The afternoon sun burned bright over the field rolled with some scorched craters. I was on a knee, breathing heavily and my body was riddled with bruises.
His attacks were never enough to cause serious damage, but it hurt as fuck.
'If this magic is going to numb my emotions, the least it can do is numb my pain receptors too!' I was frustrated.
{Once you refine your undying body, you will enjoy perks beyond these things.}
I facepalmed and felt tempted to curse out this angel of death; thankfully, a distraction arrived.
Shuffling footsteps came from the distance and stole our attention. It was Commander John accompanied by a few of our family guards as he approached.
"Did you find what I asked, or will the city guard need a new commander?" William asked, with a hint of cruelty behind his tone.
John paled and hastily pulled out a parchment paper, which he presented with a bow.
"I personally investigated the matter. The Whispering Lotus was closed last night but a witness said a lady unlocked the door from within and let him in. He came out in that condition an hour later."
John explained while William went through the reports silently.
"I made sure to have my men keep an eye on the place, no one has left the building." John continued.
William passed the parchment paper over to me before fishing out orders.
"Get everyone ready. We are going to take a look." He said.
______ William Blackwood POV _____
The carriage sped through the streets of Blackwood Thicket as fifty mounted soldiers raced towards the Whispering Lotus brothel.
I had sent Derek with another fifty soldiers to secure the perimeter and make sure no one sneaks out from the back.
Huff!
I exhaled sharply as I wondered how long it had been since I picked up my sword.
"Three years I think," I mumbled while admiring my two-handed great sword lying on my lap.
For this job, I had to wear lighter clothes. I and Derek wore a pair of sleeveless turtleneck shirts with black leather chest plates, trousers, and boots. All those fancy outfits were for cheerful occasions and this wasn't one of them.
Ten minutes later my carriage arrived at the Whispering Lotus brothel. It was a three-story building located in the upscale district of Blackwood Thicket, among merchant estates.
Exiting my carriage, I caught sight of the familiar red silk curtains that drape the windows. A golden lotus sigil marked the grand double-door entrance.
Just as Commander John had said it was locked. I glanced over my shoulder and he ran over with his head lowered.
"Has Derek arrived?" I asked.
"Yes, your son and my men have surrounded the building. No one can escape!" He assured me, but I didn't trust him; I trusted Derek would keep anything trying to escape occupied long enough.
"He's a smart kid, I'm sure he would be able to take care of himself," I said as I tied my hair into a ponytail and put on a pair of black leather gloves while walking up the stairs.
I grabbed the chains on the door and my palm turned scorching red, causing the chains to melt in mere seconds and fall off. With a small tug, the door creaked open eerily.
"Stay here," I ordered and walked in alone.
The last thing I needed was a guard getting charmed and stabbing me in the back. Don't ask me how I know that.
I walked into a spacious, dimly lit lounge with plush seating. There was a stage in the center and a massive chandelier, a multi-colored chandelier hanging loosely above the stage.
But it was empty; I frowned.
I didn't bother with the private booths or the bar and headed straight to the back room corridor which led to kitchens, storage rooms, and a staff-only stairwell to the upper floors.
However, before I could take the stairs up, I perceived a foul stench, and my nose twisted with disgust. I followed the stench to a storage room; wasn't this wear edible?
My face twisted in disgust as I pushed the door open, revealing a room filled with sacks, barrels, and jars, neatly attained at the far end of the room and blocking the view of the walls.
"Hmph!"
I walked in and shoved everything aside effortlessly until I reached the plain-looking wall.
"From ember's breath to raging pyre, let steel be kissed by tyrant's fire! Ignite—Tyrant!"
I unsheathed [tyrant], revealing orange runes scribbled all over as its blade began to heat up, turning scorching red.
Bam!
I stabbed into the wall, and as expected, it was hollow. Without hesitation, I carved out a door-shaped opening and kicked it down. Following a stale breeze was a stench of decomposing corpses which I was very much accustomed to.
[Tyrant] lit up with flames and I held it with both hands while taking cautious strides down the spiral staircase leading to an underground basement.
What was revealed to me was far beyond my wildest expectations. A dark, foul place with six holding cells. Unfortunately, filled with corpses, they were all pale, and they had the familiar crusty skin Mr. Fairchild had.
"How could this many people go missing and no one noticed?" I gasped in horror as I could easily count up to ten bodies here.
The only reasonable explanation was that these people were from the border villages within my territory. These brothels were popular around Blackwood Thicket so it wasn't unusual.
"However, killing people from border villages can only stay hidden for so long. We are bound to find out eventually. Was that why they closed down?" I mumbled, trying to make sense of their actions.
Fox spirits are sly and primarily known for deception. Nothing about them appears as it seems.
Buzz!
That was when I felt it, a nearly subtitle presence monitoring me. But where?
"It doesn't matter. As long as you are here, I will find you."
___ Derek's POV ___
The upscale residential district for Blackwood Thicket's upper-class citizens was beautiful, to say the least. Three-story buildings decorated with tall walls and beautiful gardens littered everywhere.
Flanked by dozens of guards while glaring up the towering walls, I couldn't help but frown.
"Make sure the alleys are blocked, get ready!" I ordered while unlocking the grimoire buckled to my waist.
Everyone glanced at me skeptically, probably wondering what this little brat knew about fox spirits.
But, they can't feel what I feel. They can't see what I see, and currently, the entire Whispering Lotus is shrouded in a towering pillar of negative energy.
The stench of death was strong, I was almost tempted to charge in but I decided to stick to the plan.
"Thank God I did!" I gasped as I felt it; something was moving, and it was coming this way!
KRRSSHH!
The glass shattered as a figure shot over the towering walls, its body hidden beneath an oversized dark cloak. As expected, the fools around me weren't ready, they looked up, their stinking mouths agape.
However, the brief distraction allowed me to use an ability I wouldn't dare use in their presence.
Death Magic: Bone Manipulation!
While their gazes were fixated on the skies, I stood on the back of my spirit-bred horse with a pair of blazing green eyes. Using my bone magic I hollowed my bones to decrease my weight.
To improve my overall strengths I circulated mana through my body, empowering my limbs and creating bulging green veins all over my body.
Bang!
With a burst of wind, plus my mana-enhanced limbs, I shot into the air, soaring towards the airborne figure with immense speed. The figure notices, it's turned to face me while its oversized cloak billows in the wind.
No, it wasn't an it. It was a she!
The brunette hair strands… the fair smooth skin underneath the robes…. I caught glimpses of something spectacular—white and red flames erupted between her hands, intertwining into an ever-growing sphere of dazzling fox flames.
"I'LL TAKE YOU ON!" I bellowed!
Derek Blackwood has been a lot of things over the years but Derek Blackwood has never been a coward.
My grimoire flipped open, following my thoughts and stopping at William's more destructive fire spell when he was still a mortal realm magus.
"From the depths of the infernal blaze, I summon destruction unrestrained!
Embers gather fury rises, and let chaos be unchained!
Burning wrath, take your shape—Inferno Sphere!
Grow, rage, consume—Hellzone Grenade!"
I clasped my palms together while my eyes unleashed amber light. As I stretched my palms apart a sphere of fire formed in their palm. The flames swirled like a miniature sun, pulsing with unstable energy and rapidly increasing with each passing second but also draining my mana as fast.
Fire Magic: Hell-zone Grenade!
{You already expended too much mana training with William. Withdraw!} Lin warned but I shook his voice away and fixed my gaze on the cloaked figure.
"COME!"
Buzz!
She unleashed her power and I unleashed mine without hesitation. Both spheres spiraled forward and clashed at the center with a cataclysmic explosion.
BOOOM!
With the clash came a powerful heatwave that left my eyes dilating. I had little time with two choices; get scorched by the heat wave or get crushed by the force due to my weakened bone density.
My move was reckless, and only now did I realize why Lin ordered my withdrawal, but it was too late. I had to make a choice;
Without hesitation, I manipulated my bone magic to increase my bone density, beyond normal to improve my fortitude and weight. Crossing my hands over my face I believed I was prepared to take the hit.
Turns out, I was dead wrong!
Even with the increased bone density I was sent hurling over the Whispering Lotus walls like a rag doll while my flesh screamed out in pain from the heat.
"Gaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" I tried my best to endure but a cry escaped my lips as my vision blurred.
'Too strong! The damned fox was too strong!'
Those were my final thoughts before everything went blank and quiet.
_________
My eyes fluttered open, and a plain white ceiling lay above me. It took me a moment, but I quickly recollected my final moments before the dramatic knockout.
"I can't believe I got knocked out by a bitch." I mumbled under my breath.
{I warned you.} Lin said with an 'I-told-you-so' voice but I didn't care.
In fact, I felt excited for the first time since I got these powers. I raised my hands only to realize they were covered in bandages—they were numb and unusually heavy.
Taking an eye full of the room, I deduced this was the Blackwood Infirmary, and I got to stay alone in an empty room because I was the adopted son of the Lord.
The sun was down, it was only a matter of time before the night came. If I'm here, it means William was still here; our work was far from done.
A small smile played on my lips, and then a light chuckle, which gradually upgraded to hysterical laughter.
What's going on with me?
Why am I so excited?
Is it because I get to fight again?
"That was amazing!" I sat up and blurted out with a crazed grin.
This is it, the feeling meant to fill the hole in my chest.
Chaos!
Violence!
Destruction!
"I finally feel alive again," I mumbled with a satisfied smile.
Bam!
The door yanked open and William rushed in with a worried expression. The look of worry on his face soon twisted to shock as he saw the smile on my face.
"Derek?" He called out with a hint of confusion in his tone. "Are you okay?" He asked.
I must have been dull all these while to make him react like this. I gently jumped off the bed and walked up to him.
"That was fun. Where are we going next?" I asked.