blueteamnovel Chapter 142: Who Are You?
Chapter 142: Who Are You?
Chapter 142: Who Are You?
Lysaila twirled her blade through the air in calm strokes.
I take it the old man is Lord Mora? And the little blonde brats must be his children. So, who are you two? Lysaila pointed her blade at Callum and Clypeus.
An actual lamia? Lord Mora shook his head and cleared his throat, Who let you into my home?
Oh, Ill get to you soon enough, Lysaila smiled, black venom dripping from her two long fangs.
Lord Mora stepped back and swallowed.
Callum raised his hands, Lets just slow this all down for a moment. I am Callum of House Veres. I dont know why youve come, but surely you dont wish to anger my House. I believe we can come to some sort of arrangement here, cant we?
House Veres? One of the Ruling Families of Hollow Shade? Lysaila cocked her head to the side.
He nodded, Precisely. I am the son of the family leader, Lord Veres IX. I am quite certain we can come to an arrangement. Whatever your masters sent you here for, I can help you acquire it without the need for bloodshed.
I have no master, Lysaila hissed.
Before Callum could respond, Lysailas tail snapped behind her and pushed her body forward. Her blade swung in a wide arc at the young vampire. Clypeus jumped in between, his twin blades flashed and blocked the lamias attack.
And who might you be? Lysaila moved back, her tail curling in a smooth pattern.
Clypeus raised his gladii, I am the Shield of Veres. Be it monster or man, here I stand proud and I shall not falter!
I am neither monster nor man, Lysaila smiled.
Her blade whirled in a silver blur, slashing at Clypeus from several angles. He spun his blades in small arcs, blocking each blow with a blast of sparks. The lamia did not stop, her slashes were endless and the longer Clypeus blocked the faster her blade became. He winced in pain, her blade sliced small bits of flesh across his limbs.
A swordmaster and so young too. What a pity to lose, Lysaila licked her lips.
Clypeus tried counterattacking but her blade was overwhelming, pushing him back with each blow. The tip of Lysailas tail flung forward and smacked his shins. He fell to his knees, his blade slipped out of his hand. She pushed past his other gladius and sank her blade into his neck. Sparks flew as her blade glanced off his throat. A faint yellow outline of scales glowed around his neck.
Lysaila drew back and narrowed her eyes, Youre a yellow mage. I wondered why your shins didnt break.
Clypeus pushed himself to his feet, It just took me some time to cast my durability spell. Your attacks are truly incredible, but I suggest you concede now.
After that durability spell made your whole body slower? Id rather not, she giggled.
This is why you dont compliment your enemy, Callum began writing red ward symbols in the air.
It is customary to respect our elders, Clypeus panted. He was already tired from only a few exchanges with her blade.
Elders? Callum frowned.
There is no doubt in mind, this lamia is a grand swordmaster, Clypeus wiped the sweat off his brow.
Callums hands trembled, the ward spell shattered before it was completed.
Callum, focus! Clypeus yelled without looking back at him.
Clypeus knew he couldnt fight her alone. Her speed and strength alone were overwhelming. Her sword skills were something else entirely, she reminded him of his sister of Gale, that insurmountable feeling.
The durability spell could protect Clypeus against a few more hits, but the lamia was right. The spell made him heavier and therefore slower. There was no way he would be able to dodge her attacks.
You are both magi? That doesnt seem very fair, Lysaila made puppy eyes. Let me even the odds.
The runes on the lamias metallic belt began to glow. The belts purple magestones flared to life. Lysailas image blurred and spread apart until there were four identical copies of Lysaila standing before them.
Magic? On a beastkin? Callum muttered in shock.
Uh, Lord Mora, we need your help! Clypeus yelled.
Lord Mora was in the other corner of the study. He had pushed aside a bookshelf and had opened a secret door behind it. He didnt bother glancing at their battle. Instead, Lord Mora walked into the secret tunnel, his children right behind him. Maeve followed them, her father smacked her across the face, sending her tumbling to the ground.
I told you, you have shamed me for the last time, Lord Mora sneered.
W-wait, dont leave us! Maeve pushed herself to her feet.
Lord Mora slammed the door closed behind him. Maeve banged on the door with her fists, it would not budge.
You bastard! She cried softly.
Dont worry, well find him soon. Well find them all soon, the four Lysailas said in unison.
Callum, ward magic, now! Clypeus raised his swords.
Im trying!
Callums hands wrote the red arcane symbols in the air, but they all blurred and became a jumble in his eyes. He already had difficulty writing simple wards, anything complex was impossible to read for him. His sister, Elise, had taught him how to read when the tutors could not, but this was different. The arcane language was far more complex than a simple book.
Callum! Clypeus screamed.
Still conscious? Aw, too bad, Lysaila giggled.
Maeve Stryg huffed. Run.
W-what? Maeves voice cracked.
I dont think I can win Run while you can Run!
Maeve nodded reluctantly. She got up with shaky steps and ran towards the door.
As if Id let you just go, Lysaila hissed.
Her tail changed direction and pushed her over to the door. Maeve froze, Lysaila slashed her blade down. A blue blur entered the corner of Lysailas vision. She curled to the side and barely dodged Strygs fist. His body slammed into the wall, shaking the floor.
Run! Stryg roared.
Maeve ran out of the room and disappeared into the burning hallway. Lysaila hissed and chased after her. Stryg dug his claws into the wall, dug out a chunk of the stone brick, and flung it at the lamia. Lysaila twisted her body to the side and evaded, the stone chunk punched a hole in the window behind her with blinding speed.
Stryg blocked the entrance.
Im not... done with you, he panted.
Youre faster, Lysaila narrowed her eyes. Those dark veins around your legs, agility magic? Oh, little prey, it doesnt matter how fast your magic makes you. Lamias are quicker than any orange mage.
Stryg took a deep breath. He flexed his claws and crouched low, Didnt I tell you? Youve never seen anyone like me.
As they spoke, Strygs mind quickly ran through his options. He didnt have enough training with purple magic to reliably create illusions. The same applied to his blue magics torrent spell-form, there was no water here and he definitely wasnt capable of creating any. He knew lamias could fight in pitch darkness, so shadow spells were out of the question too.
Grey magics drain spell-form required long hand-to-hand contact, the lamia would cut him to ribbons before he got the chance. Greys curse spell-form and reds ward spell-form were the same. They all required time. The lamia wouldnt give him any.
The lamia was already expecting his flame spell-form. He didnt have any good options. The only option left was simple and obvious.
He let the orange mana flow through his entire body, his veins darkening from head to toe. He forced all his orange mana to surge through. His body burned and ached from the exertion of the advanced agility spell, it wouldnt be able to hold. But he didnt need it to. He just needed a few moments.
Stryg kicked the ground, the wood cracked underneath his feet. He shot at her like an arrow. Lysailas blade swept out with blinding speed. Stryg dropped under the attack and was met with her blue tail. He dug his claws into her tail as it smacked him into Lord Moras desk.
He groaned and pushed himself up. Lysaila hissed angrily and retreated to the corner. She glanced at her cracked scales and bleeding tail.
How did your claws hurt me? Her face darkened.
The purple magestone on her belt shined brightly, her image blurred and spread apart, forming four Lysailas.
Youll regret this, the Lysailas hissed.
Stryg tilted his head to the side. His altered eyes saw the world in pitch black with silver outlines. The flames coming from the hallway appeared as orange ribbons fluttering in the air. The smoke they gave off seemed translucent to him, he could barely make out their faint outline.
Yet, when he looked at the lamias, three of them were like smoke. Translucent, with only a faint purple outline. Illusions?
The lamias rushed and swung their blades at him. He ignored the illusionary attacks, their swords blurred and swept past him. The true Lysaila frowned and stabbed him. He sidestepped the thrust and clawed at her neck. She bent backward and avoided the strike. She twisted behind him and swung her blade. Stryg jumped away.
You can see through my illusions? Lysaila looked him over once more. You really are different. Yet youre still too weak.
Before Stryg could move she was on him, her blade a storm of silver all around him. He dodged the attacks and tried jumping back but she followed, her blade never moving far away. He blocked her sword with his claws the best he could. Her strikes were overwhelming, he couldnt follow her blade.
His body burned, the last of his orange mana evaporated. His body suddenly felt sluggish and heavy. Lysailas tail swept underneath him and knocked him to the ground. His back hit the wooden floor with a crack. Her tail curled around him and coiled tight. She looked down at him from above.
I told you, little prey. I am not letting any of you go, Lysaila smiled.
Stryg tried desperately to move, her serpentine grip was as strong as steel. She opened her jaw wide, black venom dripping from her twin fangs. She licked his neck and sank her fangs into his delicious-looking throat. Or at least she tried. Her jaw hung over his neck, her mouth salivating. But, try as she might, she could not bite down. Her body shook from the exertion, yet her jaw did not clamp shut.
Lysaila pulled back and stared at the strange blue prey. He was still struggling in her tails grip to no avail. She frowned.
She raised her sword and slashed down. Her blade froze right before it touched his neck. She tried pushing down on the sword, her arms trembled, the blade held still.
Lysaila furrowed her brow as she gripped the swords handle tightly. Her fingers trembled and her face grew red, Why wont you die?
Stryg looked up at her, his eyes full of anger and panic.
L-let go of me, he gasped.
His words sent shivers down her spine. Lysailas eyes widened. She needed to release him. He needed to live. Nothing else mattered. She dropped her sword, her tail uncoiled, and gently lowered him to the ground.
Lysaila shook her head, what was wrong with her? Why did she release this little prey? Why did she not kill him? On the contrary, why did she want to save him? What the fuck was wrong with her!? Unless It couldnt be.
Lysaila stared at him with a mixture of fear and loathing, Who are you?
Stryg kicked her in the chest, sending her flying out the window.
He collapsed on the floor.
Damn snake lady, he wheezed.