Seis : the Ruins of the Wind

Chapter 6: The Pursuit ( Part 3)

He knew he couldn't stay to the approaching soldiers. He quickly hid behind a dense bush, using his mana to blend into the shadow and become almost invisible. The soldiers' footsteps grew closer, and he heard their voices as they coordinated to search the island and find him. Time was running out, and Seis needed to find a way to leave the area without being detected. As he hid, he quickly thought about his plan of action. Fleeing might not be the best option, as they could continue to hunt him. He needed to be smart and cunning to outwit their search. He moved with agility, avoiding the many wild creatures while staying alert to the soldiers' movements. As he advanced between two trees, he heard a light sound behind him and turned his head so quickly that he almost got a crick in his neck. The sunlight reflecting off a blade momentarily blinded him, but his brain, trained by years with Uma, ordered his body to drop to the ground. The sound of the blade slicing through the air was clear. He had just narrowly avoided a sword strike. He rolled backward and stood up. In front of him stood an androgynous figure with a charming face. The man had brown hair tied in a ponytail and wore a black leather suit that left his arms and legs exposed. He held a long, curved saber of abnormal length and thickness. His opponent was a professional. Seis couldn't gauge his level, but he suspected he was stronger. The two men locked eyes. In an instant, as if by tacit agreement, they lunged at each other. The saber struck vertically, and Seis parried. Unfortunately, the impact was so strong that it drove him into the ground. As he prepared to retreat, a gunshot rang out, and Seis felt a burning sensation in his right leg. He looked down and saw a large hole in his leg. The pain hit him a few seconds later, and as he screamed, the man with the saber attacked again. He barely had time to move his arm. The blade slashed his flesh, eliciting another cry of pain. He had moved quickly enough not to lose his arm, but he couldn't feel his leg anymore. He was losing a lot of blood, and he knew it. He clenched his teeth so hard he thought they might break. He concentrated; the X1 allowed him to control mana more precisely than the old SCM model, and he tried to direct his energy to the wounds. It cost him endurance, but he managed to momentarily stop the bleeding. But if he tried to move, he would bleed again. He raised his head and wiped his face with his forearm. He didn't know when he had started crying, but his face was covered in tears, snot, and blood. In front of him stood three individuals. The man with the saber, a petite young woman also dressed in leather with a very long rifle, and finally the newly promoted Count Guillaume. The latter looked at Seis with great seriousness. His deep voice thundered:

- "So, this is the worst enemy of my family. 6666, the bastard of Clef Orion."

Seis said nothing, his mind trying to find a way out. But he saw no escape.

- "If only Cassandra could appear now," he thought. But she had no reason to be there or risk her life for him. The count took a few steps forward to better observe the adolescent, towering over him. Guillaume's shadow covered him like a sinister, foreboding veil. The nobleman continued:

- "Don't worry, unlike my father, I don't like to toy with my enemies. You will be killed quickly and without suffering."

- "Really? No torture?" Seis, surprised, asked,

- "No. I kill only out of necessity, not for pleasure. And you eliminated my father and brother. You saved me some work." Guillaume replied.

- "So you hated your father too. Like Jonas... Henri was almost a worse father than mine." Seis replied bitterly.

- "No, I didn't hate him. He was a satisfactory father. But he was power-hungry. Sooner or later, I would have had to confront him. That prospect didn't appeal to me. So you have my gratitude."

- "Not enough to spare my life, I suppose."

- "Obviously. You will be an example to solidify my new power."