Chapter 30: Calhoun, the Conqueror of Flames
A loud explosion and a large shockwave launched the Commander backward, throwing him roughly onto the ground.
"Hmm, this is interesting," Cassian commented, a satisfied smile returning to his face.
The Commander slowly opened his eyes, which widened in stunned confusion.
"How?" he muttered weakly. "I'm still alive."
He raised his head to see a figure standing directly in front of him, a spear held loosely in his hand. He recognized the worn brown leather coat immediately: it was the Adventurer he had argued with earlier, the self-proclaimed Calhoun.
"Why?" the Commander asked weakly, not expecting an answer. To his deepest surprise, the Adventurer spoke.
"Like I said before, among adventurers, respect is earned, not given by title or power," Calhoun said, his focus still on the monster.
"And you earned ours when you risked your life to protect us from that final attack." Calhoun himself, surprisingly, was the only one not scared, standing relaxed while the others were scattered on the ground.
"Ours?" the Commander echoed, surprised. He slowly turned his head to see the other adventurers facing off against the monster. He was utterly shocked to see them fighting instead of retreating. He could see some shivering as they swung their swords, but they still fought on, forming a messy but determined line. He found it to be noble.
"So, this is it," he realized inwardly as he watched them fight.
"This is the power of adventurers when they band together. They fight with such a noble spirit. Maybe we are not so different."
"All my life as a Knight, I saw them as ingrates who fiddled away their time, fighting with little experience, and still given the freedom to wield weapons freely—like giving a monkey a sword."
"Magic Knights are tagged as nobility, so everyone has to respect us, but some choose to fear us. No, we haven't given them a reason to truly respect and love us. But lying here, watching them fight for each other... this is the true definition of noble." His lips curved into a sincere, grateful smile.
A Healer rushed toward him and raised her hands.
"Heal!" With a single word, her hands glowed green, and a gentle light enveloped the Commander's battered body. The Commander tried forcefully to lift himself from the ground before the healing was complete.
"Sir Knight, wait!" the Healer urged, but the Commander refused to listen, forcing himself up onto one knee. Calhoun simply watched, making no attempt to stop him.
"Leave me. Go heal the others. I'll be fine," he rasped.
COUGH! COUGH!
Thick blood spilled onto the ground as he fought through the pain.
"They've already been taken care of," the Healer replied calmly.
More blood spilled from his mouth as he struggled to rise.
"What? When?" he asked, surprised.
"While you were fighting the monster, Mr Calhoun had us quickly go tend tk them and take them out of danger. Surprisingly, they took less damage than expected."
"Calhoun." He shifted his gaze from the Healer back to the spear user standing in front of him, who was now utterly focused on the monster.
BOOM!
A large explosion echoed as the monster dispelled a wall of flame conjured by the Mages with a single punch to the ground, releasing a shockwave that sent the nearby adventurers flying back.
Without hesitation, Calhoun sprinted toward the monster as the Commander watched from behind. He ran toward the monstrosity, spinning and twirling his spear expertly. The monster raised its fist and launched it at him.
BOOM!
A tremendous shockwave was released, followed by a loud explosion that rattled the already crumbled ground.
"No," the Commander cried, trying to force himself to stand.
"He's dead. They're not going to make it, all because I'm too weak."
As the dust settled, he widened his eyes in disbelief, seeing the spear user still standing. The monster's giant fist was held motionless right in front of Calhoun's face, as if it had been instantly frozen in place.
The Commander saw the look on the monster's face. Unlike the sinister, grinning look it used to fight him, its expression was now calmer, bewildered...
"It's confusing," the Commander said. So was he.
The monster felt as if it had struck some kind of hard, transparent crystalline structure it had never encountered before. Calhoun's lips curved into a sinister, predatory smile, revealing unnaturally long canines. He twisted his spear quickly between his fingers, the metal rotating with impossible speed.
"Beast Spear!"
"Trinity!"
CLANG!
He struck the monster, sending it staggering high into the air. He thrust his spear forward, and in a flash of brilliant light, three large spears made of solid light materialized in front of him and shot forward at the soaring monster. The spears flew faster than lightning. Before the monster could react, its arm went flying off its shoulder, and a large, perforated hole was punched directly through its chest.
It opened its mouth, and black, viscous liquid spilled out as its red eyes widened in genuine shock, staring down at the seemingly defeated adventurers.
"That move!" Cassian exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock and awe.
The monster tried desperately to retreat backward, but Calhoun was not going to give it a chance to recover. He spun his spear even faster than before, and a massive incantation circle appeared on the ground beneath his feet.
"Fire Tornado Improved!"
"Blazing Hurricane!"
He slammed the butt of his spear into the ground. The incantation circle immediately transferred from the spear tip to the ground, and an incredible roar of red flame erupted in a furious tornado, completely enveloping the monster and reaching high into the sky.
"There is no doubt," Cassian said, his voice laced with pure, ecstatic recognition.
"There is no mistaking such raw, focused firepower."
"So you are here as well," he whispered, a smile of shared legend curving his lips.
"Dagarak, the Conqueror of Flames