Chapter 91: The Butcher And The Blight

Thunder cracked as Princess Mina Hiranyas C Grade Arc spell lanced out, its finger in search of a goal that was not there.

Inform me, Riyan. Had been you shocked to study that Id killed your contact and brought his place?

Riyan ignored her, Blinking across the princess, evading her magic. Since water magic was ineffective in opposition to a fast-moving opponent, Mina solely had Lightning to work with.

I suppose you by no means knew of my abilities with deception. You knew I preferred to sneak out of the citadel, however youd by no means seen me do it. In case you had, youd have realized my abilities had been simply nearly as good as your individual. Your mistake obtained your man killed, Riyan. Yet one more ineffective demise to your pointless trigger.

Shed hoped to upset Riyans rhythm, giving her a gap. However the mans relentless willpower hadnt modified in spite of everything these years; he continued to assault, unfazed.

Regardless of her calm outward demeanor, Mina seethed. A mejais worst enemy was a talented Expertise wielder, particularly one who specialised in mobility. Even her Arc spells missed their mark in opposition to such an agile foe, and with out her magic, she had just one or two choices to threaten him with. When Riyan wasnt Blinking round, he moved with superhuman pace, augmented by Haste. Towards such an opponent, Mina was a sitting duck.

However this was true of each mejai, and so Mina had way back taken precautions.

Riyans talwar slashed throughout her face as soon as once more, opening a small gash on her cheek, drawing blood. Minas thoughts spun and spun, trying to decipher her enemys secret.

Even Blade Projection shouldnt have the ability to contact me, she commented calmly. Mina was intimately aware of all of Riyans Abilities. The person had been infusing each assault with prana, however she knew from expertise that this Expertise couldnt penetrate her Artifacts defenses.

The pendant she wore below her garments hailed from the Age of Gods, and never solely prevented harm but in addition healed wounds near-instantly as nicely. Already, the road on her cheek clotted and closed. It was the final word therapeutic artwork. One which shed by no means needed to depend on prior to now.

As a result of even with Dahas restricted prana, it had at all times rendered her invulnerable.

The princess wore it always with out fail. A reality Riyan knew nicely.

You already know, I really feel a bit of dangerous enjoying along with your agent. You by no means even informed him about my Artifact, did you?

Who of their proper thoughts would undertake an assassination mission in opposition to an unkillable opponent? I by no means meant the boy to die. Not like you, I worth these whove accomplished proper by me.

Virs mission was doomed to fail from the beginning. Nevertheless it had given Riyan Mina, alone and susceptible. And as a bonus, hed even killed Head Priest Harak, and had sown chaos within the capital.

Curious, Mina stated, appraising Riyan like a lab specimen. I do know not your secret, however that you just managed to hurt me is intriguing. This has by no means occurred earlier than. Besides, that’s all it isa curiosity. Is that this all? They do say that one can die from a thousand cuts, however I concern youve miscalculated once more, my expensive normal. What did you hope to perform right here? Quickly, my elite knights will probably be right here, and youll die in useless.

Riyan stated nothing as he flitted round her, blurring as his pace left afterimages in Minas eyes. Relentlessly, constantly, Minas arms, legs, and cheeks took injury.

Repeatedly, hed wound her, just for her flesh to fix proper again up.

However Riyan wasnt accomplished. For a short second, he stopped, attacking Mina not a couple of times, however thrice in fast succession. All at the very same spot. Every strike gouged deeper into Minas forearms as she blocked her face, every drawing an increasing number of blood.

Normal Riyan Savar knew higher than most that to cease on a battlefield meant demise. A stationary goal was a simple goal, and Mina capitalized on the chance. The moment Riyans assaults stopped, she fired a C Grade Arc spell.

At this distance, Riyan wouldnt evade. He took the assault head-on and grinned, launching a flurry of follow-up strikes on the hapless princess.

Mina laughed wryly. Aegis? Now now, its not well mannered to maintain secrets and techniques, Riyan. Have you ever saved it hidden this entire time? Or is that this some new potential, maybe?

Regardless of her state of affairs, the princess sounded genuinely joyful.

Ignoring her once more, he struck the identical wound in speedy successiona feat made potential solely by a warrior of Riyans caliber. As a lot as Abilities augmented strikes, if the approach and footwork lagged, the outcomes would solely go to date. It was why hed educated Vir so relentlessly within the Kalari arts.

The Expertise Aegis defended its wielder in opposition to incoming magical injury, and whereas his was nonetheless a piece in progress, it was greater than sufficient to dissipate the vitality of Minas Lightning strikes into the bottom.

How? Mina shouted as her curiosity obtained the higher of her.

You dont even have the faintest clue of how your Artifact works, do you? You inherit such a priceless treasure out of your father, and but, even along with your mind, you by no means examined it. By no means researched it.

Oh? You sound fairly assured about this. How have you learnt I

Mina immediately fell silent. Youve discovered an exploit.

Riyan cracked a smile.

For the primary time of their encounter, doubt flickered via Minas eyes. It was a passing factor, however Riyan didnt fail to see.

Although his assaults hadnt accomplished considerable damageindeed, each lower hed inflicted had already closedhe trusted his plan.

After years of analysis, scouring libraries from all around the Identified World, Riyan had gained a morsel of perception into the workings of Minas pendant. Most data overlaying the Gods and their magic bordered on uselessopting to revere and extol the topic of their research slightly than perceive it.

However after pouring over a dozen tomes, patterns emerged. Riyan had realized that the majority Artifacts functioned by drawing prana from its environment to cost their spells, very similar to orbs did. In Minas case, her pendant used the prana to guard her.

So that you realized about how my Artifact makes use of prana, did you? So what? Sure, prana is scarce right here, however even then, your assaults shouldn’t be in a position to contact me. Youre doing one thing else. One thing youre not telling me.

If solely you place that thoughts towards the betterment of this nation. Hiranya would rival even the Kinjals. As a substitute, you play your sick video games, plotting to result in your brothers downfall.

In areas of ample prana density, Riyan would by no means have been in a position to graze the princess. However now he knew. The Artifact was struggling. Struggling to dam his assaults and heal Minas wounds.

To confront one was to die. Riyan moved away, circling Mina’s slowly-expanding Swarm. However after all, she did not let him. The Prana Swarm relentlessly attacked her, although it did not penetrate the Artifact’s defenses. Which meant it adopted the princess wherever she went, performing as her private defend of demise.

Figuring out she was now nigh-untouchable, she charged Riyan, and for the primary time of their duel, he was on the again foot.

Riyan dodged, Blinking away from Mina at any time when she approached. The princess, figuring out he would, timed her magic and fired Arc spells the second he reappeared. Even together with his deft footwork and huge expertise, the percentages ultimately caught as much as him. He dodged half a dozen lightning bolts, however the seventh struck him, sending him to the bottom, spasming violently.

A warrior like Riyan would not die from a single Arc spell, however being on the bottom made him susceptible and uncovered, and his opponent relentlessly exploited that weak spot.

Water Dart fired, penetrating Riyan’s robes. He by no means wore armor, preferring mobility to protection, however together with his mobility gone, solely Toughen protected him from Mina’s magic. It wasn’t sufficient. Her magical darts lanced into his physique, piercing flesh.

Intuition saved Riyan. A lifetime of fight had burned his weak factors into his muscle reminiscence; his physique moved simply sufficient to keep away from deadly wounds. His Life orb started therapeutic his wounds the second they opened.

The warrior understood that the duel couldn’t go on like this. Avoiding the Prana Swarm was not an choice. There was just one selection. Just one path to victory.

Riyan steeled himself and Blinked in, gritting himself for the searing ache. He activated Haste. He activated Blade Projection. He powered his Life Affinity orb. And he slashed with all of the power he had, proper at Minas uncovered neck.

This was it. His closing assault.

The Prana Swarm ate away at his physique as he swung, consuming him, debilitating him with acid-washed ache. His legs refused to maneuver the best way he wished, and he knew his purpose wouldnt be true.

So as a substitute, on the final second, he willed his muscle tissues to alter course. Simply barely. Simply sufficient to cleave via one other goal.

The Artifact warred with the burden of Riyans strike, however this assault was completely different. As a result of not solely did Minas pendant must counter Riyans enhanced blade, however it needed to negate the injury the Prana Swarm dealt to Mina.

As a result of, as Mina had stated, they resembled forces of nature greater than any residing organism. And one didn’t management mom nature.

The Artifact buckled, and Minas arm went crusing into the space. Crimson painted the bottom because the princess blinked in shock.

However his assault had not been with out price. Riyans pores and skin burned and his flesh melted.

He ignored it and touched the bottom, Blinking again on the woman for an additional strike.

Therapeutic magic labored wonders. It might restart pierced hearts, and produce these again who had been thought lifeless. To kill Mina, hed must decapitate her. As a result of, for all its energy, not even the best grade Life orb might regrow a limb.

His subsequent Blade Projected strike eliminated her left leg, simply above the knee.

Every foray into the Prana Swarm price Riyan, and by the point he left the cloud, the pores and skin on his face had sheared off completely, leaving his visage hideous and ruined.

The princess guards had not been idle. Regardless of the hazard, and regardless of the debilitating ache, they fashioned a hoop round their liege, defending her even at the price of their very own lives.

Fools! Riyan roared. You shield a monster. However a crippled one.

With a real smile on his face, Riyan Blinked to Minas severed limbs and scooped them up.

Hed come right here figuring out full nicely he may not finish the princess life. He was greater than prepared to sacrifice his personal to take action. For Arya. For Meera. His lifeless spouse and daughter. For Hiranya.

You as soon as took every thing from me. You took my spouse. My valuable daughter. However robbing you of your loved ones would solely please you, would not it? You have got by no means as soon as cared for an additional. No, the one one you’re keen on is your self. You assume your self above all others. For somebody such as you, there isn’t a better insult than this. Contemplate that karma you sowed so way back returned.

With out her limbs to reattach, Mina would stay as a cripple for the remainder of her days. A stark reminder of her failure. By no means once more would Mina be the shining image of perfection she so completely believed she was.

Now, you’ll by no means be Queen, Riyan shouted, gloating via his ache. You’ll not carry this nation to damage.

Kill him! Mina screamed.

However her troops remained frozen, as if captured by Riyan’s overwhelming aura.

You’ll wander this world crippled, maimed, and damaged. Allow them to know. Let the world know. Right here walks Mina, the blight who thought herself untouchable!”

Regardless of their poverty and corruption, Hiranyans valued a stately and powerful ruler. Each in demeanor and look. They’d by no means settle for a cripple as their monarch.

A reality Mina understood all too nicely.

By robbing Mina of her arm and leg, Riyan had ensured shed by no means ascend the throne. And in so doing, had diminished the percentages that Mina killed off her siblings.

KiLL hIM!

Her knights gave chase, however Riyan was untouchable, even practically blinded as he was. He Blinked away, in search of solely to flee. To stay. To combat one other day.

However as he fled, he risked one look again. At his mortal enemy. At Mina.

And when he noticed her tragic state For the primary time in years, he discovered peace.

It was a small satisfaction, however it was one he must stay with. Till he returned to complete the job.