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Chapter 2

  Outside he sees his father facing a large number of people in armor, all foreign looking, except one, a familiar face from long ago, his fathers best student Patnav. He too was wearing similar clothes with the army behind him and was speaking with his father.

  "Patnav? What's he doing here, didn't he say he's going to war?"

  But as he watched, his father drew his sword. It seems they are at a disagreement

  "Adav, hurry we must leave" Suddenly his mother hisses at him from behind and bagins dragging him out behind the dojo to a hidden exit.

  "Wait, but father! He's alone out there and theres a lot of them!" He says trying to resist.

  "He'll be fine, the best we can do to help is to flee. We'll only be a burden when he fights"

  "No, but!" Adav's mind raced. It wasn't just fear for his father that he wanted to help, deep down, he also saw this as a chance to prove that he can fight alongside him.

  "There's something I forgot in my room, I'll catch up" He says as he forcefully runs to his room. His mother doubtful, but with their younger son not that capable yet, she decides to carry him herself and prays that Adav does flee

  But contrary to this, Adav did indeed go to his room, but to retrieve his sword.

  He takes a peek at the window, even from inside the house, booming thunder can be heard, the field that once once filled with soldiers right now is littered with soldiers groaning and on the ground bleeding, hands or feet sut off. At the center of the field is Ashan zipping through as he fights against Patnav. So far it seems Ashan can deal with the whole army by himself, Adav thought amazed, until a large man arrives on the field, clad in heavy armor, only his face is visible.

  "I was wondering what was taking my men so long, Patnav said you were growing old and barely fought but it seems you can still put up a fight. Ha ha ha ha" He bellows

  Patnav arrives at his side kneeling. "im sorry sir, it's taking everything in me just to survive"

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  "Don't worry, as expected, only a marked can defeat a marked" He says grinning

  Ashan taking this opportunity, disappears from everyones sight, then to the large man that just appeared, thrusting his sword to his vulnerable face.

  *Boom

  Another thunderous blow, the man staggers backwards before revealing that the thrust only resulted to a scratch on his forehead

  "No mercy to the leader huh, even though you've spared my men's lives" He grins. "But I gotta say, that hurt more than I expected"

  Ashan stood still for a moment. "Leave now, or my next strike will pierce through your skull"

  "Ha ha ha, a bluff. I'm sure you yourself felt it when I arrived." The large man continues, removing his gloves to reveal a mark on his hand, a crest of mountain embedded and glowing faintly

  "A shame our matchup isnt a good one"

  "I am Taegun the Immovable, Conqueror of the lands" With that last word, he begins running towards Ashan.

  Ashan escapes easily, but Taegun continues his dash past him. "I can tell, with your skills, escape would be easy, so why endanger yourself? It's because your making time for your family to escape right"

  As he says this, he blasts through the dojo. Adav quickly hid, avoiding Taegun as he mows past the door. His father tries to follow but Patnav attacks him as he turned his back, this was blocked easily but the message is clear.

  "Master Ashan, surrender to the army and no harm will be done to your family"

  "It seems I can't keep holding back anymore" Ashan mutters softly, his mark glowing more fiercely. To which Patnav senses and takes a defensive stance.

  Ashan appears in front of him in an instant, a slash aimed to his neck, which he was able to block

  *slash

  Blood spills as Patnav falls back, his sword cut as well as a part of his neck. He tries covering it with his hands trying to stop the bleeding.

  "You're no longer my student" He says coldly, raising his sword again

  Then Taegun bursts from the walls, cleaving towards Ashan, who quicky moves out of the way.

  "Heh, you thought I'm gonna leave you to slaughter my men, this was all planned from the start" He says as the soldiers whose limbs were cut earlier returns good as new, the only sign of the damage they received is from the damaged armor now absent. All had bows and stood behind Taegun

  "Now in an enclosed space, you can't move as well can you?" Taegun laughs

  "Tae- help-" Patnav manages to speak as he lays on the floor. He'll need a healer quick or he'll die

  "Sorry Patnav, I can't let this enemy get away now that he's cornered. Archers fire!" Taegun commands as he himself leaps into the fray

  Adav watches in dread as Taegun fights his father amidst raining arrows, Taegun unbothered by the volleys, Patnav who was also there ignored as he is punctured by friendly arrows. Ashan desperately deflects the arrows but any attempts of escape is stopped by Taegun, with his back against a wall, this situation is getting more and more dire.

  Adav quickly leaps into the fray, making the move he practiced over and over in the past days

  "Haaa!" He dashes to the nearest archer, who seeing him raised his arms in defense

  *Slash

  "Aaaah!" The soldier screamed as his hands were cut and his shoulders pierced, but still alive. He flails his cut arms, making Adav step back. The rest of the people in the room has took notice of him

  "Adav! Run!"

  His father calls out, as the rest of the soldiers took aim at him.

  His mind begins racing, what should I do now? Try taking out more soldiers? But that would mean getting through the hail of arrows. Can I even deal with those? His mind freezes. run or fight?

  As the hail of arrows were let loose, another booming sound, next thing he knew, he was knocked off, his father standing where he was a moment ago, parts of him now punctured by arrows.

  "Run!" His fathers yells "Take care of the others"

  Facing close death for the first time as reality crashes down on him as he fell to the ground, Adav finally listens and begin running down the mountain. Sounds of thunder and fighting behind him slowly fade.

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