9 Chapter 2 - Alluring Nightmare

Part 3

What happened was incredibly instant. I hardly perceived his flashing movement as he dashed toward me. In the blink of an eye, a knock-down high-kick sent me flying back to the double doors in the entrance of the hall.

Merely 40 spans, huh.

An impromptu estimation of the distance from where I stood seconds ago and where I landed.

I turned my head with a stealth look to the gray light glowing dim at my back.

Must be a barrier.

No doubt, it was. A transparent wall protected the brown double doors shined with gray light upon the impact. I suddenly remembered the butler who was standing behind me earlier but then the moment I looked for him, he was nowhere to be found from his previous spot. By any means, he was already standing next to Johan with his golden eyes glowing. He must be the caster of the barrier, so I assumed.

Johan, on the butler's right side clenching her hands, had an uneasy face, which made her temporarily forget her mannerism.

No need to be worry though.

Marikit, who was still invisible mode and had copied some of my skills, was attentive enough to cast a bubble barrier already at the moment his highness sprinted forward to me. But -

But, what the heck happened? Why does he suddenly attack me?

He must be in his foul mood and found me displeasingly disgusting when I approached with such unsightly manner. Maybe that. Maybe he was deeply disappointed seeing my humble self. Maybe he was angry by my inattentiveness and found it impolite when I was before him. Perhaps all of that.

Maybe because, I came from the eastern seas. He's looking at me the same way as her daughter does.

I checked at the throne to find his highness who was sitting there – none – I knew I'd found none of him on the throne. But where was he? He must be covered within the cloud of dust hiding where I previously stood.

However, flashes of the man's image in ready-to-kick position instantly ambushed in front of me.

That skill again!

Another loud sound was heard inside the hall as if cannon were fired inside. Quickly I casted another bubble barrier aided by Marikit's mana right before his right foot land my barrier.

Once more, I was kicked by his highness like a ball.

This time, I was sent flying to the left corner of the hall and hit hard the gray barrier. The transparent barrier was evidently doing its job as it shined dim gray light again from the impact. One knee on the cold floor, I made a checking glance at the butler, even though I did not have the leisure in spite of the current situation, and had confirmed that the barrier was his skill as his golden eyes had shined again.

Dust flew from where I had been kicked and to where I had landed.

"Oh! Not bad for a Moro."

His highness exclaimed slightly grinning in his little amusement. He was a little surprised at the fact I barely manage to fend off his sudden heavy attacks. Well, if not for the help of Marikit, I could not withstand his heavy attacks with a speed of a blink of an eye. His solid kick was to be compared with the kraken's tentacles.

Marikit patted my shoulders in one-two rhythm to remind me that I was not alone, that she was in my shoulders. Of course, she was always there in my shoulder, even in my toughest battle. I breathed as calm as I could, try to grasp the situation we were in. I had to come out an assuring idea that would make us escaped from this situation. The problem was the barrier that Gil casted. It entrapped me inside his barrier along with a furious beast, His Highness. I had to knock down its caster but first I need to beat his highness up.

Chances of winning were low, next to nil, I could tell. However, I had to win if I planned to not to die here. I promised not to die, not until we came back home, safe and sound.

But wait… Perhaps they just catechizing my abilities. I hope that is the case… I have no other option but to give my best shot either way.

I slowly stood up leaning one hand on my right knee while His highness had gone off to simulate another quick dash toward me. Marikit patted my shoulders again, and I responded a quick nod, getting her.

Leaving the defense to the pixie, I readily clutched the pair of Arnis sticks from my back and tightly gripped each stick in my hands. I took the resolved to do a counter attack to his highness this time and prepared for the incoming attack of his highness. Even though his blows were obviously destructive, which showing His Highness had marvelous strength, it left me no other way but to oppose straight his highness and fight back.

I made the pair of arnis baston a crispy beat and then a deep breath.

Tick!

The pair of stick produced a sharp sound hitting each other.

The Baston was made from rattan, which made it light and at the same time sturdy. One of my great ancestors originally owned the Arnis sticks. After his death, the sticks were passed through generation to generation. One would only acquire this memento from special ceremonial rites of handing the pair of stick, and I was not an exception. I went through hell just get the valuable pair of sticks. In addition, charms and enchantments wrapped the arnis sticks, which contributed to the sturdiness of the pair of stick. However, there were no other special powers of the pair. It only had its durability and stubbornness to bend or break.

I had repeated the beat again. Tick!

I know he was quite powerful but I have to do it!

"Bubble attribute: Seven Stars of Ulfsaar"

Seven head-sized red bubbles arose in the floor's surface.

I swimmingly raised the sticks commanding the red bubbles to intercept His Highness who was currently flying toward me.

I must keep an eye on him.

He was indeed fast.

My eyes hardly followed his movements, but I do not like the idea of slipping his image away or else my barrier would be smashed again with his disruptive kick. Like a bird dancing from the shower of arrows, His Highness swiftly evaded each of the bubbles. He aborted his attack and decided to avoid the explosion brought by the red bubbles.

Beating the pair of Baston again, I simultaneously casted another set of red bubbles.

The new set of red bubbles persistently homed his highness and I was somewhat successful. While he effectively evaded all but one got him. At the time he was busy playing tag the others bubbles, I specially made the last one of the bubbles invisible which got his left foot when he tried to evade the other red bubbles.

Boom!

Dust covered the explosion site but one swing of his highness' arm drove it off.

"Not bad"

He said, emerging from the cloud of dust and nearly unscathed. Then, he tenuously grinned seeing me in the corner of his flaming red eyes. His elegant garment had a little dirt and his not-so-pretty-nor-handsome face had smudged somehow. However, he was unhurt over all.

However, that was not the end of it. I still had many tricks left on my sleeves. Well, assuming I was wearing sleeves.

His Highness reflexively looked down noticing his left foot had stepped on something. Another red bubble had sneakily emerged on the floor near on his foot quickly glowed deep red.

Another loud Boom was heard again in the hall. His highness was the one sent flying this time. In the mid air, he turned his head at the floor noticing something was glowing red in where he was going to land. There, second deep red bubble hugged him with another huge explosion. Boom! He bounced repeatedly together with his little shining crown until the seventh red bubble had exploded last.

It just made me curious to why it was too easy for His Highness to fall in my dim-witted trap. It was too anticlimactic but regardlessly, a win is a win. Next, I had to deal with the barrier's caster.

Dust had almost covered half of the hall this time, and it was silent after the consecutive explosion until I had spoken.

"How's that? I called that combo 'Bubble bonanza!'" I paused. I imprudently scanned the whitish – brown dust cloud "I guess you could not answer me now"

Relaxing my posture by shrugging my shoulders somehow, my face gave a little victorious grin yet the pixie was a killjoy as she -

"No, not yet. Look"

She was pointing to a silhouette walking through the cloud of dust, which stopped to pick his little crown. The silhouette then appeared to be swiping his white clothes from the dirt.

"Amazing!"

No, you are!

It should sound like he was praising me but when I heard him chuckled, his voice tingled in my ears as if mocking me.

Seriously, the man was utterly tough. He stood confidently still wiping his white clothes. I guess that proved His highness was not the Leader of this Kingdom for nothing.

Or more likely, It was just me being too naïve.

His red glowing eyes were looking at my very position, piercing through the brown dust clouds.

"No time to dally-dally" The pixie's soft whisper rang through my ear with a scent of advising me to brace myself for an attack.

Magic attacks have no effect on his highness or perhaps my magic attacks were far too weak for him. However, I could not back down now; I had no choice to begin with. Then let us try something. What about physical attacks then?

I flashily rotated both of the arnis stick playing a trick, proceeding for my next attack.

I floated smoothly, dashing like sparrow, still inside the bubble barrier's protection, going forward to his highness. With a forceful swing, the man docked as I aimed his very head. I slashed diagonally, he evaded swiftly by shifting his body. I slashed both sticks at the same time and he jumped backwards. That was in perfect cycle: the slashes and the dodging. I rained down swings and slashes to his highness but he just evaded it all. Physical attacks definitely would work, if only I hit his highness with these sticks of mine.

It felt like he was just playing at me, teasing me, trying not to touch my stick's end, to the point he was neither blocking my sticks nor making a counterattack when I was full of openings.

"Then, what about this?"

I suddenly made a temporary break from futile assaults of mine and retreat two-step behind. Tapping the arnis sticks again, I quickly casted another spell. I had to since I was in disadvantage. Several multi-colored small bubbles sprung out from my translucent bubble barrier. I knew my magic attacks were nothing to him. Therefore, I had to accompany my physical attacks with magic.

"Bubble attribute: Bubble's field!"

Frrrrruuuuhhhhh! – was the sound of the small, tiny bubbles as they were rapidly discharged from the bubble barrier. Each bubble was just the size of small pebbles. The bubbles sucked the dust clouds that covered the enormous hall. Sooner, the bubbles became invisible to the naked eye when they shrank smaller.

Marikit was still focusing on defense.

Bespectacled by my newly casted skill, His Highness was rigorously inspecting around his surroundings. I took the chance to conceal my image from his sight, becoming invisible together with the bubbles.

"Bubble attribute's surely something."

His highness murmured praising my attribute a little while I went fading from his sight. With this skill, which is effective only with a limited area and limited time, I could cast any of my skills invisible in exchange of large deduction of my mana pool. In addition, the invisible tiny bubbles worked as if extension of myself, which enables me to see and to sense everything as long as it's under this skill, Bubble's Field.

His highness became cautious enough, like a lioness diligently observing the slightest movement of his prey, concentrated and focused everything surrounding him.

However, it was futile and useless. I could move as silent as the snake as long as the skill was on effect and I was confident that I could pull off something.

Therefore, I took the advantage, rashly flushed and dashed to His Highness because I had to end this as quick as possible for almost three-forth of my remaining mana had drained after casting the last skill and still, I have to deal with Gil, the barrier's caster. It also means that I could not cast my Grandio ability, Big bang. Well, it was not an option to begin with since the pixie strictly prohibited me casting that skill.

Close enough to His highness, and I gave him a good swing.

"There!" His highness yelped. He turned his head predicting and caught me by grabbing my arnis stick.

"What?!"

How could he catch my attack?! How did he know that I am there while approaching him in a sonic yet quiet speed? I should be invisible to him, so how could he?

There was no time to ponder about that. For now, we must let out from his grip and must be adapted enough to deal with the situation.

He blocked my attacked by grasping the stick with his burning hands.

Still invisible, I pulled hard the stick but his grip was too strong and permitted me not to. Therefore, I used the other stick on my left hand to strike him hard. Luckily, His highness let go of the stick, allowing me to have second chance and retreat when he jumped backward.

"?"

Gotcha!

I could not help but to grin when I saw his faced showing a surprise reaction with his eyes widened looking in his footing. It was late to realize he had stepped on something that bound his left foot; another red bubble became invisible under the Bubble's field effect swarmed to His Highness. The red bubbles started to glow redder. Then – Boom! Another series of loud explosion echoed inside the dim-lighted hall.

As expected, His highness was unharmed but he was still in the explosion site. The huge explosion did not blow him away even an inch. I had already calculated this would also happen. His right foot stepped another bubble, a blue bubble, a pitfall. The blue bubble locked down his foot, like rat in a rattletrap.

"Bubble attribute: Rattletrap Blue"

Tapping the pair of arnis stick twice, another three blue bubbles popped out and seized hands and his remaining foot.

I used the explosion to create a diversion while I sprinted toward to give him a good beating of my sticks.

Now, there's no escape!

"How naïve"

He faintly muttered, synchronizing with a grin, facing to the direction I was.

All of a sudden, the man's toned physique started emitting red sparks. His body was smoldering hot with floating up sparkling lit. The temperature of his surrounding was obviously rising making the invisible small bubbles to pop one after another. Even the blue bubbles enlarged and burst out seconds later and a result, His Highness was set totally freed.

"Ironmelt Attribute: Combustion"

His red eyes blazed with fierceness, glaring. He had a faint grin on his face.

Even his shackles had collapsed; I could not abort my dash. Not now, after I had dashed with such great momentum and harsh force, I could not simply let this go waste. Therefore, I deliberately pressed on just to land a hit into him.

His highness raised his right hand to cast another skill, and then, fireball started form, and collided with my translucent barrier. No, it was not your ordinary fireball for it was made from molten metal. It was a ball of liquid hot molten metal! It splashed and smashed with my barrier and the noxious splatters dribbled around the bubble barrier.

"Ironmelt Attribute: Magma bolt"

Tch!

It was useless as long as the barrier was on, or so I thought.

He continued firing another two balls of molten metal, bouncing it off with my bubble barrier, and leaving stains of molten metal on the surface of the barrier.

As my dash's speed was diminishingly reduced when colliding with the two other molten balls, he prepared another skill. With his right hand glowed intensively, it was obvious he was concentrating mana to created a big ball of molten metal.

"Ironmelt attribute: Deep Magma core"

T-That sound no good!

Definitely, a bad news.

Knowing the bubble barrier's efficiency depended on user's current mana, I threw a worried look at Marikit who was still focusing in defense.

"I deal with it," She said with a semi-confident smile.

I nodded. We were still flying toward his highness but in much lesser speed than in previous original speed of the sprint.

Splash!

As the big molten metal violently clashed with my bubble barrier, an earsplitting sound was produced. My momentum was totally cancelled after the collision. No, I was even forcibly pushed backwards after I faced head-on the massive ball of molten iron.

I see.

The main purpose of the ordinary-sized ball of molten metal was not to break my bubble barrier but solely to decrease my speed and momentum, and this big one was to stop me completely. If not for the barrier, I would have been evaporated by last attack.

"Not yet!"

His highness yelled, flushing toward me. Apparently, because of the stains of molten metal stacked in outside the barrier, the bubble barrier's sphere shape took form and exposed in the brood daylight.

In addition to that, I could not see him approaching me.

No worries, I could pinpoint him as long as I still perceived anything under the bubble's field. The small bubbles were still – GONE!

I could sense anything under the bubble field as long as the tiny bubbles were out there but His Highness glowing heat body made the small bubbles to burst out.

At least I could fly back to miss his incoming attack. However – It was hopeless. I tried to lift up and fly to move away but the molten metal that coated the bubble barrier was weighing us down. I could not move, even an inch!

Ting!

A sharp sound echoed inside the hall.

The burning fist of his highness hit with the bubble barrier, clearing away the coat of molten metal. The burning fist threw me straight in the corners when it violently collided with my barrier and the dust immediately swallowed me. However, His Highness was in haste. Flashes of his highness's image in my front sight. Then he began bombing his burning fist coated with molten metal at the bubble barrier.

Left, Right.

Every time he hit the barrier, The Barrier let out a disturbing sharp sound like two metals clash.

Left, Right.

Marikit's mana was controlling the strength of the barrier but I wondered how long it could withstand this.

His Highness continued smashing until a crack appeared at the surface of the bombarded barrier.

T-This is bad! We had to do something, Marikit!

His highness locked us down and our mana was getting low. The man smirked wickedly knowing my horrified face, and then he continued berserking.

This is …

Finally, the barriers shattered and gave in.

"No more tricks!" He made a break from his bombarding as he spoke, and then a heavy blow –landed in my upper abdomen and snatched all my breath from my lungs. "Bwuaagh!" Then, he hit my face, blood dripped down. After that, he punched everywhere. I detestably tasted the agony of my ribs broken down to pieces; lips tattered like battered egg, and stars circling inside my head. In this rate, I will die in here.

Sorry Papang, it seems I could not keep my promise.

My consciousness started to fade but the man continued hitting me with his heavy blows, enjoying his triumphant. I was practically bathing with my own blood, staining my body and my ethnic clothes.

However, the bombardment suddenly stopped and a deep silence echoed the vast hall.

Suddenly, a small but brave voice rang like a bell across the hall.

"Please stop!" She stammered to recover her breath and tiny tears dropped like a small piece of clear crystal. "Don't hurt Laum anymore"

Desperately shouting with all of her breathe, she spread her glittering transparent wings with her tiny arms in the front of his Highness pleading him to stop. Nevertheless, in that very moment, black curtains were closing my sight. In spite of that, I could still hear her crying and yelling for something.

Ah, Marikit. I forgot to ask her if she had eaten the bread that I rationed for her. Surely, she had. Knowing her... Huh? ...Marikit? What are you doing? You must….hide...

I really wanted to stay awake, I really want to but the urge to close my eyes was too deep and something inside my head was shutting down.

You must. .

I heard her pleading for the last time.

"Please, don't hurt him anymore!" She cried. "Please, not my Laum."