Chapter 89: Trap Activated (3)
Lucard felt the strain through his blood. His veins tightened.
The trap was strong, but Garran was a Fifth Circle battle mage with many years of experience. Holding him was like holding a burning bull with threads made of grave dirt. It could work, but not forever.
Garran raised both hands.
"Velkhur Art. Nine Cinder Blades."
Nine curved blades of fire formed around him and spun outward. They cut into the chains, the ash circle, and the stone platform. Three Marovain guards were forced to retreat as pieces of burning stone flew toward them. Celia placed a barrier while still fighting the Rank Four knight, blocking one blade before it cut through a wounded guard.
Lucard controlled the trap and watched.
Garran was not only trying to break free. He was burning his own mana at a dangerous speed. Each spell tore part of the trap, but each spell also drained him. The Bloodfire Burial had already cost him a lot. The Blood Ember Stone was gone. The failed hidden thread, the direct fight with Robi, and now the full trap had forced him to keep using high cost spells.
Lucard did not need the trap to kill Garran directly. He needed it to make Garran spend himself. That had always been the real purpose.
Garran did not know that yet. He thought Lucard was desperately trying to hold him. Buying some time for Robi marovain.
Lucard allowed him to think that.
"Velkhur Forbidden Art. Ash Heart Burst."
Garran struck his own chest with his fist. Fire exploded from his body in a violent wave. The death chains shattered one after another. The platform cracked. The hidden outer ring tore open. One Marovain mage screamed and fell back as backlash struck his hands. Celia’s barrier flickered. Robi glanced toward Garran but could not help because the other Fifth Circle mage attacked his side again.
The trap groaned under Lucard’s control. Blood came from Lucard’s nose again.
He smiled.
Garran was almost empty of mana.
The old Velkhur elder stood inside the broken trap circle, breathing hard. His cloak was torn. His face was red with rage. His mana still burned, but it no longer felt deep. It felt like a furnace with little fuel left, still hot, still dangerous, but no longer endless compared to his.
Garran looked up at the shrine.
"You little rat."
Lucard removed his hand from the stone.
Garran stepped out of the broken chains. The ground smoked under his boots. He did not look at Robi anymore. He did not look at Celia. All his hatred had turned toward Lucard.
"You think you can use my mana against me? You think a little trap can kill me?"
Lucard stood on the broken shrine.
"No."
Garran’s eyes narrowed.
Lucard said, "I thought it could empty you."
Garran’s expression changed. Only then did he understand Lucard’s real plan.
Lucard jumped down from the shrine.
He landed on the upper slope and began walking toward Garran. The Fifth Circle mage above tried to attack him from behind, but Robi’s silver blade spell forced that mage back with a shout. Celia saw Lucard moving and slammed her barrier into the Rank Four knight’s sword, pushing him away long enough to clear the path for him.
Garran laughed with rage.
"Even when I’m tired, I can kill you ten times."
Lucard walked into the broken trap circle.
"I know."
"Then come."
Garran raised one hand.
"Velkhur Art. Ember Spear."
A spear of fire formed, but it was smaller than before. Slower too. Lucard saw the weakness at once. He stepped to the side and let the spear pass near his shoulder. Before Garran could form another spell, Lucard threw three blood needles.
Garran burned two with a flicker of flame. The third struck his wrist. It did not go deep, but it drew blood.
Lucard’s eyes sharpened.
Garran’s blood was strong. Fifth Circle fire blood. Old, hot, stubborn blood. It was a treasure for his current power level.
Garran looked at his wrist and became even angrier.
"You dared."
Lucard moved.
He did not fight like a stronger person. He fought like a butcher who knew exactly where the animal was weak. He did not try to overpower Garran’s spells. He attacked the old man’s breath, balance, and timing.
When Garran lifted his hand, Lucard threw blood at his eyes. When Garran stepped forward, Lucard cut the ground near his foot and made loose ash slide under his boot. When Garran formed a fire shield, Lucard attacked from the side where the trap had already cracked the platform.
Garran struck with a fire palm.
Lucard ducked under it and slashed with a blood blade across Garran’s thigh.
Blood came out.
Lucard pulled a tiny thread of it.
Garran roared and kicked him in the chest.
The kick landed.
Pain exploded through Lucard’s body, but his Crimson Vessel held. He flew back two steps instead of ten. He tasted blood in his mouth, swallowed it, and moved again.
Garran tried to use a larger spell.
"Velkhur Art. Crimson..."
Lucard threw a blood needle into his open mouth.
Garran choked and staggered.
The spell failed.
Lucard smiled coldly. "Finish the name next time."
Garran’s eyes filled with humiliation. He swung his arm and released raw fire without shape. Lucard crossed his arms and wrapped blood over them. The fire burned him, but not deeply enough. His new Bloodfire resistance and Crimson Vessel absorbed part of the heat. He stepped through the edge of the flame and struck Garran’s ribs with his palm.
It was not enough to break them. But it was enough to make him breathe wrong.
Garran stumbled back.
Lucard’s mind moved faster than his body.
Three breaths before Garran could form a clean spell.
Two weak points. Wrist and thigh.
One broken trap line under Garran’s heel.
Robi still occupied the other Fifth Circle mage.
Celia still held the Rank Four knight.
Marovain guards were pushing Velkhur guards back.
Ravencroft still had not moved.