Chapter 91: Aftermath
Robi also noticed his fear. "You are looking away at the wrong time," Robi said.
The mage’s eyes snapped back.
Robi’s metal hand came toward him with silver mana wrapped around the fingers. The mage quickly raised his staff.
"Blinding Ash Veil."
A burst of gray-white dust exploded from the tip of his staff.
It was not normal ash. It was mixed with fire mana and powdered stone. The cloud spread quickly, covering Robi’s front and blocking his sight. The dust burned the eyes and throat. Even Robi had to step back and raise a silver barrier around his face.
The mage did not attack.
He ran.
His body turned into a line of red light inside the ash cloud. He threw two more small fire bursts behind him, not to harm Robi, but to thicken the dust and confuse the direction of his escape. By the time the ash cleared enough for Robi to see properly, the mage had already reached the lower path.
Robi’s face darkened.
He could chase, but chasing him would mean leaving the platform, leaving Celia, leaving Lucard, leaving the remaining Velkhur knight, and leaving Ravencroft’s men to make their next move. A fifth circle mage running away was dangerous, but this battlefield still had too many living knives.
Robi cursed under his breath.
The mage escaped down the hill.
At the same time, Celia’s opponent understood the same thing.
The Rank Four knight had been fighting her with confidence earlier. His aura was strong. His blade was heavy. His body could take punishment. But after seeing Garran dead and the other mage fleeing, his confidence cracked. A knight could be brave, but bravery did not mean standing alone while a heart-pulling monster, a Marovain elder, and Celia Marovain were all nearby.
He swung his sword with both hands.
Celia blocked with a silver barrier and slid back half a step.
The knight did not follow. He turned and ran.
Celia’s eyes sharpened.
"Where do you think you are going?"
She pushed off the cracked stone and chased him. Silver mana gathered around her feet, making her steps faster.
The knight did not run toward the lower road like the mage. He knew Robi had let the mage escape that way and might not expect another person to run in a different direction. Instead, he ran across the platform toward Robi’s side, using the remaining dust cloud as cover.
Celia saw his direction at once.
"Uncle," she shouted. "He is running. Catch him."
Robi turned his head. For one breath, he looked very annoyed.
He had already let the Fifth Circle mage escape. That alone was shameful enough. There were Marovain guards here. There were Ravencroft witnesses. There was Celia. There was Lucard. If he allowed the Rank Four knight to escape too, then his face as a Marovain elder would truly fall into the grave ash and roll downhill.
Robi could already imagine Garran laughing in death. That thought made his eyes cold.
"No," Robi said. "One is enough."
The Rank Four knight rushed past the edge of the broken formation, aura covering his body. He tried to break through with raw speed. His sword was lowered, his shoulder forward, and his whole body moved like a charging bull. Any normal guard standing in front of him would be crushed.
Robi stepped into his path.
The knight’s eyes widened.
"Move."
Robi lifted his metal hand.
Silver mana gathered in his fake fingers and spread into a flat round disk, bright and sharp like a coin made of moonlight. His coat moved in the wind, and his eyes became calm again.
"I already lost one runner," Robi said. "You are bad for my reputation."
The knight roared and swung his aura blade.
Robi did not retreat. His silver disk met the sword. The impact cracked the stone under both of them.
Celia rushed from behind with her sword ready.
Lucard stood near Garran’s dry body and watched with cold interest, Garran’s fire still warming his veins.
The Rank Four knight was caught between one old fox and one dangerous young lady.
Robi’s metal hand tightened.
"Now," he said, "let us discuss your surrender."
The Rank Four knight did not surrender immediately.
He was a Velkhur knight. Even though fear had entered his heart after Garran’s death, pride still sat in his bones. His teeth were clenched so tightly that blood showed at the edge of his lips.
Robi stood in front of him with his metal hand raised.
Celia came from behind the knight like a silver shadow. Her voice was cold.
"Drop the sword."
The knight’s hands tightened.
Robi’s metal fingers slowly closed. The silver disk pressed harder against the blade. The knight’s sword began to bend under the force.
Robi said, "I am asking because I am in a good mood. Do not wait until I become fair."
The knight looked at Garran’s dried body on the ground. Then he looked at Lucard.
Lucard was standing near the corpse, watching with quiet eyes. He had not moved toward the knight. He had not spoken. But somehow, that silence was worse than anger. He knew what would happen if this young man decided that his blood also looked useful.
The knight opened his hand. His sword fell to the cracked stone.
Celia placed a binding circle around his wrists at once. Silver light wrapped around his aura and pressed it down. Robi touched the knight’s shoulder with his metal hand and added a second seal. The knight’s aura flickered and then became weak.
"Good," Robi said. "You have saved yourself from becoming a lesson."
Lucard looked at him and said, "For now."
The knight’s face turned pale.
Robi glanced at Lucard. "Must you say things like that?"
"Yes."
Celia sighed quietly, but she did not argue. She had already learned that Lucard said terrible things with the same calm tone other people used to ask for tea.
The fighting on Black Barrow Hill slowly ended.