They spent hours just hugging, crying, and talking. It was like they had been separated for a lifetime. But time was running out—we had to clear it all.
"Hey, Zigmo… um, man, you can stay here. And even if you flee, you'll just be on the run for the rest of your life."
He watched Zigmo, pondering the task ahead. Clearing all the nobles and elders—was it even possible? His shoulders slumped in resignation, but he nodded in agreement.
"Ok, bro. Let's do this. But first…"
Josen watched Zigmo stand, kissing his mom's forehead before using magic to recreate the cell. She added a pillow, a bed, and a chair, probably mimicking their old house layout. Her smile was like a pure angel—rattling in its warmth, full of love between a mother and son.
I placed my arm on his cold shoulder, trying to reassure him with a smile. He patted my arm in return. He was like a brother now. Just the thought of leaving eventually would sting—but that was a worry for the future.
"Let's do it quickly. The sooner it's done, the sooner you both will be safe."
We ran through the underground prison hall. Using Zigmo's crystal, we discerned this passage led to the Great Palace. It was surprisingly narrow for a 'great palace,' but whatever.
We split up at the front. I dove into the air, sending a barrage of fire slashes that killed several orcs before they even realized I was there. The rest split—some after me, the rest after Zigmo. Using my teleportation, I appeared before the largest one. Formless Fang: Chop of Neutralisation. The orc was stunned, pulsing with energy, and with an upward katana slash, I decapitated it. I phased in and out, cutting down each one before turning to check on Zigmo.
And wow—he had cleared them even faster than I had. Some orcs were decapitated as if he had used his bare hands. The large influx of mana must have doubled, maybe even tripled his strength. His poison-formed hand had solidified into a scythe—a deep purple, like the essence of his poison.
"Great. You cleared them even faster than I did."
I extended my arm for a fist bump. He met it kindly. We'd naturally picked this up after each stray kill—it had become a special bond.
"Let's get into the castle. There we can find more of them… plus the hall for the elders, right?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
We sped into the castle. I instinctively threw tiny Orion bombs at the walls—four spaced out on each side—just in case. A few orcs ran out. These ones were in full armor, but they were weak—E-rank, maybe D at best. Just bugs to crush.
"I'll take care of these. You head inside."
He nodded and ran across the walls. I went the other way, using pure speed to blitz past a tall orc, stabbing it in the neck. It bled profusely as its brother watched in horror. I made quick work of him too—teleporting behind him, twisting a deep stab from shoulder to neck before ripping it out. Another orc swung his fist; I redirected it and flipped him into the air. As he fell upside down, I landed an overhead strike, sending him crashing against the castle walls.
I leaped into the next floor, ready for a fight—but I was met with an unexpected sight: a room filled with at least thirty bodies. Some bore claw marks, others arrows in the head, some poisoned, some exploded from the poison. It was… gruesome.
Jumping over the corpses, adrenaline surged. I carved through what seemed like the door—ready for a fight, treasure, or powers for my orb to steal. I destroyed the door with a kick, only to be disappointed again. He had killed them all—the twelve members of the elder table—barely a scratch on him, save for the rod impaled in his chest, which he had pulled out. How badass.
"How'd that happen?" I asked, cocky curiosity in my voice.
"It seems one of them tried to save mana, forming a spear to stab through my heart—but he missed…"
"Oh."
"Don't worry, friend. I'm fine."
He said it calmly, almost frightening in his composure. I wondered—if he and I fought at full power, who would win? Well… that was a question for another day.