur glared at her with killing intent. ”Stay out of this.” He ordered and Rae looked at him silently before nodding.

He tried to calm himself down and think of a solution. After a few moments, he realized he only had one option. He could only try to save Ori from whoever was controlling him.

Ori walked toward him with the Energy running amok. Arthur started walking toward him and Ori raised his hand and slashed with the corroding energy at him.

Raising his hand, Arthur grabbed Ori's hand easily. His golden mana exploded at the same time and the two energies clashed against one another.

Each one of them tried to eat the other, vying for dominance. In the end, the power of nothingness could never displace the power of existence. Ori's body was surrounded by Arthur's golden mana as a pained expression appeared on his face.

”Agh!” Ori screamed and grabbed his head in agony. ”Make it stop!” He pleaded and Arthur felt hurt to see him this way. He infused more mana into his body to get rid of the connection completely.

Ori's screams became louder until he fainted. Arthur's mana receded as he felt the connection disappear. However, Ori showed no signs of waking up.

”Try hurting him,” Rae suggested and Arthur tried to wake him up by pinching him, but there was no reaction. ”He's a vegetable now.” Rae shrugged.

”Carry him with your scarf, gently.” Arthur laid him down and stood up.

”Don't order me around.”

”You're my follower now, are you not?” Arthur looked at her calmly. Her face was defeated, but he didn't see a lot of opposition. She bit her lower lip and spread her scarf under Ori. The scarf then levitated and carried him.

”What are we going to do now?” Rae asked. ”The sound is back, so we should be able to find the others if we look around enough.”

”I think we would be too late.” Arthur looked around the wasteland. ”Isn't it odd that no one has surfaced until now? They should be able to.”

”Do you think that something happened to them?” Rae shrugged. ”I think assuming that just because we haven't seen them yet is a long shot.”

The moment she said that, a high-frequency sound rang through the wasteland. A giant black pillar shot through the sky as dark clouds formed around it.

”Yup, definitely nothing happening.” Arthur exhaled. He looked at Ori silently. ”We need to bring him along. If a monster appears, I'll take care of it. Protect him, please.”

”Alright.” Rae didn't protest and agreed readily. Arthur smiled and didn't say anything.

His body was still heavy from his earlier use of his art of creation. Even though that Arts were unique ways to handle mana, giving awakeners another set of uses, they could strain the body if they were unbefitting.

They started traveling toward the black pillar of light as Arthur tried to understand how his friend ended up in this state.