King Aldric was very angry. "A monster that talks? With blue fire? And it beat my guards?" His voice was loud. Below him, Erik and his four friends (all weak E-Rank Hunters) shook with fear. Erik held his broken sword. "Y-Your Majesty, its eyes... not human! Its mind... pushed us down—"
"Weak!" the King yelled. "E-Rank failures! Find that thing! Send all strong Hunters! Tell the Cryst—"
A big door opened at the back of the room.
Someone walked in. His steps made no sound. Everyone stopped talking. Even the King went quiet.
He moved like a dangerous cat. Silas Vayne. One of only Six Sorcerers in the world.
He looked thin next to the big palace guards. He wore plain black robes. His hair was black with two silver streaks. His face was sharp and cold. His eyes...
Eyes like frozen metal. Cold, smart, no warmth. He looked around the room. He didn't care about the King. He didn't care about the scared Hunters. He didn't care about the Knights. His cold eyes saw Erik's broken sword for one second. He looked away, unimpressed.
A brave Platinum Knight stepped forward. "Sorcerer Vayne! We are busy with—"
Silas didn't look at him. He just lifted his left hand a little.
Shinnnnk.
A thin line appeared in the air in front of the knight. The knight's shiny metal chest armor split perfectly in half. The pieces fell loudly to the floor. The knight stood there shocked, unhurt.
Perfect cut. Perfect control.
The room was dead silent. Silas finally spoke. His voice was soft but cold like winter wind:
"Talking monsters are just smart animals. The real problem," his metal eyes looked at the King, who looked scared now, "isn't what it is." He glanced at Erik's sword. "It's where it got that blue fire."
He turned away. His black robe moved without sound. "I will find this fire. You," he looked at the E-Rank hunters. Erik whimpered. Another hunter wet his pants. "Be quiet. Your fear is... boring." He sounded disgusted.
He walked to a big window. He didn't open it. The air in front of him rippled like water. A black hole appeared in the air – a Space Tear. He stepped into the hole and vanished. The hole closed. Only the smell of lightning remained.
King Aldric sat down hard on his throne, all anger gone, just fear now. The E-Rank hunters cried. Erik stared at the broken knight armor, then at his own broken sword. He understood slowly:
The blue-fire monster was scary.
Silas Vayne was much, much scarier.
(Chapter 16 Fin)