Zach stood dazed as he watch Auro, he wasn't kidding, they were really going to attempt to destroy a nation that has the backing of a heavenly knight, Zach would have laughed, at the idea but with the face Auro was making it seemed that he had a plan.
"Well do you have some sort of plan?" Zach asked, "plan?" Auro raised a brow, " what your kidding right?, how can you say such a statement without having a plan on your own, I could tell by your skills that you are at least and earth knight, if a knight with the rank of sky or higher comes after us we be done for, and note the kingdom of valgard has plenty of those by the way", Zach explained " yeah, but we have something.." Auro smirked.
"And what's that", Zach asked confused.
"We have time on our side" Auro smirked widened into a bright smile.
'yep we're definitely gonna die '.
The duo continued their stride into the snowy plains, the blackened tree grew less and less until it became far behind them.
****
Not too far back of the duo a grotesque horror stood on it's multiple limbs, as is slithered just above the snowy floor, its bony skull twitched as it face turned to where a group of mangled armored bodies laid.
Walking slowly, like a leaping corpse, it sniffed one of the night body, using one of it's limbs, slowly and sluggishly to grab the bodies, as it dragged it's body into a gaping maw, located on it's cranium.
In less than a few minutes all the bodies were gone, what was left was the bloody stains.
****
"Sir Auro.." Zach called out, as Auro looked towards him, "what", he snorted not even glancing back at him as he continued walking".
That power you used back there, what was it", he used some sort of cold aura that tingled even his spine, Zach had never seen something like it, even his master had not mentioned a cold aura.
"Oh that l, that was just a physical manifestation of my aspect," he shrugged, "huh?" Zach raised a brow, making the blond knight glace back at him, "you don't know about the aspects ?," he asked surprised.
Zach had heard about the aspects before, but there were just fighting styles, but what Auro used there was more than a mere style of fighting, it was real cool air emitting from the blade, Zach had heard the word "aspect" from his master before, but he never went into details about it.
"Well the basic styles of fighting incorporate the seven, aspects" Auro spoke looking onward as, he the snow deepened, there pace had to slow down for a bit.
Seven aspects?"
Yeah Auro replied.
"The wind, water, earth, fire,thunder, light and shadow," those are the fighting styles in order for a swordsman to truly become perfect he has to train the mastery of all aspects to a 100% but no one in my lifetime has ever accomplished that though" Auro explained.
"The fire aspect is all about the brutality of the battle, people who train in this way are exceptionally good at fighting effectively in all terrain, they are frantic, almost mad as they swing their blade, but every aspect has its disadvantages"
Zach listened as Auro continued.
"The fire aspects greatest disadvantage is also their advantage, their frantic and explosive behavior leaves gap within their moves, with enough, calculation a knight can explore that weakness"
"So the aspect you used there against those knights were...."
"Yup! You got it right ", Auro cut his words. "The aspects I used was the water aspect, it deals with calculation in battle, the coldness, every move must be calculated, and control that the incorporation of the water aspect.
All aspect has a discipline to them, water is all calculation and control, fire is all about explosive attacks, earth is all about strength and being grounded, wind is all about flexibility during battle, ah uh... light thunder and shadow are all sub aspects so they have multiple disciplines"
Auro, rubbed his neck, "we are approaching, the valgard borders" Auro alerted Zach, "be on guard..".
But that doesn't answer my question, Zach looked at Auro as his brows furrowed, " how did you manifest your aspect into existence?" He asked.
"Well I don't really know how I did it, I just, did it somehow.." he pondered, "What the you pulled off a move without know what and how you did it?" Zach's surprised face made Auro chuckle, "well I learnt those lesson like 15 years ago, when I was still in my teens, so of course I don't remember them", he sighed....
By this time the snow too had reduced and Zach could see green patches of land on the horizon, the ashen sky was replaced by an ocean blue, and the sun hung on the sky like a shinning gold emerald"
Zach and Auro walked for a few minutes until they reached a large metal gate, as tall as three buses stacked upon each other.
In front of the gate two fully armored knights stood, "who are you", one asked, maintaining a straight face.
Zach didn't panicked because Auro was completely calm, yet again the handsome ragged knight might be planning something despicable, Zach grimaced at the thought.
Auro pondered for a bit and smirked, "do you ask a knight of the kingdom of valgard about his whereabouts, Auro eyes glowed with a tint of blue again as his aura slipped out, the knights tensed up as they bowed, "we're sorry sir" the duo bowed, as Zach filled him closely behind
"..Sir the kid"
"The kid is my squire" he replied indifferently as the mountainous door creaked open, revealing, town filled with shops and houses, traders and passerbys filled the area.
Zach looked at Auro, "we've arrived", he said "what do we do now?", "Auro smiled at he words "now... we visit an old friend" he looked towards the horizon.