The narrow hallway echoed with the sound of pounding footsteps. Alion slowed down, frowning as he looked back.
He didn't expect them to be discovered so soon. Not only were they discovered, but the Guards from the Blood Clan had gathered to stop them, rushing in their direction.
Clad in dark attire, he gripped his sword tightly, its blade glinting ominously in the dim left.
Behind him, Cylix and Novius were also taken aback. There were too many guards. They thought about helping.
"Leave! Don't forget the plan! Get out of here! I'll find you later!" Alion roared, realizing what they were thinking without even looking back.
Unlike Cylix and Novius, Lira wasn't hesitant. She didn't want to be caught again. Without a second thought, she started leaving.
"But you-"
"No but! Get out of here! You'll only be a distinction for me! Leave!" Alion cut Cylix's sentence, not even letting him finish. They had a chance to escape, but only if he could hold back the approaching Guards long enough.
The Guards belonging to the Blood Clan were a formidable force in their polished uniforms. They were a fierce force who became strong the more they fought.
Their biggest advantage came when fighting against more people since the more blood they shed, the stronger they could get. On the other hand, the enemy couldn't recover their strength in the Nether Realm.
This was one benefit of the Nether Realm for them who were born here, and lived all their lives here.
The guards charged down the corridor with shields raised and weapons poised for battle.
Alion stood his ground. He refused to let fear cloud his mind. He knew the lives of his companions depended on him. Their escape was more important for now!
As for him, even if he was caught, it didn't matter. Saving Zena was most important.
As the first Blood Warrior lunged forward, Alion sidestepped with lightning speed, evading the deadly strike.
With a swift counterattack, his sword sliced through the air, finding its mark. The Guard crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Alion barely had a moment to register the victory before the next assailant closed in.
Alion tried to reserve as much strength as he possibly could, only taking advantage of his fighting skills and nothing else. Unfortunately, there were just too many enemies and the hallway was large.
The hallway became a tempest of clashing steel and thunderous shouts. Alion attacked while protecting himself, making sure he didn't bleed. His blood was the strength for these guards.
His movements remained fluid and calculated. Each stroke of his blade was a testament to years of training and experience. Sweat trickled down his brow, but he pushed past exhaustion, fueled by the knowledge that his friends' lives hung in the balance. He couldn't falter here.
The Guards, sensing their advantage in numbers, pressed forward, their attacks growing more relentless. Alion's muscles strained under the weight of the onslaught, but he refused to yield. He parried a sweeping blow from one Guard, then spun around, delivering a powerful kick that sent another crashing into the stone wall.
Time seemed to warp as the battle raged on. Alion's breath came in ragged gasps, his body aching from countless cuts and bruises. Yet, with every step the Guards took, he matched them, his movements becoming more precise, his strikes more devastating.
He didn't let a single guard pass through. Unfortunately, their battle was making the entire place tremble, alerting even more people that something was wrong, including the higher ups in the Blood Clan.
Sensing an opening, a group of Guards attacked at once, overwhelming Alion's defenses. He staggered under the onslaught, getting wounded.
His clothes were bloodied. But even in his moment of weakness, he fought on, refusing to let despair seep into his heart.
Summoning every ounce of strength left in his weary body, Alion executed a dazzling display of skill. His sword danced through the air, each swing feeling a Guard with lethal accuracy. The remaining Guards faltered, their resolve wavering under the weight of their fallen comrades.
With a final, mighty blow, Alion cleaved through the last adversary, sending him sprawling to the ground. Silence descended upon the hallway, broken only by the labored breathing of the wounded.
In the meantime, Cylix and Novius had traveled very far, along with Lira who located the passages with as few guards as possible.
Even though she didn't care about others, she did care about her own safety and always selected the right Passage, avoiding most of the dangers along the way.
"The sounds of battle stopped. The battle is over. Should we wait for him?" Novius glanced back, feeling the vibrations stop.
"Only if you're stupid. Just because the battle stopped doesn't mean it's safe. The vibrations from the battle had probably alerted even the ones who didn't previously know. Staying close to Alion is the worst thing you can do right now!" Lira exclaimed, suggesting against stopping.
"If we want to get out, we need to use him wisely. He is the distraction which will attract most of the enemies, while we take the opposite route to escape. Without him putting himself at risk, there's no escape for us from this place!" She further stated.
If possible, she could've run on her own. However, she knew that she could use Cylix and Novius to her advantage in case she needed another shield like Novius. Moreover, she had heard their goals.
It was to find the Lord of Time, who had disappeared, scared of Karyk! If they could really Achieve that, she wanted to be with them. Because she also had something to do with that person.
She needed to find him to fulfill her own personal mission, and if these two could help her in any way, she would join them on their quest. The thought of finding the Lord of Time filled her with both excitement and apprehension.
To achieve that goal, she first had to save them and get them out safely.
