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The Pagemasters Vol 2 Chapter 35

Author: Literataku

Chapter 35:
Before It Disappears

I quickly resumed iaijutsu stance and waited for her to come at me. The battle around us was still raging, though it seemed for the time being the line was being held outside of the gap that had been made by the Baron’s slaughter into the backlines. I guess with some thanks to myself, by holding him off this long the morale of the troops had risen greatly and were managing to keep any further attempts of breakthroughs from being successful.

She stepped in, a spiral of twisting blades as she whirled like a tornado at me. I unleashed my blade, aiming to stop her attack and deflect her away with the flat of my blade. I had to readjust my grip as I sent her flying off to the side. Whoops, I guess I was still trying to fight like I was dealing with that monster’s strength and put too much into it. Taking advantage of the moment I attacked the Baron, forcing him to pull away and stop from removing his breastplate before whirling back and deflecting another attack from the girl.

She is fast! I dodged around her, trying to keep her on one side of me as I kept the pressure on the baron, trying to keep his armor from cooling down and unable to remove anything. Using the quick slot power to change the |{Sharpen}| from my blade to my senses. With this, I could probably keep the two at bay as long as the Baron couldn’t cool down enough to actually be able to fight with his full power.

I could see the strain in his eyes as the heat started to get to him more visibly. Though part of me knew if he could manage to cool off right now I’d be back to square one and worse. His slave girl was also starting to look worn down as well. She hadn’t been in the fight as long, but the flames were keeping her at bay and affecting her like a normal person the heat running down her stamina very quickly.

A slash toward my elbow forced me to twist my body and caught me off-center as she tried to ram into me, her blade just grazing the side of my armor. Losing my balance, I went into a roll and coming back onto my feet and slashing upward, driving her back again when she tried to press in further. I aimed a kick at her exposed side and she jumped away trying to angle her sword for a parry when I counterattacked her from the other side with my sword.

Her attacks were good and accurate, aiming for gaps in armor, trying to get weak points that she could exploit. But I was still stronger than her and with the sharpen skill I was faster at perceiving her attacks than she could bring them against me. Though the fight was wearing me down, I was just better at handling my stamina reserves better than her bloodlust fueled attempts on my life.

I kept the Baron on guard, dancing round them both. As he tried to block my attacks and slip off pieces of armor, His arms were exposed now but the more difficult pieces were unable to be removed as I kept him harried enough to prevent any attempts. I was getting more chances to do so as his helper started to slow down.

Her attacks were getting slower and more predictable now that I understood her fighting style, her armor was starting to weigh her down as it started warming up considerably. She had incredible stamina for such a young girl but even she couldn’t stand the strength-sapping heat I was bringing into this fight with my flaming sword.

The Baron attempted to work with her to catch me between them, while I wasn’t dealing with the heat like they were, I was losing my own strength the longer this fight prolonged. I was just glad no one else seemed willing to join in on either side, perhaps because of the huge cleaving swings of the Baron’s sword, and the flames I was wielding was giving anyone a second thought or three about trying to jump in.

He lunged from one side, while she attempted a slash from the other, I twisted myself and deflected his blow with my blade while my scabbard parried her slash and sent her away, giving me a chance to focus on the baron for an extra hit before spinning around and receiving another attack at my legs. She was starting to get more desperate the longer I kept the two of them at bay. She got back up and stepped back as I aimed my scabbard at her head.

She stumbled as she attempted a quick lunging counterattack at my legs and when I deflected her away she landed in a heap and struggled to get back up. It didn’t seem like she would be getting up easily and I could basically call this fight finished as I tapped the back of her helm with a heavy blow from my scabbard and knocking her out.

The Baron was equally starting to look exhausted from the fighting as his face and hair looked like he had dunked himself in a bathtub. He might still have some energy if he recovered from the heat surrounding us, but I think I’ve done my job for today. He stood there unmoving and breathing heavily, for the moment it looked like the fight was drained out of him enough that he wouldn’t go back to devastating our lines even if he cooled down enough to fight again.

Sheathing my sword I give him a half salute to before turning and running into the fray. He glared daggers at me his breathing too heavy to speak, but I had a feeling next time we meet he was going to personally seek me out for humiliating him like this. Hopefully, next time will be with Violet and Blue helping to back me up and we can overwhelm him.

I ran to the backlines, slaying any riders who got in my way, looking out across the field as I saw our frontline was starting to crumble as the enemy infantry had joined in the battle, our numbers severely overwhelmed with this addition of troops on the opposing side. A sound of a horn let out across the field, echoed by more horns to spread the word signaling for the retreat.

I followed behind several soldiers, trying to help keep the enemy back as I set fire to bodes and dropped wooden weapons and dry patches of the field where the blood hasn’t soaked too deeply into the ground. Doing my best to cover our escape as the rout began all around us.

Everyone had their plans for escape now as the soldiers scattered into groups working together to keep back the remaining cavalry that was attempting to give pursuit. I hoped that not too many lives would be lost holding back the approaching army but I couldn’t do anything more for them now. We had a mission to fulfill and staying behind would only lead to death or capture, and I didn’t want to think what might happen if the Baron got his hands on me like that.

Picking up my pace I ran for the camp and rushed for the command area. Most of the tents dismantled as the majority of the camp was already fleeing the battlefield. Violet was standing and waiting for me, her hands on the reins of our horses and ready to leave. She sighed in relief as I approached her, though stiffened slightly as she saw the blood covering my clothing.

“I couldn’t watch after I saw you running out there. But, I’m glad you managed to get away. Are you hurt?”

“No just tired. It took some effort, but I managed to keep the lines from getting completely destroyed. I think we might have a chance if the three of us work together at the main battle.”

Clarion flew down and landed on her shoulder. He shuffled and settled in before giving a nod of his head to me, though he appeared to be quite agitated while the two of us saddled up and prepared to make a break for the village. Violet cast her shadow magic to get us across the pothole barrier and we immediately set off toward the village.

“There might be a complication to everything,” Clarion spoke suddenly. The two of us looked at him, Violet’s face painted with worry and anguish as he continued. “I flew up to watch the battlefield and get a better range on |{Search}| to see where things were and… I found Blue.”

They had kept us chained up all night, my arms were getting sore as they were kept behind me and attached to the post. The sounds of battle had been echoing through the valley for a while now but it was starting to fade away as things appeared to be wrapping up outside. Allouise was silently cursing my name under her breath, at least neither of us had been hurt so far. And our captor hadn’t tried anything after I told him what I had come to do.

It was still a fairly rough treatment, but my gut was telling me I had made the right choice here. We could make this story and Sleeping Beauty work together for a while maybe I could end with a two for one deal after all this is over.. Violet was probably going to hate me for this, but it would be safer for all of us. I hoped. Though all I could do was think and wait until he came back to talk again.

A figure stepped inside and looked at me. He was thin and incredibly skinny and a little slimy looking. I could tell this wasn’t a guy I would ever want to trust with my lunch much less my life. He squatted down in front of me, staring into my eyes with his deep black eyes. No.. they were deeper than black. Oh shit!

“What kind of game are you playing, Pagemaster Blue?” Silence asked me with a cruel smile, drawing back his lips and showing his rotted black teeth.