Chapter 20

Luvia's group continues travelling down the road and soon the sun begins to set, inviting darkness into the world. Zec requested the ladies go wash in the stream and handed the blonde woman a clean pair of clothes. She reluctantly took the clothes and they all went into the stream. Ray followed after them and stood guard, while Zec set up camp, and Heo collected fire wood. Several minutes later, the ladies had finish cleaning themselves, and were well dress. But due to the cold water, they wanted to huddle close to the fire, and warm themselves up. Ray then suggested that if they were cold, they could cuddle next to him, as he emits hot air out of his body. So they did exactly that and Zec was able to cook freely. Once the food was ready, Zec set a lovely meal in front of the ladies, and they all ate. Once they were done, they slept under Ray's wing, while Zec cleaned up, and Heo relax next to the fire.

A few hours later, Zec and Heo both stood up, and Zec said, "Ray take care of the ladies. Heo, you and me, we'll take care of the enemies."

Zec summon several swords and flew up into the air, before flying off into the distance. As Heo ran along the ground at full speed. Zec reach his enemies first, ten dragons and thirty flying demons.

"Not a bad amount, but I can't have you guys disturbing their beauty sleep."

Zec summon fifty swords and fired giant blue lasers out of the tips, completely obliterating them into thin air.

"Well now that, that's done. I should go back up Heo."

Heo was fighting off one hundred knights and one hundred demons, in his battle suit mode. Using the hidden blades above his wrists and in his toes, as well as large spike bolts in his palms and under his feet. Some enemies manage to pass him, but he took care of them with some fire magic. More then soon pass him, so he was about to use magic again, but swords came from above, and stabbed the enemies through their skulls.

Zec then landed on the ground and said, "Shall we clean them up?"

Heo replied, "Of course, leader," and they both rush towards the enemies.

As for Vain, he had already snuck back into town, and was looking for his targets. Following War's guidance, he located a mansion, and slam through the front gate. Then crashing through the front door shortly after and reaching a room, before kicking the door down. He walks toward an old man, who is cowering behind his desks. Vain grabs him by the neck and starts choking him.

"For all the pain and suffering you cause, killing you would be far too forgiving. Instead... since you like watching the world burn so much, how about I make your life burn?"

"Y-Your wrong... this was all for the people... I swear."

"Save your excuses for stupid idiots, you stupid piece of s**t. As long as people who want to build a peaceful world exists, so will the people who want it to burn. How do I know? Cause I'm no different from you. I'll make your world burn hard and slow, so much you'll wish yourself dead."

The old man struggles to break Vain's grip, as he continue to suffocate him.

"Cat got your tongue? Must be painful, not being able to breath. But I won't kill you, instead I'll leave you with this."

Black lines etch onto his body, starting from where Vain was gripping him. Once his body was completely covered, the lines faded away, and Vain slam him into the ground. Knocking him unconscious, before he disappear into a cloud of black smoke, and found his targets one after another. Repeating the steps and words one after another.

Until he arrive in the main hall of the castle and a woman with two escorts, was about to leave, but was stop by him. He slowly walks over to her, one of her guards ran at him, and Vain drew his spear. Stabbing the person through the chest, before tossing him to the side, and throwing his spear at the other. Piercing her through the chest and pinning her against a wall. Once he was standing in front of the, purple hair, woman, he picked her up by the neck, and strangles her.

"A-Are you going... to kill me?"

"Nope."

"Then... are you going to... use my body... for pleasure?"

"Nope, I'll let your luck decide that for you."

The dark marks carve onto her body, once it was finished, Vain released her, and she fell onto the ground, coughing and panting. Soon more guards arrive behind Vain, his spear pulled itself off the wall, and flew back to his hand. One of the guards ran at him, but Vain dodge by slightly stepping to the side. He then jump up, back flip over the guard, making his scythe wrap around his neck, and slicing his head off. Blood then sprays into the air, dying the woman and Vain in red. He gave a cold glare at the rest of the guards, freezing them in their tracks, as he disappears in a cloud of smoke.

He then reappear in front of Zec, Heo, and Ray. Which made Zec and Heo immediately stand up and ready to strike. But they sat back down, when they notice it was Vain, but the noise they made woke up the blonde hair woman. She stares at Vain with a sad expression, as he makes his way to the stream, to clean up, and she followed after him. War detach from Vain's body and soaks himself in the water cleaning his body, and cloak, of blood. Vain soaked his body, with his clothes still on, into the water as well. After the blood washed off, he stood up, and his clothes glued onto his body, revealing his well built body. As the woman sat by the edge of the water, and continue to look at him.

"So... why did you save me?"

Vain turn to face her and War floated out of the water, which made her scoot back a little.

"War my look scary, but he won't hurt you. At least... not without my say. He also doesn't talk much, even though I gave them all individual voices and personality."

War nods his head at his master's voice, before floating away, and back towards the camp.

"Are you perhaps after my body?"

"No, I was simply doing a job. All I was told was to help you. You're still free to die, if that's what you want."

Vain drew his engine blade, throwing it up slightly, and gripping it by the tip, before holding the handle out to her.

She reaches her hand towards it, but before she could grip it, Vain spoke to her, "I have no right to stop you from running away from life, but suicide is nothing but a coward's way out. Unable to cope, unable to continue fighting, and unable to continue pushing forward. Do you really enjoy losing that much, that you're going to make it you're only history?"

She silently stares at Vain and he stares straight into her eyes.

"Everyone is not perfect and will never be perfect. If you find it hard to continue walking alone then walk along side someone. If there is no one, then find it. Life is a battle and I refuse to lose. If I lose, I just have to get stronger, figure out where I messed up, then improve myself, and try again. Being stupid is even fine, but being really stupid makes you trash. Denying that your weak and doing nothing to fix it is really stupid. So tell me, are you stupid enough to live life or are you really stupid enough to kill yourself?"

Vain then grip his sword by the handle and stabs it into the ground, before walking away. She stares at the sword and cries. Zec, Heo, and Ray took a glance at her. Before turning their attention to their master, while War just stares at the fire.

Silence filled the air until Heo spoke, "Still as harsh as ever, my lord. Can't you be nicer to someone when they're down?"

"I have no intention of babying anyone. She either finds her strength and her path, or wallow in her weakness and give up."

"But..."

Zec then cut him off, "That's enough Heo. The master left his sword for a reason. So just be quiet and accept whatever out come happens."

Silence once again fills the camp and the woman brushes her fingers along the blade. She thinks about her dead family, dead fiance, ruined life, and being exile from her kingdom. She begins weeping again, destroying the silence, her tears streaming down her cheeks, as her hand grabs the handle, pulls the sword out, and only the sound of chirping crickets could be heard.