City of Sin (Yanyu Jiangnan)

Exile

Ensio looked around at the carnage wrought on Sharon’s residence, sniffing the air a little before flashing a mocking smile towards Voidbones, “Ah, the star-destroying thunder. Master is still Master, you pathetic bastard, you don’t get to lay your hands on her. Still, it looks like you’re better at running now; to think you aren’t dead...”

Voidbones’ glare was cold as death, body slowly crouching like a beast as he said hoarsely, “Don’t think the legendary realm is everything. I’m not as weak as I was back then!”

“Oh?” Ensio chuckled, “I agree being legendary isn’t everything, but it looks like you want a match. Why not? Let’s see if you can beat me at least once, it’s been ten years already.”

A dangerous flame ignited in Voidbones’ eyes, the azure flames around him starting to swell up. He kept silent and pointed upwards, forming a short-distance portal that sent him to Floe Bay. He waited there in mid-air, waiting to free himself of ten years of trauma.

Ensio wasn’t as hurried. He first looked towards Blackgold and Fayr, casually flicking out two balls of light that sunk into the grand mages and eased the impact of the chaotic energies. He then turned towards Richard who was still struggling his way towards Sharon’s room, a complicated expression crossing his face for the first time since his arrival. He eventually just sighed, stretching his fingers to shoot another ball of light towards him, this one a lot bigger than the other two and filled with a powerful life force that neutralised the azure flames.

“Tch... If only I could save you later without Master killing me...” Ensio shook his head as Richard’s organs were repaired, his body abruptly fading away as he appeared before Voidbones.

“I’ve been waiting for a long time, Ensi—”

“Cut the crap. I’m in a really shitty mood right now, so try your best to escape or you die.”

“You think you’re going to win for sure? Just because you were the only one ranked legendary?” Voidbones’ features contorted with rage.

“Against you? There’s no question,” Ensio replied seriously.

There were no warning signs as a bright multicoloured glow covered the two mages, slowly becoming like a tiny sun in the sky. Its radiance was so bright that it blinded all the grand mages observing the battle from afar.

Nobody knew just how many spells were being shot at each other, but the glaring radiance slowly burnt a hole into the clouds, only to fade away a few moments later. Ensio was left standing alone, traces of a portal still shimmering a short distance away.

“Tch, and he escaped. Dammit...” Ensio shook his head, but a proud smile rose up on his face. He was the one true genius amongst all of Sharon’s students, the one with the greatest potential and skill.

However, he suddenly opened his eyes and looked back at the Deepblue, confusion written all over his face. He remained floating in mid-air for a few seconds before his silhouette vanished once more.

......

Within the Deepblue, Richard slowly opened his eyes. He didn’t understand where he was at first, but the moment he regained consciousness he shrieked loudly and sprung up from the ground. Only then did he realise that all his injuries were gone, a stark contrast from the torturous pain he had fainted to.

He raised his head to look at the broken residence around him, expression turning pale as he immediately dashed for Sharon’s room. However, in only a few moments he suddenly stopped and turned around.

The first thing that he noticed was Blackgold and Fayr standing ever so slightly separate from the rest of the grand mages. It wouldn’t normally be a noticeable difference, but it was significant. The second thing was a bald mage looking intensely at him, eyes filled with curiosity.

“Hello, Richard,” Ensio flashed a dashing smile, “My name is Ensio, I’m also one of Master’s apprentices.”

Richard’s expression suddenly turned cold. He took two steps back towards the side of the room, lifting his elven longsword that had fallen to the ground. A cold, murderous aura erupted from his body.

“Not bad, you’ve still got some strength left in you,” Ensio said with a nod. For a fleeting moment, the sheer killing intent in Richard’s aura had caused him to tense up. He had tried to peep into Richard’s soul, but had been blocked by what looked like a world of boiling lava.!

“Where’s Voidbones?” Richard asked as he slowly raised the sword into a stance, “What’s your relationship with him?”

Ensio just shrugged, “The bastard ran away after I beat him up. Do you think you’d be alive right now if he was still here?”

Richard was stunned for a moment before confirming Ensio’s words through a glance at the grand mages. Ensio had to be extraordinary to send Voidbones running, making him feel his own weakness that much more clearly. It was like he had been dipped into the Bay, extinguishing the great halo that had surrounded him as a great runemaster and unrivalled commander.

His complexion eased, but just as he was about to let go of the sword Ensio’s face darkened, “Now, get out of here you runt. Too weak to even defend yourself from Voidbones, you’re an embarrassment to Master. I’m taking over the Deepblue, you don’t have to concern yourself with it any longer.”

Richard was shocked at first, but his expression turned solemn and cold once more, “You will not take charge of the Deepblue.”

Ensio laughed frigidly, “And I have to listen to a runt like you? You haven’t even finished your preparations to become a grand mage yet, and it wouldn’t matter even if you had! Do you think a bunch of grand mages are enough to run the Deepblue? Without Master’s glory, do you think you’ll be able to resist the tribes of the north?”

He paused for a while before continuing his cold mockery, “Even Voidbones was ridiculous, and he at least had a chance of fighting off the local tribes. Hmph, do you even know who Master’s real enemies are? Forget him, even I can’t guarantee being able to resist them if they show themselves! I don’t need dead weight here!”

“Dead. Weight?” Richard’s eyes narrowed as blood rushed to his head. His body seemed to burn with unspeakable shame; this was the first time anyone had called him dead weight to his face! He was the king of the Archerons and the royal runemaster of the Sacred Alliance. He was a Duke of Faelor, and someone blessed by the Eternal Dragon himself! When had he ever suffered such humiliation?!

Ensio couldn’t care less about Richard’s boiling blood and bloodshot eyes, just smiling coldly as he repeated once more, “Yes, you’re dead weight.”

This time, Richard went silent. All the fury condensed within his sea of consciousness, calling forth the gold glow of his truename from the depths of his bloodline. The boiling Archeron blood immediately cooled down, growing dense with energy as it prepared to lash out.

Such was the nature of his truename. Dizmason, meaning destruction. It took a collected warrior to maximise one’s destruction on the battlefield.

A vague sense of worry flitted across Ensio’s eyes, but his expression remained unchanged, “Haha, you don’t see it, do you. Very well, why don’t we head out for a battle?”

“Ensio!” Fayr suddenly spoke up, “Richard is greatly valued by Her Excellency.”

“I heard that he was the worst of all of Master’s apprentices,” Ensio said casually.

“If you harm him, Her Excellency will—”

“If Master’s true enemies appear right now, who do you want here fending them off? Do you think you eighteen will do it? Will Richard? Or do you really think just you joining hands with him will be enough?”

Fayr was rendered silent. Unlike Voidbones, Ensio was known for his integrity. If he said that even Voidbones was no match for Sharon’s true enemies, then that was likely a fact. That meant the grand mages would die just that much faster. Richard was almost useless in such a high-level battle.

Just as Fayr was thinking of a response, Richard just grabbed his sword and headed for the terrace. Ensio chuckled at the sight, immediately vanishing from the place as he left three words behind, “I’ll be waiting.”