Tainted in Red

Chapter 2

Ishwar stared for a few seconds, still as tense as before. The newcomer stepped further inside the barrier, gradually coming out of the shadows cast by the forest. Ishwar didn't need to see her to recognize who she was. He could never mistake this presence. It's her - Raven Ward, Sylva's Aegis.

At that instant, Ishwar is once again brought to his memories of the failed alliance. It was already dusk and the sky was tinted in an orange hue. Ishwar was in the middle of fighting, defending himself from the attacks of Sylvan soldiers.

Everything had turned chaotic ever since the alarm bells sounded. Sylva's once cheerful streets were littered with corpses. Blood was splattered everywhere and the fire burned the stalls and houses. Screams and wails could be heard everywhere.

Haglendi had the upper hand but Ishwar's mind was in turmoil. He didn't know what happened during the alliance ceremony but with what a few haglendian soldiers told him, he'd already suspected this was his father's plan all along. The alliance was nothing more than a front to sneak into Sylva's majestic walls.

'But why?', he thought bitterly. Sylva had agreed to the alliance. They received Haglendi with open arms, even going as far as preparing a small festival-like banquet for them. Just moments ago, he interacted with the people of Sylva. They were kind. They were thoughtful. There were no signs of malicious intent in their actions. So why? Why must they attack them like this?

A shiver suddenly ran down Ishwar's spine, snapping him out of his thoughts. Before he could figure out why, a heavy pulse of power erupted out of nowhere. It sent the weaker haglendian soldiers tumbling on the stone floors, their armor clanging heavily and their weapons dropped. But to stronger people like Ishwar who withstood the force, they felt as if they were slowly being crushed, the pressure already too much for them to bear. Ishwar had never felt such overwhelming power in his life.

The sylvan soldiers they'd been fighting seemed to be unaffected by the mysterious power but for some reason, they looked equally fearful. They didn't dare make any other movements. Only one of them turned when he heard incoming footsteps, his expression looking quite relieved. "Raven. You're here."

Ishwar immediately stiffened at the mention of the newcomer's name but forced himself to look.

A young woman came into view. She stood at least ten meters from Ishwar so he could vaguely see her features. Much more so because of the layer of red mana that pulsated around her. It swirled calmly but at inconsistent intervals, it would spike and churn erratically, like a feral beast ready to rampage at any time. He knew she wasn't someone they could mess with.

Raven Ward was the only havoc in the whole world to retain her human form and her mind. Nobody knew how it happened but she'd been the talk of all four kingdoms when she killed her vulnerable and turned. A lot of people deemed her dangerous and the more greedy ones wanted to have her under their control. But with her newfound havoc abilities, no one could kill nor control her. She instead stayed in Sylva and became their strongest defender, gaining herself the title of Sylva's Aegis.

"Havoc!! Die!" One of Ishwar's men suddenly yelled, brandishing his saber and suddenly charging at Raven. Ishwar didn't know if he had a death wish but he tried to call out to stop him. It was too late.

The soldier didn't even reach two arm lengths away from Raven when her eyes glowed a bloody red and her mana lashed at him. In just a split second, the haglendian soldier was left with numerous gaping holes all over his body. Blood spurted everywhere and the man soon fell to the ground with a loud thud. Blood immediately pooled on the stone floor beneath him.

Nobody dared to move.

"Anyone else?" She questioned coldly, her gaze scanning her surroundings calmly. When nobody else dared to speak up, she nodded. "Good. Then you have until sundown to leave Sylva. Go before I change my mind."