Arcadia I Chapter 6: The Syndicate(3)

Read chapter 6 of Arcadia I by I_live_in_your_walls on NovelPedia.

“—e—” “HE—” “YOU ALIVE?” The frantic yelling of the mage finally broke through the ringing in my ears. Jolting awake, half-buried under a small hill of burning rubble, I looked up to see I was surrounded by flames and charred debris. My ruptured eyes and ears were only just beginning to recover from the blast. I studied my body; it was a wreck. Nearly every bone in my arms and legs was broken. The skin and hair on my face and head had been completely melted away by the heat. Only my torso had escaped the brunt of the explosion, thanks to the half-formed flesh shield. I focused on my soul, forcing my bones to snap back in place to heal my limbs. But the moment I started healing, the non-existent hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Sensing my impending death, I lurched back to see a gleaming longsword pass over me where my neck would have been had I not dodged. Missing its target, the wielder swiftly changed the momentum, bringing the blade downward onto my head. Trapped under the debris with broken legs, I had no way to dodge. Left with no choice, I violently manipulated parts of my soul, erupting small, flesh pillars out of my back to violently launch my body out of the wreckage. The sudden movement and strain on my soul caused blood to well up in my throat; my soul was already damaged from keeping me alive through the explosion and trying to mend dozens of shattered bones at once. Tumbling across the scorching earth, I slowly skidded to a halt. “I see he wasn’t lying.” A cold voice made its way through the smoke. “A dangerous individual really did show up tonight.” Standing amidst the burning ruins was a middle-aged man with a black leather eyepatch and greying hair. He calmly pulled his bastard sword from the scorched earth, a faint, grey glint of aura flowing across the length of the blade. ‘This looks like a problem.’ Amidst the burning wreckage, the man and I stood. My legs had just healed to the point where I could stand properly, patches of hair beginning to sprout over my scorched skull, my mangled arms agonizingly snapping back into their proper shape. “He's a first-step knight,” the knight spoke, hovering a few paces away from me, his gaze intensely analyzing my opponent. “Nearly step two, with a standard aura, meaning he possesses no special lineage or high-tier techniques. Most likely untalented considering his age, but that means he has decades of experience.” ‘My survival isn’t guaranteed with my current condition.’ I was entirely unarmed. My armor had been blown away by the explosion, and my body was in the worst condition possible. My opponent, on the other hand, if anything, looked slightly fatigued, wreathed in brown leather plate armor, and armed with a bastard sword. ‘My only means of defence are my body, soul, and the souls around me.’ I could only manipulate my flesh, so knowing I needed to strengthen my soul, I began to slowly pace a wide circle around him, masking my movements as a tactical observation while absorbing the scattered souls of the dead lingering in the area. ‘Given he’ll have an aura to assist his movements, I’ll need to make sure I also have some agility.’ Using the energy gained from absorbing the souls around me, I created mini gas jets under my skin to be used at a moment’s notice. “I think you know exactly what kind of situation you’re in.” his blade relaxed at his side, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. “How about you surrender and come with me? Your gift looks unique; the boss might find a use for you.” Scoffing and spitting out a mouthful of blood, I replied, “And why would I do that?” keeping my eyes on his stance. “The moment I let my guard down, you’ll just slit my throat.” I knew the look in that man’s eye all too well. The unmistakable gaze of killing intent. Any lapse of focus would result in my death. ‘A saving grace would be the fact that my soul was stronger now than before the raid and the fact that I win if I can touch a part not covered by armor.’ “I know what