Chapter 33: Conflict of Interest |
“Catch him!”
The minions took a step forward instantly, though they didn’t engage, exchanging glances among themselves, wondering if it was the right call.
While they dithered, Ember observed the surroundings, wondering whether any of the instructors would come to break up the conflict before it escalated into something ugly.
None came, whereas the group of five surrounded him.
“You are going to gang up on me with numbers?” Ember scrunched his nose, already pulling a sizable chunk of his mana. His eyes darted to the fallen figure. “Well, if anything is to go by with that little clown, five against one doesn't make the odds any better, I fear.”
“Watch your mouth, you little—” barked a boy, but his speech was quickly shut down as Ember’s figure appeared by his side, thrashing his wooden blade into his midsection.
“Or what?”
His figure disappeared again, this time slamming a ruthless kick into the back of the nasty-mouthed girl.
By then, the others had already figured out there was no other way they could end it without a full-blown dispute. They charged at him without holding back.
The boy was already writhing in pain, but now he was sprawled on the floor listlessly, his face licking the floor, his arse skywards. That seemed to anger the minions even more.
Five against one was a little difficult for Ember. Without his movement skill, he wouldn’t even stand a chance against the group.
He charged at one at the very end of the group, striking his lower body. One of the girls was charging her wand. He couldn't let her complete the cast, as even one strike would end it for him. Thankfully, she wasn’t skilled enough. Before her spell could even come to fruition, he released the kinetic charge he was building, pushing her off her toes. If only that was the end of his plight.
Something hard struck him on his shoulder.
Ember didn't flinch. Clenching his teeth against the searing ache, he shoved his wooden sword into the assaulter’s midsection before smashing it upon his head, knocking him down cold.
It was a little heavy-handed for a friendly spar, but the bout had been anything but friendly. Ember couldn't let them gang up on him with their numbers.
A boy lunged at him from behind, choking him with his arm locked around his neck. Ember shoved him with his elbow. When that didn't do it, he carried the older boy with Blitz Steps, smashing his body into another boy.
Still clinging onto him, the bastard bit down onto the back of his neck.
Ember was furious. Jerking downward, he flung the body up and smashed him against the hard floor.
Spitting, Ember gazed at the one closest to him immediately. His form blurred as his hand struck, slapping him into senselessness.
That left only two standing.
A glare from him had them stopping in their tracks. “This is all Ham’s idea,” said the girl. “We don't want to—”
Ember took a step forward. She flinched and found her companion had already dashed off. She followed after him immediately.
Ember eyed the four on the floor, two unconscious, two writhing in pain. His eyes darted around the surroundings; whoever they met, they looked away.
[Swordsmanship (Common) +9 → Max.]
[+10 EPs.]
At least something good came out of this foolish discord.
As Rain imagined, Ember was up on the branch of his favourite tree. Any day he didn't return straight home from practice, she’d find her brother here, practising in solitude. Today, he seemed to be waiting for her.
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She understood immediately why once he jumped down from the tree to present himself before her. There were bruises on his neck, his chest seemed battered with angry red patches, whereas there were only a couple of small lacerations this time. Thankfully, it was nothing too serious.
Wait, is that a bite mark on the side of his neck?
“Heal me,” he asked.
Rain examined him without a word. The worst of it was the left side of his torso, swollen with a purplish-red patch—nothing she couldn’t fix. But an unbridled anger flashed through her heart as she peered at her little brother. “Who was it?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Tell me who.”
“It was just a spar,” said Ember in a flat tone. “And they got worse of it than I.”
“They?”
“Heal me.”
“You know I’ll find out regardless.”
Her brother kept his silence, waiting for her to heal him. Rain sighed, examined the full extent of his injuries, and allowed her Light of Renewal to mend his wounds. It wasn’t the worst state she had ever found him in, but it made her restless nonetheless.
The days following their father’s disappearance, their family of three had kept to themselves, still lingering in the hope of his return.
Their mother was sequestered in the home throughout the days, whereas the siblings were occupied with their daily tasks, staying home for the most part. Yes, they took turns watching over their mother, but it was largely due to the cold shoulders they received from the outsiders.
There was little to no love lost among the clansmen. Rain had believed the members of their extended family would at least understand the unpredictability involved with rifts, that they’d be sympathetic to their plight, but she was thoroughly mistaken. It didn’t take them long to blame her father.
The same people who praised Cliff for his accomplishments accused him of reducing the might of the clan. After all, her father hadn’t disappeared alone, but had taken a whole company of the clan’s elite with him. Being the captain, he had to shoulder all the condemnation, even in his disappearance. Worse, there were Lady Evelyn, Lord Jaime, and many others from House Oberon. Cliff, in particular, was in charge of Lady Evelyn’s safety.
The high nobles didn’t look at the reasons, but only at the result. And the result was that they failed to protect the High Patriarch's favourite child. She was supposed to succeed him as the head of the House. Their whole clan faced the consequences of that. All the pacts and good-faith relations the clan had built with the Oberons were expunged without a word.
Yes, there were other knights sharing the same duty, and the fault didn’t lie with just one person and his clan, but how could you explain that to your high liege?
The clan hadn’t gotten a single slot into the class trials this year from the Oberons. But the potential and political losses they’d face were perhaps even greater.
In times of loss, you’d think the clan would think collectively and wouldn’t blame some select few for this. However, there were too many people in the clan, and too many personal gains at stake, for them not to blame and banish a select few for the loss.
Timber Blackstone had poured everything into this expedition, allocating most of his loyal men to Cliff in order to win over the Oberons. If all had gone according to his plan, then not only would the seat of clan head have been his, he could even have ushered in a new age for House Blackstone.
Unfortunately, everything had gone off in the worst way possible.
Hate him or love him, their grandfather was the only umbrella over their heads since the incident with the rift. If only he were as dependable as their father.
“Thank you,” Ember said, wiping off some residual blood stains from his skin as they strode towards home. “Don’t say anything to Mom.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she peered at her little brother treading ahead. She had been keeping Rosanna in the dark about two other instances before this, fearing that it would only add to her worry. But what about Ember? She couldn’t let him go on like this.
Yes, the whole situation arose because of their father’s disappearance, but Ember had been the subject of envy for as long as he had joined the practice. None of the kids his age could compare to him, be it in mana skills or swordsmanship. Even most of the older, unclassed elites were falling behind a tactless nine-year-old.
That should have been a good thing for the clan, to have another elite join their ranks. But that was when their father was here, and their grandfather was in power.
Obviously, those hormonal teens with inflated egos couldn’t lose out to a nine-year-old. Growing up, all they ever heard was how gifted they were. There was no other way a child could compare to them unless he got unfair privileges from his father and grandfather. As if they would have gotten any better results if they had been trained by silver rankers. Rain had a fair share of experience in her time to know all about it.
“Hey, Rain.” Ember looked up at her. “Is there anything special to training your attunements?”
“There should be,” she replied with a heavy breath. It wasn't the first time her brother had asked questions along those lines. “But those methods are only limited to high-class individuals. The Oberons... I think they have some facilities like the mana chamber, but for attunements.”
Ember nodded.
After a moment’s thought, she added, “You shouldn't worry about attunements right now. Focus on advancing your tiers and mana foundation.”
He didn't need her to tell him that, as his mana foundation would have already overtaken hers if she hadn't drunk a couple of those mana elixirs.
Still, at any other time she had given the same advice, Ember would have retorted by flaunting his skills. But these days, he had grown far more sullen, never trying to continue a conversation if he wasn't asked anything. The siblings both idolised their father, but it was a whole lot more for her little brother.
They returned home to find there was already a guest waiting at the house. It was none other than their uncle Cloud, perhaps here to share some information on behalf of their grandfather. After Ember’s outburst the other day, the old man hadn’t come their way once.
A look of panic crossed Ember's expression, fearing that Uncle Cloud was here to lecture him about whatever had unfolded on the training field and, in a way, alert their mother.
But no. He wasn’t here for some squabbles between kids. He was there for something more perfidious.
Cloud Blackstone was asking for the silver-rank skill stone their father had brought for Ember.