Vol.1 Ch.14 Sir udius, The Pdin
<span style="font-weight:400">Asher stepped back and let the other two knightse in while he remained behind the door.
<span style="font-weight:400">"It looks like we havepany," Jorj said.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan and Hiro were at the back of the group.
<span style="font-weight:400">"How many?" Asher asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Three Pdins, but they have twelve White Knights with them," Jorj said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"How can that many make it to the heart of the citadel!?" Said Eliza, the female knight.
<span style="font-weight:400">"We''ll worry about thatter. They need to be dealt with before they get to the Chosen Ones. Let''s go." Asher said as he looked over to Ryan and Hiro.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Where are you going?" Ryan asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"To head off the Pdins. We''ve got to stop those zealots before they reach you two." Asher said as he walked towards the door. "Stay here and protect each other. This is the only safe spot for you right now."With that Asher and the other three dark knights left to confront the knights of the Divine Three.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan looked at Hiro. "Are you okay?"
<span style="font-weight:400">Hiro for the first time was visibly frightened while nodding back. "Y-Yes, but I''m really worried, man... I don''t want to die here."
<span style="font-weight:400">This was the first time Ryan had seen Hiro not put up a facade for the entire time he''d been with him. Something has shaken him to the core.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Don''t worry, we''ll make it out of here," Ryan said. Even though he felt he couldn''t back that im up. But Ryan said it to try to calm himself down as well.
<span style="font-weight:400">"How? How can you be so sure?" Hiro asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan smiled, "Because I''m not going to die here. And neither will you. We''re here now, and nothing''s going to change that. So it’s time to man up, I guess."
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan was lying to himself and Hiro. He knew he could die right here on the spot if he didn''t do something soon. And time was running out.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ryan, I''m sorry about everything I put you through. When I first met you, I was jealous of you. You had everything going for you. I felt I was an imposter and acted out. I''m sorry if I ever made you ufortable." Hiro said as tears fell from his eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan felt guiltier than he thought possible. "No, Hiro... Y-You... Let''s just focus right now, man. Once we get out of this mess we can make it up to each other, deal?" Ryan said as he reached out his hand toward Hiro.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hiro grasped Ryan''s hand in his own before he regained hisposure. "Deal."
<span style="font-weight:400">After they shook hands and started to move toward the door in order to hear what might be going on down the hallway from their room. Once they got to the doorway Ryan and Hiro could hear the sounds of battle echoing through the citadel as the nging of sword fighting and the screams of pain were getting closer to them. ''God! That sounded like Asher screaming... Shit''s getting real.''
<span style="font-weight:400">Just as Ryan was about to say something to Hiro, one of their walls blew up as an elven knight came crashing through it. Causing debris to fly everywhere. The poor elf crashed on the other side of their room.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ah!" Screamed Hiro as he jumped.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Shit!" Yelled Ryan as he quickly moved to the knight.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hey talk to me? Are you al-" Ryan couldn''t finish his sentence once he saw a bloody hole in the center of the chest of the deceased elf.
<span style="font-weight:400">''Fuck me!'' Ryan was in shock upon witnessing the freshly murdered body.
<span style="font-weight:400">"R-Ryan look!?" Hiro pointed at the hole in the wall as he could see the White Knights staring at them.
<span style="font-weight:400">"My lord! We found the summoned heretics!" Yelled one of the White Knights.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Bring salvation to them both! Don''t let them escape!" Yelled the other one.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Shit!" Ryan quickly turned his attention to the dead elf and started to search for anything he could use for a weapon. "Come on,e on!" Ryan yelled to himself to steady his nerves as his hand reached for the only weapon he could find on the body of the knight. Which was a ck dagger that was sheathed on the belt of the fallen.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan took the knife and began to ready himself for a fight as two white knights came into their room.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hiro! Behind me, now!" Ryan ordered while Hiro hurried over behind him.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan squared off against the two knights.
<span style="font-weight:400">"After all those years this is the best the elves can do?" One knight said mockingly.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Does it matter? The Three, wills for their salvation, and we shall deliver it," The other knight replied.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Oh FUCK OFF!" Ryan said as he raised his de up to strike down on the knights.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan''s de hit the knight''s shield and it bounced off.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You''re going to have to do better than that, heretic! YYYAAHHH!" The knight said as he swung his sword from overhead. Ryan thought he was dead as the de came at his head, but out of nowhere Ryan dodged the attack on instinct and shed the small ck de at his attacker but the white knight parried him with ease. Then the knight quickly counterattacks with his pauldron, bashing it into Ryan''s chest and almost breaking some of his ribs.
<span style="font-weight:400">"OH SHIT!" Ryan grunted ''These guys are no joke!''
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan kicked the knight in the stomach and made him back away from Ryan as he stumbled backward. "I thought you guys were supposed to be tough!" Ryan said as he charged forward.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Are you taking me lightly!?" The knight asked as he brought his sword down on Ryan. While Ryan quickly brought his knife up to meet the knight''s arm striking him before he could hit his target. Ryan was moving quicker than normal as stared down the white knight before him.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I''ve never been in a life-or-death battle before in my life and if this is the best the Divine Three has to offer, then you''re screwed!" Ryan shouted as he charged the knight with his knife in hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">"NOOO!" screamed Hiro as the other knight was attacking him while Ryan was engaged with the other one. Hiro got nearly hit in the chest as the tip of the sword shed into him, only skin deep, and fell to the ground in pain as he failed to dodge the attack.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan looked back as he noticed Hiro lying on the ground with a bloody arm and chest.
<span style="font-weight:400">"HIRO!" Ryan yelled as he was distracted by Hiro and wanted to help but the knight he was fighting had a different idea and tried to strike Ryan while his focus was off him.
<span style="font-weight:400">*Swing!*
<span style="font-weight:400">“GUH!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan let out a grunt as the knight''s de just missed hitting him deep in his right arm. The wound was bleeding slightly from being grazed by the de which caused Ryan to drop his dagger. And without missing a beat the White Knight continued to press the attack.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan swung his left arm towards the knight as he blocked his sword arm from striking Ryan and punched him in the face with his right hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">The knight stumbled back but Ryan quickly followed up with an elbow strike to the side of his head. With his attacker stunned Ryan ran over to his dagger and scooped it up in a second.
<span style="font-weight:400">And as fast as Ryan could, he summoned enough mana to use Dark Earthly de on the de of his dagger and aimed for the unaware White Knight that was attacking Hiro.
<span style="font-weight:400">The knight saw the deing his way and turned to try to parry the attack.
<span style="font-weight:400">But the attack was not what he expected as Ryan’s de warped around his shield and went straight for his face.
<span style="font-weight:400">As he felt the dagger stabbing through his right eye socket. The White Knight was in shock. "H-How?" Was all he could say before his vision faded to ck as he fell to the ground.
<span style="font-weight:400">"NO, Markus! I swear I’ll send you to the Three, you heretic!" The Divine Knight screamed as he aimed for Ryan with his sword.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan moved with ease as the knight''s de looked like it nearly hit Ryan''s throat but missed thanks to him getting a new surge in speed. Ryan was faster now because of the new mana absorbing in his body from killing the knight.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Y-You piece of shit!" Ryan said as he kicked the knight in the stomach and sent him flying across the room.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I’ll be the one to deliver you to the Three! You fucking tool!" Ryan said with all the fury in his body as he prepared to use Dark Earthly de against this knight that wounded him while Ryan’s body began to emit the Dark Aura of the Goddess.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You''ve be a monster," The knight replied as he jumped back and used his sword to block Ryan''s attack.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sir udius, we underestimated their champion! I need your aid!" The knight yelled out as if he was speaking to God.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan took a deep breath before he charged at the knight with his dagger in hand. And just when Ryan was about to strike the knight with his dagger. A blinding light came out of nowhere and knocked Ryan back 20 feet into the stone wall.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Urgh! What the fuck!" Ryan groaned as he reached down to touch the spot where the Lighting struck him.
<span style="font-weight:400">He felt a tingle and his entire body went numb then felt heat run through his veins from the first White Knight''s mana being absorbed. As Ryan''s body was being healed by it.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ryan, are you okay!?" Hiro came running up to Ryan with worry in his eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan noticed a small cut on the side of his own cheek that was already starting to heal as his skin started repairing itself. He also felt refreshed and energized as well. ‘Well, I guess taking in mana isn’t all bad.’ Ryan thought.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I think I''m good?" Ryan answered as he looked to see what was the cause of that blinding light. And it didn''t take too long to find out what it was or who it was.
<span style="font-weight:400">Standing there next to the white knight was a monster of a man standing around 7 feet tall, wearing a full suit of silver te mail, having a broadsword as big as Cloud''s Buster sword, and radiating a white aura. This guy is the spitting image of a virtuous pdin. His armor was so bright it almost hurt Ryan''s retinas, like staring into the sun.
<span style="font-weight:400">"So this heretic refuses to be saved?" Sir udius asked with a stoic voice.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Correct my lord, they are corrupted and refuse to be saved." Said the White Knight, whose name was Captain Sharleth.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Well they have earned the Divine Three''s full wrath now," Sir udius said as he turned to face Ryan and Hiro.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Then I''ll purge them both," Sir udius said as he looked at Ryan and Hiro with a stern look.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan tried using his Dark Earthly de but the dagger disintegrated when it came in contact with the white aura of the pdin.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Huh!? What the fuck!?" Ryan yelled with anger. while he cursed himself for not realizing that the pdin''s aura would cause his weapon to break.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sir udius readied his broadsword preparing to strike at Ryan and Hiro.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I''m sorry Hiro..... I don''t think we''re getting out of this one," Ryan whispered, looking down to the ground.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hey, Ryan! You can still save me! Can’t… you?" Hiro yelled as if he could change the oue by willing it, but with thest bit of strength he had he grabbed Ryan''s arm and pulled him close as he realized that they were going to die. And in that moment Hiro knew what he had to do.
<span style="font-weight:400">"No!... I''ll save you!" Hiro said as his eyes and orb on his ne began to glow.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You will not escape the Three''s justice!" Sir udius said as he brought his sword down on them.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan watched helplessly as the sword came closer to them but the strange thing was that time seemed to slow down right before the de struck them. That''s when Ryan felt his body getting pulled in a simr gravity warp. It was the same feeling Ryan had when he first came to this world.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ryan closed his eyes as felt his body flying in the wrap tunnel and into the dark smokey <span ss="aiText">void, <span style="font-weight:400">he felt his hand get grabbed by Hiro''s glowing red hand as he pulled him towards a bright light.
<span style="font-weight:400">And then everything went ck.