Dawn- An age of Darkness
Chapter 67 - If You Won’t Fall, I Won’t Either

Gorgan grit his teeth and started thrusting his spear at Zeline. Gorgan really was talented.

Although the Shark face attacked mercilessly, Gorgan dodged all most all of them and ended up doing damage to the Shark face instead. However, Zeline was recovering almost immediately. Hope wasn't a luxury I could afford anymore.

My sword was too short compared to the spear and the cleaver, so, I had no choice but to be on the sidelines. Besides, I was far too injured. And I was just extra baggage. But that didn't give me the right to sit down and do nothing.

"I'd expect no less from the country's youngest holy knight!" But surprisingly Zeline was complimenting Gorgan. It was odd, really.

"… I don't care if you're a Monarch or whatever. I'll defeat you right here!"

It was like one of those battles from movies. Except it happened right before my eyes. For a moment I felt like I was just watching it as a spectator and then realized that I really was.

Gorgan's spear flashed and he glowed. The Shark face glowed too. I ground my teeth in anguish and back-stepped. "Sorry, but you'll have to deal with this your own." It took a lot of willpower to say it out loud.

"Sorry but you weren't much help, to begin with," Gorgan said.

"Sorry, but would you two shut up and fight me?"

Something about that conversation seemed a little creepy but I moved anyway. Gorgan was right, but did he really have to say it? I felt more and more hopeless. Being mortally wounded wasn't enough and now I had to deal with mental stress?

Gorgan could handle himself that much I knew. But the elves really needed my help. Besides, I wanted to be at least a little helpful.

While Lianne was on her last legs, I went straight for the princess: she was astounded but recovered before I could land a blow on her. I don't know if this'll go through like last time, but at least it'll buy some time for them to come up with something.

As the princess focused on me I launched my sword straight through her and she did the same to me. Although my attack went through her just like before, her attack grazed my stomach.

"Gotcha," I said with a desperate smile. The pain was devastating but worth it.

"Hey, what?"

I grabbed her tight and didn't let go. I knew it. Flesh didn't go through her. After all, mana, which magic was produced from flowed directly into one's body. It was a stupid bet and a long shot, but I didn't have anything better. I'd betted everything on that possibility and it came through.

"Lianne now!"

Lianne came our sideways and started chanting. The princess struggled quite a bit but I didn't let go. This is the only thing I can do….

The elf boy was still on the floor, so I couldn't count on him.

"Torrential flame!" A wall of fire covered both of us. Strangely I didn't feel any heat. Did my pain sensor die, or was I already dead? I couldn't tell. My vision got blurry and I couldn't tell what was happening. Soon I fell on the floor but surprisingly didn't lose my consciousness. I couldn't feel my heartbeat. What was keeping me awake? I didn't know.

The fire didn't even reach me. The princess was cancelling out the fire with her magic. She was dishing out water through her hands. My shoulder, stomach leaked blood and my consciousness was fading. Yet I could still feel what was happening around me. Shouldn't my life flash before my eyes? Shouldn't the world slow down?

Nothing of that sorts happened. After completely nullifying Lianne's magic, the princess flew towards her, and caught her off guard. She plunged her black, cold silver sword through Lianne and she (Lianne) fell close to me. All I could do was watch as the last of my senses failed me. I couldn't even move my hands anymore. But seeing Lianne like that reminded me of Dune. I couldn't save him. I couldn't save his sister. I won't be able to save you either?

Tears welled up like a fountain. I cursed the heavens and tried my best to move. My body was burning up. It was off no use. No matter how I tried I couldn't move. The elixir! There must have been some left in the bottle.

I remembered. But what good would it do to remember something when you couldn't even move your arms?

But I didn't give up. With sheer will power I finally dragged my right hand inside the pouch. I Brought out the bottle, forced my fingers upon the slid and drank some of it.

My body started to shine. I got up. None of my wounds were healed but I could move, and that's all I needed. That's all that mattered.

I had half a bottle of Panora water. I dipped my knife in Panora. Lianne was still conscious and she imbued the knife with fire before passing out for good. The knife glowed with pale white light and a hot fire swirled around it.

But the princess didn't know any of it. She was too focused on something else. She was focused on the prey in front- the elf boy.

I plunged the knife through the princess's back as she was about to finish off the elf boy. She noticed too late.

"Hi. How's it going?" Words flowed out of my mouth like it never did before.

This time there was blood: fresh, warm, metallic scented blood. Was it because of panora, was it because she didn't have her guard up, or was it because of the magic? I couldn't tell and I didn't care. I just wanted her dead and I didn't even know why.

She writhed in pain and looked back disbelieving what happened. "Why you…." she fell on her knees.

Gorgan kept track of what was happening. I couldn't believe how much free time the guy had. "Your highness!"

"Don't look away now. Your business is with me." Zeline forced his cleaver through Gorgan's defense but he dodged.

A shadow from the princess's corpse emerged. Soon it manifested as a humanoid looking demon. She had two short horns but mostly human like features.

Her black hair had a bob cut and she wore something similar to traditional eastern clothing. "Didn't think you'd be able to hit me. Maybe I should give you more credit." She was actually less beautiful than the princess and didn't look as fair. Her voice was rather coarse too. Definitely not the type people will fall head over heels for.

But I had other things to worry about. "Lianne, you okay?"

There was no reply. She was unconscious.

I took a deep breath. "So the lady on the ground, that's the real princess?" I asked the floating demon.

"Oh, you catch on quick, don't you?" the demon itself was unharmed.

I tried to reach her and strike but she flew away towards Zeline. The real princess was lying in a puddle of her own blood. Being my fault I had no choice but to feed her some of my elixir, but she didn't wake up. I did the same to the elf boy. It was a very precious drink but it was better than sending them to their graves. I didn't know if this would work on Lianne or not but I had no choice but to try on her too. In the end, I had barely one sip of elixir remaining.

"Woman, get out of the way. I'm in the middle of something," Zeline shouted.

"That's enough playing around. Let's end this and complete our mission already," the female demon said.

"You don't get to order me around half-breed." Zeline cleaved her in two with a snort.

"Sigh* you really are a muscle-head, aren't you?" She re-manifested. Those two were like monsters of the monster world.

"Thunder cage," the elf boy shouted.

When did you get up? A cage of electricity surrounded the duo. "Sir Gorgan, do it now," he shouted.

Without a doubt, Gorgan threw his spear and it went through the shark face's chest. Zeline coughed up blood.

Meanwhile, I was by Lianne. She was leaking blood and there was nothing I could do. I can't even defend my comrades. Am I just a hindrance? Why must I lose everything? My sister, my friends, my father, my love! Why! Even with the elixir, Lianne wasn't showing signs of recovery.

"Daarc! Snap out of it," Gorgan shook me.

I was daydreaming in the middle of battle. As my hands bathed in Lianne's blood, my mind was eaten up with rage yet again.

I took the chance and picked up my sword which had fallen when I fell on the ground. I won't let you-anybody steal another person from my life, not even god!

The woman hid behind Zeline. So, I went straight for Zeline. The elf boy's magic ran out and with my sword in one hand, I went straight for his head.

"Don't underestimate me," Zeline said as he coughed up blood. He was right, I was underestimating him. But I didn't have any choice.. My rage might just have been my worst nemesis.