[Original Novel] Sword of the Heavenly Wind: Episode 11

Chapter 2: That is, to protect
— Episode 11: The Pale Blade Reflects —

Tree leaves swirl, creating an ominous sound—.
The laughter of the silver-haired man echoes.

“The Four Sages, and those who protect them, I shall bury you all together...!”

“You demon...!”

Ciaran readied the Sword of the Heavenly Wind and prepared to dash into the tunnel formed by the leaves.

“Ciaran! That is a space created by the demon! It is dangerous to jump in yourself!”

Amalia shouted. She held her crystal staff high.

“Illusion, begone! Wind, guide us...! To the forest where the shining sunlight falls...!”

As Amalia shouted the incantation, a strong wind raged. The trees that should have been there just a moment ago appeared, and the pouring sunlight became visible.

“Hehehe...! Is that woman over there a mage...!”

The demon raised his right hand as if cutting through the wind.

“Did you think the space I created could be broken...!”

The surrounding scenery changed completely. Ciaran and the others were lost once again in a space of white and black.
The ground distorted, making a strange, bubbling sound.

“What...!?”

From the pitch-black ground, many white hands appeared.

Is this real...!?

The white hands writhed and stretched out, attacking Ciaran, Amalia, and Louie.

“Hands of the dead appearing from the depths of the earth, return to the world of darkness!”

Amalia shouted the incantation. She made the hands that tried to grab them vanish one after another.

“Big sister Amalia...!”

Amalia's magic makes the white hands glow and vanish, but they appear one after another.

Slash...!

Kieran's Sword of the Heavenly Wind swept away the white hands appearing before him. Kieran kicked the ground, ready to dash toward the demon. A strange, squishy sensation traveled up from the soles of his feet.

This is not the feeling of soil...! So, this really is the demon's world of illusions...!

Kieran kept his eyes fixed firmly ahead and ran with the Sword of the Heavenly Wind.

It doesn't matter where this is! Demon, I will only defeat you!

A swordsman, are you...! Then I shall respond with a sword as well...!

At the demon's shout, a sword had appeared in its hand before Kieran realized it. It was a sword that shimmered with a red hue. It looked as if it were made of raging flames. The moment he thought he saw the long silver hair sway, the demon was already within Kieran's reach, and the flaming sword was raised above Kieran's head. Kieran caught the flaming sword with the Sword of the Heavenly Wind.

Fast...!

Inch by inch, the Sword of the Heavenly Wind was being pushed back. Although it looked like fire, the sensation of what he caught with his sword was that of metal. The flaming sword drew closer to Kieran's nose. Kieran gritted his teeth and continued to pour strength into his arms to hold it off.

What power...!

Oh...!

The silver-haired demon looked at Kieran's eyes from up close and its expression changed.

Interesting...! I felt an exceptionally strong energy, so that's why...!

The demon curled its lips in a meaningful way.

What are you trying to say...!

As the flaming sword continued to press down, Kieran shouted. Countless white hands wrapped around Kieran's body. He felt the heat of the flames. At the same time, the white hands tightened their grip on his body. The demon laughed.

You are not human, are you...!

Kieran gasped for a moment. A rush of blood seemed to surge to his head. Kieran put all his strength into his arms and deflected the flaming sword with the Sword of the Heavenly Wind. At the same time, he shook off the white hands that were constricting him, jumped back, and regained his distance.

I am a human...!

Ciaran screams. He intended to stand firmly on the ground, but his body swayed slightly.
Is it because this ground was created by a demon?
The sensation of standing feels strange somehow. His head is foggy, and his center of gravity is unstable.

Am I... not human?

The squishy sensation under his feet. The instability he feels despite being sure he is standing firmly. Perhaps that is—.

That I am... not human...?

His breathing is wildly erratic, and he can hear his own heartbeat louder than anything else.

Is this feeling of insecurity because my own existence, my place in this world—is wavering...?

Cold sweat drips from Ciaran's forehead.
Ciaran shakes his head violently.

"I am human! I am the guardian of the Four Sages, and my name is Ciaran...!"

Shouting at the top of his lungs, Ciaran grips the Sword of the Heavenly Wind and dashes forward. Aiming for the silver-haired demon—.
Sparks fly.
The demon parries the lightning-like Sword of the Heavenly Wind with the hilt of his flame sword.

"Hoh... You are interesting—"

"What is so funny!? What is so interesting...!"

The pale blue blade of the Sword of the Heavenly Wind continues to reflect the shape of the flickering flames.

"My name is Silgar."

The demon reveals his own name and breaks into a wide grin.

"What...?"

Ciaran had blurted out his own name in the heat of the moment, but he never expected the demon to reveal his name to him.

"You are strong. And a truly fascinating existence—. It would be a shame to kill you just yet."

"What does that mean...!"

Silgar's eyes, a mysterious silver color matching his hair, emit an enigmatic light.

Ugh...!

A powerful force.
The Sword of the Heavenly Wind is deflected by the flame sword, and Ciaran loses his balance.

This is bad...!

Ciaran braced himself for the follow-up strike. However, for some reason, Silgar's sword of flame did not come crashing down.

"I have been waiting for an opportunity to hunt the Four Sages and those who protect them. Since I have waited this long, delaying the pleasure a little bit is nothing. If anything, it only adds to the fun...!"

Silgar muttered happily, as if humming a song.

"What are you...!"

"I have thought of something interesting. Shall I observe your movements carefully?"

Bang...!

"Ugh...!"

When Silgar pointed his index and middle fingers together at Ciaran's chest like a spell, a shock ran through Ciaran's chest as if something had been thrown at him.

"What...?"

Ciaran instinctively placed his hand on his chest. Something was stuck to it.

"What on earth did you just do...?"

"I have attached my familiar to you. It will report your every move to me. At the same time—"

"Ugh...!"

He felt a sharp, tightening pain in his chest.

"If I change my mind, I can attack you at any time. Against an ordinary person, it would be possible to take their life through remote control. Well, you are not an ordinary person to begin with. It might be difficult to actually kill you. And if the true power within you awakens, I wonder if even my attacks will reach you—"

Silgar placed his index finger against his lips.

"Oops. I ended up saying too much. I got too carried away. Hehe. I suppose that is a bad habit of mine."

"Silgar...!"

Ciaran fell to both knees, still gripping the Sword of the Heavenly Wind. He could not breathe properly, and dizziness washed over him.

"Calling my name with such an expression of agony...! Heh...! This is good...! This is good...! Kieran...!"

With an ecstatic smile, Silgar looked down at Kieran.

"Entertain me more...! Kieran, the Four Sages, the witch...! Well then, until we meet again...!"

Silgar turned his back on Kieran, his long silver hair fluttering.

"Silgar...!"

Leaves swirled in a vortex.

Crunch, crunch, crunch...

The sound of footsteps faded into the distance.

Silgar...!

Laughter could be heard from afar. Silgar's laughter—
Kieran hung his head, his hand still pressed against his chest.
His knees, pressed against the ground, conveyed the solid sensation of the earth. The white hand was nowhere to be seen anymore. When Kieran looked up, there was the warm sunlight and the green of the forest.

"Kieran...!"

Amalia and Louie ran up to Kieran.

"Amalia! Louie! Are you both alright?"

"Yes! We managed to... More importantly, Kieran...!"

Amalia hurriedly held her hand over Kieran's chest.

"This is...!"

For a moment, a lizard-like shape stood out in red on Kieran's chest. It was as if it were a raging flame—.

"He called it a familiar. He said he would monitor me, and he said he would attack me."

Back in the real world, the pain and suffocation had vanished. However, Kieran calmly analyzed that depending on Silgar's mood, it was likely possible for him to attack and inflict pain in the real world just as he had said.

"That demonic being... It is the technique of a man named Silgar, isn't it—"

"Big sister Amalia! Can't you do something about it?"

Louie asks, his large eyes brimming with tears.
Amalia continues to hold her hand over him, trying to see if she can somehow break Silgar's spell. However, no matter how much focus she poured into it, she could not undo the magic.
The lizard shape vanished the moment Amalia stopped holding her hand over it.

"Amalia. It's alright. It doesn't hurt or ache anymore."

"Ciaran... I'm sorry... for not being able to do anything..."

Ciaran shook his head at Amalia, who had a sorrowful expression with tears welling in her amber eyes.

"No. I am the one who should apologize... I was doing everything I could just to fight Silgar, and I had no room to protect you or Louie."

"That's not true! Ciaran, Amalia! I'm sorry...! I really should just stay away from you and Amalia...!"

Louie clenched his small fists, turned his back on the two of them, and started to run off.

"Louie...!"

Ciaran grabbed Louie's hand to stop him and smiled at him.

"Don't say such things! Didn't I tell you? Both Amalia and I are here to protect you—"

"Ciaran...!"

Even as he said that, Ciaran was casting doubts into his own heart.

To have that much strength... I was barely able to respond to his attacks... I couldn't even spot his weak point... I couldn't even turn my attention to Amalia or Louie... What kind of protector am I...!

Ciaran bit his lip hard.

We were spared today only because of his whim, but if things continue like this, everyone will be killed...!

The words 'not human' also pierced deep into Ciaran's heart.

I am...

A dark shadow settled in Ciaran's eyes. At that moment, both Louie's voice and Amalia's voice seemed to come from somewhere far away.
However, strangely enough, Silgar's other words brought a faint glimmer of hope to Ciaran's heart.

"When the true power within you awakens"

The true power... within me?

The sunlight illuminates the trees in the forest. The Sword of the Heavenly Wind catches the overflowing light.
Kieran stared at his own face reflected in the Sword of the Heavenly Wind.

If the true power were to awaken—

The face of a warrior was reflected there.

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