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Return of the Fallen Volume 1 Chapter 55

 

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Author: Blue_Rat

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ch55

The very first thing that played in the holograph, was Rust and Garn having a conversation on the training field.

“Garn, we need to step their training up. At this rate, the miasma and the Azirian’s will be upon us in no time and we’ll simply be crushed.”

Garn nodded his head in agreement.

“What do you suggest exactly? Their magic is getting there but they seem to lose focus rather easily. When it comes to close combat, no matter if its swords or fist, I’ve got the least knowledge on the subject, so their training in that field is up to you.”

Rust paused for a moment before he suggested.

“How about the Mirian Swamps?”

“Hmm, why that place? The creatures there would outmatch them on basically every level.”

Rust smiled.

“Not if we take them to the outskirts. There the creatures would be just around their level and they can actually have a bit of a challenge but more importantly, they’ll get the feel of killing an opponent.”

Garn contemplated for a moment before he finally agreed.

“OK Rust, we’ll leave tomorrow at first light. Gather a small force you trust and spread word of this to no one, got it?”

Rust nodded and headed off and the recording crystal orb followed him.

Those in the Throne Room stared at Rust with anger. Rust had said it was Garn’s suggestion but once more they had discovered that he had lied once more.

A few moments later Rust appeared before the Throne Room and entered, that’s where the recording stopped, as even the information officer would not dare record the King’s conversation. Rust entering the Throne Room directly after agreeing to not tell anyone about where Garn and the others were going left people with suspicion.

The King himself had said that he hadn’t been informed of them leaving for the Mirian Swamps but King David and Rust had a meeting beforehand. This basically implied that the King did in fact know but since there was no actual footage no one could come out and directly say that the King knew but the damning evidence was not finished just yet.

The holographic video started again, this time in the Mirian Swamp itself.

Rust had soldiers and Mages at his back, in front of him was a Sky Beast. The Sky Beast smiled with a devilish grin and spoke to Garn casually.

“So, I get to have all these people as snacks, right?”

The soldiers and Mages looked at one another in confusion when Rust chimed in.

“That was the deal. You need to hurry though, there’s no way your brother can face Garn alone.”

“Hmph, my brother will be just fine for a minute or two, you just make sure your King keeps to the deal once we’ve finished with Garn. Otherwise, he’ll be next.”

Rust looked at the Wind Sky Beast with disgust before he turned and prepared to leave. One of the soldiers trembled where he stood and with a shaky voice he asked.

“Commander…wh…What is going on? What do …What is the meaning of this?”

Rust though ignored them all and left. As Rust traveled further and further away, the sound of desperate screams and howls of agony echoed out in the background.

The video changed the scenery and it observed Rust watching Garn fight the two Sky Beasts. Once the first Sky Beast died at Garn’s hand, Rust looked extremely disappointed and headed somewhere else.

A moment later, the video showed Rust approaching a weary Alice. She appeared to be exhausted and the Scron Cub lay dead a few feet away from her. Rust placed his hands upon her shoulders and spoke a few words before he viciously head-butted her. Her skull caved in before exploding outward, killing her instantly.

Rust showed no emotion whatsoever as he wiped Alice’s blood from his face and disappeared into the woods. Not even 20 minutes later, Rust was already out of the forest and in the nearby city of Sekou. He spoke to no one and entered an inn. Taking out several magic tools, Rust arranged them in a specific way and they began to draw inscriptions upon the floor.

Taking out a large mana crystal that was nearly the size of a shield from his ring, Rust stood in the center of the completed magic circle. The circle drew its power from the mana crystal and within moments the circle lit up and flashed with a blinding light before it and Rust teleported away.

Since the recording device was observing from outside of the circle, it didn’t go with Rust and the recording crystal orb finally stopped. It glowed no more and fell into the palm of the information officer’s hand.

The Orb that Rust presented was damaged and so at first could be given an excuse as to why things were so choppy and the sound a little off but after seeing the information officer’s undamaged orb in perfect quality, with no stuttering or skipping, the truth was clear. Rust had unequivocally lied and everyone knew. To put a cherry on top Garn added.

“As you can see, I had even used a Mind Frey on both the Scron Cub and myself. To remove any and all doubt whatsoever, I suggest Rust undergoes a Mind Frey and your Majesty, It would be in the Kingdom and everyone here’s best interest if you undergo one as well.”

King David shuddered at the thought and the people witnessed it. The room, however, remained quiet. To speak now would be equal to suicide. After everything, the people saw there was no doubt that Rust and King David had tried to frame Garn and had even offered a deal to Beast to see whatever plans they had to fruition. The question that everyone now had, though, was why.

Kazuki’s head spun.

(The King actually tried to frame Garn. Yet Garn even knowing all of this still came back here and allowed himself to be unarmed around those who wish him dead…Why?)

This whole situation was a complete and utter fucking mess and no one knew what to do or say.

Garn smirked at those around him.

“It is true, I did, in fact, fight and kill the two Sky Beasts and because of their deaths, the other powerful Beasts within the Mirian Swamp will rampage until a winner is decided. The aftermath from the loser’s beast Cores going off will leave the nearby terrain devastated and rotten. The millions of creatures living there will be forced out looking for food and land and will cross human terrain within the week. Tens of thousands, possibly even hundreds of thousands of people will die and millions more may be displaced. This is on me but I do not take the full blame. As you all saw, it was not me that started this but Rust and…”

Before Garn finished his words and pushed the blame onto the King, King David stamped his scepter hard onto the floor causing a large crack to appear.

*BANG*

“Guards! Commander Rust is to be arrested immediately!”

The guards turned away from Garn and approached Rust which left him confused. The guards grabbed Rust and held him tight. Rust looked worriedly at King David.

“What, how, how can you do this?”

Rust looked at everyone in the crowd and could see scorn and faces filled with contempt. Turning back to the King he could see a smile slowly forming on his face.

(You mean to make me a scapegoat. NO, I refuse.)

“It wasn’t me, it was the King, he planned it all, he made me do it. Use a Mind Frey on me, do it. I only followed orders and nothing more.”

Those in the crowd had already realized this but they could not call out their own King. If this was what the King wanted, there was no way of stopping it.

King David stamped his scepter repeatedly on the ground trying to silence Rust.

*Bang Bang Bang Bang*

“Shut your mouth!

But Rust only got more aggressive.

“No, you use me, and now when your lies are discovered, you try and silence me, I don’t think so. It was all your doing. You promised to give the Sky Beasts more land and promised to not invade them for a hundred years. All just so you could kill Garn, you’d allow millions of your people to die!”

“I Said Silence!”

King David’s eyes began to glow and he launched a terrifying beam of light at Rust but just as it had left his barrier it was immediately affected by the magic suppression and visibly slowed. Rust saw an opportunity and with a bit of strength, he threw one of the guards holding him right in front of it.

*Shwoom*

The beam of light shot through the man penetrating his armor and then his chest killing him on the spot.

Rust spun loose from the other guard’s grip and kicked him directly in the head.

*Thud Snap*

A loud smack of flesh being hit followed by the sound of bone snapping echoed as clear as day in the silent room. The guard’s head fell limply to the side before his entire body crumpled to the floor, his neck was broken.

Rust jumped backward and was already at the door.

“Guards, kill him immediately!.”

King David roared out his order but Rust had already fled. Not even a second later a large boom was heard just outside the Throne Room.

The guards had followed him but it was already too late, Rust had escaped.

Once the King was told he expression turned cold.

“Rust is to be hunted down and killed on the spot, no exceptions, now go!”

The crowd was stunned. Everything had happened so fast that no one had any time to react. Everyone thought that the outcome had been decided long ago but after Garn had presented his evidence everything had been flipped on its head.

Garn continued to smirk at King David, causing King David’s eyes to fill with hatred. King David wanted nothing more but to kill Garn right here and now. However, now that everyone knew Garn was innocent, were he to order Garn’s death, the outcome could easily lead to a rebellion. A king that would willy-nilly off and kill an innocent man, especially a hero, who could allow a king such as that to exist.

King David though was still King and pointed his scepter at Garn.

“I Gave you a choice earlier and you chose house arrest. Fine, so be it. From this day until your last, Garn, you will remain in your home forever. You will have nothing and you will be nothing and if you ever take a single step outside of your home, that day shall be your last.”

King David snapped his fingers.

“Escort this old fool out of here, I can’t stand the sight of him.”

The guards cautiously approached Garn. After what Rust just did, they were on high alert from someone who was to be arrested.

The short old information officer kept his barrier up and allowed none to come near them but Garn gently patted his shoulder.

“It’s enough now.”

“But Master Garn…”

Garn shook his head.

“I’m innocent and everyone here knows it. I’m far too old to continue with people’s petty games. It’s time I retire.”

The short old man wanted to say more but Garn simply gave him a pleading look. The information officer, grit his teeth and with a heart filled with bitterness, he lowered the barrier.

The guards grabbed Garn carefully and slowly escorted him away. Asuna was about to go after him but Kazuki quickly grabbed her arm.

“Don’t. The King already has it out for Garn and he’s the nation’s hero. What do you think he’ll do to you or all of us foreigners if we were to get involved?”

“But Ryuta, how can we just watch this? Garn is completely innocent.”

Kazuki shook his head.

“Innocent or not, what the King says goes.”

Kazuki turned to look at everyone else and whispered.

“We should leave. We have no reason to continue staying here.”

Everyone agreed and Kazuki and the rest started to slip away but King David could not allow that.

“Guards, escort the young heroes to their rooms and do not allow them out. After all, Rust may want to harm them.”

(Damn, we were too slow.)

Kazuki hated himself for not leaving sooner and regretted following Garn here in the first place.

Everyone could tell that King David had just made that excuse up out of nowhere. Why would Rust want to harm them but others could see some merit to that. If Rust kidnapped one of the heroes he could use them as a hostage and escape. If he was smart however then he’d already be long gone by now.

The guards escorted the heroes away, back to their rooms.

A guard pointed at the information officer and asked.

“Your Majesty, what about him?”

The king stared daggers at the information officer and the information officer lowered his head, accepting his fate.

(Master, if I have to die for you so be it.)

King David waved the guard away.

“Nothing, this information officer has done a great service for the crown. Old man, you may go.”

The information officer was flabbergasted, with a quick bow he turned and hurriedly left, confused all the way. King David though was doing his best to think ahead.

(If I kill him because he spoke the truth, who would ever dare come forward and be honest. Besides, I can always kill him later when no one will expect it. Maybe I’ll have a criminal rob him in an alley somewhere and kill him. Yes, I think that will do.)

Dark thoughts began to spin in the King’s mind and he glared at the stunned crowd still in the room. Seeing their judgemental eyes, he could easily tell what they were thinking.

(Fucking cowards, all of them.)

Seeing them silently stare infuriated him to no end and he shouted with rage.

“Why are you all still here! Leave me this instant!”

*BANG!*

King David stamped his scepter one final time and everyone got the message and fled in fear. King David had shown a side of himself that was truly dark. He would easily try to kill someone so devoted and loyal to the Kingdom and no one knew why. No one could figure out the motivation and that undoubtedly scared them to the core. For if he just did it on a whim, would that not be insanity itself.

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