In the end, the first one to react to the scream for help was Thaedric’s personal guard and best friend, Kagerou Reginald. "Thaedric!" His eyes shone, sharpened and he put his sword away at his side.

His aura emitted around him, green that rolled like hills. He tensed and gathered his legs, ready to explode forward but then Malak was there, picking him up easily.

Kagerou’s hand went to his sword to cut down the man trying to stop him but Malak was faster than him and with a mighty throw, he was screaming in the air, hands flapping.

Malak sighed with satisfaction. Then he turned to follow Kagerou but on foot rather than getting thrown.

"Not so fast," Zhilana said. "We know the Scion but who in the stormgod are you?"

"I’m with Thaedric," Malak said. "Oh!" As if in thought his hand went to his neck and with a jerk and the sounds of metal twisting, he tore his collar out. Then he flexed his cramped aura.

"Ah!"

The blue shields, none of them was to his Tier and they went down as his aura hit them, clutching their heads. Even Zhilana and Lykon shifted, Malak’s aura isn’t wasn’t potent for tier four, it was filled with bloodlust. A promise of blood and danger.

"Enough!" Captain Zhilana also flared her aura. A yellow like the last ray of sunlight. The blue shields screamed even more, some of them already fainted.

She pointed at Lykon. "Go with him to the Young Master. And help keep the line of the Hydraeus safe." She glared at Malak and with barely the wooshing of winds she was gone.

"Well." Lykon shrugged.

"Try to keep up." Malak said, and then he was running.

☆☆▪︎☆☆

Thaedric realized the Irthatssa want to take it slow. And he couldn’t understanding why until he started to write with knives into his neck.

He struggled, sending his limps flying, he hit one of the conjured knives in the Iridessa’s hand and sent it flying. That made the man angry and he backhand him on the face.

Which Thaedric was still recovered from that he made more chains to hold his hands and legs. Then he tightened the one around his neck until Thaedric chocked and sputtered, his face pressed into the stone.

"Now, that’s better. Be a good boy and just...." he continue to draw enchantments symbols into the back of his neck. Blood swelled and each time he wrote something the air got heavy as the mana space itself was echoing with the heavy magic usage.

Warm blood ran down his neck and Thaedric bit back a whimper. Whatever the Iridessa was doing, he could feit. It crawled on his skin and was latching into his blood and mana like some kind of parasite.

’Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Why did I come alone? I should have explained myself to at least higher tier or bring Malak here! But I want to be a hero that save the day!’

Thaedric knew he has overestimate himself, he’s not all that with the amount of power he currently has. And now he’s about to thebe one that Kickstart what he wanted to save. Shit!

’Sandskar. Have you regained your power?’ He sent mentally.

’No.’ Sandskar sounded worry. ’That’s some nasty power gathering and you are the focus’

Thaedric clenched his teeth, crushing small stones in his mouth. He gathered the remaining power in his core and shoved it all into his heart and activate his technique.

Lightning exploded upward in a purple, showering sparks.

"Ahhhgh!" The Iridessa shouted as he was caught in it, doing little damage except surprise him and made him to jerk a little with pain. "What are you doing...!"

He punched him on the head, slamming his nose on the stone but that was not enough for the Iridessa, he took his conjured blade and stabbed him on the shoulder.

"Ugahhhhh!" Thaedric screamed into the stone as the blade parted muscles and flesh and stuck into his bones. He shook, he tried to shake it off but the chain only tightened. His vision was filled with hot pain and all he smell was warm blood and the dampness of broken stones.

The Iridessa was furious. He took his knife and continued carving the symbol, faster now. The mana around him started to react, the air was tense as if the world itself was holding its breath.

The Iridessa was so focused on finishing his work that he didn’t see the glint of the sword until it was almost too late but the flash of green and silver he saw had him jerking back. But even then, blood flowed.

The Iridessa looked from his left hand that now ended in a blood stump to the flopping arm on the ground. And to the man that caused it.

Kagerou Reginald was bent over Thaedric, sword forward like a mother beast over her pup. His sword was covered in the blood of the Iridessa and even now blood sprayed on him. "You dare to make him bleed?" His eyes was glowing a green of the deep forest.

Kagerou wanted nothing more but to rush over to the Iridessa but even with the anger he was feeling he knew the man was above his tier.

He looked down, blood ran down Thaedric’s shoulder and the back of his neck was now torn blood flesh. And something is wrong with the wound because it was shimmering like a wet stone.

So first, Thaedric gathered mana and infused it with his weapon. It wasn’t a bloodline technique, just something all weapons users should be able to do.

His sword glowed and then he flashed forward, striking three times in one breath. Coiling his sword around and forward. The result was three energy bolt that exploded toward the Iridessa.

Kagerou didn’t watch the man react to it as he gathered more mana and started cutting away the chains around Thaedric, who looked up and grinned. "Time to have you back, Kage. Now look out!"