Jumping off Dumnorix's back, Maple runs over to Jūlija and says, "Are you guys okay?"
"Aren't you Orb's sister, I believe? What are you guys doing here? You should be up top where my father is?"
"Blamator attacked the castle, and for some reason, all the minister and Perfecțiune had their body weights increase massively, making them unable to attack. So we came down to join the battle."
Marinescu says, "But how are we alive?"
Slapping Abbán on the shoulder, Dumnorix says, "My brother over here's legacy allows him to absorb damage into his shield, combine that with Cyrus's legacy that absorbed some of the mass of the attack, and you have a near-perfect defence."
Holding the shield composed of blood with his legacy acting on it, Abbán says, "I got this from Stelara before we left, it's rather amazing how sturdier it is."
Trying to force himself to his feet, Šviesis says, "Then I need to go to Soarele Blestemat, my family is there with no one to protect them."
Iancu activates his legacy and increases the gravity around Šviesis, smashing him into the ground. "Do you really think that if I can restrain you, you're going to be able to fight like that. Or is the title of idiot not only reserved for Wadim but for this father as well?"
Maple glares at Iancu with a stern but hopeful glare, constantly moving his face closer to his till he turns his head away and says, "Okay!"
Deactivating his legacy, Iancu release Šviesis and Suzuka walks over to him, and says, "I think there is nothing cooler than a father who wants to protect his family, but when things get bad we should all work together, and I assure you right now a snowstorm is bursting through the castle to make sure everyone makes it out of this okay, so can you just trust in Orb, and trust in us."
Looking into the little girl's eyes, Šviesis says, "Alright, I will trust in you. But we should still find a way to alleviate this sickness."
"Cyrus and I will be looking for it down here."
"I think you guys might have an issue then. None of the other soldiers down here are affected by it, and from your story, people affected were only the strongest of us. But also people who hang around the castle. The range of this curse is also suspicious of affecting all of us despite the distance between the castle on top of Balaur and us, far, far below it. The only way something like this could happen is if the curse is only capable of targeting people it has marked beforehand. So that means the curse user could probably be anywhere."
With panic climbing on top of everyone's faces, Suzuka says, "Then couldn't the owner of whatever curse this is be anywhere in the world?"
"No. The fact of the matter is that there have been far too many reschedules for today for anyone to know exactly when to activate such a curse to take all of us out, so the perpetrator must have been close by to be able to know when to activate the curse."
"Wait, couldn't they use something like a kaidenwa for long-range communication or some kind of curse?"
"We have no curses that allow for that outside of the Queen herself, and these people are human haters; they would need spirit energy to use a kaidenwa. I doubt it would be possible. The person who did this was somewhere in the area around the town, and luckily, Zenitas has many Nightmares with detection curses."
Cyrus, walking forward, says, "Then let me take you to them?"
"No, don't do that, I can propel myself to do that at the very least. What I need you guys to do is try and get me a face from those three earlier. If we can at least identify the factors of whoever is doing this, we will be able to deal with it."
Dumnorix says, "So a Duel. I like this. I guess I will finally be able to go all out."
Cyrus, seeing his smile, stands up and says, "I will take out twice as many as you do."
Dumnorix snickers, and Abbán says, "Stop being idiots and let's go."
The three kids jump on the three adults' backs, and Jūlija says, "Marinescu and I can still fight. Let us join you. I need to go beat that little midget's face in for what he did to me!"
"Fighting equal opponents when you're not in peak form, and already exhausted from your earlier battles, isn't smart. I suggest you guys do something more productive, like making sure all of Blamator's prisoners aren't broken out."
Shock moves over her face as Dumnorix's words bring a realisation. Quickly composing herself, she says, "Oh yes, I had thoughts about that. Let's go."
As everyone prepares to leave, Maple activates her legacy and increases each of their speeds except Dumnorix, and says, "The more people's speed I increase, the less it lasts for. Right now, I need everyone to be quick and efficient, okay!"
"Right!" they all say as they dash off through the streets.
Φ As I hold onto Dumnorix, he looks back at me and says, "You didn't want to increase my speed."
"Oh, is the greatest in all creation so pathetic that he can't even keep pace with some enhanced bugs and lizards? You so proudly bowed your head to my tribe, and he can't even make the effort to amaze her."
With a smile, Dumnorix says, "It seems the house of Rian is far more demanding than my last. But understand this, the greatest in all creation shall amaze his people and leaders, both new and old. Now watch."
Taking his swords from his side, he lets it drink his blood, turning it red, and then says, "Red branch battle arts; Starflower." In a single moment, he dashes through the area, slicing up members of Blamator with ungodly speed.
Then, jumping into the air, he says, "Beast blood battle arts; Fás." And soon plants start to sprout all across the destroyed buildings, clearing away the rubble and freeing the people underneath.
I already knew Dumnorix was strong, but isn't this a bit much? Not only is his speed amazing, but his ability to instantly recognise where people our, despite all the noise everywhere, is unnatural.
I have been constantly amazed by the monsters Orb has faced again and again, but I think we might have one on our side now.
"Hold on, Chief, I am going to be moving faster."
Gripping his back tightly, I say, "RIGHT!"
Standing on the ground, I activate my legacy and say, "Up you go." And soon the rubble in the area breaks free of gravity and starts flying higher, then I shout, "GO RESCUE YOUR FAMILY!"
Hearing my voice, people rush towards those trapped under the building, and all around me, members of Blamator jump out of nowhere and head towards me.
Using their curses, they generate a series of projectiles which move towards me, yet Abbán moves in the way of all those attacks, and using this shield, he blocks all of the attacks.
Then, using his rubbery body, he bounces his body upwards, and uses the rubble suspended in the air to fling himself around at high speed, then using his bladed shield, he slash them, knocking them down.
Landing in front of me, Abbán then points the edge of his bladed shield, and the water around it focuses, then blasts off at full force and fires into a series of Blamator Nightmares in the distance.
More Nightmares appear behind him, and he jumps into the air, and pulls his right fist back, then punches forward with his arm, stretching forward and smashing the nightmare in the head.
Falling to the ground, Abbán says, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, but I didn't know you were that strong."
"I did train often with Dumnorix when I was younger, and I never stopped, even after we were forced into one place for the entirety of our lives. Besides being a wonderbeast Beastkin and having the rubbery nord dragon fly, I am able to keep up with low-class brutes like this."
"It seems I would have died if I actually tried fighting you back then. Luckily, Senán and Dumnorix stopped us."
Turning his back to me, Abbán says, "You're right, you would've died, and I apologise for that."
"No, need it was Mapl-."
"I know that, but it isn't what I am apologising for. My people have a lot of hatred between us based on something so stupid as how human we look, and I failed as a leader in spreading that to everyone, including a foreigner like you. For that I apologise."
Lowering my head as my fists start to shake, I say, "Thank you."
"My forgiveness will come when I pay you back for this."
Seeing all of the Nightmares underneath the building run out, I release my legacy and fall to the floor in exhaustion. Abbán picks me up and throws me on his back, then says, "I will protect your life no matter what, remember that, Iancu."
"Gross, you sound like Orb."
"Thank you for the compliment?"
Φ I can hear them, I can hear all of their voices.
'Mommy! Daddy! Please come!'
'Get up, get up, get up. You can't die here.'
'It's so hot, I can barely breathe.'
'My legs are crushed, I can't move!'
'Their rampaging around the corner, if I move, I am dead.'
'Please, someone call the guards.'
'Where is the Cursed Heart Army, or the 2nd seats and upwards, we can't regain any momentum like this?'
'Why would you do that, you fool, pushing me out of the way!'
'My son is trapped under here, please, somebody, anybody, help.'
'We can't hold the line, there are too many of them.'
'God, please help us.'
'Why is the happening?'
'You'd attack your own people.'
'Is this what we truly are? People who burn their cities down?'
'YOUR MAJESTY! SAVE US!'
Feeling the surge of thoughts and emotions rock right through my body, I put my hand over my mouth as the contents of my stomach try to rush up. It's all so much, it's all so intense. All of them in the chaos are shifting through all of their emotions as they try to find a way to cope with he idea of their imminent death, it is the final cries of each of their souls.
Φ Manifesting darkness from my sword, I swing it in every which way and slash the member of Blamator in half. Then, slamming it into the ground, I send my darkness into the ground and absorb all the matter underneath the rubble and spit it out, releasing any humans trapped inside.
Staring at them, I say, "Y-Y-You be-e-e-ettter go run to one of th-he churches!"
Many rush off in fear, but others stop and make gestures of thanks before they move. Turning my head, I say, "Suzuka, where to nex-."
From Suzuka's nose and eyes, blood drips as she constantly breathes in and out heavily. Turning, I grab her, and I say, "Suzuka, what's going on? Is this overdose from your cur-rse."
"It's fine. It's just getting a bit intense. I can still go on. We still need to try and find whatever mutant is holding the elites down."
"But you will break if we keep goin-ng on! I am taking you back to Soarele Blestemat right now."
Placing her hands against my face cheeks, she says, "Let me fight. It's painful to be watching you all fight way more than anything."
"But can you even protect yourself when you're like this? If so, then you put yourself in a lot of dange-."
"Then please protect me, Cyrus. I know you can do this."
Φ Trying to harden his shaky eyes, Cyrus says, "I w-will." And then turns before rushing off in the direction I point my finger to.
I know that I shouldn't be here anymore, but more than helping people, more than finding that mutant, Cyrus, I don't want to leave you alone when your emotions are the most intense around me.